Chapter Sixteen

AN: Hello! How is everyone today? Quick content warning/spoiler for this one, Remus and Sirius are um... getting acquainted today. There's some pretty heavy petting/making out in Remus' POV, but if you don't want to read full on gay sex, maybe skip Sirius' POV today. Oh, also content warning for tobacco smoking, it's the 80s. People in the UK smoked. Still do tbh. Anyway, take care and please R&R. It really makes my day hear what y'all think. Love you all, take care out there!

6th April 1982 - Soho, London

The Potters had stayed the night, and Lyall had stayed a week. The converted loft space with its pull-out settee coming in more useful that Remus had ever imagined when Sirius had insisted on putting it all together years ago.

Sirius slept, almost constantly once the Potters left and so Remus had time to… readjust. After they had broken up, Remus had visited, even crashed at Sirius' Soho flat, but always on the sofa or upstairs, and only when drunk, injured or both. Even when they had lived together, in the back of his mind it had always been Sirius' flat. Now he had to come to terms with the legal fact that it was – and had been for years – his flat too.

Lily and James had done their best, and he couldn't be more grateful, but things were out of place still. It would appear the Aurors never managed to find the hidden entrance to loft conversion and so the vast majority of their "library", as Sirius called it, was untouched. Some kind soul, Lily most likely, had put the record collection back in alphabetical order. Remus hummed along to his favourites, played quietly on the turntable while he attempted to restore them to Sirius' completely eclectic system. He took his time, sipping Earl Grey and placing postal orders for new potion supplies. He ordered what Sirius needed, and only that, because he still couldn't face using Sirius' accounts for himself.

Lyall brought back food shopping, he seemed to know without asking that Remus wouldn't leave the flat while Sirius slept. On the last day, before he caught the train back to Wales – he liked the views – Lyall insisted that Remus take twenty galleons from the Lupin vault and fully stock them up. He made Remus keep the change too.

After the Equinox, Sirius was less pale. He slept more soundly too. But still, it wasn't until almost three weeks after the trial that Remus woke to an empty space in the bed beside him.

His eyes snapped open and wolf senses leapt to panic. A sharp inhale brought kitchen smells to him, and he sat bolt upright. Coffee, bacon, toast.

Remus pushed his feet into his slippers and grabbed a thick jumper from the chair by the bed, shuffling through to the lounge.

Sirius stood in the kitchen, tea towel draped artistically over one shoulder. His hair was damp, the ends curling as they dried, and he'd cut almost all of it off. The front fell roguishly into his eyes, and Remus was instantly reminded of the last time Sirius had worn his hair so short. When he escaped his parents - an act of rebellion, he called it – but Remus knew it was because the bed rest had irreversibly matted the length.

Abbey Road spun on the turntable quietly, and Sirius sang softly along,

'He come grooving up slowly

He got joo joo eyeball

He one holy roller

He got hair down to his knee

Got to be a joker he just do what he please – oh, morning Rem. Tea?'

'Ta.' Remus leant against the breakfast bar. 'How do you feel?'

Sirius glanced up from where he was turning the bacon, 'I'm good.'

Then he smirked and made a lazy gesture at the tea pot, which obediently poured Remus a cup which in turn floated to his right hand and nudged it gently.

'So I see.'

Sirius had dressed in clean pyjama bottoms, and his old Gryffindor Quidditch jersey, the knitted wool hanging looser than Remus remembered.

'I'm going to go up to town today.' Sirius plated the bacon and leant back against the worktop, sipping his coffee, and folding his arms. Waiting.

He didn't have to wait long, 'You are bloody not.' Remus growled into his tea.

'Yes, I am Remus. I need to speak to Gringotts about getting your key to my vault recut. And – ' He held up a hand to stop Remus interrupting, 'And about getting some work.'

'Sirius, you have no need to work yet.'

'Financial need, no. If I'm clever, neither of us actually need to work ever again, but I like my work.'

The Beatles had reached "Oh! Darling" as Remus frowned, 'What do you mean? I know he left you a fair bit but… not that much?'

Sirius sighed, 'I wanted to wait until after the moon to talk to you about this.'

He tapped his thigh with two slender fingers, and Remus rolled his eyes.

'I know it's tomorrow, you don't have to remind me.'

'Well apparently I do. I've spoken to Prongs, we can use the grounds at Kent.'

Remus slammed his mug down a lot more firmly than he had planned, 'You've been talking behind my back?' He demanded.

Sirius stepped away from the worktop, moving around the breakfast bar to stand next to him, the wolf noted that Sirius was not entirely steady on his feet yet.

'No love. I flooed him this morning to let them know I was up and about, and James asked if I knew what your plans were.' Sirius was quiet, calm and firm, 'I said I didn't and he mentioned that the wards he and I tried out at the manor were still up and strong and that we could all be together there.'

Remus pushed his hand through his hair, 'Sorry.'

'Nothing to apologise for. It's up to you, but I thought you might like the run.'

Sirius reached passed him to pick up his coffee, and Remus caught his wrist. Sirius let him raise his hand to his lips, turning it to kiss the palm.

'Bacon sandwich?'

Remus nodded and reluctantly released Sirius, carrying his tea back to the settee.

They had shared a bed since Remus brought him out of Azkaban, and now the wolf was rising again and they still hadn't… well, fucked. Remus would never push it, and Sirius had been so unwell. And Sirius was the one who insisted they live together again. Sirius who pressed his forehead against Remus' shoulder in his sleep, the shoulder with the heraldic tattoo Sirius had designed for him, combining Gryffindor and Ravenclaw because Remus wanted to honour his father and with woven daffodils, for Hope, and blackthorn because Sirius said no one had been through as harsh a winter as Remus and come out the other side so sweet.

And the wolf was awake and aware and wanted Sirius, and Remus wanted Sirius. And Sirius… was making him a bacon sandwich and putting off whatever new earth-shattering thing it was he needed to say.

Sirius brought the sandwiches – one for himself, two for Remus – and perched on the arm of the chair.

'I want to work, Rem. There's a hell of a lot of curse breaking going around now,' he waved at the morning's Prophet on the coffee table, 'And I'm the best there is. I'll start small, just pieces I can work on at home. I know I'm not up to …' He searched for the word, 'Spelunking around crypts and dungeons just now.'

'And what will you have me do, sit home and worry? Or hide in another room and hope you don't blow us up?' He deadpanned.

Sirius cackled, 'Exactly! I heard Lyall say you'd be kept well by me, I mean to live up to it.'

Remus shook his head, 'I will murder you and eat your corpse.' This, of course, made Sirius laugh harder. 'Honestly Sirius, what's your plan?'

'I don't know yet love, and that's the truth.' Sirius sipped more coffee, 'Well beyond picking up some tobacco on my way to Charing Cross.'

Remus groaned, 'You cannot walk through the streets to Diagon Alley.'

'Why not?'

'What if you are seen?' Remus waved at the paper, 'You realise your face was all over the paper for nearly two weeks?'

'Oh, the Purephet loves me, I've rarely been out of it in a decade.' Sirius shrugged.

What was worse was it was true. Sirius behaved like a Rockstar because he could. He had been the heir to one of the greatest Wizarding Houses in Britain, probably in the world. From the moment he was sorted into Gryffindor he had been newsworthy even above his status. Being disowned hadn't lessened his infamy, rather the opposite, and once he had started being seen around Muggle London – entirely on purpose – in the arms of gay men, Wizarding and Muggle alike, the press had eaten it up. The Order had used Sirius' status on more than one occasion as a distraction, and alibi and whatever else had been convenient. Remus felt his hackles rise, anger at Dumbledore's abandonment of Sirius flaring up again.

Sirius took his hand, kneeling on the floor in front of him, 'I really need the air Moons. But I can leave it another few days if you'd prefer?'

Remus smiled and shook his head, 'No. No, sorry, of course you should go out. You probably should be seen while you're at it. Prove you haven't disappeared.'

'Come with me?'

Remus rolled his eyes, breaking the tension, 'Only if you tone it down if there are cameras.'

'I'll do my level best.'

In the end Sirius was as good as he could be. He dressed subtly, in black drainpipes and the blue jumper he had stolen back from Remus. His trademark black leather jacket went over the top and Remus insisted on a scarf and gloves, even though it was April now.

The Turkish man in the newsagents on the corner beamed to see Sirius, handing over his cigarette bits and a box of matches. He wiggled his eyebrows at Remus, when he realised, they had come in together and said it was nice to see them both again.

Sirius was walking slowly, his normal confident, Londoner stride suffering from the Azkaban induced weakness that had taken its toll on every part of him. Though apparently, he hadn't lost the ability to roll a cigarette, making one swiftly with the liquorice papers he favoured. The first he offered to Remus, which he took, for nothing else than to have something to do with his hands.

They meandered across Chinatown, Remus happy to let Sirius take the lead. He couldn't help grinning when Sirius looped his arm through his, flicking ash with his other hand.

It wasn't until they stepped through the door of the Leaky Cauldron that anyone bothered them.

'Mr Black!' Sirius flinched, and looked up.

Tom the Innkeeper ran around from behind the bar and gave a little bow, 'It's so good to see you sir! I hope you know the Leaker Cauldron never believed it. Not one word I said.'

Sirius nodded, 'Thanks Tom.'

'Will you have a drink?' He looked from Sirius to Remus and back again.

'Maybe later.'

Remus subtly tightened his grip on Sirius, reassuringly and as they stepped out into the courtyard, he felt Sirius draw a shuddering breath.

'We can go home?' He said quietly.

Sirius shook his head, 'No. I really do need to go to the bank.' He pulled out his wand and tapped the bricks.

They made it as far as Quality Quidditch Supplies when the first camera flash went off. Remus tightened his grip on Sirius automatically, right hand shooting straight from his wand. The war had taken too much of a toll on them to not be defensive at bright lights and sound.

'Mr Black!' A witch with almost orange hair and a fuchsia pink flat cap bounced in front of them, 'Mr. Black what do you have to say about your recent stint in Azkaban? Will you be seeking compensation from the Ministry?'

Remus felt Sirius squeeze his arm gently, loosening their grip so he could drop his hand and interlace their fingers.

'Hello Ms. Hookum, how are you?'

Daisy Hookum, Ravenclaw a few years below them, Remus' internal Prefect reminded him. How did Sirius always remember.

She beamed at Sirius, 'Come on Black, a few comments? Rita's up at the Ministry and I could do with the scoop.'

He gave her a grin back, 'You mean my usual, 'no comment, not even if you kiss me' won't do?'

Daisy gestured for her photographer to take another shot of them and Sirius automatically covered the lens with the hand that wasn't holding Remus'.

'You know the rules, no shots of Mr. Lupin.' Sirius gave the man a stern look to match the slightly chilly turn of his voice, 'Daisy, take this down. I'm back and intend on staying in London for the foreseeable. At this time, I have no interested in pursuing the Ministry or appearing in front of the Wizengamot again.' He gave her a cheeky wink, 'For now.'

'So, you're definitely innocent.'

'Of everything they accused me of, sure.' He smirked and she laughed.

'Will you be back to work Mr. Black?'

'That's the plan.'

'What about Azkaban? You're the first High Security Prisoner to ever leave, how does it feel being out in the world.'

Sirius' grip on Remus' hand was painful now, but Remus ignored it. Whatever Sirius needed right now he would get.

'I'm glad to be getting on with my life, in private for the time being.' Sirius stepped to the side to pass the reporter, 'You can consider that an exclusive, Daisy. I won't be giving any more interviews on the matter. I need some time with my close friends and family for us all to recover.'

He tugged Remus past before she got off her parting blow, 'Do you have any comment on the Potters?'

'Yes. Bugger off and leave them alone.' Sirius shouted back over his shoulder and sped up.

As soon as the crowd hid them from view Remus pulled into a tiny side road at the mouth of Horizont Alley. The building on either side leant so close there wasn't room for them to stand shoulder to shoulder, so Remus pushed Sirius in first and followed him.

'Remus?' Sirius turned and peered at him, 'Are you alright?'

'Me? I'm worried about you.' Remus said, exasperated.

'I'll live.' Sirius took a small step closer, pressing his wand hand to Remus' chest.

It was in moments like this Remus was really aware of his height, as Sirius looked up into his face.

'We should have waited.'

'No.' Remus shook his head, 'No. You wanted to some out.'

'My wants don't outrank your needs.' Sirius' voice had almost completely healed, and he pitched it low and soft, 'So tell me what you need Rémy?'

Remus rubbed his face, 'Don't start with the bloody French.'

'Pourquoi?' There was a wicked glint in Sirius' eye that tormented Remus in all the wrong ways.

He wasn't aware of the decision to move. He slammed Sirius against the alley wall, knee pushing between his legs, hands pressed to the brick on either side of Sirius' head.

'Because it drives me mad.' He growled. Suddenly aware of himself, Remus shook his head, pulling away and covering his face with his hands, 'Fuck, Sirius I'm sorry.'

Sirius' hand caught the edge of his old tweed jacket, tugging hard.

Remus resisted until it seemed childish, one hand still scrubbing at his forehead as he was dragged inexorably back to the wall. He felt Sirius' long fingers curl around his other wrist, lifting his hand up towards the black-haired man's face.

Remus opened his eyes in shock as Sirius' tongue swirled around his index finger, sucking it into his mouth in a way that make Remus' knees melt.

'Siri – fuck.' Was it poor taste to admit, even to himself, that he had dreamt of that tongue.

Sirius' spare hand snaked out, catching Remus' hip, and urging him forward until they were pressed together against the wall. His bright silver eyes watching Remus, half amused, half… was that concern.

Remus pressed his hand against Sirius' chest, to get his attention, retrieving his fingers from Sirius' mouth while he was at it.

'We're in public.'

'That has never stopped me.' Sirius pressed forward against the strain in Remus' jeans, 'And doesn't seem to be putting you off.'

Remus shook his head, 'I'm not fucking you here.' He hissed, hating each word as they fell from his mouth.

'But you want to?'

Remus' head snapped up at the question in Sirius voice, 'What?'

'What, what?'

'Did you really just ask if I want you?' Remus was shocked.

'Yes.' Sirius said flatly, 'Because it's been nineteen months since I drove you out of my life and my bed. Because I look and feel like hell. Because we are both shockingly bad at talking about our feelings, and because we're the least public, public relationship I've ever had.'

Remus was fully aware of what he was doing this time, pressing the full length of his body against Sirius, and kissing him. Sirius' lips parted obligingly for his tongue, but it was no weak submission, his hands were under Remus' shirt and his tongue fought back, invading Remus' mouth in return as though each wizard were determined to claim the other for his own.

Remus broke off to chase kisses along Sirius' jaw, smooth from shaving that morning. Sirius arched against him muttering obscenities in French that only served to make Remus suck and nibble at the sensitive skin under his ear all the harder.

'Remus… baise-moi…' Sirius moaned, and Remus knew it was on purpose, but he really didn't care.

He bit down, knowing fine and well it would mark but the sound Sirius made was worth it, the way his hands tangled in his hair was worth it.

Remus gathered the last of his self-control and stepped back, extricating himself from Sirius' grasp.

'You fucking tease.' Sirius grinned, his lips swollen, eyes wide.

'I thought you wanted to go to the bank?'

Sirius held out his hand, 'Come on then, before I bloody strip and beg you.'

The goblins at Gringotts were, as always, polite. Not a glance or mention of the massive love bite over Sirius' Azkaban number on his neck, or their dishevelled state.

Remus was made to sign three separate documents before Sirius could force the tiny golden key into his pocket, with a hiss to stop being difficult. Sirius took out an obscene – to Remus – amount of gold and was just turning to get back into the cart when the goblin that took them down to vault stopped him.

'Mr. Black, there is the matter of the new stipend?'

Sirius glowered, so imperiously it was like time travelling back to when he was still a child and had the power of House Black behind him, 'What of it?'

'It was whether you wanted it sent to this vault or to the vault that previously belonged to Mr. Alphard Black?'

Sirius scrubbed at his face, 'Send it to Alphard's for now. I want it kept separately and a running total kept in a new ledger.' A tiny cough from Remus reminded him of his manners, 'Please.'

'As you wish sir.'

They climbed back into the cart and Remus mouthed 'New stipend?' at him. Sirius shook his head with a look that plainly said not now.

Back outside in the spring sun, Sirius linked arms with Remus again, 'Can you just apparate us, please?'

'Are –' He saw the look on Sirius' face, 'Sure, Pads.'

As soon as Sirius' feet touched the floor in the flat, he spun in front of Remus, hands reaching for Remus' belt.

'Sirius…' Remus tried to say something, probably something sensible, so Sirius leant up the few inches between them and kissed him silent and starting in on Remus' fly. It wasn't much longer before he was rewarded with Remus' fingers digging bruisingly into his bum and moaning into his mouth.

Sirius broke the kiss, catching Remus' eye, 'Do you want...?'

There was a point when they hadn't needed words to check on each other, but today Sirius wouldn't take a single chance. This had to be right, there wouldn't be any space for regret in the morning.

Remus growled, pushing up again into Sirius' hand and Sirius pulled his hand away. There was way too much gold in Remus' eyes, and this would not be the wolf's moment.

'Remus.' Sirius waited while Remus took another shuddering breath and then nodded, 'We can stop.'

Remus turned back to him and the tearing distress in his eyes made Sirius wish he hadn't said anything, 'I shouldn't be pushing you.'

Sirius rolled his eyes and deliberately put himself in the werewolf's space, 'You aren't, I swear to Merlin, Rem.' He reached a hand up to tangle in Remus' curls, 'I want you in every possible way. I want you.'

Remus slowly took hold of him again, bending his head to capture Sirius' lips with his own and Sirius felt his heart thrum. He kissed Remus back, curling his fingers in the nape of Remus' neck unthinkingly. He was the only person Remus had ever allowed to touch him there, the wolf hating it from anyone else.

Remus growled possessively and bit down on Sirius' lip. But it was Remus, Sirius could always hear the difference. He tugged Remus' jacket off, his own following it as Remus pulled at Sirius' jumper.

Sirius stepped back neatly, dragging it over his head and cocking his head, 'Bedroom?'

'Yes.'

Their boxers survived the last few feet to the bed, but not much else, and Sirius shuddered as Remus' hands explored his skin. He let Remus press him to bed, relishing the feeling of his fingers scraping down his stomach. He arched up to capture his lips in another breath stealing kiss. Sirius could feel how hard Remus was, pressing into the crease of his hip and had to resist bucking up against him when Remus' hand found its way below the waistband of his boxers.

It was Remus who paused now, pulling back supporting his weight on one arm, 'Sirius?'

Sirius resisted the urge to squirm, 'Mmm?'

'Do you want this?'

He snapped his eyes open, breathing the word, 'Yes.'

Remus' fingers curled around Sirius' cock, moving with agonising slowness and that dastardly fast flick of the wrist at the top that made sparks fly behind Sirius' eyes.

The muscles in the pit of Sirius' stomach were tightening already and he panted, 'Rem… I'm – you have to stop. I won't last.'

Remus chuckled, 'I won't take it as an insult. Quite the opposite.'

Sirius laughed, 'Glad to… to hear it.'

When he felt Remus lean back, he knew exactly what was about to happen and raised himself on his elbows enough to watch those lips, his favourite pair in the world, close around the head of his cock, 'Ye gods Rem…'

Apparently Remus had lost none of his style, taking Sirius all the way down in one smooth movement, and pulling all the way back to swirl his tongue around the head in a delicious mockery of what Sirius had done with his fingers in the alleyway. Sirius' arms gave out in moments, as he fought not to thrust up into Remus' mouth. Remus' hand snaked up to catch Sirius', tangling their fingers on the quilt as Sirius arched.

He came, hard – could he even remember the last time? Probably not – in Remus' mouth. The werewolf swallowed and kissed his way back up Sirius' chest with a chuckle.

Sirius blinked up at him, layering kisses across Remus' cheek and jaw before turning onto his front smoothly, pressing up his scarred back into Remus' equally scarred chest.

'Do not even attempt to ask my permission.' Sirius growled, turning his head to kiss Remus' arm, wrist, fingers.

'Don't worry, I believe you.'

Remus muttered the required spell, though it had been years since either of them had needed the words or their wands for it.

Sirius groaned, pushing back against Remus' hand as he inserted a slick finger into his arse, 'More, Moony, c'mon.'

'No.' The firmness of Moony's voice was an even bigger turn on and Sirius was not overly surprised to feel his cock twitch in response, 'You are so damn tight Padfoot.'

'I. Don't. Care.' Sirius punctuated each word with a small thrust backwards.

'I do. And if you don't want me to stop right now you will behave.'

Sirius didn't even try to stop the Padfoot like whimper in the back of his throat. It was a rare occurrence that Remus was ever quite so strict, but Sirius lay perfectly still as his finger moved torturously slowly inside him. When a second was added Remus twisted them in a way that hit the place inside that made Sirius eyes cross. He swore, half muffled in the pillow, 'Baise-moi, baise-moi, baise-moi.' Fuck me, over and over again.

'Mmm, good.' Remus pushed a third finger into him in reward for staying still, and Sirius clenched down desperately. He was definitely hard again.

'Can you relax?' Remus sounded amused and Sirius sucked in an unsteady breath.

'Yes.'

Remus' fingers massaged a circle over his prostate, kneeling up so he could grasp Sirius' balls with the other hand, 'Are you sure?'

He chuckled when Sirius gasped.

'Rem…' Sirius turned his head to look back at Remus, he knew his own limits. Remus was at no risk of physically hurting him, especially not with lube. Sirius wasn't quite ready to fully surrender though.

Remus released his balls and leant back over him, covering him again with his body, and the domination had left his voice when he asked, one last time, 'Do you want me to stop?'

'No. I want your cock in me.' Sirius pushed back, impaling himself further on Remus' fingers, 'Now, please.'

He couldn't help the whimper of lose when Remus removed his fingers. Or the gasp as the head of his cock replaced them. Remus was careful, and Sirius was always grateful in the end, he was huge. He waited, patiently, even through Sirius could actually feel his cock throbbing.

Sirius nodded and forced himself to relax again as Remus started to move. It hurt, a little. Remus was right, months of celibacy had had an impact. But it also felt amazing.

Remus adjusted his angle and wrapped a hand under Sirius' chest to pull him up, holding them together even as he started to lose control.

Sirius pushed back, twisting slightly to run teeth, tongue, and lips along Remus' neck. He relished the sound Remus made, half growl half moan, moaning low himself as Remus hand wrapped around his cock, tugging fast and in time with his thrusts into Sirius arse.

'Tell me when.' Remus murmured in his ear, 'Together.'

Sirius nodded. Normally a second time would take him a while, but not today. Not with Remus so damn deep in him. He reached behind them, gripping Remus' arse and pulling him deeper, meeting each thrust, 'Ready?'

'Gods, Sirius. Now, now please.'

'Now.'

They fell, still entangled, into the sheets.