A/N: I think you'll get more out of this chapter if you listen to "Touch me" by The Doors before (it's not necessary it's just a recommendation if you don't know the song ^^)
The second Remus stepped out of the cottage he started to doubt what he'd told Sirius about north. He'd told Sirius that he wasn't sure anymore, but Sirius had just shrugged and replied "We might as well start out by heading that way."
However, as they got farther away from the cottage it became clear that they were on the right track, in the beginning it was only obvious to Remus, little signs, like broken branches or a distinctive smell. Remus really hoped it wouldn't get worse, that would be fantastic to try to explain to Sirius.
"Remus?" Somehow Remus got the feeling that wasn't the first time Sirius had called his name.
"Sorry, what?"
"I just asked you if this is the right way," Sirius seemed extremely relaxed.
"Oh, yeah, I think so," Remus nervously smiled and hoped Sirius wouldn't notice the blood on the leaves.
"What do you even keep in that bag to make it so damn important?"
"Well, what do you keep in your trunk," Remus replied.
"You've seen what I keep in my trunk," Sirius reminded him then he drew a sharp breath. Right in front of them lay a torn shirt smeared with blood, next to it was Remus' bag, Great, really bloody fantastic.
"Is that your bag?" Sirius inquired.
"Um… yes," Remus gulped and quickly picked up the bag.
Sirius searched Remus' face with an odd look "Okay, let's go."
What? Remus gaped at Sirius who just quirked a brow and started to walk. Remus stumbled after him, puzzled but relieved that Sirius didn't insist on pursuing the subject.
When Remus caught up with Sirius the taller boy eyed his torso with something near concern "Let me carry that," Sirius said, more an order than a request.
Remus considered refusing, but concluded that if he didn't want to answer any questions he'd better do as Sirius said. "Be careful," Remus begged as he handed the bag over.
"Wow, seriously what do you have in this bag, an entire library?" Sirius exclaimed before slipping one strap of the backpack over his shoulder.
"A portable turntable, LPs and a couple of books," Remus admitted, "Oh, and of course clothes and food." His father had cast an undetectable extending charm on it as a birthday present last year.
"When you say food…" Sirius started.
"Mostly cans."
Sirius let out a small groan, "Do I look like a can-person?"
"Stop being such a spoiled prat, it's better than starving. You're just mad because you're unable to use a can-opener."
This comment earned Remus a deadpanned look, "Be nice to the house-hold troubled," Sirius dramatically exclaimed.
"Get a grip," Remus rolled his eyes. Sirius swiftly took Remus' hand, "It's an expression," Remus exclaimed.
Sirius smirked "I know," but didn't let go of Remus' hand. Remus couldn't really see the logic in it, not that he was complaining, though, it was quite nice holding Sirius' warm hand.
"I have an idea," Sirius suddenly said, grinning at Remus "You can teach me about muggle music." Remus quirked an eyebrow at him "You have music with you. I teach you magic, you teach me about your music. It's very fair, something for something, then I'm not just teaching you because you're cute."
Remus felt a warm blush creeping up from his neck, Cute. "Seems fair. It's mainly Beatles, though," he shrugged and really hoped Sirius didn't notice the red colour he seemed to turn every other second when he was with the stormy-eyed boy. Not that the probability for Sirius not noticing was very high seeing that Sirius actually had a well functioning eyesight.
"Then it's a deal," Sirius beamed and squeezed Remus' hand lightly. "I have my wand in the pocket, if you want to practise you can just take it."
Remus hesitated for a second, it seemed a bit odd to just stick your hand in people's pockets "Left or right?" Choosing the wish to improve his use of magic over the awkwardness.
"Right."
xXxXx
"Wow, do you have everything they've ever made?" Sirius marvelled as he sat with 11 LP's in front of him at the floor that evening.
Remus looked up from the turntable "No, I don't have Beatles for sale or any of their singles."
"Do you think you'll survive?" Sirius snickered.
"Hey," Remus nudged Sirius with the foot "It's actually a fantastic album and Ringo and George sings."
"You are aware that I have no idea who 'Ringo' or 'George' are, right," Sirius said, supressing a grin and nudged Remus back.
Remus worried his lip "Do you want me to cut it short or…?"
"No need to cut it short," Sirius smiled, something he disturbingly enough didn't regret later.
Remus enthusiastically started talking about The Quarry Men who later became The Beatles, the recruiting of first Paul McCartney, the constant changing of members, but finally mainly John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison.
Remus was adorable when he was talking about things that really interested him. His eyes lit up and turned a nearly golden shade, his cheeks grew slightly red in a non-embarrassed manner and his hand-movements turned uncontrolled.
When Remus way over half an hour later started talking about the break-up and then moved on to conspiracy theories, Sirius had almost stopped listening and was mainly using it as an excuse for looking at Remus.
"Do you think they had a relationship?" Sirius suddenly interrupted.
"I… Who?" Remus confused asked.
"Lennon and McCartney of course."
Remus just stared at Sirius "When you say relationship…"
"Romantically," Sirius explained.
"They're both heterosexual," Remus claimed with a baffled expression.
"Not necessarily," Sirius shrugged "They could be bi."
"They're just friends, or they were," Remus stated.
"If you say so," Sirius unconvinced said Just as straight as I am.
Remus rolled his eyes "You almost sound like Lucy."
"I like this 'Lucy'," No, I absolutely do not. Who the fuck is she? Sirius casually added, "Who is she?"
"Lucy? She's a friend of mine," Remus smiled.
"Friend or 'friend'?" Sirius inquired.
"What is wrong with you? Don't you believe in platonic friendships?" Remus asked.
"I'm just asking," Sirius objected, relieved taking Remus' statement as a friends. Not that Sirius couldn't have done something about it if Lucy had been a "friend" but somehow it wouldn't have felt right, not when it was Remus.
"I still haven't heard any of their songs, you know," Sirius reminded Remus.
"Oh, I almost forgot."
"You've been talking about The Beatles for something near an hour and you 'almost forgot'?" Sirius disbelievingly asked.
"Yes," Remus shuffled closer to Sirius and picked the album with Please Please Me written on with red letters.
When the first song started playing Sirius almost groaned aloud You can't be serious. but at the time they reached the B-side Sirius had to admit there were something about them. "All right, I can see that they have a certain something but enough for this obsession of yours?"
"I didn't fall completely in love with them after Please Please Me, it was a bit later," Remus sent him a look that clearly said You'll understand what I mean when you hear it.
xXxXx
They had agreed on listening to an album every evening and by the time they reached Rubber soul Sirius was getting impatient. Not because of the music, he had to admit he slowly was beginning to understand why Remus was so mad about the band. It was more the way Remus reacted on their music. He got that look of bliss and just pure happiness, making Sirius grow mindless with want.
For six days he'd slept with Remus in his arms, eaten with him, laughed with him, taught him and as the time passed Sirius fell harder and harder, if it hadn't been to terrifying to put into words he'd have called it falling in love which was ridiculous seeing that he'd only known Remus for less than a week.
That morning Sirius had decided that he'd make a move. Maybe he'd get rid of all those pointless feelings for Remus if he just did what he usually did.
The look on Remus' face and the smashed plate when Sirius had walked into the kitchen that morning dressed in tightfitting leather trousers had told Sirius that 1. Remus wasn't completely straight, something he'd been fairly certain of even before, and 2. Sirius' strategy was working.
They had just finished their dinner when Sirius asked "Sure about that not singing thing?"
Remus stopped licking his spoon "Yes, if you're so intend upon it, why don't you sing?"
"Okay," Sirius shrugged "Five seconds," he quickly went to find the one single he'd brought with him. In his haste to leave home he hadn't cared to bring his turntable, but this one Doors LP he was rather fond of.
When he returned he looked to Remus for confirmation before touching Remus' beloved turntable. Sirius also spelled the LP to mute the vocals, a spell he'd been practising last year when James for some reason had demanded to hear Sirius sing and Sirius hadn't wanted to do it without music. Sirius knew he could sing, he'd actually taken singing-lessons when he was a kid, and piano lessons, but he'd never had the patience to learn that properly, besides, it had been entertaining to watch his mother's displeased look when his piano-teacher had refused to "spend more time on that arrogant…" that was when his mother had started shouting about not speaking ill of the noble Black family which apparently was far purer than the teacher's descends.
The characteristic intro started playing and Sirius rolled his hips in a way that almost made him forget singing when he saw that it had caused Remus' eyes to turn dark with... want?
Come on, come on, come on, come on
Now touch me, baby
Can't you see that I am not afraid?
What was that promise that you made?
Why won't you tell me what she said?
What was that promise that you made?
Perhaps he could have chosen a more subtle song than Touch me but Sirius wasn't a very subtle person and apparently it was useful for the purpose. Sirius inwardly grinned as he waited for the short instrumental part to be over.
Now, I'm gonna love you
'Till the heavens stop the rain
I'm gonna love you
'Till the stars fall from the sky for you and I
Remus was staring at him with his mouth slightly open. Sirius made use of the longer instrumental part. He reached his hands towards Remus who slowly took them. Then he pulled Remus into a standing position with him and carefully started to move in a dance-ish way that Remus followed.
Come on, come on, come on, come on
Now touch me, baby
Can't you see that I am not afraid?
What was that promise that you made?
Why won't you tell me what she said?
What was that promise that you made?
When the slower part approached Sirius pulled Remus closer and wrapped his hands around the smaller boy's waist. He could hear Remus' breath hitch, but instead of pulling back Remus placed his hands on Sirius' shoulders.
I'm gonna love you
'Till the heavens stop the rain
I'm gonna love you
'Till the stars fall from the sky for you and I
I'm gonna love you
'Till the heavens stop the rain
I'm gonna love you
'Till the stars fall from the sky for you and I
They were still swaying when the outro started and Sirius suddenly started to regret his do your thing and then you can forget him. He realised that he didn't want to forget Remus and what should've been terrifying actually wasn't. What if Remus didn't really want this? Sirius tried to diffuse the tension by talking about the first thing that fell to his mind "Jim Morrison was rather attractive, don't you think?"
"Very," Remus absently muttered and kept his amber gaze locked with Sirius' "You actually look a bit like him," Remus didn't seem to be completely aware of what he was saying but Sirius' brain was working furiously to digest that bit of information.
"You find me attractive?" Sirius breathed, his attempt on a smirk failing miserably.
Remus seemed to be pulled back to reality and tensed up "No!" He exclaimed "Or… yes… maybe?" he babbled with wide eyes and tried to pull away. Sirius tightened his grip on the boy and in one movement wrapped his left arm around Remus and moved his right hand to cup Remus' trembling cheek. Remus seemed unable of breaking their gaze and Sirius slowly moved his lips closer to Remus'. Just as he was bridging the gap between them he heard a voice.
"Sirius? Are you… Bloody hell! I've been worried about you, you twat, actually worried and then you're just with one of your boyfriends?!" If that ass ever gets lucky with Evans I'm going tell her every non-flattering story there is about him. Sirius inwardly swore as Remus abruptly stepped backwards.
"Nice to see you too, James," Sirius fumed.
"What is wrong with you? I even contacted that ghastly brother of yours, I expect you to make that up to me, by the way. When he started talking about you running away I thought something had happened and then you're just here? I'm your best friend, Sirius, shouldn't I be prioritized over sex?" James indignantly threw his arms out, "You don't usually show them the cottage, though."
"James, shut your mouth or I'm going to shut it for you," Sirius was threatening walking towards James who started backing out of the kitchen.
"Calm down, I was just concerned, that's all. You could at least have owled me," James' backing sped up until he hit the wall in the study.
Sirius grabbed his collar "Listen up, it's not like that with Remus,"
"Oh, Remus is it?" James interrupted, but shut up when Sirius violently shoved him against the wall.
"It. Is. Not. Like. That." Sirius growled, "Now get out." he let go of James' collar. Sirius had never in his life been this furious with his best mate.
"Point taken." James icily said and stepped back in the fire where he came from. If Sirius hadn't been so furious he'd have panicked at the tone: James was never cold but right now Sirius couldn't care less.
Sirius twirled around to look for Remus, but he wasn't there. fuck, fuck, fuck!
xXxXx
Remus had left at You don't usually show them the cottage, though. and was now haphazardly throwing things in his bag. A hand suddenly touched his shoulder and Remus spun around. "Don't touch me," he hissed.
"Remus, listen…" Sirius started.
"I don't want to listen!" Remus screamed "And get your hand off of me!" Sirius quickly withdrew his hand. "I don't want to listen, I don't want to be 'one of your boyfriends', I just want to get away from here," Remus snapped and continued throwing things into the bag.
"Please," Sirius begged, forcing Remus to face him again. Sirius was looking unearthly with his coal black hair against the white dress shirt and his leather trousers. Untouchable. Unattainable. and yet Remus couldn't find the will to say no, he could only fight back the tears and look into Sirius' silver eyes.
"What he said; it's not true, or, it was, but it's not anymore," Sirius was biting his lip hard enough to draw blood, "That's coming out wrong," he tugged at his dark hair "I have a past, just like you have a past. It once was like that but not with you. It's different with you." the look in his eyes had turned pleading.
Remus' heart was tearing up "And why should I believe you?" he managed to dryly ask.
"Because I really care for you," Sirius whispered, "And it's freaking me out, but I really, deeply care for you."
"If it's freaking you out you'll be happy to hear I'm leaving, right now." Remus abandoned the packing and just swung the bag over one shoulder.
"If I didn't care for you I would just have fucked you the first day!" Sirius yelled, "It's the first bloody time I haven't done that, and that's what's freaking me out, that I didn't want to do anything if there was a chance it'd make you bolt." he continued more softly.
Remus slowly put the bag down "How do you expect me to believe that?" but he did believe it. He wanted to believe it.
Sirius took a tiny step towards him, but then stopped and clenched his fists tightly together, "Let's make a deal. You'll stay, but I can't make any kind of move on you." Remus quirked his eyebrow, "No sex, no kissing, nothing like that," Sirius explained, "If the only thing I wanted to do was put my dick in you, do you really think I'd not just save myself from all that and find another guy?"
Remus rubbed a hand across his eyes and sighed. Why did he always end up like this? "Okay."
A/N: Thanks a lot to MissMagicalCat and TheNile for helping me out and being awesome ^^
Firstly: I'd have loved to make the longest Beatles intermezzo in history of non-Beatles fanfiction but I reckoned that wouldn't be popular... so I didn't... that much :3 If you're genuinely interested just PM me or you can read the book called "Revolution in the Head - The Beatles' Records and the Sixties" by Ian MacDonald (that wasn't meant as promotion... I just have that book and I'm very fond of it...)
Secondly: I'm not sure when I'll be able to upload again. I'm going to London next week so I won't be able to write. I hope I'll have a new chapter ready for you by the week after, though. Perhaps I can write a chapter before I go but I wouldn't count on it if I were you. Sorry o.o
As always I love reviews. Thank you to everyone who've reviewed so far ^^ you have my eternal love :3 (so have your others but you know - some infinities are bigger than others...)
'Till next time ^^