"Smoke curls through my hands. These one night stands. Are making me crazy. I know. Morning I'll go. Crowds in the rain all passing by. Faith gone from your eyes Each word it flies. Taking you further away. And come that day. There ain't no easy way to cry. And as I watch you leave I stand. Inside my house of straw. And everywhere I go I find. Things recollecting to my mind. How right it could be."

Easy way to cry, David Gray.

"And what is this meant to mean?" a morning-husky voice asked.

Although it wasn't morning. It was the dead of night.

"Whatever you want it to mean. Take it or leave it."

There was a snort of derision. "Whore," Sirius hissed. "Get out of my bed and go sleep in your room."

He couldn't see very well, but it was easy enough to see the looming shadow that stood over him. Remus folded his arms around his body and stiffly left the chamber, fleeing into the silence of the living room.

"When I want you, Lupin, I'll tell you. If ever," Sirius spat, his dark head illuminated by the stream of moonlight through the window and onto the door.

"Really?" the werewolf asked back quickly. "Funny, I don't recollect you asking earlier when you pushed yourself onto me. Black."

"Don't act all noble, I know you Remus. I know what you're like." Sirius' smile was coy now, disturbing in its slyness as he crept out the room.

At sometime he had changed and now just dressed in his boxers and a plain t-shirt. The wizard had always been thin as a boy, broad-shouldered but snake hipped. As he walked, muscles rippled.

"You'll never be more than a beast. Reliant on desire and anger. Come on then Remus, if you're so desperate. Try me."

Remus clenched his teeth together, balling his fists. He knew that Sirius was goading him. He was always obnoxious like this during his mood swings. It took a lot to prevent himself from punching the other man.

"Come on Remus, do what you want with me. I'm yours for the night. Just yours."

His voice was velvety soft, driving Remus to distraction. The Wolf inside stirred anxiously; it was a sexual creature and this was too much of an opportunity to miss.

As if in slow motion, Remus watched through the darkness as his friend pulled the shirt away from his muscular torso. It was like some sick sort of striptease.

"Now who's the whore?" Sirius mused aloud, his voice thick with desire. His breaths came in shallow pants.

"You are, Padfoot. You always where," he replied lightly, trying to keep his tone light although a hint of envy crept in.

"Still jealous aren't we?" Sirius laughed, balancing his hands on his hips. "Jealous that I was the one that always got attention at school. Still bitter?"

"Fuck off," came the ever-eloquent reply. Remus dashed into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him. He could hear Sirius' breathing through the wood.

Hurriedly he changed and within a couple of minutes the door swung open. "Aw, you're such a killjoy, Moony. I thought we'd have a little fun together."

"Have a little fun on your own," Lupin cast a scornful glare down at the bulge in Sirius' boxers. "I'm going. You can drink yourself into oblivion now. Good riddance."

"But where are you going to go?"

The voice stopped him in his tracks as he made his way outside. Slowly he turned around, an expression of loathing on his night-darkened features. "Anywhere, away from you."

There was a crack in the cool night air and he was gone. Sirius shrugged and stumbled back to bed, pausing to clutch a bottle of beer from the fridge.

~

My profuse thanks to my reviewers, you know who you are, my darlings…