Author's Notes: The first sex scene I've ever written is in this chapter – I'm a little nervous about posting it. It's male on male, so please don't read if you don't like that sort of stuff! I hope it's not too awful! I don't think it's too graphic (blushing) but please let me know what you think! It was very hard to write (no pun intended!).

Chapter 4 Renewing Relations

"Cass?" Lupin brushed off the soot he had gotten on his robes from flooing to Windy Corner. Windy Corner was his home, his and Cassius'. It was actually in a glen in the woods, which wasn't windy or a corner, but Cassius liked the misleading name. Lupin teased that he was getting too much like Moody.

"Cass?" Lupin walked into the sitting room. In spite of the circumstances, it was so nice to be home, so cozy and warm compared to Grimmauld Place. Cassius was sitting in his favorite chair in front of the fire in the sitting room.

"Don't you need to be with Sirius? Making sure he's not too upset?" Cassius's voice was cool. Lupin knew only too well that meant he was controlling his emotions.

"No, I told him off and walked out." He said as he walked over to the chair.

"You told him what?" Cassius gazed into the fire.

"About your father raping your mother…he didn't know."

"Lucky him." The voice remained smooth, silky and cold.

Lupin knelt down in front of Cassius. "I'm sorry." He placed his hand on Cassius' arm.

"You weren't the one who said anything."

"No, but I should have told Sirius about us sooner, I didn't think he'd be so unreasonable when he found out it was you. I should have made sure he understood that it wasn't just because he had been in Azkaban. It just never seemed the right time. Sirius needed me… He's not the same man he was. It's been hard for him, he lost 12 years in Azkaban, and he's still on the run. Now he's cooped up in that awful house, he hates that house, it's like being back in prison for him. He needs me.."

Cassius turned to look down at him. "I need you too." Cassius' eyes had a feverish look to them but the voice remained calm.

"I know. I need you too. It's not an excuse, but when I found out that Sirius was innocent, I remembered how close we had been and how many times he was there for me at Hogwarts. I owe it to him to be there for him."

"How close were you?"

"We were friends." Cassius' eyebrow arched upwards. "Well, we were more than that for a while, you know that, but Sirius, well, he didn't want to settle down. We were only 21 when he was sentenced to Azkaban." Remus turned to look at the fire – he was uncomfortable talking to Cassius about his past romantic relationship with Sirius. Cassius never seemed to believe it had been as insignificant as it was.

"I was 21 when we mated."

"Well…." Before he could think of a response, Cassius interrupted.

"Do you regret that?" The voice remained cool.

"No. No, never." Lupin surged upwards into Cassius' lap and captured Cassius' face in his hands. "I love you. I chose you." He pressed his lips to Cassius'. He probed with his tongue until Cassius opened his mouth. There was a muffled groan from Cassius as his arms surrounded Lupin and he deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue into Lupin's mouth. Cassius leaned forward and toppled them to the rug in front of the fire.

"Oof." Lupin felt the breath get knocked out of him as Cassius' full weight landed on him. Cassius was about 5 inches taller than he was, with more muscle.

"Sorry" Cassius said unapologetically as he broke the kiss and trailed wet kisses down Lupin's jaw to his neck as he slid his hands under Lupin's shirt.

"I missed you." Lupin groaned. How had he gone for so long without this feeling? How long had it been? He couldn't concentrate enough to be sure. Too long.

"I missed you." Kneeling back, Cassius pulled off his shirt. "Take your shirt off, Remus."

Lupin obeyed the command without thinking. He reached out to stroke the bite mark on Cassius's left shoulder that was now revealed, it was the bite that marked him as Lupin's mate. Cassius shivered and leaned down to kiss the matching bite mark on Lupin's left shoulder. Lupin gasped with pleasure, as Cassius' tongue traced the edge of the bite, Lupin shuddered. Mine.' Lupin could hear the word echoing in his blood. His amber eyes glowed gold. He flipped them over so he was on top. "Mine." He growled. His blood pounded in his ears. He needed to reclaim his mate. He knew he needed to show Cassius how much Cassius meant to him. He brought his mouth down in a crushing kiss.

----- flashback -----

Moody had invited Lupin to a small dinner party because he suspected Lupin could use a warm meal. Lupin struggled to find work and was too proud to accept handouts from members of the now-disbanded Order. James and Lily had been dead for two years, Sirius was in Azkaban, Peter was dead. Lupin went out of a sense of obligation, not expecting the night to be anything special. Cassius had been the only person he hadn't known. Dumbledore had been there and Minerva McGonagall, too. Cassius had just completed the first year of auror training. He was Moody's favorite in the class. Moody had told a story and Cassius had joined in the telling, laughing. They had made eye contact and Lupin remembered feeling a jolt as the green eyes met his.

They had begun a slow courtship. Lupin was skittish about caring for someone again, the pain of losing his friends had made him weary of opening up his heart. Cassius was wary of other people too, considering what he learned about Cassius' family background, Lupin didn't blame him. But Cassius had seemed to feel a connection to Lupin from their first meeting. Cassius didn't push, but slowly and painstakingly gained Lupin's trust and love. After almost two years of seeing each other, Cassius wanted to marry – to mate, but Lupin held back, he didn't want to tie anyone to him, a werewolf. Cassius kept trying to convince him that they should live together, that they were meant to be together. Lupin remembered talking to Moody after a big fight with Cassius about it.

"You might not want to admit it, but you're as good as mated already, my boy." Moody had said. "If you think you'll be able to live without him, you're as mad as they say I am." A smile had twisted his scarred face.

After thinking about it, and realizing that Moody was right, Lupin had gone to Windy Corner later that day. It was the winter solstice, the day before Cassius' birthday.

Cassius had been sitting at the kitchen table eating when Lupin arrived by floo. A tabby cat had yowled in surprise as Lupin stepped out of the fireplace.

Lupin had barely gotten "I'm sorry" out of his mouth when Cassius had thrown his arms around him and started kissing him. "I love you." Cassius had murmured between kisses. Lupin realized how much he had missed him, they'd been apart a month due to the fight, Cassius' job and the full moon. It was the longest they had been apart. He could feel his blood pounding in his ears. All the times he and Sirius had fooled around, he had never felt like this. The urge to…he couldn't even put it into words…he just knew what he had to do.

"Bed." He growled as he took Cassius' hand and started up the stairs. Cassius followed right behind him, kissing his neck, reaching under his shirt to make contact with his skin. "I missed you." Cassius whispered, his breath hot against Lupin's ear. Lupin couldn't respond. His blood was pounding in his ears. 'Mine, mine.' He pushed Cassius onto the bed, pulling off his own clothes. Cassius finished pulling off his clothes moments before Lupin laid down on the bed. He kissed Cassius deeply, sweeping his tongue inside. 'Mine, mine, mine.' He could hear the wolf's voice in his head, urging him to claim his mate. He turned Cassius on his stomach, he heard muttering but couldn't understand it, his blood was rushing through his veins, he slid into Cassius.

'Mine, mine.' He could hear the chant in his head. He turned his head and searched along Cassius' neck and shoulder for the place, the place, he found it and bit down hard. He heard Cassius cry out in pain, it seemed to come from far away. 'Mine, mine, mine.' He could taste Cassius' blood filling his mouth. He shuddered and collapsed, bearing Cassius down to the bed. After a moment, he rolled off Cassius, and looked in horror at the bite mark on Cassius' shoulder. He had tried for so many years to contain the wolf in him and now… Blood flowed freely from bite. Cassius turned his head and looked at Lupin, who almost cringed, anticipating hatred or pain in the eyes he had grown to love. Instead, they were glowing and Cassius smiled, he looked predatory.

"My turn."

"What?" Lupin responded breathlessly.

"I want us to be double mated."

"What are you talking about?" Lupin was confused.

"When a male werewolf mates with another male, they can be double mated…because…um…you know…I can do the same thing you just did. And I want to." Cassius' face was red. Lupin was always amazed how Cassius could blush around the people he loved, his face remained so impassive when he was working as an auror.

"I didn't know that."

"How could you not know that?" Cassius looked at Lupin incredulously.

"After…I didn't plan on mating, I figured I didn't need to know about it." Lupin was embarrassed now.

"Well, good thing I did my research."

"Moody would be proud."

"Mention him again and the mood will be broken." Cassius glared. He reached over and pulled Lupin into his arms.

----- end flashback -----

Now, almost 10 years had gone by since that night. Lupin looked down at Cassius. His face was flushed, his eyes glowed. Lupin kissed him again and again and then turned him over. His blood pounded in his ears again. This time he had the presence of mind to do the charm that would ease his entry. He slid into Cassius, his mouth found the bite mark scar and bit down. He tasted Cassius' blood again. 'Mine.'

After he found his release, he licked over the bite mark, lapping up the warm sweet blood that still oozed from it. Cassius shuddered slightly with every move of Remus's tongue. He cradled Cassius in his arms, kissing whatever skin was nearest to him, stroking wherever he could reach. "I'd never leave you. I chose you. I love you." He murmured against Cassius' cheek. There was silence, Remus picked up his head so he could look at Cassius. Tears were streaming down Cassius' face. "I told you all this over a year ago and you still didn't believe me, did you?"

"I did…I just…Tonight…"

"Listen well, Cassius Julian Aurelius Malfoy Lupin, look at me." Bright green eyes met warm amber eyes. "I love you more than anything in the whole world. I have never lied about that, ever. You are my mate, my life, my love." Cassius threw his arms around Remus, holding him tight.