Grimmauld Place was bustling lately. Charlie had run into Remus no less than three times in the hallway today. He had literally run into him. The first time Remus had just left the shower when they collided. Charlie handed him back his towel with a smile that disappeared once he noticed the many marks on his body – the scars of his monthly routine, his ritual. His life as a werewolf.
The second time was when Charlie was leaving the shower. They didn't quite collide, and Charlie had the towel tightly in hand, but they laughed as they slid past each other on their way to wherever they had been on their way to before bumping into each other. Charlie had an old gash across his chest and he felt Remus' eye linger there as they passed. Most people noticed the effects of working with dragons on Charlie's body.
At dinner that same evening, Charlie carried the cauldron of stew from the stove to the thick wooden table. He turned to grab the pitcher of Butterbeer so he could do the same. He didn't know that Remus had it in his hand already. At least it was in his hand until Charlie turned, slamming full-force into him. The large pitcher hit Charlie in the shoulder, sloshing its contents over the side, the warm sticky liquid running over Remus' hand, dripping down his arm, soaking through his sleeve.
Charlie was covered in the stuff, saturating his shirt. He barely heard his mother's voice calling everyone to the kitchen for dinner, not realizing that the Butterbeer was getting all over the floor. In came Fred and George with Sirius close behind. They hit one into the other until one of them – Fred or George – pushed Remus into Charlie and they were both covered in the stuff.
Remus chuckled, shaking his head, placing the empty pitcher on the table. Charlie followed him out of the kitchen, the two men peeling their shirts from their bodies, leaving a Butterbeer trail up the stairs to the bath.
Charlie was on the lower stair and saw the deeper scars across Remus' back, criss-crossing with the newer ones from last week, still pink and painful. He reached out tentatively, ghosting over them with tender fingertips. Remus felt his touch and faced him, surprised and Charlie gave him a small smile before stepping onto the landing and into his embrace.
He pressed his body against Remus', carefully pinning him against the bathroom door while his mouth sought out the other man's.
Remus responded enthusiastically, speaking so softly he was barely audible. "It's about time."