Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"--But I don't even like them!" Remus' voice cuts through the car. Lyall Lupin; Remus' father, has been rather enthusiastic about him visiting his grandparents. Problem is... Remus hates them. They always try to set him up, especially his grandmother. It's fucking annoying, he can rant about it forever. His dad, however, is oblivious to it all. 

Lyall sighs, "Remus, It's just for two weeks. Plus, your mother will be there as well."

"Papa! I don't want to go! Can't I stay here with you?" He pleads. He hates them. It's bothersome to be there, they drain the life out of him.

"That's enough, Remus!" Lyall snaps. Fuck, he pressed the wrong buttons. Now he's definitely not going to be able to stay. "You will go, and whilst you are leaving you'll have a smile on your face, understood?" Dad asks, and when he doesn't get an answer, he looks over at Remus. 

"Do you understand?" His father practically hisses at him. Remus gets ready to nod, before seeing what Lyall can't. 

"Dad- Dad- Red light! Stop-!" 

Then--

Ringing.

A metallic screech

A sickening crunch.

Then silence below the seemingly constant ringing of Remus' head.

He looks over at where his dad is- was- fuck, what the fuck-? All he's staring at is mangled flesh- mangled flesh that was once his dad- that used to be his dad- 

Remus can barely hear his screams.

Can barely feel as he's pulled out of the car wreck.

--

Remus hates the sterile environment of hospitals, the heart monitor that seems to follow him, and fuck-- he hates the beeping. It's deafeningly loud.  

He hates the way the nurse's stare at him with pity. Not to mention his mother. And-- fuck, his mother is inconsolable, she cries every time she visits. He hates it. He wants to be comforted; he doesn't want to comfort her. But whatever. He decides, life goes on, and she'll get better, hopefully. 

He sighs. "What was it you were planning to tell me, ma?" Remus settles on asking, safe ground, and it'll snap her out of her head.

She hesitates.

Bloody hell, that is not a good sign.

"We're moving-- to Spoons." Remus hears, and he stares.

"What?" He murmurs.

"We're moving, I've already packed all of our bags."

What? 

"M--" But she's already out the room, leaving him to deal with this revelation on his own. 

Cunt. He murmurs under his breath, in his spout of anger.

--

He still can't believe it when they're in the car, driving away from his home. The town where his father was buried. The town where his friends were, all of it, left with a decision he didn't even get to have a voice in. Hope drones on and on about the opportunities he'll get, the new job she'll get. 

Don't you understand, Ma? I don't want these new opportunities.

Remus sighs, putting on his headphones; dark grey. And he promptly zones out.

--

When he comes back to reality, it's to Hope's nudging. He hums, looking out the window. A pretty two-story house. 

At least the house is pretty. He thinks.

"I'm going to go check out the shops." Remus tells his mother, she responds with a nod and an empty 'Stay safe, honey.' 

--

Remus breathes, he feels like he's being stared at, and he wishes it was because he's the new kid in this unbelievably small town, but he's smarter than that. It's his scars.

It's fine. He's fine.

He lowers his head, slipping his headphones to his neck as he enters a shop; Evans Essence.

"Hello! Welcome to Evans Essence, a family-owned establishment, I see you're new here?" Remus hears from his left side, a feminine voice he recognizes, and when he looks over, a face he recognizes as well. The relief he feels is instant, at least he won't be bored here.

He grins. "Lily." Remus greets.

"Remus!" She laughs, launching herself at him.

He stumbles, before wrapping his arms around her. "Nice to see you for real this time."

"You too, Rem." Lily smiles, looking up at him.

Remus opens his mouth to say more, before they're interrupted by a cough.

A boy: tall- but not taller than him- is standing behind Lily, Remus notes that the boy has unruly hair, a chestnut complexion, a good build, and glasses. But he's... glaring at Remus.

Remus stares back. What the fuck did he do to this kid?

The boy gestures to him and Lily, and that's when Remus notices they're still hugging.

Remus raises an eyebrow, patting Lily's back. "What do you want James?" Lily asks, looking back at the boy- James.

"Just wondering who this is." James replies with a tight smile.

Ah, so this is Lily's boyfriend.

Remus blinks. "I'm Remus." He pauses. "Remus Lupin. Lily's best friend." He elaborates.

James's expression lightens. "So, you're the infamous Remus Lupin, eh?"

"Lily talks a lot about you." He continues.

Remus blinks in surprise. "All good things I hope?" He looks down at Lily, a smile gracing his face yet again. She flushes, and nods. "I would never do you dirty, not like Reg did." Remus barks out a laugh, before setting his sights on James' confused expression. "We were playing a horror game with Regulus once and he shut the door whilst we were being chased." Remus stops, before thinking. "Speaking of, where is Regulus?"

Lily hums. "He had something to do today." She looks back at James, finally getting go of Remus. He sighs gratefully. "James, where is Sirius and Regulus?" She asks.

James thinks. "They're out of town; they'll be back two days before school starts." Right. School. Remus groans out loud. Lily lets out a loud laugh, and Remus watches James smile.

"Whatever, I need new razors, and a pack of those tiny liquor bottles. You have them?" Remus asks Lily. He pointedly ignores James' appalled gasp. She frowns disapprovingly. "We do, can you pay?"

He nods gratefully. "Fine-" she says. "I can ring you up. Just don't let my parents see." He nods, heading to the back of the store where he assumes the liquor is.

Remus faintly hears James ask Lily what that was about.

Remus smiles, he's glad he has them. He's glad he's came, for once. He wipes the smile off his face, picking up the pack of liquor and returning to the register. "Done." He dutifully ignores James' concerned glance. He hates pity.

He taps his fingers on the counter as she rings him up. "A cigarette pack, please?" He requests.

"No." Lily says, quick and stern.

"What? Why not?" Remus asks, confused.

"Because knowing you, you'll smoke the whole pack in two days." Lily quips. He groans, knowing how right she is. He grumbles. "Fine."  Remus admits defeat. "I'll see you at school, yeah?"

Lily nods excitedly. "I can't wait to introduce you to the girls. Oh, and be prepared because Reg will definitely hug you tighter than I did."

Remus laughs as he passes James, waving goodbye.

Chapter Text

The next few days for Remus, frankly, are boring. They consist of wake up; eat an apple; unpack; sleep; repeat. It's boring.

He sighs as he puts a sweater away; finishing a pile with it. --This is so fucking boring, I'd rather have school. And that's saying a lot.

Remus exits his room, skipping down the stairs in search of his mother. Finally finding her in the dining room, he stands in the doorway awkwardly. "Ma? When does school start?" His mother looks up from where she's potting a new plant. She smiles, and he feels obliged to do it back. "Tomorrow honey, I thought you knew?"

His body stills.

Wait, what?

He forces out a laugh. "Just needed a reminder, it's been dreadful in here." His mother smiles politely. "Well, tomorrow starts a new routine!" Remus nods absentmindedly, walking back to his room.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow, he has to pick out an outfit that doesn't scream; "I'm emo, bully me!" but doesn't give; "I'm begging for friends, please don't bully me I'll cry."

Well. This is going to be difficult.

--

Remus wakes before the sun, groaning as his joints pop and ache. He stands upright, already dreading the day ahead. He shifts through his sweaters, picking a pure black knit sweater, he tosses it on his bed, searching for a undershirt. Once he finds one, he shifts through his jeans, choosing dark baggy jeans.

Remus stands at the foot of his bed, eyeing the outfit with contempt. He sighs. This gives... "I'm severely depressed but it's hot on me"
He nods approvingly, dressing himself.

--

Contrary to popular belief-- (Lily), Regulus does not jump on him. In fact, Remus does not see Regulus until lunch in the cafeteria. And even then Remus does not make his presence known, Lily does. Fucking Lily.

Lily yells his name from across the fucking cafeteria, and only then does Regulus stand up quickly, looking around swiftly.

Remus watches from his table at the back. They won't notice him, not if God is on his side.

--

Apparently, He hates Remus.

Genuinely, what the fuck just happened?

He was on the way to his fourth period, and then he was on the floor.

Remus blinks up from the floor, looking down at the weight on his chest. It has dark curls, short, and- Oh shit, it's Regulus.

He lets a lazy smile grace his lips. "Hi." Remus says lowly. Regulus just glares at him. "Why didn't you approach me?" Remus sighs. Regulus is always like this, he's a sensitive person, who also overthinks. Though, he supposes that goes hand in hand. "It was nothing to do with you, you were just busy with your friends and I didn't want to intrude." He smiles comfortingly at Regulus, sitting up, causing Regulus to straddle him.

"Get off me, yeah?" Regulus flushes, before nodding and shuffling off. He stands, and Remus follows.

Regulus seems to hesitate, before wrapping his arms around Remus again. Remus sighs. "C'mon, your friends are waiting for you." He coaxes, just to be hit with a "You're my friend." by Regulus.

Remus smiles again, wrapping his arms around Regulus. "We have class soon." He reminds.

"We'll skip."

"What would your mother say, Reggie?" He teases.

"Doesn't matter, bitch is dead anyway."

After about... two minutes of that position, Remus is starting to get restless. "Okay Reg, now you actually have to go to your friends." Regulus shakes his head. Remus sighs. "Oh, alright, what class do you have next?" A muffled 'Calculus' emerges from Regulus. "Ah, same. Okay, time to go to class, scorpion." Remus picks Regulus up, a hand under his thighs and one on his back. "Clingy bastard, d'ya want me to carry you there?" He asks.

Regulus nods. Remus nods, and starts walking to Calculus... wherever that is, with Regulus in his arms.

--

Once class is over, Regulus returns to his arms. "Reg." Remus sighs, he might be strong, but he's tired. He hefts Regulus up.

"I told you that once we met, I would spend hours inside your arms you bulky thing." Regulus says, and Remus almost groans.

"Whatever, don't you want to sit with your friends?"

"They're your friends too, and Lily will be there." Ah. Regulus, you cunt. You know I can't say no to Lily.

"Fine, where do you think they're at?"

"Courtyard. Take me there, my noble stead." Remus sighs, starting to walk.

--

Remus deposits Regulus between Lily, and a platinum haired girl. "What the hell, why'd you drop me?!" -- From Regulus. "What! No fair I want to be carried too!" Lily protests.

"Don't you have James for that?" Remus sighs.

"James is talking to Sirius." Lily waves his question off.

Remus grunts, snaking an arm underneath Lily's knees, and picking her up. "Pick me up too!" Regulus protests. Remus groans, shifting Lily, and then he hefts Regulus into his other arm.

He sits, them on his lap.

"Introductions?" The platinum haired girl speaks, and only then does he notice the other people there. A boy identical to Regulus, just with longer hair. James Potter in the flesh, a boy with blonde hair, a dark skinned boy with blonde braids, and a boy with brown hair. Remus nods in greeting.

"I'm Evan." The dark skinned boy-- Evan.

"Barty!" Brown hair-- Barty.

"I'm Peter." blonde hair-- Peter.

"I'm Pandora!" Platinum hair-- Pandora

"Sirius." The guy that looks like Regulus says. And Remus hums in acknowledgement. That's Regulus' brother, Sirius. Reg mentioned him.

"This is Remus." Lily introduces him, considering he had no plans to do it.

"So, what is my brother... doing in your lap?" Sirius asks-- threatens.

Remus sighs. "Lily and Regulus have a bet, on who can stay in my arms the longest without me getting annoyed." He informs.

"Could you carry me?" Barty asks, and Remus just nods.

"Then carry me!"

"No." Remus says instantly.

"Poo..."

"So... how did you get Reg... to engage in physical touch willingly?" Evan asks.

Regulus glares.

"We've known eachother for... six years now? I met him at summer camp and we kept in contact." Remus shrugs.

"What the hell?" Sirius gapes. "I've known Reg since he was born! And he doesn't even hug me!"

"How are you even so strong?" James asks. Remus blinks. "I box." Sirius leans forward, escited now.

"Holy shit, that's so fucking cool, we have a boxing club, but there's only like, two members who fight eachother all the time, you'd bring new blood."

Remus nods uncomfortably.

Later in his bedroom, he would think back on Sirius' hair.