Sirius' shoulder was really starting to ache, and it was almost noon, so he
got up from the bed and started to pull his clothes on, but not without
regret. For the past couple of hours he had been lying on his side in their
bed, watching as the rising sun played on his lover's features. The room
was bathed in the golden light, and in the middle of that radiance Remus
was so beautiful it made Sirius' heart ache worse than his shoulder. How in
the world could he look like that after everything he had been through? It
was almost like he wasn't even human. Well, he wasn't, but that's
different. In a way Remus reminded Sirius of the elves in one of his
favourite books, a thousand-paged epic written by a muggle.
Sirius smiled at his thoughts. There had been a time in his life when he had wanted everything from the world – now he was content with spending entire days watching his mate and contemplating on his beauty. And doing everything in his power to support his failing health.
With an effort Sirius tore himself from the pleasant vision and tiptoed to the kitchen of their small house. He opened a window to hear birds rejoicing the warmth of the late spring. As he prepared the breakfast, his thoughts once again slipped from the comfort he had nested in earlier to the fact that was never far from his mind. He seemed to be losing his mate. Not like he had always feared, in an accident during full moon, or in a skirmish with the Death Eaters, but slowly, the life gradually ebbing away with every full moon.
After Remus had been captured and tortured just before the deciding battle in November he hadn't been well. The changing was much more difficult, and he had suffered for over two months with the spring flu Sirius had shook off in ten days. Sirius spent half of his time trying to help Remus recover from the effects of the change, but every full moon found him a bit weaker. Remus didn't admit it, and became irritated when Sirius tried to approach the subject, but the fact was there.
If the problem had been the time Remus spent as the wolf, the coming summer would've been a relief. But the change itself was the problem. And the only way that could be avoided, was if the night wouldn't come at all. While finishing his own breakfast and collecting Remus' on the tray, Sirius idly played with the idea of endless summer days, sun hanging in the sky with the full moon, never relenting her vigilance over the mischief of her pale sister.
Absentmindedly he picked up the full tray and slowly, minding the full glass of orange juice, made his way for the bedroom. In middle of the shady living-room it hit him, and he stopped in his tracks, spilling the juice. He stood very still, hardly breathing, as if not to scare away the forming thought.
Then an insane grin spread across his face. "Yes. It might work. There's no reason why it wouldn't work. It will." Across the room his image in the old mirror smiled at him and said "That's my clever doggie." Sirius returned the smile and dashed forward.
Remus was awake enough to be alarmed by the look on his lover's face when Sirius entered the bedroom. There was hardly any juice left after he practically dropped the tray on Remus' lap, and turned to leave.
"I'll be right back, I have to check something," Sirius said over his shoulder and before Remus could protest, was out of the room.
Remus wolfed down the generous breakfast Sirius had made for him and had just put the tray away when the still grinning maniac rushed into the room and flung himself on the bed – and on Remus.
"I don't know if I want to hear this," Remus said warily, but couldn't help smiling at that constant grin.
"You definitely want, my love. But you won't. The only thing I'm telling is that you should start packing. We're going on a summer holiday."
"Now? But the full moon is only a week away."
"That's exactly why," Sirius whispered, and quieted all other objections with a long, tender kiss.
"Now get your clothes on and pack, I have owls to send and tickets to reserve."
"Tickets?"
"You're in no condition to apparate farther than our backyard. We'll travel the muggle way. In one of those flying what-do-you-call-its."
"An airplane?"
"Exactly. This is going to be so great."
With a final kiss Sirius stood up and flashed out of the door, leaving a very baffled Remus behind. Knowing better than to argue with Sirius after he had made up his mind Remus got up and started packing. After the first socks he realized he didn't have the slightest idea what he would need, and sighed deeply. He was still a bit doubtful, but this would most certainly be interesting. Sirius' surprises had a habit of being either catastrophes – or really amazing. Remus felt an excited grin spread on is face as he packed both his swimming-trunks and his thickest sweater.
Sirius smiled at his thoughts. There had been a time in his life when he had wanted everything from the world – now he was content with spending entire days watching his mate and contemplating on his beauty. And doing everything in his power to support his failing health.
With an effort Sirius tore himself from the pleasant vision and tiptoed to the kitchen of their small house. He opened a window to hear birds rejoicing the warmth of the late spring. As he prepared the breakfast, his thoughts once again slipped from the comfort he had nested in earlier to the fact that was never far from his mind. He seemed to be losing his mate. Not like he had always feared, in an accident during full moon, or in a skirmish with the Death Eaters, but slowly, the life gradually ebbing away with every full moon.
After Remus had been captured and tortured just before the deciding battle in November he hadn't been well. The changing was much more difficult, and he had suffered for over two months with the spring flu Sirius had shook off in ten days. Sirius spent half of his time trying to help Remus recover from the effects of the change, but every full moon found him a bit weaker. Remus didn't admit it, and became irritated when Sirius tried to approach the subject, but the fact was there.
If the problem had been the time Remus spent as the wolf, the coming summer would've been a relief. But the change itself was the problem. And the only way that could be avoided, was if the night wouldn't come at all. While finishing his own breakfast and collecting Remus' on the tray, Sirius idly played with the idea of endless summer days, sun hanging in the sky with the full moon, never relenting her vigilance over the mischief of her pale sister.
Absentmindedly he picked up the full tray and slowly, minding the full glass of orange juice, made his way for the bedroom. In middle of the shady living-room it hit him, and he stopped in his tracks, spilling the juice. He stood very still, hardly breathing, as if not to scare away the forming thought.
Then an insane grin spread across his face. "Yes. It might work. There's no reason why it wouldn't work. It will." Across the room his image in the old mirror smiled at him and said "That's my clever doggie." Sirius returned the smile and dashed forward.
Remus was awake enough to be alarmed by the look on his lover's face when Sirius entered the bedroom. There was hardly any juice left after he practically dropped the tray on Remus' lap, and turned to leave.
"I'll be right back, I have to check something," Sirius said over his shoulder and before Remus could protest, was out of the room.
Remus wolfed down the generous breakfast Sirius had made for him and had just put the tray away when the still grinning maniac rushed into the room and flung himself on the bed – and on Remus.
"I don't know if I want to hear this," Remus said warily, but couldn't help smiling at that constant grin.
"You definitely want, my love. But you won't. The only thing I'm telling is that you should start packing. We're going on a summer holiday."
"Now? But the full moon is only a week away."
"That's exactly why," Sirius whispered, and quieted all other objections with a long, tender kiss.
"Now get your clothes on and pack, I have owls to send and tickets to reserve."
"Tickets?"
"You're in no condition to apparate farther than our backyard. We'll travel the muggle way. In one of those flying what-do-you-call-its."
"An airplane?"
"Exactly. This is going to be so great."
With a final kiss Sirius stood up and flashed out of the door, leaving a very baffled Remus behind. Knowing better than to argue with Sirius after he had made up his mind Remus got up and started packing. After the first socks he realized he didn't have the slightest idea what he would need, and sighed deeply. He was still a bit doubtful, but this would most certainly be interesting. Sirius' surprises had a habit of being either catastrophes – or really amazing. Remus felt an excited grin spread on is face as he packed both his swimming-trunks and his thickest sweater.