bookworm // wolfstar au

e l e v e n

"what do you want for christmas?" remus asks sirius one night. they're down in the common room long after everyone else has gone to bed, sirius laying entirely on top of his smaller boyfriend. remus tries to make his hair into a french braid despite the awkward angle.

"hmmm?" sirius blinks himself awake.

"i asked what you wanted for christmas."

"i don't need anything," sirius answers, leaving a kiss on remus' shoulder. "besides, as the queen of the christmas season, mariah carey, famously said, all i want for christmas is you." he surprises remus by singing the chorus to the song, and remus is surprised even further by how lovely sirius' voice is.

"sing some more," remus pleads, so sirius sings the whole first verse of the song, remus smiling the whole way through. "you never told me you could sing."

"huh? well, i can't. i mean, not well. i do alright, i guess."

remus nudges him. "your voice is so lovely, sirius. i mean that. i want you to sing to me all the time."

that makes sirius laugh. "i'll sing to you anytime you want, baby."

the pet name makes remus' cheeks flush, and he tucks his cheek against sirius' shoulder. "i love you," he murmurs, maybe too softly, but he feels a bit like he's sinking. it's a good feeling, and he's never felt safer than he does with sirius, but god, is it weird. they slip back into silence, remus playing with sirius' hair again, listening to the dark-haired boy hum.

- - -

"i don't want to leave you," sirius murmurs, standing just outside the doors, arms wrapped around remus' waist. remus is looking up at him so adoringly sirius could die. he brushes his hand against remus' cheek.

"i know," remus sighs. "but it'll be good. you'll have fun with the potters, you love being there."

"i know. i do," sirius nods. "but...i'm going to miss you."

remus shoves at sirius' shoulder, blushing. "it's only a few weeks, sirius. i..." he pauses, cheeks flushing further, "i'll miss you, too."

"you'll facetime me, right?"

"promise." remus goes up on tiptoe to kiss sirius, which makes sirius grin into the kiss.

"i hate christmas break," sirius mutters, pulling remus in for a hug. he squeezes him just a little bit tighter, not really ready to let go at all. "you'll be okay staying here by yourself?"

remus rolls his eyes. "i'm not five, you ding dong. i'll be fine, i'll have lucius malfoy here to protect me."

sirius stiffens, and he yanks back out of the hug to stare at remus. "he's staying?"

remus nods, laughing. "i don't know why, but i overheard him telling some other slytherins that he was staying here for at least part of it, i guess."

"god, i hate that guy," sirius mutters, scowling.

"me, too. but don't worry about it," remus soothes him, seeing james waving both arms in the air, trying to get sirius' attention from across the lawn. "hey, james is about to leave, i think. you should go catch him." he says this and even means it, but his hands seem to have minds of their own, clinging to the back of sirius' jacket.

"right, okay. he's threatening to leave me, and if i'm not there, mrs. potter will have both of our heads." sirius brushes remus' hair off his forehead and just runs his gaze over his face as if memorizing it, and then he leans in and kisses him, the gentlest, sweetest kiss they've shared yet. "i love you, i love you. i'll see you soon."