A/N: Wow! I never expected quit the turn out on reviews. Thank you to all of you that have told me your thoughts, kisses to everyone! (Laura: "You whore!")
Anyway, I'm really trying to drag this out as long as possible. I'm usually not a big fan on chapter stories, but I always write these dinky little things. I'm really trying, promise.
So, I don't own Remus or Sirius ... so don't bug me about it. And, sorry if they're out of character, I try not to make them; I just get this nagging feeling that they are ... Review, review, review!
Chapter 5: Tea Time with Mrs. Lupin
After their wrestling match, and Remus proclaiming loudly his victory, they headed off to the kitchen for afternoon tea. Mrs. Lupin had made special lemon biscuits that had been taunting them all day and Mr. Lupin had brought home some apple mulling spice tea from one of his co-workers.
The four of them sat around while Sirius and Remus told jokes and made, carefully planned, reenactments of some of the audacious pranks set off against the Slytherins. Mr. Lupin smiled politely, even though he had no idea about some of the things being said and Mrs. Lupin was rather attentive for being a former Beauxbatons student.
"- and after their hair started to turn green, McGonagall started to head right for us."
"But Sirius pulled us down into the sewage pipes just in time. The only problem was-"
"We were covered in slime for days!"
A roar of laughter from the boys ensued while Mr. and Mrs. Lupin chuckled graciously.
"Well, I'm off then. The Dean ordered some new books, so I need to get ahead and register them." With that, Mr. Lupin pushed out of his seat and set his teacup in the sink. He leaned over, taking a biscuit and kissed Mrs. Lupin on the cheek. "Thank you, darling," he looked over to the boys, "And you gentlemen stay out of trouble." He gave the group a wink and walked out the door.
They sat there for a moment in silence, sipping their tea and taking the rest of the cookies. Remus downed his tea and finished off his crumbs. "That was great mum, but I need to get some homework done before it bogs me down," he said, pushing his chair in and heading for the sink.
"I think I will, too" Sirius said, making the movement of rising, but Mrs. Lupin cut him off.
"Would you mind if we talked for a moment, Sirius?" She implored, setting back in her chair.
"Urm," Sirius stopped, sitting back down, "Sure."
Remus smiled at them wearily, but waved them off with a nod and walked out of the kitchen.
Mrs. Lupin studied Sirius's face for a long time, taking in ever detail. Sirius writhed under her gaze, feeling it burn white hot through him and he blushed for an unexplained reason. She couldn't possibly know what he-
She took another sip of her tea.
"I sent the Potters an owl explaining to them what has happened. The have sent back a reply; they will be back in another week and have requested you to stay with them. Would you like that, Sirius?"
Of course he would, James was his best mate, and it would give him a reason not to sleep in the same room as Remus for a while. Maybe then the illogical, unreasonable thoughts that have been coming to him would stop. Maybe then, he wouldn't want Remus to laugh at his jokes so badly or smile at him or make him want to kiss him. It was just a phase anyway, so it would pass with time. But the thought alone hurt him more than he could possibly imagine at the moment. All he wanted was for Remus to ... well ...
He nodded his head in approval.
"Then it is settled. I'll owl them as soon as I can ... In the mean while, how are you doing lately? You seem a bit quiet." She said this, leaning forward with a soft smile on her lips. The smile died from her face when she added, "Is it your family?"
Anger flashed through him. "How dare you? How could you possibly feel this way? You are the Heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. I will not permit this kind of relations. Your abnormalities disgust me." He looked down at the table so his hair was in his face. "You were never normal, you worth piece of shit! How the hell-"He gritted his teeth to make the tears stay at command. "What Sirius? Have you turned into a little queer boy, is it?" He can remember clutching the unsent letters in his chest pocket of his jacket against his heart.
"It's taken care of," he manages to say after he holds his emotions at bay. He looks up to meet Mrs. Lupin's sad eyes. She gives a wistful smile, but her mouth is tight lipped. She leaned back again and brushed back a wisp of hair away from her forehead. Sirius noticed because Remus did it all the time.
Her voice became lighter, moving on to the next topic. "Have you found yourself a girl, Sirius? You are a rather handsome young man. I'm sure the girls flock to you."
Even if they did, he never seemed to notice. But he couldn't even explain this to himself, so he just gave a shake of his head, responding, "I've been having too much fun without having to worry about some girl." He added this with a swaggering smile, shinning bright with confidence. It was true, after all. He lived for his mates, they were his refuge. And since this whole overriding feeling for Remus had immersed him, he couldn't even think of one girl who could compare.
She nodded, smile widening as she studied the table top. "When I met John, I never expected what was to be. He was visiting a college in my hometown in France when we became friends. For the longest time we were just that, but then I started to see him like never before, and I have never been happier than to be with him.
"You know, Sirius ... One day you will meet that one person. I can feel it, even now, that that person is very close to coming. Love will strike you soon, and all you have to do is realize the truth of the heart. Take what comes to you naturally," she said, staring straight at him.
Sirius was absolutely shell-shocked. Everything she said, it was-. He shivered and gave a weak smile.
She gave a slight nod as she stood from her chair. She quietly cleaned the table, putting the dishes in the sink with a tiny clatter. She looked around the room once more before walking up to him.
She leaned in, setting a chaste kiss on his crown as soft honey tresses, Remus's tresses, feathered his forehead. She cupped his face in her hands, bringing his eyes to hers.
"He'll love you regardless, Sirius, even if it is not the same ...I can see it in both of you. Thank you for loving my son as deeply as you do, and I know he appreciates it also." With teary eyes, she swiped a lock of raven hair from his brow, and gracefully left the room.
n/n/n/n
He felt lighter than air, his nerves set a flame, and his bowel twist into an ungodly knot all at once as he made his way to Remus's room. Like hell he was going to tell him. He'd rather keep his friendship than risk anything and everything.
He knocked on the door once to alert Remus that he was coming in, and then pushed open the door. There stood Remus in his gray cotton trousers with a tee shirt in hand. Not on his back. Sirius shivered as he watched each muscle ripple in surprise.
"Sorry Padfoot, I had to take off my bandage; it's healed now," he said this pointing to his clean bare chest adorned with a crescent scar reaching from above his heart to his shoulder. "What did she want with you?" He put on the shirt with one swift motion and sat on the bed.
Sirius just looked to the floor and shook his head. "Nothing really. James will be back in a week and his parents wanted me to stay with them for a while." He couldn't help but stare at the disappointed look on Remus's face.
"Oh ... well that's cool," he said standing up. Sirius felt his hand become sweaty on the door handle so he let his arm fall limply to his side. They stood in a moment of silence, till Remus smiled shyly. "What would you like to do now? Want to listen to a few records?"
Sirius found no potential harm in that. "Sure," he said, walking over to sit on Remus's bed. Remus riffled through some of his favorites and set one particularly on the turntable. After adjusting the volume to a soft hum, he sat next to Sirius.
"You seem kind of distant lately; are you okay?" he asked tilting his head to the side, looking Sirius straight in the eye. Sirius fought to swallow the lump in his throat.
"I'm fine, I guess I'm just in a funk now ..."
"Is it your family?"
What the hell was up with his family?! Sirius shook his head in anger, not able to meet Remus's eyes.
Remus edged closer, their shoulders bumping. "Why did you run away, Sirius?" he asked in a low murmur, eyeing him anxiously. After a moment of Sirius not saying anything, Remus gently touched his hand that had been balled in his lap. He shuddered at the touch and pulled away. Suddenly, he found himself blurting everything out at once.
"They found some letters in my room that I never planned on sending to you after the prank with that damned Snape. There were things in there that no one was meant to see, and you wouldn't touch me after you knew what they were, so maybe I should just leave ..." He said all of this, standing from the bed, away from Remus.
"What do you mean, Sirius? I don't understand." Remus looked hurt and confused, and it was too much for Sirius to handle. He looked into the brown eyes with amber sunbursts and silver specks one last time before saying just above a whisper: "I love you."
Remus held his gaze for a second, then blinked, and looked away to the edge of the bed. A crease formed on his brow, heavy in thought, before looking back at Sirius. "But ... You- You what?"
Sirius gritted his teeth, shutting his eyes tightly, not able to banish the look on Remus's eyes out of his head.
"I said I love you." His voice was watery and he cursed himself for getting this emotional.
Remus looked back down to the edge of the bed. "Oh. ... Well, I just ... I need to leave." He said abruptly, standing. He looked Sirius in the eyes once more before pushing past him and out the door.
Sirius stood there for a very long time, just letting everything wash over him. He felt so numb that he couldn't lift any of his appendages. It started at his toes where it ran ice cold and blazing hot up his system. It weighed his head down and he stumbled to the bed, face falling onto the quilt that reeked of Remus.
And suddenly he could not cease his shivering.