Summary: A series of vignettes throughout Remus and Sirius' relationship, centered around Taylor Swift's song Lover.

Note: I started this piece in 2019 when the album Lover came out, and it was intended to be a series of itty bitty vignettes that went along with the song Lover. I have two little snapshots of them that have been finished for six years, and then I sort of forgot about this piece. I don't really intend to write anymore of the vignettes, but there are some notes for most of the rest of the song so I suppose it might happen someday. Anyway, I thought at least someone out there might enjoy some of what there was written, and it feels nice to brush off the dust and take them out of the wip folder.

We could leave the Christmas lights up til January

This is our house, we make the rules

Remus wasn't sure what time he woke up to Sirius laying next to him, looking at their little studio apartment that was still all aglow from their Christmas lights—even though it was a week after Christmas—but it wasn't even light out yet. Despite the hour, Sirius was already awake, something that had become increasingly more common since they'd left school in June and were thrown into a world at war, fresh-faced, overzealous, and underprepared. Unlike most nights, though, Sirius didn't look like he was on the verge of falling apart.

"Knut for your thoughts?" Remus whispered, rolling over onto his side to face Sirius, who was laying on his back and looking out at the area of the studio that they'd designated as the living room, looking happier than Remus had seen him in a while.

"Just thinking about what a shame it is that we'll have to take all of this down."

"All of what?

"This." Sirius gestured to all of the Christmas lights that were still done up around their apartment, stuck with a semi-permanent sticking charm.

"They are nice, and I've gotten used to them being there. And to having to cast a mild sticking charm on my shoes so that they'll stay on without laces."

Sirius laughed at that, a bit loud and barking. "Yeah, you did a great job making our shoelaces into fairy lights," Sirius said, smiling. "On the sticking charm however…"

"That was one time! How was I supposed to know that a regular strength sticking charm would cause my shoes to be stuck to my feet for three days?!" Remus said, mock angry and laughing a bit at himself. It had been quite funny at first (though it got a bit frustrating by day three of having soggy socks from having to wear his shoes in the shower. The look on Sirius's face after he came home to see the apartment glowing in the soft light of Remus's shoelace fairy lights was well worth it, though).

"Maybe we should keep them up," Remus said after a bit of comfortable silence that had Sirius looking at their softly lit home and Remus looking softly at Sirius.

"What? We can't do that."

"Sure, we can. What's going to stop us?"

"The fact that Christmas was…" Sirius paused to grab his wand and cast a tempus charm. "8 days ago, and also you need your shoelaces back."

"I've been without them for 3 weeks; I think it's fine. Besides, it'll just give me ample time to further perfect my sticking charm." Sirius laughed, but still looked resistant to the idea.

"But it's January."

"Yes, yes, it is. So, let's have Christmas lights in January and February and July. Who's going to stop us? The Christmas Aurors?"

"But then they won't be special next Christmas." And Remus understood some of why Sirius liked them so much—they were a special Christmas surprise for him.

"I suppose not," Remus conceded. At Sirius's triumphant noise at having won the debate, Remus rolled onto his other side, facing away from Sirius, and grabbed his wand from his bedside table. He then promptly transfigured the twinkle lights strung about their home into little red chili pepper shaped lights. "There. Not an ounce of Christmas festivity remaining."

"Chili peppers are still a bit festive though, aren't they?" Sirius joked.

"Of course, as if anything with us could be less than festive. No Christmas festivity, though," Remus said, smugly.

"Oh, I'll show you festive, mister," Sirius said, rolling over to position himself over Remus, who had laid flat on his back after transfiguring the lights, and proceeded to kiss the smug look off of Remus's face.

"Festive indeed," Remus said, breaking the kiss, only to kiss him again, just as fervently.