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small_giftsTitle: Christmas 1979
Author/Artist:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
rufus
Written for:meory. Merry Christmas!
Beta: Many thanks and Christmas cookies tosambethe. Any remaining mistakes are entirely my own fault.
Word count: 1300
Rating: PG-13 for implied naughtiness
Summary and/or Prompt: "Circumnavigate this body/ Of wonder and uncertainty/Armed with every precious failure/And amateur cartography" - from "Aside" by The Weakerthans, favorite books, and meeting the parents for Christmas dinner.
Any other random notes, warnings, etc.: None!
"No, Padfoot," Remus said from the door, causing Sirius to almost stab himself in the neck with his cravat pin.
"But –" he began, and Remus sat down on the (their) bed with a soft sigh.
"Christmas dinner is not a dress-robes occasion at our house. Besides which, you look a bit like a disco-dancing undertaker," Remus said, the edges of his mouth curling up in a smile. "Just wear the jumper she made for you last year."
Sirius scowled briefly, then began unraveling the knot, secretly glad to be rid of the cravat and the itchy wool robe that went with it. Shucking off the top layer of his outfit, he rummaged in a drawer for the jumper and a clean t-shirt, vaguely aware of Remus' eyes on him. He was about to pull the t-shirt on when he felt warmth at his back and fingertips ghosting over the edges of the fresh bruises on his ribs that had been an early Christmas "present" from Evan Rosier.
"I'm fine," he said, shuffling around to face Remus, whose face had settled into the expression that always (still) made Sirius' stomach feel fluttery.
"I know," Remus murmured, and curled an arm around Sirius' waist, pulling him in for a brief hug; he smelled of peppermint, and Sirius wanted to lick him. He settled for nuzzling at his neck. "Now hurry up, or we'll get caught in traffic in Inverness."
Sirius huffed softly, and Remus tugged his hair gently before stepping away and leaving the room. Sirius quickly wriggled into his clothes, ran the comb through his hair one last time, and went out to join Remus in the Floo.
"Larentia Cottage!" Remus called out, and the whole world turned green.
**
Twenty minutes later they fell out of the Floo and into the Lupin's living room, which was small, homey and reassuringly lined with books. The parts of the walls that were visible were covered in pieces of crockery with unmoving pictures of Muggle royalty on them, which Sirius had never really understood but found charming just the same.
There was also a massive Christmas tree jammed into a corner, covered in ornaments and draped in bright silver and blue tinsel. Small bright lights gleamed in the dimness between the boughs, but they didn't flicker like proper fairy lights. Frowning faintly, Sirius picked his way through the brightly wrapped packages surrounding the tree to investigate.
"They're electric, Padfoot," Remus said, amusement in his voice, and then kitchen door popped open and Mrs. Lupin walked in the room wearing a festive apron.
She fussed around Remus for a bit, taking the cake boxes from him whilst brushing non-existent ash off his shoulders and muttering about him being too thin. Remus accepted the attention with no apparent fuss, but Sirius could see could see an unsettlingly familiar worry in his face. Alarmed, Sirius moved closer for a better look at Mrs. Lupin; she seemed thinner and paler than Sirius remembered, and more worn about the eyes.
"Happy Christmas, Mrs. Lupin," he said when Remus started shifting his weight from one leg to the other, and she let out a delighted squeak and hugged him, her grip as strong as ever.
Reassured, Sirius squeezed her back and followed the two of them into the kitchen. The table was covered in a brilliant red cloth, with several plates of food laid out on it, including a good-sized roasted leg of lamb.
"So, Sirius, what is it you and James are doing these days?" Mrs. Lupin asked, once Mr. Lupin had been summoned from his study and persuaded to carve the lamb. "Remus' last letter said the three of you work together sometimes."
"We've been helping Dumbledore with some of his projects," Remus cut in, before Sirius could reply, his voice calm and steady. "Research, n'that, you know. Nothing very exciting."
Sirius took a bite of his creamed onions and chewed carefully, flicking his eyes between the two senior Lupins to gauge the success of the lie – well, half-truth. Remus' mother was cutting up her meat in a precise way that suggested she had more questions, and his father's eyes had narrowed with suspicion.
"Research," Mr. Lupin repeated, fixing his gaze on Remus' face, and Sirius felt Remus go very still next to him. "What sort of research, exactly?"
"Dark Curses, mostly," Remus said, stabbing at chunks of potato with his fork, and his father's shoulders stiffened.
"That's hardly the sort of thing you want to be mixed up with," Mr. Lupin said, and Remus made an irritated noise.
"Rom," Mrs. Lupin said, and Sirius realised with some surprise that she was the source of Remus' Prefect Voice.
There was a brief, uncomfortable period in which the only sounds were the faint clink clinks of silverware on dishes, and then Mrs. Lupin turned back to Sirius.
"How are you all otherwise, Sirius, dear? I was so sorry to hear that Mr. Potter had crossed the bar – and so soon after Mrs. Potter, as well."
"We're fine," Sirius said, and felt a hand ghost over his knee and squeeze gently as he took another bite of creamed onion.
Mrs. Lupin gazed at him expectantly, and he briefly considered telling her about the baby before deciding it was probably too early.
"Lily and James closed up the big house and moved down to Godric's Hollow," he said instead. "She's already started taking in stray cats and James has taken up lawn bowling, of all things."
She laughed, and Sirius glanced at Remus out of the corner of his eye. His face was blank and set, and he seemed to be engaged in some sort of staring contest with his father. Sirius kicked him in the ankle, hard, and Remus blinked twice before turning to face his mother.
"Lily told him off twice last week for using gnomes as pins," Remus said, and she managed a severe expression for a moment or two before dissolving into giggles.
After that the conversation wandered into safer territory, and Sirius let several tales of village scandals wash over him whilst he ate. By the time Mrs. Lupin got up to get the Christmas cake and crackers from the sideboard, both her face and Remus' were pink with laughter, and the tightness in Sirius' stomach had eased considerably. The twinkle in her eye when she sent them back through the Floo with two enormous boxes of leftovers almost – almost – convinced him everything he had seen earlier had been a trick of the light.
**
"Bloody hell, we're going to be eating pudding for months," Remus said, the couch dipping slightly as he sat down next to Sirius. "Are you reading A Christmas Carol again?"
"Mmm," Sirius said, shifting a little so that Remus could curl up against his side. A bit later, secure in the knowledge that the Cratchits were going to get their Christmas goose, Sirius marked his place carefully and set the book on a nearby end table. "What's wrong with your mum?"
"She's fine, it's just holiday stress," Remus said, and moved again, so that he was straddling Sirius' knees. "Sinead's quit again, and she had to go and help Aunt Fiona all week. And Dad's been keeping the Prophet from her, as well, which always makes her worry more."
Sirius slid his hands up under Remus' shirt, tracing the contours of his ribs and spine whilst he considered that information. He glanced upwards and saw Remus regarding him from beneath his eyelashes, his expression reflecting both exasperation and amusement, and pulled him down for a kiss. Remus' mouth was warm and wet, and Sirius got lost in it. Sometime later Remus tugged him down on the couch and made their clothes disappear, and all thoughts beyond yes and more fled his brain.
Author/Artist:
rufus Written for:
meory. Merry Christmas! Beta: Many thanks and Christmas cookies to
sambethe. Any remaining mistakes are entirely my own fault.Word count: 1300
Rating: PG-13 for implied naughtiness
Summary and/or Prompt: "Circumnavigate this body/ Of wonder and uncertainty/Armed with every precious failure/And amateur cartography" - from "Aside" by The Weakerthans, favorite books, and meeting the parents for Christmas dinner.
Any other random notes, warnings, etc.: None!
"No, Padfoot," Remus said from the door, causing Sirius to almost stab himself in the neck with his cravat pin.
"But –" he began, and Remus sat down on the (their) bed with a soft sigh.
"Christmas dinner is not a dress-robes occasion at our house. Besides which, you look a bit like a disco-dancing undertaker," Remus said, the edges of his mouth curling up in a smile. "Just wear the jumper she made for you last year."
Sirius scowled briefly, then began unraveling the knot, secretly glad to be rid of the cravat and the itchy wool robe that went with it. Shucking off the top layer of his outfit, he rummaged in a drawer for the jumper and a clean t-shirt, vaguely aware of Remus' eyes on him. He was about to pull the t-shirt on when he felt warmth at his back and fingertips ghosting over the edges of the fresh bruises on his ribs that had been an early Christmas "present" from Evan Rosier.
"I'm fine," he said, shuffling around to face Remus, whose face had settled into the expression that always (still) made Sirius' stomach feel fluttery.
"I know," Remus murmured, and curled an arm around Sirius' waist, pulling him in for a brief hug; he smelled of peppermint, and Sirius wanted to lick him. He settled for nuzzling at his neck. "Now hurry up, or we'll get caught in traffic in Inverness."
Sirius huffed softly, and Remus tugged his hair gently before stepping away and leaving the room. Sirius quickly wriggled into his clothes, ran the comb through his hair one last time, and went out to join Remus in the Floo.
"Larentia Cottage!" Remus called out, and the whole world turned green.
**
Twenty minutes later they fell out of the Floo and into the Lupin's living room, which was small, homey and reassuringly lined with books. The parts of the walls that were visible were covered in pieces of crockery with unmoving pictures of Muggle royalty on them, which Sirius had never really understood but found charming just the same.
There was also a massive Christmas tree jammed into a corner, covered in ornaments and draped in bright silver and blue tinsel. Small bright lights gleamed in the dimness between the boughs, but they didn't flicker like proper fairy lights. Frowning faintly, Sirius picked his way through the brightly wrapped packages surrounding the tree to investigate.
"They're electric, Padfoot," Remus said, amusement in his voice, and then kitchen door popped open and Mrs. Lupin walked in the room wearing a festive apron.
She fussed around Remus for a bit, taking the cake boxes from him whilst brushing non-existent ash off his shoulders and muttering about him being too thin. Remus accepted the attention with no apparent fuss, but Sirius could see could see an unsettlingly familiar worry in his face. Alarmed, Sirius moved closer for a better look at Mrs. Lupin; she seemed thinner and paler than Sirius remembered, and more worn about the eyes.
"Happy Christmas, Mrs. Lupin," he said when Remus started shifting his weight from one leg to the other, and she let out a delighted squeak and hugged him, her grip as strong as ever.
Reassured, Sirius squeezed her back and followed the two of them into the kitchen. The table was covered in a brilliant red cloth, with several plates of food laid out on it, including a good-sized roasted leg of lamb.
"So, Sirius, what is it you and James are doing these days?" Mrs. Lupin asked, once Mr. Lupin had been summoned from his study and persuaded to carve the lamb. "Remus' last letter said the three of you work together sometimes."
"We've been helping Dumbledore with some of his projects," Remus cut in, before Sirius could reply, his voice calm and steady. "Research, n'that, you know. Nothing very exciting."
Sirius took a bite of his creamed onions and chewed carefully, flicking his eyes between the two senior Lupins to gauge the success of the lie – well, half-truth. Remus' mother was cutting up her meat in a precise way that suggested she had more questions, and his father's eyes had narrowed with suspicion.
"Research," Mr. Lupin repeated, fixing his gaze on Remus' face, and Sirius felt Remus go very still next to him. "What sort of research, exactly?"
"Dark Curses, mostly," Remus said, stabbing at chunks of potato with his fork, and his father's shoulders stiffened.
"That's hardly the sort of thing you want to be mixed up with," Mr. Lupin said, and Remus made an irritated noise.
"Rom," Mrs. Lupin said, and Sirius realised with some surprise that she was the source of Remus' Prefect Voice.
There was a brief, uncomfortable period in which the only sounds were the faint clink clinks of silverware on dishes, and then Mrs. Lupin turned back to Sirius.
"How are you all otherwise, Sirius, dear? I was so sorry to hear that Mr. Potter had crossed the bar – and so soon after Mrs. Potter, as well."
"We're fine," Sirius said, and felt a hand ghost over his knee and squeeze gently as he took another bite of creamed onion.
Mrs. Lupin gazed at him expectantly, and he briefly considered telling her about the baby before deciding it was probably too early.
"Lily and James closed up the big house and moved down to Godric's Hollow," he said instead. "She's already started taking in stray cats and James has taken up lawn bowling, of all things."
She laughed, and Sirius glanced at Remus out of the corner of his eye. His face was blank and set, and he seemed to be engaged in some sort of staring contest with his father. Sirius kicked him in the ankle, hard, and Remus blinked twice before turning to face his mother.
"Lily told him off twice last week for using gnomes as pins," Remus said, and she managed a severe expression for a moment or two before dissolving into giggles.
After that the conversation wandered into safer territory, and Sirius let several tales of village scandals wash over him whilst he ate. By the time Mrs. Lupin got up to get the Christmas cake and crackers from the sideboard, both her face and Remus' were pink with laughter, and the tightness in Sirius' stomach had eased considerably. The twinkle in her eye when she sent them back through the Floo with two enormous boxes of leftovers almost – almost – convinced him everything he had seen earlier had been a trick of the light.
**
"Bloody hell, we're going to be eating pudding for months," Remus said, the couch dipping slightly as he sat down next to Sirius. "Are you reading A Christmas Carol again?"
"Mmm," Sirius said, shifting a little so that Remus could curl up against his side. A bit later, secure in the knowledge that the Cratchits were going to get their Christmas goose, Sirius marked his place carefully and set the book on a nearby end table. "What's wrong with your mum?"
"She's fine, it's just holiday stress," Remus said, and moved again, so that he was straddling Sirius' knees. "Sinead's quit again, and she had to go and help Aunt Fiona all week. And Dad's been keeping the Prophet from her, as well, which always makes her worry more."
Sirius slid his hands up under Remus' shirt, tracing the contours of his ribs and spine whilst he considered that information. He glanced upwards and saw Remus regarding him from beneath his eyelashes, his expression reflecting both exasperation and amusement, and pulled him down for a kiss. Remus' mouth was warm and wet, and Sirius got lost in it. Sometime later Remus tugged him down on the couch and made their clothes disappear, and all thoughts beyond yes and more fled his brain.
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