Chapter Text
Sirius’ leg was bouncing up and down in anticipation for the bell. It was the last period of the day with just five minutes left. He glanced at James and then the clock.
“Miss can we go early? We’re not doing anything.” He said, shoulder length hair falling in his face as he huffed.
“Mr black, you know very well that I can’t let you go until the bell.” Miss Mcgonagall replied. “I’m sure you can wait five minutes.”
He sighed and looked outside wistfully. The sun was shining, not a cloud in sight. It was perfect weather for surfing. It was almost the summer of ’94, he and James were seventeen that year, he was looking forward to the first summer away from his parents. After what felt like hours the bell rang and he sprung up from his seat, James close on his heels. He ran to his locker and shoved his books in. he yanked his bag out and sprinted to his mates locker.
“C’mon I’ll race ya!” he shouted.
“You’re on!”
The two of them raced down to the bay, because for them, everything was a competition.
James touched the pole of his house and smirked at Sirius, panting from the run. He rolled his eyes but smiled as he followed James into the house. He dumped his stuff in his room, as James went and did the same. He got changed as quickly as he could into his wetsuit and stopped by James’ room to tell him he was getting their boards. James gave him a thumbs up as he put in his contacts. He went to the shed and saw Euphemia sitting on the deck in the sun with Fleamont asleep beside her.
“Going out for a surf?” Euphemia asked.
“Yeah, we’ll be back by dinner though.” He said.
“Ok, be safe out there. I’m making chana masala for tea.”
“Thanks Effie, you’re the best.” He gave her a smile and carried the boards inside.
James was rifling through the freezer presumably looking for some sort of icy pole when Sirius came in with the boards.
“Can you grab me one too?” he asked.
James cut the tops of the icypoles and handed one to him.
“You ready to go?”
“Yeah.”
Bondi beach wasn’t far from home, only a five minute walk. Home. That word will never stop feeling weird on Sirius' tongue. He remembered a time where he didn’t have much of a home. That changed the second James extended his love to him. He was living. truly living. His parents no longer controlled him and he felt free to do whatever he wanted to. He got to go out surfing basically every day. He walked down the sandy path, only half listening to what his mate was chattering about. He was waiting for the ocean to come into view and he grinned.
“Reckon I could get a barrel today?” James asked.
Sirius squinted at the ocean, the waves were high and mighty in some places and calm as a lagoon in another.
“If you choose the right spot I think you might. It’s fuckin brilliant out there today.”
They shared a grin as they walked onto the sandy part of the beach.
“OW FUCK! HOT SAND! HOT FUCKING SAND. JAMES HELP!!!”
James just smirked at him. Sirius- feeling quite betrayed- sprinted the ten metres to the water, James following behind him, both crying out from the scorching sand. They laughed together as they walked along the wet sand to the flags and paddled out on their boards. The beach was always empty right after school so they basically has it to themselves.
“Hey Pads, did you put sunscreen on. If you get burnt Mum’ll kill you.” James asked.
He froze. “No, I didn’t.” James shot him a look. “I didn’t think of it! Are you wearing sunscreen?”
James made a face and pointed to his dark skin. “Does it look like I burn?”
Sirius said nothing.
James nodded ahead of them, “Waves are coming in, bet you I’ll get a good one.”
He smirked and paddled ahead, ready to catch the wave.
Remus Lupin wouldn’t say he’s the best influence to be around, he was sarcastic, snarky and the most well known stoner in the school. But Lily Evans was those things too, hence why they got along. They sat on the beach smoking a joint, their cassette player sitting on a towel next to them playing Red hot chilli peppers album, ‘blood sugar sex magik’. The song ‘give it away’ was playing as Remus sighed and leaned forward to continue applying sunscreen to Lily’s back.
“’M almost done.” He said, voice slightly muffled from the joint in his mouth. “can you do mine after?”
“Sure.” She leaned back and grabbed the weed from Remus’ mouth, taking a puff from it and handing it back as she turned around to do his back.
“Don’t look now, but a certain crush of yours is coming out of the water looking extremely sexy.” She said, the smile evident in her voice.
Immediately Remus looked over to where Sirius Black was coming out of the water, shaking the water out of his hair and taking a sip from his water bottle. Lily smacked his back.
“I said don’t look.”
He gave her a sheepish smile and continued looking anyway.
“Sorry, it’s not like I could pull someone like him anyway. I’m almost certain that he’s straight, and I don't think he's aware I exist.”
Lily puts the cap on the sunscreen, rolling her eyes. “You never know, you could be his gay awakening. Don't take it personally, he’s an arrogant prick, like Potter. You know how they are, aren't aware of anything past their thick heads. However, you’re not the only one who likes him. Many people do. i suppose to them he looks like sex on a stick.”
Remus looks at her like she’s grown a second head.
“What? Just because I don’t like what’s on the menu doesn’t mean I'm blind.”
He smirks as he snuffed out the joint, “I s’pose that’s one way of looking at it.”
He her on the arm, gesturing for her to follow him into the water. She paused the cassette and followed him, talking about the one and only Sirius black. Remus knew it was too much to hope for though, if he ever got to talk to him he really hoped that he wouldn’t screw it up.
The water was a bit chilly despite Sirius’ wetsuit, he’d caught a few waves so far, most of them were too small for his liking he wanted something big, James had managed to snag some of the good ones though. He paddled out to the water and sat on his board squinting to find James. he turned to look along the beach but couldn’t see him. When he turned back his eyes went wide as the biggest wave of the day came crashing on top of him.
“Shit!” he shouted.
The wave sucked him under with brutal force, water immediately shot up his nose. He coughed and spluttered as he rose to the surface, he was annoyed that he missed the wave. He looked up to find himself looking at a boy with a scarred but nonetheless handsome face. A tanned hand was extended to him.
“Need some help up?” he asked.
Sirius took it as he felt his cheeks heat up. “Thanks.” He mumbled.
He was pulled up and was face to face with the tawny haired boy, he felt his cheeks flush again as he locked eyes with him. They weren’t exactly face to face as the boy was taller than him by a few inches.
“I, um, got a bit distracted and got hit by a wave.” He explained, picking up his board. “I promise I’m not some amateur. I-uh I’m Sirius Black by the way.”
“I know who you are. I’m Remus Lupin, it’s nice to meet you.”
He spotted James on the shore a bit further up and turned to Remus. “I’ll talk to you again soon yeah?”
Remus nodded, the tips of his ears dusted pink. "sure."
His face flushed again and he mumbled some feeble excuse and ran towards James.
“Hey do you know anything about the guy with the redhead? Remus.” he asked.
James peered around him to see who he was talking about. “Yeah, he’s in most of our classes. He’s the one who’s always playing red hot chilli peppers I think.”
“Is that a food?” he asked.
“Is that a food?! Are you kidding, they’re one of the best bands I know apart from Kings of Leon. As soon as we get home I’m forcing you to listen to every single one of their songs.” No arguing. “the only reason I’m not mad is because your parents are untasteful shits.”
Sirius laughed. “Amen to that. I think I’d like to know a bit more about Remus, he seems interesting.”
James gives Sirius a smirk. “Does the infamous Sirius Black have a crush on someone?”
He stumbles and almost drops his board. “What no! I’m not gay, what makes you think that?!”
James smirks and puts his hands up in surrender. “If you say so love.”
“I do say so.”
Because he wasn’t gay right? He’s liked girls before. Like Marlene Mckinnon, right? Except now that he thought about it he didn’t really like her did he, they just shagged. He was just interested in Remus because he seemed cool. Or something like that surely. He just wasn’t gay and that was that. Except he knew it wasn’t.
Sirius woke up the next morning to the thought of one Remus lupin in his mind. And he wouldn’t get out. He groaned and pressed his pillow to his face. He wasn’t sure how to feel about this at all. Suddenly a pillow hit him from behind.
“Oi get dressed, you’re gonna make us late.”
“Bugger off James, give me five more minutes.”
As he settled back down the doona was rudely ripped off him. He desperately tried to snatch it back but failed miserably.
“Jaaaames.” He whined.
James pried the pillow off him “Mum’s making pancakes.” He sang.
Immediately Sirius was up and out of his bed. “You should’ve led with that!”
They got to school a few minutes late and their English teacher Miss Mcgonagall gave them a detention.
“I told you we’d be late.” James hissed.
But Sirius hardly noticed. He was too busy staring at Remus who was tucked in the corner of the room sketching something on his textbook. He looked so incredibly absorbed in what he was doing that his tongue was slightly peeking out from his mouth.
“-Mr Black? I asked you a question.”
“Sorry Minnie- Miss-, what was the question?”
“I asked you what was the message of Romeo and Juliet is?”
Shit he hadn’t studied the play. “To make sure your lover is really dead before killing yourself?”
“Five points from Gryffindor for not studying the text. I expect you to be better prepared for our next lesson Mr Black.”
“Sorry Miss.”
Mcgonagall tutted and turned to the board as a piece of paper landed on his desk.
To be fair you were partially correct -Remus
Sirius glanced over at him to find that he was already looking at him. Remus smirked, causing Sirius’ face to heat up.
Minnie doesn’t think so.
He scribbled down, crumpled it up and sent it flying over to Remus, quickly looking back at the front while he waited for a response.
Minnie?
Yeah, its what me and James call her
Have you ever called her Minnie to her face?
No, should i?
Absolutely
Alright if I get a chance to I’ll do it.
Mcgonagall didn’t call on him for the rest of the lesson, so he didn’t really have a chance to do it. by the time the bell went he was in a rush to get out. He walked to his locker to put his things away when he spotted his little brother.
“Reggie!” he called, “Come here.”
Regulus glanced around before deciding to come over.
“What.” He snapped.
“I just wanted to see if you were doing ok. The offer still stands you know.”
The offer to stay at the potters.
Regulus’ eyes softened for a fraction of a second before hardening again.
“I know. But it’s not that bad, and I don’t know if I could leave kreacher. He’s not treated well.”
“For someone who pretends to have no feelings you seem to care an awful lot about him.”
“Fuck off Sirius. Go back to that potter boy of yours.”
Sirius held his hands up in surrender. “Just think about it.”
“Fine, I’ll think about it.”
He watched Regulus walk away, with a frown. Pride was a black family trait and he hoped that it hadn’t gotten too much of a grasp on his brother yet.