What if ! that scene from Time After Time Password where Pensak shoots the Unyielding but it had my fuckass monster designs of dubious canonicity? And then my hand slipped and it became eight pages whoopsiedoodle!!
note : Finally caved and wrote for these two, I have been debating this fic for the longest time because I thought it was too cliche but - I don't care anymore I have to write for wolfstar. something kinda funny about being a lesbian writing for these two lol
warnings : mentions of an abusive household, remus is traumatized and depressed (self-harm included), this is an au, Sirius also has terrible parents (but they're gods so are we surprsied?), mortal x god oh no
AU : Remus makes the mistake of touching a golden bow, getting cursed for stealing from a god, but Cupid decides to spare him and takes him in as an apprentice. He doesn't believe in love, thinks it's all rubbish - but the tattooed god was willing to bet he could change his mind along the way.
Remus treads through the woods, fallen leaves and stray branches crunching under his worn out boots. He is sure the pain from his toes are because of his boots, he has surely outgrown them but refuses to get a new one - not worth the money he’s gonna spend. He can still wear them although with a bit of struggle.
He has no destination in mind, he’s been walking for what felt like hours. He had another argument with his Mum, always the usual. Getting called lazy for staying at home all day, keeping to himself and his books but of course none of his efforts were ever noticed. Remus had shouted back this time.
He shouted back, “The bills are fucking paid!”, his voice piercing through her and bouncing off their peeling walls. Then for a split second, he saw his father. Standing tall in front of his mother, glaring and yelling like the mad man he was, then Remus faltered. He ran out before the expression of his mother could haunt him.
He would rather not confront the reality, the realization that he might be more like the man than he cared to admit. That maybe he had his mother's resentment, and his father’s anger. Her weak heart, and his hot head.
Remus pushes the thoughts to the very far back of his head as he look around. He’s so fucking lost, but luckily - he seems some home up ahead in the woods. He pauses - this is how people die in movies - he thought to himself.
A good minute passed. He is still very lost with no clue what to do with himself, the only obvious option was to approach that home, it does not look inviting. Like someone had cut down trees and just stacked them for a make-shift house.
Who was he to judge?
He slowly approached it, thinking to himself that if he died like this then it wouldn’t be too bad. No more fucking bills, he justified. No more mother who would berate him for not talking to her, when all she does is insult him when he would start conversations. No father who turns up once every blue moon just to hurt him and his mother.
He reaches the home, he doesn’t go inside straight away. He tries to look inside through creaks - nothing. It looks like a light is on inside, yellow and glowing, like a torch. He laughs, humorless. This is how he dies.
He goes to open the door and steps in, already he feels like he shouldn’t be here. The place was illuminated by a yellow light, though he cannot see the light source somehow. He looks around and sees that was far from what he expected.
Like he had been transported. The home from outside looked small, cramped. But now that he is inside, it seems like a proper cabin - how is that even possible? Remus then decided this might be a dream.
A weird ass dream. He probably slept in the woods, decided he got tired and closed his eyes while leaning on a tree. And now he’s in some fuckass cabin in the woods in his dream.
Remus continues, exploring the place with his eyes more than he did with his feet. He took small steps while looking around and then - he saw it. A golden bow? He frowns upon seeing it, it looks ultimately out of place in this cabin.
Everything else seemed aged and used, except that one. It was placed on top of a chopped off wood block. Perched right up without some assistance, how his this bow just standing?
Oh, right, this is a dream.
He approaches it, drawn to it. He carefully approaches and then without thinking much, grabbed it. He gripped it, it was real and kinda heavy. He almost dropped it had he not moved his other hand to catch it.
It felt like it was vibrating under his touch. He was going to put it back when - “What the bloody hell are you doing?”
Remus jumped at the voice. He turned swiftly around and almost let out the girliest shriek ever at the sight of the shirtless man in front of him. He had no time to focus on his bare, tattooed chest and his eyes went to his face.
Pale. Angry.
“Who are you?” Remus asked, still holding the bow. The shirtless man looked at it, he did too and it made him splutter. “I - I didn’t mean to, I - “
“That should be my question, mate,” the man takes a step forward and pointed at the bow. “Thought you’d nick that one off me, yeah?”
Remus shakes his head, panicked. He is hearing the alarms go off his head. This man is gorgeous - but oh my god he looks like trouble. Remus was just joking when he thought dying wouldn’t be the worst thing right now.
He had thought anticipating it would cancel it out.
The man takes another step, angry still. “Who fucking sent you? Was it Bella? That hag still trying to get revenge?”
“I don’t know any Bella! No one sent me!”
The man takes one more step. He is so close now that Remus could smell him, he smelled like chocolate, books and cinnamon - his favourite. What?
“That’s exactly what someone sent by Bella would fuckin’ say!”
Remus knew he was in trouble and so he threw the bow at the guy, he caught it with ease - with a single hand like it weighed nothing. He threw his hands up in surrender, eyes wide and pleading. “Please, I really don’t know who you are or what that is.”
The man pauses. He flicked his wrist and the bow disappeared into thin air, like it was never there and Remus’ eyes widened in shock - what the fuck just happened? His jaw went slack but he couldn’t form a proper sentence to even ask.
The man tilts his head to the side, then his anger faded - like the bow, like it hadn’t existed in the first place. He eyes Remus with intensity, it made the brunet want to curl into a ball and roll away but he just stood there, the image of pure shock and confusion.
“You’re telling the truth,” the man nods to himself.
Remus then found his voice, although stuttering, “I-I am!”
There was a pregnant pause before the man spoke again. “Bella didn’t send you - surely, my Mother didn’t - who are you?”
Remus struggled to form a sentence. He watched as the man run a hand through his long, black hair. It fell right above his shoulders in big waves, he looks like an underwear brand model, Remus thought.
“My name is Remus Lupin. I don’t know what this place is, swear,” he looks around as if it could explain what is happening right now. As if it could make sense of what he just saw.
22 years on this Earth and not once has he seen anything like that. Even in his dreams, he couldn’t have come up with this - this was too weird. His dreams are usually scary and dark, bloody.
The man nods a bit then turns to him again. “D’you know your name means wolf wolf?”
Remus blinks. “Yes.”
The man smirks. Remus almost swooned if he wasn’t too scared.
“You, to put it plainly, are fucked.”
“What - “
“You just stole from a god, and not just anything - my bow, you stole Cupid’s bow,” the man explained while pointing at him, walking around with dramatic flair. Remus on the other hand is glued to his spot, his ears ringing.
“But you have your bow? Wait - you’re cupid?”
The man pauses then gives a dramatic bow, tongue darting out to wet his bottom lip. He smirks up at Remus. “In my most handsome flesh - pleasure is all yours, of course,” he stands up straight and looks at Remus. “That may be so, but you still touched it. Something only I am allowed to do - so now you’re fucked.”
Remus’ eye twitched. How does he even begin to process this bullshit? “Forgive me for being ignorant, but could you kindly explain what “fucked” means, exactly?”
The man let’s out an amused chuckle at his words. “You’re cursed. You’re to die a very painful death - think Mum’s gonna be the one to do it, she gets touchy about these things. Thinks gods are far above mortals, to find out one of you’s touched something godly like my bow, she’d be livid!”
Remus pauses, if he's Cupid - then his mother is. . . fuck.
“Oh, and you’re not dreaming by the way. This is very real,” Cupid says. Remus blinked then he jolted at a sharp pang of pain on his arm. He jumps away from Cupid who suddenly appeared beside him, he was just in front of him one second. “See? Real.”
Remus rubs the area that was pinched with a sour expression. “So the Goddess of Love and Beauty is on my ass?”
Cupid laughs, loud and crass - it caught Remus off-guard. He looked like a painting come to life when he did, throwing his head back as his locks bounced with his shoulders. He really was beautiful, must be after his Mother.
“You’re getting it,” Cupid nods at him once his laughter died down. “You’re on the smarter side of mortals, huh?”
Remus neglects to answer that. “Right. So she’s gonna kill me or something?”
“Oh no, worse. You know her, surely you know how most punishments by Gods go?”
Remus recalls everything he knew about mythology, and decided that yep he is so very fucked - the very definition of it. It might as well have been invented for him. As if reading the expression on his face, Cupid stilled.
He pauses and watches as Remus goes through all 5 stages of grief at once where he stood.
“Unless - “
Remus was quick to latch on to that. “Unless?”
“Unless I take you in. As an apprentice,” Cupid smirked, all too pleased with himself. “Teach you all about love and its wonders.”
Remus makes a face at him, despite himself. That made Cupid’s brow quirk, the expression caught too quickly and processed right away - Remus almost regretted it, almost.
“You don’t want to? I’m giving you an out here, mate. You’re fun, say - what are those scars?”
Remus stiffened. He felt like the air was knocked off him. It’s the same. When people see him, they always wanna know why he has scars across his face - a cruel reminder that he is unloved. That he has never been deserving of it.
Cupid saw the pain flash across his face but still waited for an answer, nevermind the fact it hurt him - he waited to know. He even crossed his arms and nodded at him, “Mate?”
Remus cleared his throat. “Car accident,” he said too quickly, in a dismissive tone. Cupid did not believe one bit. “An apprenticeship with Cupid?”
He dropped it, did not probe any further. He only broke into a wide grin. “Fun, innit?”
“Fun,” Remus echoed dryly.
Cupid grinned wider, flashing a row of teeth that looked just a little too sharp for someone associated with love. “You'll learn everything there is to know. Affection, devotion, obsession, heartbreak.”
He leaned closer, voice lowering like a secret. “Especially heartbreak. It's an art form.”
Remus swallowed thickly. “And if I say no?”
Cupid shrugged, as if Remus' death would be nothing more than a mild inconvenience. “Then I tie you to a tree outside, tell Mum a mortal touched her son's sacred weapon, and let her turn you into a pile of something unsightly. Maybe another ‘Dusa. Maybe something smaller, and easier to stomp on. Depends on her mood.”
Remus considered it for exactly three seconds before sighing heavily. “When do I start?”
Cupid’s smile widened - predatory and delighted all at once. “Right now.”
Before Remus could brace himself, Cupid snapped his fingers, and the entire room around them shifted. The cramped, makeshift cabin morphed into an airy expanse of rolling fields under a sky permanently locked in a golden-hour glow. Flowers bloomed at their feet, despite Remus being certain it was the middle of bloody November back home.
He staggered, disoriented. “What the fuck - "
“Language, Lupin,” Cupid tutted, wagging a finger at him. “You kiss your Mother with that mouth?”
Remus shot him a dirty look. “You just threatened to turn me into a rodent.”
Cupid smirked. “Tough love.” He strolled forward with lazy grace, barefoot in the tall grass, every movement radiating effortless beauty that made Remus feel even grubbier in his too-small boots and battered coat.
Remus looked around, thoroughly confused. "Cupid, what are we doing here?"
Cupid winked at him and gestured grandly. "Love is in the air."
Remus deadpanned. "No, it’s not."
Cupid pointed at him like he was delivering sacred wisdom. "First rule of being my apprentice: love is always in the air."
"You’re making this shit up," Remus said flatly.
Cupid grinned, utterly unapologetic. "Obviously. You’re my first and only student."
Remus exhaled slowly, like he was physically restraining himself from walking away. "Right. So what are we actually doing?"
Cupid slung an arm around Remus’s shoulders, beaming like this was the greatest idea he'd ever had. "You, my dear student, are about to learn how people fall in love."
Remus just stared at him, stunned into silence. What the hell had he gotten himself into?
Remus stared at Cupid like he'd just announced he was actually a government plant sent to spy on pigeons.
"You want me to what?" he said slowly, blinking.
Cupid clapped a hand on his shoulder, beaming. "Learn how people fall in love. Field research, apprentice. C’mon."
Before Remus could protest, he was being steered down the street at a brisk pace - seeming to have seamlessly travelled somewhere else again, Cupid whistling a tuneless song and dodging through crowds like he was on some divine mission. Maybe he was. Remus was still trying to figure out the rules.
They ended up at a busy city park, the sun low enough to turn everything gold and soft around the edges. People wandered everywhere - couples on benches, kids throwing frisbees, someone walking a dog the size of a small horse.
Cupid flopped dramatically onto a bench, patting the empty space beside him. "Observation spot. Prime real estate."
Remus sat down stiffly, suspicious. "What are we even looking for?"
Cupid scanned the crowd like a hawk. Then he jabbed a finger toward a couple sitting under a tree - a boy shrugging off his jacket and draping it over the girl’s shoulders.
"See that? He gave her his jacket. Textbook," Cupid said smugly.
Remus squinted. "She’s shivering. That’s just basic human decency."
Cupid scoffed. "Basic human decency is sexy, Remmy. Keep up."
Remus snorted under his breath, but dutifully turned his gaze back to the crowd.
A few moments later, a guy tripped over his own feet while trying to impress a girl with some overdramatic skateboard trick. She laughed - loud, bright, head tossed back like a movie scene.
Cupid elbowed him. "She laughed at his terrible joke. She’s doomed."
Remus arched an eyebrow. "That was a near-death experience, not a joke."
"Near-death experiences are very bonding," Cupid said wisely. "Ask literally any rom-com."
They fell into a strange rhythm after that. Cupid would point someone out - a shy smile exchanged at a coffee cart, two strangers reaching for the same book in a secondhand store window - and explain exactly how, why, and when they'd fall in love.
At first, Remus argued every single time.
“That’s just polite conversation."
“That’s desperation, not romance."
"That’s two people who don’t know how queues work."
But after an hour or two, without realizing it, he started getting weirdly into it.
He pointed out a guy nervously offering a dog treat to a woman’s overexcited golden retriever. "Alright, fine, that one might be flirting."
Cupid made a little jazz hands motion. "See? You're getting it."
"And those two," Remus said, tilting his chin toward a pair leaning way too close over a chessboard, their knees almost touching. "They’re about three minutes away from making out or murdering each other. Could go either way."
Cupid cackled. "That's the spirit!"
Somewhere along the way, Remus forgot to be sceptical. He got too caught up tracking the small, stupid moments - the look someone gave when they thought nobody was watching, the way laughter could soften a whole face, the breathless, hopeful edge of strangers just starting to know each other.
Maybe Cupid was onto something after all.
(He wasn't going to admit that out loud, though. Yet.)
Terror Plot Thwarted in France- 4 arrested, Bomb Materials Found
Terror Plot Thwarted in France- 4 arrested, Bomb Materials Found
A terrorist plot was thwarted by French Police on Friday with the arrests of 4 people in Montpellier, Clapiers and Marseillan. The arrests included a 16 year old girl whom officials only named as “Sara.” Officials called the terror plot an ‘imminent attack,’ and found TATP (Triacetone Triperoxide) as well as other bomb-making materials in the apartment where the girl was staying with a 20 year…
. . . Screaming, who could ever leave me, darling? But who could stay?
AU : Remus makes the mistake of touching a golden bow, getting cursed for stealing from a god, but Cupid decides to spare him and takes him in as an apprentice. He doesn't believe in love, thinks it's all rubbish - but the tattooed god was willing to bet he could change his mind along the way.
. Also read on ao3 here!
part one - First Rule : Love is always in the air
part two - Second rule : The heart always falls first
note : I don't know why I feel very very inspired to write for this but oh well - I musn't let the creativity die down. I just came back from a pool party and spent a good chunk singing epic the musical songs in the water with friends.
warnings : Remus is hard-headed and refuses to believe in love, Sirius as Cupid is just so *swoons*, more banter between them, I like my Remus portrayed with a bite (pun intended)
AU : Remus makes the mistake of touching a golden bow, getting cursed for stealing from a god, but Cupid decides to spare him and takes him in as an apprentice. He doesn't believe in love, thinks it's all rubbish - but the tattooed god was willing to bet he could change his mind along the way.
By the time the sun dipped low behind the skyline, Remus was tired, footsore, and still thoroughly unconvinced - after having spent a day with the God of Love himself.
Cupid had dragged him all over the city for “field research” - coffee shops, bookstores, parks, grocery stores. Apparently, love was happening everywhere, all the time, if you knew where to look. “Love is in the air”, he said.
Remus thought it was a load of shit.
They ended their day perched on the edge of a crumbling fountain, half-eaten sandwiches abandoned between them. Cupid sat cross-legged like a feral creature, grinning like an idiot at the crowds of people bustling past.
"So?" Cupid said, shoving a fry into his mouth. "After all that, do you believe in love yet?"
Remus gave him a look so dry it could've started a drought. "Not even remotely."
Cupid clicked his tongue, fake-disappointed. "Tough crowd."
Remus stretched his legs out in front of him with a groan. "If anything, I believe in foot pain more than ever now."
"You’re welcome," Cupid chirped.
There was a beat of silence, just the hum of the city filling the air. People rushing past, laughing, arguing, living - Remus took it all in and still, not a hint of love came to him. After all, it was just day 1.
Cupid shifted, studying him. And then, with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer: "What, mummy and daddy didn’t do love, that it?"
The words hit like a sucker punch. Remus stiffened, a flicker of something sour twisting in his chest. He glared at Cupid, every muscle tensing and he didn’t get to hold back despite facing a man of myths.
"Fuck you," he snapped.
Cupid beamed like it was the best thing he’d heard all day. He leaned back on his hands, loose and lazy. "Aw, sweetheart," he drawled, voice thick with fake sympathy. "I honestly did not think I was your type, you could’ve just said so."
Remus choked on air, face heating violently. "That is not - I didn’t - you - !"
Cupid laughed so hard he nearly toppled backward into the fountain. Remus kicked at him half-heartedly, scowling so fiercely as if he could actually intimidate someone like him.
"We've known each other a day," Remus muttered, glowering. "A whole day. And you're already making sex jokes. Amazing."
"You're a fast worker, lover boy," Cupid said smugly.
Remus contemplated murder for a solid three seconds.
Cupid, undeterred, leaned forward, gaze flickering - playful to serious in a heartbeat. His eyes dropped, skimming over the thin, pale scars littering Remus’s arms. Remus yanked his sleeves down instinctively, but it was too late.
Cupid’s smile dimmed, replaced by something quieter. He tapped two fingers against his temple like he was thinking deeply. Then, points at Remus’ face, tracing the air to mimic his scar across his face.
"Yeah," Cupid said, voice casual but heavy underneath. "Kinda hard to believe in love for others when you can't even give it to yourself, huh?"
Remus froze. His throat clicked when he swallowed.
He hated how easily Cupid saw through him. Hated it more because it didn’t feel cruel - just. . .matter-of-fact. Like Cupid was naming a weather pattern. Rainy today. Broken kid tomorrow.
He looked away, breathing slow and measured. Jaw clenching.
The silence stretched between them.
Then Remus muttered, "Fine."
Cupid tilted his head, grin creeping back. "Fine what?"
"I'll be your stupid apprentice, give this shit a try," Remus gritted out. "Even if I think this is complete bullshit."
Cupid beamed, victorious. "Knew you'd come around."
Remus scowled. "I didn't come around. I'm just - " He waved a vague, angry hand. " - humoring you."
"Sure, sure," Cupid said, utterly unconvinced. "We'll revisit that statement when you’re crying over a first date in three weeks."
"Never gonna happen."
Cupid winked. "We'll see, lover boy. We'll see."
Home was. . .bleak.
It always was, these days.
The house sat silent and hollow, smelling faintly of dust and stale coffee. His mother was parked on the living room couch, flipping through a magazine without looking up. His father was nowhere to be found, as usual.
Remus didn’t bother announcing himself. He just trudged upstairs, the weight of exhaustion and something heavier pressing down on him.
This is how it is anyways when anything happens in their house. When things boil over the rim and spill to the floor, they don’t even bother cleaning the spill and just step over it - ignoring it.
He flopped face-first onto his bed, the mattress creaking under his weight. After a long moment, he rolled onto his back and stared at the cracked ceiling.
His wrist itched.
Reluctantly, he turned it over, studying the small tattoo etched into his skin. A delicate heart, pierced by a slim arrow. He recalls what Cupid said about it.
“Just a little assurance, don’t want you running away!”.
Remus’ frown deepened as he took in the minimalistic tattoo. “As if a mere mortal could run away from a god.”
Cupid only smiles - something off about it, something unspoken but was somehow sad. “You’d be surprised.”
He did not ask more about it.
"Love, huh?" he muttered under his breath, still looking at the tattoo. "What a fucking joke."
He dragged his sleeve down over it and shut his eyes.
Sleep didn’t come easy.
It never did.
The next morning, Remus woke up to the deeply horrifying realization that there was someone else in his bed.More specifically: Cupid, sprawled out like a cat, stealing half his pillow, grinning like he owned the place.
"Hey, lover boy," Cupid said brightly.
Remus yelled and scrambled back so hard he nearly fell off the bed.
"What the actual fuck - ?!"
Cupid just stretched, entirely too pleased with himself. "Relax, I'm not here to ravish you. It's day two of your apprenticeship!"
Remus clutched the blanket around himself like a shield. "HOW are you in my room?!"
Cupid yawned. "Godly powers. Obviously."
Remus glared, wild-eyed. "You are so full of shit."
Cupid just shrugged, utterly unbothered. "Believe what you want. You left your window open anyway."
Cupid flopped back against the bed, hands behind his head. “You know, you are so disrespectful as an apprenticeship. Anyone else would kill for this opportunity, to earn a god’s favour? But you just curse me left and right.”
Remus cursed under his breath, grabbed the nearest clothes he could find, and fled to the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.
He said smugly to himself, and immediately started snooping around the room like an unsupervised raccoon. When Remus returned, dressed and still vaguely seething, Cupid was poking through a stack of battered books.
He looked up and pouted dramatically. "Aw, tragic. I was hoping you'd come back naked. More scars for my research."
Remus snorted, running a towel through his hair. "Yeah, loads of scars. So badass."
Cupid grinned at him, wolfish. "I bet you were a tiny, feral little kid."
Remus deadpanned, "Still am."
Cupid laughed, a real one - loud and startled, like he hadn’t expected it. It softened something inside Remus, against his will. Before Remus could escape that uncomfortable feeling, Cupid held up a photo he'd found half-buried under a notebook.
It was a picture of Remus and a boy around his age, grinning like idiots. Remus had an arm slung lazily around the boy’s shoulders.
Cupid waved it in the air. "Who's this? Boyfriend?"
Remus snatched it out of his hand, shoving it into a drawer without putting much thought into the memory that was dug up by a single photograph. "Just a friend. That's Peter."
"Yes," Remus said through gritted teeth. "Anyway, new topic. Why was your bow so easy to steal?"
Cupid blinked at the abrupt change of subject but rolled with it.
"Simple," he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "No one would ever dare. Not with who my Mum is. So I never cared to protect it."
Cupid shrugged. "No one ever tries to steal my stuff. Not with who my mum is."
Remus rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, excuse the rest of us for not being the spawn of the Goddess of Love and Beauty."
Cupid's grin sharpened. "Jealous?"
Remus gave him a look like he wanted to set him on fire.
"Of what?" Remus said flatly. "Being godly and perfect? Must be exhausting."
Cupid didn’t rise to the bait. Just looked at him, long and slow, like he was peeling Remus apart without touching him.
"You think love’s easy for me," Cupid said, quiet now. "Because of who I am."
He leaned forward, voice dropping until it was barely a thread of sound.
"Here’s the thing, lover boy: love doesn't give a shit who your Mum is. It just wrecks you anyway."
Remus blinked.
For the first time, Cupid didn’t look cocky or smug or infuriating. He looked -
Human.
Remus again, did not ask more.
Cupid reached for Remus’s hand without warning, fingers latching on like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Remus noticed the tattoos first - tiny symbols inked along Cupid’s wrist and forearm, almost like constellations, stars and runes scattered across golden skin.
Before he could ask, the world lurched. A blink, a breath, and they were standing somewhere else entirely - it was so seamless.
Remus stumbled a little, blinking against the sudden brightness of fluorescent lights. A university, judging by the worn lecture halls and the heavy scent of caffeine and desperation in the air.
"So," Remus said dryly, glancing around at the sea of stressed-out students, "still on lesson one? Is love hidden somewhere between the smell of caffeine overdose and crushed dreams?"
Cupid laughed, bright and easy, and tugged him forward through the campus. "Nope. Today’s lesson two," He grinned over his shoulder, "the heart falls first."
Remus frowned. "What does that even mean?"
Cupid sighed, dramatic. "The heart falls first, before the mind even realizes it’s stepped off the ledge. Do keep up, wolf boy."
Remus rolled his eyes and trailed after him, sneakers squeaking slightly on the polished floors. "Are we even allowed here?"
Cupid shrugged, shameless. "Never been thrown out. Godly powers, I tell you."
