Thank you to all my reviewers! You people seriously rock! I know that I haven't updated in a while, but I was on holiday in Switzerland! I'm glad you liked last chapter's (however unintended) fluffiness, and I don't think that I'll delve too deep and gloomy and macabre in this fic. *pouts* I wanted to explore the darkest recesses of the human soul, but Remus and Sirius had other ideas… and despite that fact I am currently having far too much fun writing this!

            Upon reentering the main room, Sirius was met with the smell of dinner and fully realized just how saints-be-cursed hungry he was. Sniffing the air in a rather dog-like manner, he questioned, "Moony, what smells good?"

            The werewolf, turning once again from the hearth replied, "Dinner." And then, he handed Sirius a bowl containing some sort of stew that smelled as delicious as anything the House-Elves at Hogwarts had ever concocted. "Here. Eat up." He then stuck a spoon in the Animagus's hand before dishing up a bowl for himself.

            Sirius stared at the spoon for a moment as though it were an oddity he'd never previously encountered before he remembered that humans ate with utensils. Once that was figured out, however, he promptly dug in. He mumbled something that sounded thankful, for all that it was obscured by the food in his mouth. Managing to grin and chew at the same time, he made his way to the small table that stood in the center of the room and took a seat. Remus did likewise.    

            They ate in silence for a moment before Remus began, "Dumbledore is going to pay us a visit later."

            Sirius, mouth full of food, replied, "Mmmh?"

            "He's coming at eight o'clock. He wasn't exactly clear as to why…"

            Sirius was paying attention to none of this. He had an itch behind his right ear, and had been just about to raise his right foot to scratch it when he remembered that his human form was not physically capable of such a feat. This prompted a growl of frustration from Sirius, and a questioning look from Moony.

            Sirius, pointing to the offending itch, explained, "Mah ehw." (He was speaking with his mouth full, after all)

            Remus tried to nod in understanding, but the look in his eyes showed that he hadn't the foggiest idea about what Sirius was saying.

            Sirius swallowed. "My ear."

            Remus nodded again, and still looked hopelessly confused. Sirius was considering leaving him like that – he looked cute that way. Ah, well, an explanation would probably confuse him more. "I can't reach my ear with my foot, see…"

            Lupin looked as perplexed as ever.

            "… and it itches. Rather annoying, I think…"

            "Oh," nodded Remus, "Right…" It was clear that he was trying to make it seem as though he comprehended. It wasn't remotely successful.

            Sirius, though, his explanation given, decided not to elaborate further. Can I help it that he's adorable when he's totally and completely baffled? Even though he acknowledged that trying to start a relationship up again now was probably a bad idea with all the other things going on, Sirius also readily acknowledged that there wasn't anything wrong with at least enjoying the byproducts of such a situation… So, he would go on thinking that Remus was cute, and perhaps decide to provoke him into such a cute-looking state, but wouldn't try to start anything…

            Which currently was not a problem, as this game was far too much fun. "You know," commented Sirius, tilting back his chair on two legs as he finished the rest of his stew, "You're cute when you're confused."

            Remus stared blankly at him for a few moments, in shock. He certainly hadn't expected Sirius to say that… So he thinks I'm cute? Well, that's all very nice, but what do I tell him? If I say the same thing in return it wouldn't make much sense, because he's not confused – and honestly, he wasn't; Sirius was currently watching Remus think with a rather devious gleam in his eyes, and a rakish smile on his lips – and if I just say 'you're cute' out of the blue, it makes me sound like a love-struck teenager… Damn!

            This was all moving too quickly for him. Up until a year ago he'd thought that Sirius was a backstabbing murderer, a scoundrel on the level right up there with 'scum of the Earth'. And now… well…

What now? He hadn't felt this off-balanced since that time in seventh year when Lily had persuaded him to don some absurd Muggle contraptions called 'roller skates'… Of course, Sirius had gotten the hang of them almost instantly, much like it seemed he did now. He knew what was going on here, and he was deliberately leaving Remus n the dark. Well, two could play that game… only Remus couldn't think of anything very confusing to say.

            He had to say something though… "Er… purple monkey dishwasher!" That had the desired effect, and Sirius stared at him, head tilted to one side, much like a dog that has heard one of those soundless whistles and doesn't know what to make of it. Remus, gloating inwardly – so I've caught him in his own trap – considered that perhaps now was his chance to say something, and opened his mouth to say it, when-

             - the great mind of Sirius Black was once again furiously working away. Very well, if that's how he wants to do it… "Green pants tuna fish!"

            "Blue hat piano man!"

            "Red rover chewing gum!"

            They went on like this for several minutes, and both of them were so involved in it that they jumped in shock when a deep voice spoke from the fireplace. "Pink socks lemon drop!"

            Remus - who had been standing up, leaning over the table and banging a fist on it just to make his point ("Yellow lizards rocking chair!") - quite promptly turned a brilliant shade of red, while Sirius grinned even more widely as Albus Dumbledore looked at the both of them, a twinkle of amusement showing in his blue eyes.

Today's chapter ends there, and I would be ever so thankful if you could find it in your hearts to REVIEW! Thank you! As always, constructive criticism is welcome as long as it's free from coarse language…