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Sirius was feeling restless. Restless, isolated, and bored. Being locked up in a house all day everyday wasn’t how he wanted to live his life, but he supposed it was better than being in Azkaban.
But that of course didn’t stop him from complaining, and whenever members of the Order snapped at him after he’d whined for too long, he could be found wandering the house that was his prison. The house that had always been his prison.
Tonight Molly had started yelling at him way earlier than usual, which resulted in him rushing out of the kitchen in rage; feeling as if he was a teenager all over again.
He walked the halls in frustration, occasionally barging into rooms just to get the satisfaction of slamming doors shut afterwards. He really was a hot mess.
He ended up curling up on a couch in a small room not many people knew about. This had been the room he always seeked out when he was younger. There was something about it that had made his family stay away.
“This is not the life I wanted,” he mumbled, sighing loudly. “Not at all.”
Then the tears came, because what else was he supposed to do? He might be a grown man, but life kept knocking him down and sometimes he just needed to feel sorry for himself before he stood back up.
Later, as he was rubbing his eyes and wiping his face, trying to look somewhat presentable, he heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps coming toward the room he was in. They had to be coming this way. There was no other room nearby.
He stiffened, sitting up slowly, a panicked lump forming in his throat. “R-remus?” he croaked out, his voice low. Remus had a habit of knowing exactly where he was.
The footsteps stopped, not outside the door, but a bit further away. A second pair of steps could suddenly be heard.
“Harry?” Remus muffled voice said from the hallway. “What are you doing here?”
“Looking for you,” Harry replied, coming to a stop.
Sirius could picture Remus turning to face him fully. “You found me. What can I do for you?”
“It’s about Sirius.”
Sirius held his breath for just a few seconds.
“What about him?”
Harry could be heard inhaling. “Can’t you just-” He paused. “I don’t know. Just let him out for one afternoon or something?”
Remus probably tilted his head. “Harry-”
“Not as a man, of course,” Harry was quick to say. “But in his animagi form.”
“You know how risky that is.”
“I do.” Someone took a step. “But I also know what it’s like to be stuck in a place that you hate.”
“It’s for his own safety-”
“I know that,” Harry snapped, his voice rising just a notch. “But he’s going crazy in here.”
Remus was surprisingly patient when he replied. Sirius could tell why he became a teacher. “And him getting caught and thrown in Azkaban, or, God forbid, given to the dementors is going to be better?”
Harry was quiet for a moment. Sirius was saddened to realize that he didn’t know Harry well enough to be able to imagine what he was doing, what expression he was wearing, or how he was moving while he was silent.
“He’s my godfather,” he eventually mumbled. “I don’t want him to be miserable.”
“Well,” Remus said, and Sirius could hear one of them moving just a bit. “He’s the love of my life, and I’d rather have him be miserable in here than miserable in Azkaban.”
Harry’s stunned silence matched Sirius’. They had been something to each other, once, but after all that had happened Sirius hadn’t been sure what they were anymore.
Apparently Remus didn’t share his uncertainty.
At last, Harry exhaled. “Sorry,” he muttered, probably embarrassed. “I didn’t… You’re right. As usual. I just don’t like seeing him like this.”
“Neither do I, Harry.”
“Well, I guess I’ll see you at dinner, then,” Harry said, taking a few steps. “Oh, uh, by the way,” he added. “I’m, uh, happy for you two?”
Remus let out an amused laugh. “I’ll see you at dinner, Harry.”
Sirius would like to think that Harry was grinning. “See you.” He took a few more steps. “And thanks.”
Remus didn’t move until Harry’s footsteps couldn’t be heard anymore, and he then walked the rest of the way to the door, opened in slowly and peeked in. “Hey.”
Sirius, who hadn’t realized how stiffly he was sitting, leaned back. “Hi.”
“So I’m guessing you heard all that.”
“I did.”
“And do you object?”
Sirius patted the seat next to him. Remus walked over and sat down. “I do,” he said, turning to face him. Remus’ face didn’t get time to fall before he added, “I definitely think I should be let out for one afternoon.”
The corners of Remus’ lips twitched. “Good thing that you have no say in this, then.”
Sirius poked his chest. “Good thing that you’re going to entertain me while I’m stuck here.”
Remus smiled. “Good thing I don’t have a real job,” he joked.
Sirius leaned in so that their foreheads touched. “Good thing we’re both hot messes.”
Remus’ lips were just as soft as Sirius remembered. “Good thing that at least one thing hasn’t changed.”