Chapter Text
I’m out of my mind. I have absolutely fucking lost it. What the fuck am I doing?
Remus stared at his own reflection in the mirror, his insides were nothing but a twisting mess of tangled emotions. He’d been to the loo three times in the span of about thirty minutes, but it had done nothing to calm him down. There was a light knock at the door, Mary’s hesitant voice coming from the other side.
“Re? You alright?”
“Yeah,” Remus replied, then he cleared his throat and raised his voice because he doubted she could hear him over the sound of running water. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“You’ve been in there a while now,” hedged Mary, and Remus could just imagine her shifting impatiently on the other side of the door, tugging at her dress to make it stay in place the way she wanted it. “Sure you’re feeling okay? We have to go soon.”
“I know,” Remus said, forcing himself to take a deep breath. “I know, just…just give me a mo, yeah?”
“Course, love.”
He heard her pull back a little, the sound of muffled talking in the other room, and Remus’ gaze flicked back up. He stared at himself for a moment before he splashed some cold water on his face. He grabbed a towel, patting it to dry himself off before he discarded it on the floor.
He took another deep breath, meeting his own gaze in the mirror once more as he gave a curt nod. He just had to see this through. He tried to give himself an encouraging smile, but it came out more like a grimace and he averted his eyes with a heavy sigh. This was a big fucking mistake, he could feel it in every fibre of his body.
He turned around to unlock the door, stepping back into the suite. He did his best not to look at the cameras, pretending that they weren’t there just as he had been told to do. Mary’s head snapped up as soon as she heard the door, and she quickly knocked back what was left in her champagne flute before setting it down on the table.
“Well, don’t you look nice,” she said with a teasing tilt to her smile, and it was clear that she was trying to reassure him and he appreciated her effort. “Who knew you cleaned up so nicely? Doesn’t he look good, King?”
“Stunning,” came a deep voice from the other side of the room and Remus shifted his gaze over to where Kingsley was sitting, his brown eyes dancing as he smiled widely. “You look like you could do with a drink though, mate.”
“I feel sick,” blurted Remus before he could stop himself, and he must have looked it too because Mary gave a little hum as she grabbed an empty glass and poured a healthy amount of champagne into it. “What the fuck am I doing? This is a– it’s a mistake. I must be fucking mental.”
“Just a bit. Here, take this,” he accepted the glass that was shoved at him, watching as Mary topped up herself and Kingsley too. “But you’ve come this far so there’s no point in backing out now.”
“It’s not too late though,” Remus said, looking over at Kingsley with the hope of hearing the other man agreeing with him, but instead he just gave a rumbling laugh.
“You don’t want to back out, not really, not when you’re this close.”
Remus scowled because he knew that Kingsley was right. It was one of the things that annoyed him the most with the other man – the uncanny ability he seemed to have to see straight through Remus.
It had been uncomfortable back when they were dating, but now when they were friends Remus had learnt to appreciate it. Sometimes he mourned that he and Kingsley had never made it work as a couple, but they just weren’t meant to be. It was a shame, especially considering how good it had been in the bedroom.
“You’re so close, Re,” came Mary’s voice, soft and a little coaxing. “I mean, in an hour you’ll be a married man, aren’t you the least bit curious about who your husband is?”
Remus frowned at his glass, “Of course, but that doesn’t mean it’s not bloody terrifying.”
“I know, mate, but that’s just a part of it,” Kingsley said, clasping a hand over Remus’ shoulder and squeezing softly. “For what it’s worth, I think you’re really brave.”
“Or just fucking insane,” grumbled Remus and Kingsley gave a solemn nod.
“Well, yes, obviously that too,” he replied, deadpan, but when Remus glared at him he laughed. “Come on, don’t look so miserable. It’s your wedding day.”
Remus downed the rest of his champagne, feeling the bubbles rasp against his throat as he swallowed. He held the glass out for Mary to refill it, trying to ignore the way his heart was thundering in his chest.
“What if he thinks I’m ugly?” he asked suddenly, the words forcing themselves past his lips before he could stop them, and he hated the way that his voice trembled slightly.
Remus wasn’t an idiot; he knew he wasn’t much to look at. He didn’t feel sorry for himself over that, he knew he had other things to offer besides his looks, but those were all things that it took people time to notice. He couldn’t deny to himself that he was terrified at what the man walking down the aisle would think the first moment he laid eyes on him.
Remus didn’t believe in love at first sight, but he did believe in attraction at first sight and he knew that for many people those things were pretty much the same thing. He couldn’t help being scared that his future husband would take one look at him during the ceremony and quickly decide that Remus wasn’t worth the effort.
“Hey,” Kingsley said, the sound of his voice pulling Remus out of his spiralling mind, his big hands rubbing firmly up and down Remus’ arms until he was sure he held his attention. “Stop that. No-one in their right mind thinks you’re ugly, Remus, stop being so harsh on yourself.”
“You’re a catch, Re,” Mary continued. “If he can’t see that, he’s not worth it.”
“And you look great,” Kingsley said firmly, gently turning Remus around so that he could adjust his bowtie, smoothing out the fabric over his shoulders. “Really hot, mate. Whoever this guy is, he’ll be lucky to have you.”
“Thanks,” Remus mumbled, and he could feel a blush creep up his neck. “I just– this is just so weird.”
Kingsley looked as if he was about to say something when there was a knock at the door, and moments later it was pushed open.
“Oh love, look at you,” his mother fussed, all but pulling her husband along behind her. “You look so handsome. Lyall, doesn’t he look handsome?”
“Very handsome,” his father repeated, winking at Remus over his mother’s head and Remus felt the corner of his mouth tug upwards into a half-smile. “How’re you doing, lad?”
“Okay,” Remus said, forcing a smile as he dropped his gaze to his mother who was watching him intently. “I promise, I’m alright.”
“He’s just nervous,” Mary said, ignoring Remus’ look as she passed on two more champagne flutes. “Got it into his head he’s not sexy enough for his mystery husband.”
“Thanks for that,” Remus grumbled, but Mary simply sent him a dazzling smile in return.
“What’s that nonsense?” his mother huffed as she smoothed out the wrinkles of Remus’ suit. “You look just like your Da did when he was your age, and he had enough girls hanging around him. Had to beat them off with a stick, didn’t I love?” She didn’t wait for Lyall to respond, but Remus thought he could see a little blush beneath his father’s full beard. “I think any lad would be lucky to have you, wouldn’t you say Kingsley?”
She turned her bright blue eyes on Remus’ ex-boyfriend, expectantly, and he nodded obediently, his dark eyes glittering.
“He’s a stunner, Mrs. L.”
“If he wasn’t batting for the wrong team I’d take him for myself in a heartbeat,” quipped Mary, her face splitting into a smirk. “Oh, and if I had a dick, of course, can’t see Remus going more than a week without that .”
“I hate you all,” announced Remus, his cheeks blazing as the others laughed.
“Don’t be silly,” his mother said as she gave his arm a light pat. “Nothing wrong with a healthy sex life.”
“ Ma ,” Remus groaned but his mother continued, unperturbed.
“There’s no denying there has to be a spark, love. It’s going to be an important part of your marriage, and you should be able to talk openly about it. Haven’t I always said that? One of the reasons that me and your Da have been together for as long as we have is that he never ceases to surprise me with–“
“MA!” Remus interrupted loudly, throwing Mary a dirty look as she cackled.
“Good on you, Mr. L, gotta keep the Mrs happy.”
They were interrupted as the door suddenly slammed open once more, revealing a young woman dressed in a suit, her blonde ponytail bouncing and she was wearing a black headset. Remus wondered if it was permanently attached to her, he couldn’t remember ever having seen her without it.
“Twenty minutes, people,” she said, clapping her hands briskly. “If I could have the wedding party move downstairs, please, and Remus? We need you to do a quick sync for us on your feelings right now, okay? We can do it in here.”
“Hello, Marls,” Mary said cheerfully, her blue eyes glittering as she looked at the other woman, and Remus recognised that look. She was on the prowl, and if he hadn’t been minutes away from getting married to a total stranger he probably would have teased her about that.
Mary had first met Marlene, the camera woman who had been assigned to him, when she had accompanied Remus to a session with the experts, before he had been chosen as a participant on the show. Remus had come out from a dizzying session only to find Mary and Marlene laughing together as if they had known each other for years.
“Oh hello, Mary,” Marlene replied, and Remus could swear he saw the hint of a flush across the other woman’s cheeks and he thought the pretend surprise was a bit much. It could hardly be a surprise that Remus’ best friend was present at his wedding.
Remus exchanged a look with Kingsley who gave a brief nod, as effortless in understanding Remus without words as always and Remus felt a twinge of regret in his chest. Now, as he looked at how incredibly sexy the other man looked in his dark blue suit, crisp white shirt and broad shoulders, he couldn’t help but feel it was a shame that they never made it work together.
Kingsley smiled at him, as if he could read his mind, and he strode over to pull Remus into a tight hug.
“You’ll be good, Remus. Any guy is lucky to have you, you’re a catch, if anyone knows that it’s me,” he mumbled against the side of his face. Remus gave him a grateful look, leaning into the hug before Kingsley pulled away, brushing his lips against Remus’ cheek. “Knock ‘em dead, alright?”
“Okay,” Remus whispered in return, smiling a little tightly, and there was a flurry of movement as they all said their goodbyes before filtering out of the room.
His mother lingered for a moment, pulling him down for a hug and she squeezed him tightly.
“Are you sure you’re doing alright, love? Not too tired? Remember, if you need a break, you can just ask them to–”
“I’m fine, Ma,” he interrupted gently, giving her a smile that he hoped was reassuring before pressing a kiss to her cheek. “I promise.”
“Fine,” his mother conceded, brushing some imaginary dust off his shoulder. “Just… remember to drink water.”
“Hope, darling, leave the poor man alone,” Lyall suddenly spoke from the doorway, gesturing for his wife.
Remus sent his dad a grateful look, watching them both leave and close the door behind them. When he was left alone with Marlene he felt his belly do an uncomfortable swoop, his heart beating steadily in his chest. He waited as she rigged for his sync, taking a seat on the chair as Marlene gestured for him to do so.
“How are you feeling?” she asked as Remus had made himself comfortable, a little smile on her face as she gave an encouraging nod.
“Nervous,” Remus said truthfully, then he continued when Marlene nodded again, gesturing for him to keep going. “I feel… a little insane, maybe, for doing this. But then I’m thinking that if he’s doing it too then… well, then I guess he’s a bit insane too.”
Marlene nodded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she consulted her notes.
“So tell us why you’re doing this, why are you here? What are you hoping to get out of this?”
Remus hesitated a moment, trying to find the right words before he exhaled softly.
“I haven’t… I’ve been dating quite a lot through the years but it never… it never goes anywhere. I feel like the usual things, everything, online dating and apps and picking up people in bars… it doesn’t work. So I was talking to some friends about it and they suggested I’d sign up for this, just to try something new.
“I guess I’m hoping that this experiment… that I’d get to meet someone new, someone who’s right for me. Someone that I wouldn’t have met otherwise. I guess I’m looking for… love?” he stopped, hesitating, then he shook his head with a small groan. “It sounds so cheesy, doesn’t it? But it’s the truth. What I’m hoping to get out of this is… is love. A husband. Someone… someone to love and someone who’ll love me for… me.”
Marlene nodded, all business.
“And tell us what you’re looking for, in your own words. What’s your type?”
“My type?” Remus frowned, teeth worrying at his bottom lip for a moment. “I guess… I don’t know if I have a type, really. At least not a clear one. But I’m looking for someone who… someone stable, open-minded. Funny. Humour’s important to me, that we can laugh together, have fun together. Someone fit,” he stopped briefly, his lips twitching. “It doesn’t hurt if he’s fit, let’s be honest. I’m looking for someone to trust with… with all of me.”
“What are you scared about?”
“I’m scared he won’t like me,” Remus said, without hesitation.
“Why?” prodded Marlene when he didn’t continue.
Remus shrugged, his brows pulling together into a scowl.
“I’ve felt… a lot of rejection, I guess. When no-one ever sticks around once they get to know you it kind of… it doesn’t exactly feel great.”
“So you’re scared of rejection?”
“Yeah,” exhaled Remus, forcing himself not to avert his eyes even though he was tempted. “Yeah, I guess you could say that. I get that this is a journey and that it might take time and… and stuff,” he paused, smiling a little crookedly. “I guess I just hope he doesn’t turn and run when he sees me or when he gets to know me… all of me.”
“I don’t think you have to worry about that,” Marlene said with a small smile, her expression softening momentarily. “Tell us who you’ve got with you here today.”
“My parents are here,” Remus said, twisting his hands in his lap. “I’m glad that they’re here with me. And then there’s my two best friends. Mary, that I’ve known since… well, since we were kids, and Kingsley, another old… friend.”
Marlene nodded again, throwing a quick glance at her watch before she looked back up at Remus.
“That’s all we need for now and we’re running out of time. Time for you to get married.”
“Fucking hell,” Remus muttered to himself, and he just about resisted the urge he had to run a hand through his hair, unwilling to mess up the curls that Mary had helped him style. “Am I insane for doing this?”
Marlene laughed lightly as she stood, “For what it’s worth, I think you seem like one of the saner people this season.”
Remus stared at her for a moment before he laughed, nervously.
“Is that your way of saying that my soon-to-be-husband is a madman?”
Marlene merely smiled sweetly at him, making a silencing gesture across her mouth as she ushered him out of the room. She kept her hand at the small of his back, guiding him down the stairs, and Remus found himself grateful for that. He found it grounding, he had become quite fond of Marlene over the past couple of months. She had been a comforting presence during the whole process.
“Alright,” she said quietly as they stopped outside two large double doors. “You’ll go in first. Your family is on your left and his family and friends are on the right. You just walk straight ahead, up to the officiant, and wait there. Your husband will be in soon.”
“Okay,” Remus said, trying his best to pretend that his heart wasn’t about to crawl up his throat, but Marlene gave his arm a light squeeze.
“Good luck, Remus.”
“Thanks,” he returned with a tight smile, taking a deep breath as the doors were opened for him.
The room he entered was large and beautiful, decorated with flowers. There was a white carpet leading down the aisle, lined with colourful flowers. He took another deep breath as he forced his body to start moving and he was surprised to find that his legs carried him.
He felt everyone turning around, all of their eyes on him, and his heart stopped for a moment. His gaze immediately sought out his closest family, and he felt some of the tightness across his chest loosen when he caught sight of them, his heart steadily picking up pace again.
Mary was beaming at him, leaning closer to Kingsley to whisper something into his ear, and he nodded at whatever she said. His mother was already dabbing at her eyes, and Remus drew in a shaky breath.
His gaze shifted across the aisle to his soon-to-be-in-laws as he made his way down the aisle. He could feel them watching him, judging him probably, and Remus curled his hands into fists at his sides before forcing himself to relax. He tried not to stare at the people there, but he found his eyes drifting towards them again and again.
There was a couple in the front row who looked much too young to be his mother- and father-in-law. They were more likely close to his own age, so probably his soon-to-be-husband’s brother or sister with family. The woman had red hair, carefully styled into an advanced do. She was wearing a dark green dress and a matching hat carefully pinned into place.
Next to her sat a boy who looked to be around nine or ten, and Remus felt a sudden flare of panic. What if the child was his? Remus wasn’t sure he was ready to get a husband and a son on the same day. But no, on the boy’s other side sat a man with messy black hair and bright brown eyes behind his glasses. The boy was a spitting image of him, so Remus assumed that must be the boy’s father. A nephew then, perhaps.
On the bespectacled man’s other side was yet another man, pale and serious looking, his dark gaze not wavering even as Remus’ eyes met his. Remus’ belly did an uncomfortable swoop as the man pursed his thin lips in something that looked like disapproval. Behind them sat an elderly couple that looked to be the same age as Remus’ parents, and he did briefly wonder why his soon-to-be-husband hadn’t placed his parents in the front row.
He forced himself to look straight ahead again, giving a nervous little smile towards the slightly older man at the end of the aisle. The officiant, Remus assumed, as the man smiled serenely back at him. He came to a halt at the front of the room, underneath a flowery arc, taking a deep breath before he half-turned around. His parents and friends were smiling at him, and when Mary did a little gesture towards the other side of the aisle Remus suddenly remembered himself.
“Hi, uh, hello,” he said, nodding towards his soon-to-be-husband’s side of the family, forcing a smile that he hoped looked calm and breezy rather than as if he was shitting himself, which was how he was really feeling. “You alright?”
There was a mumbled assent, the young boy kicking his legs and whispering something to his dad. The red-haired woman was watching Remus with a thoughtful sort of expression, but when she smiled at him it looked somewhat reassuring and Remus took that as a sign to relax a little.
He couldn’t believe he was doing this; his heart was pounding so hard in his chest that he worried the microphone he was wearing could pick up on it. He wondered if they could edit that out in post-production, or if his erratic, pounding heartbeats were going to be broadcast all over Channel 4.
His hands were sweating. Actually, all of him was sweating, and the bowtie suddenly felt uncomfortably tight. He had a desperate urge to rip it off, but he figured that wouldn’t be a great look. He forced himself to ignore the cameras that were moving around the room, no doubt wanting to get every angle of his panicked, sweaty face.
Remus was sure this was the worst he had ever felt. His insides seemed to have turned to liquid, his heart stuttering so hard in his chest that he was worried it might break through his ribcage. Nothing else he would ever have to do would ever compare to this.
That was, at least until the doors opened.
Remus heard the guests inhale a collective breath, and suddenly Remus’ heart crawling up his throat wasn’t the biggest problem anymore, because now it seemed to have stopped completely. He swallowed thickly, closing his eyes briefly, and he took another deep breath before he exhaled and turned around.
The whole world came to a halt, it was the only way that Remus could describe it. The big doors had opened, and Remus couldn’t believe his eyes. Walking towards him was probably the hottest guy that Remus had ever seen, looking as relaxed as if he married strangers on a weekly basis.
He was tall and muscular with broad shoulders, a strong jaw and cheekbones that looked sharp enough to cut glass. He was pale with dark, almost black hair that fell down to his shoulders. His eyes were light, gaze sharp as it settled on Remus, and suddenly his heart came back to life with a vengeance.
“Fucking hell,” he muttered to himself, but he didn’t realise he had said it out loud until the low sniggers around the room registered, and he snapped his mouth shut, cheeks blazing.
The man grinned at him, something a little wicked in the way that he arched a brow, his eyes glittering with amusement. Remus’ eyes darted over to his side of the family for a moment, and Mary gave him a discreet thumbs up. Remus turned his attention back to the approaching man.
He was dressed in a white, tailored suit which fitted him perfectly and suddenly Remus was very conscious about his own clothes. He discreetly tugged at his suit jacket, adjusting it slightly, and he could tell that the other man noticed as the corner of his mouth twitched slightly. He didn’t comment on it, but instead he fired off a dazzling smile as he came to a stop in front of him.
“Hello,” he said, his voice low and melodic, and this close Remus saw that his eyes were light grey, not blue as he had first thought.
“Hi,” Remus whispered, and then he cleared his throat. “Hi. I’m Remus. What’s your name?”
“Sirius,” the man said, still with the same easy smile as he leaned in, kissing Remus on both cheeks and, god help him, he smelled good , the sheer presence of him making Remus feel a little light headed. “Good to meet you, Remus. Are you nervous?”
Remus stared at him, and for a moment he didn’t even remember his own name but then he shook himself slightly.
“Yeah, I– yeah, a bit. You?”
“Not anymore,” Sirius replied easily, holding Remus’ gaze a moment longer before he smiled again. “Okay, Remus. Let’s get married.”
“Off you go!”
Sirius felt the nudge from the producer at the small of his back as the doors opened in front of him and he felt a brief flare of annoyance before he quashed it. He couldn’t believe he was doing this, and he promised himself (for the umpteenth time that day) that he would never ever get drunk with James and Lily Potter ever again.
Everything suddenly felt startlingly real and not at all like the fantastic joke he had considered it to be only a few hours ago. The room which had opened up in front of him was decorated with colourful flowers and a white carpet which was rolled out in front of him, leading him straight towards…his husband?
Sirius’ heart did a violent stutter in his chest, his insides a tangle of nerves as he felt another hard push at his shoulder. Clearly there was no way he could put this off any longer. His gaze skirted around the room and he felt his pulse slow down slightly as he caught sight of James’ beaming face in the front row.
He felt he could breathe a little easier as the faces in front of him suddenly started to make a bit more sense. He saw Lily and Harry to James’ left, and Regulus to his right. He caught Effie’s gaze briefly, and her small smile unlocked some of the panic in his chest. He took a deep breath. He could do this, he was a Black and if there was one thing that had been drilled into him since he was a child it was how to appear at ease in any situation, no matter how uncomfortable.
He shifted his gaze over to the figure at the end of the aisle and his belly did a swoop as he met the other man’s eyes. He looked… nice , was the first and immediate thought. He was a far cry from the blokes that he usually dated, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
He was smartly dressed in an off-white suit and even though it fitted him well, Sirius was fairly sure it wasn’t tailored for him. He looked tanned, as if he’d spent time abroad or just spent a lot of time outside. His hair was light brown and a little wavy, curling adorably over his ears. His nose was a little too big for his face but not in a bad way, and his nervous smile looked a little bit crooked.
He was tall, too, Sirius could tell even from a distance, probably almost as tall as Sirius himself. His shoulders were a little hunched, as if he was used to trying not to take up too much space.
Sirius’ insides squirmed a little as he took his time to properly look at his soon-to-be-husband. No, he wasn’t as obviously attractive as the men that Sirius usually dated, but there was something about him that still drew him in. His eyes were warm, kind, even though Sirius could see a hint of trepidation on his face.
Not that Sirius blamed him, this was nerve-wracking to say the least. He saw the other man’s gaze flick up and down his body, the slight exhale as he relaxed slightly.
“Fucking hell.”
Sirius could tell that he hadn’t meant to say it out loud by the way he pressed his lips together, and he couldn’t stop himself from grinning as the other man blushed. It was endearing, and Sirius felt himself relax. He straightened his back a little, plastering on an easy smile as he took the final few steps.
“Hello,” he murmured as he came close, and the other man exhaled a breath.
“Hi. Hi, I’m Remus. What’s your name?”
“Sirius,” he replied easily, settling his hands on the other man’s arms, feeling the flex of his muscles as he leaned in, brushing his lips against Remus’ cheeks lightly and he could sense the heat of the lingering blush. “Good to meet you, Remus. Are you nervous?”
He felt Remus watching him, a brief and unreadable expression on his face before he gave a small nod.
“Yeah, I– yeah, a bit. You?”
“Not anymore,” replied Sirius with a small smile, and he found that it was the truth.
The nerves from earlier were almost gone, and instead there was a giddy sort of feeling in his chest. He caught James’ eyes briefly and his heart did a happy little stutter. This was by far the most insane thing he’d ever done, but standing here now, it felt like the start of a glorious adventure.
He grinned. “Okay, Remus. Let’s get married.”
Remus gave a small, nervous smile before he nodded, and they both turned towards the officiator.
Sirius found it difficult to focus on the ceremony. He was painfully aware of the room around him, of the people watching them, of Remus’ presence next to him. Somehow they got through their vows, the exchange of rings, the quick brush of lips at the end of it all as they were pronounced husband and husband.
Sirius wasn’t sure that he was breathing at all until they had been ushered through the building to the place where they were supposed to be photographed. Sirius found a glass of champagne being pushed into his hand by a waiter, and then they were left alone with the promise that a photographer was going to show up soon.
“Well,” Sirius said, turning to look at Remus, properly look at him for the first time, and he smiled a little hesitantly. “That was…something.”
This close he could tell that Remus was a little shorter than him, but not by a lot. He was slightly narrower too, not as obviously broad as Sirius himself, but that was far from a bad thing. Sirius had felt the muscles in his arms earlier though, and he found himself wondering what he looked like underneath his suit.
“Quite,” Remus mumbled, eyeing his own glass as if he was pondering to knock it all back but then ultimately deciding against it as he looked up to meet Sirius’ eyes. “How are you feeling?”
Sirius opened his mouth to reply, but then he stopped himself. He could give an automatic response, but he suddenly felt as if Remus deserved more. They were married now, however fucking weird that was, and he properly considered what to say before he continued.
“Good, I think,” he said, before giving a decisive nod. “Yeah. Good. You?”
“Yeah,” Remus exhaled, a hint of a smile over his face. “A little relieved.”
Sirius arched a brow, the corner of his mouth twitching.
“Relieved, eh?”
There was another hint of a blush on Remus’ face, but he still met Sirius’ gaze full on as he gave a small shrug.
“You’re fit,” he said plainly before adding with a little glitter in his eyes. “But I think you know that already.”
Sirius couldn’t help but preen a little at the words, he had always been a sucker for compliments, and he gave a demure little smile.
“Maybe,” he admitted. “You’re not bad to look at either.”
Remus was definitely blushing now, but he didn’t comment any further, instead he took a little sip from his drink, clearly building up to something before he cleared his throat.
“Can I ask– was that your nephew in there, or d’you have a kid?”
Sirius was careful not to let his expression betray him as he arched a brow.
“Would a kid be a problem?”
Remus opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, but Sirius waited him out, curious to hear his response.
“No– I don’t– I mean–“ he stumbled over the words and Sirius took pity on his stuttering, shaking his head with a small smile.
“He’s not my kid,” he reassured him, eyes glittering. “He is my godson, though.”
“Oh,” Remus said, clearly relaxing slightly as he gave a nod. “Well, that… it’s not that I mind kids or anything but–“
“But a new husband might be enough of a surprise in one day?” Sirius offered and Remus looked at him for a moment before he huffed out a laugh.
“Yeah, something like that.”
“I get that,” Sirius smiled, gently brushing the tip of his fingers against Remus’ side as he leaned past him, reaching for the champagne bottle to refill both their glasses. “His name is Harry. That was his mum there, with the red hair, and his dad with the glasses. Lily and James. James is my best mate, we go back a long way. My brother was there too, front row, next to James. His name is Regulus.”
“Sirius and Regulus,” Remus repeated with a little hum. “Your parents had a thing for stars, then?”
Sirius couldn’t help but smile, genuinely this time.
“Not everyone picks up on that,” he said before sobering, waving a hand between them absently. “Yeah, the stars are a… it’s a family thing.”
“And your parents?” Remus continued. “On the second row?”
Sirius shook his head quickly, hesitating briefly. He thought about his own parents, about the endless arguments, the toxic environment as he was growing up, the unresolved tension and the pressure. It felt like too much to dump on someone he had only just met. Remus was still watching him with a serious expression, clearly picking up on Sirius’ hesitation but he didn’t push it, just allowed Sirius to take his time which he appreciated.
Eventually Sirius exhaled a sigh, “No, they’re James’ parents, but they’re… as good as mine, in a way, I guess. I moved in with them when I was 16.”
“Right,” Remus replied, and Sirius could feel the questions he didn’t ask, the questions that always came when he told people that, but he wasn’t ready to talk about that just now.
“And you?” he asked instead, and he wasn’t sure if Remus realised it was an attempt at a distraction but even if he did, he let it slide.
“My Ma and Da are here,” he said instead, something soft in his voice as he spoke about them that made something flicker in Sirius’ chest. “And my best friend, Mary, we go way back too. And Kingsley, an– a friend, too. Old colleague, friends now.”
“And where do you live?” Sirius continued, happy to move the attention away from himself for now. “And what d’you do? For work, I mean,” he stopped, laughing a little. “Sorry, this feels like 20 questions.”
Remus laughed quietly, shaking his head.
“Nah, you’re alright. I’m a teacher, secondary school, and I live in Brighton. You?”
“London, so that’s not too bad, then, distance wise,” Sirius replied, offering a half-smile. “I’m in paediatrics.”
“A doctor then?” Remus asked, the corner of his mouth twitching and Sirius could feel his gaze drag over him again, a different sort of glint in them. “You know, I’m starting to wonder what the catch is with you.”
Sirius laughed, “I guess you’re about to find out.”
“Well, for better and worse, isn’t it? Too late to back out now,” Remus grinned, holding his glass up for a toast.
Sirius snorted a laugh as he clinked their flutes together, “Right on, husband.”
“Are you two ready for a photo shoot?”
The voice of the wedding photographer startled them both and Sirius noted how Remus flinched backwards slightly, putting some distance between them. Before he had a chance to dwell on it, the photographer was on them, though, ordering them around to get the perfect picture.
They were ushered straight from the photo session into a large ballroom where their families and friends were waiting for them by a long table at the far end of the room. The rest of the evening went past in a rush of dinner and drinks and toasts. He lost track of Remus at one point, but then the other man reappeared again, looking slightly more relaxed and smelling faintly of cigarettes.
“A married man,” came James’ voice suddenly, closely followed by Lily who pulled him in for an enthusiastic hug.
“Oh, I’ve been wanting to do that for hours,” she said with a small smile, her hands dancing over his suit as she straightened it out. “Congratulations, love. How are you feeling?”
“Good,” Sirius replied, then added as Lily gave him a look. “No, honestly. I feel…good. It feels good. Have you had a chance to chat with him yet?”
“A little, yeah,” Lily nodded. “He seems sweet.”
“Not your usual type,” commented James as he gazed across the room to where Remus looked to be in deep conversation with the man that had introduced himself as Kingsley.
“He’s a bit odd looking, isn’t he?”
Sirius turned to look at his brother, but Regulus had his attention on Remus, his gaze a little narrowed.
“If you don’t have anything nice to say it’s perfectly fine to shut up, Reg,” Sirius snapped but his brother seemed unfazed by his tone as he merely shrugged.
“Just saying, I think you can do better. His friend though, the tall guy, he looks more like your type.”
Sirius looked over to where Remus and Kingsley were chatting, and he had to admit that his brother had a point. Kingsley did look like Sirius’ type, tall and strong and muscular. He was all big gestures and a booming laugh, and Sirius couldn’t deny that Remus almost disappeared next to him.
“It’s not all about looks,” James intervened, flinging an arm over Sirius’ shoulders. “Have you met his parents yet?”
“Not yet,” Sirius mumbled, his stomach tying itself into knots at the prospect of meeting his new in-laws. “I should introduce myself, shouldn’t I?”
“Probably yeah,” James agreed.
“They’re really sweet,” Lily said as she gave him a gentle little nudge. “They’ll like you. Parents always like you.”
“It’s not other people’s parents that’s the problem,” quipped Regulus, ducking away as James aimed a swat at him.
“C’mon,” Lily said, closing her hand around Sirius’ wrist and tugging him along before he had a chance to retort. “Let’s go meet your in-laws.”
They weaved their way through the crowd until they reached the table where Remus was now standing with his parents, and Sirius took a deep breath as he pushed his brother’s annoying voice out of his head.
“Hello,” Lily said brightly, pushing Sirius in front of her slightly and Sirius plastered a pleasant smile onto his face as he turned to face his new husband.
Remus looked at him, and something flickered across his face briefly but it was gone almost immediately.
“Sirius,” he said softly, and Sirius found that he liked the way his name sounded on Remus’ lips, the way his eyes crinkled as he smiled. “Have you had a chance to meet my parents?”
“Not yet,” Sirius said, continuing smoothly after Lily’s whispered prompting. “Nice to meet you Mr Lupin, Mrs Lupin.”
“Oh please, we’re family now,” Mrs. Lupin said brightly as she stood, and she had no problem tugging Sirius down to kiss his cheek even though she barely reached halfway up his chest. “Call me Hope, please, and that is my Lyall.”
She waved a hand in her husband’s direction where he was chatting to Lily, Hope’s bright eyes firmly on Sirius as she eyed him appraisingly and Sirius found himself smiling, quickly taken in by her obvious warmth and he smiled, more genuinely this time.
“Hope and Lyall,” he repeated, flicking his gaze over to Remus briefly who was watching them with an embarrassed sort of half-smile. “It’s very nice to meet you.”
“You too, dear,” Hope said, patting his arm before turning her attention back to her son. “He’s a stunner, isn’t he? Very handsome.”
“Ma,” Remus huffed in embarrassment, and Sirius found himself barking out a laugh, and he didn’t miss the delighted glitter in Hope’s eyes as he winked at her.
“Thank you,” he said gracefully.
“You better take good care of my son, now.”
“I’ll do my best,” Sirius promised, and Hope studied him for a moment before she nodded.
“I suppose that’s all anyone could ask for,” she said matter-of-factly.
Sirius didn’t have time to say anything else before Marlene showed up behind Remus, her eyes glittering excitedly as she looked at them.
“I’m afraid I have to steal you away now, you have a flight to catch.”
“Right,” Sirius said, feeling a little thrill up his spine as he clapped his hands together. “Our honeymoon!”
“This is to be opened in the car,” Marlene instructed as she handed Remus a golden envelope. “No peeking. You can say goodbye and I’ll meet you outside.”
“Right,” Remus said, turning his attention back to his mother. “I guess that’s our cue.”
There was a flurry as everyone said their goodbyes and Sirius found himself and Remus being ushered away from the venue and into the waiting car. Sirius fell back against the seat when the door closed behind him, his head dropping back as he exhaled a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.
“Are you okay?” Remus asked, and when Sirius turned his head, he saw the other man watching him, expression serious, and Sirius forced a smile.
“Yeah, I’m good.”
“You sure?” asked Remus, and Sirius was surprised to feel the ghost of a touch against his thigh.
“It was a bit intense, wasn’t it?” Sirius mumbled, a flash of heat in his belly as Remus gave his thigh a light squeeze before pulling away.
“The most terrifying thing I’ve ever done,” replied Remus without a hint of a joke and Sirius gave a surprised little laugh.
“Yeah, you could say that,” he nodded, and silence stretched between them for a moment before Sirius pulled himself together again. “Your parents seem nice.”
“They’re not bad,” Remus said with a soft little smile. “My Ma’s a bit of a handful.”
Sirius chuckled.
“I liked her,” he said, shifting around a little so that he could move closer to Remus, their shoulders touching. “So what’s in that envelope then?”
“Oh right,” Remus said, sitting himself up so that he could pull the envelope out. He opened it quickly, his eyes darting across the page briefly before he cleared his throat. “Dear Sirius and Remus, you are now a married couple and you have officially embarked on the journey of the rest of your life–“ he stopped, his eyes flickering up to Sirius briefly as he gave a nervous little laugh. “Well, that’s… just makes it real, doesn’t it?”
He took a deep breath before he continued. “You have officially embarked on the journey of the rest of your life together. After the wedding comes your honeymoon and you will spend the following week together in the south of Italy. Best of luck to the both of you, and congratulations on starting this next step of your life as husband and husband.”
Remus fell silent, his eyes shifting back up to Sirius again and then he smiled, a slow thing that made his eyes scrunch up slightly and Sirius suddenly felt his belly do an unexpected little swoop.
“South of Italy, then. I’ve never been to Italy.”
“No?” Sirius asked before he could stop himself, but then he pushed on hurriedly. “I’ve been a couple of times, but never down south. Should be fun, though. Beaches and swimming and wine tasting and great food.”
Remus laughed lowly, reading through the letter again before he gave a decisive nod.
“Yeah, that doesn’t sound half-bad.”
“Agreed,” Sirius grinned, catching Remus’ eyes and he held his gaze for a moment, speaking before he had a chance to change his mind. “D’you mind… can I kiss you?”
Remus nodded mutely and Sirius leaned in, putting a hand at the back of the other man’s neck as he pulled him close for a kiss.
Remus’ lips were soft, and it took only a second before he parted them, his mouth hot as he returned the kiss. Sirius allowed himself to get lost in it briefly, and Remus tasted of champagne and something else, of something that could be the promise of a future for the two of them together.
This kiss was different from the one they had shared after the ceremony. Not only because it was longer, deeper, but because it was only the two of them there (not counting the camera that Sirius knew was trained on them, but he had got used to that surprisingly quickly).
Sirius couldn’t quite stop the smile as they broke apart, and he was pleased to feel warmth spreading through him as Remus returned it. It had been a good kiss, and that was a relief, his pulse fluttering. Maybe James had been right, perhaps this could be the start of something special.
“Okay husband,” Sirius grinned, squeezing Remus’ side lightly. “Let’s go to Italy.”