CHASING PAVEMENTS ⇒ wolfstar

SEVENTEEN

Remus blinks, taking in the darkness of the dormitory. It can't be more than two am. He feels warm hands on his belly; Sirius', no doubt. Remus snuggles closer to him, still sleepy but yet so wide awake simultaneously. He feels around for his warm, casting a dimmed Lumos and glancing around the room.

He spots James huddled in his bed, his blanket uneven as his movement during his sleep usually leaves it. Peter is also in his bed, Remus wonders when they returned. He can only imagine the conversation that was had when they found Remus curled up in Sirius' bed, with only the duvets to hide their nudity. Perhaps the crumpled clothing on the floor gave it all away.

Remus feels Sirius move beside him, his head tucked into the crane of Remus' neck. Remus can feel his hot breath against his neck as he says, "Hey, turn that light out, go back asleep, sweetheart,"

Remus quickly does so. "Sorry, did I wake you?" He whispers into the darkness.

Sirius hums quietly. "No, s'okay. I've been awake for a little while, they came in 'round midnight," Remus feels him nod towards the two sleeping men. "I've been awake ever since, Elliot's been really active; kinda surprised she hasn't woken you until now,"

"Oh? Has she?" There's a smile in Remus' voice. "You happen to overhear anything? Between James and Peter?"

Sirius softly chuckles, quietly. Everything is quiet as of now and Remus likes it that way. It feels cosier. "Mmh, 'course I did. S'like they couldn't help themselves from their reactions," He murmurs softly. "Said it was about time," He mutters.

Remus can feel Sirius' hands tighten around his belly, protectively. "Mmh," Remus hums gently. "Maybe it was," He agrees. He brings his hand down to Sirius', resting above the others larger hand as he gently strokes Sirius' knuckles. He opts to change the subject. "I don't mean to pry, but you talked to Regulus? Didn't you?"" He asks.

Sirius nods. "I did, mama, I did," Sirius says. Mama. Remus likes the title, somehow. "Reg's torn up over me leaving home, has been for awhile. They're a lot less kinder to him now that I'm gone," Sirius grits, his hands delicately pressing into Remus' belly, feeling for Elliot as if to ground himself, so he wouldn't lose his witts. "They're hurting him, Remus," He whispers chokedly.

Remus sighs softly. "Oh fuck, Sirius. They did his eye like that?"

"Yeah, kid, they did," Sirius explains. "I don't know what to do. He won't leave, says he's not brave enough to. Reggie thinks he's in too deep to leave. I told him as soon as I'm out of here, graduated and out free, I'm getting a place for myself and he's welcome to join me. I'll become his guardian, do whatever I can. I have to try, at least," Sirius buries his head further into Remus neck.

Remus smiles sadly. "It'll be okay. He'll be okay, we'll make sure he is. Won't we?"

"Of course we will," Sirius says.

They both use 'we' without second guessing it. No thought to be added in.

"You're a good brother, Padfoot," Remus whispers softly into the dark. "You're good to him, despite it all,"

"Told him all about our girl too, he wasn't too impressed to have been left out of the loop for so long but nows as good a time as any, I suppose,"

Our girl.

Our Elliot.

Elliot Dorothy Black.

"Yeah? What'd you tell him?"

Sirius smiles proudly, pondering for a moment. "Just the basics. All about her, her heartbeat, how she moves around and kicks whenever we talk to each other. All her special little skills, y'know?"