Remus
He came home and made himself a coffee. Marlene was on her bed reading and Peter sang during his time in the shower. He thought he would burst. He thought he ought to tell someone. In 'I THINK I HAVE A DATE WITH SIRIUS BLACK!' kind of way. But he found out that he can't. Even though he wouldn't in the first place because he didn't want to break his word… he couldn't do it because he realized he cannot possibly share it. They wouldn't understand what was Remus feeling. He was so damn confused.
When the Friday came and he realized he is not any closer to apprehend himself he gave up. He spent his day in the shop wondering what film to choose, what meal to order (no, he wasn't cooking) and what clothes to wear. During the last hour of his shift, he started to take it seriously and just when he was getting all panicky his boss came into the picture.
He was kind, mostly understanding man with fauls as every human being – like jealousy, moodiness and too big self-confidence. He was used to do nothing, during a normal day, which reminded Remus of his last employer, but some days he chose to do the Great Ordering. He waved with his wand at the end of the opening hours for several minutes until the World Literature was in the place of the Health Corner, the class-books were spread across the narrow shelf of Foreign Language Spell Books and the Potion Books were beautifully arranged in and around a huge useless cauldron. Instead of a 'hell no!' he said 'heavens no!' and thought he was being more religious. Sometimes, for apparently no reason, he chose Remus for his friend and told him about his troubles. His hair was just starting to get grey and his masculine figure was just starting to get lost in his shirred robes. He was forty-nine.
"Remus, do you have any plans for tonight?" he asked in a solemn voice.
"It happened that I do." Remus nodded and took a last look at the state of the desk.
"Oh, okay. I was just wondering about something. It can wait, though."
Then, Remus noticed he felt better. The prospect of avoiding his date was disappointing, thus, he truly wants to see Sirius again, right? That must mean something! His resistance is just him being a chicken… And sadly, he is a wolf, not a chicken.
He took a long way home. He visited a video shop and it took him about another half an hour to decide whether he really should take his favourite documentary or just stay with some romantic comedy. Creepy as it is, he couldn't imagine watching any romantic film with Sirius. He couldn't imagine doing anything romantic with him. He remembered how for all their meeting this Tuesday Sirius wouldn't stop pointing his wand at him through his pocket. They will probably kill each other.
By the time he was finally knocking on Sirius's door he knew his mantra by heart. "This is an absolutely new person. You don't know him. No prejudice. This is an absolutely new person. You don't know him. No prejudice. This is an absolutely new person…"
Blank paper.
"Who is it?" muffled voice asked.
"Remus. Remus Lupin."
Sirius opened. "You would be surprised, but I don't know many Remus-es."
Remus grinned. "Just to prevent misunderstanding." He noticed the wand in Sirius's hand. In this muggle world, it felt like he would be holding a gun. Not quite pleasant.
"Can I take this?" He asked, pointing to the big box beside Remus's feet. 'Gallant'.
"Sure," Remus made a move to the left and let Sirius take it. He followed him inside then.
Sirius dropped the box carefully on the living room carpet and put his wand on the coffee table.
"You've been cleaning up, eh?" Remus joked. Last time he was here the apartment wasn't particularly tidy.
"I was raised with standards." He shrugged.
"What kind of standards are we talking about?" Remus asked, sincerely interested, and put the bag with their dinner down.
"Having guests." He put his hands in his pockets and Remus felt suddenly oddly inappropriate.
"What about them?" He asked. 'Gracious'.
Sirius seemed like he would decide. "Firstly, you should be comfortably seated," and he pressed Remus to the sofa. His knees failed. "Then you should have something delicious to drink," and with raised eyebrows, he offered him a choice between a bear and some red wine. He pointed with his chin to the bear bottle. "Then you should be entertained until the dinner is ready…" he made a scene with opening the dinner bag. "Voila, the dinner is ready. I'll get the plates…" and he left Remus amazed and speechless. 'Dramatic'.
His outfit now felt more than he could stand. He chose a shirt and casual jumper and the place was hot. He could take the jumper off, but even that seemed inappropriate now.
In a shirt with rolled up sleeves and jeans, with hair messier than ever, Sirius was just the new person Remus was expecting.
Sirius divided their simple china into two portions and sat on the ground with one in his hands. That was odd. Considering his manners and all. Remus looked around. There was enough place for at least two other people on the sofa. He wasn't feeling wretched for him not choosing the place beside him, but he felt a bit put off. 'Modest'.
"Is that a way how to treat your guest, too? To let them feel elevated so you need to look up to them?"
Sirius did look up to him and grinned drily. "Well, no… but that's the thought!"
It wouldn't be the first time – he liked the floor better, anyway – but he had never done it for anyone else. He sat down, leaning his back against the foot of the sofa.
"You are denying a rule number one."
"I'm doing no such thing. I am comfortable seated."
"I can see you aren't." Sirius raised from his place to fetch him some pillow, Remus figured.
"Let it be, Sirius. Sit down and eat. It's probably already cold, due to all the equipment and Muggle transporting, but it won't be better."
He handed him a pillow. Yellow with tassels. "Do you want to heat it up?" Sirius offered.
Remus shook his head very fiercely. "No. No thanks. No more heat," he said and flushed.
Sirius chuckled. "As you please." He was making a fun of him, he could feel it, but he has enough decency to go and open the window. 'Wry.'
They ate. And it was going fine. They had something better in their mouth than awkward bulls.
"So? What have you been doing all day?" Remus asked.
Sirius swallowed and wiped his mouth. "Well, I had a training until half past four. Then I went shopping."
"Shopping?" Remus was wondering if there was any possibility he could run upon him during his errands.
"Yeah… Groceries. Down the street." Sirius shrugged.
He nodded. "Right."
"What have you been doing?"
Sirius was looking at him; his plate empty; his fingers dirty.
"I'm working at the Flourish and Blotts," he said, unsure how to feel about it.
"Is that a nice job?" Sirius asked.
"In some ways…"
"Can I open this?"
The sudden topic change confused Remus, and he looked at the box, still lying beside them. "Sure… I should probably…" He got up and pulled out the videotape out of his backpack.
Sirius was busy with the TV and Remus couldn't decide if he should be ashamed of himself or not. When the TV was plugged in he handed him the cassette.
Sirius observed it and made a face. All of the humans are probably capable of making that kind of a face, but Remus never considered it as fitting for Sirius Black. All of his facial muscles were stretched in wild concentration not to laugh aloud. And just after a second, it was all gone and with a stony face, Sirius proceeded in getting their projection ready. Remus wondered whether it was his decorum or strict upbringing.
"So… before we will continue in this very solemn watching of new-borns I'll prepare this miraculous muggle poppy thing I've bought just for this occasions. It should stimulate our brain cells and whatever," Sirius said and put the remote down on the coffee table.
"Poppy thing? You mean like an opiate? I thought it does the opposite… inhibit your mind."
With a smirk, Sirius revealed after three minutes of perpetual popping. 'Prankish' Remus didn't have a problem to distinguish between his old fiction and this new man. It wasn't difficult at all.
They sat, leaning against the base of the sofa, sharing popcorn and watching Remus's favourite documentary about babies of different families of different continents, and of different age. They didn't say another word during the whole time when the film was on, but it didn't felt that awkward as Remus had previously thought it would have. Sirius sat with the blanket around his lower body. Remus had refused one. That's all what to say about it.
When the film ended Sirius stopped playing with the un-popped blobs and stood up leaving the blanket on the ground. "Tea?" he asked.
"Yes. Thank you."
They went to the kitchen and Sirius leaned against the unit. "So… you think you know me better now?"
"…well. I'm getting there," Remus answered. "But I think I have more documentaries in reserve. Are you interested in the history of planes? I know one wonderful film about the beginnings of muggle flying." Remus, himself, wasn't particularly sure whether he was joking or not.
He was watching him solemnly, just the corners of his mouth twitched few times.
"Boats would be better," Sirius said.
"Floating's better than flying?" Remus doubted.
"Not everyone's enjoying heights, you know?"
"Yeah.. I'm familiar with this kind of a weakness." Remus grinned and Sirius's eyes widened.
"The kettle! I almost forgot."
By the time the tea was served, Remus had a second date.