AUGH!!! I'm SOOOOO Sorry for making you all wait for so DAMNED long! I couldn't get the ideas to flow out of my mind, and I got distracted rather quickly as I had started to read Harry-Draco slash again... and, who can write Remus-Sirius slash when they have two entierly differnt people in their mind?! It's absurd.
Anyhow, this is the longest chapter to date - somewheres up of 12,000 words... so, I made it supra long to make up for those 10 or so days of nothing... PLEASE ENJOY! (Look for LONG author's notes at the bottom...!)
THIS PART MUST BE READ: Oh! And whatever is italic between Remus and his father is to be preceived as being French when they speak to eachother. And anything in single quotations, 'like this', is to be taken as mind speech between Remus and Sirius. ON WITH THE STORY!
PS: For effect near the end, listen to soft or quiet-comforting music... I reccomend downloading the song "Finding Nemo", you know, the song at the beginning of the movie? It's the one I was listening to when I wrote the end half of the fic.
Sirius and Remus had made their way out of the school and towards the tree they had always met at in 5th year. The very tree that stood tall and proud in the background as James and Sirius tortured a poor 5th year Slytherin named Severus Snape, the tree that watched silently as Severus' robe fell over his body to reveal his skivvies infront of a crowd of people. Sirius bent down and pat the ground, checking for moisture – and when he found none he threw his bag down, falling to the ground himself to sit under the sun. Remus followed suit, sitting down next to his boyfriend and leaning against the rough bark of the tree.
"We lost our house 100 points, Sirius."
Sirius sighed and bought his knees up, resting his elbows on his knees as he ran his hands through his hair – stopping at the back of his head to hold his skull as he looked down into his lap. "I know."
"We're going to be in so much trouble." Remus crossed his arms and legs, rolling his neck to look over at Sirius.
Sirius groaned. "I know..." He let his hands travel down the rest of his hair, letting his hands come to a rest on his shoulders – black hair twined between his fingers. "We screwed up royally this time."
"Mhm." Remus' eyes moved from Sirius to the grounds of the castle. He watched as a pair of birds flew through the sky, gliding up and down, the blue bird danced with it's partner in circles while diving towards the green earth. "Do you think they'll call our parents?"
"My parents wouldn't take the time out of their day to come see the Headmaster because their son was being disobedient." Sirius crossed his arms over his knees, holding onto his right wrist with his left hand as he looked over to Remus.
Remus sighed. "I suppose you're safe then."
"Your parents will come?"
Remus was silent for a moment as he ran a hand through his hair and watched the birds fly out of view. "Yes." Remus uncrossed his arms and lent forward, resting his head in his hands – and in doing this it appeared that his body was nearly folded in half. He took in the scent of the earth as he felt Sirius' hand begin to run up and down his back, coming to a rest on his back. "Though it's not a question of if they'll come – because I know they will... it's a question of which one will come."
"Does it matter either way?"
"It does." Remus sat up and lent into Sirius' body, feeling Sirius' arm drape around his shoulders. "If my Mama comes – it won't be loud, and she'll scold me in private. If my Papa comes..." Remus sighed slightly, and spoke with a slight laugh. "it will be the complete opposite. He'll probably insult me in French, and possibly attempt to smack me upside the head as hard as he can – as often as he can." Remus shook his head, sighing again.
"Your dad abuses you?"
"He did. But it doesn't really matter, not anymore."
"What do you mean, 'not anymore'...? Of course it matters." Sirius lift his hand slightly and ran it through Remus' hair.
"Well, not anymore comes in the context that now he doesn't hit me every other minute. My Mama won't let him anymore – she says they should both stop now because I've grown up and I don't need that type of punishment as often." Remus sat up and shook off Sirius' hand as he stood. "It isn't a big deal. It never was."
"It is a big deal Remus – abuse isn't-"
Remus turned and looked down at Sirius, his voice was hard – as was his eyes when he interrupted his boyfriend. "It doesn't matter, Sirius... that was the past. In my family – when you hit your kids it was accepted as a usual part of punishment. It was used to re-enforce whatever it was they were trying to teach you. You know, play with fire, and get burnt? Would you do it again? Not likely because you remember being hurt... it's sort of like that."
Sirius nodded slightly before looking back down at the ground and crossing his arms against his chest. "Oh."
Remus shook his head and knelt down infront of Sirius, placing his hands on Sirius' knees. "You shouldn't worry about it, alright?
Sirius looked up into Remus' eyes. "Yeah, alright. But-"
"But what?"
"Won't they go off the hook if they know you're gay?"
Remus rocked on his heels slightly; letting his hands slide slowly down Sirius leg, then back up again to his knees. Remus smiled slightly and lent forward as he let his hands travel slowly down Sirius' thighs towards his arms. Closing his eyes, Remus lent forward and met Sirius' lips in a gentle kiss. "No."
"Why not?"
"Because they already know, that's why."
"How?"
"Dumbledore called them into his office and told them once he had learnt that I had found a mate. After he told my parents – he called me into his office to see them. My Mama had tears in her eyes when I came into the room; my Papa was silent as he stood with his arms crossed." Remus stopped and scratched his nose before continuing; moving both his hands from Sirius' arms to his knees after the itch had stopped. "My Mama came towards me and kissed my cheeks... I believe she was smiling, but I couldn't tell."
"And your dad?"
"My Papa... well... he didn't really care." Remus cracked his neck and sighed. "My Mama forced him to kiss my cheeks in greeting, and he did just that. No smile... just as I would have expected." Remus looked towards Sirius and raised his eyebrows. "And that's that."
Sirius nodded his head. "So they didn't accept it?"
Remus' sigh was slightly high as he spoke. "Mmm... No."
"Then why did you want to tell your Mum about us?"
"Because she deserves to know who I've chosen for my mate. She's been asking me to tell her ever since she found out, and I havn't yet... because I wasn't sure of us yet. But-"
"Mr. Black? Mr. Lupin?"
Remus turned to find the Headmaster standing behind him. He rose onto his feet immediately, followed by Sirius.
"Yes, Sir?" Remus bowed slightly in his direction, and was greeted with a smile.
"I've been informed of your actions in Professor McGonagall's classroom," Both boys felt their hearts drop as Dumbledore continued. "and I am very intrigued as to the reason behind why you both acted out in the way you did."
Remus took a deep breath and looked the Headmaster straight in the eye when he spoke. "We were inebriated, Sir."
Dumbledore tilted his head towards the boys. "Firewhiskey?"
"No. Gillyweed." Remus let his head fall to look at his feet, a sign of submission. From the corner of his eye, he saw that Sirius did not do the same.
"Ahh, and whose was it?"
Remus beat Sirius to the answer. "M-Mine, Headmaster. I-It was mine."
"Yours?" Dumbledore raised his eyebrows as he took in the answer. Remus nodded. "And how did you get this gillyweed, Mr. Lupin?"
"I went against school rules and picked it from the forbidden forest. I'm sorry."
Sirius was looking at Remus with wide eyes, and his mouth hung open slightly. "What?"
Remus smiled slightly pleading for Sirius to remain quiet and let him handle the situation. "I forgot to tell you." Remus felt a shiver run through his entire body as he looked back down at the ground.
"I see, I see... I would appreciate it if you would come with me back to my quarters." Dumbledore smiled slightly. "Ah – don't worry about your bags... I'll have them delivered to your dorms." The two boys set down their bags and obediently followed Dumbledore towards the castle. "Lovely day, don't you think boys?" Dumbledore turned his head in mid stride and looked at them from over his shoulder, smiling as he watched Sirius and Remus exchange looks. "Absolutely lovely..."
Dumbledore and the two young wizards had slowly made their way to the Headmaster's office. Sirius and Remus smirked slightly when they found that the password was 'Chocolate Frogs', Dumbledore merely smiled and held his arm to the side, allowing the two boys to walk up to his office before him. Sirius was first, followed by Remus and Dumbledore. Sirius stopped. His breath caught in his throat, his heart clenched, and his mouth suddenly felt very dry as he reached the top of the stairs, causing Remus to walk into his back.
Rubbing his nose, Remus cursed under his breath. "Don't just stop there, keep bloody moving..."
Sirius slowly began to walk forward, his head down as he approached the woman standing beside Dumbledore's desk. Her long black hair was taken up into an elaborate up do, held in place by a large, deep violet hat which matched her cloak. Remus decided that this woman had to be Sirius' mother, and he watched as she turned to face the two boys. Remus was about to speak again when he lost his voice. His father was standing infront of the window, arms crossed, his blue eyes seeming to be colder than Remus had ever seen before. Remus' hand fell from his nose as he walked towards his father, bowing slightly infront of him when he stopped.
"Please, Mr. Lupin, Mr. Black, take a seat." Dumbledore motioned for Remus and Sirius to sit. Sirius nodded slightly and muttered his thanks, sitting tall in the chair – as did Remus. Dumbledore smiled slightly and looked towards Isis Black and Armand Lupin. "Would you like some tea? Coffee perhaps?"
"No, thank-you Headmaster." Isis smiled tightly and looked towards the half-breed sitting in the chair beside her son, a sneer creeping onto her lips.
"No, thank-you." Armand spoke in a heavy French accent, and he smiled at the Headmaster before turning and narrowing his eyes at Remus. "Sit up straight infront of your elders, child."
"Yes, Papa." Remus sat straighter than he currently was, and clasped his hands together, bowing his head as a sign of respect for both the parents present and the Headmaster.
Armand stood back and crossed his arms once more, looking towards Isis as she addressed the Headmaster.
"I have come to the understanding that we have been called here on account of my son and... that boy's unruly behavior." Isis threw a quick down-her-nose glance at Remus when she mentioned him before turning back to the Headmaster, elegantly clasping her hands at her waist.
"Yes. You are correct." Dumbledore took his own seat behind the desk and folded his hands infront of him, resting them on the desk. "It appears that they were acting as if they were inebriated and-"
"My son was what?" Armand spoke up, leaning forward.
"Inebriated... drunk." Isis looked towards Armand, a disdainful edge to her voice.
"Yes! As was your son!" Armand's answer was low and in the form of a near growl.
"I am aware of that fact, thank-you Mr. Lupin." Isis turned her attention back to the Headmaster and addressed her son. "Sirius, sit straight and fix your hair." Sirius immediately rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. "Do not roll your eyes at me, Sirius – it is very unbecoming of a Black to do partake in a half-breed gesture."
"Excuse me?!" Armand stepped forward and moved towards Isis. Remus immediately jumped up and placed a hand to his father's chest.
"Please, Papa, don't do anything to her..." Remus let his eyes fall to the floor as he spoke; his voice was quiet. "Do not let yourself be riled by her...Please."
Letting out an angered breath, Armand stepped back, nodding once as he re-crossed his arms. Remus also took his seat – sitting straight and bowing his head once more. Isis merely looked sideways at the French man, curling her lip slightly as her eyes fell upon his thick honey-blonde mustache. She then lift her chin and looked back at the Headmaster.
"As I was saying," Dumbledore took his seat again, after rising at Armand's advance on Isis. "your son's have acted very out of character, and as such – they have both affronted and humiliated their esteemed head of house – Minerva McGonagall."
"May I ask why they were permitted to become inebriated while under your care?" Isis lowered her head slightly and looked at the old man from under the brim of her hat as she narrowed her eyes at the headmaster. "Surely you havn't completely lost control of your students, Headmaster...?"
"No, no I havn't my dear Isis. I assure you... I have complete control over my students." Dumbledore smiled kindly over his half moon glasses. "But you have simply overlooked the fact that I had previously stated that the two acted as if they were inebriated. I do not remember stating that they ever were."
Armand choked back a laugh, disguising it by turning it into a cough. Isis cleared her throat politely and nodded – ignoring the reaction of the Frenchman beside her.
"What is to be their punishments then, Headmaster?" Armand looked towards the Headmaster.
"They have already had 100 points taken from their house, and have received detention from Minerva," Dumbledore paused for a moment, to take a breath.
"Then why have you called us here? Why have you asked us to take time out of our day to come to this school and-"
"Papa..." Remus reached out a hand slightly, as if to silence his father.
"Do not interrupt me when I am speaking, Remus." Armand's gaze turned from his son to the Headmaster, and he cleared his throat. "As I was saying, why have you asked us to take time out of our day to come to-"
"My apologies Sir, but you have not allowed me to finish was I was saying before you interrupted me." Dumbledore's eyes hardened slightly as he looked towards Armand. "I have asked you to come here not regarding their punishments nor actions, as those have been taken care of and discussed. I have asked you both here to inform you of something all together different."
"Yes, and what is that?" Isis raised her eyebrows slightly as she looked into Dumbledore's eyes. "I don't see what my son has got to do with that boy that is so important that you have called both myself and Mr. Lupin here to see you."
Armand nodded as he looked at Dumbledore. Remus looked towards Sirius, and Sirius felt his stomach drop to somewhere near his feet when he met Remus' eyes with his own.
"Excellent point Isis, but, once again – you have interrupted me before allowing me to continue and tell you why it is that I have called you here. So I will kindly ask you to remain quiet until I have finished explaining." Dumbledore raised his thick white eyebrows at the woman and Sirius' lips formed into a half smile at his mother's obvious discomfort. "The reason I have called you four here today is regarding both Remus and Sirius' highly inappropriate behavior earlier, and of course, regarding their marks."
"What?!" Sirius wasn't able to contain himself as he stared wide-eyed at the Headmaster. "What do you mean our marks? Shit! Are they really bad?"
"Sirius! Don't curse!" Remus furrowed his eyebrows as he looked towards his mate. Sirius immediately closed his mouth shut and smiled apologetically towards the headmaster.
Isis was about to snap at Remus for quieting her son, but stopped herself immediately when Armand stepped forward and uncrossed his arms as he glared at her. Isis immediately pursed her lips together and narrowed her eyes at the Frenchman, and looked towards the Headmaster – one eyebrow raised in discontentment.
"Oh it's quite alright..." The headmaster smiled at the young boy. "Getting down to the matter at hand... Sirius, both you and Remus have acquired the highest marks in your graduating class to date." Dumbledore finished with a proud smile.
"What?!" Both Remus and Sirius' spoke together as their jaws dropped, gawking at the headmaster.
Armand broke into a broad smile and clapped Remus on the shoulder. "Excellent job, my son... most excellent job! Your mother will be very pleased to hear this news."
Remus smiled sheepishly and looked up at his father, giving his response in French. "Thank-you Papa..."
Isis retained her rather glacial exterior and turned to her son. "Just what are his marks, Headmaster?" She raised her eyebrow at her son and looked him up and down.
Sirius looked off to the side – rolling his eyes as he slumped in the chair and crossed his legs shin to knee. Sirius crossed his arms and shook his head as his eyes bore into the wood of Dumbledore's desk, ignoring the conversation that was occurring around them. Remus looked towards his boyfriend and smiled slightly.
'Good job, Sirius. I'm proud of you.'
Sirius heard Remus' voice echo through his mind and he turned his head to look at him. A small smile spread across his own lips as he answered silently. 'Thanks... same to you.'
Remus' eyes flickered towards Sirius' lips, and then back towards his eyes. 'Is it wrong that I want to kiss you right now? Even if both our parents are in the room?' Sirius' grin widened. 'And is it also wrong that I want to jump you right now?'
Sirius couldn't help himself and he broke out laughing. Remus joined, uttering only a few chuckles before biting down on his bottom lip, smiling contently.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Isis demanded at once, her eyes burning into her son as she swirled around to look at him.
"Nothing, mother." Sirius looked up at Isis from under his eyelashes, still grinning despite his mother's growing anger. "Nothing at all."
"Remus?"
With a smile still on his lips, Remus turned to face his father – for the first time in his life... he didn't act like a dog with his tail between his legs as he addressed his father. "Yes Papa?"
"What's..." Armand shook his head slightly before closing his lips and looking back and forth between Sirius and Remus. His smile left his lips as he bent down and spoke to his son in French. "Is this boy your mate? The one you refused to tell your mother and I about?"
Remus didn't know if Isis knew French, but he smiled brighter and nodded his head. "Yes."
Armand's lips hitched up into a brief smile before his eyes turned from Remus to Isis and back again to his son. "You've picked a good person to be with... except there is one thing that I do not, and will not ever approve of." Remus' heart stopped for a second as his father paused in his speech. "...His mother."
It was Remus' turn to laugh. "I'm sure she won't be around often, Papa." Remus took a deep breath and smiled up at his father. "Thank-you for accepting this, Father."
Armand returned the smile and nodded his head once, eyes closed.
"Just what in the world are you two saying to eachother?!" Isis turned her attention to Armand and Remus. Her voice was low and menacing as she spoke to the two men to her right. "I do not appreciate you speaking to eachother in another language without even a second thought of the people around you! Do half-breed's not acquire any manners in their upbringing?"
Sirius stood up instantly, blocking his mother's view of Remus and Armand.
"What is the meaning of th-" Isis looked up at her son and scowled.
Sirius' voice matched his mother's growling tone of only seconds prior to this moment. "I can tolerate you berating me for simply being alive – because I've grown up with it, I'm used to it..." Sirius clenched his jaw and his nostrils flared as he cut off his mother's voice once more. "But I will not stand indolently by and watch as you pick and pull apart my boyfriend and his father while in my presence."
Isis' eyes flew wide in shock. "Boyfriend?!"
"Yes mother, your precious son is gay." Sirius's smile was cruel as he glared down at his mother.
"This is absurd! No son of mine is a homose-" Isis was abruptly cut off.
"Not at all, Mrs. Black..." Remus stood and reached out to place a hand to his lover's shoulder. Stepping to the side, Sirius felt Remus' fingers brush down the back of his arm as Remus came to stand beside him. "It's the complete truth. Your son and I are together, and have been since September of last year."
Sirius' face softened as he looked down, feeling Remus' fingers twine in his. Isis' eyes traveled towards their joined hands and her face melted into one of utter revulsion.
Before Isis could say another damaging and cruel word, Dumbledore stood up and held up his hands. "Now, now, Isis – control yourself..."
"I am not about to stand here and do nothing while my son is, is... willingly touching that filthy mudblood!" Isis spat the words out as if she felt they were coated with venom.
Remus merely smiled and shook his head, Armand narrowed his eyes, and Sirius looked as if he was about to raise his hand and smack his mother hard enough across the face, causing her teeth to shatter, and resulting in her crashing to the floor with a very plebian thump. And, before Sirius would be able to – as his hand was currently rising... Dumbledore quickly interjected.
"Isis Black, remember your manners while under my roof." For the first time in the presence of his students, Dumbledore's voice was rather menacing. All four people in the room snapped their attention to the infuriated Headmaster. "And if you feel that you will not be able to contain your obvious anger, I would advise you to leave my school."
Isis stepped forward, anger blistering in her words as she spoke and thrust out an accusing finger at the Headmaster. "You! Albus Dumbledore, keeping half-breed's in this school! Whatever has happened to keeping those who are clean," Isis made a point to look down at herself quickly before glancing over at Remus and Armand. "and those who are not separated, and for good reason?! You've gone soft Albus, very soft indeed."
Dumbledore's eyes sparkles slightly as he spoke. "Perhaps I have gone soft Isis. But such times call for one with humanity to be deciding what is right, and what is wrong." Dumbledore's voice had dropped to a soft tone as he folded his arms into his sleeves. "Now, I will ask you once more to leave my school immediately before I call for assistance, and have you removed by force."
Isis glared at the old Headmaster, turned her attention to her son, and harrumphed her obvious disgust as she looked down at Remus and Sirius' still joined hands. Swiftly turning on her heels, she strode to the fireplace. And, picking up a handful of floo powder, the woman growled out the destination. "Black Manor." She lifted her chin haughty and glowered at her son as she was enveloped in a green flame, swiftly being taken away to 12 Grimmauld Place.
Dumbledore's face melted into a warm smile as the three left still standing in his office turned to look at him. Picking up a small glass container – Dumbledore held it out infront of him, still smiling with raised eyebrows. "Would any of you care for a sweet?"
Time passed slowly, droning on past the days of February, March, and April. Then, April slowly faded into the beginning of May. Time spent better pulling pranks and laughing was instead spent studying, paying attention in class, and preparing for the up-coming N.E.W.Ts exams. The game between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, which was scheduled to be played at the end of February, was won 200 to 160, for Hufflepuff. Furthermore, the match between the two winning teams, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, was set for late May. This was the last game of the year to be played; this was also the game that would determine the winner of the very coveted house cup. In years prior to this – the last Quidditch match of the year was held in Mid-July, but for reasons unknown it had been scheduled two months ahead of time, thus, rushing the preparation for the final game of the year. Some speculated that it was because of the up-coming N.E.W.Ts, and the fact that the entire Gryffindor team was composed of 7th years only, and their teachers wanted nothing more than for their students – all of their students – to be well prepared for the multiple exams they were to face in two months time. It seemed a reasonable request.
James and Sirius found themselves lying in the middle of the Quidditch field, waiting for the captain to arrive. The rest of the Gryffindor team had been alerted to a major change that would involve the whole team, and, thus making it mandatory that the team got together every second night to practice from here on in.
Sirius sat up and rubbed his hands over his face, groaning. "For May, it's really bloody hot..."
"Then stop being daft and take off your shirt."
"Oh yeah, you'd like that wouldn't you Prongsie?" Sirius grinned as he looked back at his friend who had just laid a hand over his eyes and laughed.
"Oh sod off and strip down." James cracked an eye open and looked up at his friend from under his forearm. "Oh hell, if you're going to be difficult about it, then I'll do it too."
Sirius laughed and reached down to pull off his shirt, throwing it to the side once it had been taken off. James did the same except he had balled it up under his head as he lay back down, recovering his eyes with his arm. Sirius stretched before laying back down beside his friend, letting his hands rest under his head.
Sirius yawned as he crossed his ankles together and turned to look at James. "What do you think the big news is?"
"What big news?" James looked over at Sirius with a raised eyebrow.
"You know, the reason as to why Clark called us all down here right after school ended."
"...Clark?"
Sirius rolled his eyes and sat up, crossing his legs as he turned to look at James. "Jesus, James! Clark! Richard Clark! The team captain? Remember him?"
James grinned and nodded as he watched Sirius lean back and let his hands come to a rest behind his own torso on the grass. "I dunno... the big news is probably more game tactics that he simply must show us before the big game in four weeks." James raised his leg and let his shin come to a rest over his knee.
Sirius smiled as he looked down at his torso, suddenly changing the direction of the conversation when he noticed the deeper olive complexion of his skin. "Do you think I'm to dark?"
James furrowed his eyebrows "...What?"
"My skin... did I tan to much?"
James lift his arm and neck as he looked at Sirius' torso. His eyes roamed over the muscles of Sirius' abdomen and he shook his head before letting it come to a rest again on his shirt. "No you're not to dark... why did you ask?"
"I dunno... thought maybe I was getting to brown..." Sirius laughed. "I didn't want to make Remus look even paler than he already is."
Knowing that he shouldn't join, but also not being able to resist, James bit back a laugh. "Aww that's cruel to say...! Remus isn't pale... he's just got really light olive skin."
"So he's sallow?" Sirius offered, grinning at his friend.
"Oh yes, because having light olive skin immediately classifies you as being sallow." James' chest rumbled with laughter as he shook his head. "You shouldn't insult your boyfriend's skin tone when he isn't around."
"I'm not insulting it, I'm just-"
"Referring to it as sallow." James moved and propped himself up on his elbow; looking up at the sky.
Sirius' smile was frozen on his face, as he bought his arms forward and wiped the grass off of his hands. He was running a finger over an indent of grass, which had been left in his hand as he spoke. "Do you think that we'll last?"
James turned his attention to Sirius. "What, you and me?"
"Well... yeah, but I mean... all of us. Do you think we'll always be part of each other's lives?" Sirius bent forward slightly and picked a thick blade of grass.
James sighed. "Yeah... I guess we will be. You can't be friends with someone for seven years and then just... poof... never talk again when you leave school... you know?"
"...Yeah." Sirius smirked as he placed the blade of grass between his thumbs and raised his thumbs to his lips.
"What are you-"
James was interrupted by a loud, high-pitched noise, which sounded an awful lot like a dying duck who hadn't quite made it through puberty yet. Jumping towards the long standing, and rather irritating noise, James grabbed Sirius wrist and pulled his thumbs away from his mouth.
"Ahhh... hey!" Sirius frowned as he looked at his friend. "What did you do that for?"
"Simply because you can't do it with a blade that small, Pads..." James looked around, still holding onto Sirius' wrist and, spotting a rather thick blade of grass, he lent to his left to pick it. Holding it up to Sirius' face, he smiled. "You have to use one like this."
Sirius immediately dropped the blade of grass between his thumbs and moved to take the blade from James' fingers. James quickly moved his arm away and behind his head. "Back off, get your own grass blade!"
"But I want yours..." Sirius mimicked a whining child and grabbed for the grass.
James grinned and let go if Sirius' wrist in order to ward off the incoming grabs of Sirius' hands. "Piss off... No! NO! NO SIRIUS! NO! GET OFF!"
By this time, Sirius had launched himself off of the grass; he and James were currently engaged in an epic battle to see who could win the fair blade of grass. Toppling over, the two boys landed in the grass, James on his back, and Sirius straddling his thighs. Sirius reached forward and made to grab the blade of grass, but was thrown off course when James raised his legs and squirmed underneath his friend. Sirius wasn't prepared for the movement and immediately fell forward onto James' chest. Taking the upper hand, James grabbed onto Sirius shoulders and flipped him over, not realizing that the grass had slipped out of his hands. The grass blade flew up into the air – badly beaten and now dripping with water from its escapades – and into the view of the sun. Looking up, James reached up and caught the blade of grass just as it had turned sideways into a small and almost invisible line infront of the sun.
James held up the grass and smiled. "AH HAH! I WIN!"
"Yeah but look at the sorry state of your blade of grass..." Sirius grunted as he tried to move out from underneath James – who was currently sitting on his chest. "Oomph... MOVE! I can't breath!"
"Yes... please, refrain from suffocating our Beater until we win the house cup, Potter." Richard Clark raised his eyebrows and tilted his head to the side slightly, a smile playing on his lips as he watched Sirius struggle to get up from under his friend's body.
"Wha? Oh... sorry!" James quickly moved and threw his leg over Sirius' body only to have Sirius lunge up and grab the piece of grass from James's fingers – ripping it down the middle in a jagged line.
"Bugger it... I thought that would have worked..." Sirius sighed as he stood up and looked at the pathetic torn piece of grass.
"You bloody well ripped it!" James nearly pouted as his eyebrows knotted together as he stood. "See if I'll ever try to help you ever again..."
"Help me?! You deliberately found it and took it away from me!"
"Well if you hadn't have grabbed for it so bloody quickly I would have given it to you!"
"My ass you would have given it to me! That thought never even penetrated your thick skull you lying prat!"
"HEY! I do NOT have a thick skull!"
"No, your right... but you do have a thick mess of black hair that can be classified as a fucking HELMET!"
"BOYS!" Richard quickly jumped between the two near fighting Marauders and held them both at arms length from eachother. "Listen to me... jus-" Sirius' eyes twinkled suddenly, and James' face broke out into a smile. And, in the blink of an eye, Richard found that both his arms and legs had been grabbed, and the two men were swinging him back and forth.
"MAGGIE! WE'VE GOT HIM!" James yelled at the top of his lungs as he turned his head to look in a teammates direction.
"Excellent! COME ON EVERYONE!" A girl with cropped red hair came running towards the middle of the pitch, quickly followed by the rest of the team.
Richard let out another scream as he felt himself be swung to the left. "JESUS CHRIST! PLEASE DON'T DROP ME!"
"We would dare do a thing like that..." Sirius grinned down at the team captain. "Would we James?"
"Nuh-uh, never." James' own grin mated Sirius', and, noticing this, Richard let out another scream.
"LET ME DOAHHHHHH!!"
A rather large bucket of ice-cold water had just been poured over the team captain, leaving him very wet and very cold, despite the current day's temperature. Maggie grinned as Sirius and James let Richard down, and soon enough, the rest of the team had emerged from behind Maggie – two of them each holding a bucket of water.
"Whoa... no, no, what the hell are you doing?!" Sirius held up his hands and backed away slightly as he straightened his posture and stood.
"Oh..." James's eyes went wide as he stared at the Chaser, Caroline. "Come on – we aren't wearing shirts... and-"
"All the more reason to do it!" Caroline's grinned with mischievousness and she shouted at her teammates. "NOW!!!!!"
"SHITTT!!" Sirius turned on his heels and was about to run, but, his arm had been caught in Richard's grip – as had James' arm.
The water from the buckets had been just as cold as it was when it was dumped on the captain, and Sirius' shoulders immediately positioned themselves next to his ears as his hands balled up into fists at his sides. James stood facing the team, with his eyes closed and his glasses hanging on only by one ear. Sirius' mouth froze open as he shivered.
"Aahhh...." Sirius let out a shaking breath as he turned around, only to be met with another bucket of water to his face. Sirius began to hyperventilate slowly as he looked down. "I think my dick just shriveled up into nothing and fell off..." Sirius looked up at his team members, and shook his hands - marveling at the fact that he couldn't feel his fingertips.
James laughed as he pointed a finger towards Sirius, and was about to speak when a second round of water was thrown at him. Standing with an open mouth, clenched eyes, and a very violently shaking hand, James turned and looked towards Molly, who was now biting her lip as she smiled. "You're going to be dead once my body thaws out."
"Great! So, now that the most important players have been effectively frozen, why have we been called here?" Sirius shook his head and sprayed the team with water.
"We'll thaw, but whosever plan it was to do this will be receiving punishment. So, Sirius, James, Molly and Caroline – you'll be staying after practice to clean the equipment." Richard stripped off his own shirt and sighed as he threw it to the ground.
"WHAT?!" Molly dropped her bucket and it bounced over to Richard's feet, where he picked it up.
"Come on, I'm not captain for nothing – am I?" Sirius and James nodded slightly as Richard continued. "Any prank that's been pulled always has you four behind it... and it has for the past 4 years."
"...Shit." Caroline crossed her arms and pouted. "Fine. We'll stay behind. Now why have you called us here?"
"Oh..." Richard moved to pick up the other discarded buckets and piled them all together – one on top of the other. "There's been a change in positions." The team immediately erupted into objecting voices. "Listen! LISTEN!" Richard's voice rose above the team's combined voices, and they all quieted down. "It has merely to do with James and myself."
James instantly paled, despite his slightly blue skin tone. "...What?"
"You and I will be switching positions. I will become the Keeper – you, the Seeker."
"But... I can't... I don't know how to Richard..."
"I know. That's why we're going to practice... you and I." Richard grinned as he put a hand to James' shoulder. "You're plenty good, and you've got major talent."
"He's right, you did see that blade of grass against the sun Prongsie," Sirius lifted his eyebrows and ran a hand through his hair. James immediately shot him a look which would have openly been read as 'you-are-not-helping-me-Sirius!'. Sirius merely shrugged and grinned at his best friend.
"But what about the game at the end of the month? We can't afford to loose it! We've only JUST gotten back the points that Sirius and Remus lost us in February!" Brendan, the team's keeper, had just stood forward. "We can't afford to let the house cup go! Not when we're up against Hufflepuff!"
"And what's so horrible about Hufflepuff? Huh?" Another member of the team stood forward, growling at Brendan.
"Just because your sister is in Hufflepuff doesn't mean shit White." Brendan rounded on the tall man who had moved to stand beside him.
"HEY!" Richard stepped between the two team members. "We're not going to start acting like Slytherin's now, I won't allow it. So step back and calm your bloody jets!"
Both Brendan and Nathaniel White stood back from eachother, mutually crossing their arms and frowning.
"Listen, I know we're all sensitive about the up-coming exams and everything, but it doesn't mean that we have to get at each other's throats about it – alright? Last time I heard, that's not how a team interacts with eachother." Sirius moved to stand infront of the two angered Gryffindor's. "Now shake and make up."
Nathaniel and Brendan eyed eachother apprehensively before taking a hold of each other's hands and muttering their apologies.
"He's right though, we only have a month left to train James..." Molly crossed her arms. "I know he's a great player, but..."
"I know you're all really uptight about this last minute decision – but it's what's best for the team. I sure as hell know that I just can't do it anymore; I'm starting to loose track of the snitch... I hardly caught it in the last game we won against Slytherin." Richard racked his hand through his hair and sighed. "It's a huge leap of faith, but I know James can do it."
"You... you really think I can?" James had now crossed his own arms as he looked at the captain, glasses hanging from one hand.
"Of course. I wouldn't have suggested it otherwise." Richard smiled as he looked at James and placed a hand to his shoulder. "You'll do fine. We'll practice as much as we can-"
"What about team practices?" Caroline spoke up, voicing the concern of the rest of the team.
Richard let his hand fall from James' shoulder. "We'll still have them on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. But I'll have to schedule them later... because both James and I will need the time to train for our new positions." Richard looked up at the sky quickly before looking back to his team. "Yeah, we've all been trained to play every position that's available to be played, granted, but we need to be the best we can be this year – all of us. We can't loose in our very last year."
"And the weekends?" Sirius crossed his arms against his chest and shivered slightly.
"You can use the weekends to perfect your own positions... ask fellow team members to come with you to practice if you must – and... everyone... please, if you're asked... do it." The team nodded in unison, murmuring their consent.
"So what're we doing tonight Richard?" Sirius stifled a sneeze as he spoke.
"We were going to get in a few hours of practice..." Looking up to the sky, Richard sighed. "But, I've decided that we can take the night off tonight, considering almost every night from here on will be either spent practicing or going over game tactics. Is that alright with all of you?"
Everyone nodded and headed off in the direction of the school, except for Molly, James, Caroline, and Sirius.
Richard bent down to pick up his shirt, and, as he rung it out he addressed the players that had been left behind. "Well... since two of you have been drenched and it already looks as if Sirius is going to get a cold – I'll let you off tonight... but be warned that the next day we practice, you will be cleaning the equipment... and thoroughly."
The two girls nodded and walked off, leaving Richard alone with two Marauders.
With a twinkle in his eye, Richard spoke to the remaining Gryffindor's. "So have you got any idea as to why they soaked me?"
Sirius grinned as he walked back from picking up his shirt. "Sure we do, don't we Prongsie?"
James smiled as he walked away to pick up his own shirt. "We sure do."
"Then... why did they?" Richard fixed his gaze on Sirius.
Pulling his shirt on, Sirius smiled. "We heard about your engagement."
Richard scoffed and laughed. "So that justifies you dumping cold water all over me?"
"No, not really... but it was fun – wasn't it?" James grinned as he pulled his own shirt over his head.
"Yeah, and it got us out of practice." Sirius once more crossed his arms over his chest as the three of them walked side by side. "So who is she?"
"Well if you've heard of my engagement, why don't you know her name?" Richard laughed as they began to walk towards the school.
"Couldn't be bothered to pay attention to the details..." James smirked as he kicked at a grasshopper that neither of the other boys had seen.
Looking down towards the castle, Richard smiled. "That makes far to much sense to be reckoned with... but, in any case, her name is Shelley Webster."
"Isn't she that byrd in Ravenclaw with the long brown hair?" James furrowed his eyebrows. "The one you've been dating for years?"
"Yeah..." Richard smiled to himself. "She's pretty, huh?"
Sirius grinned. "Yeah... she is. Great job catching her, mate." Sirius elbowed the captain. "I'm going to head to the locker room... coming?"
"Nah... I'm going to go get something to eat." James stuffed his hands into his pockets.
"Yeah, me too... I guess we'll see you later then." Richard smiled as he and James swerved to the left and towards the school.
"Yeah alright... see ya!" Sirius waved at his friends and smiled before focusing his attention infront of him.
Looking towards the locker rooms, Sirius noticed a familiar figure sitting cross-legged, reading a book beside the doors.
Glancing up at the incoming noise, Remus' face broke out into a smile once he had found the identity of the person coming towards him. "Hey."
Sirius stopped infront of him and held out a hand. "Hey... Why're you here so early?"
Remus closed the book he was reading, leaving his finger between the pages to mark his place, and took the offered hand, standing up. Shrugging, Remus brushed off the back of his pants. "I just didn't feel like sitting in the school to wait for you."
"So you came and sat here ever since school ended?"
Remus grinned and lent forward. "Yeah... you don't mind do you?"
"Not at all..." Sirius was lost to the world as soon as he felt Remus' hand snake up around his neck and pull him in for a greeting kiss. "Mmm..."
"What?" Remus kissed Sirius once more and lent back, leaving his hand in Sirius' hair.
"Today is a good day." Sirius opened his eyes and smiled.
"Why?"
"Because I got off of Quidditch equipment cleaning."
"What did you do to deserve that?"
Sirius took the hand that was curled in his hair, and turned to walk into the locker room. "We dumped a bucket of ice-water on the captain."
"What?" Remus laughed. "What for?"
"Well, we found out about his engagement."
"...So you dumped water on him... how lovely..." Remus grinned as Sirius nodded proudly. Once the two were inside the locker room, Remus sat down on the bench and looked down at his book. "So why are you all wet then...?" Marking the page he was reading with his bookmark, Remus met Sirius' eyes as he looked up.
Sirius shrugged his shoulders as he pulled off his shirt. "Caroline and Molly thought it would be funny if they soaked us too..." Throwing his shirt into his locker, Sirius reached down and began to fiddle with the belt on his pants.
"Us?" Remus' lips were formed into a smile as he watched Sirius' muscles glide effortlessly under his tanned skin.
"Well, us as in me and James." Sirius looked up from under his bangs and smiled. "Only we got two buckets of ice water each..."
"Ohh no..." Remus made a face at the thought and watched as Sirius stepped out of his pants.
"Yeah..." Sirius lent down and kissed Remus cheek. "Do you mind if I have a shower? I'm really bloody cold..."
Noticing the shiver that had just run through Sirius body, Remus shook his head. "Not at all... do you want me to come back?"
"Nah... but do you wanna wait around and talk to me while I shower?"
Smiling, Remus stood up, lent towards the clean hamper of towels, and picked one up. "Sure."
Sirius turned around and pulled his boxers off, also throwing those back into his locker. He turned around once more and walked towards his boyfriend, taking the towel. Sirius bent down and kissed Remus neck. "Thanks."
Remus nearly dissolved into a tittering schoolgirl at the kiss, but managed to offer a small, and decidedly much more manly smile instead. "Welcome."
Remus couldn't help but let his eyes travel to Sirius' butt as he walked towards the nearest shower stall. Grinning in spite of himself, Remus let his hip rest against the wall closest to the stall Sirius was in and watched as Sirius turned on the tap.
"You've got tan lines."
"What?" Sirius turned around just as a jet of warm water hit his chest.
"You've got tan lines." Remus raised the volume of his voice as he pointed at Sirius bottom half. "Your legs are really white."
Sirius looked down and colored slightly. "Yeah, well I'm not about to run around in a Speedo, or, for that matter, nothing at all so that I can have a nice full body tan for you." Sirius smiled as he let the warm water flow over his back.
"I don't mind them, I've just never really noticed your tan lines before." Remus grinned as he crossed his arms, pulling his book close to his chest.
"You've never been close enough to see them before..." Sirius turned and pumped some of the shampoo, which had been sitting on a small shelf next to the shower, into his hand.
"...True." Remus watched as Sirius lathered up his hair. The two were quiet for a moment while Sirius rinsed the shampoo out of his hair. Remus' eyes followed the trail of bubbles down Sirius body and onto the floor, only looking back up at his boyfriend when the bubbles had disappeared down the drain. "Have you thought anymore of what we talked about on the night of the dance?"
"Err..." Sirius began to run his fingers through his hair, coating the many black strands with conditioner. "What part of that night are you referring to?"
"Before the dance, when we were outside..." Remus didn't flush as he had originally thought he would have when he mentioned it. "I mean, we've had sex since then – but I've never had the chance to do what you asked me to do."
Sirius smirked as he lent backwards to let the water rinse the conditioner from his hair. True to his words, he and Remus had made love – with Sirius on the bottom – a few times since that day, and they had yet to use any type of restraints while it was happening. "Is this your way of asking me if I still want to do it?"
"...I suppose so. I mean, if you don't want to do it... that's still okay..." Remus trailed off and cleared his throat.
Sirius suddenly started to laugh. "Ooohh, Remus, Remus, Remus..."
Remus snapped his head up and looked at Sirius, still slightly embarrassed. "What?"
"It seems as if I've just found your kink." Sirius grinned as Remus' cheeks flushed. "You really want to tie me up that much?"
Immediately coming to his own defense, Remus shot out an answer. "You're the one who asked me to do it in the first place!"
"You're the one who keeps asking me if I want to."
"So? It's a logical question you know...." Remus shifted his position so that his back was resting against the tile wall. "When your partner asks you to tie them up, you can't just... let that question slide..."
"You're digging a hole Remus." Sirius rinsed off the soap, which had accumulated on his body as he washed himself.
"So what if I want to dig a hole...? Maybe I like dirt..."
"You hate being dirty, Remus."
Remus turned to look at Sirius and found that his cheeks were rather hot. "Okay! Fine! It turns me on to think of you tied up. Happy?"
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why does it turn you on?"
Remus paused for a moment and thought of his answer. "Be... Because it leaves you with no control... and... er..." Remus' cheeks burned themselves into an even deeper shade of crimson. "And... and I like having that control over you, because I don't have control over you in any other situation."
Sirius grinned and reached to turn the tap off. "You have control over me plenty of times during the day, Rem."
"Yeah? Name one." Remus raised his eyebrows as he looked into Sirius eyes, thinking this was a challenge.
"Alright... How about when you kissed me not 10 minutes ago, whenever you touch me, when you smile at me, when y-"
"I said one..." Remus let his gaze drop to the floor as Sirius shook out his hair and toweled it slightly dry. "But... I really do... erm..."
"Control me?"
"Yeah... that often?"
Sirius smiled and wrapped the white towel around his waist. "Mhm." He lent forward and kissed Remus' hot cheeks. "Definitely."
"I..." Remus turned and followed Sirius towards his locker. "Wow..."
"What do you find so amazing that you have to respond to it with a 'wow'?"
"It's... just... I didn't think that I ever had any amount of control over you..."
"Why?"
"Because you're Sirius Black."
Sirius shook his head and reached into his locker to obtain a new pair of boxers. "That's bullshit and you know it, Remus. You do the things you do to me because you know you have control when you do it. So why do you really want to tie me up?"
Remus lent back against the lockers across from his boyfriend who was currently toweling himself dry. "Because it shows that you trust me."
"So the fact that I trust you gets you off?"
"Well... um..." Remus cleared his throat and looked up at Sirius from under his eyelashes, still blushing. "Yeah. Sometimes it does."
Sirius smiled and threw his towel into the dirty hamper and pulled on his boxers. "When was the last time you flew a broom?"
"What? Oh... first year."
"That long ago?"
"Yeah... I don't like flying, it's rather unnerving."
"It's completely safe," Sirius pulled on a thick black sweatshirt with shiny black material over both shoulder blades, complete with a matching pocket on the left breast made out of the same material. "There's charms to keep you safe, it's all about balance really."
"Yeah, but it still frightens me. I never liked it." Remus ran a hand through his hair and let his head rest back against the metal of the lockers.
"Have you wanted to do it since even though it scares you?"
"Yeah, maybe once or twice." Remus watched as Sirius pulled on a pair of dark, faded blue jeans. "Why?"
"Do you want to do it now?"
"Why...?"
"Because I feel like flying..." Sirius pulled the button of his pants through the hole, securing his pants shut as he reached for the zipper. "Please?"
Remus sighed, and for a moment Sirius thought he would object. "Sure... I don't see why not."
Sirius grinned widely and walked around the bench, coming to a stop infront of his mate. "You mean it?"
Remus couldn't help but grin at the happiness that was radiating from Sirius. "Yeah."
Sirius bit his lip quickly before placing both of his hands on either side of Remus' shoulders and leaning in for a kiss. Remus met Sirius lips as he tilted his head forward.
"Thank-you, Remus."
"Mmm... for what?" Remus kissed Sirius again; letting the grip on the book he was holding slip for a second.
"For agreeing to let me fly with you."
"With me...? We're sharing a broom?"
Sirius kissed Remus again, speaking softly against Remus' lips. "You don't have a broom do you?"
"...No." Remus caught Sirius lips in another kiss, finally letting the book in his arms fall to the ground, in-between both his and Sirius' feet as he reached up and curled his arms around Sirius' neck, deepening the kiss.
Opening his mouth, Sirius allowed Remus to control the rate, and intensity of the kiss. Feeling the warmth of Remus' tongue against his own, Sirius couldn't help but dissolve into a smile.
"What?" Remus' eyes were slightly dazed as he opened them, having to back up slightly so that Sirius' face would come into focus.
"A huge shiver just went up my spine..."
"I know, I felt it."
Sirius looked down in-between their feet and smiled. "You're reading Cinderella?"
"It's for Muggle Studies..." Remus answered quickly, leaning back against the locker.
"Is it good?"
"...Yes. Violent, but good."
Sirius looked up and smiled; letting one hand move from the locker to the side of Remus' ever-smooth face. It amazed Sirius that his boyfriend's jaw never seemed to reach the state of stubble – meaning that Remus was definitely took pride in his appearance. Sirius took in a breath, blinking slowly as he looked down at his mate, and, brushing his thumb over Remus' cheek, Sirius' looked into Remus' eyes and whispered when he spoke. "I love you, Remus..."
Remus felt his heart clench slightly as he closed his eyes and smiled. Opening his eyes again, Remus locked amber with azure. "I love you too, Sirius."
Sirius melted into a smile and lent forward, kissing Remus gently, removing his hand from Remus' cheek to slide down his side and pull him close. Remus broke the kiss and took Sirius into a hug. Sirius gladly wrapped his other arm around Remus' body and smiled into Remus' hair.
"You smell like candy."
Remus let out a small laugh. "Candy?"
"Yeah..." Sirius lent back and looked into Remus' eyes. "Which leads me to believe that you're made out of sw... why are your eyes tearing?"
"I'm just happy... just... really happy." Remus forced a smile.
Sirius searched Remus eyes before leaning forward; kissing away a tear that had escaped from Remus' freshly closed eyes.
"God this is so stupid... why do I always cry?" Remus hastily let his arms fall from Sirius' shoulders as he wiped his eyes. "I hate crying so much,"
Sirius lift his hands and took a hold of Remus' hands, stilling their movements. He let their hands drop to the center of his chest, smiling as Remus closed his eyes, and rest his forehead against Sirius'.
Remus sighed. "Truthfully... I'm really worried about-"
"I know."
"For the first time in my life... I don't want school to end; I don't want to go home... because it's not my home... my home is with you... my home will always be with you, Sirius." Remus looked up into Sirius eyes, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked back and forth between twin azure orbs.
"Shh..." Sirius let go of his mate's hands and wound his arms around Remus' body, holding him close. "I feel the same way."
Letting Sirius slowly rock back and forth, Remus sigh was shaky as he took in a deep breath.
Sirius voice was soft, and close to Remus' ear. "I still love you just the same, Remus... even if you cry more than you think you should."
Remus grinned against his love's chest, and hastily lent back to kiss Sirius' lips before kneeling down to pick up his fallen book, letting his hand trail down Sirius' torso as he did so. Standing straight again, Remus looked towards the Quidditch pitch. "We should go now before I change my mind."
"Go where?"
Remus wiped his eyes. "To fly, Sirius... Remember?"
"Right! Sorry... I forgot..." Sirius smiled and placed a kiss to Remus' forehead before turning to step over the bench, soon digging into his locker to find a pair of socks. "Are my shoes still wet?"
Remus moved and stepped over the bench himself, reaching towards Sirius' shoes as he sniffed. "They're a little damp, but it's nothing I can't dry."
Sirius smiled as he sat down and separated his socks. "Thanks."
"Mhm." Remus took out his wand and cast a charm over Sirius' shoes – causing them to warm slightly and then fully dry. Putting his wand back, Remus bent over and picked up the shoes. "Here,"
Sirius reached forward and took the shoes from Remus' hands. "Thanks..."
Remus smiled in response and stood. Leaning on one of the lockers, Remus watched briefly as Sirius tied his shoes. Closing his eyes, Remus took a deep breath to clear his mind before he spoke in a soft, almost guarded tone when Sirius came to stand infront of him.
"I asked my parents if you would be able to come with us to France for a few days sporadically during the summer..."
Sirius furrowed his eyebrows. "What?"
"They know that we're together, and... I don't think that I'll be able to last very long if you aren't there... so... I had to ask them."
"What did they say?"
"I havn't gotten the owl back... but, they always take a while to respond... so..."
Sirius raised his hand and placed it to Remus' cheek, changing the subject. "Let's go, alright?" Remus nodded and smiled weakly as Sirius took the book out of Remus' hand. "Is it alright if I put this in my locker for now? With your wand?"
"Oh... won't we need them?"
"No," Sirius smiled and held out his hand. "just mine so I can summon my broom."
Remus reached around and took his wand out of his pocket, handing it to Sirius. "Is my jacket to heavy to keep on?"
"Umm, yeah, it might be... I've got a sweater if you want to borrow it?"
Remus smiled and shouldered his jacket off, pausing briefly before putting it into Sirius's outstretched hand. "Yeah... sure."
Sirius hung the jacket up in the locker beside his Quidditch robe, and got up onto his tiptoes to reach for a clean sweater. "Here... it may be a bit big for you though..."
Remus' grin widened as he looked at the sweater. "I gave you that for Christmas in 6th year... I thought that you didn't like it...?"
Sirius looked down at the dark grey sweater for a moment and picked at the loose threads. "I do like it, I love it, I just never wore it around you because I didn't want you to know I actually wore it." Sirius laughed nervously. "...Oddly enough."
"Why's that?" Remus took the sweater, smiling as he pulled it over his head.
"Because that was back when I liked you and I didn't have the guts to tell you, so I always left it here... I used to wear this sweater all the time when you weren't around. And when I went to bed."
"Even in the summer?"
"Well... I'd put it under my pillow in the summer..." Sirius blushed slightly. "Yeah, I know it's pathetic... me treating a sweater like a bloody security blanket-"
"It's no more pathetic then my deep love of my fish, and you don't find that pathetic... do you?" Remus tilted his head to the side and let one eye close more than the other as he waited the short-lived time between his last word, and the answer from Sirius.
"No."
"Then, in that case, likewise with the sweater." Remus grinned, took Sirius' hand, and began to walk towards the exit of the locker room. "So are you going to wear it more often now that you've told me you liked me?"
"Well it's got holes everywhere... and... it's all tattered..."
"You still wear it in secret?"
Sirius shoved his other hand into his pocket and looked towards the ground as they walked out onto the dark green grass. The sky had turned from blue to a mix of colors - purple, pink, and orange – as the sun had nearly set. "I still wear it all the time."
"And you sleep with it under your pillow?"
"Even when you're in my bed with me..." Sirius blushed slightly as he looked down sideways at Remus.
Remus's laugh filled the warm night air as the two came to a stop in the middle of the Quidditch field. Remus turned to face Sirius. "That's really sweet."
"What?"
"The fact that you love the sweater so much."
"Only because you gave it to me-"
"Thinking that you'd hate it." Remus' face melted into a gentle smile as he looked up into Sirius' eyes.
Sirius smiled himself as he looked down and took out his wand, muttering 'Accio broomstick' under his breath. Looking up at Remus once more, Sirius let go of Remus' hands and turned towards his incoming broom. He placed his wand back into the pocket of his pants before holding his hands out and grabbing the broom as it floated quietly infront of him. Sirius turned mounted his broom, motioning for Remus to come stand beside him. Remus obliged, and stood beside his lover.
"Straddle it facing me, and put your thighs over mine, alright?"
"Won't the broom fall? Well... won't we fall?"
Sirius' eyes moved from the broom to Remus. "Not if you trust me."
Remus nodded and took a deep breath, lifting his leg so that he was straddling the obviously expensive broom. Sitting down on the broom, Remus reached out and grasped a hand to Sirius' shoulder as he felt the familiar cushioning charm underneath him. Remus smiled quickly before scooting forward and, first placing one leg over Sirius, then the other, he wrapped his arms around Sirius' waist. An arm came around Remus' waist to hold him safely, and Remus soon felt the muscles in Sirius' legs flex slightly as he kicked off the ground. Remus' breath caught in his throat as he closed his eyes and felt the wind begin to pick up pace around their bodies. Sirius smiled and maneuvered the broom easily through the air, rising above the spectator's stands and high into the increasingly darkening sky.
Remus felt Sirius' breath wash against his ear. "Open your eyes,"
Remus opened his eyes and turned his head to the side and down, watching as the Quidditch pitch slowly became something that seemed the perfect size to fit into an oval snow globe. Remus had never noticed how the rolling hills around the Castle seemed to flow together in an effortless song, twining together to form a spectacular landscape worthy of an artists' brush strokes. Remus smiled as he felt the cool night air rush past his cheeks, whipping his honey-brown hair around his face.
Remus took a deep breath, letting out an airy word. "...Wow..."
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
Remus looked up at Sirius' smiling face. He watched as Sirius closed his eyes and took a deep breath, enjoying every second of feeling completely... free. "Very beautiful..."
Sirius' turned his now dark azure eyes to Remus, as the corners of his lips hitched up. "Are you glad you came up here with me?"
"More than glad... Thank-you for inviting me." Remus held Sirius closer to his body and let his head drop to Sirius' shoulder.
Sirius looked back towards the clouds and willed the broom to come to a balanced stop. "I'm glad you're happy."
Remus lift his head and felt Sirius' hands come to a rest on his neck, thumbs brushing against his jaw line. Remus was about to ask if they were going to fall, but closed his mouth when Sirius lent forward and kissed him. Remus' arms unwound from Sirius' torso and moved to rest on Sirius' upper arms, squeezing slightly as he held onto his mate. Sirius' grip around Remus' neck loosened somewhat, but the kisses did not stop. Instead, Sirius gently nudged his tongue into Remus' mouth and deepened the kiss slightly. Remus tilted his head farther to the side and stroked his tongue against Sirius, feeling Sirius' thumb move slowly across his jaw, sending a shiver to spark from the spot Sirius had touched, down his neck and through his spine.
No matter the amount of times the two had kissed, made love, or merely lay in each other's arms, the simplest move of Sirius' fingers on Remus' skin had always produced the same effect at the most intimate of times. Remus felt his heart swell slightly as he continued to kiss his love, and silently – he thanked God that he'd found him. Knowing that against all odds, they had found eachother, and that Sirius had been made for him, and he, for Sirius. They fit together so well it seemed. Found in the way their bodies melded together like the matching pieces of a puzzle, slick with sweat after they had made love... the way their hands always knew the right places to touch, the way their lips had moved against the others – constantly seeking, and finding the rhythm in which they had so earlier set.
From the first time they had met each other, something in the other had drawn them together. A trait, or feeling that one of them had, was found in the other. The trust Remus needed to be himself was found in Sirius, the love that Remus needed to feel free – was found in Sirius' arms. The strength that Sirius craved, that Sirius wished for... was found in Remus' gentle amber eyes time and time again.
Songs had been created which had depicted the course and strength of love, claiming that love possessed the power to move mountains, to fill the empty sea with water and life. Though it seemed that these songs had merely claimed to do those things... claimed – but never proven. Though... in authenticity, love has no power unless you give it power, love has no strength unless you trust in it. Love exists only for those who crave it, for those who need to feel the warmth of its wings as it envelops them in a feathery shield against the harsh realities of the world. And when it is finally uncovered – it's never really let go of. It can always be found in the most faded memory, a torn picture, the brush of a gentle hand... in a long forgotten kiss.
Sirius broke the kiss and felt a tear roll down his cheek, hot in contrast of the cool winds. Sirius voice broke as he whispered against his mate's lips. "I need you, Remus..... and I never really realized how much I needed you until now..."
Remus closed his eyes and opened his mouth to take in a slow breath. "Take us back... take us down."
Remus felt the air around him shift as the broom began to descend, and the two of them had flown from high above the stands towards the astrology tower. As the minutes passed, the two found themselves coming to a final rest infront of the large wooden door. Remus stepped off the broom, and waited until Sirius had both his feet on the ground before the reached forward and kissed him.
"Let met touch you, Sirius... let me love you..."
Sirius nodded slowly, and opened the door.
Remus smiled and kissed Sirius neck as he reached for the hem of Sirius sweater. Pulling the sweater over Sirius head, Remus threw it to the side and pulled Sirius' naked body against his own. Sirius walked backwards as he and Remus kissed, and fell back onto the bed, Remus on top of him – never letting the kisses end. Sirius gasped for breath slightly when Remus ended their kisses, and took the signal to move up on the bed, so, crawling backwards, Sirius soon found his thigh being straddled by his boyfriend, light kisses being dusted all over his chest and neck.
Remus let his hips slide against Sirius', smiling when an airy moan escaped from Sirius's lips as their erections brushed. Remus let his hands travel down Sirius' arms, and he lightly fastened his hands around Sirius' wrists and brought them up above his head, kissing Sirius' lips. Sliding his hips once more, Remus felt the air from Sirius's gasp, before he turned his head to the side.
"...Please, Remus..." Sirius let out a shuttering breath.
Remus held both of Sirius' hands above his head with one hand, as the other trailed down Sirius' torso to take a hold of his lover's erection. Remus moved his hand up and down slightly before rubbing his thumb over the slit. Sirius responded instantly, lifting his leg to rest it against Remus' thigh as he moaned quietly. Remus found himself getting hard as he watched Sirius' expression change as he slowly pumped his hand up and down the length of Sirius' arousal.
"Please... I need you inside me... I don't care if it'll hurt... just... please, Remus..." It wasn't often that Sirius begged to have Remus inside of him, let alone begged for anything, and Remus merely smiled at the request and dipped lower to kiss Sirius' collarbone.
Lifting his head, Remus ran his tongue along the shell of Sirius' ear briefly before whispering: "As you wish..."
Sirius cried out when Remus pushed inside of him, letting his head fall to the side and against the soft pillow when Remus bent down to kiss his neck, whispering soft words of comfort into his ear. Sirius bit his lip as Remus began to move, slow at first, painfully slow, and ever so gentle. Sirius allowed his arms to be held above his head as he spread his legs and lifted his hips to meet with one of Remus' thrusts. Moaning against his arm, Sirius finally turned his head to look into Remus' eyes, and held them for a moment before arching his back and gasping as Remus thrust into his body hitting a tender sweet area thrice in a row. Remus felt Sirius' body quake as he kissed him – gasping himself as his lips trembled and froze on Sirius' neck. Remus' breathing began to come faster, his thrusts – quicker.
Sirius met each movement of Remus' with a thrust of his own, meeting Remus lips with his as they felt their bodies begin to slick with exertion as they moved together, in time with eachother. Sirius shifted slightly and wrapped his legs around Remus' body, feeling the grip around his wrists tighten and release as they adjusted to the new position. Remus gasped and bit down into the soft flesh of Sirius' shoulder as he felt the early beginnings of his climax begin to cease his body. Sirius' erection stood near flat against his stomach, aching to be touched. Sensing the demand, Remus reached down and steadied himself before taking Sirius into his hand, stroking up and down in time with his thrusts.
Sirius arched his back off of the bed at the first touch, and moaned into Remus' mouth, forcing them to break the kiss as Sirius' head fell to the side, seeming to be frozen open. Remus' breath fell hot on Sirius' chest as he thrust, coming in quick pants. Letting out a low moan, Remus felt Sirius clench around his penis and he all but lost control as he shook with pleasure, nearly falling on top of his lover with the sheer strength of it. Taking a deep breath, Remus' pace began to quicken, not once letting his hand stop moving.
Remus' breath caught in his throat when he came, slowly turning into low, constantly hitching huffs of air which fell from of his mouth and onto Sirius' body. Forcing himself to let of Sirius' wrists and steady himself, Remus rode out the wave of his orgasm and continued to move his hand up and down Sirius' straining erection as he still pushed in and out of Sirius' body.
Sirius let his hands move from above his head to move under Remus' body and around his torso until they came to a rest on Remus' shoulder blades. Feeling his own orgasm grip him, Sirius brought Remus into a kiss just as he released himself into Remus' hand. Remus' body finally stilled, and a shutter ran through it as he lost his strength and lowered his body onto Sirius', resting their chests against one another. Snaking his hand out from between their slicked bodies, Remus tried unsuccessfully to push himself up again, only to feel his arm begin to shake violently before he let it come to a rest beside Sirius' body.
Sirius rest his cheek against Remus' damp hair and only managed to whisper out a few words before his breath left him once more. "...Je t'aime."
Remus shuttered against his lover and smiled. "Je t'aime..."
Author's Notes:
WHOOO!!!!!!! Excellent, excellent! Sex is nice! Let me know what you thought of that particular scene, that, and the flying scene... with the whole love thing going on up there in the sky (At this point, I honestly pondered adding "Where are we going?"..."To the stars...". You know, that bit from Titanic? -rolls her eyes as she laughs-) I really do apologize for taking so long to update, but, I hope that I've provided you all with a nice chapter to wake up to. -smiles-
On to the ever growing list of people whom I need to address I suppose...:
Crowley Black: You realize, of course, that your reveiw rhymed, right? -laughs- Just thougth I should point that out: "this chapter was brilliant!! It made me laugh and cry! I loved the last bit when they were high!" AUGH!!! I just thought I should point it out, because I thought it was really adorable. -grins sheepishly-
Roxanne Barnett: Well, it wasn't kinky - not persay - but it was steamy... right? -looks off to the side- How're you doing though? Better I hope? -smothers you in kisses-
Written in the stars: Hmm... well, I know there may be now a bit less than fifty, but that depends on how long my chapters insist on being - yannoo? It'll probably be done sometime in December, or possibly early EARLY January. And, from there, I have NO idea where I'll go, or what I'll do... Damn but I'll be lost without WOTM... O.o;;
GurVicious: Excellent! WHOO! Thank-you SO much!!! -gives you a platter of cookies- WHOO!
daringtobeme: Awwwww.... thank-you so much!! I'm glad you actually laugh at what I write, or, you know... it'd really, really suck. Like - hardcore style, yanno? It's almost daunting when I try to write something funny... it seems I'm only able to write sex and angst. -laughs- WHOOO!!! What an attribute... -looks off to the side-
Maia-Eala: OMG!! I've been wracking my BRAIN trying to find where the refrences to Beauty and the Beast were - and I absolutely cannot find it!!! But yes, there was refrence to Chocolat, and, there's refrence to The Crow in this chapter. But - tell me, where is the Beauty and the Beast bit?! -dies of exertion-
jellycatty: YAY! Thank-you for loving my storyy!!!! -gives you cookies-
Kynny: You know, when the old bat kicks the bucket - they're still going to have to sell her shit, right? And you know, stay around until everything has been sold. Wouldn't want anyone to steal some old lady's crap, would you? Besides, this will give the Lupin family enough money to move back... that, and, well, they would inherit her fortune when she dies - right? MUAHAHA!!!!!!
Lizzi: AHH! Your reveiw made me laugh!!! I love laughing when I get reveiws, even if it does involve someone esphixiating in the middle of the kitchen because of death... scuse me - laughter. -winks- And, about the relationship thing... well... erm... wow - thank-you! I didn't really know how their relationship would form... but, I guess that it's formed into a really good one? I write how I'd like my relationships to be, you know, if I had one... -pouts- But thank-you so much for your ever so charming reveiw, darling!
And, last, but certainly not least, Jan: MAN! I cannot TELL you how happy I am that I converted you into a regluar slash reader! WHOO!! I love how excited you get when you find a new chapter as you come into work in the mornings! It's so utterly fabulous that one of my readers is so compeltely wanting to read the next chapter! I love you for being excited...! -gives you kisses- Have you ever been caught at work when you're reading my story...? -giggles- WEEE!
WHOOO!!! That was tons of people, huh? But, there's been a question knawing at my mind for a bit, and - here it is: Are any of my readers male? If so, Please tell me whom you are and let me know if I'm doing an alright job...? I would really appreciate it if you would let me know... yadda, yadda, yadda. -smiles-
So, Sirius wasn't really tied up, but, his hands were... 'bound' by Remus' hands, so I suppose that counts as some sort of tying up kink? Who knows, maybe I will write another scene where Sirius is actually tied up. Maybe Remus will get HELLA kinky on his ass! (I'm not sure if the pun should be intended or not... decide with your own decretion...) WHIPS! HANDCUFFS! OHYES! Oh GOD... Bondage!Remus would scare the shit out of me... so... we're not even going to venture into bondage!Remus... ever... -laughs nervously-
I think that's about it for now, and I'm sure that not even half of you have made it this far yet, as I usually shit out when people write long author's notes... -sighs- ANYWAY! Let me know what you thought of it by reveiwing, and... yes. Thank-you in advance, as always!
SPOILER: The leather pants will be making their appearence VERY soon-like. -winks- ehee!
Question #2: Should I make up names for my chapers? If so, help me out by offering suggestions...?