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His cane swished gently in front of him, counting steps in the back of his mind as he stepped off the bus and walked toward the stoop which would ultimately lead to their flat. Remus was exhausted and frustrated, a bit taken aback by his optometrist who informed him not only had he lost what little sight he had remaining in his one eye, but likely he’d lost it over a month ago and hadn’t realised.
Remus expected it, it was the progression of his condition, but it was a strange feeling knowing it was gone now. His blindness was total.
Reaching for the lock, he found it with his fingers, slipped his key in, and walked to the stairs. His left hand touched the wall, right kept his cane dangling gently in front of him as the tip felt along each stair.
He walked this path every day, had for the last five years. He had a comfortable flat with the love of his life, a decent job he had just quit only because he was—for the first time—applying for a University position which wasn’t likely, but he had hope. He was tired of teaching children, and he wanted to move on.
Feeling still stressed, Remus hung his cane on the hook by the door, and called out for his lover. “Pads? You home?”
There was no answer, and Remus checked his texts once more, but there was nothing from his lover. It wasn’t unusual, Sirius often kept himself busy even on days he wasn’t working, and Remus would only fret if Sirius wasn’t home by tea.
With a heavy sigh, he moved to his bedroom to undress, then went in for a bath. Sirius had sweetly left him a few bath bombs, and the soak was exactly what his body wanted. He laid back, letting the aroma surround him, and thought about how inexplicably his life had changed. He’d gone from being in his early twenties, working hard to get his degree, a strange sort of relationship on Tumblr with a rather fantastic, interesting person, to this. A fully blind teacher who was now contemplating marriage.
Because yes, apart from the appointment, Remus Lupin had also picked out a ring.
Sirius had spent years hinting round marriage—accepting Remus might never want it, but the truth was, Remus wanted it. He wanted to stand up in front of friends and family and declare his undying love for Sirius Black.
Remus carefully extracted himself from the tub and reached for a towel, drying himself off. As he reached the door, his hand ran out and touched the switch, only to realise he hadn’t flicked it on when he’d come in. It sent another shock through him as it had a week ago—the shock which had prompted the appointment.
Bowing his head, he moved into the bedroom and slipped into comfy pyjamas, grabbed a book from his bookshelf, and moved to the sofa. He was going to propose to Sirius soon—maybe tonight, if the mood struck him. He was feeling a little down, and the one thing that could perk him up was the one person who brought and endless sea of stars into his life.
***
The front door cracked open, and suddenly there was a voice affecting a terrible Australian accent. The ping of a camera rang through, and then there were two sets of footfalls, one heavy, the other one light like a child.
“G’day mates, we’re the City Beast Hunters and today we’re on the lookout for the elusive Sofa Moony. Now, tiny City Hunter, where might we find one of these Sofa Moonies?”
A tiny voice in a mockery of Sirius’ very poor Australian accent said, “On the sofa!”
“Brilliant, Tiny City Hunter! Now, I believe I see one. He’s beea-uuu-tiful!”
Remus snorted, pulling his heavy book over his face. “Oh my god.”
“It’s important to realise Sofa Moonies can be incredibly finicky creatures. Real grumpy things, prone to attack their loving boyfriends if not properly plied with things Sofa Moonies love best. Tiny City Hunter, you know how we can keep our Sofa Moony docile?”
“Dosel?”
“Docile. Calm and happy. Cheerful Moony.”
“Oh! Chocolate and kisses!”
“Have at him, Tiny City Hunter. Remember Sofa Moonies are blind, so make loads of noise before you pounce so as not to startle him.”
Small feet clomped, and Remus had just enough time to shove the book to the side before a five year old jumped. Harry giggled as Remus began to tickle his sides, then Harry gave him several kisses on his cheeks, and a small, foil-wrapped sweet was pressed into Remus’ hand.
“You’ve done it, Tiny City Hunter! He’s now tamed and we can keep him!”
Remus snorted again as he pulled Harry down for a kiss, ruffling his hair. “Go on and play with your lego, you dastardly little hunter.”
Harry giggled, then scrambled off as Remus sat up, and the sofa dipped down as Sirius sat down. “Now we’ve got ourselves a tamed Sofa Moony. Isn’t he beee-a-uuutiful?”
“You’re the worst,” Remus muttered.
“And that, my friends, is Moony for I love you.” Remus was then unceremoniously pulled into a kiss before he heard the ping that the video had ended. Fisting his hands into Sirius’ front, he pulled him in as their tongues danced.
“Putting that on Tumblr, are you?”
“Yes, yes I am,” Sirius said with a small laugh. He pressed several kisses across Remus’ cheeks.
“And you have Harry because…?”
“Lily’s in labour,” Sirius said, his voice rising in excitement. “James rang me and I immediately rushed over to get him. We’ll be having him here until Lily’s released. Maybe a bit longer if you’re alright with it.”
Remus put his face into the crook of Sirius’ neck and breathed him in. “Course, love.” It would put a damper on the proposal, or at least any big deal he wanted to make of it, but he loved Harry.
“How was the rest of your day? Doctor go alright?”
“Mm.” Remus sat back, still leaning against Sirius, and trailed his fingers up and down Sirius’ bare arm. “Turns out my vision is completely gone.”
Sirius immediately stiffened. “What? All of it?”
Remus shrugged. “I hadn’t realised, but he thinks it happened well over a month ago. It’s alright, you know?”
“Is it?” Sirius asked, his voice a little tense.
Remus let out a tiny laugh. “Not much difference is there? If it took me this long.”
“Oh, my Moony,” Sirius said, and tipped Remus’ face up for another kiss. “Well that calls for a bit more chocolate, eh? Hot chocolate tonight?”
Remus laughed. “Yeah, that sounds perfect, love.”
***
Remus was stood at the cooker with a pot of melting chocolate when a tiny hand tugged on his sleeve. He reached out, his fingers touching the top of Harry’s messy locks, and he smiled down. “Hi there, Prongslet. It’s going to be ready soon.”
“Um Moony,” Harry said very slowly, and took Remus’ hand. “What’s this?”
The small box Remus immediately recognised was pressed into his hand. “Where did you find this?”
“It was on the counter in the toilet,” Harry said. “It looks like what mummy and daddy have.”
“Well,” Remus said, turning to take Harry by the shoulders. He knelt down on one knee. “Is Padfoot here?”
“Nope. He’s outside with his icky cigarettes.”
Remus pulled a face. “Yeah. Icky. Anyway I think I’m going to ask Padfoot to marry me.”
“Oh!” Harry stood up a little straighter under Remus’ hands. “He’s gonna say yes, you know. He loves you a whole lot.”
Remus felt his throat tighten. “Yeah?”
“Mmhmm. He tells me loads of times, Moony.”
Remus pressed a kiss to Harry’s forehead as he stood back up. “Well good. I’m very thrilled to ask him.”
Harry giggled, and ran off as Remus finished the cocoa. When Sirius came in a few minutes later, Remus tangled his fingers into Sirius’ hair and kissed him deeply. “Remember five years ago when we were nothing more than complete, fucking tumblr trash?”
Sirius laughed. “M’still tumblr trash, my darling Moonbeam.”
“Yes, yes you are.” Remus dipped his head and kissed him under his ear.
“I’ve already got nine hundred notes on my Sofa Moony post.”
“You are such a shithead. I love you so much.”
“You’re being awfully sweet tonight. It’s a bit suspicious.”
“Is it, now?” Remus asked quietly, carding his fingers through Sirius’ hair. “Well maybe I’ve got something up my sleeve. Or well…in my pocket. As it were.”
“Oh?”
Remus licked his lips, then brought Sirius’ hand down to his pocket. He felt Sirius reach in, then he heard the click of the box opening, and the slight hitch of Sirius’ breath.
“Moons?” he whispered. “I…is this…”
“I love you more than I have ever loved anyone,” Remus said, willing his voice to remain steady. “You’re a pain in my arse, and a giant gay baby, and your dramatics are...well there aren’t words. But I know I could never—and would never want to—live without you. I told you one day I’d surprise you, so I am. Marry me, alright?”
“Marry me, alright?” Sirius repeated, his voice full of tears, incredulous. “That’s your proposal?”
“And all the other rather lovely stuff I just said,” Remus protested, unable to stop his grin.
Sirius grabbed Remus by the waist, spinning him, then yanked him down for a kiss. “Yes. I will marry the hell out of you, Remus Lupin.”
Remus grinned, then kissed him several times on the mouth. “I love you, you gorgeous arse.”
Sirius held him so tight. “I love you too.”
A moment later, tiny feet clomped in. “Married!”
Sirius grabbed Harry and lifted him between him and Remus. “Married, Prongslet. Are you excited for your most favourite uncles?”
“Yeah!” Harry cried. “I’m excited!”
***
“Come here immediately,” Remus said, holding his hands out for Sirius.
With a grin, Sirius crawled under the duvet, letting Remus draw him in close. Nuzzling his now fiancé’s cheek, Sirius breathed him in and Remus pressed several kisses along his jaw. “Fiancé,” he muttered, and Remus pulled back with a smile.
Cupping Sirius’ cheeks, Remus’ thumbs drew along his cheekbones. “Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”
“Oh I think so,” Sirius said. “Will I get to wear a beautiful dress and a tiara?”
“I would expect nothing less,” Remus said, his hands moving down to draw along Sirius’ ribs. “You’re going to look so beautiful.”
“Well you’re biased,” Sirius murmured.
“Yes, that’s true,” Remus said, pulling Sirius closer, “but does that matter?”
“Not even a little bit.” Sirius slipped his tongue into Remus’ mouth and kissed him, hot and needy. “I fucking love you so much. You really mean it though? You really want to marry me?”
“Yes,” Remus said.
“So if I asked if we could pick a date…?”
“Sirius Black,” Remus said with a small sigh, “you are the biggest pain in my arse, but if I could literally marry you tonight, I would.”
“Right now?”
“Right now.”
Sirius slipped his hand into the front of Remus’ boxers and Remus’ breath hitched. “This very moment?”
“Maybe,” Remus said, pushing against Sirius’ hand, “after a shag?”
“I think we can arrange that,” Sirius said.
They kept it down, quick because Harry was asleep in the next room and he woke too easily. But Sirius would be damned if he didn’t get off with the man he was going to actually marry the moment he had the chance.
Just as they were basking, Sirius’ mobile began to chime with James’ alert, and he sat up. “Oh! That’s Prongs! The baby’s come I bet!”
Remus let him go as Sirius fumbled for his phone, and quickly answered. “Baby?”
There was a long pause before James’ shaking voice sounded. “Complications. Complications, Pads. I think…you should…Harry’s asleep and he should come down. Can you come down?”
Sirius immediately froze. “What’s happening? James!”
James cleared his throat. “She’s in surgery. I…they couldn’t let me go back this time. They had to…fuck, I don’t know what’s happening and they said they’d tell me but they haven’t said and I don’t…I don’t…”
“We’re on our way. We’ll be there as quickly as we can.” Sirius rang off and grabbed Remus. “Something’s wrong. We need to get down there now.”
Remus was immediately dressing, waking up Harry carefully as Sirius got dressed. They grabbed his cane and Remus had a taxi waiting at the kerb, and Sirius gave the driver directions to the hospital which took them ten long minutes.
Sirius managed to get James back on, and he learnt Lily had started to haemorrhage and they had to rush her back into a caesarean section, but during that, they said there were more problems and that Lily would be in longer. James ended up having to sign a release to have one ovary removed along with a partial hysterectomy.
James immediately pulled Sirius into a hug, burying his face in Sirius’ neck. “Something ruptured. There were cysts or something and she’s…and I…”
Sirius cupped James’ cheeks. “It’s alright. I promise. She’s going to be fine, and the baby is going to be fine.”
James nodded, glancing over to where Remus had a sleeping Harry on his shoulder, sat in a chair looking worried. “I thought…just in case something happened he should be able to…to…”
“Don’t,” Sirius said. “Harry’s excited to meet his new sister and it’s all going to be fine.”
They sat after that, James taking Harry into his lap, and no one moved until the doctor arrived to give them the news.
“She’s just fine.”
Remus, who had been gripping Sirius’ hand lightly, squeezed tight and let out a shaking breath.
The doctor filled everyone in about her procedure and recovery, and promised she’d be up for visitors, including Harry, by morning. When he left, Remus rose as Sirius took Harry, and he pulled James in for a fierce hug. Lily had been his best friend forever, and Sirius knew that whatever James was feeling, Remus was feeling it too.
“Sirius and I will come by tomorrow with Haz, alright?” Remus said softly. “You go be with your wife and you kiss her for me and tell her not to fucking scare me like that ever again.”
James chuckled, giving Remus a pat on the cheek. “I will.”
Sirius handed sleeping Harry over to Remus so he could pull James in, and gave him a kiss on the mouth. “I love you, and I told you it was going to be fine.”
James buried his face in Sirius’ neck. “I know I just…she just…”
“It’s over now. Go see your new baby, go kiss your wife. All that sappy, hetero shit.”
James started to pull back, but his hand grazed over Sirius’ and he froze, grabbing it. “What the hell is this?”
Sirius flushed, then remembered what happened before all hell broke loose. He was engaged. Clearing his throat, he glanced at Remus who looked mildly confused. “Ah right well…seems I’ve finally wore old Moony down and he’s going to make an honest man out of me.”
“Oh Christ,” Remus muttered. “That would take a miracle from God, Padfoot.”
Sirius rolled his eyes, but grinned as James yanked him in for another kiss. “That’s brilliant, you two.”
“Alright now,” Remus said, “you go and we’ll go and we can do all this sappy shit in the morning when we’ve calmed down.”
Sirius took Harry once again, and parted ways with James in the corridor. No one said a word until they got home and got Harry back into bed, then the two men curled up in theirs, holding each other tight.
“Alright, love?” Sirius muttered against Remus’ neck.
Remus nodded. “Am now. Never been so frightened in my life.”
“She’s too strong to let something like that take her down,” Sirius said, reaching up to card his fingers through Remus’ soft curls.
“Aye, I know,” Remus said. “But leave it to bloody Lily to remind me of our fragile mortality. I…I don’t want to wait long to marry you, Padfoot. Alright?”
Sirius grinned against Remus’ warm skin and pressed a long, slow, open-mouthed kiss there. “Twist my arm, why don’t you. But yeah. Gonna make you mine, gonna keep you.”
Remus laughed softly. “Already am, Padfoot. Have been for ages.”