This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Word Count: 3000
Title: Seducing The Sheriff
Note: AU! Western, AU!Muggle
Warnings:
Beta: Aya Diefair, CupCakeyyy
Quidditch League:
[Team]: Pride Of Portree
[Position] Captain
[Theme]: [western] We're going to leave this one pretty loose; you can go for the traditional western (19th century American Old West) or contemporary western (e.g. Firefly). As long as the theme is present, go wild!
[Theme]: Quidditch Supplies
[Prompts]:
[Theme]: Book Club
[Prompts]: [dialogue] "You sound like a woman." / "Why, thank you"
[Theme]: Pokemon
[Prompts]: (emotion) angry, 304. Aron: Write about someone behaving poorly because they are hungry.
Hogwarts
Assignment 10: Religious Education: Esbats: Task #8 - August, Sturgeon Moon: Write about fishing for something (actual fish, compliments, information, whatever! Be creative)
Mini Golf Mania: Hole 1: (restriction) Only Gryffindor Characters
Fortnightly:
Weasleys: (color) sea foam green
Crissie's Favourites: [Weather] Raining
Love In Motion:
UBC: Hufflepuff's Apron [Upper Body Armor] (Work hard, play hard. Equip Effect: Heal 6 dmg if you only write about Hufflepuffs.) - Price: 3k, (trait) Hardworking
Sheriff Remus "The Wolf" Lupin was sitting by the lake side with his fishing rod, his eyes staring out over the glittering sea foam green lake. He had a large blue bucket beside him, almost filled with fish. Remus was watching the clouds carefully, he knew when rain was coming in. Remus was distracted from his musings when he felt another tug on his fishing rod. He started to reel it in and was in awe of the large trout spluttering against his fishing line. Once he had reeled it in, he sat back. These fish would keep him full for at least a couple of days. Being a sheriff in a small town didn't pay very much, but he had never been afraid of hard work, and it showed in his mannerisms.
His hands were calloused and rough from hard labour, and his face was aged despite his youth from the blistering heat of the sun. He whistled happily as he dropped the fish into the bucket with the rest of them. He wanted to stay beside the lake all day, yet he could see the clouds starting to gather. Usually, Remus liked to spend the time after fishing, making a small wood fire and frying one of the fish on a stick, but he felt the call of nature, so he went behind a bush to relieve himself. When he was on his way back, he overheard a noise like splashing water from the bucket. Someone was trying to steal his bucket of fish!
Remus pulled his weapon from his holster. "That doesn't belong to you," Remus spoke in a low voice.
He noticed several things about the man. The man was tall and slender with dark long hair. He was wearing clothes well above Remus' status, but the clothes were torn and dirty. It was clear this man used to be very wealthy but seemed to have fallen on hard times. Remus could even tell from the man's hands he wasn't used to working hard for a living; that things had once come easy to this man.
The man was holding the bucket, debating whether or not to run for it. "Run off and I'll shoot," Remus said, trying to convince the man to leave the bucket. He didn't intend to lock the man up for being hungry, but he had spent hours catching all those fish, and damned if he was going to let someone snatch his hard earned loot.
"Shoot me then, for I'm as good as dead anyway without food," the man responded with a haughty tone.
"I am sure you must be unfamiliar with me," Remus replied. "I am the sheriff here."
"I am familiar with you, Sheriff "The Wolf" Lupin. Frankly, I was expecting less."
This man was starting to grate on Remus' nerves. He didn't like being on the backfoot regarding introductions.
"Who are you, stranger?" Remus asked, his voice turning as cold as he could manage. He couldn't believe he had been feeling sorry for this man only minutes ago.
"My name is hardly your concern if you are about to kill me," the man replied.
"Just put down my fish."
The man sighed heavily, for all his flippant attitude he didn't seem like much of a thief. He set the bucket down, holding up his hands in surrender.
"I suppose that means I'm getting thrown in jail for my troubles then?"
"I asked you for your name," Remus said, pointing his gun at him for some encouragement.
"I'm Sirius Black, but my friends call me "the Dog"."
"Sirius Black," Remus said, thinking out loud. "Why does that sound familiar? Black?"
Sirius "The Dog" Black was the first son of a notoriously wealthy family that were known by many in these parts, and initially Remus thought he had to be mistaken. This man couldn't be that son, he looked like he hadn't eaten in days.
"My parents disowned me," Sirius said softly. His eyes flickered to the fish again and Remus' fury disappeared. Remus had a soft spot for not letting people go hungry. In the distraction of the near robbery, the clouds had started to grow heavy overhead, and Remus felt the refreshing cold of the water from the sky splashing his burnt face. Sirius startled, as if he had been shot, and Remus' eyes observed the curious castaway.
"Come with me," Remus said over the rain. Sirius sighed. He seemed to be expecting prison, so when Remus reached the road that went to the precinct to the left, and he turned right, it was clear from the confusion on Sirius' face he was wondering what Remus was planning for him.
"You will not try and steal anything from me," Remus spoke as he unbolted the door of his small house. It was cosy and decorated with red and gold tones. He locked the bolt behind them, and Sirius shook his head to rid it of some of the water. "I see why you are called "the Dog"," Remus added with a small laugh.
It was clear Sirius wasn't sure if he should be offended by this statement, the man didn't react other than glare at Remus. Remus walked over to a towel that was draped over a chair and wiped his face before tossing it at Sirius. He then proceeded to practically ignore the man drying off behind him and set about putting a few logs in the fire.
Remus lit the fire and it bathed the entire small room in red and orange light. He took out one of the smaller fish and placed it carefully into the fire. He could feel Sirius' eyes on his back. Remus knew that Sirius couldn't be carrying a weapon because then the situation earlier would have gone entirely differently. A shiver ran through Remus' body that had nothing to do with the cold. He didn't enjoy being sheriff, he liked helping people, but one had a reputation to maintain for the safety of the townspeople.
"You better not tell anyone about this," Remus said as he checked the cook on the fish.
"About what?" Sirius asked annoyed. "You kidnapped me and made me watch you eat while I'm starving to death?"
Remus laughed. "Idiot, Black." He walked over to the kitchen, grabbed a plate, placed the cooked fish onto it, and then walked over to the hungry man. Sirius grabbed it and ate so quickly that Remus' stomach made a protest. Remus hadn't been able to eat anything all day either, and he was hungry himself. While Sirius ate, he proceeded to cook another, slightly bigger fish for himself.
"Why did I get the small one?" Sirius said, his voice almost sounding whiny.
"You can be thankful you got one at all," Remus retorted.
"Oh yeah, thanks," Sirius said. It seemed like once he had food in him, he remembered his manners. "Sorry about that." He was picking the last bits of fish from the spine and looking down at his plate.
"It looks like you haven't eaten in days, your body won't be able to handle the adjustment all at once, better start on smaller portions," Remus explained.
"Well thank you, but I am not sure where my next meal will come from," Sirius admitted reluctantly. "I took a chance trying to steal your fish, I am not much of a thief." His gaze looked sheepish.
"I know," Remus replied. It hadn't been hard for Remus to tell from Sirius' entire demeanor that he was simply hungry and desperate. Remus found it hard not to give Sirius a small smile. The man was really rather handsome despite how dirty he was at the moment.
"Why did you do this for me?" Sirius asked when Remus made no comment.
Remus shrugged. "I don't like people going hungry," he explained.
"I— thank you," Sirius said again. His behaviour had done a complete three hundered and sixty since they met, there was no longer any hostility from him at all.
"A cup of tea?" Remus asked him. Sirius looked so taken aback by the offer Remus hastened to add. "You are here as my guest."
Sirius' eyes flickered to the bolted door.
"Unless you would rather leave in the middle of a rainstorm," Remus added.
"Um, no thank you," Sirius replied.
"You can sit down."
"I'm fine, I am filthy," Sirius said, shuddering as if he was offended by the dirt on him. Remus laughed at this.
"I don't mind, really," he said earnestly, trying to put the former high society man at ease.
"What did they kick you out for, anyway?" Remus asked conversationally.
"Because of my sexual preferences," Sirius stated with such a matter-of-fact tone as if he was talking about it raining outside the window.
"Pardon me?" Remus said. Surely this good looking man couldn't be gay.
"Oh, because I'm gay." Sirius shrugged. Remus gulped. He was suddenly very aware that he could take a few steps and kiss him. Would Sirius want to kiss him? Remus wasn't sure.
"I won't do anything to you," Sirius said, incorrectly having interpreted Remus' reaction. Remus wasn't sure how he wanted to respond.
"I wasn't assuming you would," Remus paused, his cheeks turning pink. "I was just wondering how I didn't see it before. I pride myself on being very observant."
Sirius let out a barking laugh. "Perhaps I don't appear queer?"
"Oh no, now that you mentioned it, it's clear as daylight."
"Oh really? Is that so?" Sirius said, taking a step towards him. Remus felt like Sirius was trying to intimidate him, and he held his ground.
"Yeah."
Sirius leaned closer to him, so close that Remus could feel the hot air from his breath. "Do you think I would be overstepping to bother you for a shower? I am not used to being wet and dirty."
Remus nodded, swallowing before he added. "There are spare towels in the wooden cabinet in the bathroom."
"So, Sheriff," Sirius said as he walked towards the bathroom Remus had pointed out. "What gave me away?"
"Your hands," Remus muttered cheekily. "Never having done a day's worth of work."
Sirius laughed. "You're not straight, either."
"What makes you think so?"
"Simple— chemistry." Sirius winked, closing the bathroom door behind him and letting Remus's pounding heart calm itself.
Remus was watching the rain pouring down outside, and he knew that even if Sirius didn't want to spend the night with him—in his bedroom, that is—he wouldn't put the man outside in the storm.
He would offer Sirius his bed and sleep on the couch then, if necessary. He wouldn't be able to live with himself otherwise. He was very tempted to join Sirius in the bathroom, but he thought it would be presumptuous of him.
Well, that was until the bathroom door swung open, letting out steam and him spotting a naked Sirius without a stitch of clothing covering his lean body. "So, want to join me?"
Remus gulped again, but his feet were already carrying him towards where Sirius was standing in the doorway of the bathroom. "Come here, you big bad wolf," Sirius growled hungrily, and it felt like a second before Remus' hands were pulling Sirius towards him and soon lips were covering his own. Sirius took a step back and the door slammed with them inside.
"Are you sure you don't mind me staying here?" Sirius was asking, it was so late that night that the rain had passed, and the two had successfully tired each other out. Sirius had attempted to leave Remus' bed, but Remus pinned him down.
"Stay the night," Remus said firmly. "You might as well."
"What if I steal from you?" Sirius asked.
"I'll lock the door."
"And where will you hide the key?" Sirius asked, eyeing Remus and his current state of undress.
"I don't believe you are going to steal from me."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't intend to let you leave," Remus said, his tone turning hungry again.
"You're insatiable," Sirius said, rolling his eyes at the other man.
"Just stay the night."
"Okay."
There was a knock on the door. It was a few days later, but Remus and Sirius hadn't left the small house for anything. "Stay," he said to Sirius' sleeping form pulling on his pants and hastening to the door.
When Remus opened the door, he saw his friend James, panting and breathless.
"Have you been running?" Remus asked by way of greeting.
James nodded, grabbing onto the door frame for support. "We need you, a fight broke out in The Leaky Cauldron."
Remus looked at his friend appraisingly. He was the owner of said bar, and he was gracing the doorstep of Remus more and more often to complain about a ruckus.
"Really James, can't you take care of it yourself?" Remus asked him.
"You sound like a woman," James replied, intending to goad his friend into coming to the bar.
"Why, thank you," Remus replied with a grin, bowing low, before grabbing his gun from the shelf nearby. "Oh wait…" He turned suddenly, remembering the man in his bedroom. Sirius was fast asleep when he swung the door open, so Remus grabbed a pen and scribbled a note in case his lover woke up before his return. He had never known another man to fall asleep as fast as Sirius did.
Sirius,
Went to break up a bar fight. Don't leave, I mean, unless you want this to end.
Remus.
P.S. I know we ran out of fish, will pick up some food from the bar. James owes me.
He tried to close the bedroom door softly to not wake his lover. He realised that James was looking curiously at the door.
"Who is in there?"
"I thought you wanted my help," Remus countered, not commenting on the fact that he had Sirius Black in his bedroom.
He was sure James would recognize the surname, but he didn't know if he was quite ready to tell anyone. Of course, he was sure James knew he was gay, but Remus wasn't quite sure if he would want to tell James outright. Frankly, he wasn't sure what he and Sirius were, and although it seemed like boyfriend was the fitting title, Remus wanted to discuss that with Sirius first.
James nodded, glancing at the door again before following Remus outside. Remus didn't lock the door behind him, and James said nothing. Perhaps his friend was allowing his lover out if he wanted it. They reached the bar just in time to see Lily Evans, James' barmaid and biggest crush, smashing a bottle over one of the drunk men's heads. The other man eyed her suspiciously before backing away. He knew the redhead had a fiery temper and didn't dare risk it. Instead, the man placed a note on the table and left the bar, staggering as he walked.
"Seems like Miss Evans has got everything under control," Remus said, giving her a friendly smile. He liked her, she was fierce and bold, and he felt like there was nothing that could get under her skin. She would be the perfect girlfriend for someone like James. He was boisterous and loud, but he had a soft heart underneath.
"Lily Evans," James said, not managing to keep the awe out of his voice. "How I struck gold with her."
"You still called me out," Remus said. He hated relying on the handouts from James, but he simply didn't make enough money in a town so small to be able to survive without asking for payment.
"Of course," James grinned. "Oi, Evans!" he cried, and the fiery redhead turned her emerald eyes to her employer. "Bring some steaks for the sheriff."
Lily nodded, and soon returned with some steaks, potatoes and vegetables. Enough for two meals worth.
"Thank you." Remus smiled at her and left.
When he reached his place, he was overcome with nerves. Was Sirius still there? Had he left? He opened the door to see Sirius in one of Remus' worn pairs of jeans, without a shirt, and he gulped. He still couldn't get over how attractive this man was.
"Remus." Sirius grinned as he walked into the house.
"What are you doing with my fishing gear?" Remus asked curiously. Surely Sirius wouldn't still be attempting to steal from him, and if he was, surely Remus had things that could give him easy money.
"I was wondering if you could teach me how to fish," Sirius asked.
"Careful with my rod," Remus said suddenly, before realising what that sounded like. Sirius grinned.
"Please, Remmy," Sirius asked. "They say teach a man to fish…"
Remus laughed at him. "Of course I will teach you, you taught me a couple things last night."
Remus tossed Sirius a shirt, and the two of them walked towards the lake where they met.
"Hey, Sirius?" Remus asked, taking his bait and setting up to throw in the line for the first time. Sirius was sitting beside him, watching him work.
"Yeah?"
"Do you think this is a long term thing?" Remus asked. A flush went over Sirius' face and Remus hastened to add. "Our relationship, I mean."
"Oh." Sirius' look of embarrassment disappeared. "I thought you meant me being a burden on you."
"You have never been a burden on me, Siri."
"Good, because I kind of like living with you."
"Want to move in officially?" Remus uttered the words before he could help it. He just loved having the other man around constantly. It was so lonely during the nights before he met Sirius.
"You're serious?"
Remus nodded, although he was nervous about putting it all out there. If he got shot down now…
"I think that sounds marvelous," Sirius said. "So, you are kind of in love with me, aren't you?"
Instead of replying, Remus tossed a worm at Sirius, making him jump to his feet. "Kind of," Remus replied cheekily.