A/N: I actually have this story all written up, which is why the updates are so frequent, so enjoy! Also, thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far - you make my day :D
He was on fire.
Well, one his shoes was, but still, he was on bloody fire.
And all they could do was laugh.
"Put it out!" Sirius cried, hopping around their usual tree by the side of the tree, shaking his flaming foot around desperately. James roared with another bout of donkey-like laughter (honestly, the similarity was astounding), and Peter sniggered. Remus watched with mirth dancing in his eyes.
"Seriously, my foot's staring to get really uncomfortably warm!"
"Use your wand!" James called. Sirius paused in his hopping to glare at him. He knew perfectly well that his wand was in his school bag and it was sitting next to him, completely useless. Before he could demand that James use his wand to put out the bloody fire, Sirius lost his balance mid-hop and windmilled his arms.
But the windmilling proved futile – he fell backwards, as if in slow motion, and landed in the lake. He resurfaced spluttering and coughing to the others' shouts of laughter and taunts and climbed out, shivering – shitting, shitty, shit April weather – and dripped.
At least his foot had been put out.
"You smell like wet dog." James tittered.
"F-f-fucking f-f-freezing…" Sirius said his teeth chattering and arms wrapped around himself. Remus smirked and gestured him forwards to cast an exaresco drying charm on him. Sirius thanked him shakily, still shuddering and rubbing his arms.
"You can't be that cold, man, it's started to warm up!" James exclaimed, throwing his arms out, almost smacking Peter in the face, "winter's hot mistress summer is on her way!"
"D-doesn't mean the lake's not s-still fucking f-freezing." Sirius scowled.
"We're wizards!" James scoffed in disgust, "We can't we charm the water warmer?"
"Half the life in the lake will die." Remus answered dryly, "And it's far too big."
"That's stupid. I know a way to do it."
"You d-don't know sh-shit." Sirius said, bouncing up and down to generate body heat. Remus laughed and reached up to grasp his wrist and pull him down. Sirius practically fell face first onto his chest and was too stunned to protest when he was manhandled until he was sat in between Remus' legs. Sirius swallowed thickly, unsure of what had just happened, when Remus leaned back against the oak trunk and pulled him back against his chest.
"Moony, would you please refrain from flaunting your poofter love with Padfoot in front of us?" James asked, amusement in his voice. Sirius couldn't make himself look, all of his concentration focused on the way Remus' arms wrapped around his waist casually, feeling a flush creeping across his face.
"I'm sharing body heat." Remus answered casually, as if he intimately embraced everyone like this all the time, "Be careful around the lake, 'cause I'd do the same for you."
"Spare us from the poofter act, Moony," James smirked away, "We know it's only Padfoot you'd cuddle with in public."
"S'not public." Sirius mumbled, feeling Remus withdrawer one hand and rummage around in his robes, nudging him in the back slightly.
"No, no, it's just outside with dozens of other people." James agreed sarcastically, "Nope, not public at all."
"I've said it before, I'll say it again. You don't know shit."
"Ladies, ladies." Remus calmed them, shoving an unlit cigarette in Sirius' mouth to light it with one hand, his other hand buried under Sirius shirt and causing a pleasurable burning sensation, before taking it back and putting it between his own lips. "Gods, that's better." He sighed, blowing smoke to the side and resting his chin on Sirius' head, who only just managed to prevent himself from squeaking.
"You've been smoking a lot, recently." Peter observed.
"Disgusting habit." James scorned. Sirius could hear him wrinkling his nose up, "Wrecks your Quidditch game."
"Lucky I'm not an athlete, then." Remus shrugged, jogging Sirius' head, "It can't really harm me, I'm a werewolf, remember?"
"I think they're horrible," Peter chimed in, "And I'm not an athlete."
"Definitely not." Sirius snickered.
"That's just because you can't afford them." Remus scoffed, "You mum doesn't send you enough money, does she?"
"No offence, but you're not exactly rolling in it, either, mate." James said none too tactfully.
"Yeah, well, I'm shagging the supplier, aren't I?"
Sirius stiffened as the others laughed and exchanged more jokes and banter, too tense to hope that Remus hadn't noticed his unease at the mention of Sweetie. The first time Sweetie had visited their dorm (and the time Sirius had walked in on them doing the dirty), had been a few days ago and the boy had met with Remus after sneaking into the castle every night since. Sirius hated it, hated the manwhore that gave him a smug smirk every time he looked his way and wished that Remus would just break it off already. He obviously didn't like the energetic twat…then again, Sirius himself had put up with many a girl he despised simply because they were a good screw. So he kept his mouth shut and pretended the jokey conversation taking place was killing him inside.
"So why are you stressed out enough to smoke yourself to death?" James asked and Sirius silently rejoiced in the change of topic. Remus shrugged. "Aw come on, Moony, tell us!"
"Fine. There's this person I like and I'm not sure what to do about it."
"Oh! Oh! Who?"
Sirius felt, rather than heard, Remus laugh. The low rumble vibrated through him satisfyingly.
"Like I'd tell you lot. You'd just ruin it for me even more."
"Alright, calm your broomsticks Moony." James chuckled, "Just tell us the situation and we can give you advice on how to woo the fair lady."
"Like you woo the fair Lily?"
"Not fair. Spill, wolf boy."
Another rumble from Remus' chest.
"Save it, fork ears. So, there's this person I like and I think they like me back."
"Not seeing the problem, Moony." Peter muttered bitterly.
"I'm not sure if they like me, or if they just like the idea of me."
"Ah…" James nodded, "…what?"
Sirius felt a sigh lift and drop Remus' chest and the rest of the conversation floated past his ears as he decided to just relax enjoy the moment, closing his eyes and feeling the warmth from Moony's body seeping into his own, the one hand under his shirt and clutching his vest the centre of his world, the smell of tobacco and Moony lulling him off gently.
Sirius woke in the alarmingly cold night air beside the lake and started, sitting up quickly, before remembering and turned to see Moony smiling at him and stretching.
"Thank Merlin you're awake. You're a heavy bugger, you know." He said jokingly. Sirius knew he wasn't really scolding him, but he flushed anyway, scooting away on his knees and giving Remus a contrite smile.
"Sorry," he shrugged, clearing his throat and getting to his feet, dusting himself off and adopting a haughty expression, "Don't know why I fell asleep. Not like you're comfortable or anything."
Remus laughed and lifted and hand, letting Sirius help him up, "And what was so unpleasing about my role as your pillow, mister Padfoot?"
"Oh, mister Moony," Sirius grinned as they stared towards the castle, "There's no fat on you, just bones."
"Well Sirius, darling, I didn't realise you found my body so unattractive. Perhaps you should look for another lover if you are so unsatisfied with me."
Sirius choked on his own spit at the joke he normally would have seen coming, made a gargling noise and – just to make sure he received maximum humiliation – tripped on a small rock hidden in the grass. Remus laughed loudly as he steadied him with a strong hand on his arm. Or a usually strong hand anyway…
Remus stumbled as well, as he tried to stop Sirius from falling on his face and Sirius had to return the favour the moment he had recovered, frowning across at him in concern and glancing up at the moon.
"Full's tomorrow night." Remus said conversationally. Sirius didn't reply as they entered the castle and started up the stair case just as a rush of students finished dinner to stare at his friend instead; he had been so engrossed in his own selfish dilemma concerning Remus and his trouser area, that he hadn't noticed the nearly-full moon and the drawn paleness of Moony's face.
"I didn't realise." Sirius admitted finally, when they were climbing through the portrait hole, "How are you feeling? Maybe we should go down and grab whatever's left of dinner—"
"No. I won't be able to stomach anything." Remus shook his head, leading the way straight up to the dorm. He turned on the stairs and smiled. Sirius was ashamed that now was the first time he was seeing the monthly feebleness. "James and Peter will be at dinner, you go join them."
"No." Sirius answered firmly, "I'll come up with you."
Remus sighed, but didn't protest further as they climbed up to the dormitory. Once inside, Sirius lit the lamp beside Peter's bed, keeping the light as far away as possible from Remus, like he knew he preferred it on nights like these and drew the curtains, blocking the light of the moon that his werewolf friend often said called to him when the full was so close. Once he had finished, he turned to see Remus already stripped down to his boxers and vest, curled up on his side.
Seeing Remus Lupin vulnerable was a strange phenomenon – he was always so confident and unshakable. No matter the fact that it happened every month and he had witnessed it since third year, it always hurt when he saw his Moony like this.
Sirius made his way over, quietly in case he had fallen asleep, and was shocked to see Remus' body quaking and to hear small snuffling sounds coming from him.
"Moony?" he asked worriedly, leaning over him to see if he was actually crying (Moony didn't cry), "…Remus? Are you okay?"
Remus didn't answer, so Sirius sat on the bed beside him and touched his arm tentatively – the skin was hot, like he was running a fever. He sat there in silence until the shaking calmed and the sobs quietened.
"I…" Remus started, but trailed off when another shudder racked through him and tried again, "I was bitten on the exact day ten years ago tomorrow."
Remus paused and Sirius waited patiently for him to continue.
"Same month, same day." He laughed shakily, "Rarely happens, but when it does, the moon calls the wolf stronger than ever. I can feel it trying to make me transform even now…worse at night…"
"It's happened before?" Sirius asked softly.
"Once."
"How did you get through it?"
"I…my mother lay with me through the night and day before – human contact helps sometimes. There was nothing her or my father could do during the full. I almost died."
"You'll have us there this time, Moony," Sirius assured him, hearing the gentle confidence in his own voice and hoping it comforted his friend, "You'll have Padfoot to keep you safe."
"Thank you, Pads." Remus whispered. In a moment of sheer bravery and heartfelt sorrow, Sirius lay down on the bed and scooted close to Remus, curling around his back and trying to let as much of his skin make contact with his friend's as possible. The act had nothing sexual or desirable about it; it was simply a friend doing what little he could to ease another friend's pain.
"I'm sorry. I'm so pathetic."
"Don't be stupid, Moony." Sirius scolded gently, resting his head on the pillow and staring at Remus' hair and watching the red glints dance in the distant lamp light, "Everyone needs some comfort sometimes."
"Even you?" Remus snorted and Sirius was relieved to hear the waver gone from his voice. He hoped the contact was helping.
"Even me." Sirius nodded, even though Remus was facing the other way.
"You're starting to sound disturbingly wise, Pads." A pause. "The others will gossip when they come up to find you spooning me, you know."
"Let them." Sirius murmured, but pulled the hangings around the bed closed anyway.
