Chapter Text
Remus thumped his fist on the door twice, humming absentmindedly to himself. He looked up at the sky and smiled at the blue; it was a cold day, but bright - Remus’ favourite. The autumn air smelt crisp and he stuck his tongue out to taste it with a grin. The door opened.
‘Why’re you sticking your tongue out?’ Sirius said in place of a greeting.
‘Air hays hiith.’
‘What? ’
Remus snapped his mouth shut and turned to Sirius with a toothy smile. ‘The air tastes nice.’
Sirius wrinkled his nose, his eyes crinkling. ‘You’re so weird.’ Remus stuck his tongue back out and Sirius rolled his eyes. ‘Why’re you here anyway?’
‘Charming.’ Remus said, reaching out large hands and placing them carefully on Sirius’ hips, lifting him up. ‘Swapsies!’ He spun them, so Sirius was now stood on the front step and Remus in the house.
‘Hey!’ Sirius huffed, wriggling in Remus’ hold. ‘Put me down, you brute!’
‘You’ve had your hair cut.’
'I know.’ Sirius said, pushing past Remus, snagging his elbow and dragging him free of the entrance way so he could close the door. ‘Had it done yesterday.’
‘It looks nice.’ Remus followed Sirius down the hallway to the kitchen. ‘James in?’
‘Nope. At Lily’s, I think. They’re going out tonight. I was actually going to text you, was wondering if you wanted to do something?’
‘Oh.’ Remus paused, halfway to getting a glass from the cupboard above the sink. ‘I’m really sorry, Pads. I’m seeing Caradoc tonight.’
‘No worries.’ Sirius shrugged it off, but Remus didn’t miss the flare in his scent; annoyance with just a touch of disappointment.
Remus sighed. ‘You’re annoyed.’
‘No I'm not,’ Sirius said. ‘Why would I be annoyed.’
‘I don’t know, Padfoot.’ Remus said. ‘But you are. I can smell it on you.’
‘Stupid omega pheromones,’ Sirius muttered mutinously, kicking at the floor like a petulant child and making Remus laugh.
‘Never mind, love.’ He held out his arms and Sirius shuffled forward into them, stiff as a board and refusing to move his arms from where they were stuck to his sides. ‘I promise we’ll do something next week.’
‘Yeh, whatever.’ Sirius mumbled into a mouthful of Remus’ jumper but his scent mellowed into something sweeter as he melted slightly, so Remus knew he was pacified.
‘I’m guessing you’re here to borrow a pair of James’ shoes if you’ve got a date tonight then?’ Sirius said after a moment, stepping back out of Remus’ arms and running a hand through his hair. ‘I think he was wearing the black ones when he left though, so you can’t have those.’
‘Actually,’ Remus said, suddenly feeling a bit stupid. ‘I was sort of hoping to ask you a favour.’ Sirius looked at him but didn’t say anything so Remus ploughed on. ‘A couple of weeks ago, when we were all at the pub that night, there was this bloke, he was quite fit to be fair, and I kept catching Doc looking at him and I thought he might have known him or something and I didn’t know whether to be annoyed or not but I didn’t want to say anything because I knew Doc’s heat was coming so I wondered if it was just that making he feel things and-’
‘Get to the point aaaanytime Moony.’ Sirius interrupted with a raised brow.
‘Yeh, sorry.’ Remus shook his head slightly. ‘Eyeliner. He had eyeliner on and, well, apparently-’
‘Eyeliner does it for Caradoc?’
‘Yes. And I was wondering if-’
‘If I could do eyeliner for you?’
‘Will you stop interrupting me!’ Remus raised his voice and then felt a pang of guilt as Sirius’ eyes widened and his scent flared again: fear.
‘Shit. I’m sorry, Pads.’ He tugged at his hair. ‘I don’t know why this is stressing me out so much!’ He gave a weak laugh. Sirius looked unimpressed.
‘You Alpha’d me!’
‘I didn’t Alpha you!’
‘You did a bit,’ Sirius argued. ‘I felt it.’
‘Well I didn’t mean to!’ Remus argued back, guilt flooding through him. He dropped his voice, ‘I’m really sorry, Sirius. Hug?’
‘You’re lucky I love you,’ Sirius told him, allowing Remus to wrap him up tight for the second time. ‘Next time I’m going to leave you to flounder with the charcoal on your own and hopefully you’ll poke your own eye out.’
‘Oooo, feisty Omega.’ Remus teased and Sirius headbutted his chest in retaliation. ‘So, you’ll help?’
‘Yes i’ll help.’ Sirius shoved him back and kept on shoving, little pushes until Remus fell back into a kitchen chair. ‘It’s obviously a big deal, for whatever reason.’ He looked questioningly down at Remus.
Remus just shrugged. ‘I dunno. Things have been weird between us. I just thought…’ he trailed off. ‘Actually, I don’t know what I thought.’
‘You can talk to me about it, you know.’ Sirius said, and Remus could tell he was trying to keep his voice light. ‘I won’t, like, judge or anything.’
Remus actually snorted. ‘Say that again, I dare you.’
‘Oh shut up,’ Sirius flushed pink. ‘I’m trying to be nice.’
‘Nah.’ Remus grinned. ‘Doesn’t suit you. Not my Sirius if he’s being nice .’
‘You are the worst person.’ Sirius told him as he reached for his bag and pulled out a black velvet pouch, embroidered with little silver stars. A birthday present from Remus a couple of years back. He emptied the contents onto the table with a clatter. ‘What colour do you want?’
‘Erm.’ Remus looked at the collection of make-up, bewildered. ‘Normal… eyeliner… colour?’
Sirius ignored him, pulling out his own chair and positioning himself in front of Remus. He reached over and picked up a pencil from the pile. ‘I think with your eyes navy is going to look best. Maybe with a spot of silver in the corners.’
Remus held his hands up. ‘Whatever you think is best. I am in your hands.’
‘Good.’ Sirius uncapped the pencil, revealing a soft textured navy kohl. ‘Close your eyes.’
The two of them were silent for a long moment while Sirius carefully lined the tops of Remus’ lashes, gentle strokes that caused Remus’ to twitch.
‘Stop it.’ Sirius murmured, the third time it happened. ‘I’m going to jab you.’
‘Sorry,’ Remus pulled back a little and opened his eyes, blinking the water away. ‘I can’t help it. It tickles. Does it- does it look ok?’
‘It looks good.’ Sirius said, reaching forward to cup Remus’ cheek with his hand and drawing his face forward. ‘It’ll look better if you let me finish though.’
Remus hummed and closed his eyes again, feeling the warmth of Sirius’ palm.
‘So,’ Sirius started, voice casual. ‘Trouble in paradise, hmm?’
Remus let out a breath. ‘Yeh. Maybe.’
‘Why’re you still with him Moony? I know you think I’m only saying these things because I'm jealous but you haven’t been happy with him for months now.’
Remus opened his eyes. ‘I don’t think you’re jealous.’
Sirius faltered. ‘Oh. Umm.’
‘Are you jealous?’
‘Well, err, I mean it’s nice to have someone, isn’t it?’ Sirius said, avoiding eye contact. ‘To be together. Not with you I mean! I just mean generally. To have someone around who wants to be with you and… boyfriends are cool, you know?’
‘Yeh.’ Remus looked at him. ‘Boyfriends are cool.’
‘You’re cool.’
‘I’m cool.’
‘And am I cool?’
‘What?’
‘I don’t know.’ Sirius admitted. ‘I’ve forgotten what we’re supposed to be talking about.’
Remus cocked his head to the side, leaning into Sirius’ hand which was still pressed against his cheek. ‘You’re definitely cool, Padfoot. You’re the coolest person I know.’
‘I’m going to do your waterline now.’
‘Cool.’
‘Oh shut up.' Sirius kicked him. 'Look up for me.’
Remus looked up at the ceiling, trying his hardest not to blink. ‘Did you know we’ve been together nearly a year and he still hasn’t asked me to spend his heat with him?’ he heard rather than saw Sirius put the pencil down on the table.
‘Moony.’
Remus carried on looking upwards, not wanting to see the look on Sirius’ face. ‘I know. It’s weird isn’t it.’
‘A bit, yeh.’ Sirius said quietly. ‘Why didn’t you say?’
Remus just shrugged.
‘Have you spoken about it.’
‘No.’ Remus finally looked at him; warm silver looking earnest. ‘I feel like I can’t. I’ve tried to bring it up but he just changes to the subject and I don’t want to push because I don’t know what it’s like. I don’t want to be that Alpha that thinks they have a claim to their Omega’s heat.’
‘Re, you are so far from that Alpha. I think you should try and talk to him about it. I know you don’t know what it’s like, but I do. You want to spend your heat with your Alpha. It’s not even like a want, it’s a need . And I know not all Omega’s are made equal bla bla bla, but at the end of the day, it’s biology, innit.’
‘Say innit again.’
‘Innit.’
They both laughed and Remus placed his hand over Sirius’ and gave it a squeeze. ‘You’re the best you know.’
‘I know.’ Sirius flicked his hair over his shoulder imperiously but there was no mistaking the sudden burst of ripe blackberries and bay. He was happy. ‘You’re done, by the way.’
‘You’re the best,’ Remus repeated, standing up and pulling Sirius with him. ‘How do I look?’
‘Hot.’
‘If you say so. I better get going. I said I’d pick him up at four.’ He glanced up at the clock hanging above the dresser. ‘I’ve got time to go and get flowers.’
‘He’s a lucky man,’ Sirius said and then prodded Remus’ chest. ‘Don’t let him forget it. Go get ‘im, tiger.’
‘Grrrrr.’ Remus mimed pawing the air and then grimaced. ‘I wish I hadn’t done that.’
‘Yeh.’ Sirius nodded his head solemnly. ‘Me too, Moony. Me too.’