Written For:

Em (For the Gift tag).

Secrets Abound

Sirius' eyes kept surveying his surroundings as if he was on the lookout for a trap.

Lily tapped James' shoulder and pointed it out with a finger.

James frowned. Sirius had been acting odd for the last few weeks, and this was even more odd behavior on top of it.

Lily pushed James in Sirius' direction, and James took the hint. When he got close enough, he clapped a hand on Sirius' shoulder, causing the man to jump. "Something on your mind?"

Sirius narrowed his eyes. "No, why do you ask?"

"You're acting like you're hiding something."

"And you're awfully suspicious. Don't you trust me?"

"Normally, I'd say yes, but when someone is asked if they're trusted, it's usually because they shouldn't be. Now, I'm going to ask you again. Is something on your mind?"

"No, and will you stop asking me that?!"

Sirius stomped away, and James was left with suspicion clouding his mind.

X

Sirius stared at the crackling embers. When he first made his decision, he didn't think it would get to him so much. He didn't think the guilt would eat him alive.

Some would call him a traitor if they discovered his alliance, but that wouldn't change his mind. He didn't do it because he believed Purebloods should rule the world. He didn't believe that Muggleborns were abominations.

His whole reason was his little brother. Regulus got in over his head and wasn't able to safely get out. It was Sirius' job to protect Regulus even if it meant doing it from the inside.

James and Lily meant a lot to him, but Regulus was his brother, and Sirius couldn't ignore Regulus'' plea for help.

Still, he couldn't help hating the fact that he was lying to them, but he knew they could never find out.

X

Lily kissed James' bare shoulder. "So what? He has a secret. I wish he'd talk about it since it's obviously troubling him, but it's not that big of a deal. After all, everyone has secrets."

James looked at her. "There aren't supposed to be any secrets between the three of us. We were supposed to be past all of that."

"That's a bit hypocritical, or did you forget about our big secret?"

"That's different. He wouldn't understand."

"Or maybe he would, but the point I was making was everyone is allowed to their privacy. Even people in relationships."

"Maybe," James groaned.

Lily laughed. "I'll distract you if you want." She playfully waggled her eyebrows.

James smirked and grabbed her. "Come here."

X

Sirius was between them. Lily gripped his hair, yanking his head back roughly to kiss his neck. James' mouth worked down his chest.

James stopped his onslaught to grin up at his lover, but the man looked to be a million miles away, lost in his thoughts.

Even in the middle of sex, whatever Sirius was hiding was interfering. He went back to work, and that was what it felt like. Work. It no longer felt like fun because James was working to make Sirius forget.

X

James and Lily whispered to each other. Sirius wearily watched. With the way they covertly look around, they were talking about something that they didn't want to be overheard.

And it was a secret from him as well. He didn't like being out of the loop.

He knew he had his own secret, but they weren't supposed to have a secret of their own.

He felt like he was losing them, and Sirius hated it.

X

Sirius was out for the night. James and Lily didn't know where. They never knew where.

Their Death Eater robes and masks laid on the bed.

Lily rested her head on James' shoulder. "Do you think we'll ever be able to tell Sirius?"

"I don't know, Lils. I just don't know."

Meanwhile, Sirius in his own robe and mask, worked together with Regulus, his mind not on the job, but instead, on his faraway lovers as he wished he could tell them the truth.

xXx

(word count: 671)