little eternities // wolfstar au [c.s]

1908 // four

"regulus, you're never gonna believe this. you will never believe this," sirius gasps out, stumbling his way into the apartment. if he's honest, he doesn't even really remember how he got home. he was so startled and dazed from seeing remus his brain was full. he couldn't even direct his mental energy towards anything else, all he could do was think about seeing his love's sweet face again after a hundred years of nothing. he was so in love all over again, full to the brim from it.

"believe what? what on earth is wrong with you?" regulus demands, genuinely sounding concerned until he notices his brother's empty hands. "damnit, sirius, you didn't even get the sugar?"

"remus," is all sirius can say, yet again. clearly, his darling's name is his mouth's favorite word, and it so often seems to be the only thing he can say. "i saw him, regulus. really saw him, i mean. he – he works at our grocery!" sirius is so excited his eyes well up with tears just at the thought of remus being so close. so close and so easy to love. sirius could die from the joy.

regulus stares at him with concern in his eyes. "sirius..."

"i know," sirius interrupts. his hands are shaking. "i know, regulus, i know how it sounds. just...go back with me at three. that's when his shift ends, you can see what i mean."

"okay..." regulus says slowly, even more worried. his brother had a really rough time after remus' death, understandably...but he'd seemed to be doing so much better. he still wasn't dating, even after 100 years had passed, but regulus didn't push him on it. he knew these things had to go at sirius' time, that it couldn't be rushed. but now, he seemed to be moving backwards, and that really, really worried him.

- - -
"what time is it?" sirius demanded, just like he had been every three minutes for the past two hours.

"2:45," regulus responds. "i suppose we can head out, huh?"

sirius stands up so quickly regulus probably would've laughed if not for the terrified expression on his face. he scratches nervously at the back of his neck, double checking his appearance in the mirror.

"what is it?" regulus asks. he doesn't know what, but he can tell something's up.

"what if he doesn't like me?" sirius' voice is low, tense. "what if...what if, after everything, after losing him so horribly and finding him again...what if this version of him doesn't want me? i mean, he has to be different, right? none of this makes any fucking sense, and i —"

"hey," regulus interrupts gently. he's not so sure about this whole 'i found remus,' thing, but the one thing he is sure about is that he won't let his brother tear himself apart like this. "don't think like that. just...see what happens. neither of you owes the other anything. let's just go see if he's up for this."

- - -
"i don't understand," sirius says slowly, glancing at his watch. they're waiting for remus right in the entrance of the store, but he's nowhere to be seen. "he was here, he told me to meet him at three..."

regulus bites his lip. he doesn't know what to say. "well, while we're waiting, i'm gonna go get that sugar you neglected to buy earlier."

regulus' attempt to make sirius grin works, and he nudges his brother out of the way, annoyed. shaking his head, he makes his way to the aisle labeled 'baking supplies.' he scans the shelves, confused as to why he doesn't see anything, and spots an employee at the end of the aisle.

"excuse me," he calls. "can i have some help? i'm trying to find –" he begins, and cuts himself off when the employee turns and it happens to be remus. nausea and terror and confusion bubble up in his chest. "remus?" he whispers.

remus stares at him, confused, probably wondering why this has happened for the second time today. "um..."

"holy hell...sirius wasn't lying." regulus is rambling aloud, unable to help himself.

"regulus, what's taking you so – oh," sirius says, but the 'oh' just comes out as a gasp. as soon as he lays an eye on remus it's like his heart is trying to beat straight out of his chest. he can't believe he's still so in love a hundred years later, and the urge to grab remus up and kiss him is nearly killing him. "um, hi."

remus' cheeks are pink. "hello."

sirius would've genuinely forgotten regulus was even there if he hadn't nudged him. "um, sorry. remus, this is my brother, regulus."

"hello," regulus smiles, even goes so far as tipping his hat at remus, which makes the smaller boy laugh.

"nice to meet you," remus says back. "um...you never even told me your name."

sirius' cheeks pink a bit, and his smile goes shy. "right, sorry. i'm sirius."

a strange expression goes across remus' face for a second, as if he'd reached a foggy memory or seen something he hadn't thought about in a long time. "sirius," he repeats, and the expression cements for a second. "why does that remind me of something?"

sirius' heart jumps. "does it really?"

remus nods, still pensive, and then shrugs. "i can't remember, i guess. i just need to get my coat...are we still getting coffee?"

sirius beams at the fact that remus still wants to. "yes, yes, of course!" he's so excited, and it makes even regulus grin.

"i'll see you at home," regulus says fondly, patting sirius' shoulder and ducking back out into the rain. he can't help but shake his head – how the hell does this kind of thing happen? what triggers it? how can remus have died and somehow found his way back to remus? none of it makes any sense, and regulus decides to head to the library and see if he can find anything out that can explain this strange and beautiful phenomenon.