Author's notes: You guys ate that last chapter up!

And now, Sakai Michiba presents:

The Awkward Talk

Part 18 of the Smitten series


The full moon came and went, and Sirius was much more relaxed when Flora let him down into the basement, which had a blocked tunnel leading to the forest behind the house. When the transformation ended, the blockade swung aside, and there Remus lay on the other side, propped up by the dirt tunnel, and he lifted his head when Sirius said his name. They spent the day resting together, Remus drifting in and out of consciousness.

It was now a week later, and Remus was packing a knapsack full of clothes and his toothbrush and his wand (just in case) while Sirius lay lazily on the bed, kicking his feet. "I'm excited. Do you think we're gonna go anywhere? I dunno if you've ever had Mrs. Potter's cooking, but she's tops at it. Not as good as your Mum's, though." He sat up and leaned over the foot of the bed to peer down at Remus on the floor.

Remus turned his head, blinking as he found himself quite close to Sirius, and he snorted, poking him in the forehead. "Get away from me, you dolt," he said, and he laughed as Sirius leapt off the bed and tackled him. "Damn it! Stoooooop!" Sirius was licking his face in that annoying way again, and he kicked at him, cackling as though he was being tickled to death.

They did not hear the knock on the door, and when Flora opened it to see Sirius pounced on his son and licking his eyebrow in a most unappealing manner, she lifted a hand to her lips and laughed. "Boys! Sirius Black, do climb off of Remus before you give him a hernia," she giggled, and she blinked as Remus darted from the floor and hid behind her.

Sirius grinned impishly, and he smoothed back his hair. "He needed punished. He poked me, and he delayed packing all day and now it's time to go and he isn't done!" He gestured violently to the half-packed bag Remus had been working on, and when Remus peeked around Flora's shoulder, he made a sudden move that caused his boyfriend to hide again.

Flora smiled and seized her son, dragging him back around despite his false screaming and shoving him at Sirius. "Perhaps if you weren't accosting him, he could finish. Sirius, I'm going to steal you for a little while. Remus, you finish packing!" she ordered, and when Remus began to diligently fold a shirt, she took Sirius by the arm and led him from the room.

Sirius felt butterflies in his stomach, and he looked at her quizzically when they were out of earshot. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked, and he looked around as they stepped outside and onto the porch. They sat down together on the wooden stairs on the porch, and he rested his hands on his knees.

She smiled and shook her head. "No, Sirius, you haven't done anything wrong," she said quietly, and she reached over to touch his shoulder. "I wanted to talk to you about Remus. I see the way you look at my son, Sirius Black." When he turned to stare at her, eyes as large as saucers, she smiled and gave his shoulder a good squeeze. "No, no, Sirius, I'm not yelling."

"Oh." He looked off down the driveway, wanting to take off running down it. He was not entirely sure that he would be able to have this conversation, especially without Remus there.

She released his shoulder and looked off in the distance with him. "John is beginning to suspect, you know, and I am concerned about it because you and Remus are very sweet and obviously very good for one another. John will likely not be nearly so calm about this, you understand. Remus is…our only son."

Sirius turned to stare at her blankly. "I don't think I'm the person you should be talking to about this, Mrs. Lupin," he confessed quietly, and he began to stand up, but she grabbed his wrist and shook her head. "No, Sirius. I can't talk to Remus about it; I want him to come to me and tell me about you. I want him to come to me, you understand, not the other way around."

He stared at her before he sighed and nodded. "Fine. What should I do?" he asked quietly, and he rested his chin in his hand.

Flora smiled and touched his hand. "That look you give him all the time? Don't. And don't play footsie at the dinner table." She laughed a little at the absurd blush on his face and felt herself blush a little as she leaned closer. "And um…being quieter in the evenings would be appreciated."

Sirius stood up then, afraid his face would burn right off, and he nodded awkwardly before he hurried back in the house. He had had enough of the talk, and so he went quickly up to their room, closing the door. "You're mum's gone off the deep end," he said quietly, but when Remus sent him a quizzical expression, he shook his head. "I can't tell you. She'll…she'll know…"

Remus shook his head and latched his bag before he stood up and set it on the bed. "Fine then. Well, I'm packed. Are you ready?" he asked, and he grinned as Sirius seemed to snap out of his horrified state and pulled him down onto his lap. Remus shifted on those thighs and wrapped his arms around Sirius's neck with a grin. "Apparently not…"

Sirius buried his face in the other's neck and kissed it a little. "No, I miss James more than I love you, I'm sorry to say," he smirked, and as Remus gave him a nasty look, he bounced him a little on his lap and nipped his ear. "Oh, stop it. James will have a calf if we don't get there on time. Let's go and we'll eat then when James and Peter calm down and go to sleep, I'll do dirty things to you in the guest bed."

Remus gave a false, delighted little giggle and wiggled a bit in that lap before he barked a laugh and leaned on him. "Promise?"

"Oh, I promise," Sirius said seductively, then he shoved his lover unceremoniously off of his lap and onto the floor. "But let's go! I WANT MY JAMESIE!"