It seemed, at times, as though the month of August had moods. At least, this was the conclusion that Remus Lupin was beginning to draw. Throughout the duration of the month (and it wasn't over just yet) they'd been subjected to sweltering heat, ground shaking thunderstorms, and rain that seemed to wash away the very ground beneath their feet. For a fleeting moment, Remus began to muse that August's moods were very much like those of Sirius Black. One day, smiles and jokes, and the next would be silent brooding, or on occasion, even a snappy comment that ended with Remus leaving the room altogether.
Yesterday had been one of those days.
It hadn't rained in over a week, which did nothing but intensify the heat wave they were experiencing. That heat was all it took to aggravate Sirius. From the time he awoke in a tangle of sheets, the cloth plastered to him by his own sweat, he'd been in a foul mood. He made that very obvious.
Remus was already waiting downstairs, having found it an impossibility to sleep in such heat, lost in his own thoughts. Sirius came down the stairs, his steps sounding more like angry stomps than a normal sort of walking. It was enough to bring Remus back to reality.
An unruly mess of black hair poked around the corner, bringing his friend into view. Moony's face brightened considerably at the sight of him, and he chose to ignore, for the time being, the other's sour demeanor. "Breakfast?" He hadn't prepared anything, having felt that the temperature was far too high to even think about eating, but he offered nonetheless. "No." It was a quick, sharp response that caught Remus off-guard. A tiny frown tugged at the corners of his lips, but he denied it admittance, and quickly it receded. He perked a brow. "...Sleep well?" It was a desperate little question, but he hated seeing Sirius angry, and at times found himself saying anything just to break that tension. "You bloody well know I didn't," the dark-haired wizard grumbled in return, still hovering in the arch of the doorway. Remus found himself at a loss for words and for a moment simply sat in silence.
"I'm going for a walk," he sighed finally, after a few torturously slow seconds had ticked by. Sirius said nothing, but merely flicked a damp lock of hair from his eyes as Remus brushed by him and disappeared out the door.
It was only when the rays of the midday sun became too much for him that he returned, exhausted from the heat, and no more satisfied with the way his day had been going. "I wondered when you'd be back," Padfoot's voice greeted him, though he couldn't yet see him. "I thought I'd leave you alone for awhile," Remus responded, turning to close the door. Leaving it opened just allowed more warm air to blow inside. Just as the little latches hidden in the wood clicked into place, he felt hands slip around his waist, pressing his already wet shirt to his skin. Almost hesitantly, he turned his head, hazel eyes meeting those startlingly gray ones that looked back. Sirius let his arms coil the rest of the way around his waist, prompting Remus to lean against the pressing heat of his chest. Moony blinked up at him, hoping this meant that his 'mood' had passed. Sirius let one hand wander up the chest of the one in his arms, tugging at the sticky shirt until Remus raised his arms and allowed him to toss it aside. Only then did Sirius speak again, in the form of a heavy whisper, his breath falling against Remus's ear, "I'm sorry."
Then Remus heard rain begin to fall outside, and a smile played over his lips. The moods of Sirius Black.