meet the lupins
Do you think about how Sirius pulled the prank back in what? Fifth year? And how if he had met hope and Lyall for the first time after that. Like how pissed would they be that their son is now dating the kid who tried to get him killed or make him a murderer? And I feel like hope would give him a second chance, but Lyall would just be staring him down before looking to Remus or hope and say “when does he leave?” Right in front of him just to be mean
“You tricked my son twice now, I want you out” and he points to the door. But then Sirius cowers back and steps closer to Remus because he just got kicked out of his own house not even a year ago and now Lyall, who hasn’t even know him for five minutes already wants him out of his life. And he can’t help but think, “am I really that unlovable?”
But when he takes a step closer to Remus, lyall is pissed because no. No, don’t use my son as a shield
And Sirius is apologizing, and he doesn’t even know what he did wrong he just knows it’s something and he’s sorry because Lyall and Remus look so much alike and if Remus looked at him like that he’d die
And Hope whisper yells “Lyall. Enough.” but Sirius is already on the verge of tears muttering out apologies and stepping away from Remus. His eyes dart from Lyall’s to Hope, until finally Remus’ and gestures to the door. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you didn't want me here I-ll-I’ll leave and go back to Hogwarts I’m sorry” and his head is ducked looking at the ground as the first tears spill over
Okay but he trudges his feet and goes to move towards the door, but Hope’s hand wraps around his arm gently and he flinches. She looks at him so sad because this boy showed up with his son, and they both look so sad but now Remus is glaring at his father and his boyfriend is crying and she just wants to fix it all
But she can’t fix it, and Sirius is looking at her, his eyes wide and full of terror, but he doesn’t dare to try to pull his arm free from her grasp from the fear
But she notices how scared he is, so he pats his arm softly but lets him go, and Sirius stumbles back but Remus catches him, and Sirius is shaking, staring at Lyall and hope, and Remus’ heart nearly cracks in half when Remus turns to look at him with the same expression like he would ever hurt him
Hope tells Remus to take Sirius to his room, and Remus understands,
make him feel better
make him feel safe
tell him Lyall was wrong
Love this boy
She looks at him eye-level and tells him. “I want you here, it’s okay.”
But Sirius doesn’t feel like he’s okay, and he’s still scared, leaning onto Remus with tears still sliding down his face
Remus gently leads Sirius upstairs, and his arm is looped around his waist but Sirius is so tense and his legs are so shaky, he feels like his knees are going buckle and he’ll collapse. Remus keeps him upright, taking him to the bathroom next to his room.
He gets a damp cloth while Sirius sits on the counter. Remus stands close, between his legs and wipes gently at the tears there. Sirius is still hiccuping softly, eyes squeezed closed and his hands in fists.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers, voice thinks with tears.
And Remus is shushing him so fast, kissing his cheeks where the tears are still falling,
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” he whispers into the salty skin, he uses his thumbs to wipe away the rest, raising onto his tiptoes to press a kiss to Sirius’s forehead, coaxing him to open his eyes
“But I— Snape, I told him— A-and your dad, I…” And he’s audibly sobbing now, the heels of his hands pressed harshly into his eyes.
Remus is there, tugging his hands away to cradle in his own before placing another soft kiss to his lips.
“Love… It was stupid yes,” Sirius lets out another cry at that, trying to tug his hands back. Remus holds on to them tightly. “But, we moved past that. I forgive you, I love you.”
“B-but.” Sirius stutters out, his eyes finally flutter open. But this time it is not just fear there, there’s also shame burning in his grey irises.
Remus sighs, bringing Sirius's hands up to kiss them before letting go. He lets one of his hands trail softly over Sirius’ jaw before forcing him to look at him.
“But nothing, Sirius I forgave you for that remember?” Sirius shakingly nods his head, before opening his mouth to argue. Remus cuts him off
“I. Love. You.” Every word is emphasized with a kiss.
“I love you too,” Sirius whispers, suddenly feeling too drained to fight back as he wounds his arms around Remus’ shoulder and slumps against him.
Remus laughs softly, rubbing Sirius’ back.
“Come on, let’s brush our teeth, then we can go to my room. Sirius grumbles but sits up and jumps off the counter. He leans into Remus’ side.
“Thank you,” he mumbles. His eyes are heavy but he reaches for the toothbrush that Remus offers. He stares at it for a moment before looking back at Remus.
“What the fuck is this?” Sirius questioned. Remus already has his in his mouth and nearly chokes when he sees Sirius’ confused face.
“Hmm?” He laughs, would’ve laughed
He spits out the toothpaste.
“That's a toothbrush, Sirius.”
“Oh… What’s that?” Sirius tilts his head like a puppy, and Remus has to kiss him again. His eyes are still red and puffy, and his voice keeps getting caught, but Remus can tell he’s feeling a little better.
“Love, how do you clean your teeth when we’re at school?”
“Cleaning charms? Like James? I hate the feeling of it though. Feels like worms running, or rather wiggling, around in my mouth.”
Remus laughs again, taking the toothbrush to him. He squeezes some toothpaste onto the toothbrush for him before handing it back.
“Just… scrub your teeth with it.” Sirius looks at him weirdly before putting it in his mouth, moving it back and forth slowly.
“‘ike dis?” He asks around the toothbrush. Remus shakes his head fondly.
“Sure, star.”
The two go back to Remus’ room. Sirius is exhausted, today had been such a whirlwind and all he wants to do is sleep forever, and not wake up until Christmas break is over, He doesn’t think he can face Lyall in the morning. The thought of it, what he said, makes him want to cry again.
He sniffs, determined not to cry but buries his face into the crook of Remus's neck. Remus coos softly, pulling Sirius closer to him and lets him gather his thoughts.
“I’m sorry you know, about what he said. He’s wrong. You know he’s wrong. I love you, and I want you here, mam wants you too. He just… He…”
“He hates me.” Remus feels Sirius’ lips move against his skin, and then there’s the warm feeling of tears again.
“No,” Remus all but gasps out. “He doesn’t hate you, he just- I don't…”
“You don’t have to keep making excuses for him Re.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.” Sirius tightened his grip on Remus, hugging him tighter from where his arms were twined around his back.
They stood like that for a while longer, hugging in the middle of the bedroom until Sirius yawned.
“Can we go to sleep, talk more in the morning?” He murmured, eyes closed and leaning on Remus
Remus hummed in response, moving away from Sirius slightly. “Let’s go to bed then.”
They got dressed in silence, Remus giving Sirius his favorite sweater that he liked to sleep in the best.
“it’s soft, and it smells like you moonikins.” He would say. Remus just about melted the first time Sirius said that to him.
The sweater was far too big on him, a striking yellow that almost went to his knees, the sleeves were long enough that he’d have to fold them back multiple times if he wanted his hands to be visible.
Sirius would look so soft like this, if it weren’t for the tear tracks that were drying on his face again. His face was still red and blotchy, and his nose was still sniffly.
“c’mere,” Remus held his arms out for Sirius as he sat on the bed, letting his star almost tackle him into laying down. They rearranged until Remus lay on his back, and Sirius lay on his stomach, curled into his boyfriend with his head on his chest. Remus reached over to his nightstand to grab one of the many books he kept there
He read aloud until Sirius fell asleep to his voice. The steady heartbeat of Remus and the way his voice rumbled in his chest brought a sense of security that he couldn’t quite place, but he didn’t want to lose it either