i was at the bookstore and saw that they had a new book loaning thing so i read closer about it and. its basically a library with a very very small selection of books except it costs 30$ a month. Yeah no.
how it feels to go to the library knowing full well I have at least seven half finished books and dvds already in my room(several of which are from the library) -> \(^ヮ^)/
@wolfstarmicrofic December 3rd prompt that took me forever again
Remus adjusts the strap on his backpack, once maybe three times. A flock of birds fly overhead, chattering and cawing. He looks up, they must be flying south for winter, see you later, he thinks.
He's standing in front of the library, waiting for Sirius and feeling jittery. Sirius and him don’t usually hangout alone. They wait for each other after lectures and walk to buildings together and brush shoulders and sit with each other in the dining hall, but they're always joined by their friends. This is different. They’ve made a plan to meet, just them, and it has the potential to be uninterrupted for more than 15 minutes.
Remus hopes it’s not too weird since it was actually Sirius’ idea to meet up. “Just us.” is what he said. Remus is trying not to look too much into it.
They’ve been passing notes in class- or they both have the same google doc open, and make edits at the same time:
“sirius black is typing… want to study tonight, just us?”
“Remus Lupin edited… Sure.”
Remus’ fingers had hovered over the keyboard for so long before he settled with a simple ‘Sure.” Already feeling like he’d fucked up with the response. His aim was nonchalant, but maybe it came across as disinterested?
“sirius black is typing… cool :) meet me in front of the library @ 4:30”
It’s 4:33 and Sirius still isn’t here and Remus is starting Disaster Recovery Plan: Getting Stood Up in his mind.
He kicks a rock around for something to do just as a familiar shape emerges from the distance.
Sirius approaches, hands in his pockets, face flushed like he’s been running and his black hair grazes his shoulders, curls in a way that suggests he tucks it behind his ears far too often. He looks up at Remus, stormy eyes, bright with mischief and- where’s his backpack? He’s got nothing on his person, how’s he supposed to study without any of his study material?
Remus clears his throat, “Uhm, ready then?”
“For?”
“Studying?”
“Pfft” Sirius gives a dismissive wave “Nah, I wanna show you something, my hangout spot.”
Remus laughs lowly to himself and shakes his head. He’s been preparing himself for sitting next to Sirius, books open, and heads hunched over them together. He’s been thinking about conversation topics and how he could possibly make studying together a regular thing, but now Sirius has gone and derailed all of that.
Of course.
“Hangout spot?” Remus repeats. “What are you eleven?”
Sirius opens his mouth, but Remus reaches for the door and then Sirius leans against it, preventing Remus from opening it. He looks at him, hazel eyes to gray.
“It’s in the library, the hangout spot. I'll show you and if you really don’t like it we’ll go back to the main area.”
Remus tries not to delude himself into thinking that Sirius is bargaining right now.
“Fine.” Remus gives in. “Fine! you've got,” he looks down at his wrist watch, a gift from his father. “Ten minutes. Then I absolutely need to study.”
“Yes, yes, of course! I can work with that.” Sirius opens the door and swoops his arm, “After you.”
~
They’re in a supply closet in the library.
“Ok… so your hangout spot is a supply closet? I’m truly impressed.”
Sirius shuffles in behind him, closing the door. It’s cramped and smells damp. “Use your eyes, oh smart one.” Sirius says.
There's another door at the back wall and Sirius moves a mop and bucket to get to it. He’s pulling keys out of his pocket and swiveling them around till he finds the ones he’s looking for. “Aha” then he’s unlocking it and opening the door.
It's a cement corridor, liminal space. Walls meet the floor with the same textured concrete and exposed pipes run along the ceiling. Dull orange lights are staggered overhead, and it’s like something out of a horror film.
The bare bones of the building, it’s warm like a chest cavity. How quickly the coziness of the library fades away.
“God, have you taken me to the back rooms?” Remus laughs.
Sirius is locking the door up behind them and it makes Remus a little nervous.
“Where are we?”
“There's tunnels under the school, did you know that? Connecting every building to each other. James and I discovered it about two years ago. They even goes to upper campus!”
“How- why?”
“I’m not entirely sure, something with the Cold War maybe?” Sirius grins, “Still want to study?”
Remus shoves him, the idiot. He knew. Sirius knows him better than Remus thinks he does.
It's warm, Remus reaches up and undoes one of his buttons, and pulls his tie loose. He turns to see Sirius watching him, eyes tracking every movement and staring at his collarbones with his bottom lip softly tucked between his teeth.
His eyes snap up meeting Remus’ and Sirius doesn’t look ashamed, instead he smirks.
Which makes Remus blush. “Okay, now what?”
“‘Now what?’” Sirius repeats, astonished and then turns to the mock audience, in a gesture of ‘look at this guy?’ “‘now what’ he says! Here I thought I had you thoroughly impressed, speechless almost.”
“Almost.” Remus smiles. “But knowing you I'm sure there’s more.”
A wicked grin. “There is more, this way.”
~
They’re walking side by side and every door they pass Sirius is explaining where on campus it leads to. He tucks his hair behind his ear, it looks so soft and Remus desperately wants to touch, that is, until he trips.
Sirius reaches out and grabs Remus’ hand, steadying him until he’s not at risk of falling over anymore, but then he just- doesn’t let go. Intentionally holding on.
“Is this… alright?” Sirius questions and he sounds so sincere, but unsure.
“Yeah” Remus tries, he clears his throat, “Yes, it’s alright”
Remus looks down and Sirius adjusts their hands, interlacing their fingers,
his mine his mine his mine
He tries to hide his smile, but sees it mirrored back at him in Sirius.
~
They walk for a long time until Sirius stops in front of another, unassuming door.
“And here we are.” Sirius says, a little nervously.
He unlocks it and then they’re in another storage closet, and then they’re in another library.
“Is this-” Remus starts.
“Yup!”
It’s the upper campus library, the library that is grad student only- except none of the grad students ever actually use it. It’s rumored to be empty of people all the time, the best place on campus to get away and be alone. (And allegedly the best plant collection)
It’s a phenomenon and a legend and Remus has wanted to go since he first heard about it.
The back wall is a giant window, looking over the lake, and the setting sun is captured perfectly. The bookshelves have winding philodendrons crawling over the tops of them. There’s a table in the back corner with books and papers and a laptop already spread out.
Remus turns around to see Sirius, highlighted in an orange glow, watching his every move.
“I know it took longer than ten minutes, but are you ready?” Sirius says.
got a library card!! borrowed out convenience store woman which has been on my tbr for ages so very excited abt that. also got the inseparables by simone de beauvoir!
