When Remus gets back to the flat, he is greeted by a toothless, gurgling grin and a a barking, "Hello!" as Sirius props Harry on his hip and kicks his shoes off.
"What're you doing?"
Sirius holds Harry out to Remus, who shoves the groceries onto the table by the door and wraps the one-year-old into his arms.
"Ungst!" Harry says.
"Is that so?" Remus laughs and presses a kiss to Harry's little forehead, watches Harry's bright green eyes crinkle as he giggles. His attention is caught, though, when Sirius continues to strip off his clothing-the waist jacket and the robe and the trousers and the pants falling to the floor in rippling piles-and becomes very, unabashedly naked before shifting into his animagus form.
Remus raises his eyebrows and looks at Harry, who reaches out to the shaggy black dog sniffing affectionately at Remus' unoccupied hand. Sharp teeth nip softly at Remus' tattered fingerless gloves.
"Can you say, 'woof'?" Remus asks Harry, batting Sirius's wet nose away.
Harry just looks blankly at Remus while Sirius scratches at the door. That's when Remus realizes Harry's got his mittens and hat and puffy red parka, all bundled up and ready to go.
"You could've at least let me put the food away!"
Sirius leaps up on his hind legs and grabs one of the bags. He trots victoriously into the kitchen. Remus grabs the last couple and puts the food away, Harry babbling at his side, before going back out into the cold December air.
Sirius jumps about, yipping and lolling his tongue out. Harry squeals with laughter, reaching out as they pass into the small, snow-blanketed park down the street.
Remus lets Harry down in the snow and watches him waddle and crawl his way to Sirius, who, when Harry comes within five feet of him, calms immediately and pads close to the little boy.
"Moo!" Harry yells excitedly, wiggling and grabbing Sirius' muzzle.
It's a tender scene, a bit too tender for Remus. He sometimes wishes for that kind of life, the one James has. A wife and a kid. Instead he's got Sirius.
Remus sits down in the snow and looks up at the bare trees, and the grey sky beyond them.
Harry chases, as much as a 14-month-old can, after Sirius, who's suddenly in Remus' face. Sirius yips plaintively, sensing Remus' emotions.
"I'm fine! Jesus, Padfoot, you're a barbarian!" Remus stutters out gruffly when Sirius licks at his stubbled jaw. Sirius just shoves him back, punching the breath out of him when his big paws lean his considerable weight on Remus' chest. "What-"
Sirius lays down on Remus' stomach with his lower body sitting in the snow. His wet nose tickles at the underside of Remus' chin before he settles comfortably.
"Moo!" Harry coos, and tumbles into the space between Sirius's furred stomach and Remus' wool-covered arm. Remus scoops him up to snuggle into the space between them.
"What a picture we make," Remus mutters, and weaves fingers through Harry's babe-soft curls.
Later, when they get back home just minutes before Lily is supposed to Floo in and pick Harry up after their anniversary dinner, Remus finds himself in a similar position. Harry is knocking two unicorn plushies together, narrating their dramatic interactions as he sits within arms reach of Remus, who is sprawled on the carpet making a pillow out of his folded arms. It's quiet because Sirius hasn't changed back yet, instead deciding to curl up next to Remus and give as much affection as he feels he can't give as a human. Remus sometimes wishes Sirius weren't such a Slytherin-bred brat. It would make things easier, without the emotional stuntedness. Instead Remus gets dog breath in his face and hair shedding all over his clothes when Sirius plasters himself to him.
He will admit, though, it is nice when Sirius falls asleep and changes back to human form. Thankfully this happens after Lily comes and goes, sleepy Harry in her arms, because Sirius is as naked as he was when he shifted.
"Harry thinks I'm a cow," Sirius said after rousing from his nap against Remus' side. "What if I were a bull animagus?"
Remus snorts and curls his hand around Sirius's neck and resting it there in his dark hair. They lay there a while, too close, until Sirius mumbles, "You don't regret coming to live with me, do you Moony?"
Remus watches his best friend closely, sees the glittering grey eyes between sooty lashes, sees the downward turn of his full lips. For a moment he imagines another life with Sirius, one much like the last several hours.
"No," Remus says finally.
He watches Sirius still as he falls asleep again, curled closed with his feet tucked under Remus'.