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November 3- Sirius
“James. James, what if it’s horrible? What if they hate me? What if-”
“It’ll be fine, Sirius.” James cut him off, “They aren’t going to hate you. They’re your soulmate.”
“What if the words are horrible though. What if it’s something generic? I might die if it’s something generic.”
“You’re being dramatic, Padfoot.”
“I am not.”
James shot him a look but didn’t answer.
“James. Jamie. Prongs. Jamie. Prongs. James. Prongs. Jamie!”
“What, Pads?”
“I’m scared.”
“I know, Pads. Just,” He paused to glance at his watch, “just five more minutes. Deep breaths.”
Sirius flopped dramatically onto James’ bed, dragging James with him. He buried his face in the blankets, an arm wrapped around James’ chest.
“James.” he said, turning his head to look at him.
“Yes, Pads?”
“Distract me?”
“Completely or from the time?”
“Time.”
“What do you want your words to say?”
“Something awesome.”
“Like what?”
“No I want them to say ‘something awesome’, I’m going to go around asking people what they want their first words to their soulmate to say, and mine will say ‘something awesome’ and it’ll be perfect.”
James laughed, “And what do you want this soulmate of yours to be like?”
Sirius’ eyes glazed over, “Cuddly, and funny, and warm, and perfect.” Sirius turned his attention back to James, “What do you want yours to be like?”
“Smart, and kind, and strong, and they have to love you of course.”
Sirius grinned widely, rubbing his cheek against the blankets in a nod, “Mine too of course. Must love you.”
James glanced at his watch again, “Almost time, Siri.”
Sirius took a deep breath as he felt a burning on his forearm, he buried his head in the blankets, voice muffled, “James, look for me.”
“You sure, Siri?”
“Yes. Please. Tell me if it’s horrible.”
James sat up, turning Sirius’ arm to get a better look, he stared at it for a moment before falling back onto the bed in a fit of silent laughter.
“James?” Sirius propped himself up to look at his friend in concern, which quickly faded as he saw James laughing, tears streaming down his face. Sirius scowled at him before turning to look at his arm. He stared at it in silence for a minute. And then another.
“You’ve got to be shitting me. James! This isn’t funny!”
“Oh c’mon, Pads!”
“We’ll see who’s laughing when your mark comes in.”
Hi
***
January 30- Lily
“Excited, Lily?” Remus asked dryly from his position on her bed.
Lily glanced over at him without stopping her frantic pacing, “Of course I’m excited, Re!”
“Come sit. You’re making me dizzy.”
Lily let out an exaggerated sigh, but flopped onto the bed, laying herself across Remus’ lap. Remus let out an amused chuckle, and started stroking her hair.
“What do you want it to say?”
“Something happy.”
“One more minute, Lils.”
Lily took a deep breath, held it for a moment, and let it all out just as the pain started on her collarbone.
“I need a mirror, Re.”
“I need you to get off of me.”
Lily groaned but rolled off of him, closing her eyes as he stood. He glanced down at her, and saw the mark peeking out of her shirt. He peered closer and then quickly turned away, hurrying out of the room.
He rummaged through the bathroom until he found a handheld mirror. He took a deep breath then went back to the room. He avoided Lily’s gaze as he handed her the mirror, pretending to give her the chance to look at her mark first. She was silent for a long moment and when Remus looked over he found her staring at nothing, hands clenched above the mirror in her lap.
“Oh, Lily. C’mere.” Remus said, sitting on the bed and holding his arms open. Lily crawled over to him, burying her face in his sweater. They sat like that for a moment before Remus shifted them so that they were lying down under the blankets. Lily cried herself to sleep, silent tears soaking through Remus’ sweater.
Lily’s parent’s poked their heads into the room a little while later, eyebrows raised in question as they saw Lily and Remus huddled together.
Remus whispered, “It’s bad,” in answer to their silent question.
When Mrs. Evans opened her mouth to question further, he shook his head. She nodded with a worried frown, but silently pulled her husband out of the room, closing the door behind them.
“Thanks, Re.”
“Oh, Lily. I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to hear that.”
“It’s fine, Re. It’s true. Let’s just sleep.
This is Sirius. He’s very passionate and I love him. I wouldn’t give him up for anything, not even my soulmate.
***
March 10- Remus
“Ready, Re?” Lily asked, bouncing on her knees on his bed.
“I guess,” Remus sighed, resigned.
“Oh, c’mon, Remus, it’ll be great!”
“Lily.”
“No buts! It will. One of us has to have an awesome soulmate.”
“Lily, yours could be-”
“Re. You know they're not. They’re happy with this Sirius person. I want them to be happy. I do. But anyway,” She said wiping her eyes before the tears could fall. She only ever got emotional around Remus when talking about her mark, “Tonight is about you and your awesome soulmate! No more of this sad talk! One minute!”
Remus sat beside her on the bed and started taking deep breaths. He felt the pain start on his ribcage. It was everywhere, the pain radiating across a large expanse of skin.
“I thought only the mark was supposed to hurt.” Remus panted, arms pressing against the pain as if that would stop it.
“It should.” Lily sounded worried. Worried was not the response Remus had been hoping for. Why couldn’t he be normal? Why did half his chest feel like it was burning?
Remus let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding as the pain started to subside.
“Re?”
“I’m fine. It’s fine.” Remus said shakily, “Mirror?” He started pulling off his shirt as Lily hopped off the bed and over to the mirror they left on Remus’ desk.
“Right. Yes. Of course.” She turned back to him, her eyes widening as she took in his mark. She came over quickly and handed the mirror over, eyes still scanning his chest.
Remus took another deep breath before looking in the mirror and gasped. He had never seen somebody with so many words in their mark. The words took up the whole left side of his chest, stretching from his collarbone down to his hip. He shook his head and focused on the words that would tell him when he met his soulmate. There’d be no chance he could get it wrong with a mark like that.
By the time he finished reading, Lily had plopped down on the bed beside him, head resting on his shoulder.
“Do you think it’s the same one?”
“I don’t know.” Remus may not be able to mistake his soulmate for someone else, but he may still miss out on being with them.
You can’t just say that to people! I can’t believe that’s the first thing you say when you meet people! What if I was your soulmate? How would we even know with you saying that. That’s my soulmark you know. I, Sirius Black, have the most generic soulmark in the history of soulmarks and you have the audacity to say it to me! How will I ever find my soulmate when everyone I meet says my soulmark word to me? You are a disgrace to soulmates everywhere and I hope you think of better things to say to all future people you meet so that your soulmate can recognize you!
***
March 27- James
“Are you ready, Prongs?”
“Of course not!”
“I hope yours is an insult.” Sirius still hadn’t quite forgiven him for laughing when his mark came in.
“Pads. I’ve said sorry how many times?”
Sirius scowled at him, “Like a billion, but how many times have you meant it?”
James ran a hand through his hair and looked away grinning.
Sirius glared, but only for a moment. He had come up with a foolproof plan to find his soulmate, despite their efforts to make it difficult, so he couldn’t really stay mad at Prongs.
“Two minutes, Pads. I’m freaking out.”
“You’ll be fine, Prongs. They’re going to love you.”
James drew in a quick breath, body tensing, hand rubbing at his thigh. He turned to look at Sirius, eyes wide.
“Well? What’re you waiting for? Drop your pants!”
James rolled his eyes grinning, and started to unbutton his jeans. He pushed them off his thighs, letting them pool around his ankles. He took a deep breath before looking down at his thigh and turning his head sideways to read the words. He frowned at them, and then looked up to see Sirius with his head tilted reading the words on James’ thigh.
“Rude.” Sirius said jokingly, but James could hear the hurt in his voice. It wasn’t the first time they had heard those words.
James grimaced and bent down to pull his jeans back on, covering the words.
How do you handle him
***
“C’mon, Padfoot! We’re going to be late!”
“We’re not going to be late! We’re going for a walk, Prongs.” Sirius shook his head.
“It’s my birthday, you have to do as I say.”
Sirius sighed, but walked slightly quicker to catch up with his friend. James’ soulmate was going to hate him. How would they stay friends if James’ soulmate didn’t want him around? Sirius was moping and he knew it, but the beginning of the end of his friendship with James was in sight. They’d been best mates since they were eleven, and now his soulmate was going to ruin everything, and then not only would Sirius be out James, but he would be out his entire family. All of them would side with the soulmate and Sirius would be kicked to the curb. And Sirius was going to be left without a soulmate because he would never find them with a soulmark like ‘hi’. It was pathetic.
“Pads. You’re not still sulking are you? I won’t let my soulmate insult you. Well. I guess just the once. But never again! We’re a package deal, Pads. Nobody is going to take you away from me. Now let’s go!”
Sirius felt slightly lighter after that, but he still didn’t quite trust that. Soulmates were a powerful thing.
“Come on, Pads. Cheer up. I probably won’t meet them for ages anyway! We need to focus on you! Let’s go introduce you to people! See if we can find your soulmate!”
“Prongs, we’ve been doing this for months. It’s your birthday, let’s do something you want to do.”
“I want to do this!” James said cheerily, pulling Sirius through the park. “Here, look there’s a good looking guy, yeah?” James pulled Sirius over to a large man, laying on a blanket taking a nap. Sirius only gave him a cursory glance, saw black hair and stubble, before letting his gaze drift around the park. His gaze settled on a scrawny man with light brown hair and an oversized sweater. He was talking to a woman with long, dark red hair. The redhead glanced in Sirius’ direction before turning and nudging her friend. Sirius looked away blushing when the other boy glanced up. Nope. Not happening.
He willed his blush away as he turned his attention back to James and the man on the ground. The man was looking up at him expectantly.
“What?”
“Agh! Pads! That’s not- Let’s just- sorry to bother you,” He said, the last words aimed at the man on the ground. He grunted, returning to his nap as James pulled him away, “Were you even paying attention, Pads? Not that it matters, he said ‘hello’. What were you thinking about? Or who?” James looked around the park excitedly on the last question.
Soon Sirius was being dragged over to a tall man leaning against a tree. He was dressed in all black. Heavy black boots, black jeans, black t-shirt, and a black leather jacket. He scowled at them as they came closer. James proceeded undeterred.
“Hi there, my name’s James, and this is Sirius. We’re looking for his soulmate!”
The guy’s face shifted into something softer as he turned to Sirius.
“You having any luck? I haven’t had much myself.”
“No.” Sirius said sullenly.
The man looked a bit shocked at Sirius’ attitude, looking to James for an explanation.
“Um, sorry about that, he’s having a bad day. Good luck in your search!” James called over his shoulder as he pulled Sirius away. He stopped once they were out of earshot.
“You could try you know.”
Sirius glared.
James sighed, “One more? Please? Only if you’re friendly though. If you’re not friendly we’ll go talk to more people.”
“Fine.”
“Great!” James gazed around the park, eyes flitting from one potential soulmate to the next, “What about him?” James asked, pointing to the scrawny man Sirius had been looking at earlier.
Sirius scoffed, “You just want to talk to his friend.”
“And so what if I do? It’s my birthday after all. You said we should do what I want. I want to go talk to her. I mean them.” He started striding towards them, “You get to introduce yourself this time!”
Sirius followed behind, feet dragging. Then he remembered James’ threat. He stood up straight, shoulders back, hands casually in his pockets. He pasted a beaming smile on his face as he got nearer and aimed it directly at the man.
“Hi?” He sounded unsure when faced with Sirius, but Sirius wasn’t. Who greeted people like that?
“You can’t just say that to people! I can’t believe that’s the first thing you say when you meet people! What if I was your soulmate? How would we even know with you saying that. That’s my soulmark you know. I, Sirius Black, have the most generic soulmark in the history of soulmarks and you have the audacity to say it to me! How will I ever find my soulmate when everyone I meet says my soulmark word to me? You are a disgrace to soulmates everywhere and I hope you think of better things to say to all future people you meet so that your soulmate can recognize you!”
The man was staring wide-eyed at Sirius. Sirius turned away while he waited for someone to speak.
“How do you handle him?” The woman asked with a laugh.
Sirius whipped around to look at her, before he could speak though James had his arm around his shoulder.
“This is Sirius. He’s very passionate and I love him. I wouldn’t give him up for anything, not even my soulmate.”
Now the woman was staring wide-eyed. James was looking between her and the man in confusion. Sirius watched as his expression changed from confusion to realization to guilt as he turned to look at Sirius. Sirius rolled his eyes and turned away again, going to lean against a nearby tree. The man was watching him, but Sirius ignored him, instead focusing on James.
“You- are you- am I- are we soulmates?” He finally choked out.
The woman looked uncomfortable, “Yeah, but I mean, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”
James looked at her in confusion, glancing over at Sirius eyebrows raised in question. Sirius shrugged.
“Do you- not want a soulmate?”
“What? No! I mean yes. I mean… I thought you didn’t? You said you wouldn’t give Sirius up for your soulmate. It’s fine. I understand that you’re already in love. I don’t think I could handle being just friends with my soulmate- with you. I guess.”
“In...love? I’m not- why would you think I was in love with Sirius?” James spluttered.
Lily pulled down the neckline of her shirt, baring her collarbone and the words printed there. Sirius walked over to look too.
“That’s not what I meant. I’m sorry. It’s just- my words, ‘how do you handle him’, we’ve heard them said not so nicely. Well I guess, I do mean what I said. I wouldn’t give up my friendship with Sirius for a soulmate who hated him.”
“So you’re not together?” The man spoke up from beside his friend, his gaze fixed on Sirius.
“Nope!” James said happily, “So if you want, I’d very much like to get to know you. Starting with your name? I’m James. Potter.”
“Lily Evans,” She said with a smile, “Do you want to go get coffee?”
“Right now?” James asked, with a glance at Sirius, “I can’t leave Sirius…”
“No, no. All of us.” She said brightly.
“Siri?”
Sirius tried to keep the scowl off his face as he looked into James’ hopeful expression, “Yeah, it’ll be great.”
“Thanks, Pads!” James took off with Lily, walking close, shoulders brushing.
Sirius sighed and followed, the still nameless scrawny man beside him.
“Are you okay?”
Sirius glanced at him, debating, he sighed again and decided, what the hell, “I’m just worried about not finding my soulmate. James just got his mark today, and I’m happy for him, I am. It’s just mine is so generic. I’m worried I won’t recognize them.” Sirius glanced over at the man beside him who was smirking. Sirius scowled at him, before hurrying ahead, regretting speaking to him at all.
“Sorry, sorry!” He called, catching up, “I guess I forgot to introduce myself, I’m Remus Lupin. Your soulmate.”
Sirius stopped dead, staring at the other man. Remus. “What?” he asked. It came out as a whisper, “How do you know for sure?”
“You said some pretty iconic first words. Hard to get wrong.”
“Show me.” Sirius demanded, disbelieving.
Remus smirked at him while pulling up his sweater to reveal his word covered chest. Sirius scanned the words, smile growing with every word.
“I found you.” He said, shocked, as Remus pulled his sweater down again. “I can’t believe I found you.” He pulled Remus, his soulmate, into a hug. He pulled back grinning, before turning to shout, “Prongs! I found my soulmate!”
James and Lily turned around, huge grins on both their faces as they took in their friends.