Well, here's chapter two, a day ahead of schedule! Many, many thanks to all the people who reviewed -- the ego boost really gave me the energy to bang this baby out, I hope it doesn't disappoint! It's almost twice as long as the first one...

And, as usual -- the disclaimers. If I owned Harry Potter or any of its characters thereof, I wouldn't be sitting here writing my interpretation of my own book. And yes, this is slash, so there's gay/bisexual guys in here doing gay/bisexual things. If you no like, turn back and don't flame me. Because I have lesbian wrath, yes I do.

Remus woke the next morning to the sound of a girl giggling as she left the room. He tossed back the curtains around his bed to see James asleep in his proper bed and Sirius looking smug, sitting on his.

"Don't you ever get a full night's sleep by yourself in that bed?"

"Do you really even need to ask that, Moony? You know I make it my business not to."

You know better than to feel used, you're his friend. Not just a boy-toy. Surely not like the skank that just slipped out. Quit that. "Well… I'm going to take a shower. See you in the great hall, I guess."

"Alright, mate." Sirius stretched and yawned, making a cute sound reminiscent of a dog's tired whine. "You go have fun."

Remus gave an involuntary shudder: Showering was not something he would call "fun." It served only an unpleasant reminder of his condition and disfigurement, which were two things that he did not need any reminding of, especially since the full moon was only a week away. He walked over to the Gryffindor bathroom and began to undress, daring a glance at himself in the mirror. His reflection gave him a rather sad look and said "My, it looks like you're not getting nearly enough sleep. And can't you do something about those hideous scars!" Remus gave his usual response to the cutting reflection of himself:

"Save your breath, I don't like having to look at them either. I wouldn't undress at all, but..." He started the water and waited a moment while it heated up. "One can't go about smelling like a dog, can he?"

"What was that about smelling like a dog, Moony? You're not insinuating that I stink, are you?" Remus jumped uncharacteristically at the sound of Sirius's voice.

"Decided to join me, have you?" Stay calm. It may not be every day that you are interrupted during a nude conversation with yourself, but you must stay calm.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Naw, Moons. I just wanted to use the loo. Of course I'm joining you! You're much better at scrubbing my hair than I am, and it does smell like a dog." With that Sirius tousled his overgrown black hair and began shedding his clothes. "Is the water hot yet, mate?"

"I suppose so." Remus blushed a little and stepped into the shower. Ugh, he probably thinks you look like a corpse.

Sirius followed Remus and immediately sidled up against him. "You are one sexy beast, you know that?"

He didn't mean "beast" in a bad way, quit thinking that. He's your friend. Even if he did mean it that way, he's still sticking by you. No, he's not sticking by you just for sex, either. "You shouldn't lie to me, Padfoot, it isn't kind."

"Lie? Me! This is an insult." Sirius had a playful sort of "let's play chase" grin on his face, much like a puppy who bows before you with your smelliest sock in his mouth. "How could I lie to my very favorite lover?" He buried his nose in Remus's wet hair and suddenly Remus pushed him away.

"I-is that what I am?"

"You end up in my bed at night the most, don't you?"

"Only because I'm across the room, not across the tower." Something in Remus had snapped; the voice of reason in his head had been cut off.

Sirius looked confused. "Moony… Don't say a thing like that."

"But…" Moony was suddenly glad that he was in the shower, because he realized he was crying. "H-how do I-I know that's n-not true?"

"Moony… what are you talking about?" Sirius, in his strong-minded manner, clamped a hand firmly on Remus's shoulder and looked him hard in the eye. "Explain to me."

Remus blushed and tried to avoid Sirius's gaze, but he forced himself to look at Sirius when he spoke. "S-sometimes… I don't even think that you like m-me as a person, which doesn't make much sense, seeing as I'm so h-hideous, and a half-breed, b-but… You only want to screw when no girl will take you and you only k-kiss me when you want attention… a-and I don't even… i-it just feels like you're playing games with me, Sirius!" He was sobbing now, and his long hair had gotten in his face. He looked down miserably and studied a large scar on his right foot scathingly. "It's so horrible… I hate feeling like I'm being taken advantage of, but… I hate myself so m-much, I can't say no… n-nobody's ever wanted to hold me or kiss me or touch me until now… e-even before they knew that I'm a werewolf…"

Sirius, who looked almost as troubled as Remus, pulled him into a close hug and gently stroked his drenched hair. "Moony, mate… you're one of my best friends of all time. I would never, ever dream of using you and making you feel so horrible…" He slipped a hand under Remus's chin and drew his face up parallel with his own. "There is absolutely nothing ugly about you, Moony." He looked at Remus in silence for a moment. "That's really the reason that you… you gnaw on yourself like that, when you're a werewolf. Isn't it? You can't stand yourself…" With that he held him even tighter, running his fingers along the elevated scars along Remus's back as the shuddering figure in his arms continued to sob.

After a good cleaning up (Remus washed Sirius's hair quite well; he had even added some scent to it) and many reassuring hugs, the two headed down to the Great Hall. Sirius's hand was tightly closed around his friend's as if he was scared of Remus being sucked down by a portal at any second.

When they got to the Hall and sat down next to James, he had his nose pressed up to something in his hands.

"Why're you sniffing that galleon, mate?"

James finally tore himself away and greeted them with a dreamy expression. "It smells like soy sauce."

"What! I didn't think you liked Chinese food." Remus had a slight grin as he said this, the first real smile he'd managed that morning.

"I won a bet with Evans." Sirius and Remus exchanged knowing looks, daring each other to tease him.

"Oh ho, Prongs. Does she smell like soy sauce? I caught you sniffing her hair in charms the other day."

"Don't be a prat, Sirius. She carries about a muggle change purse that she said used to be a box that they put Chinese delivery food in."

"They deliver food? By those weird auto-whatsit things?"

"You're the one taking muggle studies, Remus."

"Wormtail is taking it, too."

Sirius quickly quipped: "Correction: You're the one passing muggle studies." With this, Peter Pettigrew – who had been sitting next to James in silence -- made a small squeak of indignation.

"You were talking about Lily, remember?"

"Ah yes, the lovely Evans." James pushed his glasses up his nose a bit. "Anyway, she said that even though she scrubbed at the box, she never quite got the smell of soy sauce out of it."

"May we smell?" Sirius winked at Remus and whispered "I bet you a knut he won't let us see it."

"I don't take fool's bets." Sirius laughed at this and put his hand out for the galleon.

"Come on, Prongs. Be a chap and hand it over."

"And let your filthy hands ruin the scent? This is not a galleon I intend to spend or pass around."

"We're not filthy! Moony just washed my hair for me. It smells lovely, want to see?"

"Finally! I was about to command you to turn into a dog so I could toss you in a bin and hose you with my wand."

Sirius gave him a look of mock-indignation. "You hush up!" Remus laughed and buried his nose in Sirius's unruly, sweet-smelling hair.