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The first time James gave Sirius a ring, they were twelve years old. It was plastic with a large fake diamond on top, and it would change colors depending on Sirius’s mood. It was in the bottom of a box of Zonko’s mystery products that his parents sent him for his birthday, and the ring didn’t quite fit James’s finger. When Sirius put it on, it turned the same delicate pink as the blush on his cheeks. Sirius wore the ring until it literally fell apart, and he cried on James’s shoulder because they couldn’t repair it anymore.
(Sirius still keeps the pieces of this ring in a box in his sock drawer. Every once in a while, he still tries to repair it. It never works.)
The second ring that James gave to Sirius was purchased to replace the first, a few months into their second year. It was simple—just a small silver band, purchased by rush owl order when Sirius was inconsolable. Sirius never took it off, and as an adult, he wore it on his little finger on his right hand.
That was where the tradition started. Sometimes, it was just because it was a Tuesday afternoon and it caught his eye. Sometimes, it was part apology and part distraction for the way Sirius’s family treated him. Sometimes, the ring marked an important occasion in their lives. Ultimately, Sirius had more rings than he could ever wear at once, all from James.
(Except, of course, for the one from Remus when they got married, but Sirius knew that James had secretly picked that one out as well.)
However, the most important ring that James ever gave him came in January 1980.
Remus and Sirius knocked on the door to the house in Godric’s Hollow, and Sirius tried to ignore the way Remus was practically smirking. He’d been acting weird all evening, and Sirius just couldn’t figure out why.
James opened the door wearing a muggle tux and holding a garment bag. He thrust it at Sirius before they even walked in the door. “You’re here! Great. Go change.”
Sirius narrowed his eyes as he grabbed the bag. “Why am I—“
“Don’t ask questions.” James was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. “Just go change.”
Sirius edged past James, who was still standing in the doorway, and found Lily sitting on the couch and flipping through a magazine with an amused look on her face. “Evening, Lily. Do you know what your husband has planned for tonight?”
She looked up at him with a smile. “I do.”
“Any hints?”
She tutted and turned a page in her magazine. “Why would I spoil the fun?”
Sirius came out of the bedroom a few minutes later in his own perfectly fitted tux. He walked to Remus with the cuff links in hand and shot a look at James. “This isn’t one of mine. Where did you get it?”
James shrugged. “Had it made.”
“You did what?” Lily turned in her seat to face him. “I didn’t know you got it custom made.”
James scoffed. “Of course I did. Had to do this right.”
Lily laughed and turned back to her magazine.
“Do what right?” Sirius rolled his eyes as James mimed zipping his lips. “How did you get my measurements?”
James grabbed both of their coats. “I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve.”
“Or I got them while you were sleeping.” Remus straightened his tie. “You do look very dashing in it.”
“Wait, so you know what this is too?” Remus only pressed his lips together. “You’ve all been planning against me!”
"For you, not against you." James threw his arm around Sirius’s shoulder. “It’s a surprise, and you love surprises.”
Sirius looked between all of them with narrowed eyes. “Alright, I do, but I don’t know how I feel about everyone else knowing when I don’t.”
Lily sighed. “Sirius, that’s how a surprise works.”
James pushed him toward the door. “Come on, then. Let’s get going so you can find out too.”
Sirius felt the excitement brewing in his stomach. As much as he gave them a hard time, they were right. He did love surprises, and one that started off with a tuxedo? It was like his birthday and Christmas all wrapped up in one. He couldn’t wait.
James turned back to him as they got to the bottom of the front porch steps. “Ready?”
Sirius sighed dramatically. “Alright, where are we going?”
James shook his head and offered Sirius a hand. “You’re going to have to side along.”
Sirius groaned, but the effect was ruined by the wide smile on his face. “Fine.”
James grabbed his hand and twisted on the spot. Sirius felt the squeeze of apparition take him and a moment later, they appeared in an alley that Sirius didn’t recognize. Without letting go of Sirius’s hand, James walked toward the street and around the corner.
They walked into a posh looking muggle restaurant that Sirius had never heard of before, and Sirius’s eyes went wide. It wasn’t that they didn’t eat at muggle restaurants, but James had always been of the opinion that important things deserved the extra effort. Muggle tuxes and a muggle restaurant. This must be important.
James gave his name, and they were shown to the back of the restaurant where a small private room was set up with a table for two. They sat down and the host poured wine into both of their glasses. As they walked out of the room, Sirius looked at James practically bouncing in his seat.
“So, tell me! What’s the news?”
James laughed. “Not yet! You have to wait.”
“Come on, you can tell me.” Sirius took a sip of his wine. “There’s no way you can wait that long to tell me.”
James just smiled. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting. I can wait through dinner.”
Sirius groaned and threw his head back just as the server came in to take their order. Dinner took an extraordinarily long time, at least in Sirius’s opinion. However, the server finally took the last of their plates away and left a dessert menu behind.
James grabbed the small card and began to look it over. “Dessert? I wouldn’t say no to some cheesecake, though—“
“You are not about to make me sit through dessert rather than tell me.” Sirius huffed and crossed his arms over his chest.
James laughed. “I’m not telling you in the middle of a restaurant.”
The server came back. “Would you like some dessert?”
James smiled coyly at Sirius. “Yes. I’ll have the cheesecake. Anything for you?” Sirius just rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t suppress the smile on his face. “No? Alright then. Let’s also get a slice of the chocolate cake for Remus and Lily. Do you think they could share?” James didn’t wait for a reply, but just laughed. “Nah, best not. Two slices of cake for them.” He paused for a long moment, looking at Sirius. “You can wrap all three of those to go, and bring us the check too.”
They struggled to figure out the muggle bills (did they have to be so confusing?) but eventually managed to leave enough money to cover the bill and a reasonable tip. (Or, they hoped it was a reasonable tip. How much were you supposed to tip? Muggles did tip, right?)
James took Sirius’s hand again as they walked out of the restaurant. Sirius turned toward the alley that James had apparated them into, but James turned the other way and pulled Sirius along behind him. Sirius stumbled a bit as he hurried to catch up.
“Where are we going?”
James looked at him with a twinkle in his eyes. “You’ll see.”
About a five minute walk down the road, with Sirius pestering James the whole time to just tell him, they finally entered a small park. They walk under the trellises at the entrance, and on the other side, Sirius saw that the park was covered in small muggle hanging lights on strings. They hung from every tree and bush, and crisscrossed overhead as they hung between poles on either side of the small path.
Sirius laughed and turned to James. “Did you set this whole thing up?”
James shook his head. “Lily and I found it last week. It’s part of some art installation for the museum around the corner. I’m just taking advantage of it.”
Sirius looked at James with a raised eyebrow. “You’re taking advantage of me now?”
“You would love it if I did.” James led Sirius by the hand along the path, walking slowly as they took in all the lights. “I actually need to talk to you about something.”
“Uh oh. That sounds ominous.” Sirius tried to clamp down on the anxiety that threatened to take over. “Should I be worried?”
“No!” James was emphatically shaking his head, still holding Sirius’s hand. James’s other hand was in his pants pocket. “Nothing bad. Not really. I hope you’re excited.”
“Well, spill Prongs. You’ve been driving me crazy all night.”
James sucked in a breath. “Alright. So.” He bit his lip and shook his head, running his hand through his hair. “I didn’t expect this to be quite so hard.”
“Definitely not making me worry at all.” Sirius squeezed his hand.
“Okay. So, there’s something kind of big happening with Lily. And—and me. Us, together. Not that you should be worried, because we’ll always be best friends, alright? And this doesn’t have to change anything.” James squeezed his hand and looked over. “I promise you, that it won’t change anything. Do you understand?”
Sirius’s head is going wild with a million ideas of what this could mean that would cause James to act this way. “No, I don't understand. I don’t know what it is. You’re going to have to tell me.”
“Lily is pregnant.” James bit his lip, trying to hold back a smile. “We’re having a baby.”
Sirius froze mid step. A baby. “A baby?”
James ran a hand through his hair again. “Yeah, a baby. I know we’re young, but you know I’ve always wanted a family, so—”
Sirius interrupted him. “Prongs, you’re having a baby?”
“Well, Lily is, but yeah. We’re having a baby.”
Sirius laughed and pulled James into a hug. “You’re going to be a father! That’s amazing! Daddy James!”
James pulls a face. “Yeah, I am. That’s so weird.”
“Get used to it, mate. Someone other than Lily will call you that now.” Sirius pulled back and clapped James on the shoulder.
James reached up and wiped under his eye. “You’re the only one who calls me Daddy, Pads.”
Sirius reached forward and wiped under James’s other eye. “Are you crying already? Prongs, the kid isn’t even here yet.”
James shrugged, sniffing. “It felt like it wasn’t real until I told you. It’s kind of all hitting me.”
Sirius just smiled and pulled James into another hug. They stood there in an awkward tangle of tux covered limbs under the twinkling lights. Eventually, James pulled back again, wiping his face again. “There’s something more.”
“More? More than a baby? What else is there?”
James stepped back, just out of Sirius’s arms, and brushed a hand down his tux. He reached in his pocket again, and pulled out a small box. James took a breath and sank to his knee. When he met Sirius’s eye again, his were twinkling with mirth.
“Sirius Orion Black—” Sirius groaned at the use of his full name “—you are the brother I always wanted and my best friend, behind Remus and Peter.” Sirius laughed. “I don’t know how I would do this part of my life without you. I can’t do it without you. Will you—” James paused, taking in a big breath, and Sirius nearly smacked him for delaying it “—be my kid’s godfather?”
Sirius’s laugh died in his throat as James popped open the ring box. Inside was a silver band ring with little etchings that Sirius could see moving around the band. One of them was a small deer, still wobbly on its little legs. The other was a dog, who followed along behind the deer and nudged the baby with his nose.
"James.” Sirius ran his finger over the band, following the fawn and dog around it. “I love it.”
James gave a watery smile. “I hoped you would. Is that a yes, then?”
Sirius could feel his eyes starting to burn. He was already a lost cause. He knew he was going to cry. “Well, you’re not getting the ring back, so I guess it has to be yes.”
James reached over and wiped a tear off Sirius’s cheek. “Yeah, well, I know how to trap you with rings.”
Sirius slipped the ring off of his right ring finger and slipped the new ring on. It was a perfect fit. Sirius wrapped his arms around James, and the two of them stood there crying for far longer than they would ever tell their respective spouses.
Eventually, they separated and James gave a slight chuckle. “Come on. Let’s go home. Those two are going to be expecting us.”
“Good. I need to show off my new ring.” Sirius held his hand out in front of him, watching the two etching stumble across it again. “I think it’s my favorite.”
“Better than your wedding ring?” James asked with a cheeky smile.
Sirius laughed. “Um, no comment.”
James’s laughter was the last thing Sirius heard as they appareated back to Godric’s Hollow.
When Sirius opened the door to the Potter House, he saw Remus and Lily sitting on either end of the couch, each holding mugs of tea and their feet tangled between them on the seat. Sirius threw his arms wide and charged in. “Mrs. Prongs! Congratulations!”
Lily laughed as Sirius swept her up in his arms and swung her around the room. “Sirius, put me down!”
James leaned against the doorway. “Be careful, Pads. She’s carrying precious cargo there. I’d hate to have to tell your godchild that the reason they have a dented head is because of you.”
Sirius stopped spinning and gently set Lily down in the chair. “Sorry, prongslet.”
“Prongslet?” Lily looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
“Yeah, like little Prongs. Prongslet.” Sirius turned and jumped on top of Remus on the couch, who responded with a loud oof. “Did you know James was going to propose to me?”
“I did.” Remus kissed the crown of his head. “He asked permission first. Proper gentleman, that one. We raised him well.”
Sirius looked at him in confusion. “I think you’re mixing metaphors there a bit, love. Getting a bit incestuous.”
Remus snorted. “Says the man who just got proposed to by his brother. Let me see the ring.” Sirius held his hand up for Remus to examine it, and Remus watched the small figures for a moment. Remus looked up at James. “I didn’t get a night out with tuxes and a ring. Where’s my proposal?”
James looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “You would hate every minute of wearing a tux, and you don’t wear rings other than your wedding band. Besides, I seem to recall you being very touched by how you were asked as well.”
Sirius looked up at Remus then. “You’re godfather, too?”
Remus nodded, but it was James who replied. “Of course you both are. Do you think we could pick one of you and not the other?”
“He’s been very secretive about this, you know. Tell me how he asked.” Remus ran his finger around the new band on Sirius’s hand.
“Oh, it was wonderful.” Sirius recounted the story to them, concluding with a demonstration of James down on his knee in the middle of the living room, re-enacting the event.
Sirius collapsed on the couch next to Remus again. “It was the best proposal ever.” He turned toward Remus. “You’re going to have to step it up.”
Remus sighed, running his fingers through Sirius’s hair. “We’re already married, love. No more proposing.”
Sirius sat up. “Woah, I did not agree to that!”
Lily snorted. “I guess you’ll have to get your proposals from someone else.”
Sirius looked at her with a sly smile. “Like from your husband? Don’t be jealous, Lily, just because my proposal was better than yours.”
Lily looked back with a smirk. “Which one?”
Sirius furrowed his brows. “Which—” He turned to Remus. “See, she got more than one proposal. Why do you think you’re done?”
Remus rolled his eyes and turned back to Lily. “Well, we know about the official one. When else did he propose?”
“No.” They all looked at James, who was emphatically shaking his head. “Do not, no. You promised you’d never mention it.”
Lily pretended to zip her lips as Remus and Sirius began booing. “Come on,” Sirius goaded. “You have to tell us now.”
James crossed his arms and threw his head back. “Ugh, fine. But you owe me, Evans.”
She winked at him. “It’s Potter, unless you want to propose again.”
“Will one of you just tell us?” Sirius looked between them.
James sighed. “I may have proposed thefirsttimewehadsex.”
Remus shook his head. “I didn’t quite catch that, what?”
“Fuck, I proposed the first time we had sex.” He turned to Lily and pointed a finger at her. “And you promised to never mention it again.”
Lily shrugged. “It was cute. I almost said yes.”
James laughed. “No, you didn’t. You were about ready to run from my bed and never look at me again.”
Lily shrugged. “Both were a distinct possibility then.”
Remus laughed. “Prongs, you’re such a melt. I can’t believe you did that.”
“I like it.” Sirius looked back at Remus. “A man of action. Taking charge. Multiple proposals.”
Remus rolled his eyes. “Alright, I propose we go home.”
Sirius groaned. “That’s not what I meant.”
“It’s not?” Remus was trying to hide a smile. He turned to Lily. “Congratulations. I hope the nausea eases up.”
Lily smiled weekly. “Me too.”
“Goodnight, Prongs.” Remus gave him a hug, and Sirius followed behind. “Ready to go, love? I propose we apparate. I don’t feel like walking.”
James and Lily laughed as they walked to the door. Sirius threw his head back and groaned. “You’re going to keep doing this, aren’t you?”
“Yes.” Remus shut the front door behind them to the chorus of goodbyes. He held his hand out to Sirius. “I propose we pull out some of that firewhiskey we’ve been saving and celebrate.”
Sirius took his hand with narrowed eyes. “Your proposals are getting better.”
Remus wiggled his eyebrows. “Well, I also propose that we…” Remus leaned in and whispered in Sirius’s ear something that made his cheeks go bright red.
“Now that,” Sirius paused, cleaning his throat, “is an indecent proposal.”
“So you’re in?” Remus bit his lip, and Sirius pulled him in for a kiss.
“Oh, I’m so in.”