'Used' is a simple word with an underlying substandard meaning. Broken hand-me downs, a crumpled heap of dirty laundry that nearly made it in the basket and a young boy in a restless sleep that no one sacrifices a second glance towards because they've been used.

Emerald's hands clenched the bed sheets to his chest as if to find comfort in the flimsy fabric that barely could protect him from the brisk morning air. After a moment or two of tossing and turning within the relentless darkness behind his eyelids he subconsciously admitted defeat. Opening bleary eyes slowly under the weight of immense shame flooding through his brow, Emerald realized he had to face this day.

The pillow moist from tears creased into Emerald's face uncomfortably and his lower back was stiff due to his best efforts to not rest on his backside. With much effort Emerald flipped over on his stomach and brought himself onto his hands and knees. Suddenly when he thought he had no tears left to shed, single droplets fell into the webs of his fingers and dotted the sheets. He never expected this reaction from himself. Even with no mental preparation and his fear, this raven haired boy was almost certain that afterwards he would be able to be strong. His entire life was a façade after all.

Instead of this supposed strength, sorrowful and angry tears poured into the corners of his lips and peeled from his long lashes. Even a choked sob brought Emerald's head back to his damp feathered pillow where he found he could tire himself from his angst.

Azul woke up in similar discomfort but it was nothing he couldn't handle. He had been used goods for 3 years now and knew the pain always subsided. A hard forearm cradling his head was a reminder of the sage eyes that rocked above his body the prior night, Cedric. He twisted his head behind him to see the older boy's slack jaw and hair all disheveled. Azul quietly contemplated if his lover's hair was in such disarray from their lovemaking or from Cedric's inability to keep a comfortable position on a bed that Azul had sex with other men on.

With a deep sigh, Azul fussed with his dark chocolate brown fringe above his tired cerulean eyes before his adjusted himself to face Cedric. He woke Cedric abruptly,

"You know you can't afford staying overnight."

Startled from his light sleep, Cedric groaned incoherently and rolled on his opposite side facing away from Azul but the younger boy continued,

"Cedric, really…you have to leave."

"What's the rush?" His deep and grumpy voice made Azul smirk in spite of himself.

"As much as you don't want me to," He began referring to their argument the night before that lead to Cedric's aggressive possessiveness." I have to go check on Emmy." Azul was the one who found Emerald in the Red Room and had brought him to a vacant bedroom.

"You're right, I don't want you to." He grumbled, settling himself into the bed even further as if to say he wasn't going anywhere soon.

"Fine! Waste your money sleeping in an empty bed. See if I care!" Azul quickly scurried out of the bed before Cedric had a chance to reach for the retreating boy's arm.

"Hey! I'm serious," He rubbed his eyes with the backs of his hands and tried a less controlling approach with obvious strained effort, "I want to spend more time with you."

Azul's expression softened only in the slightest but took the time to pull on a t-shirt before he responded by the door, "Great, I'll see you next time you manage to earn back all the money you spent by sleeping over," and blew a kiss as he shut the door on Cedric's affronted response.

Remus woke up this dewed spring morning to Sirius in a deep hung over sleep on his living room couch. He went through the motions of brushing back the hair from the man's mouth and putting a gentle hand on his long time friend's forehead. He continued on to his medicine cabinet and pulled out his jumbo sized bottle of pain medication that he kept handy for such occasions and a tall glass of water.

After placing said items gently on the coffee table, Remus settled down in an adjacent chair rubbing his temples. He stared at Sirius for a few moments, his heart bubbling and clenching all at once.

Hello everyone : D This was just a small update to re-introduce the characters and their personalities as I see them now. Thank you to all of you who wanted to see this fanfiction continued and even those of you who had the dedication to stick around so long to see me update it one day. I really appreciate you interest in my writing and I hope I didn't disappoint you with this measly update. Now I must be off to volunteer at my cat shelter, I spent too much time writing this and lost track of time. Remember guys, always keep your mind and hearts open to adoption : 3