We are back from the Christmas hols and the race is on between Sirius and James! It's time for the puppies to push their relationship to the next level!

Sirius sat quietly humming to himself as he pieced his thoughts together. This has to be perfect if I am going to let Remus know how I feel about him before James does.

Sirius had just put the finishing touches on his parchment when he heard the door open. His head snapped up quickly to find James and Remus walking through the doorway. His heart racing, he quickly pushed the parchment underneath a pillow and turned to face the two boys.

James quirked his head, a mysterious glint in his eye. "Hullo, Padfoot."

Sirius cleared his throat. "Prongs. Moony." His gaze lasted a few seconds longer on Remus than it had on James.

"What were you working on?" James asked.

"Er—what?"

"You know. Just now. That parchment you shoved under your pillow," James smirked.

Shit. He knows it has something to do with Remus! "I don't know what you're talking about, mate."

"Oh, well then. Perhaps it was only a trick of the eye."

"Oh yes, that's probably it." Sirius breathed a sigh of relief as James began to walk toward his own bed. Just as Sirius turned his head, he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. He swiveled back around just in time to see James sail through the air onto Sirius's bed.

"No!" Sirius yelled as James grabbed the parchment and took off. "James Potter, get your fat ugly arse back here right now!"

James pulled up short. "Fat?" he whimpered. "I am not fat! I thought you of all people would accept me the way that I am! I thought you loved me, Sirius Black!"

"I could never love a scrawny teenage boy with sex hair and fat jeans. It's just too much," he said as he discreetly crept toward James. "Besides, we both know Moony here is my true love." They both turned to look at Remus whose cheeks were quickly growing bright red. Sirius winked at him.

"Padfoot, I can see you moving closer to me. You're not getting this back."

"Prongs, give me my damn paper! Moony, tell him to give me my damn paper!" Sirius said, flashing a pleading look in Remus's direction.

Remus sighed. "James, give him his damn paper."

"No."

"Sorry Padfoot, I tried."

Sirius turned to glower at James. He quickly lowered his voice so that only James could hear it. "What the hell is this? I told you I would tell him myself."

"Yeah, I know. I'm just giving you a little boost, that's all."

"James, please."

"Let's see here," James said as he looked at the parchment. "7 Ways to—" James's jaw dropped. "7 Ways to Make Someone Fall in Love with You!"

"Give me that!" Sirius hissed and started to lunge again, but Remus caught him by the arm.

"Don't you dare. I want to hear this," Remus said, a shocked expression on his face.

"Step 1: Subtly Flirt. Ha! If he gets any more subtle, I will definitely have to—"

"James!"

"Step 2: Don't Look Away. Give the eye. What the hell does that mean? Step 3: Be a little mysterious. Oh yes. Every man loves—"

"James!"

"Did he just say man?"

"No!"

James just chuckled and read on.

"Step 4: Always leave them wanting more. Well, that'll be a bit difficult for you, won't it Padfoot? Considering you're the one wanting to jump his—"

Sirius squeaked. Loudly.

Both boys missed the quick flash of jealousy in Remus's eyes.

"Step 5: Compliment them. Shouldn't be too hard. Step 6: Buy them things. Chocolate. And lots of it. Step 7: Hang around a lot. Then become suddenly unavailable. Haha! I'd like to see you become suddenly unavailable. You can't spend more than a few minutes without him."

"JAMES BLOODY POTTER! I WILL KILL YOU!" Sirius yelled as he charged at the door.

"Um…Padfoot?" Sirius stopped short as the door slammed in front of him. "Are you…are you gay?"

"No! No, why would you—Ow! Bloody bugger shit hell freaking ow," Sirius said as he rammed his head into a bed post and crumpled to the floor.

"Sirius! Are you okay?" Remus cried, coming to check on him.

Sirius chuckled nervously and said in a much higher pitch than normal, "Okay? Of course I'm okay."

"That looked like it hurt."

"Well yeah, it hurt, but it was a good hurt. It might help clear my head. It was like getting a sunburn but knowing it will turn into a tan hurt. A worth it kind of hurt. So, good…hurt."

"Sirius, you're panicking."

"Nope! No I'm not, that totally made sense."

"No, it didn't." Remus sighed. "Padfoot, it's okay if you're gay. I'm not going to judge you."

Sirius bowed his head. "Fine," he relented. "I might just be a bit of a poofter."

"A bit? Isn't it all or nothing with you?" Remus smirked.

"All right! Bloody hell, I'm a big poofter, a shirt lifter, and whatnot!"

"Really? What a coincidence. Me too."

"What?"

"Yep. I'm a bloody poofter too."

Sirius gave his signature grin and lightly ran his hand up Remus's arm. "Well then, maybe we should meet up some time. Your bed or mine?" He winked.

Remus laughed heartily and walked into the bathroom.

Step 1: Subtly Flirt- Check. thought Sirius as he grinned broadly at the closed bathroom door.

Remus woke up to see eyes staring lewdly back at him.

"Ahh!" He yelled as he pushed a body off of him.

"Bloody hell, Moony! What was that for?"

"Sirius?"

"Yes!" came his indignant answer.

"You scared the hell out of me!"

"…You didn't think I looked sexy?" Sirius's eyes peered sadly over the edge of Remus's bed.

"Uh, sure?"

"You didn't think I looked sexy," he pouted.

"I'm sorry? You scared me, Sirius!"

"Fine. Whatever." Sirius continued to stare at him. Remus finally rose from his bed and went to find clothes. Sirius still stared.

"Uh, Padfoot? Why are you staring at me?"

"I'm giving you my undivided attention."

"Well could you maybe divide it a bit? You're kind of creepy." Remus said as he pulled a sweater over his head.

Step 2 is a fail! Abort! Move to Step 3! Sirius swung his hair to cover his face and grinned maniacally at Remus. "Hey Moony," he purred.

Remus turned and jumped back with a small yell at the sight of Sirius. "What the bloody hell is wrong with you?"

"Don't I look mysterious?" he crooned.

"You look like you just stepped out of one of those bloody muggle horror films. Cut it out, Sirius."

Step 3 is also a fail! Back to Step 1! "Uh…Remus!" he stuttered. "I'm having a bit of a problem! Down here," he whispered the last part and pointed to his crotch. "Think you can help me fix it?" he asked, winking roguishly.

Remus barked out a laugh. "Oh, Padfoot. I think you can take care of such a small problem yourself," he said with a wide smirk on his face.

"I just— Hey! I am not small! I'll have you know I have the largest, uh, problem, at Hogwarts!"

"You do not. I've seen it."

"Oh? Been looking, have you?"

"It's hard not too when I wake up after a full moon and you're wagging it in my face."

"That was one time! One time! I told you it was an accident and I was sorry! Besides, I've grown since third year."

"Oh, I know," Remus winked as he walked out the door to breakfast.

Sirius's heart began racing. Remus is turning the tables on my subtle flirting! He's not allowed to do that!

"Padfoot," he heard a tired voice call. He looked up and met James's sleepily annoyed face peering behind his bed curtain. "That was so not subtle."

Sirius sighed. This might be more difficult than I originally thought.

Just to recap: Step 1 was subtly flirting. Step 2 was stare/give them the eye (which was supposed to be more of a sexy look, not the creepy look Sirius seems to have perfected). And Step 3 was to be mysterious. So Sirius maybe isn't so good at following these steps to make someone fall in love with him, but I don't think Sirius Black every really needed the steps. If he'd just pay attention, maybe he'd notice that a certain someone is already in love with him. Poor Sirius, blind to the affections of his beautiful werewolf. But said werewolf is just as blind. Let's go boys; it's time to open your eyes!