March 23, 2006
Title: Take Me Away
Details: One-shot Songfic. AU
Warnings: Sirius/Remus SLASH.
Rating: Teen
Alternate Universe: Sirius has blue eyes and lives with a normal, happy family. Remus is a year younger than the rest of the Marauders. No potentially deadly prank was ever played on Snape.
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It was just the first week of summer after 7th year for the Marauders. Sirius and Remus had been a couple for nearly two years now. Peter and James had gone to visit relatives outside of the country. This gave the canine Marauders some time to themselves. But on this particular Friday night, Remus had refused to see Sirius during the day. Instead, he told his love to meet him in the woods at the back of his house at 10:00 p.m. Sirius wasn't supposed to tell anyone where he was going, either.
Over the phone Remus had sounded strange to Padfoot. Like there was some suppressed emotion in his voice he couldn't quite put his finger on.
"Moony, you okay? You don't sound like yourself." He asked.
"I'm fine." There was a pause. And then, "Seriously." Remus said.
They laughed then, but Sirius could have sworn the laugh on the other end of the phone sounded just a little bit strained.
All throughout the day Padfoot wondered what he was in for at 10 o'clock. Could it be a romantic surprise? Or maybe Moony had something grave and important he had to say…Could he possibly want a breakup?
Sirius arrived at his friend's house right on time (for once). With a tension in his chest he could not explain, he snuck his way into the deep woods in the backyard. He followed a trail he'd memorized long ago and wondered with a weight in his stomach how many more times he'd walk this trail before the "real world" caught up to the Marauders.
After what seemed to be just a couple minutes Padfoot arrived at his destination, a large clearing among the trees. He slowed to a stop as he felt the magical barriers before him like static electricity. It was a shabby-looking shed about as big as the living room in most large houses. Despite having been to the shelter countless times before, Sirius was still in awe that this run-down pile of wood had enough spells on it to keep a raging werewolf inside.
Padfoot made his way into the shed and found that there was only a dim light within that was not much brighter than the subtle moonlight of the outdoors. The light was coming from a small, white, star-like orb in the middle of the ceiling. The room was cooled as well, however slightly. Near the far side of the shed, there was a single very comfortable-looking chair. The style reminded Sirius of something that would be in the Gryffindor common room.
Padfoot peered into the shadowy corners of the shelter and didn't see his love anywhere. He shrugged and sat in the chair, which was indeed as cushioned as it had appeared. He tilted the chair back on two legs and closed his eyes, clasping his hands behind his head. He opened his eyes and righted the chair when he nearly lost his balance. Sirius took a second look around at his surroundings and found that the door he had entered through had disappeared.
This did not worry Padfoot, but actually comforted him. All this seemed a little too elaborate to be a breakup talk. Sirius smiled, confident now that whatever surprise awaited him, it would be a pleasant one.
After a while, Sirius glanced at his watch and was surprised to see that it was nearly 15 minutes past the appointed time. Needless to say, it was unlike Remus to be late. Refusing to worry much about it, Sirius once again closed his eyes and rested his head on the high back of the chair. It was such a peaceful night; all that was missing was Moony.
"He'll be here soon, though. There's nothing to worry about." Padfoot thought to himself.
Suddenly the orb that was lighting the room went out and Sirius' eyes flashed open. He couldn't see anything. The room was pitch-black. Then, one by one, candles started to light themselves around the shelter. They hovered near the ceiling and smelled of real pine trees, Padfoot's favorite smell, beside the scent of Remus, of course.
Now that he could see again, Sirius noticed there had been an addition to the room. There was a small stage in front of him that ran the width of the shed. Before he had a chance to think long about what kind of show was going to be put on, Padfoot heard music. It started faintly at first but not for very long. Soon it was very loud, just the way Sirius liked it. He didn't recognize the song, though, and was anxious to see what would happen next.
Padfoot blinked and suddenly he saw Remus slowly walking toward the center of the stage. He was steadfastly staring at the ground. Then he brought his wand to his throat and Sirius saw rather than heard Moony perform Sonorus on himself. Padfoot knew then what was coming but he couldn't believe it. His eyes widened as Moony began to sing.
"I was waiting all my life to know you
All about you
And now I'm staring in your eyes ocean blue
I'm all about you"
Padfoot had to keep himself from dropping his jaw. He'd no idea his boyfriend had a voice so full of emotion and … power. Sure he'd heard Remus sing along softly to music before. But never before had he heard him seriously belt out a tune by himself. The shock must have been evident on his face because Sirius saw his love flash a nervous smile as he glanced his way. Quickly, though, Rem's eyes were focused once more on the far wall of the shed.
"And in our minds, it comes so easily
But there's a feeling comin' over me
I want to show you,
But there's nowhere we can really be free
Everybody's watchin'
Wouldn't it be good if we could be together?"
Sirius' senses were having trouble taking in the entire scene at once. The scent of the pine candles… the golden glow they emitted… And then there was the main attraction - Moony was dressed in a dark sleeveless shirt that showcased his long pale arms. He only showed his arms in front of Sirius. He was always self-conscience of them – believing them to be too thin. But Padfoot loved his arms, the freckles on his shoulders and the subtle shadow of muscle. Then there was the way the candlelight reflected in his lover's mahogany eyes.
Sirius, while captivated by Rem's appearance, was also trying to pay attention to the words of the song, knowing without a doubt they had deep meaning. Remus wouldn't pick just any song. He knew the lyrics had to be from the heart or it would be pointless for him.
"Take me away,
Take me far away from here
I will run with you"
At this point in the song Padfoot closed his eyes and just let the music wash over him. A smile spread across his face as he took in the beat and the lyrics and the pure, strong tenor of Remus' voice.
"Don't be afraid
Navigate and I will steer
Into the sun, we will run"
Sirius' smile began to fade, though, when he heard his love's voice falter. He opened his eyes and couldn't tell in the shadowed light what was wrong. He seemed to be having trouble getting the next words out of his mouth. Shakily, Remus plunged onward with the song.
"I try, to remember when I was just a child
In my roo-oom
And my, imagination used to run wild
I never knee-ew"
Then at last Padfoot saw what was wrong. Moony was starting to cry. Sirius gulped and was about to stand up and go to his lover when Remus looked straight into his eyes and shook his head "no". During the next verse Rem's voice was back to normal and yet tears were flowing freely down his face.
"Then nothing ever as it seems to be
When a dream collides with our reality
It should be easy when two people love each other truly
Everybody's talkin'
Wouldn't it be good if they would understand us?"
By now Padfoot was on the edge of his seat. Straining to understand perfectly what Moony was trying to tell him. Trying with all his might to read between the lines and figure out why Remus was crying.
Take me away,
Take me far away from here
I will run with you
Don't be afraid
Navigate and I will steer
Into the sun, we will run...
Wouldn't it be good if they would understand us?
Wouldn't it be good if we could be together?
Take me away!
As the music began to fade, Moony's voice did as well. He kept repeating the same words until he was just whispering "Take me away" and the music was gone altogether. For a long moment there was nothing but silence between the two – as if waiting for some unknown cue that it was okay the talk, to move…then Sirius stood. But he couldn't seem to make himself speak.
Brown and blue eyes met and neither looked away. Sirius' heart ached at the raw despair in those eyes so deep and dark. Those eyes held a secret, and he was desperate to know it – to make it all better – anything to see those eyes shine with joy again.