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Remus hated September. He enjoyed being reunited with his friends, getting back in his studies, and the brisk air of Scotland, but he hated what September brought him. While the train station platform filled with excited students and somber parents, he couldn't shake the eventual gloom that filled the month. He hated September for one specific reason: Sirius Black.
It wasn't that he hated the boy; his feelings were quite the opposite. He hated the version of Sirius Black that returned to him and the rest of the Marauders after summer vacation. He always looked like a doll, as if someone painted a fake face on him, stuffed him in fancy clothes, and positioned his body stiff and rigid. The September version of Sirius was not Remus’ Sirius. It would take the rest of September to unwind the boy and make him his usual rowdy, beautiful self. This September was no different.
Remus’ tall frame peered over the crowd of unruly students until he spotted the four members of the Black Family. Sirius stood off from the rest of the Black clan while his parents fussed over his younger brother Regulus. Sirius was scanning the crowd, most likely looking for Remus and the rest of the Marauders. Sirius’ search ended when Walburga Black turned towards her eldest son. Mrs. Black was the true powerhouse of the family. Being the eldest and, therefore, heir of their estates and wealth, Sirius was kept on a tight leash. However, his rebellious behavior since attending Glasgow Academy had grown and made Regulus the new favorable son. Remus watched as Mrs. Black tightly gripped her son's arm and gave what looked like a severe warning to him.
Ignoring the deathly warning from his mother, Sirius made his way towards the long, red train. While one of the shortest males in his year, Sirius usually towered over everyone via his confidence. Yet, as he walked amongst the crowd, his frame looked small, his eyes trailed downwards, and his skin pale. Remus would have to work very hard this September to get his Padfoot back.
After securing his own luggage on the train and saying goodbye to his parents, Remus finally stepped into his friend's train compartment. Sirius, James and Peter were already waiting for him. The four boys met their first year at Glasgow Academy when they were placed in the same dormitory. In the compartment, James and Peter were loudly discussing James' new attempts to snog his long-term crush, Lily.
Instead of adding to Peter's pleas for James to shut up, Sirius sat quietly, looking at his hands that were clasped together on his lap. His long black hair had pooled like a curtain over his face. The three boys had a mutual strategy for handling September Sirius: support and slowly rebuild. Overbearing the boy would only make him more defensive.
Remus moved to sit down next to Sirius and placed his left hand on top of his. The boy looked up at him, but his face did not change. It still held that gaunt look and dead glare. His Sirius seemed miles away. But, Remus was corrected when Sirius leaned into Remus’ body ever so slightly. The warmth that radiated between was enough to force a smile on Remus’ face, and he squeezed their joined hands. They would be 'home' soon enough.
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Two weeks into their sixth year of secondary school, Sirius was still not back to normal. He barely talked to anyone and would go about his schedule in a dreary manner. Remus missed his cheery self and longed for the previous months before summer holiday when they lounged together in Remus’ bed while their favorite Bowie record softly played in the background. There was no worry of the Black family back then, just them in the moment.
Sirius usually refused to talk about his parents and their strong beliefs. Still, Remus had seen enough of their extensive contributions and support toward Ted Heath's conservative views since he was elected in 1970 to know where their opinions on their son's sexuality laid. Remus did not intentionally come out to his parents. His mother instead sat him down one day and simply asked. It took his father a bit to support him, but eventually, both Remus’ parents accepted him for who he was.
Sirius was sitting in the common room staring at a maths textbook when Remus had a brilliant idea. He jumped up from his chair, startling the boy.
"Uh, I just remember I have to be somewhere. I-I'll see you at dinner," he rushed out while tossing books into his bag. Sirius just stared at him and nodded. Remus practically sprinted to the library, where he knew the rest of their friends were studying.
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Marlene, Lily, Alice, Mary, and Remus sat scattered around the girl's dormitory. While the room was designed exactly like the boy's room, the girl's area did not feature James' sweaty football jerseys or Peter's chess pieces scattered around the floor. All five of them were sitting on the floor where the girls had arranged mounds of cosmetic products around them. When Remus mentioned his idea to his friends, it was no surprise when they jumped at his offer. Everyone wanted to see Padfoot become his usual self again.
"Marlene, do you have…." Lily trailed off, searching through the extensive collection; her wild, red hair pulled back into a plait. Marlene automatically handed Lily an object that looked like a weapon.
"What the fuck is that?" Remus asked, alarmed. The girls giggled.
"Calm down. It is just used to curl eyelashes," Alice answered. Remus was now officially nervous. He thought they would just show him how to apply some rouge and lipstick, not train him to become a professional makeup artist.
"Uh, look, I really appreciate this, but I really don't think…" he trailed off when Mary slid directly into his line of sight with a small brush and container with colorful powders.
"Bloody hell, Remus. You asked for this," she said while holding up the powders. "This is eyeshadow. Black would probably like something more colorful, but we will go easy with browns for now."
The cosmetic lesson continued for another hour until everyone’s lips were stained bright pink, and their lashes were coated black. Remus still wasn't entirely confident in his skills at the end of their practice session, but they needed to clean up before their friends questioned their absence at dinner.
"Do you think he will like it?" Remus asked at the last minute as the girls were cleaning up.
"He will love it," replied Lily with a hug. Sirius and Remus’ relationship hadn't come easy. Homosexuality was still criminalized for those under 21, and being openly queer at Glasgow made anyone a target. Not many students knew about the intimacy between Remus and Sirius, only their close friends. Smiling, he left the girl's dormitory to wash his face. Remus hoped that this would bring Padfoot back sooner than usual.
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After his last lecture on Wednesday, Remus escaped his friends and trodden down the busy streets of Glasgow. He felt the chilly Scotland wind brush through his hair, and he pulled his shearling-lined jacket closer to his body. Beggars were packed on the sidewalks and reached out to grab Remus’ attention. By 1970, unemployment started to affect Gasglow; three years later, the city was still struggling.
"Please, sir," one woman cried out, gripping Remus’ jacket sleeve, "my husband was dismissed, and I can't feed my children." Her cheek had dirt smeared on it, and her eyes were shiny with tears. Remus looked down at the tiny baby on her hip and reached into his pocket. He spared her a few pounds from his wallet and quickly hurried through the rest of the crowd.
Remus reached the nearest Superdrug five minutes later. The store inside was much quieter, and he quickly found the cosmetic section. The girls gave him a list, but Remus still struggled over the vast amounts of brands and types.
He stood dumbfounded until a feminine voice spoke, "Can I help you?" Remus turned to find a small, brunette girl. She wore a black leather skirt with a black button-up that read "Superdrug" and "Nicola." She looked to be around his age or older. Probably in university, Remus figured.
"Um. I have a list," Remus thrust the parchment towards the girl, "but I'm still a little lost."
The girl took the paper and read over Alice's handwriting. "Shopping for your girlfriend?" she asked, looking back at Remus.
Remus’ eyes widened, but he quickly nodded and scratched the back of his head in response. "Haha, yeah, she wanted a bunch of stuff…" he trailed off. Instead of letting the awkwardness fester, the employee went to work selecting stuff off the list and showing Remus. Within 15 minutes, Remus had paid with the remaining pounds he set aside for the gift and was back on the busy streets of Glasgow.
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Remus waited till Friday when James and Peter had left the dorm to work on an essay in the library. Sirius was sprawled out on his burgundy bed, staring at the canopy above. Remus got up from his own bed and moved to stand next to the other boy. Sirius didn't look at him until Remus spoke, "I have a surprise for you." Sirius continued to stare at him in response. Remus then moved to shut the door of their dorm. When he turned around, Sirius was sitting straight up; clearly, more curious now.
"Moony…" he trailed off.
Remus shook his head with a small laugh. "Not that kind of surprise, but I hope you still like it." Remus grabbed the parcel from under his bed and handed it to Sirius. A confused look overtook his face as he opened the gift. Inside was a small collection of various makeup products. Sirius picked up each one and looked at them curiously. The package contained multiple lipsticks, eyeshadows, eyeliners and mascara.
"I…Wha-What is this for?" Padfoot asked.
"For you," replied Remus, "I know you were interested in makeup last year when the girls started experimenting, so I had them help me pick some stuff out." Sirius was still staring intently at the products, making Remus nervous.
A quiet "thank you" escaped Sirius’ lips, and he grabbed a red lipstick. He turned the tube over in his hands and seemed unsure of the product. Remus moved the makeup to the other side of the bed and pushed the boy back down, so his head was on his pillow. Sirius went to sit back up, but Remus pushed his chest down while throwing his leg over Sirius’ jean-clad hips, straddling him. Sirius’ eyes widened; Remus just smirked and grabbed an eyeshadow palette and brush. He picked a light blue shade to start and lowered himself closer to Sirius’ face.
"Close your eyes," Remus whispered. Sirius’ eyes fluttered shut, and Remus started to work. After ten minutes, Remus grabbed the eyeliner and traced the shape Marlene taught him. A few more minutes later, Remus felt hands rest on his hips. He pulled himself up to see Sirius more fully. His eyes were still closed, but his face was relaxed and a small smile formed on his lips. Remus felt Sirius’ thumbs start to trace circles gently into his hip bones.
"Why did you stop?" Sirius asked.
Remus smiled down at his boyfriend, "I missed seeing you like this."
Sirius’ eyes opened, "I’m sorry I've been a prat lately." Remus shook his head and bent down again to finish his work with a bit of mascara and red lipstick.
"There," Remus said with a smile. They stayed in their positions for a while, enjoying the moment, until Sirius bent his legs, gripped Remus’ waist tighter, and flipped them over smoothly. Remus was shocked at the movement, but Sirius’ wicked, red-stained grin pulled him back.
"Much better," Sirius mumbled as he bent down like Remus had only moments before, "Your turn." Remus pushed his brows together, but his confusion was met with wet, sloppy kisses from his boyfriend. Remus couldn't hold in his giggles while Padfoot smothered him with kisses all over his face and neck. Finally, his Sirius was back.
When Sirius stopped the kiss attacks and Remus’ laughter died down, they sat staring at each other, taking in the moment once more. Remus took in Sirius’ true form: shining grey eyes, bright smile, and tinted cheeks. While Remus couldn't see his own appearance, he imagined that his dirty blonde hair and t-shirt were disheveled similarly to Sirius’.
This was the Sirius Black he knew and loved. Remus stretched up, placed his hands on Sirius’ cheeks and kissed his lips. This kiss wasn't the previous goofy kisses; this kiss was slow and filled with pure love and affection. However, the moment was suddenly ruined when the dorm door busted open.
Sirius flung himself off of Remus, but it was too late. In shock, Peter and James stood in the doorway, with Remus and Sirius still on the bed. While their two friends knew about their more-than-platonic relationship, the couple tried to respect their friendship by keeping their affection to a minimum around the other boys. The awkward tension was broken when hysterical laughter suddenly broke out from James. He doubled over laughing, books still in hand.
"Moony, I think you need to wash your face, and Padfoot, your lipstick is smudged," James spit out in between laughter. Sirius laughed next as he turned to see the lipstick stains on Remus’ face and neck. Remus, and then eventually Peter, joined in on the comical scene. Maybe September wasn't so bad.