Title: On the Way to Nowhere
Archive: Here, but if you want it, just review and tell me you're taking it.
Rating: Mostly "R" I think that's how it'll stay.
**James**
The wind was in his face; oppressively. He leaned against the wooden rail and stared out at the Quidditch field. This is where they all watched from. Everyone, those that hated him and those that loved him, all of them—from this perspective. But he was losing his perspective. It was a gradual loss, he realized, but more and more, it was becoming evident. More and more it was becoming hurtful. His soul ached for the old days—for the good days when he was too young and Sirius was too young and Remus was so quiet and so— So… There. Always right there when he was needed, with soft hands and a gentle voice.
But even that… It was becoming so much more difficult than James wanted it to be. He wanted to feel that lighthearted beauty he felt around Remus—all the time. It was like an opiate. He was addicted to those arms, that soft devotion. And he wanted to give it all back to Remus. To pull the boy so close and wash away all those lonely memories, wash away that heatache and the pain. But…
Damn SIRIUS! Damn him as a rake and rounder, as a foul-tempered fool! Damn him for sticking his nose where it ought not be stuck. Damn him for shoving his dark eyes and his stupid smirk into something HE couldn't even understand. Sirius was a lover—he loved to have sex; but he knew nothing of love. So damn him if he thought he even had a chance with Remus.
Still, James turned away from the field and sank down to sit on the cold wooden floor. It wasn't enough to know that he and Remus were together. He wanted more; he needed more. He didn't want to hide in the shadows anymore, he didn't want to hide his affection from Sirius or Peter. He just didn't know what Remus thought…
Chapter Da Fourth
James nuzzled the pink ear again and smiled when Remus made that growl noise deep in his throat and looked at him from the corner of his eye. He loved the feel of the other boy against his chest. He loved the scent of his hair and the way it tickled against James' nose and chin.
Remus looked over his shoulder, on hand on James' knee and the other holding the book they were attempting to read. "Really, Prongs, if you don't want to read we don't have to." They were reclined on James' bed, with Remus lying between James' legs.
"I love the sound of your voice," James whispered into Remus' ear. He licked the outer edge of that pink ear and wrapped his arms around the slim chest against his. "You could be a professor, you know. And everyone would fall in love with you…"
Remus smiled and closed the book, tossing it to one side of the bed. He reached his now free arm up to wrap around James' neck. "Really? But what would they think when I disappeared once a month?"
"The same thing they think now." James kissed Remus' jaw, nuzzling the soft cheek and listening to the soft vibrations as Remus growled. It was so beautiful, so personal—so very his.
"Which is?" Remus prompted. He tilted his head to one side to encourage the worship of his skin.
"You have a mistress off somewhere and you have to go…" James trailed off absently as he continued to kiss down Remus' jaw and onto his neck, nuzzling the flesh and every so often flicking out a tongue to taste it.
"I've never heard that one," Remus sighed. He stretched. For a moment there was nothing but their breathing and the sound of gentle kisses pressed against soft skin. Remus growled so lowly it was nearly a purr, and James whimpered deep in his throat as his hands ran up and down Remus' chest. They arched into one another, their skin was hot and Remus turned to take James' mouth.
But then there was the thunderous sound of footfalls on the stairs and the door burst open. "I… He…" Peter shouted, and then he fell to the ground and sobbed. His face was red and wet with tears. His chest was heaving, and he was scratching at his face, opening deep scratches across his round little face. Open scratches already ran down his arms and across his neck.
Remus and James jumped off the bed and ran over to his side. "What is it?" James asked. He was nearly hysterical himself.
Remus took Peter's hands and pinned them together. Peter thrashed in his hold, moaning and tossing his chubby head back and forth. "Let me go, let me go. Can't you see them! Everywhere! Can't you see them!" He shouted. And then he started to sob again. His skin was red and irritated, he was trying to rub against anything and scratch at something they could not see.
"It was Lucius wasn't it?" Remus asked.
Peter nodded pitifully. He rubbed his forehead against Remus' robe and cried. Another set of feet ran up the stone steps and burst into the room. Only this time it was Sirius, seething and brandishing his wand as if it were a sword. He gritted his teeth and yelled from deep in his throat.
"Prongs, get your wand," Remus said quietly. He held Peter's hands in one of his hands and wrapped a comforting arm around Peter.
"Everywhere," Peter hiccuped.
Sirius was pacing the length of the room, muttering darkly to himself. James passed him as he returned to Remus' side with his wand. Sirius watched the two of them with narrowed eyes as James uttered the countercurse to whatever Lucius had cast on Peter. The short boy instantly calmed and he went limp in Remus' arms.
"We have to get them back," Sirius said. "We have to get them back in the worst way."
Remus patted Peter on the back comfortingly. "We will."
James leaned back against the bed behind him and sighed heavily. "How?"
Sirius smiled broadly. He fell to his knees next to the three of them. He held his wand in one fist and shook from rage and the proposed excitement of revenge. "I have just the thing." With that he nodded his head firmly and stood up again, pacing back and forth quickly. "I need someone to act as bait, and then we can corner the three of them. Think—what is something Lucius could never pass up?"
"A chance to humiliate someone," Peter sniffled. He looked at his arms, inspecting them for the ticks that had been covering his skin before.
"Precisely, Wormtail. So…we need…something. What is something that Lucius would just jump on?" Sirius began to pace again.
Remus looked at James for a moment and then raised his head, "James."
"James what, Moony? Why would Lucius care about James?" Sirius frowned in frustration and fisted his free hand in the end of his robe, still pacing.
"What if James had a boyfriend?" Remus stood. "Think of it. All of the school girls want him, and James was taken by another boy. It would give Lucius all the blackmail he would need for the rest of the year."
Sirius stopped and looked directly at Remus. "And who would be so generous as to act as James' boyfriend."
"I would, of course," Remus said, "He is mine, after all."
Sirius gnashed his teeth together sharply and then nodded sharply, and started to pace again.
"You two?" Peter squeaked. James nodded in response, and Peter took the boy's hand, shaking it furiously. "Oh, congratulations. You two would be so good together—are so good together."
"Thank you, Peter," James said weakly. He didn't trust his feet to hold him. He'd seen the look in Sirius' face when Remus stood up and spoke those words. Suddenly, telling others didn't seem like a good idea. But he couldn't back down now, he couldn't hide what he was from someone just because he was afraid of the anger of his best friend. So he stood up and took Remus' hand in his own, relying on that strength. "So, what's the plan?"
Sirius smiled again, still shaking with anger. "Oh, we're going to get them…" He rubbed his hands together, rolling his wand between his long fingers. "James, do you remember the Polyjuice potion?"
James nodded.
"Allright. All we need is a couple of hairs. One from McGonagall, and one from Pomfrey. Then we trick Severus and Lucius to follow Remus and James, then we freeze them and force them to drink the potions."
"Peter, can you get the hairs?" Remus asked. "It's the full moon, and I have to go tonight."
Peter nodded quickly, suddenly brave now that his friends were there to stand behind him. But none of them were looking at him. James was watching Remus glare at Sirius.
~~~~~~~~~
theexquisitecorpse: I'm sorry you don't like Lily; maybe she'll grow on you like fungus… Or not. The story will definitely be long.
Sh: I'm going to cleverly avoid answering yes or no to whether Sirius dated boys. You have to figure that out by yourself
magical me: You'll just have to keep reading to find out… …
Resident Goddess: I love JxR and RxS tooooooo!
Dewi: Thank you; I will
Review, review, review!!!!! Please please!!!
