Chapter Text
When Remus walked into the kitchen the next morning, the windows were open and the curtains were pulled aside. Sirius sat idly on the table in the centre of the room, cradling a cup of tea and humming to himself. His hair was in a loose black knot at the back of his head.
"Oh, hello," He said when he saw him, "Guess what?"
"Do you want me to?" He moved towards the kettle and turned it on.
Sirius beamed. "You'll never get it. Al just messaged me - she's friends with Cissa on something, anyway, it's not important- my cousin and her husband have moved in round the corner. Literally round the corner - not more than ten minutes on the bike." He grinned wickedly. "I just looked up the house and it sold for thirteen point two million. It has a pool and a hedge maze. I think we should visit them."
Remus raised his eyebrows. "Visit?"
"Take a look around."
"Take a look around your estranged cousin's house?"
Sirius cleared his throat. "Well, I'd say in this scenario I'm the estranged one."
"I think that weakens your case, to be honest."
"I don't want to be labelled as an estranger."
"Unfortunately for you," Remus said, pouring them both cups of tea, "I reckon Narcissa is perfectly content with her position as estranger. And I don't know if turning up at her house unannounced is the best way to remedy that."
Sirius scoffed. "She moved ten minutes from my house."
Remus looked at him. "You live in the biggest city in Scotland."
Sirius sighed. "I think she misses me, actually."
Remus blinked. "So you want to swim in her pool?"
"Only if she has a sauna for afterwards."
"Obviously she has a sauna."
"Cool," Sirius hopped off the table to grab his cup of tea. He smiled, real and bright. "Will you come with me? Tonight? As I said," he opened his phone up to Google Maps on his phone and turned it to face Remus, "Ten minutes."
Sirius did up the strap on Remus' bike helmet. His smile was wide and bright. "I'm so glad you're coming, moons. Cissa always liked you."
Remus snorted. "Yup."
Sirius rested his hands on Remus' shoulders, then sat down on the bike. "She liked you more than James."
"Well, I never dressed up as her for Halloween."
"She's moved next door. There's still time."
"I think you would make a better Narcissa."
Sirius tsked. "I don't think Glasgow is ready for salt and pepper."
Remus snorted. "Coward."
Sirius looked up at him and sighed. "Fine. We can both be Narcissa."
"No. I changed my mind. I want to be Lucius."
"Ah, fuck, Moons. You'll outdo me."
Remus grinned. "Yeah?"
"Yeah. I can see it. The platinum blonde, th-"
Remus waved his hand in the air and sat behind him on the motorbike. He looped his left hand around Sirius' waist and his right hand on his side in a very practiced, deliberate way. He tapped his nose to Sirius' neck to tell him to start. Sirius looked behind at him and smiled lazily, easily, wide. He gave a small wink. Remus grinned.
"Crikey."
Sirius grinned. "You should've seen her last house."
"Poor Cissa. Downsizing." Remus squinted at the extensive black fence surrounding the house. He took off his helmet and held it in his hands. The metal was cold; he shivered, he didn't have gloves.
Sirius looked at him. "Well. This bit is the non-security camera'd bit." He smiled. "Me first?"
Remus grinned. "No, sorry," he said, unapologetically, placing his leg first onto the fence and then jumping over to the other side. "What a silly fence."
Sirius climbed over after him. "Big time. All talk no action. I'm surprised Cissa allowed it. She's normally more tasteful."
"No! This screams Lucius, surely?"
Sirius sighed. "God. Silly, silly. Anywho." He gave the motorbike a look then turned to Remus: "To the pool."
"To the pool. I'm excited."
Remus pulled his coat tighter around himself and shoved his hands into the pockets. Sirius gave him a chiding look and reached his hands into the pockets too, grasping Remus', tightly. He brought them to his face and blew into them in a disapproving, performative way before letting go.
Remus looked ahead. The trees were clearing, slightly, and he could make out a hazy rectangle. "I think that's the pool."
Sirius grinned. He started walking, then broke into an excited run, Remus following. They soon reached the building: neat, clean marble and a slate door. Remus walked up to it and knocked experimentally. He turned to Sirius, reaching for the handle. He let his hand rest there awkwardly, unsure whether to open it. "It's not locked."
"Yup," Sirius breathed, moving into the building. There was a large pool in the centre of the room, a shower, and two toilets, but otherwise, the room was sparse. Sirius walked to the foot of the pool, kicked off his shoes and took his socks off. He dipped his toe into the water. "Remus. Remus, come here. Dip your foot in."
Remus followed suit. The water was pleasantly warm. Sirius reached to the hem of his top and took it off in one fell motion. He said, "I'm wearing my swim shorts," and then jumped in. When he resurfaced, he grinned at Remus, moving his arm in a great big wave to beckon him in.
Remus rolled up his trousers to his knees and sat at the side of the pool, letting his legs dangle into the water. "I'm afraid I didn't quite have the foresight to come in my costume."
Sirius laughed. He reached his hand to Remus' trousers and rolled them further up his leg. "Don't fret. These trousers are manky."
"They might retain the wet, though. I'd never forgive myself if I got the motorbike seat wet."
Sirius frowned. "I don't think the motorbike will suffer too excessively."
"Really? Oh, shame." He gave Sirius a quick smile, and then at once pushed his legs up so that he rolled off the ledge and splashed into the water. When he resurfaced he stood up and put his hands on Sirius' shoulders. "Did I shock you?"
"Nah, Moons, I saw you coming."
"You saw me coming?"
"Yeah. You weren't slick at all."
Remus sighed, then dived underwater and pulled Sirius' legs from under him. He fell back into the water for a second, but came back with a raised eyebrow that made Remus start laughing. Remus arced his arm back to start swimming away. "You're it," He called.
Sirius' looked at him, lazily, his face dopey and rosy. He kicked his feet and curled his arms after Remus in the water.
They sat on the side of the pool. Sirius had one leg in the water and Remus had neither, his hands holding his feet as he sat cross-legged.
After a while, Sirius said, "It is a very good pool. Very aerodynamic. Maybe the good taste is genetic."
"Man, did Cissy get all the designer genes? You sad she didn't leave any for you?"
"I'm focusing on other things."
"That's what they all say."
Sirius grinned. "At least I'm not insane."
Remus pulled a face. "We just swam in her pool. Maybe we'll go insane too."
"Don't worry. I know how to fight it. I'm much stronger than Cissa, even though she's two years older."
"Fat lot of good it does us if you can fight Cissa but you can't fight me, if I go insane."
"Who says I can't fight you?"
Remus grinned. "Say that again?"
"Remus, I can tell that you're trying to goad me into trying to fight you. It's not going to work. It would make a mess. I won't defile this lovely tiled floor."
Remus looked up very suddenly. Outside of the pool room, he could hear heavy feet getting louder. He looked to Sirius, who had his eyes on the door too.
In a few quick moments, Remus picked up his socks and shoes and Sirius' shirt. He grabbed Sirius' arm and pulled him very quietly into the bathroom.
"Put your feet up so they won't be seen," he whispered.
"Aye aye," Sirius whispered. He let out a soundless laugh. "Thank god my shoes are hidden away."
They were both sat squished against the wall with their feet on the toilet seat. Remus heard the door open, and as he held his breath he heard Sirius do the same.
After a few seconds he heard the door close and the footsteps fade away. He started to laugh. "Of course she has a fucking groundskeeper." He couldn't help the laughter, and soon Sirius was laughing too. He tried to put his socks on but he was laughing too hard.
When they got to getting on the motorcycle Remus was exhausted. His limbs were heavy and his hair was still wet. He melted onto the seat and let his arms be guided around Sirius'.
When Remus opened his eyes again his head was swinging slightly. He scrunched up his face and then opened his eyes again; he was on Sirius' back, he could tell now. Sirius set him down on the sofa. The flat was cosy and warm, dimly lit and comfortable. "You fell asleep on a fucking motorbike."
Remus grinned. "I deserved it. I swam really hard."
Sirius tutted fondly. "Do you want a tea?"
Remus paused, thinking. "Do we have any decaf?"
Remus could hear Sirius rooting around in the cupboard. "I think we're finished."
Remus tutted.
"What?"
"Nothing. Just wondering if I should risk it."
"I think you should do it, Remus. Take a walk on the wild side."
"You think I should do it?"
"Go crazy."
"Oh man. Well. Good convincing. Pour me a cup of your normal, strongest Yorkshire tea."
"Coming right up." Remus heard the kettle heat up.
"You know, Pads. I hope your cousin thinks that somebody used her pool. I never liked her."
Sirius grinned. "Damn right. If I thought she used it then I know she'd notice. But I wouldn't be surprised if they have a pool just to show it off."
"Do you miss it? That could have been you," He said sardonically.
Sirius snorted. "Remus, once you finish your course, we'll get a house bigger than theirs, and we'll do water yoga every morning."
He reached for the kettle. He jerked a little and suddenly the water was all over his hand and his fingers and his thumb. Remus lept up automatically and grabbed Sirius' hand, shoving it under the cold water tap. "You fucking idiot," he breathed. "You got your whole hand burnt, Sirius. That's gonna hurt like a bitch."
Sirius shrugged. He laughed. "I can't even feel it. Don't worry."
Remus looked at him. "Yeah, you can't feel it now," he said slowly. "Sirius, you can't- You need to be more careful..."
After a while, Remus heard Sirius swallow thickly. "I reckon my hand's probably okay now."
Remus looked down. He was still holding Sirius' hand under the tap. He looked at the hand; its colour had mostly settled down but there were defined white areas around where he was holding onto it.
He put his head against the cupboard in exasperation. "You didn't even notice that your hand was burnt." He looked at Sirius. He realised, embarrassed, that his eyelashes were wet.
He looked down; he was still holding onto Sirius' hand, but now the tap was off. He let go and put his head on Sirius' shoulder, exhausted.
He sighed, half laughing. "I can't believe we're out of decaf."