Work Text:
September 30th, 1977
The crisp autumn air cut across his face as he made his way up the street. It was dark, and the wind whistled through the new trees, The sound of the bus driving away was barely audible. Nobody else had gotten off at his stop so the street was empty. He preferred it when it was empty, he didn’t feel so anxious. Anxiety had become a regular thing recently; the war had put him on edge. It had everyone on edge. He kept his head down anyway and his wand well hidden in the waistband of his trousers. The feeling of it on his leg was comforting. The collar of his Blaser flipped up at the back, some leftover rain ran down his neck. He shivered. How could it not have dried by now? Walking by a shop window, he caught a glimpse of himself. The dark brown blazer he wore looked black under the light of the street lamps and little too short. Ill-fitting trousers grazed the top of his scuffed brown shoes. His once white shirt was beginning to yellow. His shoulders slumped and his hair was too short. He frowned and carried on walking.
The stairwell was badly lit, It had a grimy feel to it. Like there was dirt on the floor that had been there for millennia. He had not dared apparate in public since he joined the order. As he hauled himself up the last flight of stairs to his apartment the door flung open. A dark-haired figure stepped out. His worn jeans flapped together when he walked. He was carrying two cardboard boxes that covered his face. The man plopped them down in the hall and turned to him, shoulder-length hair flipping round.
“Moony!” he smiled.
His face was prince-like, a soft jaw, small nose and sharp grey eyes. His smile was charming and his teeth were perfect. He held himself with an elegance that only comes with the aristocracy. Yet, he wore a t-shirt that was too tight and faded from overuse. Dark flared jeans which had ripped in the knee and fell over his shoes and an old floral scarf that hung around his neck.
“I see you finally did the boxes,” Remus said. He walked up the last few steps and past Sirius, heading to their apartment door.
Sirius stretched, following Remus.
“Yes, well, I’m very helpful me,” he says.
They both walk into the apartment. The walls had been painted a light yellow and ugly brown carpet covered the floor. It was small. Very small. Remus had guessed it was smaller than Sirius' bedroom growing up. It had a kitchen that made an L shape around the wall and had green counters and an orange-tinted fridge and cooker. There was a record player on one of the counters, records piled next to it on the floor. In the middle of the room, there was a small round table, a red table cloth flung over it with two wooden chairs tucked in. An aged typewriter as the centrepiece. Remus took off his blazer and slung it over the back of one of the chairs. On the other side of the apartment was a rickety double bed with a thick red quilt on it that Remus' mother had given him the day he moved out. Sirius sat down on the bed and picked up an open comic book that had been thrown there earlier. There were piles of books on the floor, stacked up around the room. A lamp had been placed haphazardly on one of them. A phone on another.
"Any luck today?" Sirius asked without looking at Remus.
Remus looked in the fridge. "Yes actually, I think the haircut helped. Why don't we have any food?"He asked, turning to look at Sirius.
"Oh well done, what they give you then? There are beans in the top cabinet." He said, still not looking up from his comic.
"I got a job editing articles for this finance paper. Boring really but at least now we can finally start eating something other than beans and maybe get that heater fixed."Remus said while opening the can of beans.
"Yeah and maybe they'll let you grow out your hair. Not that I don't like looking at your ears moony. It's just strange you know, you have so much more face than I'm used to."
Remus gets a pan from the cupboard and starts heating the beans on the stove."Well, I'm sorry for that Sirius, but sadly people don't seem to employ people with a mane covering their eyes."
"Its, not a bad thing, I like your face, now I can just see more of it." he stood up and walked over, behind Remus. Slipped an arm around his waist and kissed him on the cheek while taking the wooden spoon out of his hand.
"I'll do the beans, you put the toast on".
Remus obliged.
"How was your day then?" Remus asked crouching down to get the bread out of the cupboard.
"Oh you know, busy busy busy" Sirius said sarcastically.
"You better not have been reading that comic the whole time I've been out". He puts the bread in the toaster.
"No of course not." Sirius passes behind Remus and opens the fridge. He takes out the butter. "I read another one too". He places the butter on the counter next to Remus.
Remus bumps him with his hip. "I'm serious. I think you should get a job
Sirius is stirring the beans slowly not making eye contact. "I've got auror training," he grumbled
"And how much does that pay?" The toast pops up and Remus grabs it and drops them onto a plate.
"Not everything is about money moons. There's a war on" Sirius says, still not looking up fro the beans. He turns the heat off and starts pouring them on the toast.
Remus takes a step back
"Not everything about money? Are you kidding me? Remus says
Sirius turns around. He's stood up straight. Remus has his arms crossed.
"It is when we can't afford the water bill, let alone rent. Sirius, we've already missed this month. If I hadn't got this new job, we probably wouldn't have been kicked out."Remus says, irritated
Sirius snaps.
"There's a bloody war going on Remus! You're talking about the water bill when innocent people are being taken and killed every day! Now, there is a war to be fought and I'm fighting it. And you can too.."
"Yeah? And who'll keep a roof over our heads? Who'll make sure there is still food in our fridge? Who'll make sure we don't freeze to death when the hot water runs out? When we're off gallivanting in the woods playing soldier with death eaters. Face it, without money we are done for and it-"
"I'm not 'playing soldiers' with anyone Remus! I am risking my life being out there."
Remus' face falls slightly. He takes out a chair and sits down, back facing Sirius. "I wish you weren't. I need you here. With me". He puts his head in his hands.
Sirius takes the other chair. He sits facing Remus. He reaches over the table and takes his hand. "I know and I'm here now but, you know I have to be out there. This war is bigger than us."
Remus looks up."God, I know, I know. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I shouted at you, you're doing a good thing. Maybe I should be putting more energy into the war effort."
"And maybe I should start helping with the bills. I'll do odd jobs on days I'm not training. Things will change Remus. I promise." Sirius takes Remus' other hand.
"Thank you". He smiles.