Archive of Our Own

The moon is high

Like your friends were the night that we first met

Went home and tried to stalk you on the internet

Now I've read all of the books beside your bed

Remus is cold. He was used to the cold, sure, living in London, but the calendar had yet to graze October, so he felt entitled to be upset at this. Fall was supposed to be cozy, the kind of cold that a light jacket and hat kept away as his feet crunched over leaves. He turned his head to find Lily in a similar state to him, her head tucked into her scarf and her nose bright pink. 

“Remind me again why we’re on this walk?” Remus asks, the movement difficult with his numb mouth.

Lily scoffs. “Because it’s a full moon, and it’s pretty, and frankly, as young adults, it is embarrassing how rarely we leave the house after 7 pm.”

“I quite enjoy our weekly movie nights. Mostly because they’re indoors. And warm.”

Lily doesn’t say anything to that, her eyes trained on the many shops they’re passing. Finally, she comes to a stop in front of a large brown building, the music from inside making its way onto the street. “Well, if the cold is bothering you so much, I suppose we can slip into this wonderful looking pub.”

Remus bites back a retort at that, knowing that any mention of how cold Lily looks will extend their walk even further. They step inside, and Remus is immediately hit with a blast of warm air, the air smelling sticky sweet, and a pleasant hum going through the room. He sees plenty of people celebrating, glasses up and cheers going around, and he realizes most of them are pointed at a group of guys huddled around the bar. A few of them are glancing at the onlookers with quick smiles or waves, but they mostly keep to themselves, joking and laughing with each other.

Lily sucks in a breath beside him.

“You know them?” Remus asks, trying to walk causally to one of the bar stools a few feet away. 

“I’ve only been hearing Alice talk about them all week. They play for the Knights, our NHL team. Today was their first home game, and I’m assuming they won. Alice is probably writing her article about it right now.”

Remus hums his understanding. He would call himself a casual hockey fan, catching games when he could, but he’d never payed much attention to who the players actually were. Some of the guys in the group seemed to be his age, others quite a bit older. He only means to do a quick scan, but he stops suddenly, eyes lingering on one of the players. 

He seems to be about Remus’ age, has long black hair tied into a bun, and his eyes, even from where Remus is sitting, shine a steel gray. Add on the sharp cheekbones with a dazzling smile, and Remus feels his cheeks heat when he (accidentally) makes eye contact with him. He looks away quickly, busying himself with the drink menu set on the bar.

“You okay Rem?” Lily asks, the look on her face telling him that she knew exactly what was up.

“Fine. Say, any drink that you have in mind? I was thinking of this one,” Remus replies, finger aimlessly wandering over the menu as he tries not to turn his head towards the team again.

“Are you planning on ordering all of those?” A new, deeper voice enters his ear.

“I…uh,” Remus turns his head, already preparing to politely decline this persons advance, when he sees that it’s the hockey player he had just been ogl- watching. “No?”

The man gives him an amused smile. “Can I suggest something?”

“Sure, but no promises I’ll try it.” Remus answers, cringing inwardly. Maybe he should look into flirting lessons. Are those a thing? He realizes he should probably say something else, but his mind is a blank slate. Remus’ eyes wander as he searches for a topic, landing on one of the man’s teammates. 

Said teammate has glasses that are lopsided on his face, dark olive skin, and what can only be described as a shit-eating grin on his face. Remus follows his eye-line to Lily, who seems to be determinedly stirring the drink she’s ordered.

“Your friend okay?” Remus asks, and the man looks up. 

He laughs when his eyes land on his teammate. “Oh, that’s James. He’s fine. He’s just. Well. High as fuck.”

Oh. That explained the staring. And possibly the grin. “James. And your name?” Remus asks.

“Sirius. Sirius Black.”

“Like the star,” Remus responds, internally kicking himself for the obvious connection.

“Brightest in the sky,” Sirius responds, and Remus believes him.

“And you?”

“Oh. Uh. Remus. Remus Lupin,” Remus holds out his hand, then pulls it back, thinking a handshake too formal, then holds it out again in order to not seem rude. Sirius bites the inside of his cheek as he shakes his hand.

“Like a wolf.”

“Love howling at the sky,” Remus says, and his stomach gets a strange fluttering feeling when Sirius laughs, head thrown back and long, pale neck exposed. No. Stop thinking about his neck. He tries to think of a less creepy sounding compliment, but then there’s a drink sliding towards him. It reminds Remus of a sunset in its mix of red and gold colours.

“For you,” Sirius smiles.

Remus takes a hesitant sip, and warmth spreads through him, something sweet but not sickly, and almost…spicy?

He makes a face but doesn’t hate it, and finds himself taking a few more sips before setting it down.

“You did try it,” Sirius says with a curious smile, and Remus feels his cheeks heat.

“I figured a guy like you’s gotta have good taste in drinks.”

Sirius quirks up an eyebrow at that, but before Remus can flush any more, Lily’s face fills his view.

“Remus, we need to leave.”

“I, uh,” Remus says, and he sees Sirius’ eyes flit from him to Lily, a crease in his brows. 

“This is my best friend Lily,” Remus blurts out, the fact feeling like the most important in the world. 

Lily looks at Sirius. “Your friends a git,” she bites out, turning back around. “We’re leaving, Remus,” and then she storms out, the door letting in the cool wind as she slams it open.

Remus doesn’t think twice about it. Lily really is his best friend. If she wanted to go to hell, he’d bring the snacks.

He looks at Sirius, a little sad he won’t get to know him, but as James comes into view again, practically collapsing against Sirius and mumbling about the ‘girl who just stormed out’ he realizes who the git friend is. Not going to work.

“I should go,” Remus says, already turning.

“Wait!” Sirius yelps, patting his pockets and pulling out his phone. He taps it a few times and holds it out. Ten numbers light up the screen. His number. Remus figures he’s got nothing to lose as he takes out his own phone to snap a picture, and then he’s really leaving, ignoring Sirius’ request that he call him as he goes.

The cold air bites him in the face as he steps out, practically running into a pacing Lily. She doesn’t waste a second before grabbing his arm and dragging him down the street, earning a few strange glances from passerby’s. Remus waits to see if Lily wants to talk about what just happened, and finds the answer when she stops suddenly, huffing out a breath.

“That git. He thought that one shite compliment would convince me to go out with him?”

“He asked you out?” Remus asks, incredulous. Lily pauses, seems to shake off a thought.

“Well. No. He said I had pretty eyes and then just. Stared at me. Wouldn’t stop. Had a stupid grin on his face. I said thanks and he just stood there. What am I meant to do with that?”

“Er. Right. Well, Sirius did mention that his friend was high…”

Lily, horrible friend that she is, has the audacity to smirk. “Sirius, huh? Already on a first name basis?”

Remus splutters. “You- your supposed to be pissed off! You told him his friend was a git!”

Lily’s smile falters, just slightly, only enough for Remus to notice. “He- ugh. It’s only that his friend caught me off guard. He stirred up some bad memories. If you got along with Sirius though, then you should see him again.”

“No,” Remus answers, and it’s practically an instinct. The rush of the bar has worn off, the strange feeling in his stomach has settled. Sirius… Remus liked Sirius. That’s dangerous. Romance scares Remus in a way he has always been too afraid to confront. It sets his teeth on edge, forces him to confront the wreckage that lays in his heart and the aching truth that no one can pull him out of it. He’s going to let Sirius be a fun flirt in the bar, nothing else.

He watches Lily’s jaw work, before she rolls her eyes and starts walking again. “You owe me 10 pounds when he asks you out!” She calls over her shoulder, leaving an indignant Remus to follow.

When they finally stumble inside their shared flat, Remus strips off his coat and hat, heading straight for the warmth of his blankets after yelling a quick goodnight out to Lily.

He opens up his phone, hoping a podcast or two will pull him out of the spiral of feelings he’s found himself him, but when he unlocks it his hand freezes. The picture of Sirius’ number stares back at him. He can see the edge of the other man’s hand in it, and he definitely does not zoom in. 

Sirius has very normal hands. 

His own open up a search engine, and he watches as his fingers type out Sirius Black. 

The top results load. Several articles with variations of the title ‘Sirius Black is the hero of the night with game winning goal’ show up. Cool. Nice. 

He reads every single one, and will probably see the goal in his sleep after watching it from so many angles.

Next, he sees a Wikipedia link. The picture on Sirius’ page brings a smile to his face. He seems to be mid-game, focused, grinning.

There isn’t much in his early life section, only a brief mention of his parents and a brother named Regulus. Remus debates clicking on personal life for a long minute before he finally does, and he finds a subsection dedicated to Sirius coming out as bisexual. Apparently, he hasn’t dated anyone since joining the NHL. Not that it would matter. Remus isn’t going to see him again, so someone may as well.

He finds his way to Sirius’ Instagram next. There isn’t anything new there, just hockey photo after hockey photo interspersed with sponsorships and summers on the beach. Remus sees a lot of James, a goalie he learns is named Peter, and James’ parents. 

Remus keeps scrolling, but he comes out of his internet plunge with little more information than when he entered it: Sirius is a hockey player; James is his best friend; and Sirius is really, really, attractive. 

He’s been staring at a picture from the summer just passed when he hears Lily’s voice calling him. Remus very casually throws his phone to the end of his bed, and it’s a testament to how much of his shit Lily has put up with when she doesn’t even blink.

“Have you seen my Pink Floyd shirt?” 

“Oh- I- er- saw it in the wash last? Try the laundry pile,” Remus stutters out, very proud of his obvious composure.

“Thanks Re,” Lily smiles sweetly. “Oh, and be careful, double-tapping any photo more than six months old is the cardinal sin of instagram. Ta!”

Remus is going to send her to hell himself.

He doesn’t, of course, and even bares her ‘I told you so’ many months later (too many, Sirius always says) because now the memory comes back to Remus as he sits in a different bed (Sirius’, if the fan of black hair sticking out from the duvet is any hint) rummaging through Sirius’ bedside table, every book there read and reread by him during many sleepless nights. He curses when one drops to the floor with a loud thud. Fucking Tolkien.

Sirius stirs, just slightly, then opens one eye at Remus. 

“Y’alight Re?” he mumbles, and Remus bites back a smile.

“Fine love, just couldn’t sleep,” Remus whispers, running a hand through Sirius’ hair.

Remus can’t make out what Sirius says in reply, but he yelps when he’s suddenly yanked down by Sirius, pressed tightly into his chest.

“Better?” Sirius asks, and though he isn’t awake to hear the answer, Remus kisses it into his lips.

*

The wine is cold

Like the shoulder that I gave you in the street

Cat and mouse for a month or two or three

Now I wake up in the night and watch you breathe

Remus makes a face when he takes the first sip, cool wine hitting his tongue, any flavour seemingly masked by ice.

“What?” Sirius says with a grin, taking his own sip and over exaggerating his ‘mmmm’.

“I can’t believe that I thought you have good taste in drinks,” Remus responds, but he takes another sip. It’s not awful. He might even say it was alright if he wasn’t trying to rile Sirius up.

He gets what he wants when Sirius falls backwards on the couch with a flourish, throwing his feet onto Remus’ lap while whining about how often Remus wounds him.

Remus rolls his eyes. “I never wound you. If anything I inflate your ego. Constantly.”

“You’ve been wounding me since our dawn. Remember the second time we ever met?”

“The- what?” Remus feigns confusion, trying to push the memory away as it takes over, cheeks heating in embarrassment.

“Don’t tell me I need to remind you,” Sirius says, sly smirk proof enough that Remus is not going to enjoy this.

“Really not necessary, the memory is already back and-“

“AHEM. Once upon a time there was a dashing journalist, and a terribly handsome hockey player.”

“Terrible is right,” Remus murmurs, sinking lower into the couch.

Sirius gasps in mock affront. “Do you want to tell the story then?”

“Yes, actually.”

Sirius gestures to him with a flourish. “Go on. I’ll be fact checking.”

Remus shoves at his ankle. “It was a cold Halloween day,” he starts, sipping his wine.

Remus had been heading to a local supermarket for the flat’s monthly stock up, Lily having been held up at work. The cold had made its home in the city, and this time Remus came prepared, thick jacket and scarf keeping it at bay. He could see the shop coming up down the street. Before he could take a step closer, however, he heard a deep, familiar voice call his name. 

“Remus! Is that you?”

Remus resisted the urge to look over his shoulder for an entire second before he did, heart stuttering at the sight. Sirius looked so, so good, and Remus so barely resisted Lily’s pestering about texting him that the sight was almost enough to send him flying into his arms. 

Almost. 

He had thought about it a lot since that day at the bar. It would be hard- to date someone so public, to be papped and investigated and on magazines and the news. He didn’t want that. 

Right? 

He liked being a reporter, behind the scenes, where he could control what people knew about him. Did that stop the ache in his chest whenever he thought about a future where Sirius was his? He’d rather not say. 

Today, he sent Sirius a confused glance before picking up the pace, knowing that whatever look was now on his face would send him spiralling if he saw it.

“You are so in love with me,” Sirius presently interjects with a small laugh, sipping his wine in a way that Remus deems arrogant.

“And you aren’t with me?”

“Well. Obviously. Just glad to hear it isn’t unrequited.”

“You are a git. I tell you I’m in love with you constantly.”

“I know,” Sirius says, and his smile infuriates Remus so much he wants to kiss him. (So he does).

“I want to hear another story,” Sirius mumbles against his lips.

“Mm,” Remus hums. The only thought he can form connects his lips to Sirius’ again.

“About the first Knight’s game you went to.”

That stops Remus short. He feels his cheeks heating and turns his head into the pillow to avoid Sirius’ gaze, but Sirius grabs his jaw.

“C’mon Re,” he says, grin knife-sharp.

Remus groans, pulling away from Sirius and settling back on the couch. He does like this story, but it always makes him blush. There is, however, no denying Sirius. James makes fun of him for that constantly. 

“I hate you for this. It was about a month after I saw you on the street, and…

Lily had been put on Alice’s assignment while the latter went on maternity leave in preparation for her baby’s birth. That was all good and well, but it did require Lily going to every Knights game for the next several months, at least.

“No,” Remus said flatly, throwing the covers over his head to hide from Lily.

She yanked them off immediately. “I need your help, Remus! I’ve never covered a game before, and I know you’re weeks ahead for your next articles research.”

Remus groaned. He hated it when Lily was right. “Why did you even agree to do this? Haven’t you forgotten one very important detail: James Potter is captain of the Knights. What if you have to talk to him?”

Lily knit her brows together in confusion before her eyes widened. “OH, are you talking about the bar thing? It’s really fine Remus, I know he didn’t mean any harm. Plus, I ran into him at work the other day since he was in for a video recording, and he was very apologetic.”

Remus dropped his mouth open. “You talked to him?! And didn’t tell me about it?!”

“It just didn’t seem that relevant. It’s not like you’re planning on talking to Sirius either way.”

Remus heard the challenge in Lily’s voice and took a steadying breath. “Of course not. But you’re my best friend, which makes you obligated to tell me every single detail of that meeting.”

He didn’t like the turn of Lily’s smile, but bore it as he listened intently to what she said.

When they finally made it inside the arena after a quick chat with security, Remus was buzzing with nerves. There was no chance he’d run into Sirius, but Lily did have to ask players questions after the game, and if Sirius was one of them Remus supposed he’d just have to get lost going to the loo until it was over.

They had to take a lift up to the press box where they’d watch the game from, but every hallway in the stadium was painted with the same shock of silver, and there were no signs telling them where to go. 

Lily finally suggested splitting up to find some help.

Remus turned right as he wandered down yet another hallway, this one’s walls covered in hundreds of pictures of players and staff from years past. He stopped short at the end of the hall as it began to curve right and he caught a glimpse of a large knights logo embossed on the carpet. 

The Knight’s dressing room. 

The lift was definitely not this way.

“Excuse me, can I help you?” Remus heard Sirius’ still familiar voice, and cursed every deity he could name for the encounter. 

“I- uh-“ Remus turned slowly, and he saw Sirius’ eyes light up in recognition before they dimmed again. Remus felt it like a punch to the gut.

“I don’t think you’re supposed to be here. Perhaps I can point you in the right direction?”

Remus nodded quickly. “Thanks, Sirius- Sir. Super. That’s very nice of you.” Oh boy.

Sirius smiled at him sadly. “So you do remember me. At least I know I’m not going crazy. Where are you trying to get to?”

Remus spluttered, ignoring the question. Sure he had ignored Sirius last time they ran into each other, but forget him? “What? How on earth could I forget you? You’re in every article and on every billboard in this city. It would be quite impossible if I was trying to.”

Sirius’ face dropped into a frown. “That’s not really what I meant. A lot of people know my name. They haven’t all met me. I thought you had forgotten our meeting all together.”

Remus closed his eyes, remembered the warm air of the club, the first time he laid eyes on Sirius. “I don’t want to forget you.” It’s perhaps the truest thing he’s said in months. He’s scared of this. Terrified. But he’s here, and Sirius standing in front of him feels so, so good.

Sirius’ eyes widened. “You don’t- You don’t have to pretend to make me feel better. If you’re not interested that’s obviously okay-“

Remus let out a frustrated sigh. “November 3rd, 1997. That’s your birthday. You have a brother named Regulus, though James and his parents are basically your adopted family. Your favourite colour is pink, in all varieties; and your favourite hobbies include surfing and golfing, of course.”

Sirius seemed temporarily speechless, before his face pulled into a smirk. “You read my Wikipedia page?”

Remus looked away. Being honest about his feelings felt as if his chest was being caved in. “And every biography written about you. That’s just to say- I like you. I know we only had a few moments in a bar but,” he shrugged, “I felt a connection. And now that my best friend no longer wants to murder your best friend, we can actually do something about it.”

Sirius smiled at him then, a blinding thing that sent a flutter through his stomach. He felt like he was seventeen again, crushing on the cute guy in his intro to journalism class. 

This was much better. “There is one thing the biographies don’t mention,” Sirius said, grin still in place.

Remus raised an eyebrow in question.

“How much I want to kiss you,” and then he walked closer, leaned in, and his lips grazed Remus’ cheek for barely a second before pulling back again. “So, can I take you on a date?”

There wasn’t a universe in which Remus would say no to that.

Later, Remus and Lily stood in the press box during first intermission, munching on some popcorn they had been offered.

“Excuse me, sorry to interrupt, but I was told to deliver these to you,” a young man wearing a staff Knights shirt approached Remus, holding out two Knights jerseys. Remus only managed to get out a ‘thank you’ before he was gone, without any mention of the sender.

Lily titled her head. “That’s strange. I didn’t order one. You?”

Remus shook his head as he unfolded one jersey, handing the other to Lily. He let out a sudden laugh when he saw the name printed on the back, ‘Black’ written in matte black letters. 

“Ugh,” Lily said, but she was smiling too, turning her jersey to reveal a similarly printed ‘Potter’.

“I have an idea,” Remus said, a mischievous feeling bubbling up in him. 

“Noooo, this part makes me mad,” Sirius presently groans, pouting as he throws an arm over his face.

Remus laughs. “Really? It’s my favourite.”

Sirius squints at him. “Of course it is, you evil, evil man.”

Remus just pushes his legs off as he continues the story.

Lily had asked her final question to Sirius and James, who sat at a large table a few steps higher than the reporters. As everyone filed out, it was just the four of them left. James and Sirius were laughing together while Lily busied herself with packing up her laptop, catching Remus’ eye. Shall we?, she mouthed, and Remus nodded.

Remus caught Sirius’ eye, returned his smile, and then turned fully away, bringing the back of his jersey into view. Lily did the same thing, and Remus bit his lip against a smile when he heard Sirius gasp.

The ‘Potter’ emblazoned on his was evidently for Lily, but who said they couldn’t have a little fun?

He heard footsteps as him and Lily turned to see Sirius and James very casually walking towards them.

“I would say it’s nice to meet you Remus, but I fear that you have deeply betrayed Sirius and I. Same goes for you, Lily.”

Remus and Lily shared one glance before they were doubled over in laughter, and he could see Sirius and James biting their lips to avoid sharing their fate.

“It’s not funny, Remus. We had those jersey’s hand delivered,” Sirius responded, pouting.

“I’m afraid your messenger didn’t specify who each jersey was for. I don’t see what’s wrong with this way.”

Sirius turned towards James. “These two are going to be the end of us, aren’t they Prongs?”

James grinned, glancing at Lily, who gave him a soft smile in return. She’s a goner, Remus thought. 

“I sure hope so, Padfoot.”

“And then,” Sirius interrupts indignantly from the couch, “you didn’t go on a date with me for another month!”

“I was busy with work! We’ve been over this!”

“Too busy for the love of your life?”

“We had known each other for barely three months prior.”

“It was love at first sight for me,” Sirius says with his eyebrows raised in a challenge.

That’s enough to send Remus flying towards him again, meeting his lips in a kiss. “The end,” he breathes.

Their wine is warm by the time they get around to finishing it.

Later, Remus will awake in Sirius’ bed, his fitful sleep a continued staple in his life. 

He’s found a solution though, so he turns under the hold of Sirius’ arm, watching as his breath causes his hair to flutter slightly, and moves his head from pillow to chest, letting the rise and fall of Sirius’ breathing lull him back to sleep.

*

Kiss me once 'cause you know I had a long night

(Oh!) Kiss me twice 'cause it's gonna be alright

Three times 'cause I've waited my whole life

Sirius smacks his stick against the wall once, twice, then three times for good measure. The roar of the crowd outside the tunnel only grates against his ears further, and he does his best to breathe deeply.

The game had been awful. Sirius thinks that the Knights should be grateful the score was only 3-6 with the way their play had been tonight. He feels a gloved hand on his shoulder and turns to find James, who jostles him a little before leaning in. “Not beating yourself up, I hope.”

Sirius rolls his eyes. “I played like shit. We left Wormtail out to dry.”

James sighs. “Yeah. But it’s a long season. We learn from this, and then we move on. No sense dwelling.”

And that, Sirius thinks, is why James is the captain. He gives a noncommittal shrug, but James isn’t having it. “Plus, I think I saw some sandy-haired curls peaking out of the crowd earlier. Sitting beside my fiery redhead of course,” James whispers, taking on a dopey smile during his last words.

That does get Sirius’ attention. “Re said he wouldn’t be able to fly out this weekend…”

Now it’s James’ turn to shrug. “9 AM skate tomorrow lads!” He yells as he makes his way over to his stall. Their coach starts talking about one thing or another, but Sirius‘ eyes keep darting to the door, wondering if Remus will be waiting outside. He feels almost giddy at the thought.

“Alright then boys. You’re free to go. Remember that each of you owes Pete a free steak dinner because of tonight. See you tomorrow!” the words have barely left Filius’ mouth when Sirius is rushing to do his post-game stretches. It’s a quick trip to the showers after that before he finally comes out into the main hall, and finds Remus talking to Peter. Remus catches Sirius’ eye and smiles, while Peter turns and waves.

Sirius jogs up to them. “Hey Wormtail. Good game, sorry about the rest of us,” Sirius says with a self-deprecating laugh.

Peter smiles. “You had a good game too Pads. Don’t forget it. I’ll see you tomorrow.” As he takes his leave, Sirius whirls on Remus.

“You,” he starts, poking him in the chest, “lied to me.”

Remus’ smile only widens. “I surprised you. There’s a difference.”

“I’m sorry you had to sit through that.”

Remus instantly frowns. “Hey. Don’t you dare. Any chance to see my brilliantly talented boyfriend play hockey is a chance I cherish.”

Sirius smiles at that, allowing himself to slump against Remus. He feels arms wrap around him, safe and warm. “Mm. Losing is much more exhausting than winning,” Sirius mumbles against his shoulder.

Remus pulls him back slightly, placing a chaste kiss on his lips. “That help?”

Sirius can’t do much more than smile wider.

Remus kisses him again. “It’s going to be alright. One game doesn’t define your season.”

Sirius just leans in for another kiss.

“What’s that one for?” Remus questions with a soft laugh.

“Making up for the fact that I spent most of my life not kissing you.”

That gets Sirius several more kisses. “C’mon. Lily and I have an extravagant double date planned for you and James.”

“Does it involve watching movies in a hotel room with lots of snacks?”

“You know it baby.”

*

I like shiny things, but I'd marry you with paper rings

Uh huh, that's right

Darling, you're the one I want, and

I hate accidents except when we went from friends to this

Uh huh, that's right

Darling, you're the one I want

In paper rings, in picture frames, in dirty dreams

Oh, you're the one I want

Valentines Day. It was usually a lamentation by Lily and Remus as they scoffed at the couples on the street and avoided the bad memories it brought up. This year, however, was bound to be different.

“Is it bad that I’m absolutely terrified?” Lily asks from her place on the couch, voice muffled by a pillow. Remus sits down beside her. 

“No. You’ve had some shite valentine’s. At least half I’ve wanted to punch in the face. James, however, is the kind of guy who will understand why you’re scared. Be honest with him. Now, are you going to let me finish braiding your hair?”

Lily sighs before sliding off the couch and in front of Remus. “Love you Re.”

“I know,” Remus responds, then dodges the hand she blindly throws backwards. “Love you too Lils.”

There’s a knock on the door a few minutes later. “Tell him I’ve caught a cold- that it’s so terrible he can’t even be within ten metres of-“

Remus opens the door, ignoring Lily’s last minute nerves in favour of his sanity. “Hi,” he smiles at James and Sirius, both holding big bouquets of flowers. 

James claps him on the shoulder as he walks in, immediately going to kneel in front of Lily. “Hi darling…”

“Fuck me if they’re not perfect,” Remus mumbles to Sirius as he leans in for a kiss.

“…They’re not?” Sirius responds with with a questioning grin as Remus shoves him with a gasp.

“Not appropriate.”

“On Valentine’s Day? C’mon Re. When else?”

“Incorrigible.”

“Insufferable too,” Sirius breathes against his lips.

“We’ll give you two the room,” James says with a wiggle of his eyebrows as he and Lily head for the door. Lily sends Remus a quick smile as she goes, and Remus sees her squeezing James’ hand.

“Arsehole!” Sirius calls out after him, but he’s watching Lily too. “Is she…?”

“She’ll be okay.”

Sirius nods. “Ready for our date?”

Sirius drives Remus around for twenty minutes before he finally parks, and Remus gets out to a view of several green hills situated above a lake. There’s a light but not unpleasant chill in the air as he takes Sirius’ hand walking upwards.

The sight at the crest is breathtaking.

Sirius has been here recently- evident by the large checkered-green picnic blanket covered in more food than Remus can list, and another bouquet of flowers placed in the middle.

Sirius sighs in relief beside him. “Thank god it’s still here.”

Remus can’t help but laugh. “You didn’t think to secure the area just in case? Amateur, love.”

Sirius gawks. “Well I had to pick you up and- And everyone else was busy with their own valentines prep so I couldn’t exactly ask them to step away mngh-“ 

Remus silences him with a long kiss.

“I love it. Thank you.” The quiet area means that Remus can truly relax, and he knows that’s why Sirius picked it. They aren’t officially public, but Sirius following him on instagram had caused enough of a stir that Remus’ own colleagues were digging around for the scoop. He wanted this for himself, even if he couldn’t keep it to himself forever.

Sirius grins, blush evident on his face. “After you, then.”

Remus sighs happily an hour later as he lays back in Sirius’ lap, fiddling with a straw wrapper from the small pile of trash they’ve created.

“Good?” Sirius asks as he leans over to kiss his forehead.

“The best,” Remus grins, and he reckons he looks like one of those giggling rom-com girls right now but he can’t bring himself to care. “I hope we’re like this until we die.”

Sirius bursts into laughter. “Only you can think of a sentence so lovely and gruesome at once.”

“I mean it though. I want so much time with you. All of it,” Remus feels on the edge of sleep, barely registers the words out of his mouth until Sirius replies with:

“Are you falling asleep while proposing to me?” Voice quieter than usual.

That jolts Remus awake, and he’s barely stuttered out an explanation before Sirius is kissing his face all over. “Don’t take it back now.”

“I would never. But that wasn’t my proposal. I always assumed you’d want to do it.”

Sirius smiles. “Yeah.” He takes the straw wrapper from Remus’ hands and starts fiddling with it. “But it’s terrifying sometimes. I know this- the scrutiny, the fans, the hate- it’s not what you want.”

Remus feels the words sink somewhere in his chest. “It wasn’t what I wanted before but Sirius- I want you, no matter what that means. I hope I’ve been showing you that.”

Sirius gives him a small smile. “Yeah. It’s just, I don’t know.” He bites his lip, avoiding Remus’ eyes.

“Hey,” Remus says, getting up to kiss Sirius’ cheek. “You can talk to me.”

Sirius takes Remus’ hand, drawing patterns on his fingers. “Um. Well. My brother called me yesterday.”

The way Sirius says brother confuses Remus. “James called you?”

Sirius looks at Remus then. “Ha. Well. Yeah. He’s my brother. My biological brother, I mean. Regulus called.”

“Oh…” this is territory that Remus hasn’t been in. Regulus is a distant thought in his mind, largely because the only reference to him he’s seen is the Wikipedia article a millennia ago. He assumed he was like Sirius’ parents, who, if James is anyone to go by, are vile filth. “Is that…?”

“Bad. Well, that’s what I thought. It’s the first time I’ve talked to him since I left when I was 16. He- we didn’t talk much, but he said he’s going to leave too. That he was sorry, and that he hoped I’d call him again,” Sirius voice gets quieter and quieter as he talks, as if he’s closing in on himself.

Remus wishes he could kiss all of Sirius’ pain away. “I’m sure that’s a lot for you to take in, love. You don’t have to decide anything right now. You sure as hell don’t owe him anything.”

“I left him there,” Sirius says suddenly, “I didn’t even try to get him out-“

“Hey,” Remus says, placing his hands on Sirius’ cheeks. “I don’t know much about what happened with your family, but I do know you. As corny as that sounds Sirius- you are the most incredible person that I have ever met. Genuinely and completely. Whatever decision that you made as a sixteen-year-old does not define you as a person.”

“But it was a shit decision?” Sirius says, voice going high to ask the question.

“No,” Remus responds, putting all his conviction in the word. “You had to do what was best for you before helping anyone else. It’s like the whole oxygen mask thing on flights.”

“The what?”

“Always put your oxygen mask on before helping someone else? It’s part of the safety presentations.”

Sirius gives him a wry smile. “I never listen to those. Glad I have my nerdy boyfriend to keep my informed.”

Remus gapes. Sirius silences his protests with a kiss and a quiet thank you. Remus looks down when he feels the straw wrapper against his finger, Sirius tying it around his left ring one. 

“Now you’re the one proposing,” Remus whispers, praying he isn’t blushing.

“Mm. Not quite. Your real ring will be shinier. I’ve got a while to figure it out.”

Remus smiles. “Well, it doesn’t have to be. Honestly, I’d marry you with this ring if you wanted.”

“Don’t lie to me Re. I know how much you like shiny things. I’ve seen your pinterest board.”

Remus rolls his eyes. “You are my pinterest board.”

“I have no idea what that means,” Sirius laughs, and it is, unequivocally, the most wonderful sound in the world. That Remus gets to hear it, after they only met because of Lily’s stubbornness, and only got together after a wild goose chase, makes it all the sweeter. 

Hours later Remus stretches against the sheets of his bed, turning more into Sirius.

A hand combs through his hair. “Today was lovely,” Sirius sighs contentedly.

“Way to toot your own horn,” Remus quips, but he can’t fight his smile.

“You made it lovely,” Sirius amends, and Remus presses his face into his neck.

“I’m happy you opened up to me. I want to be there for you.”

“You always are. I love you for it. I know I don’t always make it easy.”

Remus frowns. “I love being there for you. It’s never hard for me, and you don’t have to tell me everything for that to be true.”

Sirius hums, tilting Remus’ face up to kiss him. “You’re wonderful.”

“Mm.”

“Also, I have to say, I really love this framed picture of me you’ve got up, but I do feel like it should be a couples one.”

Remus shoots up from the bed, his eyes catching the photo that he had yet to show Sirius. “Well- you know- it’s a really nice picture? And I don’t want to stare at myself on my nightstand-“

“So you’re saying you stare at me?” Sirius smirks, and Remus grabs a pillow to throw at him.

Sirius cackles as it hits him, making exclamations about how he is very pretty so it makes sense and infuriating Remus enough that he lays back down facing away from Sirius.

“Grumpy,” Sirius whispers against his hair, putting an arm around his waist to pull him closer. Remus just scoffs and turns further away. 

The weight feels nice, though, and Remus falls asleep to the photo clear in his mind. A smiling Sirius, in this very bed, looking up at Remus as he took the photo, one hand reaching out to the camera. It’s Remus’ favourite of him by far.

His dreams that night revolve heavily around said photo, but he isn’t going to complain (or tell Sirius, lest his ego increase two-fold).

Plus, Sirius knows well enough how much Remus wants him. And Remus knows how much it’s returned.

*

In the winter, in the icy outdoor pool

When you jumped in first, I went in too

I'm with you even if it makes me blue

Which takes me back

To the color that we painted your brother's wall

Honey, without all the exes, fights, and flaws

We wouldn't be standing here so tall

“Remind me again why I agreed to do this. And include properly formatted citations,” Remus whispers to Lily from their spot by the wall of James’ house.

“Because you, like me, are stupidly and hopelessly in love, so when your boy says it’s pre-playoff tradition to jump into an icy pool in bloody March, you listen,” Lily laments.

“It’s tradition for the players and their girls to jump in so really-“

“Remus,” she interrupts with a clipped voice.

“Lily.”

“Shut the fuck up and jump.”

“Aye Captain!” Remus salutes her and jogs off towards Sirius, not trusting Lily to not push him in herself. He looks back to see her roll her eyes as she also walks forward, taking her place beside James, who’s a few paces from them. The entire team is here, lined up around James’ obscenely large pool, many with girlfriends and wives beside them who look just as apprehensive.

“How do you feel?” Sirius asks with a quick kiss to his forehead.

“Like I should’ve kept my clothes on, and like you owe me the nicest steak dinner money can offer for agreeing to this.”

Sirius throws his head back with a laugh, putting his pale neck on display. “Oh Remus. I’ve told you- clothes will make it worse. Trust me. Anything more than swim trunks and you’ll be bed-ridden for days. We’ve all tried it. The cold clings to you like you’re dead.”

“And the dinner?” Remus asks, but before Sirius can answer, James lets out a shrill wolf-whistle.

“All right folks! Before we do anything, I want to shout out our incredible Knights players and staff this season. Without them, we wouldn’t have accomplished this. We made the playoffs baby!” He shouts to raucous applause and cheers. “I also want to thank all their partners who have agreed to do this. I promise it’s not going to suck,” James assures to a chorus of groans. 

Remus points out that they didn’t exactly have a choice, but all James does is reach over to ruffle his hair before counting them down.

His JUMP! is followed by a series of crashes in the water, and Remus lets Sirius pull him down, gasping at the cold as it hits him. “Fuck,” he yells, already moving towards the shore. The water stings, made even colder by the bags of ice cubes that he saw the coaches throwing in beforehand. He’s pretty sure his fingers are already blue as he flails trying to find his footing, but it doesn’t last long.

“Sorry Re,” Sirius wraps an arm around him, stopping his escape, “But I forgot to mention. There’s one more tradition the Knights have.”

“What’s-“ but Remus doesn’t have to ask, because James is suddenly yelling DUNK! and then Remus’ senses are flooded with water as Sirius pushes him under before pulling him out again, only offering a sheepish sorry as Remus splutters. There’s a silence before one of the girlfriends’ yells ATTACK! and then everyone is in a full on water fight, Remus dunking Sirius back as he moans about his hair.

Remus kisses him to shut him up, but somehow Sirius’ lips are warm, so he keeps kissing him, until Sirius is gently pushing him away. “Let’s get you out of here before you become hypothermic, yeah? I’m not sure your lips are usually blue.”

Remus shudders as he climbs out and a warm towel is wrapped around him. He’s shivering uncontrollably by the time they get inside and Sirius practically pushes him into the bathroom to get changed.

The warm clothes do wonders, and by the time he’s settled on a couch near the fireplace- the rest of the team slowly scattering in- he feels content. He’s grown to love the company of the people around him, from family skates during the break to surprising their boys on different road trips. They’ve created a pseudo-family and it’s wonderful, even if Remus is sure his fingers won’t survive the night. 

“They’re not even that blue,” Sirius contradicts when Remus points it out, but he still cups Remus’ hands and blows his warm breath on them.

“Sirius!” Lily’s voice booms as she walks into the room, water dripping from her hair. Sirius looks up, and Remus smiles at his wide-eyed expression. “Why didn’t you tell me your best friend is a psychopath? He’s still in the pool. Apparently he has to break Taylor’s record from last year.”

“Does he realize that I’m a professional marathon swimmer?” Taylor, a blond haired girl with a sweet smile who’s dating their defenceman Linus, asks the group.

Sirius shakes his head with a fond sigh. “The only thing James is better at than being a hockey player is being a dumbass.”

“Pot meet kettle,” Lily and Remus sing in unison, causing Sirius to scowl.

“Where is that boy?” Euphemia Potter marches into the room. She and her husband are visiting to lend a supportive ear to James and Sirius. Usually the picture of motherly affection with her long hair,  brown skin, and honey coloured eyes, right now she looks furious, as though she already knows the answer. Euphemia is carrying a tray of hot chocolates that Will, the teams backup goalie, jumps up to grab from her as Lily points outside and Euphemia leaves muttering about how sick he’s going to get. 

Her husband Fleamont follows out of the kitchen with a tray of snacks, rolling his eyes when he sees that James isn’t there. “I love him, but is he trying to drive us mad?” He turns to Sirius. “You’re being very sensible today. I thought for sure you’d be out there vying to break the record yourself. I recall last year having to physically drag you out.”

Sirius laughs. “What can I say. I’ve matured. 22 just brings out the adult in you.”

Fleamont gives him a knowing smile as he walks over, setting the snacks down. “I’ve heard love does that too.” 

Sirius chokes on his drink, while Remus points out that James and Sirius tried to hot-wire a golf cart they found at the arena last week. He can’t help but smile at the implication, though. He adores that Sirius’ chosen family have wrapped him in their love as well, that not once has Remus doubted that they see Sirius just as much as their son as James.

He wonders if Sirius feels it too because as Fleamont follows his wife outside, he sinks further into the couch. 

“Alright?” Remus asks, running a hand through his hair.

“Thinking about Reg,” Sirius whispers, barely audible even to Remus.

Remus pulls him closer. Regulus had ended up leaving the Black family home, moving in with one of his good friends. He had dropped out of his fathers business too, but all the drama had luckily avoided the news cycle, with Sirius’ parents determined to keep everything under wraps.

“He seemed very apologetic when we saw him,” Remus says quietly, remembering their meeting last week that Sirius hadn’t wanted to unpack just yet. 

Sirius nods once. “Yeah. And then when you left the room so we could talk he- he tried to explain why he did what he did. I told him it was fine. I- um. I showed him the paint we had brought and said that he could consider it an olive branch. He remembered that it was his favourite colour. The blue, y’know, so much warmer than the green and silver. That’s what he said as a kid. And then when he said he didn’t know how to paint that’s when I went and got you. I just think he didn’t want us to leave. I haven’t heard from him yet.”

“I’m sure he’s struggling just as much as you are. This is all very new. You guys just need time.”

“I know. I just don’t want to always be thinking about it. I remembered before because your fingers turned the same shade of blue in the pool, and then Fleamont mentioned- Isn’t that so stupid?”

“Not stupid at all,” Remus says, and Sirius blinks rapidly, but he smiles.

“Walk of shame!” Peters voice pulls them out of their private world, and they see a dripping wet James walk in, his parents not far behind.

“My mate,” James grins as he tries to put Peter in a headlock.

“Oi captain! Wondrous captain! Bless us with a speech!” Linus yells. Everyone cheers in unison as James walks to the front of the room.

It’s hours later when Remus and Sirius start their walk to Sirius’ place, at the end of the street.

“I still can’t believe you guys managed to find houses so close together. True neighbourhood terrors.”

“Ha ha ha. I’ll have you know we’re very beloved, especially by the old lady who lives across from James. She’s always bringing him muffins.”

“Slow-acting poison,” Remus jokes.

Sirius and him are snapped out of their ribbing when a woman walking her dog up ahead stops suddenly. Remus doesn’t think much of it, moving to go around her, but Sirius stays put, clutching Remus’ hand.

Remus turns back and sees him staring at her.

“Sirius,” she says. “It’s good to see you.”

Remus doesn’t think he’s ever been so lost before. He’s definitely never seen the girl before, with her shock of pink hair and bright blue eyes hard to miss even in the night. Sirius’ reaction isn’t bad, per se, but Remus is going to be asking a lot of questions.

“It’s good to see you too, Marlene,” Sirius says with a quick smile. Remus thinks he means it. “How are you?”

“Good. And you?”

“Good,” Sirius laughs quietly as Marlene’s dog comes closer and starts sniffing his shoes. “Looks like Spike is doing good too.”

Marlene smiles, then turns towards Remus.

Sirius sees her looking. “Oh! Right. How rude of me. This is my… this is my boyfriend Remus,” Sirius stutters out.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Remus says with a smile. 

“Nice to meet you too,” Marlene responds. “It’s too bad my girlfriend isn’t here, I’m sure she’d love to meet you guys.”

“You’re-“ Sirius starts, but then he’s smiling. “Yeah. That checks out. Dorcas I presume?”

Marlene laughs. “Yep. Never could get anything past you, Sirius. I’ll see you around then?” 

“Definitely. Bye, Marlene, it was good seeing you.”

“You too. And you, Remus.”

Remus offers her a return of the compliment before they go their separate ways, Sirius fidgets with his hands until Remus gently takes one into his own.

“So… I don’t mean to presume…”

“She and I dated in year 11,” Sirius tells him, avoiding eye contact.

“That’s cool.”

“Yeah?”

Remus gives him a reassuring smile. “Of course. I have you now- it doesn’t matter who did or didn’t before. It’s just that, you seemed pretty nervous, especially while introducing me.”

“I- the thing is, we ‘dated’ because our parents thought it’d be a good match. They’re really old school like that. We were more like friends because there was never much of a romantic click, but when I ran away to James’ I didn’t have time to end things properly. I’ve been convinced all these years that she hates me for it. Guess it’s nice to know that’s not true.”

They were quickly approaching Sirius’ house, but Remus looked around before coming to a sudden stop, pulling Sirius into his chest. “Hey-wha-“ Sirius’ laugh was bright.

“You’re just so fucking incredible. Do you realize that? Your family was so awful you had to run away and five years later your worry is that you hurt your fake girlfriend. Y’know, your care for other people is my favourite thing about you.”

Sirius seems to have lost his ability to speak, instead staring at Remus with a dopey grin on his face. He tries to hide his face in Remus’ shoulder when it starts to redden, but Remus pulls him back. “Remember to care about yourself too?” He pleads, and this time Sirius’ laugh sounds a little wet.

“Fuck, Remus. I really don’t want to cry in the middle of the street. I love you though.”

“That wasn’t an answer,” Remus cocks an eyebrow.

“Fine. Yes. Oui. Sic,” Sirius sighs, but Remus smiles. It’s a decided improvement from their previous arguments when Sirius would deny his inability to practice self-care (and would never fail to remind Remus that the conversation was very much pot meet kettle).

They were getting better though- learning to catch their self destructiveness and mend it. James and Lily helped too, and Remus reckoned that Sirius and him were well on their way to becoming self-sufficient adults.

“Not to ruin the moment, but can we go inside? I’m cold and itching to kiss you senseless.”

Remus grins. “Anything you want, darling.”

*

I want to drive away with you

I want your complications too

I want your dreary Mondays

Wrap your arms around me, baby boy

It was one playoff game. Remus is doing his best to toe the line between reminding Sirius of this fact, and being sympathetic to the annoyance he’s feeling at the loss.

Presently, Sirius is in the full gym that resides in his (soon to be their, Remus thinks giddily) house, as he has been for the past hour. Considering that he’d already had a morning workout with his team, Remus decides he’s done enough.

“Alright darling. While it is insanely sexy to watch you lift weights, I’m really at my wits end here, and would much rather that we cuddle and watch Tangled,” Remus inwardly cringes at the forced cheer in his voice, but it does get a (strained) laugh out of Sirius. He walks over to where Remus is very casually leaning against the hip adductor machine. Remus takes a few steadying breaths when he sees the way Sirius’ hair is sticking to his forehead, and the way his skin is shining after the workout.

“I’m almost done, and then we-“

But Remus grabs his arm before he can finish, dragging him to the cool-down section of the gym, which was just a bunch of scattered mats on the ground. “Sirius. Darling. My love. You are not going to win any playoff games if your muscles give out on you. Rest.”

Sirius pouts, but Remus closes his eyes, so the effect is negated.

He only deems it safe to open his eyes when he hears Sirius sigh and sit down, and then tells him that he’ll put the kettle on while he stretches.

“Wait!” Sirius yelps. “Can you… can you maybe stay?”

Remus gives him his softest smile. “And watch you stretch? There’s no universe where I say no to that.”

Sirius gives him an almost smile in return, and Remus can’t take it anymore.

“Sirius, what is it that’s really bothering you? I know you guys lost yesterday, but that doesn’t- a loss has never made you like this before.”

“It’s the playoffs. It’s different.”

“Okay. I don’t want to force you to talk about it. But- you just haven’t been yourself this past week, and I want to help, if you’ll let me.”

Sirius looks away, stretching his right leg before responding. “I can’t be a disappointment,” his voice breaks on the last word.

Remus feels like his heart is shattering into a million pieces. “Who would you be a disappointment to?”

Sirius shakes his head. “You-“

“Not the slightest bit true. I’d love you even if you were a fringe player who only ever played three career NHL games.”

Sirius laughs through the first tear that escapes, and Remus gently wipes it away.

“James.”

It only takes a quirk of Remus’ eyebrows for more tears to drop.

“His parents-“

“Would love you even if you committed mass murder,” Remus replies emphatically.

“My parents,” Sirius cries, the tears not stopping, and Remus pulls him into a tight hug. He feels the anger creep up at the mention of the vile creatures that ‘raised’ Sirius until he could escape.

“My sweet darling…” Remus whispers, and Sirius buries his face in Remus’ shoulder.

Sirius’ next words are muffled. “I know what you’re going to say- that I shouldn’t care about them- that they don’t care about me. I‘ve barely spoken to them since I ran away. But- I have to prove that they were wrong about me, Remus. I have to prove that I’m not broken or twisted or a failure. If we win the cup, they’ll have to admit-“

“I don’t think you’re a failure,” Remus gently interrupts Sirius’ spiral. “Neither does James, or his parents, or Peter, or any of your teammates. I understand that your parents made you feel unlovable- and I hate them for it- but I love you Sirius. I have since the moment I saw you in that bar. Not one of us who loves you thinks you’re a failure, and our love will never be dependant on whether or not you win the Cup. Ever.”

Sirius just grasps Remus tighter, and Remus finds himself wishing- not for the first time- that he could drive away somewhere faraway with Sirius, where the pressure and expectations are nothing but a distant memory.

Of course, when he thinks of the joy on Sirius’ face when he speaks about hockey, the wish doesn’t last long. 

“Thank you for loving me,” Sirius says quietly, a few minutes later.

“That’s not something you have to thank me for.”

“But I make it really hard, sometimes.”

Remus kisses the top of his head. “Hey. So do I. Think of how many times I’ve pretended everything was alright when it wasn’t, or convinced myself I was unlovable.”

“I never find it hard to love you,” Sirius’ voice sounding stronger than it has all day.

“Exactly. So you have to understand that I don’t find it hard to love you, either. I never will.”

Sirius smiles sheepishly. “Well. You got me there.”

“Ready for some tea?”

“Yes, please. This has got to be the most miserable Monday ever.”

“I don’t know. Any day I get to spend with you is a good one,” Remus replies with a cheeky grin, as Sirius rolls his eyes and calls him a sap.

He puts the kettle on, humming along to a mindless tune as he takes down the cups. When strong arms wrap around him from behind he sighs happily, turning to kiss a freshly showered Sirius on the lips.

“You’re so magical,” Sirius mumbles against his lips.

*

You're the one I want

The cheer of the crowd is deafening. It’s magic. Sirius watches James hold the Stanley Cup over his head, his scream music to his ears.

When James starts skating towards him, the pouding in his chest increases tenfold. He’s going to pass him the Cup. Hesgoingtopasshimthecuphesgoingtoholdthecupholdthecupholdthecup.

“We did it mate,” James breaths as he comes up to Sirius, and those four words say everything they have to.

“Love you mate,” Sirius returns, and James smiles as he hands the Cup over. Sirius skates forward, raising it above his head and whooping as loud as he can. The cap on his head is starting to fall forward but Sirius scans the crowd anyways, his heart leaping with joy when he spots Remus in the crowd, his mum Hope clapping as he jumps up and down. He smiles, and swears that Remus smiles back. James’ parents, Lily, and her parents are all next to them cheering as well. The feeling of family is so strong it makes Sirius ache, especially when he spots Regulus a few rows away, smiling.

Sirius’ family is his blood, and his choice.

He hands the Cup off to Peter, ruffling his hair in the process, and then he waits. 

It’s customary for the players’ families to rush the ice once the Cup has been passed around, and Sirius is jittery, almost surprising himself at how badly he wants to hug Remus right now.

Five minutes later and it’s about to happen.

“There’s mum and dad!” James yells in his ear, voice cracking from overuse. Him and Sirius skate over as fast as they can and are pulled into a bear hug by Fleamont and Euphemia. 

“We are so, so, proud of you, my sons,” Euphemia says, and Sirius doesn’t even care that he’s about to cry. 

When they pull away, Sirius immediately catches Remus’ eye. He waves almost shyly at Sirius, and it’s enough to send him hurtling into his arms.

“Oof,” Remus groans as Sirius almost knocks him over, but then he’s holding him back just as tight. “You have no idea how proud I am of you, love. You were incredible out there. That last goal- ugh- Lily and I were fawning. No one can argue against James and you being the best duo in the league. And then seeing you with the Cup…”

“I was thinking about you,” Sirius whispers, kissing him soundly. “I’m always thinking about you.”

“Even when you’ve just won the hardest to win trophy in all of sports?”

“Especially then. I’ll always want you more than any trophy.”

Remus smiles, and the blush that overtakes his face is so adorable Sirius kisses it over and over.

“I’d say you shouldn’t let James hear that but-“ he pauses, looking over to wear James is spinning Lily around the ice. “He feels the exact same way.”

Sirius takes Remus’ hand, guiding him towards the Cup, when he feels something on Remus’ ring finger. He looks down, and spots the straw ring he made him back on Valentine’s Day. “You kept it,” looking at it makes his stomach flutter like he’s sixteen again.

“Placeholder until I get the real thing,” Remus says with a nonchalant shrug.

Sirius laughs, loud and bright, and it’s the happiest he’s ever been. “I am getting you that steak dinner tonight.”

That’s all.