Chapter Forty-Two: Like Maybe a Date?

Remus hated the full moon. He hated it so fucking much. He dreaded it every month, prayed that it wouldn't come, and every month it always came.

"You ok?" asked Sirius quietly.

Remus nodded, even though he was anything but ok.

"It's about tonight, isn't it?"

Remus nodded again.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"No."

"Ok. Do you need a hug?"

Remus nodded, standing up and turning to his boyfriend. Sirius pulled him into a tight hug. "It'll be ok," he whispered. "It'll be over soon. I promise it'll be ok."

Remus nodded, blinking back tears. "I should probably go," he said. "I have to meet Dumbledore."

"I love you," said Sirius, kissing him softly.

"I love you too."

"Want me to go with you?"

"It's fine."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

Remus leaned in, kissing Sirius one last time, before he turned and walked out of the room. He was caught up in his own head, not really paying attention to where he was going. He knew where he was headed, for the front gate, but he didn't need to focus in order to get there.

He stumbled and looked up. He had run into someone, literally.

"Watch where you're going, Lupin," sneered Severus Snape, clearly very annoyed with him.

"Sorry," mumbled Remus. He went to go past Snape, as he was already running late, and he really needed to get there in time.

"Running away? Really? Wouldn't have pinned you for that," Snape said.

Remus didn't respond. He didn't care.

"Why're you in such a hurry? Got somewhere important to be?"

Remus shrugged. "I have to go meet Dumbledore," he said quietly.

"Better watch your step."

Remus rolled his eyes and hurried down the hall. James and Sirius absolutely loathed Snape, and took every opportunity they could to be dicks to him. Remus didn't care. He had long since given up trying to stop them. He didn't have the energy any more. Not when he was fighting for his very life every single day.

Before he knew it, he was locked in the Shrieking Shack. He heard Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey retreating down the passage. He felt his bones shifting. He let out an agonized scream. It happened every single month, but nothing could prepare him for the horrific pain.

He screamed and fell to the floor, desperately trying anything that he thought might stop the pain. He tore at his hair, tears streamed down his face, he begged for someone to save, but no one was there to hear him.

Remus woke up in his private hospital room. He stretched, but almost screamed at the pain. Everything hurt. It hurt so fucking badly. He thought his back might be bleeding a little bit. He couldn't move at all, not without anything hurting.

The door swung open, and Madam Pomfrey bustled into the room, holding several potion bottles. She helped him drink one of them and set the rest on his bedside table. It was a pain potion, though it didn't do much to help. She set about changing the bandages on his arm and face.

He was torn and bruised. There were stitches on one cheek- magic didn't do anything for werewolf-inflicted wounds. He had accelerated healing, but charms and potions could only do so much.

"Mr. Black has been waiting for you," said Madam Pomfrey. "Would you like him to come in, or should I send him away. He's been waiting just outside the hospital wing since they brought you in this morning.

"He can come," said Remus, wincing. Even talking hurt him.

Madam Pomfrey nodded, and returned a minute later with an anxious and worried Sirius. She pushed him into the room. "Behave," she said sternly. "He's in a lot of pain, and in no condition to do anything. Minerva told me about what she walked in on, and there will be absolutely none of that today. Understand?"

Sirius nodded. Satisfied, Madam Pomfrey closed the door behind Sirius. Remus could hear her walking away, probably to go do paperwork in her office. Sirius gingerly approached Remus's bed. "Hey, Remy," he said.

"Hey."

"Are you doing ok?"

"Hurts," grunted Remus.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"'S fine."

"Can I give you a kiss?"

"Lips. Everything else hurts."

"Lucky for you, that's my favorite place to kiss," grinned Sirius, leaning over Remus and pressing a soft kiss against his lips.

Sirius pulled the chair over and sat down, so that he was right next to Remus. "It's almost Christmas," he said. "You got any plans?"

"Nope. You?"

"I'm not going home, that's for sure. You couldn't pay me to spend any more time in that house."

Sirius didn't have the best home life, Remus knew that much. Sirius never talked about it, but he made it clear that he hated it. Remus didn't know how bad it was, but he wasn't going to push it.

Everything hurt so badly. It was nice to have Sirius there, though. It was a distraction from the pain, gave him something to do. Normally, he lay in the hospital bed by himself, in a shit ton of pain and so fucking lonely. This was a thousand times better.

He blinked back the tears that threatened to fall because of the pain. Sirius noticed, of course. He always did.

Sirius put his hand over Remus's. "Hey, it's going to be ok," he said, smiling at Remus. It was going to be ok. It had to be ok.

Remus tried to smile back, but it hurt too much. He sobbed inwardly, just wanting the pain to end. He would do anything for it to stop hurting. Anything.

"So, uh, it's a Hogsmeade weekend in a few days," said Sirius awkwardly. "You, uh, you have any plans?"

Remus didn't. Sirius knew he didn't. Remus often skipped Hogsmeade so that he could be alone.

"You, uh, maybe want to go? Like with me? Together? Like maybe a date?" Sirius asked hesitantly, hopefully.

Remus looked at him, his eyes full of admiration. "Yeah," he whispered hoarsely.

Sirius beamed. He leaned over and gently kissed Remus again. "I love you, you know that, right? I love you so fucking much, Remus Lupin."

A/N:

hello beautiful people have a chapter :))

this week is actually looking like it might not be shit. i'm on spring break, and i've got a few plans, so hopefully it's ok. although i am seeing one of my rlly good friends, i'm going to hers, but her older brother is my ex (that was probably a bad call on my part), so i'm just rlly hoping i don't run into him

i made a playlist for this fic, it's in the notes of the previous chapter if u wanna check it out :)

also i'm religiously watching the falcon and the winter soldier with my brother and ajhsfkgflajdsnjfsgfihyrauhsodfj also just ✨ sebastian stan ✨

take care, drink some water, smile, i love you all sm 3

ktf xolyn