Sorry 'bout the slowness. Heh. Slowness. As if it's been more than two days. But I had a test yesterday in my Cherokee class. I passed, incidentally! Woohoo! Still, extra-long chapter to make up for it. And, reviews! I've gotten 15 since last chapter! Whee!
BookwormRose: The plot comes to light in this chapter. And yes, I'm afraid the story shall end soon. But don't worry, I'm not going to stop writing! Oh, and you should be grateful. This fic was originally going to be only 5 chapters long. Instead you get 9 chapters!
The Naz: I think their plot's rather good, myself. And hopefully not too terribly clichéd.
Reyna: Yay butterflies. Even if you are still a chapter behind. But you know I wouldn't tease you about that if I didn't love you. Maybe you can shoot for 80? Or 90?
give em enough rope: Pfft. You think that's bad? My inner demons sound like James Bond, Remus, Willy Wonka, and Captain Jack Sparrow. It's complete madness in there. Sexy madness, but madness nonetheless. And actually the song's Whiter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum. Although it's a classic, and other people have done covers of it.
shady gurl: Cute is good!
UnSerious Sirius: Like I told give em, Sirius can't hold a candle to me. And you wouldn't believe what it's like when I've had a few drinks. Oi.
sexyteluguchica: Well, here's soon, and this chapter is longer, but… quite frankly I'm cranking out a chapter a day. Any longer and I'd lose interest, leaving you without anything to read. So I'm afraid they'll have to stay shortish.
The Unknown Marauder: I admire her. I hate writing dialogue. Haaaaaate. I'm always afraid I'll get repetitive and boring. Plus I'm not too clear on the grammar rules for writing dialogue. Which wouldn't bother most people, but does bother me.
S.c.ou.s.er.4.li.f.e: I couldn't agree more. Although I haven't eaten in McDonalds in… years upon years.
gatermage: But… Remus is already the sensible one. But don't worry, he'll see the light soon enough.
sesshomaruhasafluffytail: I like it, too. Although my mind twisted it more to incomprehensible moaning. But then, I like incomprehensible moaning.
mo-chan niimura: Yes, I'm afraid this is a short story while I'm collecting myself for future endeavors. I'm glad you like it, though! Maybe you'll enjoy my past and future stories?
uknowho: Yes, your Dark Lordness! Making Remus happy right away, sir!
Tanya J Potter: Hehe, aren't you looking forward to what they do with the knowledge?
Becky Silver Black: They're going to get together… erm… soon! Can I have more ice cream and chocolate now? -Big puppy eyes-
Aaaand now for all that fun stupid stuff that you already know but that I have to say anyway: Not mine, please review, and slash/shonen ai/yaoi/etc warning.
Something fishy was going on. Remus didn't know exactly what, but there was something off about this whole excursion. For one thing, James was the only one who knew where they were going. Sirius and Remus had been in the common room, ganging up on Peter at chess—and still losing—when James had bounced into the room, insisting that there was something they just had to see.
Peter had opted to stay with his chessboard, but the others were all too glad for an excuse to escape defeat. So glad that they hadn't asked where they were going, or why. Or, for that matter, why James didn't think it necessary to bring the invisibility cloak to come half way across the school. They'd finally worked out the bugs in the Marauders' Map, but that didn't solve the problem of where they were supposed to hide if someone was coming.
Remus froze, his preternatural hearing detecting footsteps other than theirs. He hissed at James to check the map. A quick glance at the parchment later, and James was hustling them into the nearest closet with the murmured explanation, "It's Lily."
Leaning against the closet wall, Remus closed his eyes and listened to the footsteps getting closer. The closet they were in seemed rather large—James's breathing was at least an arm's length away. Reaching out to touch his friend's shoulder, Remus's hand encountered… door. James was still outside! And Lily was turning the corner! This was going to ruin James's chances with her. She'd never believe Prongs wasn't pranking… she was saying something…
"Hi, James! Did you get them in there?" Lily didn't sound surprised, or upset. In fact, she sounded… cheerful.
James laughed. "Oh, ye of little faith. Of course they're in there. And I got their wands."
Remus automatically reached for his wand. It wasn't there. A muffled curse next to him proved that Sirius had just discovered the same thing. Both of them lunged for the doorknob, eliciting a chuckle from outside when even their combined efforts couldn't turn it. The mirth apparently made Sirius frantic, because he struggled with the door handle harder, snarling. "James Inigo Potter, let us out NOW!"
"Nope. The door is charmed shut, courtesy of Lily, so there's no way you'll break the spell. The only way to get out is to figure out why we locked you in there in the first place." James seemed to find their predicament amusing, and Remus definitely heard Lily giggling. "Don't worry, though. We made sure you'll have everything you need, and it's only Friday night, so you've got all weekend to solve the riddle."
Lily muttered something, and candles lit around the room. It was a bit on the large side for a closet, but too small to be any other kind of room. And too small for Remus's comfort if he was going to share it with Sirius. It was almost impossible to move without brushing against the other boy. Sirius kept yelling imprecations at the door while Remus took inventory and listened to James and Lily walking away.
Two squashy armchairs, a pile of pillows and blankets—there was just enough room on the floor for them to both stretch out. Remus felt himself blushing at the thought, but candlelight was forgiving. And romantic, but he hurriedly pushed that idea out of his mind. Rounding out the room was a small table laden with food and a second door, which revealed a tiny bathroom when opened. Obviously James and Lily intended them to be here awhile.
"You might as well give up, Padders. They're gone." Remus curled up in one of the chairs, trying not to think about how much he hated enclosed spaces. Sirius turned toward him and collapsed into the other chair with a groan. The flickering light cast a soft golden glow across the animagus's face, and turned his hair into a haze of shadows. Suddenly it wasn't claustrophobia that tightened Remus's chest, and he closed his eyes out of fear that they'd give away his emotions.
Taking a few deep breaths, he tried to calm himself and think rationally, which led to problems right away. Rationally, everything about this scenario pointed toward a romantic setting. Which meant that James and Lily knew how he felt, and were trying to get him to admit it. Which meant that they thought Sirius might feel the same way. But that couldn't be. Sirius was just… being Sirius. He'd always been the most physical Marauder. Remus doubted the pureblooded boy got many hugs at home, so it was only natural that he'd make up for it with friends.
An indrawn breath of realization from the other chair, a rustle of cloth, and the werewolf was enfolded in comforting arms and that distinctive vanilla-spice-musk scent that identified Sirius. "Bet Prongs forgot about you and tight spaces, didn't he? Just relax, Rem. Think of it as a puzzle you have to solve. You're good at puzzles. Heck, with both of us working on it, we'll be able to get out of here in no time. Imagine the look on James's face when we beat him back to the common room."
Against Remus's better judgment, he leaned into the embrace, burying his face in the proffered shoulder. He was trembling with desire, but Sirius must have assumed it was fear, because the hug tightened and his soothing voice continued. The werewolf sobbed with the pain of pent-up emotions, and finally quieted, still clinging to his friend. "I'm going to kill him when we get out of here."
Sirius's bark of sympathetic laughter calmed Remus more than anything else could have. Except possibly escaping. "Save some of him for me, Moony. But first, we have to get out of this closet."
Out of the… Remus stiffened and writhed out of Sirius's arms as an epiphany hit him. He knew what charm Lily had used, and how to break it. And that Sirius would never speak to him again after they were out.
Or would he? An obnoxious little mental voice provided a litany of all the times the handsome animagus had gone out of his way to touch Remus. To hug him, to brush against him, to sit in his lap playfully, to pretend-flirt. It had been especially pronounced in the past two days. Sirius and James had argued about something, and one of the many results was that Remus woke the next morning with a black dog washing his face enthusiastically. This morning had come with Sirius pouncing and tickling.
Remus let out his breath in a hiss and narrowed his eyes at the puzzled boy leaning toward him. "What exactly do you know about this, Sirius?"
The smile on the handsome face was entirely unconvincing. As was his response. "Know about what? Have you figured out how we're supposed to get out of here?"
"Yes. I have." Remus's evil smile revealed delicately pointed canines that were usually kept hidden behind habitual shyness. "First, you have to tell me what you and James talked about the other day that's put you in such high spirits."
Sirius was definitely nervous now, a fact which secretly filled Remus's heart with glee. "I… erm… we… dammit. James said… James said he thought… and Lily thought… thatyoumightfancyme."
"I… see." The bright red of Sirius's face was very gratifying, but it didn't yet make up for two days of sexual frustration wherein Sirius must have known how Remus felt… and had chosen to torment him instead of getting things out in the open. "So the three of you decided to lock us in here rather than, oh, I don't know, asking me?"
"This wasn't my idea, I swear! James and Lily came up with it…" The animagus was squirming now, and staring at his hands as they twisted together in his lap. Remus waited patiently for him to continue, half afraid that he was going to have a heart attack from the painful thudding in his chest. Sirius's next words were barely whispered, but Remus heard them more clearly than a shout. "And I was afraid you'd say no."
The distance between them was closed in a moment, and Remus had a hand cupped around his friend's chin, lifting tarnished silver eyes to meet his. Sirius was even beautiful when he was crying. Tears sparkled on his lashes, and somehow his nose didn't go all red and puffy from sniffling. Remus's breath caught at the beauty, and he smiled slowly. "But if you don't ask, how can I say yes?"
"You mean…" Hope brought silver sparkles out from behind the frightened tarnish. Remus almost laughed, and did smile wider. Werewolves were supposed to have an aversion to silver, not an attraction. The smile must have given Sirius confidence, because he looked steadily into Remus's eyes. "Remus… Moony… do you fancy me? Because I think I might be in love with you."
"I don't think I'm in love with you, Padfoot." Remus moved closer as Sirius tried to pull away in dismay. "I don't think I'm in love with you. I know I am."
Silver eyes widened in shock, and arms wrapped around Remus, pressing him against the other boy's lean hard body. Their lips met, surrounding the werewolf in a world of sensations. The kiss was… indescribable. Perfect. More than perfect. Remus lost himself in the soft lips, exploring tongues, silken hair and eager hands until his lungs burned from lack of oxygen. They both pulled away at the same time, panting and euphoric.
Lips wandered across Remus's cheek, finally resting beside his ear. A contented sound preceded a soft chuckle, both of them sending chills down his spine. "You know, James is probably expecting us to get back in a few minutes, despite all his preparations. Why don't we make him sweat a little, and stay here all night?"
"Mmm… it would serve you both right. He deserves a little worrying after locking you in a closet with a sexually frustrated werewolf." Remus's mouth found the pulse point on Sirius's neck and closed over it, licking and sucking. It would be a very nice hickey when he was done, and the moans were a bonus. "And you deserve to spend the night here because you're the reason I'm sexually frustrated."
Neither of them said much after that comment. Nothing coherent, at any rate.
Gee, wonder what they're doing… Mweheheh. And this chapter is now officially the longest in the fic. Once I get started writing fluff it's hard to stop. I considered going into more detail, but I don't feel like changing the rating of my story, and I'm not good at sex scenes without a co-writer. Anyway, go review now! Oh, and next chapter, James sweats.