June 21, 2000
Sirius sighed and looked around at his new bedroom, his hand stroking the leather of his suitcase. For his seventeenth birthday he was giving himself the greatest gift of all: escape from his parents.
In truth, he only had another year to wait things out but as far as Sirius was concerned that was an entire year in which there was a risk that they would find some way to ruin his life forever.
He had been working out plans for a few months now. Moving in with his best mate, James Potter, seemed an obvious choice from the beginning. His parents had plenty of room and James had resources to help him.
He knew Remus had longed for Remus to stay with him but as much as Sirius was growing to love Remus's family, he wasn't sure that staying on his boyfriend's sofa for the next year, until Remus could get a place of his own and Sirius turned eighteen, was such a great idea.
Sirius pulled the suitcase off the bed and fell back onto the bed. This bed was more comfortable than his bed at home. Sirius had wanted a new one for years but his mother always seemed to have an excuse for why it shouldn't be replaced. In the meantime, his brother Regulus was showered with anything he wanted. He was the good son… or so they thought anyway.
Waiting until his birthday to run away had come more naturally than it would seem to anyone looking on from the outside. His parents had chosen that particular week to go on holiday to Spain. Regs was staying with a friend since school was still ongoing. His parents's butler, Mr. Reacher had gone with them. Mr. Reacher worshipped his mother and never wanted to leave her side. Sirius hated the creepy bastard, personally.
Sirius left a note saying he was running off to stay with a pen pal in Scotland. Whether they would buy it or not wasn't clear. But he knew that this meant staying indoors a lot for the next year. This also meant that he would be unable to finish school. If he were to return to school he would probably be arrested and returned to his parents.
Emancipating oneself from an oppressive, harmful environment meant certain sacrifices. The next year wasn't going to be a lot of fun for Sirius but he was convinced it would be worth it, for his own mental well being.
"Hey," a voice said from the doorway of his new room.
"Remus," Sirius said.
Sirius heard Remus shut the door and listened to his footsteps as he came around to the end of the bed and fell back with a soft thud, sliding himself next to Sirius. He grabbed Sirius's hand, easing their fingers together then squeezing.
"It's a new chapter," Remus said.
"Yes. A whole new era," Sirius said.
"Aren't you happy?" Remus asked.
Sirius turned to Remus, feeling wounded by the concern in Remus's brown eyes. Sirius gulped and nodded.
"I'm happy. Somewhere inside of me is happy, I'm sure of it," Sirius said, shifting his body until he was facing Remus.
Remus also turned to face Sirius. Sirius noticed how close their faces were and he glanced at Remus's mouth, marveling at the fine shape of his lips. With Remus's other hand he stroked Sirius's cheek softly.
"Everything will be fine. Just another year and you'll be completely free," Remus said then pressed their lips together in a slow, affectionate kiss, his hand sliding from Sirius's cheek to his shoulder.
Sirius always loved the way Remus's hands felt on him. Remus was stronger than he looked and his touch was soft but firm.
Remus slowly pulled his lips away then said, "And then we can get a place together. Just you and me, every day."
Remus kissed Sirius again before pulling away again and adding, "Forever."
Sirius giggled.
"What?" Remus said, raising an eyebrow.
"Forever sounds great but I'd settle for the rest of our lives. We've barely been together a year," Sirius said.
"That's right. Our anniversary is a month from now. What shall we do?" Remus asked.
Sirius grinned then said, "Oh, I have an idea," and kissed Remus, placing a hand on Remus's back and sliding it down.
"Are you suggesting we just stay in?" Remus said, his soft mouth finding Sirius's neck.
Sirius let out a soft moan and said, "That might be nice."
"Maybe we can convince James and his parents to give us some time alone," Remus said, his hand sliding down to Sirius's hip.
Sirius felt like their bodies were being magnetically drawn together. His entire body thrummed with urgency. It was frustrating sensation he learnt far too well over the last year. It had only been truly fulfilled once, on Halloween last year and since then it had been difficult to find true moments alone.
"I don't know. It's a big house. We could be quiet," Sirius said, then let out a gasp as Remus sucked on his neck.
"I don't want to be quiet," Remus said.
"Fair enough. For now we better cool it. James will be round any moment," Sirius said.
Remus chuckled and groaned, letting his body pull away, falling back beside Sirius. He rolled over onto his stomach, probably to save any potential embarrassment should James barge in unexpectedly.
"I wonder what I will do with all my time. You lot will be at school. I need a new computer," Sirius said.
"The internet is a wonderful thing," Remus commented.
"I'll have to make a new website. New usernames. New email. Mum knows everything," Sirius said.
"I think starting over is sort of… exciting," Remus said.
Sirius scoffed.
"Easy for you to say. You've had the same unchanging life for seventeen years," Sirius said.
Remus glared at him then gestured at the diagonal scar on his face, left from a traumatic kidnapping when he was a child.
Sirius frowned then looked away.
"Sorry," Sirius said.
"It's OK. I know it can be easy to forget. And no, it wasn't an exciting change. But this change can be exciting for you. It can be a sort of rebirth," Remus said.
Sirius smiled.
"A rebirth where I stay indoors and become increasingly more pale than I already am," Sirius said with a chuckle.
"Nonsense. We'll find a way to smuggle you to the beach on a nice day," Remus replied.
There was a knock at the door.
"Come in, James," Sirius said.
"I was worried you lads might be naked or something. Afraid I might burn my my retinas from the light glaring off of Sirius's arse," James said.
"Potter, your eyes are not worthy to gaze upon my arse," Sirius said.
"That may be true. Even more reason not to have a go," James said then flopped on the top of the bed, above the other two boys.
"I wonder how my parents would feel if Peter and Remus moved in too. All my best mates under one roof. It might kill them," James said, scratching his head with a dark hand.
"I don't think my parents are ready for me to leave. It's going to be a mess at the old Lupin homestead next year, I promise you," Remus said.
"Pete might have a similar problem. He's always on about his mum and her health problems. I feel bad for Pete. Seems like she has her thumb on him a bit too hard, if you know what I mean," James said.
"What about Lily?" Sirius asked.
"I'm not sure my parents would approve of that. And besides when Lily and I move in together… I want it to be special. I want our first place together to really mean something," James said.
"James… I'm really glad things are going well with you and Lily," Sirius said.
"Cheers, mate. Same to the two of you, as well," James replied, gesturing between them.
"Cheers," Remus said.
"Now, how do you lads feel about coming downstairs and watching a movie with me," James said.
"What movie?" Remus asked.
"Oh god, please not Austin Bloody Powers again," Sirius groaned.
"Yeahhh, baby," James said then laughed before hopping off the bed and exiting the bedroom.
"You complain but you laugh every single time," Remus said, getting up off the bed.
"Well, yes. But I can't actually admit to liking it," Sirius said.