Fuel to the Fire

Chapter2: Like like.


"That one... isn't she beautiful?" He cooed to the bike. He actually cooed to it. I rolled my eyes.

"Do you two... erm... need a minute?" I asked, tapping my foot. He grinned and handed me a helmet.

"Sirius" Zack, Bean, the big bad brother, pushed out of the front door his finger pointing at Sirius. "You hurt my sister on this... thing and I will kill you"

"Then I'll kill you" Dill threatened as well.

"Bean, Dill; chill" I rolled my eyes and pulled the helmet over my hair. "It's just a bike"

"Peyton, it's a motorbike. Remember what Dad used to say about them?" Pickle shot a glare to me. I sighed. Dad was a cop, he was before he left us anyway, so I guess he still is a cop just somewhere else. The point is he used to tell us horror stories about bikes and car accidents and how he never wanted to see any of his kids on a bike.

"Yeah Pickle, I remember" I smiled and swung my leg over the bike, settling into the spot behind where Sirius would sit. "But dad's not exactly here is he?" I smiled and blew my brothers a kiss.

"Be good Peyton. Owl me when you can" Mum waved her hand, looking very worried.

"Don't worry Mrs Fox. Pey is safe with me" Sirius smiled easily and kissed my mothers' cheek.

"I know Sirius. It's the reason why I'm not having a heart attack right now" She smiled at him. I kind of liked how much my mother liked Sirius. "Oh you make such a good looking couple" She cooed. Sirius laughed and I forced myself to, trying to hide my flaming cheeks. I didn't like how much she kept telling the two of us that she wanted us together. It was awkward and annoying because I knew it'd never happen... But the fact she liked him was good. Not many parents liked Sirius Black, because of his name alone. None of them knew him and that made me mad.

He walked back over to the bike and pulled his helmet onto his head. I snorted when I realised it had a prowling black dog painted on the side. Oh those boys and their illegal animagus forms.

"Bye Mum! I'll see you on the platform!" I waved my arm and blew kisses to my family. "If I've left anything bring it with you! Bye Booger! Bye Bean! Bye Dill and Pickle! I love you!" I yelled as Sirius kicked the bike into gear. I let my hands drop to my sides and Sirius laughed.

"Don't take this the wrong way Pey, but I don't want you to fall off" He reached behind him and pulled my body flush with his. He rested my hands on his chest and I held him tight. I wouldn't take it the wrong way, but I'd enjoy it while I could.

Being on the back of the bike was amazing, the wind blowing my face was similar to being a broom. I kind of liked this motorbike business. Maybe I should get one.

"Ok, are you ready for the best part of this bike, love?" Sirius yelled after we got out of town. I frowned. He tightened my grip around his torso and I raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" I asked. Then screamed as the bike took to the air. "WHAT THE HELL ASS FUDGE IS WRONG WITH YOU! YOU GOT A FLYING BIKE!" I slapped his chest lightly. My hands were still resting on his pecks so it was easy.

"I didn't buy it this way, obviously" he rolled his eyes. "James and I fixed it up a little" I could hear the grin in his voice as we flew over London.

"Can muggles see us?" I raised my eyebrows and looking down.

"Nope. Disillusioning charm" He answered. I laughed. This was probably one of their better inventions.

"This is so awesome!" I leant over as far as I dared to have a look at the world below. Sirius held my hand tightly in his and my heart skipped. "I'm not going to fall, you know" I laughed as I felt him pull me back upright.

"Fox, it's you. I can't be too careful" He grinned and gunned the bike faster. I screamed and pulled my body flush with his again.

This was fun!

It didn't take long to get to James' house by flying. The roaring stopped as Sirius dropped the bike onto the drive.

"Squirt!"

"MOOSE!" I replied happily and swung my legs off the bike. "I missed you!" I laughed as I wrapped my arms around his neck. He picked me up and spun us around.

"Summer really is too boring without you" He laughed and ruffled my hair. "Now, I have an important question for you..." he placed me back on the floor and looked serious. "Is Lily coming tonight?"

I rolled my eyes a groaned. "James, you really need to get over this infatuation with Lily. It's not cute anymore" I flicked his nose and pushed the door open. "It's actually quite psychotic" I said over my shoulder.

James had been in love with Lily since the first moment he saw her on the train. He accidentally flicked her skirt up and showed everyone her knickers. She turned around and belted him around the ears without hesitation. He says he fell in love because she laughed while she was doing it, we say it's because he saw her knickers.

Either way he'd been infatuated with her since that time and 6 years later, it wasn't funny anymore.

"Hey Remus" I greeted the quite boy reading a book at the table. "Are you staying for the rest of the holidays too?"

"No I'm not" he shook his head. "Full moon is in three days" He smiled ruely and I pulled a face.

"Damn your wolfy problem" I sighed and took a seat next to him. It kind of sucked sometimes that Remus was a werewolf. It meant he wasn't around all the time and always looked sick. He was such a nice kid, and so easy to talk to. He was smart too. If I ever had a problem, Remus was the one I went to.

"Don't worry Fox, I have your trunk and stuff" Sirius poked his head into the kitchen and pulled a face at me.

"Oh you're a doll" I winked at him. He flipped me off and disappeared, hopefully to put my trunk in the spare room.

"Is she coming Squirt?" James demanded, slamming his hands down in front of me.

"Hi Peyton! When did you arrive?" Pete pulled himself from the refrigerator, chocolate ice cream all around his face. He was smiling widely at me.

"Just then" I answered him with a smile.

"Peyton! Lily... is she –"

"Oh sweet frick, James. Yes. Lily is coming to your party tonight" I exclaimed, staring at the impatient boy in front of me. "Along with Marlene, Alice, Bertha –"

"Ew... who invited Bertha?" He wrinkled his nose and I rolled my eyes.

"Bertha Jorkins?" Sirius asked, returning to the room. "Isn't she that really nerdy girl with the curly hair and glasses?" He leant casually against the bench and sipped water from the glass in his hands.

I frowned and twirled a curl of hair around my finger. "There's nothing wrong with curly hair... or glasses" I added, remembering my reading glasses in my trunk upstairs.

"On you they're incredibly sexy, love" Sirius grinned at me. "On her... they're well..." He pulled a face and the guys laughed.

"How is it different though?" I raised an eyebrow at him, trying to ignore the way my cheeks heated up slightly when he said 'incredibly sexy' in relation to me.

"Well Bertha's awkward and dorky" He rubbed the back of his head.

"So am I?" I pointed out. My social awkwardness wasn't exactly a secret. I was probably the only person to have spat milk through my nose over breakfast, three days in a row, because of the same joke. I also said weird things when I wasn't thinking... although I did that even when I was. It's like there's no filter between my brain and my mouth.

"But you're an adorable dorky..." He continued to smile and my stomach continued to jolt. "Bertha whines and complains about everything. It's like the girl doesn't know how to have a good time" He sighed.

I shrugged. "She's not that bad"

Sirius opened his mouth to argue when Evelyn and Lucas walked into the room.

"Oh Peyton, I thought I heard you arrive!" Evelyn Potter smiled and kissed my forehead. Evelyn was a gorgeous woman, her deep red hair was now peppered with streaks of grey but she didn't look a day over 40.

"Yeah I don't think you could not hear me arrive on that motorbike" I shook my head and glanced at Sirius.

"You didn't hear me arrive on the motorbike" He grinned. "Remember?"

"No" I narrowed my eyes. He better bloody not tell the story...

"I do... I mean how could I forget those hot pink knickers?" He winked.

"SIRIUS!" I exclaimed. "You little – "

"Alright, we're leaving now" Evelyn cut over the top of my fuming. "Now James, remember the rules... No one in the bedrooms, no unnecessary risks..." She looked over her son and sighed before turning to me. "Now Peyton, please keep them in line"

My eyes widened as I struggled not to laugh. She thought I was more responsible than the boys?

"Uh... Sure Evelyn..." I bit my lip and she sighed again before turning to Remus.

"Now Remus, please... You're the responsible one" Evelyn said as the rest of us laughed.

"Of course Evelyn. I'll try and keep them in line. See you tomorrow when you get back" Remus nodded and shot us a look to shut up.

"Bye mum" James smiled and kissed his parents goodbye. "You don't have to worry about anything" He ushered his parents out of the house and then returned with a smile on his face. "So Pads, you saw Squirt in her underwear?" he clapped his hands and grinned at me. I groaned. This wasn't going to be let go easily.

"Well, she just walked out of her room, in hot pink boy shorts and a – OW!" Sirius yelped after he was hit with an apple from the fruit bowl in front of me. Then he smirked "It was like all my Christmases had come at once – OW! STOP THROWING FRUIT AT ME WOMAN"!" He yelped again as I threw an orange at him.

"I seriously didn't hear you arrive because was looking for my shoe" I folded my arms across me and scowled.

"How? I turned up on the motorbike! It's not exactly quiet" He raised his eyebrows. A slow smile spread across his face. "It's ok if you wanted me to see you half naked, I have that effect on women"

"Ugh, in your dreams" I rolled my eyes, folding my arms over my chest and scowling. "I'm pretty sure I'm the only girl who hasn't thrown myself at you" I pointed out.

James and Sirius looked at each other and then to Remus. "She's right" Remus nodded. "Even Lily liked you at one point, Sirius"

"OW!" Sirius whined when James punched him in the arm. "I didn't ask her too" He grumbled. Then he turned to me. "Honestly? You've never like-liked me?" His eyes were wide, like he was shocked he never realised it before.

I stared at the 17 year old and tried to think how to answer this. Obviously I like-liked him now and have done for a year. I just wasn't one of those girls that did anything about it. Over my entire 16 and a half years of life I'd only had 3 boyfriends. Two of them were set up by Lily and Marlene and the other one I didn't really like to begin with.

I wasn't good at telling people my feelings therefore I never threw myself at anyone. Besides, it would only ruin our friendship if I told him because if there was one thing Sirius Black loved more than his hair, it was attention from the female species. I don't think I could handle having a flirt for a boyfriend.

"Nope. Can't say I ever have. You've always been like my brother" I let my cheeks puff out as I lied and pulled my hair from its ponytail. "Why? Have you ever like-liked me?" I asked, curling my hair around my finger thoughtfully. I watched him as he thought about it.

Sirius frowned slightly and studied my face. "I guess not" He answered. Remus, Peter and James all coughed simultaneously and I peered around at them. Sirius shot them all a dirty look.

"What was – " the door bell ringing cut me off.

"Oh look Pey, the doorbell. Go get it" Sirius waved his hand at me, shooing me out of the room. I frowned and opened my mouth to say something, but the doorbell trilling impatiently again made me turn around and do what he said.


Plea's Note:

Here's the next one. I'm hoping you like it. The reviews I've received so far have been pretty positive. I think my favourite part in this chapter is explaining why James likes Lily. It makes me giggle every time :D

Until next time.

Xo Plea