#if I’d have straighter hands and didn’t accidentally delete half of it

[extreme-neutral]

The Siedestep ask is still pinned to your dash. New day, new questions, or is that too cheeky? I'll ask anyway.😈

21. what is their philosophy? 24. how do they typically come across to strangers? to friends? do they frequently use their telepathy to influence others’ perceptions of them? 30. what is their love life like?

Yes, I still have no creative outlet in the evenings, so those are very much appreciated, thank you!!

You went with tough ones tho :,D

21. what is their philosophy?

Oh no, I didn’t have the time to pick on other people’s answers to this 🥲

Ok, it means like a rule he lives by or some such right? Hmm..

Let’s go with “Don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.”

With Cy you always get the treatment you provide. It goes for every timeline.

He is also very pragmatic, he doesn’t initiate anything unless it’s a part of some plan.

Also, sorry for repeating myself but, a goal and a way to execute it is all that matters. Tho the later might get somewhat skewed due to stupid feels, much to his chagrin.

24. how do they typically come across to strangers? to friends? do they frequently use their telepathy to influence others’ perceptions of them?

I’ll start from the end: with strangers he won’t think twice to use telepathy to influence their perception, tho he doesn’t need it to do so.

So to strangers he comes across as whatever he needs to, if they even notice him. On average - a polite young man.

To friends - well, bold of you to assume he has those.

Really tho, it’s an impossible question to answer. He’s as real around closer people, as his fake adaptive ass can be, except he wouldn’t want them to worry about him for whatever reason. He won’t use telepathy to influence their perception of him, only to scan for hidden emotions or as a lie detector.

So it would depend on a friend’s perception, how Cy comes across. If he was my friend, I’d see him as a friendly, but shy, helpful, but independent and very private and introverted, but not in a suspicious, creepy way? I’d also genuinely laugh at his stupid jokes even tho I’d know he uses humour to deflect.

30. What is their love life like?

The what now? :x

Ok, fine.

I actually liked the now-nurfed hidden label in Rebirth that stated “sexual_experience = shy” (or something like that) ‘cause it really suits Cy.

He wouldn’t intentionally flirt with anyone, wouldn’t initiate a relationship. He keeps his old-ass crush on Ortega hidden even when faced with a real option to try being romantic with him!

Romance is a liability, love is unnecessary, attachment is a risk, aaand he’s kissing Marshal Steel. 😐

There is an explanation, I swear! I think it’s touched upon in an old fic somewhere…

Guess he envied Spoon for a minute and it span from there.

It’s weird, ok. He made piece with never having a love life what’s with the whole re-gene thing. Even the hug in the park was a BIG fucking thing to him. And a kiss at Chen’s place left him in shambles. He has NO experience in romance and this makes him feel very inadequate. He will definitely try to rationalise his way out of this and at least make it very weird for the both of them 👍

#oof this came out long #sorry #i’d answer this YESTERDAY #if I’d have straighter hands and didn’t accidentally delete half of it #fhr #Cyrus Becker #character study #babbling

[wickedsingularity]

Until Next Time [Chapter 9]

Banner by PhoenixAlthor @ TDA

The hand on my heart clenched painfully. I stiffened and gritted my teeth. My eyes stung and I couldn't breathe. I was there. I had reached the point where it hurt so bad I didn't know how to live for one more second.

War. We do what we can to find comfort and hope.

Remus Lupin x OC Warnings: Language Words: 2329

Note: Accidentally deleted this when I went to delete chapter 10 in November. Not gonna tag it again.

Chapter 8 | Masterlist | Chapter 10

Podmore

Avoided confrontations.

With a sigh, I landed on the slightly slimy flagged stone floor right outside Azkaban, climbing off my broom. Flying had been a pain and my movements made me wince. The events of last night were making themselves known.

When I woke up, I had at first felt a bit disoriented. Something had been different. But as my memory caught up with me, I had gone through cringing embarrassment, and then relief at the lightness in my heart. Remus had helped me take away the unforgiving hand that had squeezed my heart almost dry that evening in Grimmauld Place.

I wasn't naïve enough to think it wouldn't come back, that everything was suddenly alright because I had gotten laid and felt the nearness and care of another human being, like an old cliché. But it was a nice change to not feel the dread that had seeped into me since I found out we were at war.

Embarrassment kept bubbling to the surface though, as I thought about it. Embarrassment about the fact that we went at it right there in the hall against the front door, in a house full of people and children, and any of them could have walked in on us or anyone could have walked through the door. Or worse, the house elf could have seen.

I shook my head to clear it, stowed away my broom and made my way inside. My movements were still awkward, my legs felt stiff and well used, as did everything between my legs. But I welcomed it. Knowing someone had actually wanted to shag my brains out despite knowing what I did for a living was doing wonders on my ego. Allowing myself a small smile, I checked that my Patronus shield was holding strong, and then entered the office area.

"New prisoner today," Walter announced while he hung up his cloak and nodded towards a piece of parchment on the desk between us.

"Oh, who?" I enquired, as I too hung up my cloak, noticing that my brighter mood made the cold that was constant out here less noticeable.

Walter sat down and grabbed the parchment, squinting at it. "A mister... Sturgis Podmore."

A shock went through me and I was glad Walter was still reading the parchment. "Podmore..." I mused, trying to remember the guard schedule. I was almost certain that he was supposed to have been on guard duty a couple of nights ago.

"He was apparently caught trespassing down in the Department of Mysteries."

Right. "Why?"

Walter shrugged and pushed the parchment across the desk to me. I leaned over the table and read it through, my finger tracing each line. A watch-wizard by the name of Eric Munch had apparently caught him attempting to break into the Department of Mysteries.

I frowned. We weren't supposed to actually go down there. We were only supposed to hide out in the hallways and keep a lookout. But Sturgis had tried to break in? Something didn't feel right. "It says he's appearing before the Wizengamot next Wednesday but scheduled to stay in a holding cell here in the meantime."

"He should be arriving today then?"

"Yes. I'll get his cell ready after our rounds," I decided. While I hadn't had the chance to get to know Sturgis well enough yet, I knew enough to know that if he had really tried to break in, it was either on orders from Albus or something was wrong. I had to do what I could to make his stay here as bearable as it could be, surrounded by storms and soul-sucking creatures. I also made a mental note to contact the Order the first chance I got.

It was raining puffskeins and nifflers when I Apparated onto a side street of Grimmauld Place for the usual check of the area. Not being my thorough self and just wanting to get somewhere dry, I quickly appeared on the porch of our headquarters and rushed inside the door. I shook the water out of my hair as I closed the door as quickly and quietly as I could.

"Bloody rain," I muttered and shivered as I wiped my wet hands on my travelling cloak.

"Language."

I nearly screamed out of fright and spun around, coming face to face with Remus. My breath nearly caught in my throat for a moment. I hadn't even considered that I might run into him. We hadn't spoken at all since our quickie against the very door I had just closed. Suddenly I felt nervous. I didn't have feelings for him, other than the occasional rush of longing in my nether regions – he had been a bloody brilliant shag, and if I could do it again, I probably would. But something told me that he wasn't the kind to just sleep around and not get emotionally attached. I didn't need that in my life. I had tried the serious relationship thing before, and it wasn't for me. It never ended well.

All those thoughts rushed through my brain as I caught my breath and managed to snark back. "That coming from a Marauder." I started reaching for my wand to dry myself off. Remus raised one eyebrow and just stared at me, making me pause. The tension almost visibly floated into the room. I looked him over, at his twill trousers that were some kind of greenish grey, his chalk-stripe pale green shirt and grey knitted cardigan. It was all tattered and worn, and he looked like he was from a different generation. But it was part of his charm, and right now, it worked on me.

"So, you know about the Marauders?" He took one step closer.

"Who doesn't? You were legends. You are legends."

I now noticed he looked tired and worn, his face paler than usual, faint dark shadows under his eyes. But the look in them contrasted amazingly with the rest of him, and I knew he wanted me just as much as I wanted him. It was just like that first time, except now I wasn't fuelled by fear and worry and a need to be near another person.

"You're inflating my ego."

"I'm sorry, my mistake." Why was I flirting back?

"How have you been?" Remus suddenly asked, his eyes softening somewhat and he took even another step closer.

The question almost threw me off balance. I knew what he referred to and the very fact that he did ask, seemed to chip away at my wall. "I'm fine," I said. And it wasn't a lie this time, well, not completely. None of us would be fine until the world was at peace again.

He walked even closer, and if I raised my hand just a little bit, I could have touched him. "I, uh, that day..."

Dread filled me immediately at those words, but at the same time, there was the sound of shuffling feet and nonstop mutterings coming down the stairs. "Mudbloods and traitors. There's another one of them filthy beasts. My mistress –"

"Hello, Kreacher," Remus said politely, stepping back from me and looking down at the grimy old house elf that stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked up at us.

"It's the werewolf abomination talking to Kreacher. Oh, the shame." The elf ignored Remus completely.

I shuddered. We never had house elves when I grew up, but some of my extended family did, and I had liked them well enough. But there was something about this particular elf that made my wand tie itself in a knot.

"Go find something to clean, Kreacher." Remus' voice became surprisingly authoritative.

The elf lowered his head and he continued to mutter as he stalked upstairs again, his words unintelligible now.

Whatever moment Remus and I had, was gone. I at least felt a little awkward, shuffling my feet a bit and looking up at the beheaded house elves on the wall. Clearly, he didn't feel the awkwardness, because he stepped close to me again, but I panicked. "Is Alastor here?" I asked and he stopped short. "He said he'd be here and I promised I'd inform him of the outcome of Sturgis' trial."

"Uhm, yes. He got here half an hour before you, I think." Remus seemed to almost shake himself off, blinking rapidly a few times. "He's down in the kitchen, probably being force-fed onion soup by Molly."

"Thanks," I said and snuck past him and hurried down the stairs. It felt a bit cowardly to just run from him like that, but I couldn't deal with the conversation he had tried to start.

Down in the kitchen, Molly had indeed served Alastor soup. The two of them and Sirius and Arthur were all hunched over bowls, careful slurping the only sound to be heard. They hadn't even noticed me, until Remus came inside too, walking past me, his arm brushing mine.

"There you two are!" Molly exclaimed. She waved her wand and two extra bowls flew over and set themselves in front of available chairs.

I hadn't really planned on having dinner here, but the soup smelled delicious and the pile of bread rolls next to the steaming pot looked freshly made. Remus and I sat down on opposite sides of the table and helped ourselves.

For a few minutes, we all ate in silence and I felt Remus' gaze on me several times, but thankfully Alastor soon broke the silence and gave me something else to focus on. "Do you know Sturgis' verdict?" he asked, his magical eye swivelling to look at me as his normal eye kept its focus on the dinner. The others looked up at me over their spoons.

I swallowed the hot liquid as I nodded. "Yes. Parchment was on my desk after lunch. Long story short..." I put the spoon down and sat up a bit straighter, reciting what I had read. "He was charged with trespass and attempted robbery. He refused to speak in his own defence. And he was convicted of both charges and sentenced to six months in Azkaban."

"Damn," Alastor growled.

"He didn't say anything in his own defence?" Arthur asked.

"According to the report, no. He didn't even plead guilty or not guilty. He refused to say anything."

"What could he have said?" Remus said. "Even if he doesn't remember anything since having the Imperius Curse put on him, he couldn't exactly give the real reason he was down there. He would have been in trouble either way."

"Have you had any chance to talk to him after he arrived at the prison before the trial?" Alastor asked.

I shook my head, chewing thoughtfully on a bread roll. There hadn't been much time to talk when I led him to his cell. He had whispered that he was sure he hadn't been under his own control but couldn't remember anything for three weeks before he got arrested.

Suddenly Arthur slammed his hand down on the table and stood up so fast his chair flew backwards and banged into a counter, and the table rattled, some soup spilling. "Malfoy! Harry's hearing!"

"What are you talking about, dear?" Molly asked, looking startled and annoyed at her husband.

"Wasn't Sturgis on guard duty around the time of Harry's hearing?"

Everyone frowned, looking thoughtful. "Yes... I think so," Alastor replied.

"Remember I told you we met Lucius Malfoy and the Minister down there after the hearing? Lucius said he'd donated money, and I figured he was curious about Harry's verdict. He could have put the Imperius Curse on Sturgis then!"

"Sit down, Arthur," Molly begged and waved her wand to clean up the spillage on the table.

"I wouldn't put it past old Malfoy," Sirius said with a grimace like he had tasted something disgusting.

"Albus needs to know this," Remus said.

"You don't think he already made the same deduction?" I asked.

"Probably, but just in case."

"Arthur! Sit down!" Molly repeated and he finally picked up the chair and sat down again.

"I am meeting Minerva tomorrow," Alastor said. "I'll let her know then and she can relay the message to Albus. It's nothing we can prove, so there is no hurry."

The conversation died down as everyone finished eating their onion soup and bread rolls, but when people had finished it picked up again. Since I hadn't planned on staying for dinner anyway, I excused myself and went to leave. I heard someone follow me, and they managed to catch up with me before I was able to get to the door thanks to me struggling with my travelling cloak.

Remus said my name and I stopped and took a deep breath before facing him. "Yes?"

"That day..." he began. "I don't know what came over me, and I want to apologize."

"It's fine, Lupin. I don't know what came over me either."

He looked searchingly into my eyes, and again I noticed how drawn, pale, and tired he looked. And then I realised the full moon was coming up and that he was probably so on edge already, more and more of his animalistic instincts bubbling to the surface. And I felt bad for trying to avoid this conversation.

"It's fine, Remus, really," I repeated. "I'm guessing we both needed it at the time. It was good, gave me a good night's sleep for once. Thank you for that."

Still, he looked at me in that intense way, but a small smile crossed his lips for a moment. "So, it's okay?"

I reached out and laid my hand on his arm. "It's okay." Even through his cardigan, I could feel the intense heat radiating off him and I quickly retracted my hand. "I'm a bit tired, so I'm going to head home. Maybe make it an early night. Take care of yourself, okay?" This time I looked pointedly at him, hoping he realised I meant with is upcoming transformation.

"Thanks. You too."

Chapter 8 | Masterlist | Chapter 10

#until next time #remus lupin #remus lupin x reader #remus lupin fanficion #remus lupin imagine #remus lupin x oc #remus lupin x you #remus lupin angst #remus lupin fluff #remus lupin smut #harry potter imagine #harry potter fanfiction