An angry howl ripped through the night, followed by a high-pitched yowl. Remus groaned.

"Seriously? It's three in the bloody morning!" He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration and clambered out of bad. Tiptoeing around the scratches and gouges on the floor, he entered Sirius and Alice's bedroom — but tripped over a stray dog toy. Muttering obscenely under his breath, he got up and glared at the bed.

Where he found two animals squaring off, a black, bristling dog and a wiry, spitting cat. A dead moth lay between them and Remus swallowed his disgust. "It's three in the morning," he repeated numbly. "I do not have time for this. What I wouldn't give for a peaceful sl — Oi!"

Remus lunged for the dog as it batted at the cat. The cat shied away with a defensive hiss. She swiped a paw.

No one would ever believe that those two were in love.

The dog wriggled out of Remus's hold and leaped at the cat. The pair rolled around on the bed, wrestling, the moth forgotten. Their claws appeared to be sheathed, and Remus watched them before rolling his eyes and retreating from the room.

"Screw this, I'm leaving and getting drunk," he said exasperatedly. "I'm not a pet sitter…next time James can watch them…"

Remus slept on the couch, which was the farthest away, and he woke up with a sore back. He woke to the smell of pancakes and Sirius standing over him with pancakes.

"Finally finished your romp in the sheets?" Remus grumbled. Sirius chuckled.

"Sorry if we woke you."

"Never mind, just give me those pancakes and I'll consider forgiving you."

"Merry Christmas to you too."

Remus glared at him and snatched the plate.

Sirius and Alice were blissfully happy, they were practically hyper, courtesy of their counterparts, and Remus…Remus just lagged behind them, letting them expend their energy. He let them lace up each other's ice skates, watched them skate away as he sat on a free bench provided by the park.

James found him there, huddled up, and sat down. "Rough night?" he asked sympathetically.

"Don't even ask," muttered Remus. "Next time, you're watching them. One week is long enough for me to have a proper break."

James gazed at the couple gliding on the ice, laughing and dancing on the ice, and his face softened. "Don't worry," he said confidently. "I will. How hard can it be?"

Remus didn't answer.

A yowl split the night. James almost yelled in frustration.

"It's three in the bloody morning!" Rubbing his eyes, he stumbled into the hallway, tripped over a toy, and burst in to see…

…a dog and cat wrestling on the bed.

James watched them with something like resignation. "...I'm keeping them in separate rooms, or else this is going to be a long week."

475 words

1000 - 66. (word) Wiry

12 Days of Shipmas - Day 9 - Your ship enjoys a winter activity together.