It was a quiet day in the area of which Sirius Black's house was placed. It was early; six am to be exact. The sun was just rising and there were few people out on the street. If you stood outside you could hear the leaves rustling as the wind blew, and the gentle crunch of them when people stepped on them. There was a lack of clouds in the sky; which was a change for England. The weather itself was chilly; making it the perfect sweater weather. It was one of those days that as a family you would all dress up warm and have a day out together. The parents would insist on walking 'for just five more minuets' and the children would whine loudly at the instruction.
However, Sirius had no plans on leaving the house. No plans of moving out of bed, for that matter. He just wanted to stay in bed and sleep. And if he couldn't sleep, then he would try to sleep. He would not, however, under any circumstances, leave the house.
For two days now, Sirius had stayed inside after catching some bug off his best friend's wife, Lily. One minuet Sirius felt sick, and then he felt fine. One minuet he was cold and the next he was too warm. His appetite could change in the blink of a eye. He could be eating something and then suddenly feel like he needed to throw up. He was also suffering headaches. His head went from fine to thumping in 0.2 seconds.
Both James and Lily had tried to get Sirius to go to a doctor but he completely ignored the two of them. So today, the couple decided that actions were stronger than words.
Sirius was curled up on the couch, multiple blankets wrapped around his body; head resting on a mountain of cushions. After only getting a hour of sleep last night; the exhausted male was just dropping off into a much needed sleep. His eyelids were dropping and he could feel himself being pulled into a land of sleep and comfort. Just as his eyes completely closed, however, they shot back open at the sound of his front door opening and two sets of shoes walking in.
"Sirius get your ass out of bed, we're here to take you to the doctors." Lily's voice sounded through the house; the sound of the door closing behind her following shortly.
Sirius groaned loudly at this, eyes shutting. Why did he give his best friend a set of keys to his house? He was so close to sleeping and now he had no chance of it. Not whilst Lily and James were there, anyway.
James walked into the lounge and shook his head in amusement at his best friend, wrapped up on the couch like a cocoon.
"Come on, get up, you're going to the doctors." The messy haired male said, sitting Sirius up with a heave and patting his cheek teasingly.
"Fuck off James. Not leaving the house." Sirius' reply came in a mumble; eyes shut and chin tucked to his chest.
"I know you don't want to leave the house, but you're ill and you need to see a doctor." James said, putting a hand on Sirius' blanket clad shoulder.
"God Sirius, Harry's easier to take care of than you." Lily said as she stepped into the room, referring to her young son. She looked at her husband. "You get him some tea and I'll unwrap all the layers of blankets. God James, I didn't realize when I married you I'd be marrying your best friend too."
"We're a package deal Lily, you can't take one without the other." Sirius replied, laughing to himself which soon turned into a coughing fit.
Eleven unwrapped blankets, a lot of whining, and a flask of tea later; the three were in the car and on the way to the local doctors.
"Are you alright back there Sirius? You're awfully quiet and making no comments on my driving." James said.
Lily looked over her shoulder, seeing that Sirius had fallen asleep with his head resting against the window, mouth slightly ajar.
"He's asleep." She stated, turning back to look out the front window. "Which is good for both him and us."
"He can be dramatic." James replied as he drummed his fingertips against the steering wheel.
Lily hummed, "Very dramatic."
ooOoo
They got to the doctors after a ten minuet drive; James and Sirius now sat in the waiting room so Sirius could be seen. The doctors surgery itself wasn't very big. There were ten doctors and five nurses altogether. There was one waiting area where the reception was also based, and twelve rooms which were either a doctor's room or a nurse's room where blood tests and vaccinations were given out.
"Mate you're boiling." James said as he put his hand against Sirius' forehead.
"No, I'm cold." Sirius said, curling up on the seat and putting his head on James' shoulder.
"Are you sure? Because your forehead is-"
"Yes I'm sure." Sirius whined. "I know how I feel James."
"Alright, don't get your knickers in a twist."
"Sirius Black, doctor Lupin will see you now." The receptionist called.
"Doctor Lupin? Is he new?" James asked Sirius, who got up and shrugged his shoulders at the question.
He shuffled over to the receptionist's desk, "Where's the room to see Doctor Lupin?" He covered his hand as he coughed.
"That door there." The receptionist replied and pointed to a door that had a sliver plate on with 'Dr. R. Lupin' on.
Sirius turned his head and went over to the door; knocking before walking in.
Remus looked up from his computer when the door opened, smiling when he saw a young male walking in who looked about the same age as him.
"Hello," Remus greeted politely and gestured to the seats in front of his desk, eyes focused on the sniffling male as he sat in a seat. "How may I help you?"
"I think I'm sick." Sirius replied, voice stuffy and thick.
"Well that would be the reason to come to a doctor's surgery." Remus said with a small laugh. "What're the symptoms you're having?"
"I feel hot then cold. I have a appetite then I don't. I want to throw up then I don't. I can't sleep. I feel like shit."
Remus nodded at the information, "And what's your name? I need to bring your file up on my computer."
"Sirius Black." Sirius stated miserably.
Remus nodded, typing Sirius' name onto the computer. "They've given me some of the other doctor's patients due to the fact that I'm new doctor in this area and some of the doctors have been off ill themselves." He explained.
Sirius nodded. "So you'll be my doctor from now on?"
"That's correct," Remus said and turned to look at Sirius with a smile. "Is that okay with you?"
Sirius nodded and watched as the doctor turned back to the computer and typed and clicked away. He watched his fingers press the letters on the keyboard and click on the mouse. He noticed how there were scars on Lupin's fingers, and when Sirius looked up to see he doctor's face, only then did he even notice the scars that were littered on his cheeks and nose too. The way they were randomly scattered across the pale skin. The scars on Remus' face intrigued Sirius.
"What's your name?" Sirius asked, raising a hand and wiping his nose with the back of it.
"Mm? What did you say sorry?" The doctor asked, turning his head and giving Sirius a smile.
"What's your name?"
"Remus."
Sirius nodded. Remus. That was a cool name. It was original, kind of like Sirius. Sirius had never met anyone else called Sirius. Or Remus, for that matter.
"Right, I'm going to need to take your temperature and a few other things so I can diagnose you with something if needed to." Remus said.
Remus got up from the chair he was sat on from behind his desk and opened a drawer, getting a small rectangular box out.
Sirius was taken back a bit. Remus was much taller than he had first expected. He was six foot at least, whereas Sirius was roughy five foot eight. And although the height difference wasn't a lot, when Sirius was sitting down, he felt intimidated by his new doctor.
Remus opened the box, revealing a ear thermometer. He got it out of the white box with his forefinger and thumb, laying it on the table before putting the box back in the drawer.
"If I can place this in your ear, so that I can see what your temperature is," Remus said, now stood in front of Sirius.
He walked over to Sirius and gently placed his hand around the long haired male's chin before gently but stably placing the thermometer in his ear.
Sirius closed his eyes at the feel of Remus' hand on his chin. His hands were large and cool, providing somewhat of a comfort to Sirius.
The thermometer made a small beep and a reading came up on it.
After that, Remus had a look at Sirius' tonsils and glans, checking if they were in danger of infection.
"With the reading of your temperature -thirty eight-, but no signs of infection, it's clear that you've got the bug that's currently going around. I recommend that you keep warm and say inside, eat light foods and drink plenty fluids. Take pain killers to help deal with the pain and try to get some sleep. If you're still not well in a couple of days, then come back."
Sirius nodded and rose from his chair. "Thank you. And I like your tie."
Remus looked down at his tie and laughed at the moon pattern before looking up at Sirius. "Thank you. It was a present."
Sirius smiled, raising his hand at the doctor in a wave before leaving the room.
Over the next few days, Sirius slowly got better. He made sure that he got the right amount of food and fluids in him and that he rested well. It was the doctors requests, after all. Getting better was a bittersweet thing for Sirius, however. He was glad that he was better - that he could go back to work and could actually sleep. That he could keep food down and that his head wasn't changing how it felt every minuet. But now that he was better, he had no reason to go and see Remus. Was it weird that he wanted to see someone again that he hardly knew? Maybe it was, but Sirius didn't care. He missed the feeling of Remus's hands resting on his chin; hearing his delightful laugh, and seeing his smile. Sirius didn't think that it was weird at all. James, however, did.
"Mate, you saw him once, because you were sick, and now you think he's the love of your life?" James teased as he walked out of his and Sirius' work place.
Sirius rolled his eyes, "I'm not saying that he's the love of my life, James." He said, stepping out of the way to let a woman and her young child walk past them. "I'm saying that he's hot. And that he seems nice. And that I wouldn't mind taking him out to dinner sometime."
"But you don't even know him, it's creepy."
"A lot of people don't know the people who they go on dates with. They just meet them and ask them out for dinner."
"Okay, fair point-" James nodded. "-but you do realize that you looked like utter shit when you saw him, don't you?"
"I never look like utter shit, thank you very much." Sirius replied. "I just didn't look as hot as I usually do. That's all."
"Of course, how foolish of me." James laughed.
"I already have a plan on how to see him again."
"Go to the doctor's, fake that you're ill, and then keep doing it until he asks you out?"
"You know me too well, Jamesy."
"Don't remind me."
It was now a week and three days after Sirius had seen Remus last, and he had even gotten James to help him with his plan. Much to James' displeasure, due to the fact that Lily would kill him if she knew that she was helping Sirius out with a plan as stupid as the one that they were going to carry out.
"This is the most ridiculous thing that I've ever done for you." James said with a shake of his head as he drove Sirius to the doctors.
"I thought the most ridiculous thing you've done for me is run naked through the common room when my parents disowned me."
"This comes a close second."
"You could of put your hands there when you were running."
"I wasn't thinking."
"And then you fell over someone's bag." Sirius laughed, a snort audible from the male.
"I'm sure Peter put that there on purpose."
"It wouldn't surprise me. How long did you have detention for again?"
"Two weeks. And I got the letters off my mother telling me that I was in trouble when we went home for summer break."
James replied as he turned a corner. "That was until she found out why I did. Then she was less pissed about it."
Sirius smiled, "Your parents were good to me."
Sirius stepped into the doctor's surgery and went to the receptionist, asking if he could see his doctor. After the receptionist nodded, Sirius took a seat and waited to be seen by his doctor.
As he sat there, he thought back to the conversation that he was having with James in the car. It hadn't come as a surprise to Sirius when he was disowned by his parents, he had seen it coming and was surprised that they hadn't done it sooner. But it still upset him. To be disowned by his family, for them not even trying to talk with him to see if they could work things out. Sirius knew that it more than likely wouldn't of worked, but at least he would of known that they tried and that they cared for him. He didn't understand how they could simply not care for their own child. He knew he acted up. And that he had different beliefs to what they did; but surely if they had really cared about him they would of at least tried.
Sirius was dragged out of his thoughts when he heard his name being called by the receptionist, instructing him to go and see the doctor.
He got up, walking past the other people waiting to be seen, and going to the door which opened to reveal Remus.
"Oh, hello Sirius," Remus said with a small smile and gestured to the seats. "Take a seat."
Sirius sat down on one of the seats with a smile. Remus remembered him.
Remus yawned, putting his hand over his mouth and shaking his head. "Sorry about that, I didn't get too much of a good sleep last night," He apologized.
Remus got up from his seat and winced when he did; immediately closing his eyes and placing one hand on his back and the other on the table. He should't of gotten up at such a fast pace. And feeling as horrible as he did, he didn't think it was a good idea that he got up at all. He sat back down and opened his eyes, taking a slow and deep breath.
"I take it you're not feeling too good today?" He asked Sirius, managing the smallest of smiles.
Sirius now legitimately felt terrible. Remus seemed to be in actual pain, and Sirius was sat there, pretending to be sick so he could hit on Remus. "Just headaches." he replied, voice coming out small. He coughed, "You know, really bad ones." His voice now sounded unsure and he was tempted to run out the door. How could he be so inconsiderate?
Remus nodded, "How long have you had them?" He asked.
"A few days."
"Have you hit your head recently?"
"Not that I can remember."
"Are you under stress at work? Family, maybe? Any stressful things happening at the moment?"
Sirius bit his lip at the mention of his family but firmly shook his head. "Everything's fine, really. Nothing huge has happened."
Remus hummed, "And you haven't hit it? You're sure?"
"I'm sure."
"Okay. I'm going to do a check just in case."
Remus checked Sirius's head for a concussion.
"Anything there?" Sirius joked after the examination was done.
"Nothing." Remus replied, referring to the fact that there was no concussion before he caught on to the joke. "I mean, yes, I mean," he sighed and turned to look at Sirius apologetically. "I'm sorry. I'm really not with it today."
Sirius shook his head with a smile. "Honestly, it's okay." He replied. "Are you alright?"
Remus nodded and took his seat behind his desk. "I'm fine. Nothing I'm not use to." He replied.
Sirius pushed his eyebrows together at Remus' answer. Nothing I'm not use to. Was that suppose to imply that Remus often felt as bad as he seemed to today?
"Anyway, you're all good and you can go. Take some painkillers if the headaches continue and if you feel the need to, please come and see me again." Remus said after a few seconds of him last speaking.
Sirius got up, "Thank you for your time. I hope you're feeling better soon." He smiled before leaving.
"Let me get this right," James said, sat in the car with Sirius, as James drove back. "You faked being sick, he is sick, and now you feel bad?"
Sirius nodded, "I feel like a prat, James." He replied. "I'm such a idiot, why did you let me do this?"
James ignored the question. "Are you still going to ask him out?"
"Maybe," Sirius sighed. "I don't know what to do. I feel like a dick for today."
"I'm sure you'll get over it, Sirius. And just ask him out. Don't have these ridiculous plans."
Sirius faked a gasp and put his hand over his heart, "James! How dare you suggest such a vile thing! You can not say that, you're a Marauder! Doing things like this and making up ridiculous plans is what we do."
"Maybe when we were younger, in school, but we're older now, I have a wife, a child, I have responsibilities, Sirius."
"But James-"
"But nothing Sirius, don't you think it's about time you grew up too?" James asked. "I know you claim you love being irresponsible and childish, that you love your pranks on me and others at work, but we don't. They're stupid and getting out of hand."
Sirius looked at his best friend as if he had just been told that he had a few days left to live. He looked down at the car floor, hands clasped together. "Pull over."
"What?"
"I said, pull over." Sirius' voice was stern.
James did so, and as soon as he did, Sirius took his seat belt off. He got out of the car, slamming the door after him and starting to walk down the road.
James groaned at these actions. He loved his best friend, really he did. But he was under stress with work and with Lily. He hadn't meant what he had said. But James tended to be harsher than necessary when he was stressed and annoyed. He decided he would let Sirius walk home. Over the years, James had found that it was better to let Sirius calm down in his own time, rather than try and interfere. Unless he felt like he really had to.
Sirius walked further and further away from where James' car had pulled over, walking with his head looking down at the pavement. He occasionally kicked a stone or piece of litter that had been left on the ground. His hands were stuffed in his pockets and he was biting his lip to hold back the sobs that were attempting to escape from his mouth. He tried to focus on his breathing. In and out. In through the nose and out through the mouth. He felt something wet on the top of his head and looked up to see grey clouds were haunting the sky, raindrops falling from them, making it look as if the sky was crying. Sirius continued to walk at a calmed pace, not speeding up at all when the rain started descending at a rapid pace.
By the time he got home he was soaked through to the bone. His clothes felt heavy and awkward on his slender frame, and his hair was stuck to the back of his neck, face, and forehead. His boots felt as though they were the holders of mini oceans, making his socks and feet the ships. He kicked his boots off and removed his coat, leaving it on the floor next to his boots. He then walked up stairs and across the landing and to the bathroom, leaving damn footprints along his carpet. He discarded his clothes; leaving them in a damp clutter under his sink. ooOoo
Stepping under the hot water of his running shower, Sirius let out a joyous moan escape his lips. His head tipped back in pleasure, the hot water now accessing the skin which covered Sirius' neck, shoulders. collar bones, and chest. He grabbed a sponge and the soap, lathering the sponge and rubbing it against his skin.
Sirius couldn't help but be curious about how his life would of been if he hadn't been disowned by his parents. If he hadn't of been put into Gryffindor. If he hadn't of roomed with James and Peter; if he had different friends; different morals. Everything would of been so different. What would his life be like if Sirius had stayed close friends with his brother? That was the big question; the important question; theemotional question.
ooOoo
Sirius sat cross legged on his couch, a thick blanket draped over his lap. He held a bowl of chicken soup in his hands, waiting for it to cool down whilst his eyes were fixed on the TV program about long lost family members. Since the conversation with James about his parents, Sirius couldn't get his mind off what use to be his family. He subconsciously licked over his lips; a trait that he did before he cried.
"Joanne is forty two and hasn't seen her daughter since she gave her up for adoption at birth. Stay in tune after the break to see what happens when they are reunited."
The program changed over to a series of adverts and Sirius leaned his back against the couch, head tilted upwards so his eyes were staring up at the white paint of the ceiling.
As soon as Sirius felt tears on his cheeks; dampening his skin, he moved his hands quickly and wiped his eyes. This action however. caused Sirius to drop the bowl of hot soup.
"Fucking hell." Sirius groaned irritably and covered his eyes.
Today just wasn't his day.
