Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.

Challenges listed at the bottom.

Pairing - SiriusRemus

Word Count - 1245

Where I Belong

"He's awake," Sirius said, when James met him outside of Saint Mungo's.

James' eyebrow quirked, questioning Sirius' sombre demeanour. They'd been waiting for Remus to wake for a little over three weeks, he'd expected Sirius to be a little happier that his husband was finally awake.

"He doesn't remember me," Sirius added, his voice little more than a whisper. He threw the end of the cigarette he'd been smoking and promptly lit another, blowing smoke into the air. "He doesn't remember anything."

James rubbed a hand over his face. "Well that sucks. Doesn't explain why you're out her sulking though."

Sirius glared at him. "My husband doesn't know who I am, James! What the hell am I supposed to do with that? He looked at me like I was a stranger!"

"So of course you did the adult thing and ran away?" James shook his head. "You're a mess, mate. You need to get your ass back in there."

"And do what. Sit by his bedside and hope that his memory comes back?"

"Remind him why he fell in love with you in the first place, you dolt! Why am I always the adult in this friendship?"

…

A badly cast obliviate had landed him here, or so the Healers said. Remus didn't remember. Slowly, he was getting a few things back. His knowledge of the world had returned fairly quickly, and he understood most of what the healers said to him about their proposed treatment plans.

It was personal things he couldn't remember.

His… husband, sat beside his bed all day every day. Remus wasn't quite sure how that had happened. Husband. And Sirius… he was gorgeous. He had eyes that you could drown in, and pouty lips, and dimples when he smiled. He wore a leather jacket over band t-shirts and messy jeans, and his laugh was probably the best thing Remus had heard since he woke up.

Not that he heard it often.

Sirius only seemed to perk up when others were around. Remus couldn't help but wonder how happy their lives could really be, if only other people could make Sirius smile.

James was both of their favourite visitor. He made Sirius smile and laugh, and he didn't treat Remus like he was broken like many of his other visitors did.

On one occasion when James visited, he fetched his wife, Lily. Remus felt an immediate kinship with her when she grinned at him widely and asked him his thoughts on the front page article of the morning paper. Like James, she didn't treat him like he was stupid, simply because he'd lost his memory.

Remus wanted to say he didn't notice when Sirius slipped from the room followed quickly by James, but he did.

…

"You," James said, when they made it out into the sunshine, "have not been taking my advice at all."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "If you're going to lecture me, you can bugger off."

"Sirius… why are you sabotaging yourself?" James asked, his voice soft as he kept pace with his best friend.

Sirius shook his head angrily and then deflated and stopped walking, leaning back against the wall. He looked tired, and James' heart went out to him. He had no idea how he'd feel if Lily forgot everything about their relationship.

"He was always too good for me, you know? I just… I figure that if he really doesn't remember us, then maybe I should let him go, so he can meet someone… better."

James shook his head. "There is no better, especially not for Remus. That man worships the ground you walk on, he always has. Just because he doesn't remember that right now, it doesn't mean he never will."

Sirius sighed. "It's my fault he's in that bed. He wanted to stay home, and I made him go to that bar. If I'd done as he asked… none of this would have happened at all, James. How am I supposed to live with that?"

"By not abandoning the man you love," James replied firmly. "I understand that you're sad, and mad and hurt and angry and… all the other emotions you're probably feeling, but… Sirius, you love him and he loves you, even if he doesn't remember that. It's worth fighting for, isn't it?"

…

"What's that?" Remus asked, when Sirius reentered the hospital room. He'd been gone for a couple of hours, even after James returned alone to sit with him and Lily.

"Our wedding album," Sirius said quietly. "May I?"

He was pointing to the bed, to the empty spot beside Remus. Remus nodded, shifting over a little to give Sirius more room to sit down.

Sirius opened the large album across their knees, and Remus smiled at the first photo. The two of them stood together, Sirius' arm wrapped around Remus' shoulders, and wide smiles on both of their faces.

"We looked… in love," Remus said, when a few pages had been turned. "Really in love."

Sirius looked up and met his eyes. "We are."

…

What followed was days of photo albums, and then letters, and hours speaking of memories. Sirius talked until he was hoarse, and Remus loved every moment of it. At times, he thought that maybe a memory was sparking, just beyond the reach of his mind, but he knew that was probably wishful thinking.

Sirius even, after checking for onlookers, changed into a big black dog and pranced around the hospital room in an effort to remind Remus of something. Anything.

Nothing worked, but Remus appreciated every effort, and… he could see why he loved this man.

He was passionate and playful, loyal and faithful, and he loved with his whole being. If nothing else had come of this excursion in trying to bring back Remus' memories, then Remus had at least learned that Sirius loved him wholly and completely.

"Anything?" Sirius asked, after every new thing they tried.

When Remus shook his head, disappointment reigned on Sirius' features for a split second, before he buoyed himself once more and announced the next thing they could try. It was… adorable.

…

"You know I'm not physically injured, right?" Remus asked, smirking at Sirius when the man wouldn't let him carry his own bag.

"Well… maybe I just want to carry your bag," Sirius huffed, gesturing for Remus to enter the house. Their house.

He did so, automatically walking into the living room. Something so familiar jolted him and he looked around, his eyes touching on everything.

"I always sit on the left side of the sofa," he murmured. "And… that blanket is my favourite."

Sirius' dropped the bag and Remus turned to see him staring hopefully at Remus. "You… you remember?"

Remus hesitantly nodded, still looking around. "I think… I think things are… yeah. Things are…"

"Do you… Remus, do you remember me? Me do you remember us?"

"I…" Remus bit his lip, his mind being assaulted by a thousand nights of the two of them curling up on that sofa, teasing and cuddling and… "Yes. I… Yes."

…

They lay in bed, Remus on the left, his head pillowed on Sirius' chest.

"As happy as I am that my memories are returning, it wouldn't have mattered, you know?"

Sirius' hand stalled in his hair, tugging lightly. "What do you mean?"

"I was already falling back in love with you, Sirius. Even if my memories hadn't returned… this is where I belong. With you."

Written for;

Meet Cute March, Day 1 - After waking up from an accident, [A] finds a ring on her finger and a husband by her side—if only she could remember him! But [B]is determined to help [A] rediscover all the reasons they fell in love, by recreating their romance, one magical date at a time…

Alphabetti Spaghetti; O - Obliviate

Mythology - 23. Remus Lupin

Women's History - 4. An Animagus

365. 48 - Drown

1000. 912. Faithful