Disclaimer: Nope, don't own.

Author's Note: This is a sequel to Understanding, so read that first if you want to know what's going on. Just another one shot, although I might continue on this little arch since I am rather fond of it. Anyway, this contains SLASH, you don't have to read beyond this point if you don't like it. Please leave me a review! I like them a lot!

Acceptance

Remus was once again curled up in the Gryffindor common room staring into the dying embers of the fire. He had a glass of fire whiskey in one hand and a pensive look on his face. He swirled the amber liquid and took a sip. It still burned his throat, even if the law said that he was able to drink it now. James and Sirius proclaimed that it was an acquired taste.

"I think I understand now Moony." Sirius' voice came from behind him and Remus turned in surprise. He quirked an eyebrow in a way that demanded an explanation.

Sirius curled up at his feet like a puppy, something that Remus had begun to expect and anticipate, and carefully pulled his wand from his sleeve. After conjuring another glass and filling it from the bottle he fixed Remus with a look that showed him that he really did understand, just not in the way Remus wanted him to.

He should have expected that, this was Sirius Black after all. He had already proven that no one could make him do anything he didn't want to. Remus should know, it was one of the things he found enticing about him.

"I can't keep this up Moony. I can't keep going to sleep at night pretending that I don't love you and knowing that I can't have you all because of a bunch of idiot's prejudice." Sirius exclaimed with a need and longing in his voice that Remus had never heard before. Sirius swallowed his glass in one shot and shook his head in depression.

"Padfoot I —" Remus began. There were too many reasons that said that this wouldn't work, and all the hatred that would surround them because of it. Remus knew that he could handle being hated, but he would never force that upon Sirius.

"No! Just shut up Moony!" Sirius snapped turning to glare coldly at Remus. "I am sick of being told that this won't work! That we aren't together for our own good! This is killing me Moony! I am an adult and I can make my own fucking decisions!" He raged, letting his glass fall from his hand carelessly and smash on the floor below.

"Moony, please. I can't take this anymore." Sirius' head fell onto Remus' lap and his voice had fallen back to a whisper. "I want you, I need you. I want to spend the rest of my life with. Please don't do this to me."

Remus looked down at the man before him. Sirius had a frown on his face and a pleading, desperate look in his eyes. Those eyes that he was so accustomed to seeing sparkle with laughter. His black hair spilled out around his shoulders in perfectly strait locks that were the exact opposite of Remus' own messy waves. He reached out a hand and carefully smoothed out Sirius' hair away from his eyes.

"I'm sorry Padfoot." He began, his voice choked with tears that wouldn't come.

Sirius buried his head into Remus' lap and said in a strangled voice, "Please, Moony. Give me a chance."

"But what about. . .?" He left the question hanging in the suddenly tense silence between them. Hopefully Sirius would know what he was talking about, he always had before.

"We don't have to tell anyone until we are ready." Sirius assured him, finally lifting his head to stare into Remus' eyes.

"I — I love you Padfoot." He said in a constricted whisper that Sirius could barely catch, but it was enough. "I think I always have, it just took a long time to understand, and accept. I never thought I would be good enough for you."

Sirius suddenly pulled Remus into a hug and the glass in Remus' hand clattered to the floor as Sirius' had earlier. Remus relaxed into the hug and just let his emotions overwhelm him. It was so nice to be hugged like this and know that he was loved like this.

"I've waiting much too long to hear you say that Moony." Sirius' voice said from somewhere behind his ear. He sounded overjoyed, happier than he had in months. "Though I don't understand how you could think I'm too good for you."

Remus let his head fall down onto Sirius' shoulder. "I'm not even human Padfoot." He muttered.

"How could you honestly think that Moony!" Sirius demanded, glaring at Remus even as he continued to hug him. "Listen: I. Love. You. Nothing will ever change that."

"You still don't understand." Remus said with a quiet laugh. They pulled apart and stared deep into each other's eyes.

For once in his life, Sirius said it perfectly, "This isn't the sort of thing we are meant to understand Moony, we just have to accept it." His eyes sparkled down at Remus as he pulled him into a hard, passionate kiss that left them both breathing heavily and smiling like Christmas had come early.

Author's Note: Please review!