Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. The Harry Potter universe was created by JK Rowling and therefore belongs to her and her various publishers. I don't own anything remotely related to Highlander or The Doors, either. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author's note: Why Jim Morrison? Because he was hot! There is another quote from Highlander and whoever finds it gets a virtual cookie. Oh, and beware of sexual content.
chapter nine: too much fun
With another swish of his wand Remus unpacked the last box. He was standing in his own flat, although not many people would bother to call it that – a flat. It was a miserable hole, that's what it was, but Remus liked it because it was his. He looked around. The place consisted of two very small rooms and a bathroom. His mother had helped him out with some pieces of old furniture they had found in the garage. Thus the main room was furnished with a tottery round table, two just as tottery old chairs, two bookshelves, an ancient and musty sofa and there were two pictures of his friends on the wall opposite the only window, which was fortunately located above the tiny kitchenette.
He went into his bedroom. There were water stains at the ceiling and fissures in the wall adjacent to the bathroom, which could only be entered if the door to the main room was closed. There was a desk, the only new piece of furniture his mother had been able to afford, and Remus' old bed. The bathroom was petty and had no window at all. Remus sank down on the toilet lid.
He was angry. Angry at the Ministry for Magic for closing in on him with administrative barriers and pig-headed clerks at the Werewolf Registry, that even turned applying for his Apparition test into a gauntlet. He was angry at his mother for being too caught up in her grief to notice his struggle. He was angry at all the wizards and witches, who had fired him after they found out about his condition, regardless of his qualifications. In the six weeks since he had left Hogwarts he had had eight jobs in the Wizarding world already and now he was working in a Muggle antique shop. Remus was angry at his friends for being so disgustingly normal and enjoying the summer. Most of all, Remus was angry at himself for turning into such a bitter and envious person only weeks after he had left school.
It was one of those perfect summer days but Remus was too exhausted from work and unpacking to go out and enjoy himself. He heaved a sigh and got up. There was no need to be all melancholic and depressed. At least he had a job now he was probably able to keep for one or two months. He went over to his bed, where he curled up and fell asleep.
A scratching noise at the window woke him up. James' barn owl was sitting on the window sill. Remus scrambled to his feet and let her in. After giving the bird some water and crumbs he sat down to read the letter.
Moony,
Are you still alive? Honestly, you haven't written in two weeks and you still haven't seen Padfoot's new residence. It's really cool, you know. The house has two floors and it's situated near a forest and, best of all, a pond. We've spent hours frolicking in the water. You should have been here to chastise us for being so lazy. It's mainly a Muggle area and Padfoot already knows most of the girls, ha ha.
However, we're going to have a party and YOU ARE GOING TO COME. We didn't celebrate Wormtail's birthday because it was so close to N.E.W.T.s and mine is up next week. Mr I'm-too-handsome-to-be-true has kindly provided his humble abode.
So we're going to spend an entire weekend Marauding and drinking. Next Friday it's only us, with the party being on Saturday. Honestly, Moony, you are in desperate need of fun and chaos. And we all miss you. Lily will be coming too, though she has spent lots of time with her family lately. Her mother does not feel well and they are trying to figure out what's wrong with her. I'm worried but most of the time I feel like an intruder. Pleeeeeeeeeaaaaaase, say yes and join us next week!
Soppy kisses
Prongs
Remus smiled. He didn't have the money to buy James a proper present but he also knew that all of his friends would understand. He read the letter a second time. Padfoot already knows most of the girls…ah well, that had to be expected, hadn't it? Sirius had written every week, nice and funny letters, that didn't mention – whatever they had – but Remus had only answered James' and Peter's letters, not knowing how to write to Sirius. He finally understood that their friendship had changed no matter what he did now to deny it. That kiss on the train haunted his nights. Remus closed his eyes in a desperate attempt to shut out the memories. No, that didn't help at all. He felt restless and went over into the living room to get some water. When he looked out of the window a predatory grin flashed over his face.
Jim Morrison was sitting in the café across the street again. Well, of course it wasn't really Jim Morrison, who was actually dead, but the guy bore a striking resemblance. They had met several times in the grocery shop down the street and 'Jim' had been flirting with him.
So, Sirius enjoyed himself with the girls in his neighbourhood. He had moved on. Good for him. Remus put on a clean shirt and left his flat.
Hours later Remus faced up to the fact that, for a first experience, having your prick sucked by a complete stranger wasn't the most brilliant idea he ever had. It had been, well, interesting. And exciting. And satisfying. And so utterly wrong!
Remus looked at the man lying next to him on the musty sofa. The smell of sex hung in the sticky summer air. They were more or less completely dressed, which was fine with Remus. Having scars all over his body had made him self-conscious since puberty. Covered in moonlight Keith – that's how 'Jim' was really called – did resemble another person Remus knew. Remus jumped off the sofa and scudded into the bathroom, where he splashed cold water onto his face. Damn Sirius, damn his kisses and damn the tension between them.
"Hey, Ramos, are you alright?" Keith called out.
"My name's Remus and yeah, I'm fine. I'll be right back."
"Nah, that's alright. I've got to go anyway. Have a gig, yeh know?"
Remus felt hysterical laughter bubble up his throat. That guy was actually in a band?
"Yeah, well, see you around, Keith!" he called into the room, trying to keep the laughter down.
"Cheers, man!"
He made sure that the door fell shut before he burst out laughing. Seconds later he found himself crying as well. Ironically, the only person he would have liked to talk to about it, and who would understand, was Sirius Black.
That had definitely been too much fun for one day!
"Sirius, do you have anything edible in this sloppy house of yours?" Lily wrinkled her nose at the sight of his kitchen.
"Nope," answered Sirius proudly. "Prongs' mom is going to send her house-elf over in a couple of hours. She can't have us starve. She loves me best any- ow!" James had jostled Sirius against the door frame.
"We can't even order some pizza because you're too magic to have a telephone." Lily looked around, distressed. It was Friday afternoon and another hot summer day.
"She always gets angry when she's hungry," whispered James in Sirius' ear.
"You love her anyway," growled Sirius, who had actually grown quite fond of Lily.
"Did I hear a lady in distress?" asked a warm and familiar voice.
Sirius' head spun around so fast that the sinews his neck snapped painfully. Remus was standing just behind him and James, smiling his mysterious half-smile.
"Remus!" Lily squealed delightedly.
"Merlin, you've grown!" exclaimed James, which was true. Over the last weeks Remus had grown about two inches. He had lost weight, too, or maybe he had grown too fast, but the change suited him. He looked more mature and there was a certain edge to his facial expression that Sirius found extremely attractive. James pulled Remus into a bone-crushing embrace.
"Hey, Prongs, I'm happy to see you, too," laughed Remus. Two thin, unfamiliar and faintly pink scars adorned the pale skin of his right cheek. James had noticed, too.
"We should have been there," he said in a low whisper. Remus looked slightly embarrassed from James to Sirius. When their eyes met, the world seemed to fade away for a second. Sirius smiled at him and Remus smiled back and the barrier between them disappeared into thin air.
"Come here, wolfy!" Sirius teased.
"Your arse, wolfy!" Remus grinned but stepped into the hug nonetheless.
An hour later they were down by the pond James had written about. Peter had joined them, too, though without Karen, who had broken up with him two weeks before. The blonde boy wasn't too sad. All of them were in an exceptionally good mood, rejoicing in the fact that the Marauders were back together. Remus had brought two huge and deliciously sweet watermelons and so they were lying in the warm grass, eating dripping pieces of melon and laughing about a joke Lily told them.
Lily was wearing a dark green bikini and James couldn't take his eyes off her. The boys had stripped down to their trunks and only Remus wore a shirt to cover the scars on his body.
"Let's go swimming," suggested Lily a little later. James only grunted lazily.
"Not yet, I'm too full," said Peter. Sirius didn't open his eyes.
"Awwww, come on!"
"I'll go with you." Remus smiled at her, feeling happier than he had in weeks. The two of them ran into the water, squealing with glee. The pond was deep green and the water felt pleasantly cool on Remus' skin.
"So, Remus, how's living in your own flat?" Lily asked when they were swimming lazily side by side in the middle of the pond.
"Alright," lied Remus.
"Really? Aren't you lonely all by yourself?"
"Nah, it's great. Time to actually read a book in one go."
"And where do you work?"
"Antiquary shop," answered Remus evenly. He felt Lily's gaze on him.
"Oh, Remus…"
"Don't!" He looked at her pleadingly. She nodded and dived a small distance.
The sound of laughter was carried over to them. Remus and Lily looked over to where their friends were and made out several unknown figures. They nodded to each other and swam back.
It was a group of four Muggle girls, all between fifteen and eighteen, Remus guessed. There were two blondes, one brunette and one black-haired girl and they had all gathered around Sirius and James. Like moths to a flame, he thought.
Dripping and shivering they joined their friends and Lily sat down so close to James that Remus had to suppress a smile. James looked at Sirius, who nodded understanding and took the girls several feet away from the group. Lily gave her boyfriend a small peck on the cheek before she took her towel and went behind a tree to change into something dry. Remus considered this a good idea and scolded himself for not bringing anything he could change into. His wet shirt stuck to his skin and made him shiver in the first cool evening breeze. But with all these Muggles around, a Drying Charm was out of the question. Lily returned in a black bikini, which suited her just as well and secured her James' undivided attention.
"Is Padfoot ever going to come back?" Peter seemed a little restless and eyed Lily and James jealously. Sirius and the girls were out of sight, though they still heard their silly giggles.
"Perhaps you should remind him of our presence, Pete," said Remus lightly. Peter shot him a grateful look, jumped up and stormed off in the direction of the laughter. Remus tried to ignore his wet clothes and enjoy the evening.
"Remus, you're going to catch a cold! Your lips are turning blue!" Lily frowned, obviously concerned.
"I didn't bring another shirt or pair of trunks," shrugged Remus.
"Boys," Lily muttered. "James, you can lend him your shirt."
"Yeah, sure," James rolled over to grab his rumpled shirt. "Here you go, Moony!"
"Er, really….it's no big deal. I-I'm not cold." Remus lied, not willing to expose his scars in front of Lily. She gave him an inquisitive look.
"Let's go swimming, Lils," James suggested, winking at Remus. Lily, being the clever girl that she was, got the hint.
"Yes, let's. AHHHHH, JAMES POTTER!"
Remus watched James carrying a squealing Lily into the water. He was lucky to have such friends. Checking the surrounding area, he decided to risk it. He quickly pulled off his pair of trunks and changed into his pants. His good luck left him when his shirt was tangled around his head.
"OH MY GOD! What happened to your friend?" asked a high-pitched female voice. Defiantly, Remus ripped the shirt off and turned to face the newcomers. Of course, it was Peter, Sirius and the giggling girls. All of them. Bugger.
The girls ogled him with a mixture of pity and repulsion and Peter tried to become invisible. Remus blushed and considered drowning himself when his eyes fell on Sirius. The look of undisguised hunger and desire the other boy gave him sent a different kind of heat surging through his body. Nobody had ever looked at him like that!
"Has the cat got your tongue, boy?" asked one of the blondes.
"Shut your bloody mouth!" growled Sirius, stepping in front of Remus, who gratefully took the chance to slip on James' shirt.
"B-but…do his parents abuse him or something?"
"Do his parents abuse him or something?" Sirius mocked her. "No, they bloody well don't. And now you'd better leave," he growled.
"Yeah!" Peter stepped over to them. The girls looked reluctant.
"Well, what happened then? Did he get under a fucking lawn mower?" the nosy blonde asked nastily.
"Lawn mower?" mouthed Peter questioningly at Remus, who shrugged dismissively. He just wanted to get away from those girls and started to gather his belongings.
Sirius' cold voice startled him. "You know nothing about him. But how could you?" he sneered. "You must be the silliest Muggle on the planet!"
"Sirius!" Remus said sharply.
"Mug-what?"
"Just shut up and be gone. You don't want to see him angry!" Remus told her.
"What's the matter?" asked James, he and Lily dripping wet but alert. The girls exchanged looks between them and each other and decided to leave, glaring nastily at Sirius, whom they had earlier adored.
"Fucking freaks!" they heard one of them mutter before they were out of sight. Sirius turned around, scrutinising Remus.
"Are you ok, Moony?" he asked with a voice that made Remus shiver.
"Yeah, I'd like to go back though."
"They what?" asked James irately when Peter informed him about the confrontation.
"It's ok, James, calm down. Sirius here went berserk enough for the two of you." Remus forced a smile on his face.
"Stupid bints! I'd love to hex them." Sirius grumbled, wrapping one arm protectively around Remus' shoulders. And Remus, who would usually have shrugged him off, let Sirius guide him back to the house.
"If you ever want to floo in…I named it 'Gomorrah'," grinned Sirius before they went through the door.
The party was characteristically loud and chaotic. Sirius, James and Peter had invited about anyone they knew. There were even a few Muggles, who were friends or relatives of some wizard or other. Remus was enjoying himself to the fullest, the unpleasant encounter of the day before forgotten. He liked to believe that he didn't mind being rejected by strangers but he couldn't deny the fact that he had heard the girls' voices in his head for hours before he fell asleep. The other thing he had been thinking about quite a lot was the sight of Sirius' hungry eyes on him.
Speaking of which, Sirius' eyes were alternatively focussed on one girl or the other and Remus hadn't talked to him all evening, trying to avoid being paired up with a random female Sirius thought would suit him. The little voice in his head told him that this was a ridiculous excuse after the look Sirius had given him the day before and that he should stop denying the obvious and inevitable. They hadn't kissed for weeks and the thought alone drove Remus insane.
Intoxication! Drinking one of those self-made and most likely illegal potions O'Grady had brought with him seemed like a good idea to avoid thinking for the rest of the evening altogether. Remus pushed through the masses, stepping on several discarded joke articles.
"What's that, Prefect Moony consuming illegal substances?" he heard a low voice whispering into his ear.
"I'm not a Prefect anymore, Pads, and I can do what I like," Remus answered, just as low. He felt Sirius' warm breath on his neck, tickling and tantalising him.
"Can you now?" Came the teasing reply. Something told Remus that they were not talking about semi-illegal potions anymore. The noises around them faded into the background, leaving their breath and their whispering voices.
"That's a clear and definite yes."
"Good." It wasn't just approval, it was a promise.
Remus turned and looked straight into Sirius' eyes. He was searching them for something, though he did not really know what he was looking for. And strangely enough, when he lost himself in the grey depth of Sirius' eyes, he found it.
Sirius woke with a hammering head and a stale taste in his mouth. Not knowing what time it was, he slurped down into the kitchen, cutting his right foot on the shards of a scattered bottle on the floor.
"MERLIN'S BALLS!" he yelped in pain.
"Morning, sunshine!" cheered Lily, whom Sirius had never taken for a cruel person. Oh, he had been wrong!
"You're looking a little battered, Black. Too many of the pink potions? You shouldn't trust anything that's pink, you know." Lily grinned broadly, patting Sirius on the back. He glared at her, which made his head hurt even more. "Oh well, Sirius, let me have a look, you're bleeding all over the floor. Episkey!"
"Thanks. If you gave me one of those Hangover potions I stored in the fridge yesterday, I'll marry you," groaned Sirius.
"James will be delighted," teased Lily.
"Why?" asked James, who just appeared from the bathroom. Sirius shot her a pleading puppy look.
"Nothing, we were talking about cleaning this mess up and Sirius here told me that you'd volunteer to do the bathroom."
"Oi, Pads, in your dreams," cried James indignantly.
"Keep it down, will you? My head is killing me," whined Sirius.
"You'd better take one of these then." Sirius felt a warm hand on his arm and looked up into Remus' golden eyes, now sparkling with amusement.
"Why's everyone so bloody cheerful?" asked Sirius, exasperated.
"Because we haven't enjoyed ourselves as much as you, no doubt about that," replied Lily dryly. "Peter had to leave, his mother owled early."
"Great, just great," grumbled Sirius, quaffing the potion off. He felt the potion going straight into his head, leaving him slightly light-headed, but the hammer was fortunately gone.
They tidied the house for the better part of the day. Of course they used magic but most of the damage had been done magically as well. James and Lily were making fun of the condition the house was in but Remus' reaction made Sirius suspicious of what hellhole his friend lived in. Remus hadn't invited any of them so far and he hadn't talked about his job either. As Sirius was getting better during the course of the day, he resolved to visit Remus as fast as possible. Being a naturally honest person, he admitted to himself that he had other reasons for the visit, too. Since he had laid eyes on Remus at the pond, he was dying to touch him. Their conversation at the party had convinced him that Remus wanted him, too. Moreover, seeing the fragile state his scarred friend was in, he could do with some positive attention.
"We've got to be going, mate," said James, cutting off Sirius' train of thoughts. James was already fully dressed and packed and had one arm wrapped around Lily's waist.
"Yeah, right, thanks for your help. See you on Tuesday in Diagon Alley, Prongs?"
"Sure thing," replied James. "Padfoot needs a new broomstick kit," he explained to Lily, who just rolled her eyes.
"Moooooony, we're leaving," shouted James. Seconds later, a very sweaty and dishevelled Remus Apparated into the kitchen. Sirius wished to see him like that because of him.
"Yuck, Moony, you're in desperate need of a shower!" exclaimed James, pulling his friend into a hug nonetheless. "See you next weekend at my place," he added. Several hugs later, James and Lily Disapparated with two subsequent POPs.
"Pads, since I spent an hour cleaning it, could I use your shower?" asked Remus tentatively.
"You don't have to ask. Mi casa es su casa," Sirius said roughly. Remus nodded apologetically and Apparated back upstairs. Sirius sat down at the kitchen table in his now deserted and very clean kitchen. He had never felt attracted to another person for a longer period of time before. But then, nobody had ever resisted him before. It was maddening.
When Remus came back half an hour later, he was positively glowing.
"Cheers, Pads, I really needed that," said Remus, good-humoured. His hair was still damp and his cheeks were rosy. He wore robes for a change, and they looked surprisingly new. Resistance might not be an issue after all, thought Sirius, smirking inwardly. They stared at each other for a long moment, for neither of them seemed willing to make the first move.
Just when Sirius thought he couldn't take more of it Remus said with a wry smile "I should be going then."
"Your arse, you should," growled Sirius, jumping off his chair so fast that it fell over. He pulled Remus in a breathtaking kiss. It felt so damn good to hold Remus again, to feel him so close and to taste him. And Remus kissed him back, just as hungry and devouring. An eternity later they broke apart, panting for air.
"Upstairs, now!" demanded Remus in a voice that sent a chill through Sirius' body. The thought alone that he could make Remus forgot his usual politeness thrilled him. He had never wanted anything, anyone more in his life and so it took a lot of effort to pull himself together.
"On three," Sirius suggested, grinning predatorily. "One, two-" and with that he Apparated into his bedroom. Remus followed only seconds later and feigned indignation.
"Cheating, aren't you? You are -" Remus couldn't tell Sirius what he was because Sirius pushed him against the wall, kissing him fiercely and fumbling with the other boy's robes.
Remus felt heat and desire he had never known before. Being pressed against the wall by Sirius, feeling Sirius' stubble scratching against his neck, Sirius' cool and trembling fingers undressing him…it was incredible. Remus shoved Sirius over to the bed, which was fortunately broader than his own. On the way, they both got rid of their robes and pants. All of a sudden, Sirius let got of him to let his eyes wander over Remus' body. Remus folded his arms self-consciously but Sirius got hold of his wrists and forced them apart.
"I've wanted to see you like this for weeks, you won't hide," he said in a raw whisper and Remus could see the hunger in his eyes again. His legs turned to jelly under that look, so he pushed Sirius over and they fell onto the bed. They wrestled and kissed and tasted and touched each other until they were both dizzy and giddy with desire.
Only a week ago, Keith had touched him like Sirius did now but there was a world of difference in this touch. Waves of pleasure surged through Remus' body and he buried his face in the curve of Sirius' neck, inhaling the other boy's scent deeply. Sirius gasped because of his touch, his strokes and he felt another jolt of electricity when Sirius thrust against him. And then Remus lost himself in the pleasure of the moment and the last thing he heard before his sight blurred and the world became meaningless was Sirius hissing his name.
It was getting dark when Sirius woke up. A thin film of sweat still covered his body and he felt pleasantly spent. Next to him, Remus was lying on his side, so that they faced each other. One arm was casually draped around Sirius' waist. His lashes fluttered sporadically but for the rest his face emanated peace and contentment. Sirius reached out to trace the two fading scars on Remus' cheek with the tips of his fingers but then felt strangely reluctant to disturb the other boy's sleep. Instead he turned around and nestled his back to Remus' warm and slender body, seizing Remus' hand and twining their fingers. Remus sighed in his sleep and snuggled closer to Sirius' back. Comforted by his friend's regular breathing and steady heartbeat, Sirius fell asleep, feeling strangely sheltered and filled with unexpected happiness.
...to be continued
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