Written for the prompt 'hair dye'
In another life, Sirius is a hairdresser. Remus will walk into the barbers, looking for a trim, and their eyes will meet over the caped customers' heads, the grumbling of hairdryers, and the sharp, acrid smell of hair dye.
In another life, they meet at a concert; rock 'n' roll or classical, that's irrelevant. What is relevant is that over the thrumming of strings, Sirius will shake hair out of his face, and in the corner of his eye he'll see an awkward figure wholly immersed in the music. For the rest of the night, Sirius doesn't hear a thing.
In another life, Sirius is a girl – or perhaps Remus is. Maybe they meet at Uni, during a lecture. Maybe he'll yawn, bored, and glance over at an equally bored girl, who is desperately trying not to show it. He'll be intrigued. Or possibly he'll forget to bring a pen, and a tap on the shoulder alerts him to a blushing boy who has far too many pens, and is offering up a biro. The result is the same: Sirius – the she – is intrigued.
In another life, they are both girls. They will both be in Art College, and Sirius will notice beautiful fire in Remus' eyes one day while they aggressively argue over the fundaments of Art (Sirius will always be rather traditional in comparison to Remus' abstract view). His definition of Art will change that day.
In another life, Sirius is asked out by a stranger in a teashop. The stranger plonks himself down across from Sirius, and places an origami dog on the table. The dog bears the message 'Unfold me'. Although Sirius feels guilty about this – it is intricately folded – he is curious about this man with a cheeky grin and a paper messenger dog. Oh so carefully, he opens up the paper. It holds a mobile number and a name. Remus. When Sirius looks up, the stranger is gone.
In another life, they are both Death Eaters. Sirius has followed Black influences and werewolves are shunned. They meet with shadows, but there is light in their smiles. During a Death Eater raid, the Order of the Phoenix takes down all in the base. They die, hand in hand. They die, fighting.
In another life, they never meet. They live, they love, they die. Throughout the living, the loving and the dying, they feel as though they are missing something important. Not so much a puzzle piece, but more like a lid to their lunchbox.
In this life, Sirius is wrapped around a heavily-bandaged Remus on a bed in the Hospital Wing. It was full moon that night, and Remus is restless in his sleep, eyes scrolling behind shut lids. Remus arches up off the bed suddenly, and a cackle is thrown from his throat, his eyes still closed. Sirius thinks that this life – and Remus – is lovely.