WARNING: Yes, slash. If you oppose gay relationships like John Howard who changed Federal legislation to say 'man and woman' so same sex couples couldn't get married, then this fic is absolutely not for you.

DISCLAIMER: They still aren't mine. I keep trying, but JK Rowling turned the phone off, so I can't get through.

Taste

By

Lizzy Tears

0000

Sirius didn't know where he had found it, but Remus had just entered the common room with an ice block. Not a block of ice like snow, but a red piece of moulded ice with a small oblong stick emerging from the bottom. It was to this that Remus was clutching, casually divesting the red mould of its sticky white wrapper. Sirius pretended not to watch as Remus carefully folded the paper and laid it on a nearby table, the red ice block stuck inside his mouth, kept there by suction and pressure.

Once the paper had been dealt with, Remus settled himself in a squishy armchair as far from the fire as he could and turned his full attention to the ice block.

Sirius watched from the chair nearest to the fire, the prank preparation forgotten on his lap. He found himself running his tongue over his lips as he watched Remus devour the red ice.

He stared unconsciously as Remus' mouth descended upon the unwitting lolly, sucking heavily as his lips slipped backwards up the ice again. Sirius imagined that his tongue was busy against the cold substance, seeking out the flavour.

Sirius found himself wondering feverishly what the icy pole did taste like. It was ice, but it obviously didn't taste like snow. It was red, did that mean it tasted like cherry? Perhaps the red colour was to throw people off the track and make them think it tasted like cherry when in fact it tasted of something completely different – like peppermint.

Or chocolate, Sirius amended, remembering Remus' addiction. That seemed more like him.

Sirius' eyes and attention were brought back to said friend and flavoured ice when Remus broke the routine of the languid full mouth sucking, and opened his mouth, revealing his teeth and carefully fastened them to one corner. He gently broke off a section and Sirius saw it disappear into his mouth on his tongue. Sirius saw his jaw working and knew he was sucking profusely on the ice, robbing it of flavour and substance before it melted into non-existence on his tongue.

The other corner then received the same treatment and Sirius found himself tense and expectant as Remus turned the now unsymmetrical sweet on its side and slipped his lips over it again.

The lazy sucking began again and Sirius almost growled with frustration, his impatience wanting the unusual ritual to end.

But no, Remus had other ideas.

Sirius' breath caught in his throat as Remus' tongue flickered out suddenly and caught a wayward red drip, sliding over the offending ice and ridding it of any other melting ice.

Unfortunately, it also began to rid Sirius of any self restraint he might have theoretically have had.

This was one of the most sensual things Sirius had ever experienced and he wasn't really surprised it was Remus who was now evoking the feelings in him. Privately he had always quietly found the oblivious werewolf the most seductive member of Hogwarts, bar none.

Remus had now transferred his hand from the side of his head where he had been leaning on it, to underneath the icy lolly to catch any more drips and protect the chair.

He had almost completed his demolition of the cold sweet and Sirius found himself rather grateful and just the slightest bit disappointed. After all, it wasn't everyday he could get so aroused merely watching someone devour a block of ice.

Remus was just finishing off the last few remnants of red ice, breaking them off carefully and slipping them into his mouth and into safety.

Then it was gone completely and Sirius was left watching Remus stare contemplatively at the stick.

His lips were a vibrant red from cold, flavouring and friction and they were also shining invitingly as he licked them casually. Sirius had always thought Remus' lips were too dull. He had often wished that – someone – would give him a good enough kissing that they turned that Just – been – kissed – passionately – and – by – Merlin – I – gave – as – good – as – I – got red colour.

Unfortunately the red tinge was the final straw for Sirius and before Remus could get up and dispose of the stick and wrapper, he had launched himself out of his recline and darted across the room towards his friend.

He had to find out what that had tasted like, never mind that the only way he could logically see at that moment was to kiss Remus. That was his story and he was sticking to it.

Remus looked up at his sudden appearance, surprise and guilt written all over his face. Before he could say anything, Sirius had reached him, and pressed his open mouth to Remus'.

Remus' lips were icy cold, sticky and thick from their occupation of earlier. They parted surprisingly willingly for Sirius' tongue and he took advantage of that, carefully tasting his lips, searching for the allusive taste.

Raspberry, he amended mentally, not cherry.

Then he promptly forgot about tasting anything because he was kissing Remus.

Kissing. Remus.

His lips were moving over Remus' lips, his tongue was in Remus' mouth and – oh Merlin – Remus' tongue was in his mouth.

Raspberry, chocolate and something unidentifiable was what he could taste now.

Sirius wondered fleetingly what he tasted like and then thought of little more than sensations and being unable to comprehend that he was kissing Remus.

He shifted his weight and leant further into Remus, his hands sliding into his hair and pulling him closer. Remus didn't move to bring Sirius into any closer proximity, but he certainly wasn't pulling away and Sirius hoped that was encouraging.

When the kiss slowly ended, Sirius opened his eyes and saw Remus' still closed. He looked very much at peace and Sirius didn't move his hands from his hair. He couldn't.

Eventually Remus did open his eyes and he looked up at Sirius.

"You taste good, Moony." Sirius told him quietly.

Remus gazed at him.

"Sirius? Was there a reason for that or were you just curious?"

Sirius sighed at the logical question and tried to decide if there was hope in that question or just a quest for knowledge.

"That depends." He told him eventually, studying his face and becoming very aware of his hands in Remus' hair. "If you want there to have been a reason."

Remus shrugged and Sirius wished he wouldn't, because things were pressing into places Sirius at that moment really wished they wouldn't.

"It's not up to me." Remus said.

Sirius raised an eyebrow.

"How can it not be? I just said it was."

"You know I like you, more than like you actually." Remus told him bluntly. "I told you ages ago, so therefore it's up to you."

Sirius stared at him.

When did Remus tell him that?

Surely he would remember!

But then something hinted at an event he had all but forgotten and Sirius cursed himself for being so blind.

Remus had taken him aside one day and said he loved him, but Sirius – oblivious fool as he was – had simply dismissed it as Remus telling him he loved him as a friend. He knew it was hard for Remus to express feelings like that and he had assumed that Remus had taken the other two Marauders aside and said the same thing.

So Sirius could have been with Remus all this time and now he felt like a complete prat.

"I remember." Sirius said now. "I thought you meant as a friend."

Remus smiled uncomfortably.

"Afraid not, Padfoot." He said, shaking his head.

"Then there was definitely a reason behind it." Sirius grinned and leant down again to resume tasting Remus.

88—88

AUTHOR'S NOTE

I am fully aware that was absolutely not my best work – I was extraordinarily distracted both when writing this and then typing it, you should have seen my typos before I edited and I'm sure there's still loads there now. I got this idea while eating an apple, and that was what Remus was originally eating, but the ice block won for some reason. Meh. This was mostly my attempt at description, but that's really hard for me in these fics because they're so physical so it wasn't particularly good. Oh well.

Anyway, this is my first offering for the weekend and probably the last, too, because I have a mountain of homework, including my Legal Studies assignment which is due Tuesday and I have to conduct a survey about it. Actually, my topic is same sex marriages, can you believe! It's this slash fanfic that made me choose that topic, I'm sure of it. I wanted gay rights altogether, but that was already taken. Oh well.

So anyway, thanks to all who reviewed 'Where's my tie'. I love you all in one thousand ways and more!

Love always,

LizzY