Moonage Daydream [Stand-alone vers]

Nightmares

Sirius's vision was hazy as he stumbled around a room full of old things that smelled of his father.
The furniture in the man's study towered over him as he wandered. He was searching for the source of a sniffling noise that seemed like it was coming from the other side of his father's desk.

A very small boy sat on the dusty hardwood floor. His dark curls fell over his forehead, just short of his red eyes. He was staring at what looked like broken glass.
Sirius looked closer, feeling knots working their way through his stomach.
A bottle of his father's fancy cologne had smashed on the ground, leaving a small puddle amongst the glass shards. Sirius glanced at the door.
    "Go up to your room, Reggie." He said sharply. The boy wiped his nose, shoulders shaking.
    "What's mumma gonna do— if— she finds out I made a mess—?" Sirius winced, knowing the answer, but shaking his head anyways. He gave a soft smile, brushing the boy's hair off his face and helping him up, careful to avoid the glass.
"Nothing, alright—? Upstairs, Reg."
Regulus did as he was told, hurrying out of the office. Sirius scooted closer to the broken bottle, assessing the damage. It was smashed to bits— He'd have to just get rid of the whole thing.
He'd just begun to try cleaning it up, thinking of potential coverups when he heard the door creak. He whipped around.

But it wasn't a sour faced woman— It was an elf. Sirius went still.
    "Master's been causing trouble again hasn't he.." The creature croaked. His slender fingers curled around the wood of the door.
Sirius stared in horror at the house elf, shaking his head desperately.
    "I haven't, Kreacher— It's nothing—" But the elf had already retreated from the doorway and he felt ice shooting through him.
As the floorboards creaked outside the office door, Sirius tried hard to shove the glass under the bookshelf, eyes tearing up as it tore at his palms.
He could hear the click of heels—

And then it was gone. He was gasping, desperately tangled in his sheets. He could feel sweat cool on his forehead.
Sirius ran his fingertips hesitantly over his palms as though somehow he might still be bleeding.. But he wasn't.

He nearly tripped in the dark trying to get out of bed, stumbling dumbly in the space between his and Remus's four posters.
The other boy stirred slightly as Sirius crawled into his bed, eyes opening a bare fraction. Sirius probably should have felt embarrassed or sorry for waking him, but he didn't have it in him.
He felt uncertain breath ruffling his hair as Remus seemed to wake up just a little more.
"Pads—?" Sirius nodded against his chest. "Nightmare—?" He nodded again.
"Been getting them again—" He mumbled, hands gripping at the boy's shirt as if it was a tether.
He felt Remus slowly wrap his arms around his waist. He was warm— So warm. Sirius felt it all through his own body.
Remus was quiet for a long moment, hand rubbing up and down Sirius's back. Then he sniffed.
"Can I ask you something—?"
"Mm—" The boy was quiet again.

"Is that why you've been— Aloof recently—?" He seemed to be choosing his words carefully. Sirius felt a lump in his throat, thinking about how he might answer that question.
In a way yes, but it was more complicated to explain than that— He worried if he tried he might break down.
He couldn't deal with that right now so he just nodded.
"Yeah— Sort of—" Remus nodded. He didn't push it, instead lapsing into silence again. His finger traced up Sirius's spine and he felt his head go dizzy, face pressing into the boy's chest.
For a moment he felt so at peace— Like he was a little kid again; Except this time there was someone there to protect him too. It felt so safe there in his arms— So safe that Sirius let himself relax. He was unguarded enough to murmur, voice muffled by the fabric of Remus's shirt,
"I love you, Re."
Remus went still for long enough that a pit began to grow in the pit of Sirius's stomach.
He shouldn't have said that— He'd let himself mean it too much—

But Remus seemed to get over whatever had made him hesitate— Because a moment later Sirius felt slender fingers lacing through his hair.
"I love you too, mate—" He murmured softly. "Get some rest, won't you? I'm right here."