FOR WARNINGS AND DISCLAIMER, SEE FIRST CHAPTER AN.
Although things had started out terribly, that summer was probably the best that Sirius had ever had. Living with the Potters was like being on perpetual holiday. It was a sad reality, considering that they lived rather average day to day lives, but for once Sirius was consistently happy. James's parents were very kind to him and assured him they didn't mind his presence even though he felt a bit like a mooch. Remus and Peter visited often as well, and even Anjanette here and there, the most they'd ever been able to spend time together outside of school. It almost made him not want to go back to Hogwarts when September rolled around.
Of course, it was hard not to be excited about the coming of their sixth year. The boys were finally able to stop taking boring classes that had nothing to do with their career choices ("History of Magic is finally history to us!" Sirius had said, his joke not earning much feedback). They were also going to learn to Apparate, a skill that wouldn't be very useful in the halls but might come in handy in Hogsmeade for a prank or two.
The boys took to their usual compartment on the train, Remus and Sirius sitting close with clasped hands between them, James and Peter across on the other bench. The freedom to spend so much time together over the summer had given the couple plenty of time to be openly affectionate. Their fellow Marauders weren't even fazed anymore, though they still insisted on the no snogging rule.
Shortly after the train began its journey, the compartment door opened and Anjanette stepped in with Harlie in her arms. She sat next to Remus and gave Sirius a nod. "Nice haircut."
Sirius smirked. "Thank you." He had struggled at first with the unwanted change, but James's father had given him some Sleekeazy's and he'd experimented with creating a style to hold him over until it grew back. He eventually settled on slicking it all back loosely so that tendrils here and there would stick up or fall onto his forehead.
The group chatted for a bit until they noticed movement out in the hall. Regulus was coming in their direction, and he looked through the window into their compartment. Sirius caught his eye briefly, and for a moment, his heart ached. If there was any part of his former home that he had wanted to take with him, it was his little brother. But Regulus hadn't even tried to figure out what had happened to him after that night, not one letter. Sirius whipped his head away, expression angry but eyes stinging with the threat of tears. Remus squeezed his hand more tightly.
Regulus lingered for a moment before his face fell in defeat. He turned to the opposite compartment, considering going there instead. Severus was sitting inside alone, and he glanced up when he saw his Housemate. The younger Slytherin shook his head, deciding to find somewhere else, and hurried away.
The Marauders were quiet for a moment. "Is he gone?" Sirius asked. The others made noises of confirmation. Sirius turned back to the group, blinking rapidly. They were all looking at him in concern, but he flashed a smile. "Hey, come on. Don't let me bring you down, mates. I'm okay." Though the cold metal of his locket, still hanging around his neck like a silent prayer, suddenly felt extra heavy.
Anjanette suddenly stood, and she set Harlie down in Remus's lap. "Watch her for me." She left the compartment and headed down the hall.
Regulus hadn't made it that far, only halfway along the car in front of them. Anjanette sped her pace to catch up with him and then grabbed him by the sleeve. Regulus startled, turning around. The Ravenclaw stared at him expectantly.
Regulus looked around and found that there was an empty compartment close, so he pulled Anjanette inside. Her violet eyes were boring into him like the first time they'd met, and he flushed, looking down at his feet. "You don't understand, AJ," he said, knowing already what she was thinking.
"You sat by while your insane father tortured your brother over nothing. I got the gist." Anjanette crossed her arms over her chest.
Regulus clenched his fists. He was so tired of people making him feel like he was wrong for not putting his neck on the line. "Yes. Yes, alright, I sat by! I'm not brave enough to put aside my own safety for others. I'm not brave enough to stand up for what I think is right. Did you expect anything different from me?" Anjanette didn't answer, but her eyes searched him. "I'm scared, AJ. All I want is to survive. The way the world is going, that's becoming a top priority."
Anjanette could only continue to stare, though her disappointment was becoming clearer. Then she finally spoke. "Surviving is lonely. Hope you can live with that." She stepped a little closer, her eyes soft with regret and sadness. A few inches away from him she hesitated, and then walked around him to leave the compartment.
Regulus didn't turn around, letting his head fall. His throat tightened and he brought a hand up to cover his eyes, never feeling more isolated in his life.
.:~I~S~S~:.
Sirius had been unusually quiet for the rest of the evening, and so when the pureblood crawled into Remus's bed late into the night, he wasn't surprised. The taller boy's arms circled around him easily, tucking his head under his chin. "Alright, love?" he asked softly.
Sirius hummed. "Been better." He nuzzled against Remus's neck and sighed. Even after having plenty of opportunity over the summer to be freely affectionate, cuddling with Remus still never got old.
"Do you want to talk?" Remus looked at the top of his boyfriend's head, stroking his fingers through his hair.
The other was quiet, then he lifted his head a little so he could see Remus's face. "I still love him, Moony," he murmured. "Even though he doesn't give a shit about me anymore."
"Don't say that," Remus said, sliding the hand that was in his hair to his cheek. "You know he loves you. He's just…"
"A Slytherin," Sirius almost spat. "Just like the rest of them. Every man for himself."
Remus didn't know what to say. It was hard to defend Regulus when he couldn't get past his self-protecting tendencies even for his brother. "I'm sorry, Siri. Maybe…Maybe when he's out on his own-"
"Forget it, Remus," Sirius stopped him, shaking his head. "It's not going to happen." He sighed. "I don't want to think about it anymore." He rolled them over so that Remus was under him. "Kiss me."
Remus knew that Sirius wasn't going to talk anymore if he'd made up his mind. Perhaps a little distraction would make him feel better. He smiled softly, and let both his hands slip through the silky black waves so he could pull him down. Their lips locked together, like the matching pieces in a set of gears. Soft, pleased sounds passed between them, bodies molded against each other.
Sirius let his hands slide along Remus's sides, pushing gently at his pajama top until it started to ride up. His hands found their way underneath, fingers caressing the other boy's skin. He could feel the differences in texture between the unmarred areas and the scars, and he lightly traced over the smooth patches. Remus shivered in response, tightening his grip on Sirius's hair.
"Merlin, Moony," Sirius breathed, breaking the kiss for a moment. He was certainly in better spirits now, letting his negative thoughts dissipate in the warmth of their love. He tugged at Remus's shirt, trying to get it up and off, but the werewolf was hesitant. Sirius had seen him shirtless before, but he still had that deep-seeded self-consciousness. His boyfriend gave him a warm smile, pure adoration gleaming in his eyes, and pecked him on the lips. "You know I think you're gorgeous, love," he said. Remus flushed, lifting his arms so Sirius could remove the garment.
Sirius took a moment to enjoy the sight. He hadn't fallen in love with Remus for his looks; their bond was much deeper than that, even if Remus also happened to be handsome. Now that they were together, however, he was finding Remus to be more and more visually irresistible. He was lithe, his skin a warm ivory, eyes like honey as they stared back at him. "Yup. Gorgeous," he said with a smirk, resulting in an increase in the red tint spreading from Remus's neck all the way down his chest. Sirius bent again to kiss along one of the scars on his shoulder, relishing in the quiet whine of pleasure emitted from the boy under him. Long-fingered hands found their way to Sirius's hips, while said pureblood continued to pay close attention to each of the silvery-white lines.
"Pads…" Remus sighed out, body arching up to meet his boyfriend's kisses. He'd never thought that the constant reminder of the monster inside of him would one day make him feel so good. Or maybe it just felt good because it was Sirius and anywhere he kissed was prone to lighting up with excitement.
Although Remus had snogged Mary a few times, he couldn't remember ever feeling the raw desire that he was experiencing at that moment. He hadn't wanted to get her undressed or to pull her impossibly closer to himself. He had hardly felt any…natural responses that he was sure most blokes were supposed to feel when they were with a girl. With Sirius, it was night and day. He couldn't keep his hands from fumbling at Sirius's shirt buttons, wanting to see him, touch him, feel their chests rubbing together.
Sirius pulled back enough to get his shirt off before going right back to his lavishing, while Remus's hands explored the marble-like expanse of his back. He was more muscular where Remus was sinewy, his pale complexion flawless. If anyone ever did look at them as a couple, they would surely be confused as to why someone so beautiful settled for someone damaged like Remus, when he could have anyone. He knew Sirius wouldn't like that kind of talk, and the growing reaction between his boyfriend's legs directly opposed it, but he couldn't help the thoughts. He just hoped that it became easier in the future to accept that Sirius did find him attractive.
As the kisses became more passionate and the heat between them built, the boys found themselves in a bit of a predicament. They seemed to have the same thought in the same moment, and looked at each other with healthy flushes and dark eyes.
"Moons," Sirius said softly, voice pitched lower than usual.
"I know." Remus bit his lip. "What do you think?"
Sirius turned even redder. "I…I don't know. M-Maybe?"
"We don't have to," Remus said. This was just as new to him as it was to Sirius, and he wasn't even sure where to start. "We don't have to rush."
"It wouldn't be a rush with you," Sirius murmured earnestly, which made Remus's eyes roll fondly at his sappiness. "But let's go slow anyway." While he was sure that they could figure out how to do things right, he thought it was better to be more prepared when that time came. For now, a little friction would do.
Remus reached out to close his curtains and cast a silencing charm so that they wouldn't disturb James or Peter. It was better for all parties for this to stay private.
They kicked out of their pajama bottoms but left on their underwear for now. Then, Sirius started to rock his hips gently against Remus's, the warmth where their bodies met rubbing exquisitely together, and he let out something akin to a canine whine. Remus couldn't help snickering at the inhuman sound. Sirius took this as a challenge, and with a smug look, pressed himself down harder, scraping himself over Remus. Said werewolf gasped, his moan choked as his head lolled back in enjoyment. Sirius took the opportunity to latch his lips back to the other boy's skin, kissing it tenderly.
The two held each other tightly as their hips moved in sync, exchanging kisses and moans and declarations of love, until they had absorbed so much of each other that they were bursting from the inside. When it was over, they were breathing heavily, sprawled over the bed so that it was hard to tell whose limbs were whose.
"Too bad we can't do that every day," Sirius said dreamily as he snuggled into Remus.
Remus played with Sirius's hair as he held him, twirling the soft strands it around his finger. Sirius felt the urge to wag Padfoot's tail. "Maybe when we live together."
Sirius smirked, tracing absent patterns over Remus's chest. "We'll wake up together, eat breakfast together, come home together, have dinner together…"
"James and Peter will come over whenever they want. You'll be planning pranks on the neighbors…" Remus said, already thinking about the complaints they'd probably get.
Sirius's eyes went distant, a soft smile on his face. "Sounds pretty great, doesn't it?"
Remus grinned. In that moment, it didn't matter that there was a war building or that they had both lost their families. They had each other, and the bonds of love and trust they'd built with their friends that went far beyond the default of blood.
"Yeah," he finally said, leaning down and kissing Sirius chastely. "It sounds perfect."
Fin.
