A/N : This is my first fic, and it is in response to a quote challenge (http : / forum. fanfiction. net/ topic/ 44309/ 36771177/ 1/ #36781790) byCallXMeXLight. We had to choose a number between 1-75, and the corresponding quote was given as a challenge.
Quote: A career is wonderful, but you can't curl up with it on a cold night.
It was a cold night, wind blowing fiercely against bolted windows, rattling their frames. Orange-yellow flames glowed brightly in the fireplace of a small sub-urban house in London, while a young man stood by the window pane staring into the distance. The light from the furnace illuminated his handsome face as he sighed once again and shifted to put his weight on the other foot. Sirius Black, the handsome, dark-haired, young man had been standing tiredly by the window for a long while now, ever since he returned from his auror training, waiting impatiently for his friend and lover. A shadow moved in the distance, and Sirius stood alert immediately, all lethargy forgotten as he peered through the mist-soaked window for any sign of his mate. Finding nothing but a street dog looking for cover, he fell down dejectedly into an armchair by the fire, staring into the flames half-heartedly.
Meanwhile, a slender figure treaded through the light snow, shoulders hunched against the cold wind, face flushed pink, gloved hands dug deep in the pocket of his overcoat, trying to quicken his step in a pathetic attempt to reach his home sooner. Remus Lupin continued with his miserable pace even as waves of self-pity washed over him. He tried to deal with it calmly, stoically as usual, but this time, he failed to find that strength in himself. It was the fourth time this week, fourth time that his interviewers rejected his job application on the basis of his lycanthropy, ignoring the almost perfect and hard earned NEWTs and OWLs. He made to pull out his wand as a particularly sharp wind sent a chill down his spine, but just the sight of his beloved wand brought on another wave of abject despair and hopelessness.
The bright sunny days of Hogwarts felt like a lifetime ago, lounging around the common room with his best mates, laughing over quidditch, sharing sweet kisses with his lover by the lake, it all seemed like a part of another universe, another lifetime. He remembered his small hopes, his little dreams. Of course, being a werewolf, he knew he would never be able to lead a normal life, but the presence of his friends, their easy acceptance, their support, the way they had gone out of their way to become animagi for him, it ignited a small hope in him, which was only fuelled by the brilliant scores he acquired on his OWLs as well as the NEWTs. He never had any high ambitions; he just wanted a homely life for himself, a paying job, a small house to share with his mate, with friends and family visiting all the time. Was that too much to ask?
Apparently the Fates thought otherwise. Although he did find a nice place and had moved in with his companion a year ago, it was bought out of his lover's inheritance. Remus was yet to find a regular job, and if there was one thing he hated more than lycanthropy it was being dependent on others, even though his friend constantly waved away his apologies and insisted again and again that all his belongings were Remus' anyway, it was too much to take for the proud werewolf.
Pulling out of his thoughts Remus looked around; the wind had finally settled down a bit, leaving a scattering of leaves in its wake. He spotted an empty bench on the road side, and sat down heavily on it, casting a mild warming charm on himself. Drowning himself in his thoughts again, he reminisced about his Hogwarts days, and wondered how everything had gone downhill in such a short span of time. They were finally feeling the brunt of the war, with constant deaths and disappearances, visits from friends and families were far and few in between, his companion was constantly busy in his auror training, and he had yet to find a decent job for himself. Shoving his wand back in his pocket, Remus dropped his face in his hands and wished not the first time in his life that he was a normal human, that he wasn't bitten that fateful night so many years ago. Indulging himself in his fantasies he thought how his life would be different if such was the case; he would have a decent job, a career, a future to look forward to, with Sirius by his side…
Sirius.
His mind did a double take, and glancing down at his wrist watch, he jolted to a standing position and hurried down the street. Oh how had he forgotten, Sirius would be waiting for him, wearing down the carpet as he paced restlessly, worried about him. Remus cursed quietly, admonishing himself silently for the dark turn his thoughts had taken; after all self pity was a luxury he couldn't afford...
He quickened his pace and in what seemed like no time at all, stood breathless at the porch of his house. Stumbling slightly and trying to recover his breath, he pressed the doorbell and instantly felt a warm body hug and choke him for all his worth. Remus quietly brought his own arms around the animagus and nuzzled his cold cheek in the crook of Sirius' neck. Sirius moved backwards, arms tangled loosely around Remus' waist and peered into his eyes, taking in the cold flushed cheeks, the wind-blown hair and the overall ruffled appearance. Seeing the despair in his beloved's eyes, mixed with hints of shame and helplessness, Sirius pulled him into his chest again, gently kissing his forehead, moving down to his cold nose and even colder lips. Pulling out of the kiss, he laced his hand with Remus' and brought him into the warm living room, pausing only to help him out of his slightly damp overcoat. Sinking down next to Remus on the couch in front of the fire, Sirius pulled out his wand and summoned two bottles of butterbeer and handed one over to Remus silently and put his arms around his shoulders comfortingly.
Remus curled up against Sirius, letting the familiar smell wash over him and tilted his head an inch to find his lover's face shining with affection, eyes alight with love and understanding and gave a small, tentative smile. Sirius smiled in response and raising his eyebrow in an exaggerated gesture, he said "Just because you look adorable all flushed and disheveled like this Mr. Moony, doesn't mean you are getting off the hook for making me worried sick. Is that clear?"
"Crystal," he replied and smiled widely in response. Shifting even closer to Sirius, Remus gazed down into the amber flames, his mind going back to the thoughts of the evening. Maybe it was the warmth of the fire, maybe it was the comfort of Sirius' arms around him, or maybe it was just the familiar domestic environment of their house, Remus felt a surge of hope flare inside him again. Sure he was a werewolf, and a houseless one at that, and a jobless one on top of that, but Remus knew that as long as the dark haired young man sprawled next to him remained by his side, he could deal with anything and everything that came his way.
Because a career and a future are all fine and dandy, but you can't really curl up with it on a cold night, can you?