The Gift

Remus to Sirius

Sirius looked at the package. It was rectangular and book-shaped. He didn't even have to look at the tag to see who it was from. The neatly wrapped (ok - obsessively neatly wrapped - hospital corners? on a gift?) shape could be only from one person.

A person who was sitting next to him with shining eyes fixed on his face - waiting for the pleasure of the gift opening.

Sirius shut his own eyes briefly - steeling himself to show overwhelming pleasure to Remus' choice of yet another book as a gift. He wondered what this one was on.

He opened his eyes and smiled at the smaller wizard beside him, both sets of eyes showing a glow of love matched only by the trio opposite: James, Lily and their nearly-five-month-old baby.

Steeling himself, Sirius tore open the paper, hearing Remus wince as he did so. In spite of everything, Sirius grinned. Remus was obsessive about carefully opening gifts and saving the paper. Come to think of it, this paper looked familiar.

The book was face down in his lap, but the cover paper seemed, well, not exactly what he was expecting. He looked closer and his grin widened. He flipped the book over and his grin threatened to split his face.

The book was on David Bowie - his all time favorite singer!

"Oh Moony!" was all he could breathe, before he flung his arms around his lover and kissed him rapturously. This was the best Christmas ever.

Sirius to Remus

After Sirius enthusiastic thanks, Remus felt the day could not get better. He had spent a long time looking for that particular book, knowing that it would please Sirius.

He had noticed the play of emotions before the gift had been opened, and knew that inside his lover had felt vaguely disappointed that his gift was obviously a book.

Clearly, that had changed.

"This one's for you, Moony," said James, levitating a parcel to Remus.

The package was large. Very large. And surprisingly hard. It was also wrapped in a plastic bag with a bow stuck to it. Sirius. Only Sirius was too impatient to wrap a present.

He ripped the plastic, and was delighted to find that underneath was actually a rather nicely wrapped parcel.

Remus carefully picked off the tape, and unwrapped it, only to immediately slam the paper shut again as the contents were revealed.

"Sirius!"

Sirius looked innocent. His eyes were wide, and his gaze direct. He didn't fool anybody.

"What on earth possessed you?"

"I like it."

"What is it?" asked Lily curiously

"A nice new dinner service," said Sirius. "Moony keeps complaining about the mismatched one we use, and so I got him a nice new one."

"It's lovely, Paddy. Honestly," said Remus desperately. "I just think that it may, well, not be as useful as you think."

"What's wrong with it?" asked James.

Remus blushed. "Nothing wrong, exactly. It's just, well," he searched for words desperately. "Specialized. Not your everyday service."

"I should think not!" said Sirius indignantly. "I don't do "everyday"."

"It's really lovely, Siri. I do like it very much," Remus knew he sounded desperate. He had to find a way to get that dinner service out of here. Without either James or Lily seeing it.

Sirius looked put out. "You don't," he said flatly. "I know you by now. You hate it." His face fell and Remus felt his heart constrict.

"I don't hate it, Love. It was a wonderful thought. It's just the, well, the design that isn't appropriate."

"I thought it was fun. It looks fun."

"Well, yes. But Sirius, we can't really use it in public, as it were."

"Why not?" Sirius pouted. He honestly could not see anything wrong with the service. He fully intended to study it closely and learn as much as he could from it.

"Remus, I think that you should let us see it," said James, wondering what could be wrong.

"No!"

James handed Harry to Lily and crawled over, wrestling with Remus and finally tearing the paper. He looked down and the full glory of the dinner set hit him in the eye, so to speak.

"Merlin's balls!"

"James! Not in front of the baby."

"Oh, Padfoot. You've really done it this time," said James laughing. "But Remus, we're broad minded. I can cope with it." //That is,// he thought, //if I don't actually have to think about what those little picture are!//

"James!" squawked Remus. "I am not putting a meal in front of Lily on those plates."

"Well, if you don't look too closely, it's not too bad," said James trying to be reasonable.

Remus just looked at him. "Yes. If you're blind as a bat and 30 feet away. It's not too bad."

By this time, Lily was furious. She wanted to know what they were talking about. Coming over, she gave Harry to his godfather - who was very happy to take him, and forcibly moved Remus and James so she could see the service.

"Oh my!" she said, her face flushing. "I feel rather warm."

James looked at his wife. "You like it?" he asked incredulously.

"Well, not exactly. But it certainly is interesting."

Remus looked chagrined. "But not exactly for use when company is over."

"Depends on the company," said James.

Sirius was tickling young Harry and he addressed his next remark to the baby. "Silly Uncle Remus. It's not as if he doesn't know about those pictures."

"Mind," said Lily, "I love the dog and the wolf running around the rims."

"So do I," said Remus. "It's the other pictures I rather object to."

"Oh I don't know, mate. It's not as if either of you are bad looking."

"I agree," said Sirius. "I'm proud of how I look."

"It's not that I am ashamed of my looks. It's just that there are some photographs that I feel are not for public use."

Lily was turning one plate round and round. "I have a question," she said finally.

Remus blushed, but Sirius looked at her. "What?"

"Which is the right way round for this one? I had no idea you were contortionists."

Sirius turned the plate round and put it in her lap. "Moony is very athletic."

If possible, Remus went redder and snatched the plate from Lily, trying futilely to hide them.

"Sirius, they did NOT need to know that!"

James sat back. "Oh I don't know," he said, grinning, "I think a dinner service of Padfoot and Moony romping is rather cute!"