Skipping time (Wolfstar au)

3.

One morning Sirius lies and listens to the sun. The window's open, and he can see it shining in the cold winter morning. He's not sure if it even makes a sound, but there's something there, he thinks, maybe something.

Remus lies next to him, curled up into a ball and tucked into his side. He watches Remus sleep, eyes fluttering, and he remembers.

~

He and James were sat on the docks on the summer after the prank. It was two in the morning, though it didn't look it - the sun was still up and casting a soft light over the boats. Sirius held a letter in his hand, and watched a small ship sail into the port of Svolvær, Lofoten, Norway.

It was from Remus, a usual letter detailing how boring it was at home in Wales (though Sirius knew he enjoyed the beaches and Hope's motorbike and the sea and the trees and the wildness and homeliness of it), and how much he missed them, pleading Prongs to keep Padfoot out of trouble , but there was one bit at the end, that bothered him slightly.

He'd spoken briefly about how his dad was away over the coming week, and Sirius was scared. It was the full moon that week - if his mum was a muggle and in hospital and his father 'away', then what was he going to do? How was he going to heal?

"Prongs I- uh. I just don't know what to do. Like, I can't just let him be alone but he still hates me and wouldn't want anyone to come. He wouldn't want to see me. I fucking miss him and I don't want him to be in danger. Hell, what do I do?"

"I don't know mate, I dunno. You've gotta talk to him again though. He doesn't hate you, not anymore. You messed up big time but he doesn't hate you. Told me himself."

"Uh, Prongs. But- just- uh I don't even have the words he's just so fucking great and I could have fucking killed him or ruined his life and I don't even- I can't even-"

"You love him don't you?"

"I mean yeah - we all do."

"No. Sirius. You love him."

Sirius stopped. He hadn't thought about it like that before. He'd acknowledged he had feelings for Remus, the fucking hot, cute, smart, funny, cute, hot, sarcastic idiot, but he'd never considered it like that. But it was, really. He didn't just want to kiss him (and fuck him, though he wasn't going to admit that to James), he wanted to protect him at all costs and make his tea and cuddle him by the fire when he's sick and god he's such a sap.

"Shit." He leans back, hands against the rough wood of the jetty. "Yup, yes, I do, yes, I'm fucking whipped, and therefore fucking screwed."

"Mind your profanity. And no, I don't think you're screwed."

"But Moony's bloody straight. He's been with half the girls in Gryffindor."

"Yeah, but he also watches you while you do your homework, flirts with you occasionally though you're too bloody oblivious to notice, wore eyeliner for like half our trip to Barcelona with the girls over Easter (Sirius remembers this very well - Remus was fucking hot and Sirius couldn't concentrate and it definitely wasn't from the heat), and has been pining over you for ages. I'm not sure if it's longer than you but still."(a/n also Barcelona is the best I love it and La Boqueria and Las Ramblas and Montjuic and Gracia and everything else and the atmosphere and the wide streets of the more suburban parts and the windy streets of the centre and the markets and the people (and the bakeries - XUIXOS), and the Sagrada Familia is bloody amazing)

"I do not pine!"

"You do, everyone in Gryffindor tower knows except Remus. Also have you noticed that he's never stayed in a relationship for more than two weeks and hasn't dated since two summers ago?"