Remus Lupin

Though Remus tended to be pretty haggard for a couple of days after the full moon, he was also feeling grateful. He hadn't had any trouble going back to his old place and chaining himself up, and then coming back here, with no one the wiser. As far as he knew, the only person who had any idea he was a werewolf were Hannibal and Aaron, and he didn't think either of them were going to tell.

Still, he hoped no one really took notice of how rundown he seemed. Though... on the other hand, no one really seemed at their best ever, anymore.

Things had been pretty bad for Remus before the whole world went to shit, so in some ways it wasn't objectively worse. The worst part of all of it though was that his wand had snapped in half, and since Hogsmeade had burned to the ground he had no idea how to get a new one.

Small mercies, however, he'd found a place to chain himself up during the full moons. An abandoned house - there were many of those - not far from the city, where he was squatting as well (his house had basically fallen to pieces) and had concrete walls that weren't going anywhere no matter how hard the wolf yanked.

He assumed the howling and screaming could be heard from anyone outside, but it wasn't as if that would be the most unusual thing. And he figured that, chained up, he couldn't hurt anyone even if they stumbled upon him.

So just before moonrise he stripped out of his clothes, neatly folded them, and put a silver cuff connected to a chain coming fro the wall, around his ankle.

And eventually, the wolf was shrieking its displeasure as it threw itself around the room.

Remus woke up laying in a bed in the emergency room. "Where... am I?" he asked, his voice a croak.

"Ah, welcome back," said a woman standing by his bed. She was wearing a nurse's uniform. "You're in the hospital. A helpful bystander found you passed out on the sidewalk. You don't have any ID on you. What's your name?"

"Remus Lupin." He rubbed his head, and realized he was connected to an IV.

"It's saline," the nurse said. "You're severely dehydrated. Malnourished too from the looks of it though we're waiting for more bloodwork. Any medical conditions we should know about?"

"I'm HIV positive," Remus said with a sigh. "I... I'm so sorry about all this trouble. I'm fine, I probably just... haven't been taking care of myself..." Or more accurately, couldn't afford food.

"Well you should feel better once you're hydrated, and I'll send a doctor in to do a workup," the nurse said. "Rest."

Remus nodded, feeling like a complete idiot. Or maybe burden to society. Or something. And a few hours later he had a diagnosis of nothing worse than what the nurse had said. Though at least confirmation that his HIV status hadn't transformed into something worse. Sometimes he had trouble with food when the shelters were full, but he went to the HIV clinic to get his meds.

The nurse also kindly brought him some fresh clothes. He did feel better as he prepared to leave.

Remus ate three sausages for breakfast. He was flushed; he tended to get a bit feverish before the full moon. And he managed to get through a morning class without saying a word to anyone, for fear of losing his temper over the smallest thing.

He was also avoiding Aaron as best he could, but when he went back to the room after class, when he thought Aaron would be out, he discovered he was wrong.

"I thought you'd be at practice," he blurted.

[continued from here]

"I want you too," Remus whispered against his lips as the kiss broke, and tugged Aaron's shirt off.

Then he leaned in and kissed his bare shoulder. He was nervous, and shy in talking about these things, but he also thought that getting it out there would alleviate some of the awkwardness.

"I thought, maybe you'd want to be... on top," Remus said softly. "I mean, since you've um, kind of already..."

Remus was in better spirits than he'd been in in quite a while. He'd been useful. He'd helped fight a demon. And Aaron... he'd wanted, and felt wanted, if only for a moment. He didn't know yet if it was anything at all, if it even could be since it seemed they were both hung up on their exes, but it had still felt good to feel good. And he hadn't in a long time.

Maybe this was why he'd decided to come to this place for the first time in a very long time. The cafe just outside the city with amazing chocolate. The place Willy had brought him on the day they met.

It shouldn't belong to Willy, he decided. After all, he was the one who liked chocolate so much.

And as he sat down and took a bite of a gooey, chocolate-filled croissant, an expression of pure bliss crossed his face and he decided it was a good decision.

The full moon wasn't until the next night, but Remus was already feeling edgy. Mostly he wanted to eat a rare steak and go home and fuck Willy. Except Willy... hadn't been home, even though he'd told Remus he would be. And Remus had baked a pie in anticipation. He'd texted, asking when he'd be home. And he got a response, hours later: probably not home tonight. And then he'd thought... where he probably was... which was with someone else...

Remus left the pie on the counter, put on the new scarf and coat he'd gotten for Christmas, and walked down the street to the nearest bar.

He ordered a rare steak and ate it quickly, and then just sat at the bar sipping bottom shelf whiskey.

Tomorrow night would be a full moon, and Remus was feeling edgy. Though it was a familiar feeling by now. Mostly he wanted to eat a rare steak and go home and fuck Willy. Except Willy hadn't been home, which means he was probably with someone else... Remus supposed he was just lucky that Willy hadn't brought them to their flat.

He'd decided to just wander instead, not wanting to be cooped up, especially by himself. Or to spend the evening baking bread only to not have Willy come home at all. It was so easy to feel slightly... pathetic.

He'd noticed the art gallery before, but he'd never gone in. Now it was surprisingly open or so it appeared, even though it was after dark.

Hesitantly, Remus stepped inside. The bell dinged, and he was immediatey drawn by a painting on a nearby wall. It was... dark. And sad. But somehow beautiful.

Remus was feeling like shit, as he did after every full moon. At least Willy had found a place to lock him up, and it hadn't been so bad. He'd woken up feeling sore as usual, but at least he hadn't gotten loose. And now he was just letting Willy lead him back. They had to go briefly back into the real world, he knew, on their way back to the cabin.

They stepped out of a mirror and into what appeared to be an antiques shop. And maybe, when it came down to it, Remus shouldn't have been surprised to see what was there waiting for them.

The wizard who'd been following him. Standing there with his wand out and a smirk plastered on his face.

"Found a body this morning," Rory said. "Not far from here. Ripped to shreds. I'm taking you in."

Remus just leaned against Willy, feeling too exhausted to even respond.

The full moon cycle this time had been particularly hard on Remus. He'd even tried to talk Willy out of coming with him, afraid the wolf might be more violent than usual, but of course Willy had insisted. And, well, Remus hadn't protested that hard. It was so much easier on him in the end if Willy was there. Even though it still made him uncomfortable, knowing that Willy saw him like that.

After he changed, the wolf raged against the chains. Typically calmed by Willy's presence, he seemed to have no effect this time.

... and then one of the chains snapped. The wolf advanced on Willy, teeth bared... and then, as if making some decision, turned away from him. And with teeth and strength managed to lift the door enough to get under and escape into the London night.