This story was written as part of Wolfstar Bingo 2020, using the prompt 'Scars' (chapter 1), 'Trapped' (chapter 2) and 'Sick' (chapter 3).

* Please do not translate or repost this story.

It's been three months since Remus and his parents had moved to the cottage in the Scottish Highlands, but where his parents had had no trouble adjusting, Remus can't get used to the silence. Sure, that's exactly the reason why they had come to the Highlands in the first place, for the quiet, for the fact that the first town is miles and miles away from them. But Remus misses the normalcy of having a daily routine, of having something to do.

Since moving here, there is nothing he has to do except for look after himself. So he wakes up, he gets ready, but for what he doesn't know. He just sits around, waiting for the day to come to an end.

He can't complain though, because he is fully aware that his parents had given up everything for him. That they were willing to move here to keep him safe. To make sure that people wouldn't find out about his lycanthropy. To make sure he wouldn't be hunted down and killed.

But Remus is just nineteen years old, and he can't deny that right now it feels like life is simply passing him by.

He has spent another morning by himself on the sofa, daydreaming about a different world, a different life, one where he wouldn't be seen as a monster. But the rain has finally stopped, and when he looks out of the window, and he sees the rainbow over the lake, the sudden urge comes over to him to go outside.

He strolls over to the lake, and normally he wouldn't even think about sitting down in the wet grass. Why would he, when he could be inside the cottage, where it's warm? Where it's dry.

But he finds himself sitting down, and carefully touching the dark water with the tips of his fingers.

He chuckles, because what was he expecting to find? With his luck, he would probably catch some kind of bug, or get his hand stuck in an old rusty piece of metal.

He lies down, taking a deep breath, the rain having left the air feeling cold but refreshing. He closes his eyes, not expecting to be able to fall asleep, out here in the middle of nowhere, on the cold grass. But still, it feels nice to just close his eyes and think about nothing for a moment.

But when he feels a hand on his leg, he sits up, his heart beating so fast that he feels dizzy for a moment. Because who the hell has found him out here? Do they know his secret? What are they going to do to him? What is going to happen to his parents?

But when he looks down at the hand on his leg, he realises that it's not coming from someone standing over him. It's coming from someone in the water. A handsome… no, beautiful young man with dark hair, dark eyes, and a charming, almost mischievous smile.

"What the…," Remus spits out, pulling his leg away from the stranger's hand. "Who are… what…"

"I'm Sirius." The stranger smiles, as he gives a little wave.

"Yes, I'm serious too. Who are you? What the hell are you doing in the lake?"

"No, I'm not…," the young man chuckles. "My name is Sirius."

"Oh…"

"What's your name?" Sirius asks, the smile still on his face.

Remus gives him a once-over, only now noticing that he isn't wearing a shirt, that this stranger is in the lake, having a swim - butt-naked - in the freezing cold.

"What is wrong with you? You're going to catch your death in there."

"I doubt it." Sirius grins. "So… what's your name?"

"Remus."

"Nice to meet you, Remus. You live in the cottage, don't you?" Sirius asks, but Remus is still dumbstruck at this - he can't deny - very odd and seemingly very naked stranger who just appeared out of nowhere. "I watched you move in."

"You watched us?"

"I did." Sirius nods, and Remus can feel himself moving farther away from him. "I was here."

"Right… just… swimming in the lake… as you do," Remus mutters, wondering what this strange young man would do if he were to just get up and run away right now. Would he follow him? Is he dangerous? Or just odd?

"Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you."

"I wasn't…"

"Wondering who I am, and why am I here, talking to you?" Sirius laughs. "Don't worry. I just saw you here and figured I'd come and say hello."

"You were here? I didn't see you before. Sorry."

"You wouldn't have. I was underwater."

"Oh…"

Remus is starting to wonder more and more what the hell is wrong with this guy, and he is about to get up and make a run for it, when he notices something shiny coming out of the water. At first it seems to be a fish, or maybe even a piece of plastic. But when he takes another look, he realises it is in fact a tail. A mermaid tail.

Scrap that. A merman tail? Merperson tail?

He can feel his thoughts racing, because what the actual fuck?

"You're a…"

"Mer…"

"Holy shit!" Remus spits out, before Sirius can even finish saying what he was going to say. "I'm sorry, but… holy shit!"

Sirius chuckles, now proudly showing off his shiny silver tail. He uses it to splash some water onto Remus' legs, who can't help but laugh, the absurdity of the situation making him feel giddy.

"Do you live here?" he asks, finally taking his eyes off Sirius' tail, and looking back at his face. Only now does he notice just how much his skin seems to glow, it's almost as though someone has captured the stars and spilled them onto the young man's skin.

"Not here in the lake, no. But around here." Sirius shrugs. "I get around," he adds, making Remus chuckle.

"I can't believe you're…"

"You're not scared, are you? I promise most stories about us aren't true." Sirius smiles, as he makes his way over to the side of the lake again. He leans his elbows on the grass, and Remus can't help but smile.

Only minutes ago he had been ready to run, afraid that he was about to get killed out here in the middle of nowhere. Yet there is something about this stranger, about this magical being, that makes him feel safe.

"Can you ever come out of the water, or…?"

"No," Sirius sighs. "Well, I could, but… well, it wouldn't be pretty," he chuckles uncomfortably.

Remus looks back at the cottage, wondering if he should get back. Have his parents noticed by now that he has gone outside? He doesn't want to have to say goodbye to Sirius yet though.

"Do you swim?" Sirius asks, making Remus look back at him.

"Not really. I haven't, not since I was younger."

"Will you swim with me?"

"What?" Remus laughs. "In there? But there's… there's fish, and… dirt, and…"

"So?"

"It's cold!"

"So?" Sirius grins. "I promise I won't let you drown."

Remus knows he should say no, but he finds himself giving a small nod, the grin on Sirius' face now growing even bigger.

"You'll have to look away though."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want you to see me," Remus admits. "I can't swim in my clothes, and I haven't exactly brought my trunks with me, so… I don't want you to see me naked," he blurts out, but it only makes Sirius chuckle. "Oh, sure, just laugh at me."

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand what the big deal is."

"Well, you wouldn't, would you? You don't have anything down there, do you?" Remus grumbles, feeling bad about the comment immediately. But it doesn't seem to have bothered Sirius, because he just shrugs. "Now look away."

"Fine." Sirius rolls his eyes, and he closes his eyes. Remus still feels like telling him to actually turn around, but he doesn't want to piss him off, so he quickly gets up, and he gets out of his clothes.

But as soon as he looks up after having taken off his pants, he finds Sirius watching him.

"What are those?"

"I told you not to look."

"Who did that to you?" Sirius asks, staring intently at the scars covering Remus' body. Before now, he had seemed mischievous and fun, but now he looks serious. Older than before. "Who hurt you?"

"I did," Remus sighs. "I hurt myself."

"That was you, wasn't it? The werewolf the other week?"

"You saw me?"

Remus knew he had gotten out, and that he had spent the night out there somewhere, but his parents hadn't heard anything about anyone getting hurt. So he thought he had gotten away with it. That no one would ever find out.

"I watched you for a while. You seemed sad," Sirius says, and he reaches out his hand when Remus sits back down in the grass, pulling up his legs to his chest, feeling embarrassed and vulnerable. Sirius very gently brushes his fingers over the scars on Remus' leg, his touch cold, but fiery hot at the same time.

"What did I do? Did I hurt someone?"
"You didn't. You wouldn't," Sirius whispers, flashing a small, reassuring smile. "Now how about that swim?"