i was so angry at one of my class that i started writing this on the métro back home. for the anon who asked for more architecture student!sirius dealing with school stress with the help of his shiny new project-saving-umbrella-having boyfriend. hope you like it!
"I'm quitting school,â Remus learns after about six months of being with Sirius, are Siriusâs favourite words.
He says them after difficult classes, during classes that are too easy, before classes with people he doesnât like, when heâs working on a project giving him a hard time or researching for a project that heâs already dreading. He says it as an opening line on the phone, texts it at three in the afternoon with pictures of cups of coffee or at eight in the morning with sulky half-awake selfies.Â
But the words carry more than annoyance only when Sirius speaks them in person.Â
Remus now knows all about Siriusâs group of friends, colourful characters with so much love and jokes to offer than Remus still feels overwhelmed by it all when heâs welcomed into parties, dinners or lazy Saturday afternoons at the mall like a long lost friend. He understands perfectly why Sirius adores every last one of them, has come to think of them as his friends as well, shyly at first, and then proudly when the invitations come to his phone directly. He knows Sirius still prefers to let them hear the worst of his stress, afraid their budding relationship would wilt under the weight of it.Â
So when Sirius does come to Remusâs flat to say, âIâm quitting school,â Remus doesnât need to know what comes after to get into motion.
Thereâs option 1. Option 1 is the least demanding: a cup of tea or herbal tea depending on how caffeinated Sirius already is, taking a long shower together and cuddling in Remusâ bed while they talk about things that have nothing to do with work, or architecture, or group projects that take far too much time and are often more Siriusâs project than group ones. Sometimes option 1 includes a movie, sometimes it includes whining until Remus reads him bits of the book on his bedside table. Most of the time, itâs just petting Siriusâs hair until he falls asleep.
Option 2 is a bit more tricky. Once Sirius gets inside his flat, itâs hell to get him back into his coat and scarf, itâs no smiles until theyâre out of the tube and actively working on Option 2. But Option 2 does wonders and Remus enjoys the walks through Siriusâs London, a London that has been built in such year, rebuilt then, burnt down by error, attacked during the war. Siriusâs London is full of stories of the lives of the people who have decided how the city would breathe and grow. Option 2 gives a new spring to Siriusâs steps and reduces the Quitting messages by at least fifty percents for days at time.
Remus learns of Option 3 through James and Peter, one day when Sirius wonât fall asleep in his arms nor put his coat on. The first time Option 3 has to be launched, itâs a bit on the expensive side because Remus wants it to double as a romantic getaway and splurges on the hotel. But Option 3 is the most enjoyable: they leave on the Friday evening after Remusâs work shift and Siriusâs classes, and then Sirius is all happy laughter and childish excitement to discover their destination. So far theyâve done Bath, Stratford-upon-Avon and Brighton and every time Remus thinks, a bit guiltily, that even if Option 3 occurs during Siriusâs worst times, itâs also their best time together - away from work, school, and anyone they know. Itâs just them being in love, with each other, with their lives together.
Option 4 is a bit of a funny one. Sirius comes to his flat, says, âIâm quitting school,â and Remus answers, âFine, Iâm quitting work, we can go live in the woodsâ. This throws Sirius off in a frenzy to know what happened, who he has to kill, listening to Remusâs rant until theyâve drained the pot of tea and then theyâre both too tired to care about it anymore and they decide to postpone the quitting, instead settling for a bit of a cuddle, continuing that show theyâre watching together, kissing away each otherâs worries.