What I think Sirius would wear
***
"Wake up, Remus. Wake up."
Sirius looked beautiful. The sun a halo behind his head, yet his grey eyes shone brighter than steel. Remus let himself smile for a second.
"Remus, my love, please wake up."
The king didn't think his body would allow that. His limbs felt like it was ripped from its hinges. Still, he reached up, grasping to hold Sirius.
The kind face contorted to a bloody face he'd seen in the battle field. Sirius' smile stretched into an unworldly, sharp-toothed grin. Globs of blood dripped from the wolf's fangs.
The beast flung its head from side to side, as if tearing something. Remus scrambled back. Dragging himself on crimson covered snow, away from the wolf. From himself.
That's when he saw it. The body crumpled inches behind the wild monster. His neck snapped in an unnatural angle. Skin and limbs torn and broken.
"Sirius." Remus' voice came ragged.
No, this can't be.
"Wake up, Remus."
Sirius' soul-less grey eyes stared back at him.
"Wake up."
Blood dribbled from the man's neck.
"WAKE UP."
Remus sat up with a gasp. His chest heaved as if he'd trained with Lily. Sweat cooled his back, even his hair stuck on his forehead.
It was all a dream.
The moon isn't for a few days. Sirius will be kept far from him when it happens. He'll be drugged with enough Wolfsbane that he won't be able to even lift a finger. Right now, the Lupin's Songbird is probably asleep in his chambers, several doors down.
Remus laid back down. Uncomfortable from the clamminess and adrenaline that pumped his veins. He was being irrational. Sirius is safe. Sirius is alive and well and asleep in his room.
In fact, the king had arranged with his general in the case of an uncontrollable moon. He made them promise to keep Sirius away, as far as possible, from him. To lock him up in a prison tower if that ensured the prince's safety.
"I have to.." Remus murmured. "..check. Yeah, just to check."
He could invite the seers with third eyes to explain his dreams. Perhaps they'll tell him that the next moon will kill him or some other variation of a terrible outcome. But none of them could ensure Sirius' safety like he can.
***
"You appear in my doorstep at midnight," Sirius glanced to the silver sword in Remus' hand. "With a weapon."
Realizing how stupid he must've looked, the king rubs his nape. "I.. thought.. you were in danger."
Sirius chuckles. "I'm not, your majesty. You can come in and see for yourself."
In other circumstances, Sirius would've closed the door. The "threat" is cleared therefore their conversation is over. But he saw the worry in Remus' eyes. The beads of sweat on his forehead and the palesness suggested the king needed more than verbal reassurance.
Remus steps in. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword as he walked around, checking at the windows. Even rattling it for good meassure. Meanwhile, Sirius watched him curiously.
"Your majesty... are you alright ?"
Remus turned to him and, for once, he registered what Sirius was actually wearing. Or rather, what he isn't wearing. The honey brown eyes trailed from the prince's neck down to his torso. The sheer cloth of black robes did poorly to cover his skin.
Under the dim lighting, Sirius could see the color returning to Remus' cheeks. Though they gathered mostly on his face. That amused Sirius greatly.
"My apologies. I had.. I had a nightmare and must've thought that was real," Remus looked down. "I should leave you to sleep. Once again, I'm sorry for troubling you."
The king bows his head politely, as if he hadn't just made a fool of himself in front of his guest, and walked quickly. Hopefully, Sirius wouldn't go around blabbering go the servants. Remus would wake up to rumours that the Lupin King is mad.
"Wait !" Sirius holds his wrist, halting his escape. "Your majesty, would you like me to play something for you ?"
Remus stared at his hand. "Why ?"
"Music always calmed me. Helped me sleep when nightmares came. Perhaps.." Sirius' grip on his wrist loosened, instead it dragged down to hold his hand gently. "...it might help you too."
Sirius anticipated the king to harshly retract his hand and reprimand him to mind his business. Surprisingly, Remus smiles down, albeit wearily, at him.
"Would that trouble you ?"
The Songbird shakes his head. "No ! Of course not. I'm the one who offered after all."
Remus nodds, sighing a heavy exhale. "Alright then."
Sirius beams. "Alright. I'll go fetch my lyre and set it in your chamber-"
"No."
Remus suddenly felt bashful at the outburst. For once, he didn't want the safety of his chambers. He wanted to stay with Sirius and be surrounded by him.
"May I stay here ?"
"I.." Sirius didn't know what to say. His heart is pounding, drumming in his ears. "What would the castle people say? The rumours-"
"I don't care about the rumours," The king says. "I'd like to be selfish once in a while."
The prince chuckles mischievously at that. "Then I'll fetch my lyre and come back here."
The door closes softly at Sirius' departure and Remus felt the cold return to his finger tips. The king thought being in a different room might help drive the nervous feeling away. He thought the problem lied in the thin walls of his chambers.
Turns out the problem wasn't the room.
But the person in it.
"Why are you sitting in a corner ?" Sirius comes in, golden lyre in one hand.
"Where else would I be ?"
Sirius' grey eyes flitted to his bed and then back at the king. Remus snorts.
"Weren't you the one scared of rumours ? Now what would the people say if I laid on your bed ?" He asked. Teasingly, of course.
Sirius gripped the lyre tightly to his chest. His lips quivered to find the right defence. "I- I.. but weren't you the one NOT scared of rumours ?!"
Remus smiles, accepting his argument. He raises both hands in surrender and pushed himself off the chair. Sirius huffs, not knowing what to think. He watches stiffly as the king leans his sword against the night stand (as if it was some walking stick and not a weapon that has taken many lives) and lay himself on the silk sheets.
"Well ? Are you going to stand there the whole night ?"
Sirius jumps out of his skin. He gingerly sits next to the resting king, lyre on his hip. Then, he begins his song. A lullaby he'd learned from the commoner wet nurses who took care of his cousins.
Remus thought that was it. Beautiful music drawing his eyelids to a close. But it seems the prince had many ways to keep him on his toes. Remus knew he was in trouble the moment Sirius' lips parted and the Songbird unleashed his voice.
It was hypnotic. He'd heard old captains and seamen whisper of a Siren's spell. A power that lured even the strongest willed men to throw themselves into the ocean. All for a taste. Remus thought Odysseus' story was an excuse of weak spirit.
That was until Sirius sang and now he understood.
His breath was stolen with every syllable uttered by Sirius' lips. Remus felt his heart slow. Even in his half-stupor, Remus knew he needed to be closer. If he could pull Sirius into himself and hold him there forever, he would.
"Would you allow me to hold you for tonight ?" Remus' muddled mind spoke for itself.
Sirius was relieved the king had his eyes closed. It meant his music worked and that Remus couldn't see his burnt face.
"I.."
"Say no if you will. It's a request, not a command," The king mumbles. "Besides, I've already asked much of you."
From above, Sirius only saw hurt. He'd heard stories from Marjorie. The young boy with the wolf's curse, who shouldered his ill parents. Who wandered to the castle's doorstep with a rusted sword, claiming he could fight for the crown.
Sirius saw the little boy behind the hardened exterior. The childlike, vulnerable heart that still wished to be held and protected. To be loved and heaved off all the burden he'd carried his whole life.
Sirius set the lyre on the nightstand Remus' sword rested on. Gold and silver metal clashed under the dim moonlight. Sirius slid lower under the covers and turned to face Remus.
The king thought the lack of answer and music meant Sirius had declined. Perhaps he'd gone too far. But Sirius hadn't kicked him out of his bed so Remus stayed in his place, eyes screwed shut. Afraid of what Sirius might think of him.
Until he felt an arm circle his shoulder and Sirius' warmth eveloped him like an angel's wings. Remus could feel the prince's lips on his forehead, his soft breathes unsettling the curls it passed through.
"Rest Remus."
And the song continues. Sirius' palm rubbing the king's broad back in time with his melody. The prince switches to humming once he too felt Hypnos' fingers closing his eyes.
"You are safe Remus. Nothing can hurt you while I'm here."
For once, Remus wanted to believe it so.