#6 INTUITION

Rating: T.

AN: This was my entry for the 5 Senses Writing Fest hosted by Keep Calm and Write Something. This was a great fest, thank you so much the mods for hosting it! It may or may not be Wolfstar, I liked it both ways so it's up to you! ;)

My Prompt was "smell".

Beta and alpha love to: Postal Ninja & cinnamonbun24.

Intuition

OS.

He couldn't really say the truth. That he could smell it.

T

"How do you explain this then?"

He bit his lip. He couldn't really answer; the reply would be too obvious.

"I can feel it..."

His lame explanation was met with a furrowed brow, but Remus merely shrugged.

He couldn't really tell the truth. That he could smell it.

The fear, the despair, the hopelessness... or the joy, the cheer, the elation; it all left a distinct scent in the air – and he was left knowing far more than he should, as if his mere presence among humans was intrusive, wasn't natural. He wasn't supposed to be there. He should never have been accepted.

Unlike all of the others students, he relied on his senses the most, his instincts strongly interlaced with smell more than anything else. Of course, he knew how magic worked best, thanks to his nose. How else could he behave? He was a beast, a monster. A werewolf.

And that could never change. No one could make it change. No one would really accept him. Not now, not ever.

For as long as Remus could remember, he had always liked to help his mother bake. Nothing smelled better than cinnamon in her pies or chocolate in the oven.

He loved to share this talent of hers in their little kitchen, where he would add a pinch of salt to cakes or a teaspoon of honey when necessary. Hope would sing aloud and bump him playfully as she removed flour from the tip of his nose.

This was their favourite activity, their usual playground on a rainy day. It was theirs; Hope didn't need magic to cook or make wonderful dishes. And Remus didn't need a wand to help, even if he had tiny hands. Their relationship followed this easy pattern: bake, eat, and repeat.

Later, Remus would lay on her chest as he fell asleep: he had just stopped nursing a few months earlier.

And then, everything changed.

"We're friends."

"But... I mean you shouldn't..."

James looked stern as he shushed him with his hand.

"It has been decided."

Sirius nodded gravely as Peter idly chewed on his fingers.

"We won't leave you alone to face this."

There was no point arguing; Remus could smell their certainty. That they would succeed, and join him. In his heart, a bit of hope bloomed.

"I don't like this."

She frowned, clearly confused.

"But you love apples..."

"No, it smells yucky!"

His mother looked devastated. Her little boy who used to help her wanted nothing more to do in the kitchen: it all felt too raw, the smells overwelming unnerving him.

She looked around, searching for what she could give him instead. Her cute child, her strong child, would get something to soothe his sweet tooth, she swore.

"What about this? "

He looked at the brown colour with suspicion.

"Is the smell too potent?"

He shook his head, trying a piece.

"No, this is okay."

Hope smiled at the happiness reflected on her only son's face.

They would not cook any more, they would not bake anymore. But they could still share chocolate under a blanket in front of the fireplace.

Thanks to his nose, he had always seemed to have some special intuition, to be able to smell others' feelings.

He knew of their problems even if they didn't really share them; he could smell sadness, grief, joy or heartbreak. It made his colleagues feel uneasy, since at some point they always understood that he knew. And how could he know, except by being some pervert or foul creature?

So, Remus grew accustomed to being fired or shown the door with not so gentle words.

But how could he help it? Should he stay unconcerned when he could see it all, smell it all? That wasn't how he had been brought up. That wasn't Remus's nature, despite his monstrous side.

And maybe, even, he had to do those actions, as if to prove that he wasn't a beast. He had to be that much more human to balance his true nature, to show that he was still a worthy to be a man.

The house smelled so empty. His clothes were gone, his fragrance had left with them, as if he had never existed.

As if he had never been here.

Never been loved.

But that wasn't the truth.

And for once, Remus couldn't rely on his senses as his nostrils kept playing tricks on him, as if Sirius would walk through the door, with a stupid joke and an easy smile on his lips.

"I'm... You shouldn't..."

She raised her hands to his collar, gripping it, tugging it, hard.

"But I do."

Unlike her actions, her words were soft, gentle.

She raised her forehead to touch his.

"I really do, Remus."

He tried to step back, but she had caught him. What was he saying? She had him. She had had him for quite a while now.

"I'm too old for you, Dora..."

"I don't care."

Her blazing eyes met his, fierce, raging. She wouldn't back down, wouldn't take no for an answer.

Her perfume surrounded him, trying to mesh with his, trying to fill the holes in his soul.

And Remus thought maybe, maybe he could just have this.