Song:
Mamma Mia (ABBA)
"Mamma mia, here I go again. My, my, how can I resist you?"
DECEMBER 1980
"Okay, I have another joke." Remus couldn't help the groan he let out as he heard Callisto repeating that phrase for the seventh time in fifteen minutes while talking on the phone with Nicholas. "It's a good one."
Remus doubted that.
"What do you call someone that stabs you in the back?" She paused for a moment, before she smirked. "Remus Lupin."
"Can he hear you?"
Yes, he could hear both her, and him through the phone. It drove him up the wall, but he deserved every bit of it.
"No, he's out doing asshole activities."
"My girlfriend is better than your boyfriend." Remus scoffed. "Sorry, ex boyfriend. Let's not give credit where it's not due."
"You see, that's why I love you."
"Every day is dull without you, Miss Claire, but that's alright. You learn to live with it."
"Ew, stop." She murmured, smiling. "How is Antonia doing?"
"She got a promotion, and her boss said shes very promising. I don't know what exactly she's doing to be honest with you, but the entire flat is filled with pictures of a lady with very long hair and arms... She called her Cherry, I think."
"Baby, that's Cher."
"Yes, she's lovely, apparently." Nicholas said. "I told her that if she ever needs a nude model, I'm available."
"Nobody wants to see that."
"Way to crash my ego. Maybe that's why your boyfriend hates you." Remus took a deep breath. "Sorry, ex boyfriend."
"S' alright. Maybe I can catch up with Roi instead." Remus refused to turn his head, his jaw clenching in annoyance. He didn't even understand what he was watching on the television by now, fully focused on the discussion.
"Roi? He's in Sweden."
"Yes, if we're being fully honest, he was much better than Remus... and yes, I'm referring to sex."
Remus' head snapped to her direction. She was leaning against the wall, a smirk on her lips as she observed him. She was tormenting him and she knew it, but above all, she enjoyed it. He didn't say anything, instead watching as she brought her finger to her lips and shushed him, pointing at the phone.
"Why do I always have to know about your sex life?"
"Because mine is so much more interesting than yours." She simply said, watching in amusement as Remus stood up and walked over to her, stopping only when they were centimeters apart. "He was mind blowing, I'm telling you. Never knew he had it in him, but then again, it's always the ones you least expect."
"Callie."
"Nick."
"Something tells me Lupin is eavesdropping."
"Oh, he's not eavesdropping, baby." She hummed. "He's right in front of me, hearing everything loud and clear."
"How many more days of torture?"
"Like... a million."
"Oh, so like three more minutes." He concluded. "Well, you go put the boiled eggs under his armpits, and I'll go help Antonia pick the Cherry photos. I'll call you again tomorrow morning, as usual."
"Bye, Nick."
She shut down the telephone, silence falling between the two. Callisto refused to be the one to talk first, simply observing him. His dark brown eyes were filled with frustration, his jaw clenched, as he looked down at her.
"You're such a fucking liar."
"Am I?" She teased, smirking. "How would you know?"
"Because you're only doing it to rile me up."
"Or, maybe, he really was better than you, and I was just telling my friend." She retorted. "Ever thought about that?"
He cupped her cheek and before she could think about it, his lips were on hers. He kissed her slow and hard, making her let out a moan almost immediately as he brought her closer to him. For a moment, she forgot everything about punishing him for the way he had treated her, the kiss being the only thing that mattered. It was real and desperate, making her body ignite in ways only he could achieve.
She let out a gasp as he broke the kiss, trying to focus on what they were saying just before he kissed her. Remus couldn't help but smirk at her dazed expression, his hands resting on her lower waist to keep her close.
"You kissed back."
"Yeah?" Her voice came out hoarse, her hand aching to reach up to her lips and confirm that the kiss had just happened. "Yeah..."
"Yeah." His tone was teasing, but she would be damned to ever say she didn't like it. "I think you liked it."
"N-no."
"You didn't?"
She shook her head.
"Doubt it."
"You're stubborn." She murmured, just as he brushed the few strands of hair escaping from her ponytail away from her face, his fingers coming in contact with her neck.
"Maybe." He shrugged, her eyes flattering closed as he pressed a soft kiss on her neck. "Does it matter?"
"Yes."
"I don't think it does." He continued, biting gently. "I've missed kissing you."
She stayed silent, not really trusting herself to speak when he was holding her and kissing her neck like that.
"And if I could, I would do it again-" Another kiss on her neck. "-And again-" His lips trailed down lower to her collarbones. "-and again..."
"I-I..."
"You have to get ready, because Lily called us over." He abruptly broke the contact, letting go off her waist. "I quite like you like that too, but I have a feeling Prongs will make fun of your pajamas."
She could only glare at him as she walked away, her mind clearing up now that he wasn't fogging up her thoughts. Who had even given him the right to know her this well? To know every part of her, every single gesture that would make her putty in his hands? To know how she needed to be loved?
It felt as if she was flirting with the idea of trusting him again.
Callisto turned around when she heard him call her name. He was leaning against the wall, observing her with a small smile.
"I love you."
Her cheeks flushed with the faintest tinge of rose, the smile on his lips only widening as she waved her hand dismissively and turned back around. He knew what she was going to say, but he also knew she wouldn't mean it.
"Too bad 'cause I hate you."
~ ~ ~
"I am in danger."
Callisto and Remus exchanged a confused look, before turning back at Lily. In their defense, she didn't look like a woman in danger, wrapped in her floral robe, with her hair in a messy ponytail and a tub full of cherries in front of her.
"Yes, that's evident." Remus murmured, Callisto suppressing a snicker next to him. "Why are you..." He waved his hand vaguely, pointing at the state she was in.
"It wasn't the hospital food."
Callisto paled significantly, her eyes widening so much, she felt as if they were going to pop out of her skull. She hadn't really occupied herself with the possibility that the hospital food couldn't be fully responsible for Lily getting well-acquainted with her toilet, but now everything clicked.
Lily Potter was pregnant.
"You let Potter c-" Her words were interrupted by a disgusted series of sounds by Remus, as he slapped her shoulder, begging her to not complete that sentence.
"Stop, stop, stop, stop!"
Silence fell among them. One, two, three seconds passed, before Lily took a deep breath, ready to confirm the accusations.
"I am pregnant."
"Congratulations, Lils!" Remus grinned widely, as he engulfed her in a hug, kissing her cheek. "This kid is going to be very lucky to have you as a mother."
"Wait, wait-" Callisto interjected, a sceptical look in her eyes. "You wanted this, right?"
"It wasn't planned, but... yeah."
"Oh, Merlin! You're pregnant with a baby, Lily!" Callisto squealed, joining the hug. "What a happy little accident!"
"Listo!" Remus warned, mortification in his voice.
"Aw, you're going to be the happiest little accidental family." She cooed, Lily laughing at her reaction, as she hugged back.
"Are you crying?" Lily asked, looking down at the blonde. She shook her head furiously, trying to prevent her eyes from closing and thus causing a flood of tears.
"No." She squeaked out. "Lupin's crying. I'm not crying."
Lily snickered, "He's not crying."
"You have a baby in there." Callisto murmured, looking at her stomach. "I can't believe Potter just made my day... That slimy bastard!"
"I haven't told James yet. Actually, I wasn't planning on telling anyone until I knew that everything was going well, but I-I mean, I'm pregnant." She smiled. "And, I know that you two won't tell him until I'm ready. I love Pete with all my heart, but that boy just can't shut up when he gets excited."
"What about Pads?"
"He'll act as if he's the one carrying the baby."
"Okay, yes, I see your point." Remus laughed. "We're not saying anything. Right, Listo?"
"Yeah, mouth shut and shit." She murmured, slapping her mouth the moment she finished her sentence. "Sorry, I just... swore in front of it."
"It?"
"It."
"It's not a dog." Remus murmured. "That's a baby."
"Well, yes, if it was a dog, this would be very awkward for Jace." She argued. "Wait, is there a chance that the baby... is ehm... bambified?"
"No, it was the first thing I checked."
"Thank Merlin." Callisto blurted out, her relief obvious. "When are you going to tell Jace?"
"I could wait for him to figure it out on his own, but our kid would be a teenager by then. I'll probably tell him in two weeks from now. I have my first checkup then."
Callisto nodded, "And until then, silence."
"Silence." Remus confirmed. "We're the... eh, confidants."
"Yes, that's us." Callisto hummed. "So trustworthy."
"And mysterious."
"And when Jace asks 'why did you see my wife today?', we shall lie." Callisto continued. "We're a throuple, Jace, didn't you know?"
"Actually, that's a lie." Remus specified. "Because we broke up, and still haven't officially gotten back together, even though we just made out in the living room."
Lily's head snapped at Callisto's direction. The blonde was glaring at Remus, ready to charge at him and pluck his eyeballs out.
"I thought you two were taking it slow."
"We are." Callisto defended. "He provoked me."
"No, you provoked me."
"I did no such thing!"
"You know what you said!" Remus insisted. "Huge lie, by the way."
"You wouldn't know." She scoffed, pointing at him accusatory.
"Oh, I would." He retorted. "In fact, I can clearly remember you saying that I fuc-"
"Oi!" Lily interjected. "Not in front of my heir, Lupin!"
"Is it even old enough to have ears?" Remus questioned, turning back to Callisto. "As I was saying, you said that I fuck you-"
"Okay, maybe it doesn't have ears, but I do." She paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. "The baby... not it."
Callisto sighed, "Fine."
"Fine."
"Fine." Callisto repeated, sending him a warning glare. "If you dare repeat it, I will-"
"Fine."
"You cunt."
"Stop insulting vaginas."
"Or what, cunt?"
"Not in front of the baby, guys." Lily whined, shaking her head in disappointment. "Keep the dirty activities to your house, please."
They both looked at each other, before they spoke simultaneously.
"Fine!"
~ ~ ~
"Ah, look at this image!" Sirius announced, stepping in the house. "Such a domestic tone to it..."
The image at hand was Callisto on top of Remus, straddling his lap as she tried to punch him with a pillow. It would be a much easier goal if he wasn't tickling her, making her squirm and squeal every time he poked her sides and stomach. They both simultaneously turned to look at him, innocent smiles on their faces.
"We're training for... the war."
"Yes, because Death Eaters fall to their knees when you tickle them."
"Don't knock it 'till you try it." Remus offered, panting slightly from all the writhing around. Both their faces were flushed red, half of Callisto's hair out of her ponytail, and Remus' messier than he had ever seen it.
"Scoot." Sirius instructed, plopping down on the couch next to them. Callisto stood up, allowing Remus to sit normally, only to be pulled back by him and land on his lap. She didn't say anything as Remus' arms snaked around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder.
"Did you get the things I told you?" Callisto asked, looking at him suspiciously. There were no supermarket bags on his arms when he came in, and Sirius was known for not being the most focused shopper.
"No." He started. "But, I did get a motorcycle."
Silence.
Complete and utter silence, as they both stared at Sirius Black. He was grinning like a Cheshire cat, his eyes gleaming with pure happiness.
"That's funny."
"No, it's true." He corrected. "I bought a motorcycle instead of groceries."
Remus' eyebrows furrowed, "Am I supposed to eat the engine?"
"No, you're supposed to eat her out." Sirius bluntly said. "That's right. Before you play smart with me, you should not be so easy to make fun of."
Silence.
"That's what I thought, loser."
"Okay, then, am I supposed to eat the engine?" Callisto questioned, her cheeks flared red in embarrassment.
"Same thing goes for you too." Sirius stated. "Just go on a date already and make up! It's ridiculous at this point!"
"But-"
"No buts!" Sirius interjected. "You either diffuse some of the tension, or one day, I will return back home after another responsible shopping trip, and I will find you jumping each other's bones like rabbits! I don't want to see that, okay?"
"We wouldn't."
"He looks like he's thought about it about 100 times since he woke up." Sirius argued. "And I'm pretty sure he has a hard-on right now."
"I don't!"
He did.
"Then why is she red on the face?"
"Because, I-I..." She stuttered, clearing her throat. "I have the... boner?"
"You have the boner."
She nodded slowly, "In my pants..."
Am I convincing him?
"You don't have a penis." Sirius stated. "How do you have a boner?"
"Life is full of wonders."
"That makes no sense."
Callisto gasped, "Are you calling me a liar?"
"I ain't calling you a truther!"
"Fuck you!" Callisto shook her head and stood up, passing Remus a pillow, before she turned around and left the room, with her middle finger up.
Silence fell between the two friends as the bedroom door banged shut, Remus awkwardly holding the pillow over his lap.
"So, what's the model of your bike?"
"Take her out on a date, and I'll tell you." Sirius bargained. "You're wasting time away sitting like that."
"What do you mean?" He asked, frowning. He had never thought it this way; like there was time that was wasted and time that was well-used. Sirius seemed adamant though, as if he knew something he was completely ignoring.
"I mean, that you don't know whether you'll be alive or not in a week from now. The missions may be sparser, but think about it... All it takes is you being at the wrong place at the wrong time, and it's all over." Sirius explained. "You're wasting your time with her by dwelling on what happened."
"We agreed to take it slow."
"And it would have been perfect if you both truly wanted to take it slow. You're afraid; that's why you want to control the pace of your relationship. It's better to just go with the flow instead of forcing it."
"I want to do things the right way." Remus insisted. "We can't sweep this all under the rug."
"She forgave you."
"Does she mean it though?"
"You're an idiot." Sirius stated. "Of course she does. She knows how you feel."
Remus didn't reply. Sirius had always had a way with words. He was now flirting with the idea of asking her out again, of trying to pick this whole thing up from where they had left it. He missed it, every single part of it. And yes, Sirius may have been right about him being scared too. You can't mess up a relationship if it doesn't exist, but he also never wanted to see her hurt again.
"Take her somewhere nice, okay?"
"Okay."
~ ~ ~
Me giving you a wholesome chapter after like six chapters of pain (?)
Christmas came early apparently