Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, places or…well…anything that was created by J.K. Rowling. Anything you recognize isn't mine.

A/N: This is my first fic. Be nice. haha

Chapter One

He sat on the porch drinking his coffee, black, as he did every morning. The sun was rising. He liked getting up early and sitting outside on nice mornings like these. He watched the smoke rise up from the cigarette in his hand and thought about his friend. He had been looking forward to this day ever since Dumbledore had informed him that Sirius would indeed be returning from his mission which he had been on for more than five years. Granted, this was only a short while after Azkaban so the last time Remus had any real bonding time with Sirius had probably been their school days. This made Remus nervous in part. Had he changed? What if they had nothing to talk about? But something assured Remus that they would get along just as well as they used to.

He put his cigarette out, finished his coffee and went inside when he heard a knock on the door. His heart skipped a beat. It couldn't be Sirius this early could it? Remus hadn't even made himself look presentable yet, not that he thought Sirius might care, but still…years can change a person and you never know. He tentatively opened the door and found himself looking into those familiar silver eyes.

"Sirius," he practically whispered. He smiled and then thought, It's been so long, what do I do? Hug him? Shake his hand? Just let him in? But his thoughts were quickly ripped from his mind when Sirius all but jumped into Remus' arms. He hugged him so hard he thought he would suffocate.

"Remus I've missed you so much. We have so much to talk about." They both looked at each other and smiled, and then, "Well are you gonna invite me in or what?"

Remus laughed and let his old friend in. He put his luggage down and led him into the kitchen where he made him a hot cup of tea.

"Well what have you been up to, mate?" Sirius asked, still smiling the smile of someone talking to a best friend he hasn't seen in five years.

"You're looking at it," said Remus, smiling sadly. "I do work for the Order of course but I mostly enjoy my retirement, even if my retirement was unwelcome at the time."

Sirius glanced into the living room, saw about twelve or so books on the floor and chuckled. "You haven't changed a bit," his said, smiling at him over his steaming cup. "I remember me and Prongs trying to get you to come out with us all the time, but you always had something to read."

"Yes I remember quite clearly how hysterical you thought it was, me reading all of the time instead of wanting to go out. I never saw what was so funny. You and James were always a pain in my arse," he said half seriously. But they looked at each other and laughed. Remus was already amazed at how easy this was. It was like they never left each other, still joking around just like they used to. The small lines starting to form on Sirius' face were the only sign that time had gone by. His long black hair and boyish grin were every bit the same as they had been in his vivid memory.

Sirius noticed him staring. "What?"

Remus was momentarily flustered and then, "I was just thinking how little you've changed. You still look as young as you did twenty years ago.

There was a moment of reminisce broken by Sirius. "Really…because I was just thinking that you look like shit." Remus smiled lightly and rolled his eyes as Sirius laughed his arse off. Yes it was certainly just as it had been…

The rest of the day consisted of talking. They talked until nightfall when their voices had begun to get hoarse. They talked of the past and the present. Sirius recounted all of the tales of his journeys and Remus listened intently until they were thoroughly caught up with each other. They sat by the fire in a moment of silence, both digesting all that had been said that day. Remus stared into the flames and thought of time in their seventh year when they sat by the fire in the common room together. It was the closing of the year and Sirius had promised him that they would always be together, friends forever. There was a time when Remus had given up hope on that, but he was eternally grateful to have his friend back by his side.

One thing they hadn't mentioned in their recitations of the past years to each other was women. Remus automatically assumed that Sirius had been with multiple women in the last five years, just like he used to in Hogwarts. What he didn't want Sirius to know was that Remus had been with none. He didn't know why, he had just never felt the urge. Even in school, if a girl asked him out, he always denied them, happier to stay in the dorm with Sirius for the night, doing whatever. And in these five years he had spent most of his time thinking about Sirius.

Remus led him up to the guest bedroom as it was well past midnight and he was sure Sirius needed rest. "'Night Pads, see you in the morning," he said. Then he felt his friend embracing him again, a warmer, more lingering embrace. He put his arms around Sirius in return and breathed in the scent of his friend. Amber, he thought.

"I'm so glad to be back Moony," he said and pulled back, looking into his friend's eyes. Then he walked into the guest bedroom and shut the door, leaving Remus with an empty sort of feeling, like he didn't get to do something he wanted. Strange…he thought as he wondered what the feeling could mean. He stopped in front of his bedroom door when the thought popped into his head. He had just wanted to kiss Sirius. And for the second time that day, Remus' heart skipped a beat.