Warning: Still slash.
Dedication: This is for...This is for Kerrie and Jim, for giving me a ride home tonight. Thanks guys!
Author's Note: This is short, but it's one of those in between chapters. Next chapter will be longer, I promise. I'm tired, I'm sore, and this was either going to be short, or very, very long. This note is also very short. ;-)
A Personal Affair
Chapter Four
//What am I going to tell him? What words do I use? How do I...?// Remus buried his head in his hands, standing outside the door to his cottage. //This is not going to go over well...// The odd joy he had been experiencing at the thought of actually spending the night with Severus. Now he had to tell Sirius about the wonderful new arrangements. //I'm just going to have to deal with it, I suppose.//
Remus opened the door, and saw Sirius sprawled out on the floor, a book open in front of him. //He must be very, very bored.//
"Hey!" Sirius leapt up, an expectant look on his face. "How'd it go?"
"Er...interesting." Remus said, smiling nervously.
"So...was he everything you thought he'd be? Ready to move in..." Sirius nudged Remus in the ribs conspiratorially.
"Actually, yes." Remus' lips twitched a bit.
"You're kidding, right?" Sirius' face faltered. "I mean...planning on moving in with some guy you just met? That's sort of...crazy."
"Well, that's what we need to talk about." Remus composed his face as pleasantly as he took Sirius' hands. "See...I didn't just meet him, it turns out."
"Oh?"
"Yes. It turns out I know him already. Isn't that funny?"
"Yeah..." Sirius laughed. "Wow! What are the chances....but, did you guys hit it off?"
"You have no idea! He is snappy and sarcastic, but it's a part of his charm. And he's very well read. And he has a very witty sense of humor."
"All right, Remmie!" Sirius wrapped his arm around Remus' shoulder. "So...what now?"
"Well...he meant what he said. He wants me to live with him. And...I want to live with him. Or at least try it. I think this might work. And...like he said, we don't really have all that much time. I've found someone I actually really click with, and I don't want to let that just pass me by. I think...I don't know. I know I have some form of feelings for him, I just can't quite place them yet."
"Well...was there any physical action?"
"A kiss." Remus admitted. //Maybe...maybe I'll just casually forget to mention it's Severus. I can get away with that, can't I?//
"Did you feel anything?"
"God yes!" Remus sighed, and sank into the couch. His knees were weak just remembering. "It was divine! I can't even describe it. It was very brief, and nothing...well...nothing pornographic, but it was very nice. Nice! Nice is the understatement of the year!"
"Wow, Remmie, you're really nuts about this guy." Sirius looked generally happy for his friend.
"I am! I really, really am. I didn't think I would be. But there's just something..." Remus trailed off, not able to put feelings into words.
"No, I understand completely. Love at first sight, huh?"
"Something like that."
"So you're leaving me, huh?"
"God no!" Remus shook his head. "Dumbledore was very specific about us sticking together. Which means..."
"I can't." Sirius held out his hands in a helpless gesture. "I'm a wanted man."
"Er...that's actually not a problem." Remus had completely forgotten that aspect of things. //Thank god that Severus already knows!"
"Oh?"
"Mmm-hmm. He..er...he's aware of the situation..." Remus scratched at the back of his head, and suddenly found something very interesting to look at on the floor.
"Oh no! No, no no!"
"What?" Remus looked up, anxious expression on his face. "What are you 'oh no-ing'? I haven't tolf you yet..."
"I don't think you have to. I'm not as stupid as everyone thinks. It's someone who knows about me? There aren't too many. There's Harry and his friends; obviously it's none of them. There's Dumbledore, and I'm really thinking no on that one. There's McGonagall, who's a woman. And there's Snape." The last sentence was said with a vicious snarl, and Sirius dark brown eyes fixed Remus in a piercing gaze. "Remmie?"
"Yes?" Remus squirmed, avoiding looking Sirius head on.
"Please. If you love me, if you value my friendship, please don't tell me it's Snape."
"All right." Remus shrugged. "Now, I have to pack..."
"What?" Sirius grabbed Remus' arm as he went to walk by. "No. I can't believe you're trying to tell me what I think you're trying to tell me."
"I didn't tell you anything." Remus said. "You asked me not to."
"Yeah, yeah yeah." Sirius let go of Remus' arm quickly, and took a step back. "I just can't believe you..."
"And why not?" Remus folded his arms over his chest. "It's my life, my decision."
"That's dragging me along with it!" Sirius exclaimed. "You want to go...do whatever it is you do with Snape, okay fine. That is none of my business. And I'd be pissed, but I wouldn't say anything to you, I'd just bitch and moan about it in my head. But *I* have to live with him now. That's not going to work! And what does he think about it? He hates me as much as I hate him..."
"He may hate you, but he...he cares about me." Remus said, again dropping his eyes before returning to meet Sirius' gaze. "And he's willing to put up with you, to be with me." //I'm so close...// Remus was in a panic! Sirius was going to ruin everything...though he did have a point. But Remus didn't want to let this opportunity pass him by!
"You're kidding, right? He's going to accept me into his house, just so he can shack up with you?"
"Yes, Sirius." Remus' tone was brisk and clipped. "Hard as it may be for you to accept that I *mean* something to someone, you're going to have to try."
"I didn't mean it like that!" Sirius threw up his hands. "You're an amazing person, and there are plenty of people who would fall head over heels for you...but Snape?"
"Severus is a much different person then we thought." Was all Remus said. "Please, Sirius..."
"Please what?"
"Please do this...for me?" Remus grabbed Sirius' hands, eyes wide and lower lip trembling. "It means so much to me..."
"Oh shit Remmie..." Sirius scrubbed his hands over his face. "Why do you have to pull that card with me?"
"Because it's true!" Remus was practically bouncing on his feet.
"All right, all right, fine." Sirius groaned, obviously not happy about his decision. "But I'm not happy about it. Me and him are not to be alone together, ever. In fact, I want to spend as much time *away* from him as possible."
"That's fine!" Remus nodded. "Thank you, Sirius." He stood on tiptoe, and kissed his friend lightly on the cheek. "I'm going to go pack!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Short, but sweet! :-)