A/N: GADZOOKS! Three chapters for you! You're welcome!

2 for being late with this, and 1 because I won't be able to update this weekend.

I'm not entirely pleased with it but figured you all would rather get a mediocre something than nothing at all for a week. So… Hope you enjoy!

Warning: Slash, swearing, run on sentences, etc.

Disclaimer: Don't own any of the H.P. characters. Don't own Lady and the Tramp either. Just using and abusing.

Chapter 4: Italian and Unwelcome Endearments.

There were few lessons that Orion Black had bothered to pass on to his only son. And fewer still that Sirius deemed worthy enough to pay attention to. Mr. Black did so have the unfortunate habit of droning. There was one lesson however that Orion Black had been quite fond of and often repeated to his son, especially when his stately wife, a handsome woman, was being particularly shrewish. And that was "Looks can be deceiving."

Sirius had seen the wisdom in this simple message and did not toss it in the rubbish bin the way he did with most of the other ideals his father passed on. Despite his playful attitude Sirius understood it was dangerous for someone in his position to fall into the 'wrong' situation.

The prettiest of faces could distract from the most nefarious of intentions. It was important to keep ones wits about them at all times. And so he went through great pains to follow the head in his skull over the head in his pants.

Sometimes were harder than others, if you'll forgive the pun. But Sirius had always been able to pull it together. And he would do the same now. Sure Remus was fucking gorgeous, and clever, and sexy and smart, and oh so hot. But he was a prostitute Sirius had hired to go to a party with. A street thug whom countless others had also paid to spend time with them as well as do… other, things. Sirius felt a flare of jealousy within him but dismissed it. All he had to get through was tonight. And then he could pay Remus and say goodbye forever and never again meddle about with silly revenge plans. Not that he'd ever tell James that.

It would be easy, right?

"Fuck." Sirius dropped his hands from adjusting the collar of his suave suit and stared at the mouth watering vision gliding down the stairs.

"Thought that wasn't on tonight's agenda" Remus smirked. He had promised himself under the cold, head clearing water of the shower that he would stop flirting with Sirius Black. Do your job, get paid, get out. The sooner this was all over the sooner he could run away from Mr. Grey's and start a real life. But the look on Sirius's face as he came down the magnificent staircase of the house momentarily broke his resolve.

Remus knew he looked good. He looked, smelt, and felt clean for the first time in a long time. And the gold overtones of his hair and skin was startling.

The suit looked great too. Mrs. Weasley was a genius with thread and the rich clothes cut his figure perfectly. Remus had left the top two buttons of the black silk shirt undone exposing the dip of his collarbone. He wasn't sure how it would go over in a fancy ministry party but the look on Sirius's face made it completely worth it.

The rich mans mouth was parted slightly and he kept running the pink tip of his tongue over his lips, his entire body had gone still while piercing gray eyes roamed restlessly over Remus's body, glowing with animal lust. It wasn't uncommon for men to stare at Remus, but the intensity of Sirius's gaze was affecting him like no other and he felt the muscles of his lower belly tighten in response.

"I see ah, Molly's taken care of, ah you?" Sirius stuttered out as Remus continued to walk towards him.

"Mmm." Remus hummed deep in his throat and smiled. "Yes that woman is an exceptional seamstress. These clothes feel... mmm, so good."

Remus was overdoing it a bit here, teasing the dumbfounded man. Somewhere in the house a clock chimed 6 o'clock. Sirius seemed to surface out of his daze and Remus watched with interest as a light blush spread across his aristocratic face.

"Quite. We have two hours until the party. I was thinking we could go out for dinner? So we can get the story straight and I can fill you in on somethings about my life. You know, to make our relationship believable. How does Italian sound?"

Remus shrugged. "Fine."

"Excellent." Sirius grinned looking a bit like a little kid. "Let's go then!" he grabbed Remus's hand and pulled him out the door to the same fantastic sports car he'd been in when they'd first met. Gallantly opening the passenger door Sirius gestured Remus to get in.

"After you my love."

Remus raised an eyebrow.

"Remember darling, from this point on we are deeply devoted lovers. That is the deal."

Remus sighed and slid into the car muttering. Sirius wasn't sure what exactly but thought he heard something like "not enough money in the world." And "bloody pet names."

Both of which he pointedly ignored.

So maybe it wasn't going to be as easy as he thought. Sirius admitted as he watched Remus across the table, examining the posh Italian Restaurant, Franco's.

It seemed as soon as he made up his mind to get through the night without unnecessary flirting Remus had come downstairs looking god so delicious. The suit showed off his perfect body and, Sirius had noted with a flare of heat, Remus had left the top two buttons open drawing the eyes to the dip of his collar bone, right below his long neck. How Sirius wanted to lick and taste that beautiful neck, chest…

So no, it wasn't easy. In fact it was going to be damn near impossible to keep a cool head around Remus. He wanted this man far too much. What was worse was Remus obviously knew it and apparently wasn't affected by Sirius at all. Bastard.

"See something you like?" Remus said teasingly and then gestured towards the menu.

"Everything's good here and the portions are huge." Sirius said amiably. " I may be a bit biased though. I've loved Italian food since I first watched Lady and the Tramp."

Remus frowned. " I don't really eat Italian much. Except you know, pizza and stuff. And the Lady and the Tramp? Is that a thinly veiled insult? If so, you do realize you just referred to yourself as a lady."

"What? No! I would 't call you a…a… that. And I, Mr. Remus, happen to be the manliest man you'll ever meet. No, I was talking about the kids movie? You know, with the dogs? And the pasta? No? It's all about these two dogs, a pure bred and a mutt and they're from different worlds but despite it all they find true love and escape the dog catcher and share a bowl of spaghetti and kiss in the candlelight. It's so great!"

Remus shook his head. "Never seen it. I didn't really watch a lot of movies, you know, as a kid." He paused then smiled. "But even if I had, it probably wouldn't have been something as poofy as that. And they say you can never tell. Ha!"

Sirius chuckled outwardly, inside however he felt a little sad over Remus's confession, and for the first time he wondered about the young man's life before the streets.

"Gentlemen? May I take your order?"

"We'll be splitting a spaghetti and meatballs please." Sirius said immediately and grinned at Remus who, to his immense pleasure, smiled shyly back.

"We met in the park…"

"How romantic."

"… I was walking Padfoot ,.."

"You take that thing out in public?"

" … when I dropped his leash and he ran after a…"

"Terrified child?"

"… squirrel. You caught him for me…"

"My I am heroic."

"… and thought he was just the cutest thing…"

"Was I stoned?"

"… We flirted until I had to run. I held out my hand for the leash, but you said you'd only return my dog if you could take me out to dinner that very night."

"Oh I see, a hostage situation."

"…We met here at Franco's and everything just clicked…"

"Like a seat belt. You were trapped to me."

"…It was like we were meant to be. Like it was our…"

"Destiny?"

"… destiny."

Sirius and Remus spoke the word at the same time and smiled at each other over the empty bowls of pasta.

"Master Sirius I do believe you are a romantic." Remus teased.

" So I believe beautiful things can happen and that everyone has someone. There's nothing wrong with that!" Sirius flushed and played with the napkin in his lap.

"No, no there's not." Remus murmured studying the embarrassed man. "Go on then, what do I know about you?" he continued to Sirius's relief.

"Well… there's not much to know really. I'm 23 years old. I was raised here in London. My Parents died when I was 19. Car crash. I've been living off their inheritance ever since. I don't work, just manage some stocks that were passed on to me every once and awhile. And I'm part of a local theatre troupe, but err, that doesn't need to come up."

Remus shook his head. "These are all things I could have learned in the papers." He said, "Tell me something about yourself. Things that you'd normally learn through the intimacy of a relationship. Like you know, your feelings, hopes, fears. Etc. All that poncy shit."

"Lucius and I never talked about that sort of stuff." Sirius said uncertainly.

"Listen Sirius, I may be just some tramp, or bloke who rescued your dog, or whatever. But you should trust me on this. I do know a thing or two about pretending to be in love. I've been doing it all my life." Remus smiled bitterly.

"Does that mean you've never actually loved anyone?" Sirius pressed curiously.

Remus paused and gave Sirius an appraising look. "It means that there are many different types of love in this world," he said avoiding the question, "and that if you are fortunate enough to experience the truest and purest of loves and are loved in return than there is a sharing and trust that must come with it. We lust after the unknown but can only truly love the familiar."

Remus sat back in his chair unwilling to say any more and Sirius filed this away for future reference. But for now…

"I despised everything my parents stood for but desperately missed their approval." He looked up at Remus whose expression remained polite and non judgmental.

"I'm vain and self centered and know little of the world outside my own. Beyond acknowledging that fact however I've never made the effort to change it." Sirius wasn't sure what feeling exactly he was supposed to be getting out of this. But so far admitting his negative points and secrets was only making him anxious that Remus would stand up and walk away.

"I love to laugh and goof about because you never know when you're going to die and god damnit I'm not leaving this world the same way I came in, screaming and scared. They'll all see, I'm going to die laughing. It's the crazy ones you remember."

Remus turned his head in a slightly canine gesture, but didn't say anything so Sirius continued.

"I often forget that other people are more than just players in my own personal play. And I can be completely oblivious to their feelings when they don't relate to my own. Except for my best friend James and sometimes his wife, Lily."

Now that wasn't strictly true anymore. There didn't seem to be a moment since they met that Sirius wasn't obsessing over what Remus was feeling behind that mask of his. God what he would give to know what Remus was thinking right now while he blathered on about his own shortcomings.

" My greatest fear is loneliness and my greatest hope is that someone, sometime will be able to turn to me and say 'Thank you' "

Sirius drew breath.

"For what?"

"What?" Sirius said.

"Say 'thank you' for what?" Remus repeated.

Sirius paused a long time "Thank you for loving me as much I love you." He whispered so quietly he wasn't sure if Remus had heard. If he did, he gave no sign, but if he didn't he didn't ask again.

Remus wasn't sure what to think of Sirius Black anymore. The more he learned about him the harder it was to find the words to describe him. Remus couldn't remember a time since his mother gave him his pocket dictionary that he'd been at a loss for words.

There was always something new to discover about the man and every time he revealed another side of him Remus would be forced to go back to square one. It just made him too damn hard to label. After dinner they made their way to the Royal Embassy hotel in town where the party was being held.

Remus felt nervous but hid it well. He had no idea what Sirius was feeling as the man had done a 180 since their sobering after dinner conversation and was now excessively peppy.

"Just look devoted rice cake and I'll handle all the small talk. It's a tough crowd in there and it's taken a life time to learn how to work the subtle magic of negotiating polite society. You don't know these sorts of people like I do. I'll handle the social niceties and you just stand there looking gorgeous like you do. Mmkay? Don't worry, I'm good at working the crowds."

"What exactly do you mean by "working the crowds"? " Remus asked a bit concerned. He didn't want a scene. A low profile seemed wisest for their plan. Err. Sirius's plan that is.

"I won't be doing anything outrageously out of the ordinary for me. I said don't worry!"

Together they stepped through the magnificent double doors and found themselves at the top of a grand staircase. At the bottom of the stairs a ballroom full of elegantly dressed people was humming with quiet conversation.

"EVERYONE RELAX!" Sirius screamed and the entire party turned to stare at them. "I'M HERE NOW AND I BROUGHT MY TRUNK OF FUNK!"

"You better not be talking about me." Remus muttered.

Sirius winked at him saucily and draped his arm around the man's waist. Long elegant fingers rubbed small soothing circles into his hip.

"Relax funk trunk, I'm a pro."

Remus's heart had sped up at Sirius's touch but kept his face impassive as they headed down the stairs into the curious crowd.

A/N: I'M GIVING YOU THREE GLORIOUS CHAPTERS! THE LEAST YOU CAN DO IS REVIEW! :-)