For Liza, hope you enjoy! :D

Remus looked hopelessly at the job application forms he was filling out. He had about 25 spread out in front of him, all easy, low-paying positions out of the public eye. It was against the law not to declare himself a werewolf, so he did. He hadn't thought he would be able to hate the word more than he already did.

Just as he finished securing the last of the applications onto his owl's leg, Remus heard the dormitory room open. James, Peter, and Sirius pottered in, each settling onto his own bed.

"How was detention?" Remus wondered with a smile; he hadn't been there when James and Peter had set off dungbombs in the dungeons and had dragged Sirius down with them.

James groaned from his bed, managing to give Remus a rude gesture before falling asleep.

Remus laughed. "That well, huh?"

"Yup," Sirius confirmed over Peter's snores. He watched as Remus sent the owl on its way. Once he was seated, Sirius flopped from his own bed onto Remus's. "So what have you been doing?"

"Just job applications." Remus waved his hands dismissively. "Whatever, they won't hire me anyway. Still good to try, though."

Sirius frowned, knowing that Remus had already resigned himself to unemployment. "When will they let you know?"

"Within the week, usually. They just send out cards that say 'No' sometimes, did you know that?" He laughed humorlessly. "I'm not even worth a letter. But some don't even respond, so that's something.

.oOo.

Over the next few days, several owls had been delivered to Remus. Some had the simple 'No', others had short notes. One even included a copy on a revised hiring code, citing the new 'No Werewolves' policy.

By the end of the week, all twenty-something companies had responded, some using the absence of correspondence as their final word.

As Remus sent his owl—which had just delivered the final rejection—away, Sirius noted that his friend hadn't even been surprised.

After a moment of thinking, Sirius found the ideal solution to Remus's problem, blurting out, "I'll be your sugar daddy!"

James stared. "You what?"

"You're only four months older than me," Remus pointed out in an even tone.

"That's what bothers you?" James demanded.

"It's not bothering you?" Remus wondered.

Peter and James stared at him; the former had stopped chewing and the latter had barely managed to swallow.

Sirius grinned wider. "So?"

.oOo.

Sirius made a show of casually swinging his legs back and forth. He picked at a piece of bark on the branch he was sitting on, then directed his gaze down at Remus, who was sitting under the tree and reading. "So…"

"Yes?" Remus wondered, looking up. He also wondered why Sirius insisted on sitting in trees without a good reason, but maybe that was just his friend's dramatic nature.

"Did you… uh, did you think about my suggestion?"

"Your suggestion?"

"You know." Sirius inclined his head. "What I suggested yesterday at dinner. Did you consider it further, or…"

Remus laughed. "You mean you wanting to be my sugar daddy?"

"Yes." Sirius nodded with the utmost solemnity. "I still maintain, my dear Remus, that it is the best solution to your problem. And it's a definite plus that the relationship I'm suggesting involves a-ahem-intimate relationship."

Remus snorted. Closing his book, he met Sirius's eyes and asked, with a similar gravity, "Are you propositioning me?"

"...maybe?"

"Well, in that case, you can take me to Hogsmeade next week." He stood up. "I'm not a cheap date, nor an easy one, and if you expect to be my sugar daddy—"

"I'll be a perfect gentleman!" Sirius nodded enthusiastically; Remus knew that he'd be wagging his tail if he was in dog form. Jumping down from the tree-because he was a dramatic little shit-he started walking with Remus in the direction of the Great Lake. After a moment, he lowered his voice. "You know I'm serious, right? About the whole relationship thing?"

"Of course I do."

"I mean actually. You know, not in just a money or sex way." He sounded unsure. "That's not why I want to—"

"I know."

And so they continued on their way, Sirius wondering what he was going to do for their date, and Remus smiling at the turn of events. His financial situation would not be solved—and that hadn't even factored into his decision—nor would it become easier, despite Sirius's promises. But that wasn't what mattered, and Remus knew he'd gotten the biggest treasure he ever could have.

Remus brushed his fingers against Sirius's, meeting his face with a smile, and eventually took his hand.