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Australia - 2014
Remus wasn’t used to the sun yet. He had become too used to the weak watery yellow thing he saw once every six months back in London and the constant burning heat of the Australian sun through the window of James’s car already felt like it was burning the right side of his face off. He and Sirius were squashed in the tiny back seat of James’s pickup truck, a pile of ratchet straps and oily cloths mixed in with an assortment of dirty baby toys, old socks and a couple pairs of worn out boots. James sat in the front, drumming his fingers on the cracking steering wheel as he sang along to the radio, just enough out of tune that it caused 7 year old Harry to giggle and Lily to roll her eyes fondly at him.
Remus didn’t realise how much he had missed this. When Lily and James had left the UK to raise Harry 8 years ago, Remus never thought that he and Sirius would follow, but here they were, sleep deprived, jet lagged and happier than ever. Sirius hadn’t stopped smiling since they first saw the small family waiting for them in the pickup lane at the airport and even now an hour and a half into their two hour drive he still was full of energy. His long hair was ruffled and tangled after hours of uncomfortable sleep on the plane, but his neverending joy made his eyes sparkle almost enough for Remus to ignore the dark circle that sat under his bright eyes.
“What are you staring at Moony?” His voice was soft as he spoke but it still had that constant air of mischief and showmanship that made Sirius who he is.
“Oh Shut Up.” Remus could feel his cheeks heating up as Sirius flashed him a grin, or maybe it was the sun burning his face, yep that one it got to be that one.
“Nahhhhh.” Remus sighed and rested his head on Sirius’s shoulder. As he closed his eyes, he felt cold fingers brush hair out of his face.
—--
He woke to the sound of Lily’s camera. The loud CLCLCLCLICLClick he had missed followed by the burning flash he could see though his eyelids that he hadn't missed quite as much. He startled up, almost hitting his head on the handle above the door as he shot up, glaring at the smiling woman in the front seat.
“Muummmmmm, whyyyyyyy.” Harry's sleepy voice croaked. Lily laughed and Remus forgave her because of how much he had missed her. His best friend. Always.
“You three just looked so sweet.” she spun her camera around and handed it to Sirius, who was still glaring at her and James, who seemed to be finding this whole situation utterly hilarious, his loud booming laughter must have been audible to people outside the car, it had to be. Remus looked down at the camera, to see the photo that was so important his sleep had to be disturbed.
Fuck.
It's a good picture.
Lily’s always were.
It's the three of them in the back seat, Harry, Sirius then Remus. Remus has his head resting on Sirius's shoulder and Harry is mirroring him on the other side. The best part of the photo however, is Sirius himself. He’s smiling, looking down at Remus and it's the softest look he’s ever seen.
“Who’s staring now.” Remus smirks over at Sirius.
“Shut it.”
“Make m-OWWW LILY WHAT THE HELL.” Lily gestures towards Harry giggling away on Sirius's other side.
“If you do that, and scar my child for life, I will hit you, Okay boys.” He missed her so much.
“Yes Lily.” the two of them said with grins wide on their faces.
Remus stares out the window at the trees streaming past them, occasionally interrupted by clear fields with old wooden barns or a piece of broken down farm equipment. He read the signs as they passed, with names like Moobal and Murwillumbar mixed in with beachy manes like Ocean Shores, he felt as if he had found hippie central. He knew they were getting closer now, because Harry started pointing out places he knew.
“Ewwwwww that is my schoolllll, look awayyyyy.”
“MUMMM look at Jack's house. Can I go to Jack's house pleaseeeeeee.”
“That's Dads mechanic, they broke the air con so the car smells now.” that one was shortly followed with a ‘secret’ whisper to Sirius, “It wasn’t the mechanic it was me, I put glitter in there one time and it stopped. Also leggo. Don’t put leggo in the air con.” Sirius nodded in the most earnest way possible.
The car stopped.
Taking a breath so deep he could feel it in his fucking intestine, Remus open the door of the car. Or he tried to. He shakes it a couple times. Nothing. He looks at James. He’s grinning back at him.
“Whops, must have left childlock on sorry Moony."
“Fuuuu-Rick you Potter.” James just laughs as he opens the door for them.
The building is old. The wooden boards covering the windows are covered in decades worth of graffiti and old faded advertisements for dogwalkers and babysitters are falling off the flakey painted walls. The pathway down the side of the building has grass growing through the cracks in the concrete and the rails on the small step out the front are red with rust. The two small strips of grass out the front are dry and dead.
It's perfect.
Sirius already has the keys in his hands.
He walks towards the door.
Remus can hear the click of Lily's camera again.
He follows Sirius up the steps.
Sirius opens the door.
A wave of heat hits him full in the face and both of them keel over from the stench of twenty years worth of dead rats.
—-------
Ringer Heads Picture House - 2025
Sirius is pacing again. He knows his spiel by now. It's been almost ten years of the same script. He's good at it. His hands shake as he lifts his joint to his lips.
He looks around at the place they built, the lights hanging from the ceiling, the wooden 1950’s signage, the red light arrows that James built for them. The plants he grew rest on the kiosk, next to the popcorn machine that Remus had found in Brisbane at that flea market years ago.
And he is one.
Sirius drops his joint on Cheryl's ash tray in the ticket booth as he walks through the curtains.
“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BOYS AND GIRLS, LADYLIKE GENTLeMEN AND GENTLeMENLIKE LADIES, WELCOME TO THE RINGER PICTURE HOUSE.” and suddenly he's all good again, he’s slipped back into himself. He continues with his speech, welcoming and greeting, he cracks the same joke he always does.
He looks up at the follow-spot, to see Harry rolling his eyes in that exaggerated way he got from his mother. He looks at the lighting desk to see Marlene sitting back and nursing a beer as she leaves the commands up to her newest protege, Hermione. Sirius makes a mental note to mention the age of the tech crew at the end of the show.
And with that he's done.
Not for the whole night, but the hard parts over now.
Now he can wallow in his moonless misery for five minutes till the next act needs to be introduced.
Sirius hates Burlesque.