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[personal profile] wanderlight
My first R/S in I don't even know how long: I fail at bed rest, but this was worth it. For [livejournal.com profile] dogdaysofsummer, but more specifically for [livejournal.com profile] glass_icarus, whose beautiful writing inspires. ♥

title: Do you remember?
pairing: Remus/Sirius
rating: R
words: ~800
summary: "You remember," Sirius says. He bites down on his bottom lip, deliberately, and Remus shudders.

notes: Written for [livejournal.com profile] dogdaysofsummer day 22.

--

do you remember? (r)

They sprawl across the roof, haphazardly strung together by touching elbows and hips and the bottle of beer that's passed around: James-Sirius-Remus-Peter, one entity. It's the second week in July, after seventh year, and they're spending it suspended in limbo at the Potters' summer house.

For the past hour they've played a lazy, half-drunk game of "Do you remember?": a parade of the best and worst moments of the glory years. It's too fucking hot but Remus doesn't move away from the heat of Sirius pressed up against his side, Sirius' hand on his knee, casually, like it's an accident.

"Do you remember when," says Peter pensively, "we all ran into Sirius and Tony Baker, making out behind Greenhouse Two?"

"Oh, shit," Sirius moans.

"Oh Merlin," says James. "I remember, but I wish I didn't."

"Everyone's allowed to experiment," Remus says, vaguely gesturing with the beer. He finishes it off and tosses it from the roof, swish-and-flick of his wrist. It clinks against the other empties littering the flower-beds below; a random scattering, crushing the marigolds. "Sirius, pass me another?"

Remus' fingers brush Sirius' on the neck of the bottle, and, in the languor of his movements, stay. Almost by accident, he catches Sirius watching him with a half-smile. Remus could almost take a picture of that, in profile: jagged fall of dark hair, long-lashed eye, haughty nose, lips stained red, faint scar along the chin -- all contrasting against the empty blue sky. He wishes James or Peter would say something to shatter the moment.

Sirius arches an eyebrow like a question.

"What?"

"Do you remember," Sirius says, voice low, "the Astronomy Tower?"

"No," Remus says, not looking away. Sirius' eyes say, I know you do.

He does.

The memory is tucked down underneath layers of memorised spells and childhood memories and random Muggle trivia, but when Remus tugs it, carefully, to the surface, it's still intact, a Technicolour snapshot. Just him and Sirius, alone, together, a little cold in the dark.

They'd shared a bottle, very much like this. About a year ago. Must've been more than one bottle actually, and a little bit of something else: they were shoulder-to-shoulder, sharing warmth, and then a misplaced joke about getting off and somehow Sirius was practically in Remus' lap, lips against his jaw, sharing breath. Want to? Sirius looking up at him, grin like a dirty secret and pupils blown. What the hell, Sirius? And then the light pressure of teeth -- like this, Moony, like this -- and that was all it took for Remus to part his lips for Sirius' tongue, like an invitation.

"You remember," Sirius says. He bites down on his bottom lip, deliberately, and Remus shudders.

Exposed to air and sky at the top of the tower, they'd been silent, catching each other's moans in their mouths. Hands on shoulders, waists, the small of his back, desperately undoing belts, discarding clothes like inhibitions on the stones. Hard angles and planes fitting up against each other. Getting elbows and knees out of the way until it was just the long line of Sirius' body pressing into his, hard, laying him down on the ground. Sometimes at night, closed in by bed-curtains, Remus allows himself to remember the slide of Sirius' bare, sweat-slick skin stuttering across his own.

See, more fun this way, Sirius had said, as the ache built -- then Remus was struggling out and fumbling on his clothes. Sirius had lain there, hard and trembling and shocked, and Remus turned and walked away without saying anything or looking back. Because fuck if the thing he'd wanted for five years was just going to be just a night of fun to forget about when the next skirt walked by. If it could only be that he'd rather have nothing at all, even if walking away was the hardest thing he'd done in his life.

The next morning, Sirius had looked at him maybe a second too long. But neither of them had said anything, then or ever again.

"What?" James says. "What happened on the Astronomy Tower?"

"Never mind," Sirius says evenly.

Remus tugs the bottle from Sirius' fingers and looks away. Down below the view stretches out in front of them forever like peace, green green green and a single tree crouching on the horizon. "It's nothing, James."

Sirius says, too suddenly: "Oi, Prongs, do you remember when you got drunk and did Melanie Stephens?"

"What?" James sits bolt upright. "No, actually, I don't remember! How drunk was I? When did I --"

"It's okay, Prongs," Peter says, long-suffering. "He's just fucking with you."

Sirius claps James on the shoulder and grins.

James nearly succeeds in pushing Sirius off the roof, and in the scuffle, they all forget. So Remus can bury the memory again, under Sirius' indifference and the summer heat.

--

Feedback is treasured.
(deleted comment)

Date: 2009-08-23 07:27 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wanderlight.livejournal.com
asdsdlfked, your words always mean so much to me -- you know how much I admire your writing. Thank you, love. ♥

Date: 2009-08-23 05:26 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] magnetic-pole.livejournal.com
So vivid, R. Lovely. M.

Date: 2009-08-23 07:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wanderlight.livejournal.com
Thank you, Maggie! ♥

Date: 2009-08-23 05:56 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] bonoffee.livejournal.com
This is so gorgeous. Your dialogue and imagery is spot-on.

My favourite part would be this:

The memory is tucked down underneath layers of memorised spells and childhood memories and random Muggle trivia, but when Remus tugs it, carefully, to the surface, it's still intact, a Technicolour snapshot. Just him and Sirius, alone, together, a little cold in the dark.

It's just sublime. I loved it.

Date: 2009-08-23 07:31 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wanderlight.livejournal.com
Thank you so, so much for this lovely comment. That line is my particular favourite, too; it means a lot to me that you like it. ♥

Date: 2009-08-23 07:39 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] paulamcg.livejournal.com
Oh, I definitely remember… that you used to be expositionary. I’m so glad you haven’t forgotten all about Remus and Sirius either. Yours are so gorgeous here.

I particularly love Remus’s swish-and-flick and the way he’s ready to comment calmly on the event Peter mentions. And the picture you paint / he paints (or my Remus would paint, while yours would take a photograph) of Sirius, complete with the blue background), and the accidents of touches etc.

Now I catch myself not minding the (compelling) R-rated description (as you might remember I used to), so that I’m startled Remus has to struggle out. Afterwards I wonder if he’d rather remember just the opening of that scene as a precious memory: standing shoulder-to-shoulder, just hoping for more intimacy.

I wish you such success in your bed rest you need, but I’m happy and grateful you’ve written and shared this.

Date: 2009-08-24 04:29 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wanderlight.livejournal.com
I haven't read or written much R/S for a year, maybe even two, but this summer I find myself right in the middle of them again! I look forward to catching up on all of the stories I haven't been reading. :) Remus and Sirius were my first major fannish love, I think, and a little of that will always stay.

Thank you so much for this comment. I always love reading the thoughtful things you have to say: you capture the nuances so well, and make me stop and pause and reflect upon my own work again.

Afterwards I wonder if he’d rather remember just the opening of that scene as a precious memory: standing shoulder-to-shoulder, just hoping for more intimacy.
*nods* I didn't think, or write, that explicitly, but I think that's spot-on.

Date: 2009-08-23 09:16 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] teithiwr.livejournal.com
What a lovely moment.

Date: 2009-08-24 04:25 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wanderlight.livejournal.com
Thank you! ♥

Date: 2009-08-23 10:15 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ronloveshermy.livejournal.com
I don't even know what to say, that was heartbreaking. I love the last line, its so touching.

Date: 2009-08-24 04:26 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wanderlight.livejournal.com
Thank you so much for these kind words! ♥

Date: 2009-08-23 10:20 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] muneca-brava.livejournal.com
This is beautiful. Especially this:

Remus' fingers brush Sirius' on the neck of the bottle, and, in the languor of his movements, stay. Almost by accident, he catches Sirius watching him with a half-smile. Remus could almost take a picture of that, in profile: jagged fall of dark hair, long-lashed eye, haughty nose, lips stained red, faint scar along the chin -- all contrasting against the empty blue sky.


Date: 2009-08-24 04:30 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wanderlight.livejournal.com
That line has a special place in my heart -- I didn't have to fight with the words, they practically wrote themselves. Thank you so much for reading. ♥

Date: 2009-08-23 12:40 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] builtofsorrow.livejournal.com
Rita, this is lovely.

♥!

Date: 2009-08-24 04:31 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wanderlight.livejournal.com
♥!!! Your praise always makes me all glowy. :)

Date: 2009-08-23 01:16 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sea-shtick.livejournal.com
buhhhh.

SO ENJOYABLE in so many ways. First this --

Sirius' hand on his knee, casually, like it's an accident. HA HA ACCIDENT INDEED.

And then the memory - um, hot - and then Remus walking away and Sirius betrayalface, I LOVE IT. Well done! Please keep writing, I've heard that even if you fail the last 3 tests in bed rest, you can still pull off a B or B- overall (depending, of course, on attendance records etc).

Date: 2009-08-24 04:34 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wanderlight.livejournal.com
Hee, your comment has seriously made my day! Don't tell anyone, but I spent most of today writing more R/S, so possibly I will triumph while earning a C+ in bed rest. :)

Hah, yes. Sirius thinks he's all clever and unreadable, but sometimes Remus can see right through him. I'm so glad you liked this; thank you for reading. ♥

Date: 2009-08-23 02:22 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cindy.livejournal.com
I love your fic, because you can render those little intervals of everyday conversation into something really heartbreaking. My heart aches for Remus quite a bit.

Date: 2009-08-24 04:34 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wanderlight.livejournal.com
Thank you, Cindy. &hearts! I think this is some of the loveliest feedback I've ever been given, because yes -- that's exactly what I'm trying to do. I'm glad it worked. :)

Date: 2009-08-23 04:51 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] werewolfsfan.livejournal.com
This is like light glittering on shattered glass, vivid and dangerous. And so very real.

Date: 2009-08-24 04:35 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wanderlight.livejournal.com
Eep, thank you! This is lovely praise. Thank you for reading. &hearts
(deleted comment)

Date: 2009-08-24 04:44 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wanderlight.livejournal.com
Eee, I'm so glad you read, and thank you for the too-kind words. :) The beautiful-but-doomed thing is indeed part of the appeal -- that, and the depth of possibility, I'd say. But yes. Thank you again for reading. ♥!!!

Date: 2009-08-24 04:42 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] glass-icarus.livejournal.com
*FLAILS*

OMG, YOU. YOU ARE CLEARLY TRYING TO KILL ME. D: &hearts &hearts &hearts

Date: 2009-08-24 04:47 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wanderlight.livejournal.com
THAT IS THE PLAN, YES. BECAUSE THEN I CAN KEEP YOU WITH ME FOREVER. ♥

Date: 2009-08-24 04:48 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wanderlight.livejournal.com
Okay, that sounded much creepier than I'd intended, don't run away. ;) The point is, your writing is awesome and you are even awesomer, and ♥. *nods*

Date: 2009-08-24 09:49 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] glass-icarus.livejournal.com
ahahahah &hearts! did i send you any joey eppard? because i really, really need to introduce you to his songs (at least one of them is strangely appropriate to this comment! xD).

ALSO: post for you is going out tomorrow! (why, yes, i do enjoy spamming...)

Date: 2009-08-26 09:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wanderlight.livejournal.com
No, you did not! In fact I have never heard of him. D:

And: &hearts! :)

Date: 2009-08-25 04:19 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cherise.livejournal.com
I just remembered to read The Shoebox Project the other day and so R/S has been on my mind at least once a day. Oh dear. Now it's going to be twice or more - this is beautiful, a gorgeous snapshot, and I would've said the exact same for Remus when he wants to frame Sirius in that shot. It's perfect. You run along the tension exactly on edge and I love how Sirius can just look or bite his lip and it's just there. Remus. ♥

Date: 2009-08-26 09:27 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wanderlight.livejournal.com
Eee, thank you, dear. You've completely made my day with this comment, you know. ♥!!! And oh no, now I really want to re-read the entire Shoebox Project again! :D

Date: 2009-08-25 11:01 pm (UTC)
From: [personal profile] starkdependant
Gorgeous.

Date: 2009-08-26 09:27 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wanderlight.livejournal.com
Thank you for reading! ♥

Date: 2009-08-26 03:17 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] elizassecret.livejournal.com
This is really lovely.

Date: 2009-08-26 09:27 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wanderlight.livejournal.com
Thank you so much. :)

Date: 2009-08-29 07:52 pm (UTC)
such_heights: amy and rory looking at a pile of post (Default)
From: [personal profile] such_heights
Oh, Rita, I adore this! It's so vivid and sharp and real. How lovely to read something by you again.

Date: 2009-09-03 08:20 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wanderlight.livejournal.com
Eee, thank you, Amy. :) ♥

Date: 2011-11-05 04:34 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] riiadaisukiyo.livejournal.com
Why am I weeping over this? So beautiful!

Date: 2011-11-07 12:28 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wanderlight.livejournal.com
Thank you so much! :) ♥
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