AN:Hi my pretties. :)!This was a fic I wrote for the rs-games this year. I had a few drawings with this story but of course since does not support images,if you ever want to take a look at the fic with its illustrations, I have a working link on my profile. This fic was supposed to be going in one direction and then I changed it. All through this, adVENTitiious, my beautiful beta stuck through and brought so much life to this fic,I adore you. *kisses*

Chapter 1

Sirius Black cursed, hands up by his chest and balled into stubborn fists as he kicked out at his attacker, all the while glancing around for a way out of the dark alley. He clenched his jaw, arms pulling in closer to protect, when another one of them flicked open a knife with an all-too-seasoned twist of the wrist.

The sensible thing to do would have been to just surrender and let them take whatever of his they could, but life in prison tended to make a person unwilling to be so charitable. As it was, Sirius's age and his lack of an active life was providing no advantage whatsoever against three men in their early twenties, and he suddenly found himself tumbling backwards, his left hip making solid contact with the garbage can set beside a black metal door as he struggled to maneuver his body out of harm's way. He landed on dirty pavement.

Please let someone hear that, Sirius thought as the clanging of the garbage can echoed loudly off the brick walls in the narrow alley. The muggers paused only for a second before the tall one—the one with a horrible tattoo of a skull covering most of the left side of his face and neck—lunged at him, and he tried to roll away. Anger surged violently in his chest when he was pinned on his back by the man twice his size; it didn't matter whether they were young, or doing this for fun or if this was how they made a living, he fought back fiercely. Sirius was too busy trying to save his own neck as he shouted threateningly, clawing at the man, having found his body too close to land a good hit, to even notice the door that had slammed open and the new pair of footsteps hurrying towards them.

"What's going on here? Out! Get out of here!" A man, Sirius placed the voice as tattoo-guy jerked back, his heavy body lifting off him faster than he could process. Sirius coughed as he sat up to watch in amazement as a thin, brown-haired man threateningly swung around a large rolling pin at the three men, who actually seemed to consider his words and then quickly turned the direction they had come from while chasing Sirius all the way from the open streets. Tattoo-guy flipped him the bird once even as he was scuttling away behind the other two. Immature prats!

"Are you all right there?"

Sirius looked up at the man and ignored the offered hand at his side as he began to get up, protesting joints making him grimace slightly; he really needed to get back on a workout routine.

"Yeah," Sirius replied once he had straightened himself, he turned to look at the man in a white shirt and an apron. A waiter perhaps? "Thank you for that." And he really did mean it. He was rewarded with a nod and a small smile behind the scruff of stubble and a light moustache.

"Would you like to come inside? You look like you need it," he asked in a voice that Sirius only just noticed was actually quite low, it didn't go with the rest of him somehow. Sirius bristled slightly at the comment.

"I'm not some sort of stray dog," he said bitingly as he scowled at the man who looked up and down at him.

"I didn't mean to offend you," he told Sirius in a tone that managed to sound apologetic. "But I'm closing up the shop alone, and you don't seem like you'd rather be home than here. We could both use the company. Of course, you can say no."

Sirius considered his words, and the paranoia that'd been his constant companion for almost a year now since being discharged from Azkaban almost held him back, almost made him throw back the man's kind offer in his face. But he was being given a choice, and that was what made Sirius step forward and manage something akin to a smile.

"I'd like to say yes if that's all right," Sirius told him and was rewarded with a genuine smile this time that transformed the man's facial features in a pleasant manner even with the scars he had covering his face. He would like to know the story behind those, maybe later.

"Welcome to Sweet Love Pastries," the man announced with a flourish of his rolling pin and Sirius, surprised, stifled a laugh at that. The other man looked at him with his lips quirking up in a smile and chuckled before shrugging. "What can I say, Abe's a bit eccentric."

"Abe?" Sirius asked after he had looked around.

"Aberforth. The owner," the man said, motioning for Sirius to follow him, "Come on." Sirius took in the faded wallpaper that had a deliberately grungy look to it, but the yellow lights above and white curtains softened the effect somehow.

"So what brings you to the neighbourhood?" the man asked when he had retrieved a platter holding a spoon and three pieces of layered pastries. He set it down on the counter by Sirius. "Leftovers, but they're still fresh." He smiled at him in an assuring manner.

"Why are you helping me?" Sirius asked instead. "I could rob you off right now. Hell, I could be a serial killer for all you know." The man blinked at him, and Sirius cursed his own bitterness; this man didn't need to face the brunt of it when all he was doing was trying to help him.

"I suppose it was a bit rash of me," the man said and ducked his head as if to hide a flush. "But I'll give you the benefit of doubt." Sirius let out a surprised laugh and then realised that had he been a serial killer the man would no doubt have pulverized him with the rolling pin he seemed to use like a weapon.

Sirius didn't have much of a sweet tooth but he eyed the chocolate covered mille-feuille hungrily; it had been a while since the thought of treating himself to dessert had crossed his mind. He sliced up the dessert carefully not wanting to leave crumbs on the clean table. He couldn't hold back the moan as the mix of sugar and spice hit his tongue and he looked at his shocked rescuer. "This is so…delicious," he said for lack of a better word but the man seemed pleased. "What is this?" he asked digging into it heartily.

"Chocolate and chilli mille-feuille," he replied, still pleased. "We're not keeping it on the menu though, it doesn't sell." Sirius gave him an incredulous look.

"Your customers don't have much taste then, do they?" he said haughtily, "Did you make this?" The man nodded and Sirius marveled at his skills. "I've had a lot of mille-feuille in my life but none of them were this good." He said honestly making the man laugh shyly.

"Well, that explains it. You're the only one who hasn't had a disaster with the pastry." Sirius hummed.

"What's your name?" Sirius asked once he had heartily finished licking the spoon clean of the chocolate and strawberry sauce it had been covered in.

"Remus." Sirius cocked his head to the side expectantly, and the man rolled his eyes before replying, "Lupin, it's Lupin."

"Remus Lupin, then." Sirius stepped up to the man and stared into the brown—no, hazel—eyes and thrust his hand out for a shake. "The name's Sirius." This time the man—Remus—imitated Sirius, and he bit the inside of his lip. "I don't know if I should. You're probably better off not knowing me."

Remus snorted as he stepped away, the action not carrying any bite to it. Sirius didn't know why but the sight of the man turning away had him forcing his name out; this man could very well be his only friend if he allowed him to be.

"Black," he said hoarsely, "the name's Sirius Black." He waited for the judgment to dawn on the man's eyes—they were a very clear, beautiful shade of hazel—before he, just like everybody else, distanced himself from Sirius. He saw it when recognition sharpened the man's gaze, but the rest of what he had anticipated didn't come as the man studied him.

"Looks like it wasn't just my parents who had a penchant for strange names," Remus said, nonchalantly, and then pointed at the platter. "Do you want a drink with that? I'm afraid we don't have anything but water at the moment, although I could probably brew up a cuppa if you like."

"Only if you're up for it," Sirius replied politely, ducking his head behind long black hair to conceal the relieved small that was forming on his lips.

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