When we ruled the world

"What if that was it?" Sirius' voice was low, as he sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard. His jeans were torn, and the logo on his T-shirt had faded long ago, only flecks of the design remaining.

Remus looked up from the book he was studying. "What if what was what?" He shifted slightly, one of the springs of the old chair digging in to his leg.

"If school was it." Sirius drummed his fingers on his right knee, before working them through the hole that was just appearing there in his jeans. "They're meant to be the best days of our lives."

Closing the book before he placed it on the ground, Remus ran a hand through his greying hair. "I seem to remember them being pretty decent. I mean, there was the whole being young and popular thing."

"Remus." There was an edge to Sirius' voice that made Remus stop trying to get comfortable in the arm chair. "I'm serious."

Something told Remus it wasn't the time for the old joke. He sighed before shrugging. "I don't know what you want me to say," he replied finally.

"What if that was it?" Sirius' hair was covering his eyes, an everyday occurrence, that was irritating Remus because he couldn't read Sirius if he couldn't see his eyes. And of course, it was for this reason that Sirius did it. "What if those seven years were the only good times we get? That it just all went downhill from there?"

"Sirius." He hated it when Sirius was like this. These introspective looks, the nostalgia, the self-loathing all lead to arguments and nightmares and nights spent apart. And Remus didn't want that. "There was a war. There still is. Of course it hasn't been all sunshine and roses."

There was silence as Sirius continued to fiddle with the hole in his jeans. He eventually looked up. "Our best days were years ago, Remus. And it's just been one long battle ever since then."

Remus came to sit next to him on the bed, pulling him close in a hug. "Those weren't the best days," he murmured. "These are." He pressed a kiss onto Sirius' forehead. "Right now. Every day is the best day. Because we found each other again."

Sirius laughed slightly. "Cheesy reassurance Moons."

Remus shrugged. "Gotta do something to make you smile," he said with a smile. "Though, I have to say, if you don't kiss me again soon, today's gonna end up being pretty subpar."

"Well," Sirius said with a grin, his face millimetres away from Remus'. "We can't have that."