For XaveriiJade who wondered what Cassius thought the first time he tried to take it further and Remus turned him down because he was a werewolf and he wasn't ready to mate.

Fumblings in the Dark

Remus's hands pushed at Cassius's shoulders.

"What?" Cassius panted.

"I…I think I should go." Remus said breathlessly. "It's late."

"It's late? It's Friday night." Cassius leaned in to kiss Remus's neck, his hands caressing Remus's scarred skin underneath his shirt.

"Stop. Really." Remus pushed harder and Cassius was forced away from Remus's body. Remus was stronger than he looked, Cassius had forgotten that.

"What's wrong?" Cassius asked with concern, he could barely think straight; he just wanted to kiss Remus, lick him, sink into him until nothing else in the world mattered. Cassius watched as Remus bit his lip and blushed.

"I don't want to…" Remus turned pinker. "Be a tease or anything."

"You're not."

"I will be if this," Remus waved a hand between them, "goes on any longer."

"What?"

"I'm a werewolf."

"I know that."

"Well, it's just….sex is a big commitment to a werewolf. It's not something that I'm ready to do and so, I think I better go." Remus finished in a whisper.

"You don't want to have sex." Cassius said slowly, to make sure he'd understood.

"No. And…I think you do, I mean, you were…you know." Remus pointed down to Cassius's groin which was still pressing against Remus.

"I know what I was doing." Cassius snapped.

"Well!" Remus snapped back. "Then I think I should go."

"I have control over myself, you know." Cassius was aware the fact the room had gotten colder was contradicting his words. "I wouldn't do anything you didn't want. I wouldn't force you."

"No, I know that." Remus said quickly, "I only meant—" His words were broken off by a violent shiver. "Sirius always said I shouldn't tease."

Cassius felt his anger dissipate, Remus hadn't been accusing him, and he knew he wasn't his father. Remus had been worried because of something Cassius's thoughtless cousin had said. "You weren't teasing." Cassius reached for Remus's hands chafing them together to warm them as the room's temperature returned to normal. "I know sex the first time is a big deal for werewolves, you've already told me that and I remember it, Remus, really I do remember. I know what it means. I know we aren't ready for that yet. And in the meantime, I know you're not a tease."

"Really?" Remus asked tentatively.

"Yes. Really." Cassius brushed his fingers through Remus's hair, noticing a few new strands of grey amidst the brown.

Remus's gaze lowered. "I still think I should go."

"All right, if you want to." Cassius said carefully. "You could always stay over in the guest room, the bed's made up. Then we could spend all day tomorrow together. I'll even bring you breakfast in bed."

"I…" Remus hesitated.

"Don't you trust me?"

"You know I do." Remus's hands clenched in Cassius's shirt and Cassius fought back a sharply triumphant smile.

"Then stay over."

"All right." Remus agreed softly.

After Remus had left Sunday afternoon, Cassius started to gather every book he could find about werewolves and their mating habits. He knew he wanted to be with Remus, it was just a matter of convincing Remus to mate with him.