Written for:

A Demigod Wizard's Duel at the Hunger Games Competition - Write about an internal quality (bravery, cunning, etc.) that your Representative has. Representative = Sirius Black, Quality = kindness. Element to use: Water, Prompts used - Paint, music (2 bonus points), breeze.

The Stratified Agate Challenge - Write about your pairing getting caught in the rain together.

Sirius Black stepped out of his work, feeling the rain on his skin. He sighed to himself and ran to a shop a few doors down from him, purchasing a small umbrella. The weather report had said sunny skies, no mention of rain, and Sirius hated the feel of wet hair against his skin. He hated getting his hair wet.

Just a few hours before, he had been desperate for anything, even a slight breeze, but the rain was not what he had in mind at all.

He stepped out of the shop, putting the umbrella up and started his walk towards the bus-stop. He usually got there a minute before the bus arrived, but the queue in the shop would mean that he had missed his bus. Hopefully he wouldn't have to wait too long for the next one.

By the time he reached the bus stop, the rain was picking up and Sirius was more glad then ever that he bought the umbrella. The shelter was packed of people who were waiting for either a bus or for the rain to stop so they could continue walking. The umbrella meant he didn't need to squeeze under the shelter where there was no space. Sirius looked up the road for the bus, not seeing any in the distance and sighed.

At least it was still warm out, even if it was pouring down.

It was a couple of minutes before he saw a man rushing to the bus stop. The man glanced at the shelter hopefully, but stopped near Sirius, seeing there was no space underneath.

Sirius felt sorry for the man. He was in a thin cardigan and jeans and he would be drenched by the time a bus arrived.

"Hey," Sirius said, walking over. "You'll get soaked." He stood next to the man, putting the umbrella over both of them.

"Oh, thank you," the man replied, offering Sirius a wide smile that made Sirius stare for a moment. He quickly looked away, only to be drawn back to the smile again. "That's really kind of you."

"It's okay," Sirius said. "There's space for two under here."

"I didn't expect the rain," the man replied, amusing Sirius. Awkward conversations were always about the weather, but he didn't mind. It wasn't often that strangers were as friendly as this guy seemed.

"Neither did I," Sirius replied. "I bought this from the shop near my work. Set me back a few minutes, I'm normally on the bus by now."

"I didn't think of doing that," the man said, frowning slightly.

"I'm Sirius."

"Oh, I guessed that, I didn't think you were joking -"

"No, I mean that's my name. I'm Sirius."

"Sirius like the star?" the man asked.

"Yeah," Sirius replied, pleased that the stranger had made the connection so quickly. "My family like strange names."

"Then they'd like my name, It's Remus." Remus held out his hand and Sirius shook it, holding for a couple of seconds too long.

"So, what's the story with your name?" Sirius asked.

"My last name is Lupin - it means Wolf. My parents have a sense of humour and called me Remus." He paused, taking in Sirius' confused look.

"Remus and Romulus were twins raised by wolves. They founded Rome, but Romulus killed Remus so that Rome would be named after him," Remus explained.

"So your parents really like wolves?" Sirius asked, amused.

"Very much," Remus replied, still smiling.

"We're all named after stars. Orion, Andromeda, Regulus, Orion... you get the idea," Sirius said.

"Are your family into astronomy?"

"I think someone was and then it became tradition."

"So your own children are going to be named after stars too - tradition and all?"

Sirius shrugged. "If I have any, which is doubtful. Are yours going to be named after wolves?"

"God no," Remus chuckled.

Sirius looked past Remus. "This is my bus," he said, handing the umbrella to Remus. "I live next to the bus stop, you keep this."

"Are you sure?" Remus asked.

Sirius nodded his head. "I'll see you around, Remus," he said moving to get on the bus. He glanced back at Remus and gave him a smile.

...oOo...

Monday came around and Sirius walked slowly to the bus stop, purposely missing his bus. Maybe Remus would be at the bus stop again? But each day that week, he missed the other man.

Finally Friday came back around and the rain started up again as Sirius walked towards the bus stop. He was too far from the shop as the heavens opened, drenching him. This time it was his turn to run to the bus-stop, a grin on his face as he noticed Remus there, umbrella above his head.

"You're a hard person to catch," Remus said, holding the umbrella between them.

"Am I?"

"Yeah, you mentioned that you missed your bus when you went to get this," he gestured towards the umbrella. "So I rushed here every day to see if I could catch you."

Sirius wanted to laugh. He had been delaying so he could catch Remus at the bus-stop, and Remus had been rushing there to see Sirius.

"I usually catch the early bus, but the weather is sometimes too nice to rush so I walk a bit slower," he said.

Remus nodded slowly, before nodding his head.

"Here's your bus," Remus said, trying to hand the umbrella over.

"It's okay, I'm near the bus stop on the other, keep it till next time," Sirius said, hoping there would be a next time. He didn't want Remus to get soaked after all.

"If you're sure," Remus said. "I'll see you, Sirius."

Sirius went to get on the bus and couldn't help but turn to look at Remus. Remus had been checking him out at that exact moment and the other man blushed at being caught.

Sirius shot him a wink before getting on the bus. That was an interesting development indeed.

...oOo...

It was another few days before they met at the bus stop again. This time the conversation flowed quicker than before, but Sirius' bus arrived before Sirius could get the chance to ask Remus out to dinner.

"I'll see you soon," Sirius said instead.

"Actually, I'm getting this bus," Remus said with a grin. "I'm off to my friend's house and she said to get this one."

Sirius smiled again, and Remus grinned back.

The pair found a seat together and quickly launched into conversation, with Sirius trying to get the courage to ask Remus out on a date. The courage didn't come and finally Remus reached up to press the bell.

"This is me," he said, glancing at the name of the road on the display.

"It's me too," Sirius said, happily. That meant another couple of minutes with Remus - if they were walking the same way that was.

They were.

"So, Remus. What do you do for fun?" Sirius almost kicked himself. What kind of crap line was that? Remus was going to laugh at him.

"I like to read," Remus replied. "Sometimes I draw too, sometimes I paint, though I'm not that good. I'm a bit obsessed with Doctor Who, my friend calls me a geek..." Remus trailed off, blushing.

"I've never watched Doctor Who," Sirius admitted. "It's about some guy in that blue box or something?"

He began to laugh at the look of shock Remus gave him, and soon Remus was laughing too. "To sum it up, it's about a guy in a blue box, but it's so much more that that," Remus said.

"Well, next time you can tell me more about it?" Sirius said.

Remus nodded. "What about you?"

"I'm teaching myself to play the guitar," Sirius said. "Music. I love listening to it, playing it, singing along to it. Oh..." he gestured to a street on the opposite side of the road. "That's me down there."

Remus looked disappointed. "I'm going this way," Remus said, pointing straight on. "I'll see you soon?"

"You can count on it," Sirius said.

"And you can tell me what else you like next time," Remus added, waving goodbye to Sirius as he crossed the road.

...oOo...

'You still coming to the house-warming later?'

Sirius checked the text on his phone as he got ready to head to James'.

'On my way.'

Sirius put his phone back into his pocket and pulled on his leather jacket on over his t shirt and jeans, feeling more comfortable than his suit earlier. He shook his hair out of the bun he had worn to work, and pulled on some boots.

He arrived at James' new place ten minutes later.

"Prongs," he shouted. "I've arrived. Lily my love, when are we going to run away together?"

"Padfoot," came a shout and James appeared to give his best friend a hug.

"Keep cuddling like that and it won't be me running off with you, it'll be James," Lily joked.

"Well, me and James do share a love that can't be -" He grunted as James elbowed him. "Like I was saying, great party guys, I should... Remus?"

Sirius shoved James out of the way and walked across the room to a familiar man standing talking to the Longbottoms - the couple that had introduced James and Lily.

"Remus?" he called again, when he was next to him.

"Sirius? What are you doing here?" Remus asked, his face lighting up at the sight of the other man.

"James invited me, he's my best mate," Sirius replied. "So, this is where you were going earlier?"

"Lily asked me to come over and help her set up," Remus replied.

"How do you two know each other," Lily demanded.

"We met at the bus stop," Sirius replied, quickly glancing at her before looking back at Remus.

"Oooohhh," Lily said, stretching the word out in amusement. "So this is the gorgeous guy who shared his umbrella with you?"

Remus blushed.

"The really nice, friendly, sweet guy who let you keep the umbrella so you wouldn't get wet?" Lily continued.

"You mean you actually gave someone your umbrella and risked getting your hair wet?" James teased.

"Come on Remus, let's go get some drinks, leave them to make their childish comments," Sirius said, glad to sound very adult at the situation. He also wanted to get Remus away before James said something embarrassing.

"Wait, does Remus have something to do with that text the other day? What did it say 'Fuck, this guy has a nice arse.' Was that Remus you were talking about?"

"Piss off, Prongs," Sirius replied, quickly shoving Remus out of the room.

...oOo...

The pair stood awkwardly in the kitchen, both holding beers.

"So, this is slightly awkward," Remus said.

"Well we've learnt that you think I'm gorgeous and I really like your arse," Sirius said, leaning against the counter.

Remus began to blush again.

"There's only one thing to do now," Sirius added. "We ditch the party and I take you to dinner."

"Like... like a date?" Remus asked.

"Yeah, like a date," Sirius replied with a grin.

"But it's raining," Remus said, glancing at the window.

Sirius opened his leather jacket and removed the small umbrella from the inside pocket.

"Right... so, we're really going on a date?" Remus asked.

"Yeah," Sirius said, taking Remus' hand. He led him past James and Lily and to the front door.

"Well, it's been an awesome party, and we'll be back in a few hours," Sirius told them.

"Wait, where are you going, Padfoot?" James asked. "We didn't mean to upset you."

"I'm taking Remus to dinner," Sirius replied. "Lily, I'm disappointed in you, you never mentioned Remus before."

"I was going to introduce you tonight until I realised that Remus had a crush on... well, turns out it was you," Lily said, laughing slightly.

"It was just meant to be, Remus," Sirius announced. "It's fate that we met at the bus-stop."

"Idiot," James said, shaking his head. He turned to go back inside as the pair headed down the street, hand in hand.

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2017 words