Chapter Text
Remus taps his foot against the floor of the plant shop, he's standing behind the counter. He's only been working there for about a week, so it's not a surprise that they aren't letting him help stock yet. His day at school and then the drive to work, had not been very eventful. From the looks of it, his shift won't be either.
As of now there's only been maybe an old lady or two, a guy buying flowers for a first date, a woman buying a tiny cactus because she most likely can't keep anything else alive for long enough to feel like she can take care of children. Remus sighs and pulls out his phone, glancing at it under the counter.
Lils
Babes, have you ever heard of an eye balm?
i’m sorry?
An eye balm, like lip balm but for your eyes I think?
you sound clinically insane, lily
That is because I most likely am
Wait, aren't you at work right now?
…yeah, why?
Remus.
okay okay, i'm putting the phone away!!
Thank you, i’ll see you tomorrow, idiot
see you lils
Remus tucks his phone away, looks up, and almost jumps out of his skin at the sight of a boy with long black hair standing right in front of him. He's shorter than Remus but looks to be his age. He has piercings all over his ears, and he's wearing eyeliner and a leather jacket over a low cut shirt, showing off tattoos. He grins at Remus, raising his eyebrows.
“Now, who might you be?” The boy asks, he leans over towards Remus, and Remus can feel heat dragging up his neck. “Remus L. Hm.” Oh, he's reading your name tag, you idiot.
“Hello—” Remus starts. “Can I help you with something?”
“You're in my maths class,” The boy says, pointing at him. Remus blinks a little.
“I'm sorry?” He laughs at Remus’ reaction and leans over towards him again, but grabs a packet of seeds from behind Remus and places it on the counter with two ring covered fingers. He then places a pair of gloves and a shovel on the counter that Remus hadn't even noticed he was holding. Because you were too distracted by his tattoos, Remus, you whore. A voice that sounds suspiciously like Lily tells him.
“You're Remus Lupin, I sit in front of you in maths?” Remus blinks and then it hits him.
“Sirius Black?” Remus blurts out in a tone that sounds sort of disgusted, before going red in the face and slapping a hand over his mouth. Idiot, Idiot, Idiot. Sirius laughs at his reaction and leans against the counters on his elbows.
“Didn't know you worked here,” Sirius responds. Remus lowers his hands a little, though his finger tips are still sitting on his face.
“I uh- started this week.” Sirius hums.
“Makes sense. I come here quite a lot, so. Need to expand my little garden,” He winks at Remus. “Do you like plants?”
“No, they absolutely disgust me in every way, I feel like I'm suffocating in here.” Remus answers. Sirius blinks, taken aback. “I'm joking.”
“Ah.” Remus rolls his eyes, laughing a bit. “Very funny, Mr. Lupin.”
“I like to think I am.” Remus says, leaning his chin on his hand. Sirius smirks, looking Remus’ face over.
“Can you ring me up then?” He asks. Remus sits up and smacks himself on the forehead, a little too hard. He hisses and Sirius snorts, covering his mouth with his hand.
“Shit, yeah, right.” He starts scanning Sirius’ stuff and glances at the seeds, flipping the pack around to look at the label. “Tropical White Morning-Glory?” Remus says out loud. He meets Sirius’ eyes again, who's looking at him like a dog who wants you to drop some of your food for them.
“Yeah, they're usually called moonflowers, but labels are always long and specific.” Sirius rolls his eyes, but he's smiling at Remus.
“Pretty.” Remus says, staring at the white flower printed onto the package. Sirius nods. Remus scans the package and types in the register before telling Sirius the price, and Sirius hands him a fancy expensive looking card.
“Yeah, they have other names too. Ipomoea alba, tropical white morning-glory, moonflower, moon vine.” Sirius gestures with his hands a bit. “I like moonflower the best though. It's named that because it blooms in the evening, and it's round and white like a full moon.” Sirius says, waving his hands.
“Oh, that's very interesting.” Remus says, with genuine interest. Sirius seems to know his plants.
“Mhm, it's funny since my name—”
“Is the name of a star.” Remus finishes, Sirius stares at him, gaping a little, before a smile appears on his face again. “Brightest star in the sky.” Remus adds.
“You know your stars.” Sirius says.
“And you know your plants.” Remus replies, placing his things into a paper bag.
“Well, since you know what my name is from…I’m going to assume you’re named after the story of Romulus and Remus.” Sirius says. Remus laughs.
“My father was a bit of a literature nerd, and I guess I get that from him.” Remus rolls his eyes a bit. He sees Sirius twitch a little when he says ‘was’. “But, impressive, Mr. Black, very impressive.” He hands Sirius his bag, leaning down so he's looking up at Sirius for a moment before straightening up again.
“Well then, your name is from a story about two boys being raised by wolves, our first meeting, officially,” A raised finger. “involved moonflowers, named after full moons…so I've decided the universe is telling me you're a werewolf.” Remus laughs. “Also, your name, Lupin? Derived from a latin word, Lupinus, ‘of the wolf.’” Sirius pauses. “Mr. Wolfy Mcwolf.” Remus laughs harder.
“Really?” He says. “God, my parents certainly have baby naming skills, don't they?” Sirius laughs. Sirius laughs along with him and checks his phone as it buzzes. He stands up straighter, no longer leaning his forearms on the counter.
“Ah, alas, I must be on my way. Until we meet again, Moony.” Sirius says, turning around.
“Moony?” Remus mutters to himself as Sirius walks out. Remus blinks a little before burying his head in his hands. “Fucking Mr. Wolfy Mcwolf.”
—
“So, a cute boy in a leather jacket from your maths class calls you a werewolf and insults your parents for their baby naming skills and suddenly you're crushing on someone for the first time ever?” Lily asks him. Remus groans and lets his head hit the steering wheel of his car as they're stopped at the red light.
“Basically yeah…god this is so embarrassing.” He drags his hands down his face. “He probably thinks I'm some weirdo—”
“From what you told me he said it sounds like he was flirting with you, Remus, I don't know!” Lily raises her hands a bit from the passenger seat.
“You don't know how complicated it is for gay people, Lils.” Remus says, Lily sticks her tongue out at him.
“For your information, I've actually crushed on people so I think I'd know.” Lily says. “Besides, boy on boy love can't be that different from girl on girl and boy on girl love.”
“He's like a fucking wizard, playing with my brain with his thin attractive fingers, with black nail polish and jewelry, and tattoos, and…” Remus groans again, and starts driving once the green light appears.
“You- yikes. You know I did not predict you having the hots for bad boys.” Lily says.
“He's attractive— but Lily, he knows mythology, and latin, and astronomy, and he told me about these plants he was buying that are called moonflowers because they bloom at night and look like a full moon, and oh my god I thought I was going to die on the spot.” Remus says.
“This sounds like a serious problem.” Lily says, sarcastically.
“Well, actually his name is Sirius, so you are right.” Remus says, only slightly amused at the pun. He can almost hear Lily roll her eyes.
“Isn't that boy friends with James?” Lily asks, Remus hums in confusion as he stares ahead at the road. “Y’know? James Potter?”
“Oh,” Remus says, realizing. Lily had told him about her friend James a few times since they started being friends two years ago in year 10. Though, Remus had never really spoken with James, deciding that Lily was the only company he really wanted to keep. But James and Lily had a whole story behind them that Lily told him that went along with the fact they're friends. (Who often get mistaken for a couple, annoyingly.)
James had repeatedly asked her out in huge public gestures since he had a crush on her, back in year 7 and 8. This, embarassed the hell out of Lily and pissed her off to no end, obviously. It continued until she actually sat down and had a serious conversation with him, telling him how she didn't like him and she wanted him to stop and leave her alone. Thankfully he had understood completely and did what she said, actually he hadn't spoken to her at all unless he needed to in class for awhile, which she highly appreciated at the time. She obviously, had eventually gotten over her anger towards him.
Which might have been for the fact he had passed out in year 10 in their gym class and Lily had gone to get the nurse for him, the incident had inevitably led to him getting diagnosed with Diabetes. Remus really didn't know that whole story, but Lily said it made her realize he was a person like her and that she had lost all sense of bitterness, and they started talking as friends afterwards.
“Wait- Sirius Black? He's from the Black family? Like Bellatrix, Narcissa, and Andromeda? When they were in school Bellatrix called Alice and Mary names all the time.” Lily says, changing the subject.
“Well, I don't think Sirius is like the rest of his family if I'm honest.” Remus takes a turn into the school.
“Remus.” Lily says. “I swear to god if you tell me you can fix him, I will grab the steering wheel and crash the car.” Remus scoffs.
“I was not saying that, he's actually nice. Besides, isn't the Black family homophobic and all that? Sounds like they’d piss themselves if they had a son walking around like Sirius was.” Remus parks the car in his spot, right near the football fields and the entrance that leads to the library.
“You're calling him visibly gay, Remus.” Lily says. Remus gapes at her and she starts laughing hysterically.
“Okay- IN MY DEFENSE!”
—
Remus leaves his Chemistry class and curses himself a little. He could barely even focus all class because of a certain star boy he met yesterday.
He curses himself even more as he starts on his way back to his locker, also going through a list for groceries to run to the store to pick up later after work if his mum isn't able to. If she is, then he'll just send the list to her.
Eggs…milk…butter…sugar…coffee pods…paper towels-
“MOONY!”
…Moony- wait what?
“MOONY!” Remus spins around as Sirius runs towards him waving as two boys run after him. “Hi!” Sirius bends over, his hands on his knees as he pants from the run. “Jesus- I tried to catch you earlier before my History class but you were talking to Evans, so here I am. You're lucky you're so tall or I wouldn't have been able to find you through the crowd.” Sirius laughs.
He's in his uniform, but the way the tie hangs a bit looser, and the way he wears jewelry and his tattoos are on display, his sleeves are rolled up and his shirt is unbuttoned…it makes Remus want to do some things he’d likely never admit in front of anyone.
“Oh- hi.” Remus says, shyly. He curses himself once again.
“Sirius mate- what the hell?” James Potter is standing next to Sirius now, he's only a bit shorter than Remus. “You can't just run off like that without saying anything! Who’s this?” James points at Remus, as he is notably fine after the run while Sirius is still recovering.
“What the fuck-” The other boy, one with blonde wispy hair and is shorter than Sirius, finally catches up and leans heavily against the wall of lockers next to them while he tries to catch his breath.
“Oh Pete, calm down, it wasn't even that far.” James says, hands on his hips.
“Fuck you, football player.” Pete, presumably, flips James off. Sirius stands up right.
“This, is Moony. Or Remus…semantics.” Sirius gestures with one hand.
“Oh! Moonflower boy!” James says, smiling. Remus goes a bit red. Sirius had told his friends about them meeting? Holy shit. “Nice to be acquainted with you, Mister Moony.” James puts his hand out and Remus shakes it, giving him an awkward smile.
“Uh…you too.” Remus says.
“Oh! I'm James, sorry.” James rubs the back of his neck. “That’s…Jesus, Wormtail, are you still recovering over there?” Wormtail?
“Fuck OFF Prongs.” Pete responds, again, flipping James off. Prongs?? What?
“That's Peter.” James says, jutting his thumb towards him.
“Ah, I already knew your name. You're friends with Lily- so.” Remus says, shrugging. James raises his eyebrows.
“You know Lily? Oh, that's sick, mate.” He grins again and Remus swears he has to squint his eyes to look at him because of how bright the boy is.
“Yeah…” Remus says. Grocery list, what was it again? Right, eggs, milk, sugar, coffee pods, butter…what else? He could just text his mum about it later. But what if she's not in the right mind, and she doesn't respond? He needs to go today no matter what, but what if theres something she deathly needs? Fuck.
“So, you wanna sit with us at lunch?” Sirius asks, interrupting Remus’ thoughts. “I think you're pretty cool, besides the fact your parents are indeed shit at naming babies.” Sirius winks and Remus giggles. He fucking giggles. He wants to curl up and die a bit.
“I mean, sure. I usually sit in the library alone anyway.” Lily usually sits with her other friends at lunch, though sometimes she’ll come and visit him in the library. But she knows he prefers to use the period for some alone time. He bites his lip in thought a little, pushing back his hair, letting his fingers thread through his brown curls.
“Great!” Sirius’ voice cracks and he coughs. “I mean, no, not great…you should be able to hang out with friends and have friends and you know, be happy and not lonely, but I mean if thats what you like? I don’t know, I-” James nudges Sirius a bit and he shuts his mouth closed. “But yes, cool, that's cool.” Remus laughs.
“Yeah, cool.” Remus says. Sirius nods and then, slightly dramatically, turns around and starts to walk away.
“Don't worry about that, you just broke him a bit. See ya Remus!” James says, putting a hand on Sirius’ shoulder. Peter watches the two of them walk away and then meets eye contact with Remus.
“I like your scars, looks badass.” Peter says. He nods and the jogs after them. Remus subconsciously brings a hand to touch the few scars that line his face. One across his nose bridge, one across his lips and one across his forehead, mostly hidden by his bangs. It's not the only scars he has, but they're the most noticeable.
He frowns a bit. Badass, right. He definitely got these scars by doing something badass.
He pulls out his phone and opens messenger.
Mum
anything you need from the store?