AN: Welcome back, my lovelies, and hello to people who don't know me already. This is another attempt at making a deplorable fanfiction, as I failed miserably last time and got only complements and internet hugs. So, more crying this time, more unusual situations that no sane person would put them self in and more puns if I can come up with them.
Lupin slowly roused himself from the narrow double bed, untangling his cramped limbs from the man who slept over him like a heated blanket. A heavy, noisy heated blanket. "Move already, you great oaf." He pushed at the offending limbs fondly.
Without so much as opening an eye Sirius mumbled a half heard response along the lines of "I assure you my complete lack of movement is a result of being completely shagged out."
Rolling his eyes heavenward, Lupin knew he did not have time for any of his bedmates nonsense. He maneuvered carefully away from the fleshy restraints of Sirius' long arms, careful of where his hands went so as to prevent another occurrence like the night before.
Leaving Sirius to his drowsy protest, he looked at the clock and realized there would not be enough time for a proper shower before work. He dressed, ran his hands through his hair and quickly brushed his teeth. Peeking back into the shared bedroom for a goodbye he saw Sirius' lazy grey eyes peering out of the blankets at him.
"Get up, you big lump, its already half past nine." Remus walked over to the bed to retrieve one brown penny-loafer from where he saw it half hidden by the pants Sirius had worn the day before. He sat gingerly on the bed, tugging the shoe into place before scouring the room with his eyes for its mate.
Sirius still had not stirred from his cavern of blankets by the time Remus finished dressing. He sighed, smiling and pulled the blankets down. "I'm off. Do something useful today while I'm out… like find a job, or shave." He finished his suggestion off with a misplaced kiss on the scruffy underside of Sirius' jaw.
"But it gives a bit of texture." He murmured past a smiling yawn.
"And a bit of flavor." He bestowed one more kiss before righting himself. "I think you've got a bit of last night's stew still under there."
"You threw the first spoon."
"You can't prove that. Now I'm covering for Timothy today down at the Ministry, so I will be home late. Please try not to set fire to the house while I'm out." He gently smoothed the blankets over Sirius' chest, fingertips lingering on the firm curve of muscle beneath the soft cotton fabric.
Sirius grinned knowingly, but the grin faded as the soft hands left his chest to follow Remus out of their room. The distant sound of the floo being used let him know that there would be no shenanigans that morning. He rolled back over and promptly returned to sleep.
The day wore on and the sun, as it often did, found its way into the previously dim bedroom, touching Sirius' face with its hot caress. He begrudgingly pulled himself from bed, tossing the blankets aside and imaging himself to be a great leviathan, tossing the sea aside as it emerged from the dark depths. He kicked a pillow to the floor in an added effort of demolition. He made his way to the loo and was startled to see his own face blinking back at him over the sink. Lupin was right. It was time for a shave.
Finding himself finally down in the kitchen he mused at the thoughts of breakfast, but his rumbling stomach was put on hold at the sight of Lupin's carefully packed brown lunch bag sitting forgotten on the old worn table.
Money was not much of a problem, not with Lupin working every day and their very few living expenses, no rent, ect. But Sirius knew his mate well enough to know that despite the money they shared, Lupin would not take himself out to lunch. He wouldn't spend the money on such a luxury. It was one of the reasons that he insisted that he bring the pitiful little homemade meals each day. The thought of a hungry Lupin, rubbing his stomach and sighing softly brought a smile to Sirius' lips. Then he remembered what happened last time the werewolf forgot his lunch and returned home, hungry and cranky. He recalled with great clarity how cold and lonely the couch had been.
Scooping up the lunch bag and slipping on a pair of boots he jogged to the library, intending to use the floo to drop by the Ministry, be the best boyfriend in the world by bringing a lunch, and possibly snag a quick snog in Lupin's office before returning home for a nap. Without a doubt, it would be a marvelous day.
Despite his best, and purest intentions, the Ministry's workers were not pleased to see a man like Sirius wandering the halls looking for the illusive door that would read Remus Lupin. An intern far too young and giggly to know who Sirius was showed him where he needed to go. He left the blushing girl to stand out in the hall and let himself into Lupin's office without so much as a knock
Remus looked up , but had to repeat the gesture, blinking widely at the dark-haired man suddenly leaning on his desk with a mischievous grin.
"Merlin's pants- you're going to get me fired." He lamented in hushed tones, as if by keeping his volume down he might manage to retain his job.
Ignoring the less then welcoming welcome, Sirius held aloft the slightly crumpled brown bag. "You left something at home.
"I... oh." Remus offered a sheepish smile. "Thanks." He gently retrieved the bag and slipped it into a desk drawer.
"Thanks are better given physically than verbally."
Remus laughed. "Shove off, I've got work to do." Despite his protests he allowed Sirius one short kiss before pushing him away from his cluttered desk.
"But it's lunch time." Sirius would not be moved and only settled himself more firmly against the mahogany surface.
They looked at each other, both with a quit different intent in mind. Remus knew that he would lose; he always did against the glint in Sirius' eyes. "Fine. Let me go give these papers to Shelly and we can eat."
Sirius hated to see Remus go, but loved watching him leave. Let the illusive secretary Shelly have her papers. Lupin would come back soon and be all his.
A slow realization dawned on him that he had never been inside of Remus' office, as he had never been permitted to follow him to work it was not a surprising fact. Alone in a room that was brimming with mysterious object it was only expectable that Sirius would start rifling through the odds and ends crammed onto the shelves lining the walls. Mostly books were all he found, but the dusty old tomes held little interest. However, nestled between two darkly bound leather editions of 'Regrettable Remedies: a history of failed potions' was a bauble that caught his eye. He lifted the cold bit of metal and held it up to the light. A single crystalline gem, shaped like a teardrop was suspended between the wheels of a gyroscope. The whole thing fit comfortably in the palm of his hand as he twisted it this way and that, gently winding the inner rings around the colorless jewel.
Lupin chose to return at that time and sighed when he saw what Sirius was holding. "Put that back, you'll break it."
"What does it do?" He smiled at the strange way that it chilled his fingertips with a strange cold feeling that emanated from its depths.
"I don't know, it's broken." Lupin retrieved his lunch from the desk. "Want to share my sandwich?"
Sirius felt an inappropriate comment catch in his throat. "This thing is really cold."
"Put it down." Lupin pointed back up at the shelf, feeling for all the world like he was talking to a child.
Remembering his childhood, detentions spent in the Slytherin dungeon polishing frigid cauldrons during late wintery nights, Sirius smiled. Remembering a dare that he would catch many first years with, he chuckled to himself. Tentatively he raised the lazily truing gyroscope to his lips and flicked the edge of it with his tongue, wondering if it would stick to the icy surface. He had always been the one doing the daring, never once had he been dumb enough to lick one of the old brewing pots. But this was his second life, he meant to live it fully, even if it meant exploring the childhood idiocies that he neglected in his youth.
His tongue did stick, not on the ice, but caught between the rings he had been twirling. He tugged at the bit of metal, quickly turning away from Lupin before the man could make fun of him for his own stupidity. His stomach twisted uncomfortably and his head swam. It took only seconds for Sirius to strongly regret licking a magical object, even a broken one. Finally, his mouth was free if a bit sore. He turned, gripping the offending magical item in a fist, despite the biting cold, but Lupin was not there. Lupin's office was not there.
He knew what he was looking at, though he doubted his eyes. The halls were so familiar he could have walked them in his sleep. He had walked them in his sleep, but not for years. He ran to a thickly paned window and looked out at the snowy school yard illuminated by a full moon that hung heavy in the night sky. He shook himself, looking back at the hall in which he stood, looked closely at the worn stones and sleeping paintings. He was back in Hogwarts.
Two words came to his lips, the only two he could think of. "Bloody hell."