Archive of Our Own

It all started with a hammock, a cozy little thing Sirius spotted while trotting through Camden Town. He knew how much Remus had always loved anything soft and comforting, such as knitted sweaters, fluffy quilts, warm mugs of tea and everything in between. Sirius was aware of the look of comfort in Remus’ face, he was always aware of Remus’ reactions, even if his very good friend wasn’t that much of a talker.

It had been a week since he bought the hammock and he was curious, almost restless to see how Remus would react. He wasn’t sure if Remus ever owned one. Maybe he had, as he grew up on the seaside in Cardiff. Regardless, Sirius was excited.

Sadly he had not planned on babysitting Harry at the last minute when James had to take Lily and her mother to the ER due to a very painful headache. Because of that, Sirius missed Remus’ reaction to discovering the hammock in the balcony of their shared flat.

Remus was supposed to arrive home around 11 am, and it was past midday when James and Lily returned home and explained that it was just an unexpected case of severe migraine. With a kiss to the forehead of the sleeping baby and a tight hug to his friends, Sirius took off.

When he finally arrived at his doorstep, Sirius slowed his pace trying to make as little sound as possible while looking for Remus. And there he was, casually reading in the very same hammock he had been excited to show him.

Remus looked soft, completely unaware of Sirius’ arrival. He was cozily curled up with a book, wearing that impossibly soft knitted sweater, glasses perched on his nose, and curls slightly disheveled as if he had taken a nap before settling in. At that very moment Sirius just felt this inexplicable sense of happiness and a familiar recklessness that always crept up whenever he looked at Remus.

“Hi Moony…” Sirius greeted stepping onto the balcony with a tiny smirk on his face.

“Fucking shit, how did you get here?” responded Remus, obviously startled.

Sirius simply held up his keys while raising an eyebrow.

“Right, yes, I’m sorry. I guess I wasn’t expecting you to be this late”.

“Ha! I see you’re enjoying my new acquisition, how do you like it so far?” Sirius grinned while watching him.

“I love it, it reminds me of the one we had at home in Cardiff except this one is way softer”. responded Remus fondly.

Sirius studied his soft expression and felt this need to be close, a little recklessness and a different one he wasn’t that sure what it was, but it felt like gnawing at him from the inside, urging him forward. So he just did what he felt like next. “‘I’m glad Moony, now make room” said while taking his shoes off.

“No, why?!, I'm already here, wait for your turn” Remus protested, frowning directly at him.

Which only made Sirius more determined.

“Just move a little bit Moony, there’s enough room for the two of us, that’s why I bought a huge one” Sirius said while laughing at Remus' pleas of getting him off.

The hammock creaked as they shifted, long limbs getting tangled as they attempted to settle. Eventually Remus ended up with his long legs stretched along the hammock between Sirius’, staring at him.

“Are you happy now?”.

Sirius just grinned, looking at Remus and taking him in, the honey-gold curls glowing in the warm sunbeam, the freckles dusting his face and the maddening softness in his eyes.

Something inside Sirius tightened, a warm, reckless and newly terrifying feeling. He let the feeling push him forward. He lifted his socked foot to Remus’ cheek nudging his glasses down, giving him a playful slap and then a gentle stroke along his jaw.

“Now, I’m happy, Moony”, Sirius said, a little nervous, but extremely pleased when Remus’ eyes widened before he gave Sirius a small, knowing smile.