DISCLAIMER: Don't own the concept, nor the characters, nor the song, don't sue me, all I own is the plot.

As you can see "Red" is up and "Black" will be coming soon. Thanks heaps to the reviewers, lovely to have such positive feedback, but we can always have more, so please review!! Um, I'm writing a full-length fic "Beautiful People", Chapter 1 is up now so please check that one out. Cheers all!!

And I'd give up forever to touch you

'Cause I know that you feel me somehow

You're the closest to heaven that I'll

ever be

And I don't want to go home right now

And all I can taste is this moment

And all I can breathe is your life

'Cause sooner or later it's over

I just don't want to miss you tonight

And I don't want the world to see me

'Cause I don't think that they'd

understand

When everything's made to be broken

I just want you to know who I am

- The Goo Goo Dolls "Iris"

The sky burns red. A burst of colour from the west, it covers the heavens, burning like scarlet fire over the sky, like blood flowing from the open wound. The wound won't heal, it can't heal, the flesh is ripped off when it tries to mend. And it burns from where the fire touched the bleeding flesh. I'm bleeding.

I'm dying.

Freezing air chills me to the bone. Just go inside, I tell myself, it's not as if it's hard, open the fucking door, then go up the fucking stairs, and walk into the fucking room. Simple. I curse my ambivalence as I wait. Waiting for what? The apocalypse? To die? So you don't have to make a choice. Stop being stubborn and open the door. A bunch of people walk past me, laughing and talking as they open the hotel door. They can do it, why can't you, you gutless bastard. It's what, 10 steps away, what's so bloody hard? I wish he was at his house, I could say it's too far away for me and go home. But Lily's mother and friends are staying at the house and in wedding tradition, the groom isn't meant to see the bride until the wedding day, so James has been exiled to the hotel. Just go up. On the count of 3.

1... 2... 3.

I almost throw myself forward so I'm walking very quickly, open the door, yes well done, walk through the foyer, up the stairs, we're doing very well, room 36, room 36, where the fuck is room 36? I stop in the hallway. 25, 23, 21.... I read the numbers on the doors. Right so we turn to the other side and walk the other way. 26, 28...maybe there is no room 36, and I get to go home...30, 32... and sleep on my couch and eat Chinese takeaway... 34...oh please God... 36. There it is. I stop in font of the door. Oh, shit. I shouldn't have come. Be brave Sirius, be brave. Fuck bravery, I can't take this shit. You were in Gryfinndor, you must be brave. Better off in Slytherin, at least they knew when to run...

Oh no, oh shit, oh fuck. The door opens and James stares at me. Fucking great, fucking fantastic, he'll think I've been standing out here for ages (which I have) and he'll think I'm crazy (which I am right about now) and that I've been having a mental argument with myself (which I have). What the hell is wrong with me?

"Hi", he says, a little uncomfortably. He shifts his weight from one foot to another and then look back at me. "You came".

"Yeah". Of course I fucking came, you idiot, there's no need to state the blindly obvious.

Lost for anything else to say, he gestures at the room. "Come in".

I don't answer. I walk into the room, (which for the record was pretty neat, which is surprising because James isn't neat at all) and stand, quite uncomfortably beside the bed. Idiot, I feel like screaming at myself, what the hell possessed you to stand next to the bed, as if you're expecting something. You're not here to fuck him, you're here to...

What am I here for?

The most horrible feeling washes over me. Realisation, I suppose. He's made it clear that he's going through with the wedding. So why does he want me here?

He wants to fuck me.

That's all. No great explanation of why everything is the way it is, no running away together. Sex. That's all it is.

He grabs a beer from the fridge and hands it to me. I feel the sickness starting in my stomach, but I push it back. I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't have come. I should have gone home, gone to the wedding tomorrow and never seen him ever again.

"You're still angry at me". James' voice snaps me out of my reverie. He looks so pathetic, beer hanging limply from one hand, staring at me with sad eyes.

"No, I, I just...". How the hell am I supposed to console him? None of this shit was in the best friend job description. I just want to go home. I just fucking want to go home.

"Please don't be angry at me". Why does he have to sound so pitiful? Like he'll die if I'm angry with him. That's it, I'm leaving.

"I shouldn't have come", I say, attempting to grapple with leaving. It's almost as bad as going in, no, its worse. I have to look at this bloody puppy begging me not to go.

"No, please don't". He takes a few steps forward, as if he's trying to subdue me, but soon realises he's too close and takes a step back. We can't touch each other. If we do, some massive chemical reaction will happen, blow our limbs all over the room and we'll both bleed to death.

I already am.

I put the beer down on the table. I must be serious about this. He looks at it for a second, and then back at me. If I don't go now I never will. I start to walk towards the door, concentrating on walking and nothing else.

There's something in my way.

It's him. He's got his hands on m arms, stopping me, harnessing me. His touch is soft and light, but it sends pangs of pain into me. Let me go James, you selfish fucker, just let me go. I feel my resolve starting to crack, but this is nothing compared to James. He's standing there, holding his gaze, with tears brimming in his eyes and a single tear falls over his cheek.

You think that's payment, for everything you've done? All the pain you caused me?

I break the gaze and stare at the wall past him. "Let me go James".

"No", he whispers hoarsely.

"Please James, I want to go". Jesus, is this what it's come to? For me to leave I have to fucking beg?

And then he kisses me, subdues me. He knows I can't leave now, after this. As his lips touch mine, I feel my heart break. Why does this have to be so difficult? Why do I love him? Because he was the only one who was ever there for you. And he won't be anymore. Not after tomorrow.

He pulls me to the bed, but I know this isn't for sex. He never wanted me here for sex. He just didn't want to be alone. And I suppose I'm the perfect person to fill the void.

We just lie there, his head on my chest, his tears dampening my robes. And I don't cry, why do I need to? I've shed more tears over him than I thought I'd ever need to. I'm fresh out. I just ignore the past and the foreboding future as I lie there. That doesn't matter, not for the moment. Because he's here with me. The wound's still torn and bleeding and the fire still scorches the skin, but the pain isn't there. It's just some distant memory. The cold, numbness takes over and we forget the past, forget the future and the present is ours. Because maybe if we lie here long enough, tomorrow will never come.