Ship: E5 - Gifts/Presents

Spring: C1 - New Moon

Trope: E1 - Old Eyes

Chaser Prompt: "I can make all the tables turn" - Blank Space

Additional Prompts: 2. (object) bouquet of flowers; 8. (era) Marauders; 9. (trope) secret relationship

Stacked With: BAON; Star; Fence; T3; SN; Ship; Link; SpB; TrB

Individual Challenge(s): Old Shoes (Y); Reader (Y); Cinematic (Y); Stagehand (Y); Short Jog (Y); Stand Alone (Y); Two Cakes (Y): Eating Cake (Y); Vial Collector; Lunar Era (Y); Castle Time (Y); Waterfront (Y); Outer (Y); Dreamers (Y); Disabled (Y); Shipwreck (Y); Do It For Howard; Finders; Gryffindor MC (x2); Magical MC (Y); Bludgers

Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenge(s): Odd Feathers; Pear-Shaped; Wabi Sabi; Fizzy Lemonade; Chorus (Sneeze Weasel); Second Verse (Machismo; Peddling Pots)

Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenge(s): T3 (Thimble); SN (Ameliorate)

Warnings: Discussions of attempted murder; betrayal

Word Count: 1270

~o0o~

"I can make all the tables turn"

Blank Space

Remus physically felt best when there was no moon in the sky. The remaining twenty-eight days in the cycle he always felt his condition hanging over his shoulder; sapping his energy, always with him like a tapeworm he couldn't remove.

It was most noticeable before he started school with only himself for company. Now, he had more days than not where he could almost pretend that he was just a teenager and his biggest concerns were the same as every other guys' like acne and whether or not the popular hairstyle made them look like early-Paul McCartney or Moe.

Not that his hair was straight enough for a bowl cut. Like his best friend James, his hair grew in all directions except down.

And like many of his peers, by sixth year he finally understood all the hubbub regarding love.

"Another bouquet?" said Lily with a teasing grin at breakfast. "I'm starting to get jealous."

"I can get you flowers every day!" James squawked. "Daisies are you favorites, right?"

Lily rolled her eyes fondly. Remus wished she'd stop tormenting the poor guy and just accept a date already when she clearly liked him.

There was talk that Remus was receiving bouquets. Mostly from other guys who thought it would actually be nice if a girl would send them bouquets expressing their interest.

Nestled in the sunflowers and asters was a note, printed as to disguise the sender.

Tonight. You know where.

Remus subtly palmed the note and hid it in his pocket. James and Peter were so nosy, they would beg to come along to find out who this girl was. He didn't like hiding anything from the Marauders, but there were times where he was afraid that the wrong thing would turn them against him.

Logically, he knew this was ridiculous. They had all been together through thick and thin. Seen each other at their worst.

Even so, he couldn't help it. That fear of rejection would likely always be there.

That evening while on patrol, he told Lily part of the truth. That he was meeting the flower-giver tonight and she promised to cover for him.

Remus headed down to the lake. Even though there was no moon, he knew the way well by now.

As he approached the spot, he recognized the glow of a cigarette and the glint of studs on a well-loved leather jacket.

"Those things'll kill you," he said.

"Life expectancy in my family isn't very long," said Sirius. "'specially if my dear old mother finds out about us."

"And yet you continue to send such beautiful flowers," said Remus. "I'm amazed James has no idea yet. Doesn't he know you're sending them?"

"James is one of those classic smart idiots," said Sirius. "I haven't been trying to hide the flowers, he just doesn't put two and two together and the bloke thinks he can be an Auror."

"Let's hope not for the detective division," Remus joked.

"Is my smoking habit going to get in the way of snogging?" he asked.

"Not fond of the smell," said Remus.

Sirius put out the cigarette and banished the butt before pulling Remus into his arms. Despite the smoke and ash, he melted into the kiss, pressing his lover up against the tree bearing their initials.

He didn't know he could feel this way. That someone would want him so completely without fear. That something could feel so right and he would want to keep it all to himself.

"We going to be in the shadows forever?" Sirius murmured into his neck.

"Shadows are safer," said Remus, though he wasn't keen on keeping this secret from their closest friends for too long. "At least for as long as we're under our parents' thumbs."

"Graduation, then." Sirius nipped his ear. "And then no one can tell us what to do."

Remus smiled. "Graduation, then."

Eventually, he needed to get back to his patrol and Sirius gallantly escorted him back to the castle, stealing one last kiss before running off.

They didn't think to check the map. If they had, they would have known that Severus Snape was tailing them.

~o0o~

A bouquet of lily-of-the-valleys dropped down in front of Remus. He stared at the card that read the same old calling:

Tonight. You know where.

Sirius stared at him from the opposite side of the table with a mix of emotions.

Remus tapped his wand to the bouquet and they withered away as if eaten by fire, note and all.

"Everything okay with your lady love?" Peter teased, then clammed up at Remus' withering scowl.

"I'm going to take a walk," said Remus, standing up.

"Sure," said James. "I'll tell McGonagall you'll be late? No, absent."

"Thanks." He grabbed his bag and strode out of the hall.

Severus stood in the doorway with a furious scowl.

"Wolf," he hissed.

Remus hit him with his shoulder on his way out. He just had to stick his stupid big nose in their business. Thank goodness James saw reason for once.

He headed outside and before he realized it he was back to his and Sirius' rendezvous spot. He paced the area, running that night over in his head. It was a common misconception that werewolves couldn't remember the night's events. If Sirius' plan had been successful, perhaps he would have blocked it out.

In his pacing, he spotted the initials Sirius carved the night they had their first kiss.

S + R

Sirius had been planning on getting a tattoo with their initials and circled by their birth month flowers. Narcissus and chrysanthemums.

Feeling enraged, Remus swiped his nails against the trunk, they were always a little too sharp in the days after the full moon. He tore up the bark until the letters disappeared, then plunked down on the shore.

"Moony. Will you talk to me?"

Remus shook his head and glared out at the water.

"Remus—"

"Don't say you're sorry!" he snapped. "Why, Sirius? Why would you do that?"

"Snivellus outed me to my mum!" Sirius protested. "She chopped my hair! Destroyed my stuff! Burned my face off the tapestry and was—"

"Why would you make me a murderer?!" Remus shouted. "You know that's my worst fear out of this condition! How dare you set me up like that?!"

"He—"

"We could have done something else!" Remus dug his nails into his scalp so he wouldn't turn them on Sirius. "Made his life hell. You've betrayed me, Sirius."

"I… I wasn't thinking. I love you Remus, I—"

"If you truly did you never would have even thought to set me up to murder someone," he spat. "You do not get to say you love me. I don't even know if I want to be your friend after all this!"

Sirius flinched and backed up.

"But it's the four of us against the world… That's how it's always been."

"Doesn't give you the excuse to use me like you did." Remus stood and faced him. "Maybe one day I'll forgive you. You've always been brash, often acting without thinking…"

"And us…"

"This will always be a cloud over us, Sirius," said Remus. "You used me to try and murder someone and nothing can change that. We'll talk again when I stop feeling so damn hurt over what you've done. No more flowers. No more presents. No more late night rendezvous. Far as I'm concerned this is just another spot on the lake."

"That's it, then?"

Remus nodded and walked away, wishing there was a spell that could take the dagger out of his heart.