Fic:The Perfect Tree for cindergal
Title: The Perfect Tree
Author: theatresweety
Recipient: cindergal
Rating: PG
Highlight for Warnings: *None, unless you count a teensy bit of boy kissing.*
Word Count: 1361
Summary:Remus' brow furrowed in confusion. “Excuse me?” He wasn't aware that he owed Sirius anything.
Sirius pointed to the top of the door frame and Remus looked up warily. Mistletoe. “Oh...”
Author's notes: A big shout out to my wonderful beta, remuslives23!
* * *
London was beautiful at Christmas time: the snow (fake or otherwise), the decorations and displays in every shop window, and the Salvation Army band that moved about the city playing carols made it so. At least, that's what Remus Lupin had always thought. Christmas was his favorite time of year and he could think of no better place to spend it than in London, doing all the things he'd done while growing up.
That was the exact reason he was currently standing in a crowded car park, wandering through rows of posed evergreens in search of the perfect Christmas tree. The air was chilly around him - he could see his breath - but he didn't mind. He had worn a grin since he'd arrived, despite the lack of good trees and the overcrowding.
Remus stumbled a bit when he was nearly run over by a particularly large man holding one end of a tree. He glared in Remus' direction as he moved by. 'Yes, how dare I be in that man's way,' Remus thought. 'People these days...'
It was then that his blue eyes fell upon the tree. The perfect tree. He moved towards it like a man possessed, eyes never leaving the beautiful pine with it's full branches. It was only when he had stopped in front of it that he realized he wasn't the only one to see the tree to end all trees.
He looked over at the blonde man who had stepped up to the tree at the same time, and said wistfully, “It's perfect.”
The other man smiled a bit at Remus. “Yes, it is, isn't it. Good thing I just finished paying for it, eh?”
Remus' face fell and he sighed, “Ah, right...” He turned, beginning to move off across the lot again. Just his luck.
His jovial mood was now gone and he was getting cold. He could barely feel his fingers or toes and he swore that if his nose didn't stop running, he might just have a mutiny on his hands. He kicked at the cement under his feet, downtrodden.
“You look about as hopeful as I feel,” came a friendly sounding tenor voice.
Remus' sandy brows knit together as he looked up at the owner of the voice, a handsome man with shaggy black hair and striking grey eyes. “I'm never going to find a Christmas tree.” Remus said.
“Ah, then we are in the same boat,” the man said with a grin, offering Remus his hand, “Sirius Black.”
“Remus Lupin,” he said, shaking the man's hand and giving him a slight nod.
“All the good ones seem to be taken.” Sirius said.
“Bit like my dating prospects then...” Remus muttered under his breath, but not quiet enough.
Sirius gave a barking laugh and Remus, despite his discomfort at being overheard, couldn't help but smile.
“Right, well... I should be moving on if I want to find myself a tree tonight.” The lycanthrope told him. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his blue orbs taking in the man opposite him.
“Yes, so should I,” Sirius nodded. “Nice meeting you, Remus Lupin. Good luck with the tree hunt.” With that, he gave a wave and was off.
“Sirius Black... Hmm...” Remus muttered to himself as he watched him go. He felt strangely drawn to the other man, but knew that he would probably never see him again. London was a big place.
* * *
Hours passed, and Remus had still had no luck finding a tree. There was one more stop on his way home and Remus decided that if he didn't find the tree there, he would resign himself to chopping a branch off the pine in his garden and call it a day.
He hadn't been expecting to see a semi-familiar silhouette as he walked in, the ground crunching under his feet. “I see you're having no more luck than I am.” Remus said with a slight smile, happy to see Sirius again. Maybe fate was trying to tell him something.
Sirius turned, giving a brilliant smile when he laid eyes on the other man. “No, I suppose we're just not meant to have trees this year.”
“I am beginning to think that myself,” Remus said as he came to a stop beside Sirius.
“I might as well just decorate my sofa...” Sirius confessed.
“I was going to take a branch from the pine in my garden...” Remus admitted and Sirius' smile widened.
“Or there's that...”
“Indeed.” Remus looked over at him again, blue eyes taking the shorter man in. He really was devilishly handsome. Remus took a deep breath, weighing his options, and then said, “I say we both call it a night.”
“That does seem to be the only thing to do from here,” Sirius agreed with a slight nod of his black head.
“Do you like hot chocolate?” Remus asked abruptly and Sirius grinned.
“I do...”
“Fancy that, so do I. And I just so happen to have an extra mug back at my flat...”
“Is that an invitation?” Sirius smirked.
“I think it is.” Remus smiled as well. He wasn't usually so forward, but it wasn't every day that he met such a handsome man that seemed to be interested in him.
“Then how could I say 'no'?” Sirius said flirtatiously.
* * *
“You know, finding a tree might have gone a bit better for us if Christmas wasn't tomorrow,” Remus said simply as he moved back into his lounge, handing Sirius a mug of hot chocolate.
Sirius gave a hearty, bark-like laugh at that, his grey eyes sparkling. “That might have something to do with it.”
“Oh well... isn't like I have anyone to spend it with anyway,” Remus said with a shrug as he took his seat.
“Ah, we have that in common then...”
“No family to spend the holiday with? Friends?”
“Family, no. Friends, yes, but I feel like I'm enough of a burden on them the rest of the year. We already had our Christmas together. I'll let them have the day to themselves,” Sirius explained, casually sipping his drink. “This is fantastic hot chocolate, by the way.”
Remus smiled over the edge of his mug. “Thank you.”
They talked for some time, both of their drinks growing cold although neither man cared. Remus wasn't accustomed to feeling so at ease with a person so quickly, but he wasn't about to complain about the connection he and Sirius seemed to have.
“Here, I'll warm our drinks...” He reached out for Sirius as he rose, passing him.
Sirius stood as well, following Remus out to the little kitchen. Remus saw him pause in the doorway, smiling as he watched him warm their mugs. Remus had always thought it was a nice place. Neat and clean and yet still homey.
Remus moved back towards Sirius, handing him his mug. “Here you are...”
“I think you owe me something else as well,” Sirius smirked, looking up at him.
Remus' brow furrowed in confusion. “Excuse me?” He wasn't aware that he owed Sirius anything.
Sirius pointed to the top of the door frame and Remus looked up warily. Mistletoe. “Oh...”
“You don't have to, I understand...” Sirius said hastily.
“It's all right...”
“I mean, if kissing a man upset you or is too strange...”
“Sirius...”
“Or if you'd rather not since we just met...”
“Sirius...”
“It's fine. I'm not expecting anything...”
“Sirius...”
“I didn't meant to upset you or--”
Any further thought on the matter was put aside when Remus' lips brushed gently against Sirius'.
The kiss was gentle, soft and tentative at first and, just as Remus was about to pull away, Sirius pressed in a bit more firmly. His lips felt so nice that Remus couldn't help pressing back and returning the kiss. Before either knew it, they were snogging enthusiastically underneath the mistletoe in Remus' tiny kitchen.
When they finally parted, both a little flushed, Sirius smirked. “Well...”
“Blimey,” Remus breathed, letting his tongue dart out to move over his red lips.
“You're brilliant.”
Remus chuckled as the wall clock in the hall chimed midnight. He smiled at Sirius, “Merry Christmas, Sirius.”
fin
Author: theatresweety
Recipient: cindergal
Rating: PG
Highlight for Warnings: *None, unless you count a teensy bit of boy kissing.*
Word Count: 1361
Summary:Remus' brow furrowed in confusion. “Excuse me?” He wasn't aware that he owed Sirius anything.
Sirius pointed to the top of the door frame and Remus looked up warily. Mistletoe. “Oh...”
Author's notes: A big shout out to my wonderful beta, remuslives23!
* * *
London was beautiful at Christmas time: the snow (fake or otherwise), the decorations and displays in every shop window, and the Salvation Army band that moved about the city playing carols made it so. At least, that's what Remus Lupin had always thought. Christmas was his favorite time of year and he could think of no better place to spend it than in London, doing all the things he'd done while growing up.
That was the exact reason he was currently standing in a crowded car park, wandering through rows of posed evergreens in search of the perfect Christmas tree. The air was chilly around him - he could see his breath - but he didn't mind. He had worn a grin since he'd arrived, despite the lack of good trees and the overcrowding.
Remus stumbled a bit when he was nearly run over by a particularly large man holding one end of a tree. He glared in Remus' direction as he moved by. 'Yes, how dare I be in that man's way,' Remus thought. 'People these days...'
It was then that his blue eyes fell upon the tree. The perfect tree. He moved towards it like a man possessed, eyes never leaving the beautiful pine with it's full branches. It was only when he had stopped in front of it that he realized he wasn't the only one to see the tree to end all trees.
He looked over at the blonde man who had stepped up to the tree at the same time, and said wistfully, “It's perfect.”
The other man smiled a bit at Remus. “Yes, it is, isn't it. Good thing I just finished paying for it, eh?”
Remus' face fell and he sighed, “Ah, right...” He turned, beginning to move off across the lot again. Just his luck.
His jovial mood was now gone and he was getting cold. He could barely feel his fingers or toes and he swore that if his nose didn't stop running, he might just have a mutiny on his hands. He kicked at the cement under his feet, downtrodden.
“You look about as hopeful as I feel,” came a friendly sounding tenor voice.
Remus' sandy brows knit together as he looked up at the owner of the voice, a handsome man with shaggy black hair and striking grey eyes. “I'm never going to find a Christmas tree.” Remus said.
“Ah, then we are in the same boat,” the man said with a grin, offering Remus his hand, “Sirius Black.”
“Remus Lupin,” he said, shaking the man's hand and giving him a slight nod.
“All the good ones seem to be taken.” Sirius said.
“Bit like my dating prospects then...” Remus muttered under his breath, but not quiet enough.
Sirius gave a barking laugh and Remus, despite his discomfort at being overheard, couldn't help but smile.
“Right, well... I should be moving on if I want to find myself a tree tonight.” The lycanthrope told him. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his blue orbs taking in the man opposite him.
“Yes, so should I,” Sirius nodded. “Nice meeting you, Remus Lupin. Good luck with the tree hunt.” With that, he gave a wave and was off.
“Sirius Black... Hmm...” Remus muttered to himself as he watched him go. He felt strangely drawn to the other man, but knew that he would probably never see him again. London was a big place.
* * *
Hours passed, and Remus had still had no luck finding a tree. There was one more stop on his way home and Remus decided that if he didn't find the tree there, he would resign himself to chopping a branch off the pine in his garden and call it a day.
He hadn't been expecting to see a semi-familiar silhouette as he walked in, the ground crunching under his feet. “I see you're having no more luck than I am.” Remus said with a slight smile, happy to see Sirius again. Maybe fate was trying to tell him something.
Sirius turned, giving a brilliant smile when he laid eyes on the other man. “No, I suppose we're just not meant to have trees this year.”
“I am beginning to think that myself,” Remus said as he came to a stop beside Sirius.
“I might as well just decorate my sofa...” Sirius confessed.
“I was going to take a branch from the pine in my garden...” Remus admitted and Sirius' smile widened.
“Or there's that...”
“Indeed.” Remus looked over at him again, blue eyes taking the shorter man in. He really was devilishly handsome. Remus took a deep breath, weighing his options, and then said, “I say we both call it a night.”
“That does seem to be the only thing to do from here,” Sirius agreed with a slight nod of his black head.
“Do you like hot chocolate?” Remus asked abruptly and Sirius grinned.
“I do...”
“Fancy that, so do I. And I just so happen to have an extra mug back at my flat...”
“Is that an invitation?” Sirius smirked.
“I think it is.” Remus smiled as well. He wasn't usually so forward, but it wasn't every day that he met such a handsome man that seemed to be interested in him.
“Then how could I say 'no'?” Sirius said flirtatiously.
* * *
“You know, finding a tree might have gone a bit better for us if Christmas wasn't tomorrow,” Remus said simply as he moved back into his lounge, handing Sirius a mug of hot chocolate.
Sirius gave a hearty, bark-like laugh at that, his grey eyes sparkling. “That might have something to do with it.”
“Oh well... isn't like I have anyone to spend it with anyway,” Remus said with a shrug as he took his seat.
“Ah, we have that in common then...”
“No family to spend the holiday with? Friends?”
“Family, no. Friends, yes, but I feel like I'm enough of a burden on them the rest of the year. We already had our Christmas together. I'll let them have the day to themselves,” Sirius explained, casually sipping his drink. “This is fantastic hot chocolate, by the way.”
Remus smiled over the edge of his mug. “Thank you.”
They talked for some time, both of their drinks growing cold although neither man cared. Remus wasn't accustomed to feeling so at ease with a person so quickly, but he wasn't about to complain about the connection he and Sirius seemed to have.
“Here, I'll warm our drinks...” He reached out for Sirius as he rose, passing him.
Sirius stood as well, following Remus out to the little kitchen. Remus saw him pause in the doorway, smiling as he watched him warm their mugs. Remus had always thought it was a nice place. Neat and clean and yet still homey.
Remus moved back towards Sirius, handing him his mug. “Here you are...”
“I think you owe me something else as well,” Sirius smirked, looking up at him.
Remus' brow furrowed in confusion. “Excuse me?” He wasn't aware that he owed Sirius anything.
Sirius pointed to the top of the door frame and Remus looked up warily. Mistletoe. “Oh...”
“You don't have to, I understand...” Sirius said hastily.
“It's all right...”
“I mean, if kissing a man upset you or is too strange...”
“Sirius...”
“Or if you'd rather not since we just met...”
“Sirius...”
“It's fine. I'm not expecting anything...”
“Sirius...”
“I didn't meant to upset you or--”
Any further thought on the matter was put aside when Remus' lips brushed gently against Sirius'.
The kiss was gentle, soft and tentative at first and, just as Remus was about to pull away, Sirius pressed in a bit more firmly. His lips felt so nice that Remus couldn't help pressing back and returning the kiss. Before either knew it, they were snogging enthusiastically underneath the mistletoe in Remus' tiny kitchen.
When they finally parted, both a little flushed, Sirius smirked. “Well...”
“Blimey,” Remus breathed, letting his tongue dart out to move over his red lips.
“You're brilliant.”
Remus chuckled as the wall clock in the hall chimed midnight. He smiled at Sirius, “Merry Christmas, Sirius.”
fin