Another short, fluffy, angsty one-shot about Sirius and James…

Soulmates…

James' eyes fluttered open slowly, he yawned and frowned, wondering what had woken him. Slowly he sat up, rubbing his eyes and turning to the clock on his bedside table. 3 am. Great. Fantastic. He sighed and nearly leapt out of his skin as something hammered against the door downstairs, he yelped and scrambled out of bed, his hand grabbing his wand automatically as he straightened up and pulled open his door. He found his mother poking her head out of his parents bedroom looking tired and confused.

"Who on earth is knocking so early in the morning?" She asked sleepily.

"No idea, I'll g-get it." James replied with a huge yawn.

"I'll come with you." His mother replied sternly as she disappeared back into her bedroom to put on a robe. James waited, shifting nervously from one foot to the other as the knocking became ever more frantic, finally his mother emerged and nodded to her son. Togther they moved down the stairs and into the hall. Moonlight fell in a pool from the window in the front door, splashing against the walls like silver paint. Behind the frosted glass James could see a shadow, his grip tightened on his wand and he moved forward. His free hand went to the door handle and he pulled it open. He gasped in shock as his eyes landed on his visitor.

"Sirius!" He muttered as his best friend stumbled forward a little, he reached out and steadied him. Outside it was raining, the sound desolate and lonely.

"Jamie…thank Merlin…" Sirius whispered, meeting James' eyes. "I-I…I'm in trouble…I need help."

James' eyes took in Sirius' bedraggled appearance, his long hair was plastered to his face, he wore little more than a t-shirt that was soaked through and at his feet was his school trunk with bits of clothes sticking out of it as if it had been packed in a hurry. His face was drawn and pale, he had one arm wrapped around his stomach in a gesture of nervous protectiveness, at complete odds with his normal easy confidence. James saw a darkening bruise highlighting his jaw and a series of cuts and bruises that looked like someone had grabbed him by the wrist, scratching him in the process. He didn't need to be asked twice, without another thought he stood aside and Sirius limped into the house, out of the rain. "What happened?" He asked sharply, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Sirius leaned heavily against the wall, his head hanging so hair obscured his face. "I left." He whispered hoarsely. "Couldn't take it anymore. I-I…Jamie…I have nowhere to go…I'm not going back! Don't make me go back, please!" The desperation in his voice made James' heart clench in sympathy.

"Why did you leave?" James asked after a moment's hesitation.

Sirius' face twisted, a dark light shining behind his grey eyes. "I've had enough of it. I'm sick of everything. To them I'm nothing but a bloodtraitor, a stain upon the ancient name of Black! Everything I do…N-Nothing is ever good enough for them! I always have to be something different…something better than what I am! I walked out…t-they tried to stop me but I…I escaped. Oh fuck…" He slid down the wall, both arms held tightly across his stomach as if it ached, he pressed his head to his knees and shivered violently. "I didn't know where else to go…I'm sorry."

"Did they hurt you?" James' mother asked softly as she crouched before Sirius and looked at him in concern.

Sirius shook his head, still refusing to look up. "Not…not really. Mum grabbed me but I pulled my arm away from her…I…I think Dad hit me but I don't really remember."

"Oh you poor boy." Mrs. Potter put a comforting hand on Sirius' shoulder and pulled him close to her side, James watched him tense and knew that he was highly uncomfortable with the motherly affection. "Now, get up and come into the kitchen. I'll make some tea and then set up the camp bed in James' room." She smiled warmly at Sirius who peered cautiously up at her through his hair.

"You mean…I…I can stay?"

"Oh Sirius, you're welcome to! How could I put you out on the street? You're family." She stood up and moved towards the kitchen door, James crouched down before Sirius and put a hand on his shoulder, slowly he raised his head so their eyes met.

"Sirius, you've always got a place here, you know that."

Sirius felt a small smile curl his lips. "Thank you." He whispered, putting every ounce of emotion into it as he could. "Thank you, James."

"What kind of friend would I be if I didn't let you stay?" James grinned and Sirius' smile widened a little more as the shock and terror of the night began to fade, like a bad dream. "Come on, let's get you some hot tea and you can have a shower, you're probably freezing." He helped Sirius too his feet and together they followed Mrs. Potter into the kitchen.

Later, as dawn began to peek it's sleepy head over the horizon, Sirius sat on James' bed drying his hair with a towel. James perched by his side and watched his friend closely. "I know you hated it at your house but why did you suddenly decide to up and leave?" He asked abruptly. "I want the real reason."

Sirius paused, slowly letting the towel fall to his shoulders as he considered how to answer. He met James' eyes and sighed softly. "They wanted me to get married." He said quietly, James' eyes widened. "I know. I'm way too young for that kind of thing, sixteen is no age to commit yourself. When I tried to tell them I didn't want to they started shouting, c-calling me the usual names and I…I realised that if I stayed I'd be destroyed. I can't live my life having their ideas shoved down my throat; I refuse to be force fed what is obviously utter bullshit anymore. I left because I…because I can't be who they want me to be, I can't be Regulus." There was agony in his eyes as he looked over at his best friend, the emotion seemed to have finally broken through all his walls and barriers. It flowed over until his eyes glittered with unshed tears. "They always loved Regulus over me. Always. I've never been able to be the son they wanted…even when I tried! A-all I ever wanted from them was…was what they gave Reg. They just could never accept me for who I am…" He swore under his breath and wiped a hand across his eyes furiously. "Merlin, I'm sorry…I don't know what's wrong with me."

Silently James wrapped his arm around Sirius' shoulder, he let Sirius rest his head against him and sigh shakily. "I'm here for you, you know that right?"

"Yeah…I know." Sirius paused before looking up into James' eyes, his fingers tangled with James' and he gave him a weak smile. "You mean everything to me, without you I don't know where I'd be."

"You're ok now. None of that matters because I'm not going to abandon you. You're my brother, my best friend and-" He put his fingers beneath Sirius' chin and leaned down, their lips met in a closed mouthed kiss. "I love you." He said as he drew away, glorying in Sirius' happy smile as it wiped all the worry from his face.

"You big soppy git." Sirius muttered affectionately as he shifted so that he could press his forehead against James'. "Anyone would think your dick had disappeared." He said and smirked playfully as James chuckled.

"I'm not the one who takes it up arse." James replied.

"No but you're not exactly the perfect example of 'manliness' are you? I remember that spider in the bathroom last year…You screamed like a girl."

"It was huge and it actually tried to attack me!" James said defensively. "And anyway, what about you? That time when I saw you actually putting on makeup! And that skirt you stole from the girls dorms…you still haven't told me how you got up there in the first place!"

"Hey, you loved that skirt…you couldn't keep your bloody hands off of me."

"Hmm…true. You did look rather good; I'll give you that one."

Sirius leaned in to James' ear, he dropped his voice and whispered seductively; "I managed to pack that skirt, Jamie…You want to have a little fun?" Slowly he trailed his fingers up James' thigh and grinned when James grabbed him and pushed him roughly into the mattress of his bed.

"You're going to regret reminding me of that when you wake up tomorrow with a sore arse, I'm going to make sure you can't sit for a week." James panted as he reached down and unbuckled Sirius' belt, he felt a hot tongue wet his throat and groaned heavily. "Fuck…" He whispered and kissed Sirius firmly, he forced his lips apart with his tongue and deepened it. When he pulled away he nuzzled Sirius' nose with his own and grinned. "Welcome home, Padfoot."

"I'm home, Prongs." Sirius replied with a wide, joyful smile.