josiemoone:

Sirius and Remus thought they were good at hiding their relationship.

They weren’t. 

On the last day of their seventh year, almost 18 months of dating, James invited them all to the lake. He started off with a speech about friendship, one that was assaulted with a lot of, ‘fucks’ and ‘hold on, it will come back to me’, before he slowly presented a box from his pocket—one that had been charmed smaller with help from Lily. 

At first, neither of them wanted to open it. It was the last day, they didn’t want to be the last person pranked by James Potter on Hogwarts’ Grounds. But after much persuasion from Peter and Lily, Remus awkwardly lifted the lid and found a box full of photos. 

Sirius stared up at his best friend, one that had become a brother, with wide eyes as Remus showed them a photo, one of him in the third year looking at Sirius who had no clue Remus was watching him. 

Taking one himself, Sirius pulled out a handful, laughing as he told the story of how during their sixth year Remus had been too scared the dynamic would change and hadn’t wanted anyone to know. They all said they knew. 

But it was James who nudged the box, eyeing up Remus as he dove his hand in again, lifting another photo out, as Lily laughed at one with Pete. Sirius, who usually lost attention span when others laughed, was trained on the photo in Remus’ hand. The one that barely moved, the crackling fire behind them adding an ambience to the photo. 

Remus showed it to James, looking at him curiously, not even sure when this one was taken. 

“I came downstairs during fifth year, having expected to find one of you dead.” Remus felt a pit open in his stomach, remembering the horribleness of fifth year. “But what I came down to was that.” 

Remus looked down at it, finding Sirius’ fingers on his as he tilted his head to look at it better. On this particular photo, Remus was curled against Sirius, his head on his chest, and Sirius’ arm around his back. They were asleep, cuddled closer than they had ever been at that point, both with the softest and smallest smiles on their faces. 

“It’s my favourite,” James added, awkwardly rubbing the end of his nose with the back of his palm. 

Sirius was watching Remus, a soft look in his eyes. “I think it may be mine.” 

Curling his lips into a smile, Remus turned his head to meet Sirius’, both of them reminiscing about that night and how they had been fighting, and how Sirius had asked Remus truthfully why he was mad. And Remus, usually better at handling his emotions, had shouted at Sirius. He had yelled that someone so pretty shouldn’t be so dumb, and Sirius, who usually made a spectacle of anything and everything, simply crossed the room, capturing Remus’ lips as the fire cracked behind them. 

“We talked all night,” Remus muttered. 

Sirius nodded, taking the photo carefully from Remus. “You told me I needed to grow up.” 

“You did.” 

Laughing, Sirius smiled. “I did. And I wanted too, not just for me, but…for you.” 

Remus chewed on his lip. “I’m really glad you did, Sirius.” 

“Me too,” Sirius replied, staring down at the photo with the most beautiful smile. 

James wished he had his secret camera with him now, and as he looked over at Lily, she held out the small black device, and James’ shoulders sank with warmth and love. The two of them sharing a similar thought, ‘I’m glad you grew up too, Potter.’  

Taking it, he whispered lowly, only for her and possibly Peter to hear. “Me too, Evans.”