Plot Bunnys!

Short of the World

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 03:51:02 GMT

Title: Short of the World
Author: B, AKA plotbunnies_rxs
Rating: R to be safe for mentions of sex and a swear word.
Spoilers: NONE! HAHAHA! Its set MWPP-Hogwarts to 31 Oct 1981
Inspiration: Ben Jelen's new album, Track 10, Short of the World (you can find the lyrics on the media page).
A/N: This is a totally experimental style for me. I totally encourage you to either listen to the song, or at least read the lyrics first, as it goes really nicely with it. It's very poetic, which I tend to stay away from.

~~Also, as I have not finished DH yet, please refrain from placing spoilers in the comments! Thanks!~~

Remember, Comments are love!

Short of the World

I can remember…
An unruly but aristocratic boy rolling into my compartment that first day. Defiant, stubbourn, the spirit of youth, as if Peter Pan himself leapt off of the page from the book in my lap and sprawled himself across the seat in front of me. You were everything I’d never be. A smudge of chocolate on your nose five minutes later and we were friends.

I can remember…
Two black mops of hair hunched over a single sheet of crisp parchment, plotting, planning, conversing over a well thought prank, and then both of you turning to me in perfectly mirrored unison for approval. Promises of summer adventures and “of course we’ll still be friends after we’re out of school; don’t worry so much!”

On &on &on we go…

Why did you even fathom betraying my trust the way you did?
Why did it have to be HIM of all people?
Didn’t you promise me everything short of the world?
On &on &on we go…

I’ll always cherish…
Moments of forgiveness, of meaning, realizing that you’re not so unlike me at all. Sunday mornings and a first kiss over a sink of breakfast dishes, awakened from our reverie by a shattered teacup. New beginnings and happy endings and reading Shakespeare in bed. Knowing glances across James and Lily’s dining room table, and finally a secret that was ours alone.

I’ll always cherish…
A candlelit dinner and the celebration of the best Christmas recorded in History in our festering boil of a flat. You by my side, forever and always. Your atrocious sock drawer and the scent of Earl Grey in the early morning light before you grew the taste for Ogden’s. The smell of sweat, sex, and cigarettes on hot summer nights when you insisted that cooling charms were for the weak of heart.

On &on &on we go…

When did you turn away from me in your sleep?
When did you slowly allow THEM to win?
Didn’t you promise me everything short of the world?
On &on &on we go…

I’ll never forget…
Whisperings amongst the Order, a traitor in our midst. Your loving glances becoming murderous glares, overnight missions becoming week long affairs, confidence becoming secrets kept away, love became mistrust. Pain becoming a daily routine and lovers became strangers under the same unwashed linen sheets.

I’ll never forget…
A fateful Halloween, nervous and anxious tension, thick and coarse. A frantic fuck in the light of a low crescent moon and you had vanished. Needles filling my insides with the overwhelming feeling of dread that cannot go ignored. Clawing, wanting to throw open the door and tear down the street to I don’t know where. A celebration at midnight and you were gone forever.

On &on &on we go…

When did I go blind to you?
When did I allow THIS to haunt me?
Didn’t we give everything short of the world?
On &on &on we go…

Set me free, Memories.

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 19:29:46 GMT

Title: Move Over
Pairing(s): 5/3
Rating: NC-17 (not WS)
Summary: See Author's Notes.
Author Notes: I fully blame GY for encouraging my luv of 5353, and I fully blame Requiem for including that wonderful shower sequence, and I blame every R/S fanfic I've read that has the boys crawling into each others bed. Also, thanks SO entirely much Yugs for betaing and being patient with me. I whole-heartedly appreciate it! *hugs*
Length: 3824 words (my new record!!!)

Move Over
For guardian_yugi,
to brighten her day and so she can get her pr0n on...

Sha Gojyo was most certainly, without even the slightest trace of a shadow of doubt, having an unbelievably bad day.

One might venture to guess that it may have started when Hakkai accidentally kicked him in the shin when they were packing up their make-shift campsite that morning. One could counter that it was Goku stealing nibbles from his plate in the tiny innless town at lunch while he flirted with the waitress. One could even venture a guess that the whole mess started when the Merciful Goddess handpicked him and his misfit companions to embark on this endless journey. But in all actuality, it really began as they checked into the small, albeit busy, inn in the seemingly sleepy town they happened upon that evening.

“What the hell, Hakkai?!” Gojyo exclaimed.

“I’m sorry, Gojyo,” Hakkai began softly, “but seeing that there are only two rooms vacant, and both of you smoke…”

“I’m not rooming with that piece of shit monk.”

“Please, just for the night. We’ll look for a more vacant inn tomorrow. It’s just a night,” Hakkai soothed. Gojyo slumped his shoulders and sighed. He had been defeated, and he knew it. “Would you like to stay down here for a drink first? It might help.”

Gojyo glanced around the busy bar of the inn. There were several games of chance being partaken, but all of the players looked a bit peaked. He couldn’t bring himself to try his hand and take all of their money. He took one look at the barmaid and shook his head furiously. He knew that he hadn’t been satiated in a while, but under the circumstances, he didn’t even fathom where he would get an impermeable paper bag large enough to fit over her head. He turned back to his companion and shook his head once more.

“Nah, not tonight. I think I’ll go upstairs and take a long shower… and die.”

“Well, at least you won’t be entirely alone, we’ll be able to find the body straight away,” Hakkai mused. Gojyo shot him a quick glare and headed up the stairs.

He stopped outside the door to the room he was about to share with Sanzo and ran a hand through his hair, muttering a few obscenities under his breath before entering the room. He found the monk propped against the headboard of the only bed in the room, reading a newspaper, a mound of blankets on the floor nearby. He narrowed his eyes considerably at the scene and snorted indignantly. Noticing a small pile of towels on a chair near the bathroom, he angrily grabbed the one full sized towel offered.

“I’m taking a shower,” he announced loudly, adding “asshole” under his breath. He paused before he started for the bathroom to see if he had gotten a reaction, but Sanzo just continued reading his paper. Gojyo sighed and slumped his stance once more before crossing towards the bathroom. As his hand reached for the handle of the door, he heard Sanzo speak for the first time since they had arrived in the town.

"Use all of the hot water and I'll use up all of my bullets. Put two and two together." Gojyo turned his head to regard the pale blond, who was glaring at him icily out of the corner of his eye before going back to his paper.

Gojyo grunted as he let himself into the small bathroom, nearly slamming the door behind him.

*~*~*

Gojyo couldn’t remember exactly how long he had been standing under the searing water. He rolled his head until he heard his neck crack loudly, and felt the tension in his shoulders begin to ebb away. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He never even heard the door to the bathroom open, allowing an intruder to stand next to the tub, the weapon inching its way to rest at his temple. He only became aware when he heard the safety of the gun click.

“Move over,” the intruder said with an eerie calm. Gojyo’s eyes flashed open, and he jumped just enough to see the barrel of the small Smith & Wesson pointed between his eyes, and could barely make out the figure holding it steadily through the fog of steam.

“WHAT THE FUCK?!” Gojyo screamed as he stumbled backwards, not quite slipping on the floor of the bathtub. “WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING, YOU PIECE OF SHIT?!” Never taking his amethyst eyes off of him, Sanzo slowly lowered the weapon and set it on the tank of the toilet.

"Didn't I tell you about my bullets and your hot water usage?" Sanzo said calmly as pushed the curtain back just enough for his slender form to slip in under the showerhead. Gojyo backed all the way against the wall of the tub opposite the stream of clear water, watching with confused eyes as Sanzo unconsciously turned his back on him and allowed the rivulets to spill down his back.

Gojyo couldn’t move. He found himself fascinated by the uncharacteristic nature of this Genjo Sanzo that was standing before him, naked and oblivious to the fact that he was still there. He watched as the hot water soaked through the other man’s hair, plastering it to the alabaster skin of his neck. He found his gaze slipping over the taut skin covering lean muscles over a slender frame. Gojyo never thought much of the male gender before as he always preferred the opposite sex; considering the monk's effeminate nature, he couldn’t help but notice just how beautiful Sanzo truly was. His eyes ran down Sanzo’s back, taking in the ridges of his spine, the fine hairline scars that no one would have noticed, let alone been allowed to see. Then the thought appeared without a moment’s hesitation: Why is he allowing ME of all people to see them now?

Gojyo was still staring and unaware that the man standing before him had turned around. He brought his eyes up the rigid stomach muscles cloaked in white skin over the delicate collarbone to find piercing violet eyes boring a burning hole in him. Neither spoke. Sanzo merely took a glance down to acknowledge Gojyo’s betraying erection before bringing his eyes back up to glare accusingly accusingly into the hanyou's. He narrowed those same eyes before ducking out of the shower and leaving the room.

Gojyo let out the breath he had been holding, panting considerably before looking down at the stiffness in his groin. He stepped back under the water, which had begun to grow lukewarm and rubbed his forehead. What in the hell? he thought to himself. "What the fuck just happened? How in the hell did THAT get me hard? It’s Sanzo for fuck’s sake! Swearing, spitting, crude, disgusting Sanzo is NOT supposed to get me hard! He let out a defeated groan and turned off the water. He rested his forehead against the cool tile of the shower for a moment to compose himself before pulling back the curtain. He looked around the bathroom. The gun was still sitting silently on the tank of the toilet, and the towel was nowhere to be found.

“Motherfucker,” he said under his breath.

He emerged from the bathroom, quickly snatching one of the small hand-towels from the chair. The rain was pouring down in sheets against the window, and the room was dark. He let out a softly exasperated sigh as he found the monk in the center of the bed, curled tightly in the blankets turned away from the window. Gojyo knew that he wasn’t asleep, the rain made sure of that.

He dried himself as best as he could with the miniscule towel and crossed over to his bag, which had been placed next to the crumpled heap of blankets left for him to make a palate on the floor. He extracted a pair of boxers and slipped them on, glancing once more at the monk. He couldn’t make out whether his eyes were closed or not under the fringe of damp hair that canopied his brow, but by his erratic breathing, he knew that he wouldn’t drift off to sleep anytime soon. He thought it best to just leave it for the night. He spread out one of the blankets, covered himself with the other and tried to forget everything that had happened that evening.

~*~*~

Gojyo woke up a few hours later, shivering from the cold the rain had placed upon the room. He sat up and cracked his neck, hoping to ease the stiffness from sleeping on the floor and glanced at the window. The rain had let up, perhaps an hour before. There was only the occasional drip from the awning.

He got to his feet and sauntered over to the radiator. Broken. He cursed softly to himself and kicked it gently with the ball of his foot. He rubbed his upper arms, feeling the goosebumped flesh beneath his calloused hands. He tried to fight the urge to glance towards the bed, but failed miserably.

Even curled with his back towards him, Gojyo could see the steady rise and fall of Sanzo’s sleeping form. He must have drifted off once the rain stopped, he thought to himself as he watched. He took a tentative step towards the bed. He knew that he shouldn’t wake the monk. He knew that he was risking not only his sanity, but every breath he took with what was going through his mind, even though all he could think of was that it would be a hell of a lot warmer under the blankets with a body next to him than alone with a threadbare sheet on the floor.

“Sanzo,” he whispered as he hesitantly placed a gentle hand on the monk’s covered shoulder. “Sanzo, move over.”

“Nnngh...” he mumbled, pulling the blanket more protectively around his groggy figure. Gojyo furrowed his brow and shook the shoulder gently.

“Fucking move over, you piece of shit monk,” he said, a bit louder.

“You’re looking for a good reason to die, aren’t you?” Sanzo replied hoarsely. He turned slightly to look at the half-breed over his shoulder. “Why the hell are you doing this?”

“I’m fucking cold.”

“I gave you blankets. They should be sufficient.” Gojyo let out an empty chuckle and scowled.

“You gave me a thin quilt and an even thinner blanket. Now move the fuck over.”

Sanzo narrowed his eyes and glared, not moving. Gojyo could hear his heart begin to pound in his ears. He began to get a feeling that this may not have been the best of ideas, but it was too late now.

“And just why,” Sanzo began slowly, “do you think you can just crawl in here with me and more importantly, that I’d allow it?”

“Oh!” Gojyo exclaimed, his eyebrows raised daringly. “Like you didn’t barge in on the privacy of my shower earlier. Now I’m only going to say it one more time. Move the fuck over.”

“Tch,” Sanzo grunted before reluctantly shifting over to allow the kappa to climb in, leaving a considerable amount of space between them. Gojyo laid his head on the extra pillow and pulled the blanket up around his shoulders, careful not to pull too much towards him. He blinked several times at the pale nape of Sanzo’s neck, seeing that there was still an ounce of tension there, and finally drifted off to sleep.

~*~*~*~

The next few days passed without a word of what had occurred between the kappa and the monk. Gojyo breathed a sigh of relief thinking that it was just a fluke and that it had passed as he bore the blunt end of Sanzo’s fan after a scuttle in the back of the Jeep with Goku. A full week had gone by when he finally had a pleasant night’s sleep without any fears of being walked in on in the shower or having to share a bed with anyone, particularly someone that was traveling with him.

Yet, every once in a while, the images of damp honey strands of hair clinging to the pale skin of a masculine, albeit invitingly effeminate neck still plagued his thoughts.

~*~*~

They stopped for the night at a vacant inn in a sleepy town that seemed to have not been hit by the plaguing youkai that had been pillaging the countryside they had just left behind. They were fortunate enough to check into separate rooms, and after losing a considerable amount of money to Hakkai playing cards, Gojyo retreated to his room, his pockets a little lighter, and his mind a bit fogged from the sake they shared.

Gojyo sat on the edge of the bed and kicked off his boots when the thoughts began to haunt him once again. He buried his face in his hands and took a deep breath.

“Not fucking now,” he grumbled to himself. He breathed deeply once more and stood to peel off his travel-worn clothes. He turned off the light and pulled back the itchy coverlet of the bed, slipping inside and curling over to try and calm his dreams into a restful sleep.

~*~*~

Gojyo found his eyes betraying him and awoke to find Sanzo's staring back at him. He made to scramble back, but felt deft fingers curling around his upper arm.

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

“My room is cold,” Sanzo replied evenly.

“So you thought you’d crawl into my bed?”

“You crawled into mine, once.”

Gojyo opened and closed his mouth, not finding his voice. The hand skimmed up and rested itself on his neck and he closed his eyes for a moment, swallowing a gulp of air that had formed in the back of his throat before opening them again.

“What… what are you doing?” he whispered.

“Finishing what you started.” Sanzo said softly. Gojyo quirked an eyebrow in confusion.

“What I started?”

Sanzo narrowed his eyes icily as he shifted a bit closer, threading his fingers in the long silky red hair. Gojyo’s breath hitched as he felt the soft lips of the monk barely brush against his. He closed his eyes at the sensation, not truly believing that this creature that spat obscenities and insults without a care for whom he could hurt, who drank sake like it was water, matching him drink for drink some nights, who smoked with an eerie calm was taking such a risk with a half-breed like him.

“Ar-are you sure about this?” Gojyo breathed. He never heard a reply come from Sanzo’s lips, only felt the firm press of his lips upon his own.

There were answers laced in the charged kiss. A parting of the lips became, “shut your trap you grotto-headed asswipe,” a small teasing lick at Gojyo’s bottom lip became, “I do as I please,” and finally, the slip of his tongue into Gojyo’s mouth twisted around into “show me what to do.”

Gojyo felt a deep moan pass his throat as his tongue tangled with Sanzo’s, causing the delicate hand weaved in the locks of his hair to pull hard. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he became conscious of the fact that one of his own hands had betrayed him, slipping across to graze the ribs of the tense form next to him. His fingers set to work, pushing the tight leather of the singlet Sanzo wore up slightly to feel the soft skin beneath. He exhaled softly as the other man broke away from the kiss, only to realize that he was ridding himself of the constricting fabric before settling back down to kiss him fiercely again.

He risked shifting closer, his eyes fluttering closed as the bulge hidden in Sanzo’s jeans rubbed against his own beneath the soft cotton of his boxers. Gojyo turned his head slightly, taking over the kiss as Sanzo pulled his tongue back into his own mouth. As he set to work discovering with a kiss, eliciting a soft whimper from the other man, he pulled his hand down to fumble with the button of the constricted jeans, finally freeing Sanzo’s erection and wrapping his warm hand around the tensing organ.

Gojyo’s mind raced a mile a minute. He seriously had no clue as to what he was doing, but figured it couldn’t be that difficult in the long run.

He pulled away from Sanzo’s mouth and gently nudged him onto his back, placing a trail of soft kisses towards his ear. He felt the other man release a staggered breath as his hand slowly stroked his erection. Cautiously, he began to lead the trail of soft kisses down the monk’s neck, ghosting over the shivering flesh with his breath. He paused over a nipple, gently nipping it with his teeth before swirling around it with his tongue, leaving it a tiny swollen nub before moving over to the other, repeating the gesture.

Gojyo inched himself down further and further, determinedly tasting Sanzo’s flesh beneath him. He glanced up for only a moment to see the blond’s head thrown back, a slight moan escaping from his mouth at the long dormant sensations which had been violently awoken from their stubbourn slumber.

Gojyo hitched his breath. He tentatively placed a hand on Sanzo’s hip and stilled his stroking. He heard the soft gasp escape the monk’s lips and took that as his final cue. He bent down carefully and licked at the bead of precome that had collected at the tip of Sanzo’s erection.

The blond writhed. Gojyo fought the urge to grin wickedly and ran his tongue along the length of Sanzo’s cock, causing him to arch his back even more. He stroked the monk’s hip with his hand soothingly, and when he felt the muscles relax, he took Sanzo's cock in his mouth and began to slowly caress it with his tongue.

He teased the slit, licking roughly as another drop of precome leaked from it, tasting the salty bitterness that spread on his tongue. He opened an eye and glanced up to see Sanzo’s mouth open just slightly, his violet eyes squeezed impossibly shut. His mouth quirked into a grin slightly and he opened his mouth a bit wider, pulling half of Sanzo’s cock in his mouth, sucking hard. His own erection twitched, and he fought the urge to take his own hand away from the monk’s hip to relieve his own tension.

He got braver. He began pulling Sanzo’s cock in and out of his mouth, moving slowly, carefully. The monk’s hips jerked again, and he began moving closer to the hilt, mouthing his cock roughly and in a much quicker rhythm, delighting in the soft gasps he was eliciting from his struggling partner. He moved his head down quickly, and sucked hard as he pulled back slowly. It would be a matter of moments before the blond would become unhinged.

He felt a hand drift back to his head, not pulling his hair roughly as before, but threading the soft red silk gently, encouragingly. He continued his ministrations, quickened his pace, his cock throbbing against his boxers as he felt shudders of pleasure in the body beneath him. He tasted the first spurt of come going down his throat and fought the urge to come himself.

“Go-“

~*~*~

Gojyo woke with a start, sitting up and panting wildly. He looked about the room. It was the same darkened room he had shared with Sanzo a week and a half prior, or so he thought. His skin was cold and clammy, and as he glanced at the window he noticed the sheets of rain pouring against it. He cracked his neck and placed a hand on the floor to support himself. He had been sleeping on the cold palate he had made for himself the entire time. Next to his pack, he noticed the full sized towel, still damp from his shower.

Sanzo used that towel, not me, he thought to himself. The chair still held the 2 hand towels offered from the housekeeping.

Gojyo glanced at the bed. Sanzo was facing away from the window, his robes still around his shoulders and the sutra folded neatly on the nightstand. He rubbed his face and felt the cold sweat that was starting to ebb away before realizing that there was something wrong with the blanket pooled around his lap.

He groaned and pushed himself up, bracing his hand against the radiator. It was broken, just as it had been in the dream. He stumbled to the bathroom and quietly shut the door behind him, not wanting to disturb his companion. He turned the tap of the sink on, and allowed the cool water to pool in his hands before splashing his face, cleansing himself quickly. He looked back up to the mirror, taking in the bags under his eyes from a fitful sleep. As if unconsciously, he turned his head and took in the sight of the banishing gun resting on the tank of the toilet, mocking him.

“Fuck,” he breathed before shaking his head. He turned off the water and stepped back into the room.

Gojyo took one look at the sticky lump of blankets that had been his bed, and shook his head for the second time before running a hand through his long hair. He looked over to the bed once more. Sanzo’s breathing had evened out considerably, though he still let out a small shiver every so often. The blankets that had been around him when they had turned in for the night were crumpled at the end of the bed, kicked off during a rough dream, apparently.

It’s the rain, Gojyo told himself. Carefully, he climbed into the bed beside the monk, pulling the blankets around both of them. He turned his back on Sanzo, knowing better than to try anything funny with the coarse monk. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, before feeling the body next to him shift and a hand reach over to drape a timid arm around his middle.

Gojyo opened his eyes for only a moment as he felt nervous lips brush the back of his neck. He smiled, and shifted slightly, curling into the monk’s embrace before closing his eyes and drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

~*~*~

The next morning, Gojyo awoke alone, his bag packed and sitting on the bed. The room had been straightened considerably, much to the surprise of the kappa. He sauntered downstairs to find his companions sitting around one of the tables, enjoying a hearty breakfast.

“Sleep well?” Hakkai asked him as he took an empty seat.

“Yes and no,” he replied honestly. He heard a faint snort of indignation and glanced over to Sanzo, who merely turned a page of his newspaper and continued reading. The events of the evening were not spoken of again.

FIN

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 03:41:31 GMT

Title: Caramel Apples and Carelessness
Rating: PG-13 (or thereabouts)
Author: plotbunnies_rxs
Pairings: R/S, J/L
Warnings: Fluff. Pure Fluff.
Summary: Sirius and Remus relieve James and Lily of laundry and Harry for an evening and disaster strikes. Prompt from scarvesnhats, Day Eight. 797 words.

Previous Days
Day One: Hollow
Days Two & Three: Of Parsnips and Pink Rubber
Day Four: A Place Called Home
Day Five: Nothing's Impossible
Day Six: Over the Moon
Day Seven: Brothers

Caramel Apples and Carelessness
For Missy AKA my_badgers_27
The Prongs to my Padfoot

The apples tasted sweet. He had come across the orchard early in the morning. He had managed to creep under the fence undetected, and ate a few of the ripe red orbs that had fallen to the ground. They were perfect. As he savored each bite, he could almost taste the thick caramel that had engulfed the treats in his youth. He missed Remus’ caramel apples. He missed watching him meticulously make them, grunting under his breath as he shoved wooden sticks into their cores as if it had taken all his strength to do so. He missed when they would go to James and Lily’s flat and make the treats as they watched after little Harry, the ebbs of autumn slowly whittling away into winter. He lay on the grass and remembered.

~*~*~

“Finally!”

“You got it ALL done?”

“Can you believe it? I never knew that Lily had so many pairs of knickers!”

“You just wanted to see Lily’s knickers, didn’t you?”

“Now Remus. You know that the only undergarments that could possibly turn me on would be yours, but seeing that you don’t exactly… wear any-“

“And whose fault is that?”

“Hey, you can’t blame me for continuing to not wear them. Especially on days like today.”

“What’s so special about today?”

“Well, for one, you’re wearing jeans.”

“That I am.”

“And for two… two… what in the world are you doing?”

“Hm?”

“Why are you holding an apple on a stick?”

“Oh! This.”

“Yes, that.”

“Caramel apples.”

“……”

“What? What are you smirking at?”

“We switch flats with James and Lils for the day, and you’re making caramel apples?”

“Well, you don’t have to eat one, Berk.”

“Nonce.”

“Sirius?”

“Hm?”

“I don’t hear Harry.”

“You what?”

“Listen.”

“…….”

“…….”

“FUCK!”

~*~*~

Sirius ran for the bedroom, Remus on his heels. Harry had been playing with his toy snitch on the bed while he had folded the clothes, but now he was nowhere to be seen. Immediately, Sirius and Remus both began throwing the crisply pressed shirts this way and that, causing the whole pile to form a mountain on the bed once more. He had just grabbed one of Lily’s bras when he dead stopped.

Sirius sniffed the air. He could smell the traces of burnt sugar at the front of his nose. He turned sharply to his familiar, who had taken notice of his abrupt pause in searching for the baby.

“Caramel.” Remus’ eyes went wide when he realized what Sirius meant.

“Burning?!” They both ran into the kitchen. Remus grabbed the smoking pot from the stove and threw it into the sink, grabbing his wrist and blowing on his throbbing palm. Sirius turned the stove off and took Remus’ hands.

“It doesn’t look that bad. You’ll live.”

“Pads?”

“Yes?”

“Harry?”

“FUCK!”

They ran back into the bedroom, and heard a quiet tinkling laugh coming from an open spot next to the pile of mussed laundry. Sirius looked to Remus and quirked an eyebrow. He reached out his hand and felt a soft round lump, though he didn’t see it. He took a fistful of clear fabric and pulled up: Harry had been under the Invisibility Cloak. Sirius let out a sigh of relief as Remus laughed, turned and retreated back to the kitchen. He picked up the baby, resting him on his hip, Lily’s bra still in hand and followed his familiar back into the kitchen.

“And what is so funny?”

“You have got to be the worst godfather I have ever seen!”

“Is that so?!”

“Mmhmm!”

Sirius looked to Harry. The baby was no longer paying attention to the man who was holding him. He had found a great interest in the fabric of Sirius sleeve, his face a void of emotion. Sirius pulled a face, and looked to Remus, who was wearing a triumphant smirk.

Then, Sirius did the unthinkable: he placed Lily’s bra atop his head clasping it one-handed and stuck his tongue out at the baby, who clapped his hands and giggled shrilly.

“See! Uncle Padfoot is a good babysitter!”

“SIRIUS BLACK! WHAT IN ALL OF GOD’S CREATION ARE YOU DOING WITH MY BRASSIERE ON YOUR HEAD IN FRONT OF MY CHILD?!”

“FUCK!” Sirius’s eyes grew wide as he shoved the baby back into its mother’s arms, and promptly fled.

~*~*~

He lay under one of the apple trees and dosed, a small doggy smile creeping across his lips. He enjoyed memories like this, without having the Dementor’s sweeping past to steal them away. Soon, he would be able to make even more new memories with Remus, or at least he held onto a thread of hope that he could. But, he had to find Peter first.

FIN
X-posted at scarvesnhats and remusxsirius & FF.net.

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 02:45:09 GMT

Title: Brothers
Rating: PG-13 (or thereabouts)
Author: plotbunnies_rxs
Pairings: R/S implied (aftermath, sort of)
Warnings: Death, a bit of violence and a battle scene. Why oh why did I choose this plotline?
Summary: Sirius visits the Prewett graves. Prompt from scarvesnhats, Day Seven. 1,430 words.

Previous Days
Day One: Hollow
Days Two & Three: Of Parsnips and Pink Rubber
Day Four: A Place Called Home
Day Five: Nothing's Impossible
Day Six: Over the Moon

Brothers
For Riley

We've tried to wash our hands of all this
We never talk of our lacking relationships
And how we're guilt stricken sobbing with our
Heads on the floor
We fell through the ice when we tried not to
Slip, we'd say
For the life of me I cannot remember
What made us think that we were wise and
We'd never compromise
For the life of me I cannot believe
We'd ever die for these sins
We were merely freshmen
-The Freshmen, the Verve Pipe

The great dog padded cautiously into the barren cemetery, a bunch of wildflowers tucked between his teeth. He paused as a brisk gust of October wind rushed past him, causing the yellowed leaves of an old Sycamore tree to dance at his feet. He glanced at the various grave-markers, searching for the two he needed to pay due respect to. It had been twelve years, and he wasn’t fairly sure where they would be located, but he knew that they were here. The whole of their family was here, save for their sister, so he knew he was close.

~*~*~

“It’s only a reconnaissance mission, lads, but ever the same-“

“Constant Vigilance,” the five boys droned.

“Alright, you smart little shites. I’m being completely serious.”

“No, that would be me, sir.”

“Shut it, Black,” Moody barked. “We are to stay at the perimeter of the encampment. We still don’t know if it truly is a Death Eater camp, but better safe than sorry. Potter?”

“What if it is a Death Eater camp?” James asked.

“Then, you return back here at once. Do not go in with hexing wands. That goes double for you two.”

“Would we ever do something like that?” The twins Gideon and Fabian pronounced singularly.

“I’ve got my eye on you, remember that. Dismissed.”

~*~*~

Sirius hated reconnaissance missions about as much as he had hated History of Magic. Frightfully dull and boring, just like Remus’ neatly folded sock drawer, he would drawl to James when the werewolf wasn’t in the room. He sat cross-legged against the tree next to James, his chin propped on his hand as he picked grass with the other. He sighed exasperatedly and felt a hand pop him upside his head.

“Stop it, Pads. You’re not making this any easier.”

“Well, it’s stupid. We know it’s a Death Eater camp. I don’t see why we can’t just go and capture it.”

“Because,” Frank Longbottom began, “we need to gather more information on what Voldemort has planned. It wouldn’t do for us all to lose our necks over something trivial.”

“Yeah-“

“Like him stealing-“

“Dumbledore’s socks-“

“For example.”

“Well, Dumbledore would be rightly pleased with us, if we returned with a supply of his missing socks, wouldn’t he?” Sirius sulked.

“Cheer up, Pads. It could be worse.”

“HMPH! Nothing’s worse than this,” he said as he picked another blade, letting it float to the ground.

CRACK!

“Spies! Get them!”

It was a blur. The Death Eaters had been on to their information gathering mission. Sparks from various wands flew this way and that. Sirius had leapt to his feet in a heartbeat, flanked by Frank Longbottom. They threw stunning spells as quickly as they could muster. James disapparated as soon as he could gain his footing. Sirius understood. He had a family to protect.

He shot another spell at a rather large masked figure stalking towards him, missing all together. This one’s clever, but I bet he’s not a quick sort, he thought to himself. He tossed his wand into his left hand, rearing the right back into a fist and clocking the Death Eater under the jaw. He saw him stumble backwards, sputtering, and barely lifting the mask to spit out a mouthful of teeth and blood. His eyes narrowed at his prey.

“Want another, Nancy?” Sirius shouted at him tauntingly. He passed the wand into his right again and shot a stunning spell, the red sparks searing the blackened night to find their target right in center of his chest, causing the cloaked man to fall unconscious to the ground. He whipped back around to see Frank and the twins being outnumbered. He ran back, losing his footing only slightly as he sent more spells towards the Death Eaters. He saw Frank take a hit to the stomach and fall backwards.

“Get him out of here, Black!” Gideon yelled.

“We’ll take care of the cleanup!” Fabian added.

“No! There’s too many! We go together!” Sirius called as he threw Frank’s arm over his shoulder.

“JUST GET OUT OF HERE!” The twins yelled in unison. He clutched at the limp form hanging from his shoulder and disapparated with a POP!

~*~*~

The room was eerily silent. James paced back and forth, still glancing at the clock in Molly’s living room. They had met back at the twins’ sister’s home in case Sirius and Frank had been followed. Moody sat at the table across from Sirius, while Frank held an icepack to his head in an armchair nearby. Every few seconds, Moody would shift in his seat, muttering curses about Sirius’ irresponsibility as he took another drink from his flask. Sirius dug his elbows into his knees, his fingers clasped and his forehead resting on them. A whooshing noise from the fireplace snapped his head up, and he felt the blood rush from his face.

Remus.

The werewolf looked even more peaked than he did on full moon days. He looked about the room, his eyes falling on Sirius for a moment before swallowing a lump of guilt? betrayal? hatred? that turned Sirius’ stomach. He cleared his throat and looked at a knot in the floor.

“Someone from our side had informed them that you were on their perimeters." Remus lifted his head, his gaze directly at Sirius. "We have to move Headquarters again, at Dumbledore’s request. I’m sorry, Molly. You and your family cannot stay here. It’s not safe.”

Remus never took his eyes off of Sirius, nor did Sirius take his eyes off of him. He knew that the wolf before him was thinking the same thing he was: And it’s more than likely because of you.

“I know where we can go. Don’t worry about us, Remus,” she said softly, nodding. She hitched a breath and fought a tear that threatened to streak her cheek. “What about…” she trailed.

“Dead,” Remus said gravely. “I’m sure you don’t want to know the details. It wasn’t a pretty sight, I’m afraid.”

“Those foolhardy-“

“Alastor,” Frank chided quietly.

“And you! Getting hit by that Stunner!” Moody growled. “They wouldn’t have stayed if you’d been able to plant your feet on the ground properly, Longbottom!”

“That’s enough,” James interrupted calmly. He glanced at Molly, who had seated herself on an ottoman, her expression blank and her visage as stark as a cleaned bed sheet. “I think it best if we all go and leave Molly be. Sirius will stay here.”

“Oh, I will, will I?” Sirius said through gritted teeth. “I’m not the one who left us for dead.”

“Not tonight, Pads,” James replied. “Tonight, we remember Gideon and Fabian, and tomorrow we mourn. Tomorrow night, we fight again.” With that, James disapparated to the comforts of his concealed home where a nervous wife and child wait for him. Sirius locked eyes with Remus, who merely shook his head and disapparated after James.

“Gimme your flask, Moody,” Sirius said gruffly, holding out his hand. Moody looked skeptically at the dark-haired young man in front of him with his good eye, the magical one focused behind him where Remus had stood and hesitantly passed the flask across the table. Sirius tipped back a shot’s worth of Firewhiskey and pulled a face.

“Gideon and Fabian. May peace find their wicked souls,” he muttered to no one in particular.

~*~*~

He approached the markers and transformed. He split the bundle of flowers and placed them on Gideon and Fabian’s graves. He fumbled in his pockets and found the packet of Emperor’s Best Chinese Firebombs, the small red candies the Prewetts ever had a craving for, placing them between the two stones. He had nicked them from a Wizard sweetshop a few villages away. The shop owner was an elderly witch who had been sympathetic to the underfed dog who had scratched on her door a few mornings prior. He swallowed back a tear and nodded to the lads who had come in second to the Marauders in many a prank in school, and had fought by his side in the war against Voldemort.

“May peace find your heroic souls, boys.”

FIN
X-posted at scarvesnhats and remusxsirius & FF.net.

Fri, 06 Oct 2006 21:19:08 GMT

Title: Over the Moon
Rating: PG-13 (or thereabouts)
Author: plotbunnies_rxs
Pairings: R/S
Warnings: More hope than angst. This one’s happier guys, I promise! The prompt made me think of Shakespeare, which always makes me think of the pups, and also of Rent for some reason, so there’s a little bit of that in there as well.
Summary: Sirius remembers the moon and happier times. Prompt from scarvesnhats, Day Six. 1,169 words.
Author's Note: I've started posting these at my FF.net account (SpikesLittleBit) all under the title Onward Autumnal. Each ficlet/prompt is a chapter.

Previous Days
Day One: Hollow
Days Two & Three: Of Parsnips and Pink Rubber
Day Four: A Place Called Home
Day Five: Nothing's Impossible

Over the Moon
For ohsiriusly
Who made my deep love for Romeo, Juliet, and Rent blossom and grow…

“O, swear not by the moon, th’ inconstant moon,
That monthly changes in her circled orb,
Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.”

“What shall I swear by?”

“Do not swear at all;
Or, if thou wilt, swear by your gracious self,
Which is the god of my idolatry,
And I’ll believe thee.”
-William Shakespeare, Romeo & Juliet

He peered out of the thicket of the harboring wood to gaze upon the vast plain of whispering grass laid out before him. The youth in him, the one that was never allowed a chance to grow into the mangled body his physical form had taken chided him incessantly that he should have been at his destination now, that he was taking too long to remember the trivial past. The adult mind that had suffered long torment within the confines of a stone prison had learned the patience he needed to assure himself that he would be there soon.

The great black dog crept out into the field cloaked in darkness. The gentle breeze had warmed considerably with the humidity the rain had brought. He looked to the heavens, seeing the last remnants of the past days’ clouds being chased by the stars to reveal a clear night. The moon, still waning and hanging low in the sky, had begun to show the slightest traces of a yellow hue tinting her virgin white face.

He kept the passing of time by watching the moon in her various phases. In only a few weeks time, it would rise and glow a luminous gold, summoning the true arrival of autumn and a prayer of the brisk cold weather soon to come.

He remembered the October nights at the castle all those years ago, when the moon cut nothing more but a sliver in the blackest of nights. He remembered lying under their favourite tree with his familiar as he was told tales of the different aspects of it. Remus always knew of the superstitions, the stories that the inconstant moon held. A ring around the moon was a sign that trouble was not far behind. He remembered, in an off hand way at the time, that a bright halo had burned around the orb for at least four nights prior to the Incident They Did Not Speak Of. He should have seen it, should have been more aware. But he wasn’t.

He remembered laying out in Hagrid’s vegetable patch with him, pointing out stars and constellations on Lupercalia.

“And that one, right there? That’s me.”

“And that’s next to Orion?”

“Yeah. Sirius the Dog Star. I’m the nose. And you see that one? That’s you!”

“That’s the moon, Sirius.”

“Exactly. You’re the Moon, Moony.”

“You’re insane. And stop pointing to the stars, you’ll get warts.”

“Pish. That’s just an old wive’s tale.”

“If you say so, Sirius.”

“Moony?”

“Hm?”

“What was that part about the moon again? You know, from Shakespeare?”

““O, swear not by the moon, th’ inconstant moon,
That monthly changes in her circled orb,
Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.’”

“I’d never swear by the moon.”

“I believe thee.”

He smiled at himself as he heard the voices of their youth echo in the recesses of his mind. How he longed for Remus to be beside him on a night like tonight, running free and wild on the year’s dying green. He turned and looked to the thicket he had just stepped away from. His breath hitched for a moment as he saw a proud stag staring deep into his eyes. He knew that it wasn’t James, but he couldn’t help but yearn for one of his own, even if it wasn’t Remus. He could hear the sounds of their nightly escapades, untamed and foolish as they had been. He could hear it in the deafening silence between himself and the deer.

CRACK!

His head snapped to his left where he had heard the noise. Coming just into the moonlight was a brilliant silver wolf, his eyes glowing a sparkling honey amber. Moony’s eyes, he thought to himself. He turned back to the stag, who was now accompanied by a graceful doe. The stag nodded curtly to him as it turned and walked back into the thicket, the doe gazing at the great dog as she followed. The wolf remained still, paying no mind. He was focused on the dog.

The great dog glanced at the sky. The moon was still just a shard in his perfect darkness. It was not his Moony, no matter how much he wanted it to be. The wolf finally turned away from him and made his own retreat.

He bowed his head, panting considerably. He felt as though the madness he had escaped had finally caught up with him. He transformed, only for a minute he told himself, and fell to his knees, burying his face in his hands.

“Only thing to do is jump over the moon.”

He remembered their last night at the castle, just after NEWTs. He had escaped the lavish Common Room party and found his way upstairs with a bottle of Ogden’s. He sat on the edge of his bed, fully aware that he was an adult, homeless and alone.

Remus had come searching for him. He placed a warm arm around his familiar’s shoulder as he took the bottle away from him with his free hand.

“What is it? Why are you so upset? There’s a party downstairs, and you, of all people, are missing it.”

“I have nothing, Moony.”

“Don’t say that! You have everything! You’ll have a flat, job prospects, friends all around you who love you and would do anything for you…”

“That’s just it! You’re going back to Latvia, or whatever shithole country your mum takes you to during hols, Prongs’ll be with Evans. Hell! Even Peter’s going away on holiday! What in all of sodding hell am I supposed to do?”

“Well, the only thing you can do.”

“Yeah? What’s that?”

“Jump over the moon.”

He could feel Remus’ grip tighten, and his soft lips gently press against his. He closed his eyes and sighed as he imagined Remus turning his head slightly to lock the kiss, opening his mouth just so to slip his tongue out to lick his bottom lip. He felt a jolt of electricity shoot to his stomach as he remembered what it felt like to jump over the moon.

He transformed once more into the great black dog and took off across the field. He had to get to the school. He had to finish what he set out to do, and then, he’d jump once more.

And as a harvest moon rose over Cyberland,
We reared back and sprang into a gallop.
Leaping out of orbit!!!
I awoke singing
Leap of Faith, Leap of Faith
Only thing to do is jump
Over the Moon
-Maureen, RENT

FIN
X-posted at scarvesnhats and remusxsirius & FF.net.

Fri, 06 Oct 2006 02:29:35 GMT

Title: Nothing’s Impossible
Rating: PG-13 (or thereabouts)
Author: plotbunnies_rxs
Pairings: R/S, mention of J/L
Warnings: A tinge of angst, a dash of fluff, and all around adorable.
Summary: Sirius shows Remus his new flat. Prompt from scarvesnhats, Day Five. 720 words.
Author's Note: I've started posting these at my FF.net account (SpikesLittleBit) all under the title Onward Autumnal. Each ficlet/prompt is a chapter.

Previous Days
Day One: Hollow
Days Two & Three: Of Parsnips and Pink Rubber
Day Four: A Place Called Home

Nothing’s Impossible

“Can I take off this ridiculous blindfold, now?”

“Not yet.”

“This is absolutely absurd.”

“Moony?”

“What?”

“You’re using alliteration again.”

“I don’t know whether to be profoundly happy that some of my nagging about your grammar has set in, or rightly annoyed with you now.”

“Just a bit further. Watch it!”

OOMPH! “How can I watch for anything when I’m ruddy blindfolded?”

“Hang on.”

“What’s that noise?”

“What noise?”

“It sounds like… are those keys?”

“There. Bloody deadbolt. C’mon, just a few more steps.”

“If you’ve taken me into a sodding bomb-shelter to leave me to starve to death…”

“Oh, don’t get your knickers twisted. I’m not leaving you to die in a bomb shelter… what’s a bomb shelter?”

Sigh. “Can I take it off now?”

“And just what, praytell, would you like to take off, my dear Moony?”

“Berk.”

“Yes, you can take the blindfold off now.”

“……”

“What? Don’t you like it?”

“What in the hell is it?”

“It’s my flat.”

“You call this a flat?”

“Yes. And, technically, it’s not my flat.”

“Sirius…..”

“Moony.”

“I swear on everything that is good and holy that if you have taken me to one of your so-called friend’s flats to get me intoxicated so that you can forceably have your way with me without guilt, I’ll hex you into the next decade.”

“What? No! What I meant was… I’d like it to be our flat.”

“……”

“Say something.”

“I… it’s… it’s so… small.”

“Oh, it is not. Here. That’s the galley.”

“That’s the kitchen, Sirius.”

“No, it’s the galley.”

“We’re not on a boat.”

“Do you want a tour of your future home or not?”

Sigh. “Fine, continue with the tour, mon capitan.”

“As I was saying, that’s the galley, and through that door is the setting room where we can build many fires and roast marshmallows and you can read Shakespeare to me as I feed you chocolate-covered strawberries…”

“Are you trying to seduce me with chocolate again?”

“No, I’m trying to seduce you with Shakespeare.”

“Well, if I’m the one reading, wouldn’t that make me the one seducing you?”

“Makes me no difference. One way or another, there will be chocolate, and marshmallows, and Shakespeare.”

Sigh. “Onward, Sirius.”

“Right. Through there is the bedroom, though I highly doubt any sleeping will be done in there, and that’s the loo.”

“You call that a loo?”

“What’s wrong with it?”

“It seems a bit cramped, even for one person.”

“My dear Remus, there is more to this life than a cramped loo.”

“Yes, like stumbling over one another just to try and go into the kitchen to make a spot of tea.”

“Galley!”

“I’m not arguing with you over what the bloody room is called.”

“Good! It’s the galley and that’s that.”

“Sirius, have you honestly thought about this? There’s not enough room in this tiny abomination of a flat for the both of us.”

“Then we’ll just have to make room.”

“I think that’s impossible.”

“It’s not impossible. Nothing is impossible, Moony.”

“And just how do you know that?”

“Because… because you’re moving in here, with me, and that’s final.”

“That’s not really a good reason.”

“Well then, what if I told you that I love you?”

Snort! “Yes, because that would be bloody likely.”

PECK!

“I love you, Remus.”

“……”

“What’s the matter?”

“I never thought I’d see the day when I’d hear you say that.”

“Yes, well, I did tell you.”

Nods. “That you did.”

”Well?”

“Nothing’s impossible, Sirius.”

~*~*~

He woke with a start and pulled his threadbare overcoat around him at the sudden chill. The room was unfamiliar, yet it felt like home. But it was not his home, it was Remus’. A home that was foreign yet so eminent.

He glanced at the fireplace. The blazing warmth had died out hours ago and he felt a shiver run down his spine. He carefully tucked his arms into the sleeves of his coat and rose from the sofa where he had fallen asleep with a great stretch. He gave one last glance at the photographs lining the mantelpiece and solemnly bid each one a fond farewell and a silent promise to return with his Moony one day.

As he closed the door to the shabby cottage behind him, a tear fell from his cheek.

“Nothing’s impossible, Moony.”

FIN
X-posted at scarvesnhats and remusxsirius & FF.net.

Wed, 04 Oct 2006 13:12:00 GMT

Title: A Place Called Home
Rating: PG-13 (or thereabouts)
Author: plotbunnies_rxs
Pairings: R/S, mention of J/L
Warnings: Angsty, and more of me being rightly cruel to poor Padfoot
Summary: On his journey, Sirius reaches Remus' shabby cottage.
Prompt from scarvesnhats, Days Four. I'm not sure if I made good use of the prompt, but... Meh, oh well. It's almost Midnight, and I need sleep. Enjoy! 771 Words.

Previous Days
Day One: Hollow
Days Two & Three: Of Parsnips and Pink Rubber

A Place Called Home
For Chels, AKA spazzychick96

He trudged on, the ground beneath his paws still muddy and damp from the rain. He had taken to the woods, keeping off any main roads after glimpsing a copy of the Daily Prophet with his own stark face crying out on the front page. They were coming for him, and he was not about to make it any easier for those soul-sucking wraiths to find him.

He stepped on a stick and felt it crack beneath his paw. I want to hear that, he thought to himself. I want to feel Peter’s neck CRACK under my fingers, for him to feel like I did when he made my world disappear. He sighed and shook his head, continuing onwards.

He paused and sniffed the crisp air. There was something familiar about the scent that lingered in the air, even as faint as it was. Wild, and fierce, and woods, and hearth, and stale tea, and bitter chocolate, and…

Remus.

He took off at a run, his tongue lolling jovially out of his mouth, his tail high on the air. His mate, his lifeline, he could smell it just up ahead. It was a scent that was burned fresh in his mind, even after all these years. The Dementors may have found a way to steal his happiness, but they would not have that scent. They would not take his Moony away. He wouldn’t stand for it.

He came upon a clearing in the wood and stopped. Before him stood a small cottage, much smaller than the Hollow. The cedar siding was starting to grey from age, the paint on the doors and shutters had the faintest traces of chipping, and the windows were darkened. He gave a soft whine and cautiously padded up to the porch.

The scent was stronger now. This was the home that Remus had made for himself. There was no mistake in it. He gave a quick glance around and transformed back into the scraggily man. He tentatively placed a foot on the first step of the porch and it gave a creak. He didn’t know if Remus was there or not or whether or not he’d accept the stray bag of bones standing on the other side of the door, but he had to try. He knew in his blackened heart that Remus loved him, because he had to, because he was Moony, and Moony promised thirteen years ago to love him forever.

He gently placed his hand on the doorknob and turned slowly, finding it unlocked. He stepped into the shabby entryway and took a glance around. The house was freshly abandoned, the dust not yet a thick blanket over what little furniture still occupied the small space. He ran a finger over a small table, outlining the square where the dust was fainter. The Victrola he had given him for his sixteenth birthday. Remus had taken it with him to wherever his path had led. Tears began to well up in his eyes, but instead of fighting them back, he let them flow.

He glanced up at the tiny fireplace centering the cozy setting room. There were still a few logs in the basket and a box of matches. He set about building a fire to warm himself from the October chill. As the firelight danced in his eyes, he looked up to find a few moving photographs in frames left along the mantelpiece. The four Marauders pulling faces to the camera, James slinging his arms around Remus and himself, Lily beaming at James as he ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it even more. The very last, at the corner of the mantelpiece, showed the two of them beneath their favourite tree near the Black Lake fifteen years prior, Remus gazing down at him as he looked up into the honey amber eyes from his lap, the autumn leaves dancing all around them in the breeze. He took the picture down from the mantelpiece, opening the back of the frame and pocketing the photograph near his heart.

I’ve done terrible things, most of them to you. Not trusting, not believing in us. Never again.

He glanced around once more, finding the soft couch near the fireplace. It took all of what little strength he had to move it before the fire, but he managed fairly well. He sighed and pulled off his overcoat, and using it as a blanket, he draped it over his frail body as he curled up and watched the fire until he drifted off into a slightly fitful sleep, dreaming of the day Remus would return safely home.

Someday I'll go where there ain't no rain or snow
‘Til then, I travel alone
And I make my bed with the stars above my head
And dream of a place called home
~A Place Called Home, Kim Richey

FIN

X-posted at scarvesnhats and remusxsirius

Wed, 04 Oct 2006 00:50:39 GMT

Title: Of Parsnips & Pink Rubber
Rating: PG-13 for language
Author: plotbunnies_rxs
Pairings: R/S
Warnings: Humour, but a slightly angsty end. Oh, and is unbetaed until tomorrow.
Summary: It's raining and Sirius wants to play in it. Prompt from scarvesnhats, Days Two & Three. 561 words.
Author’s Note: I actually had an idea in mind for Day Two originally yesterday, but I got home so late that I said “bugger this, I’ll do it tomorrow” and I left it. Well, I hadn’t gotten Day Three yet, as I was at work, and I was actually running through a possible scenario for my D2 as I was straightening the store (I work in retail) and this line about parsnips entered my head. So, long story short, I get home and the prompt for D3 is VEGETABLES!!! HAHAHA! Thus, the combining of the two. Also, I've decided that I'm just going to keep the prompts I write for linked together as a collective. They can certainly stand alone, but each kind of follows the next, if that made sense. Also, there is a little reference to a story I posted this past summer, if anyone would like to read that, I'll be glad to put up the link.

Previous Days
Day One: Hollow

Of Parsnips & Pink Rubber
For ohsiriusly
Because I thought she could use a smile…

“No.”

“What do you mean ‘no’?”

“Precisely that. No.”

“But-“

“I’m not going. Not in those.”

“Moony…”

“They’re pink, Sirius.”

“And?”

“They’re fucking pink, Sirius.”

“I still don’t see your point.”

“I will not go traipsing about in the muck in fucking pink wellies with fucking orange daisies just so you can fucking play in the rain.”

“I think they look rather fetching on you.”

“I mean it. No.”

Sigh. “But I can’t go out there by myself. James is holed up in the library with Lily and Peter’s in detention. Please, Moony?”

“You’ll just have to suffer indoors where it’s warm and dry.”

“But what if I don’t want to suffer indoors where it’s warm and dry?”

“Bugger all, Sirius. I’m not going.”

“But it’s raining outside and I want to play in it!”

Sigh. “I don’t see why you can’t just let Padfoot play outside and allow me to use yours.”

“Because Padfoot doesn’t have a Moony right now to play with outside. It wouldn’t be as much fun if it was just Padfoot and a miserable old Remus out in the delicious muck.”

“That’s hardly an excuse.”

“It would be a lot different if you could transfigure yourself into something like a squirrel or a rabbit or something.”

“First of all, I’m rather insulted by that, and secondly, why in all of bloody hell would I want to transfigure myself into something that I know Padfoot would only want to chase?”

“Hey, I’ll have you know that those rabbits were decimating Hagrid’s parsnips.”

“Yes, then you decimated the remainder of Hagrid’s vegetable patch.”

“But, I thought you liked parsnips.”

“That’s not the point, Sirius… what did you transfigure these from again?”

“Hagrid’s watering can.”

“Sodding hell.”

“What?!”

“Does Hagrid even know that you transfigured his watering can?”

“And here I thought you’d ask me what Hagrid was doing with a pink watering can.”

“Stop that.”

“Stop what?”

“That.”

“Again, I’m not following you, Moony.”

“I’m not going outside in these horrendous pink with orange-daisied wellies just to catch pneumonia, not to mention the worst case of embarrassment I’ve had to endure in my tenure at this school, Sirius.”

“Well, think of it this way.”

“Hm?”

“At least we’d catch pneumonia together.”

“Berk.”

“What if I make it worth your while?”

“You will not bargain chocolate. I’m done giving in to you just because you bribe me with chocolate.”

“I don’t always bribe you with chocolate.”

“The shorts?”

“In my defense, your shorts did happen to be wound too tight, in the first place, and since then you haven’t worn a pair at all, and that was, oh, four months ago.”

“But you still wagered chocolate.”

“What if I bribed you with something better.”

“I’m listening.”

PECK!

“You’ll have to do better than that, Sirius.”

“…”

“…”

Sigh. “Fine, fine. Have it your way, Sirius. I’ll go, on one condition.”

“Anything.”

“Prefect’s Bathroom.”

~*~*~

The great dog let out a happy sigh as he laid his head upon his paws and drifted to sleep on the porch of an abandoned farmhouse. He looked out towards the muck-spattered field, watching as the two teenaged boys romping in the mud, muck and filth faded away and left him to dream of rainy days gone by.

FIN

(There is a little reference to a story I posted this past summer, if anyone would like to read that, I'll be glad to put up the link.)

X-posted at scarvesnhats and remusxsirius

Mon, 02 Oct 2006 04:09:13 GMT

Title: Hollow
Rating: PG-13
Author: plotbunnies_rxs
Parings: R/S, J/L
Warnings: Angst galore! Oh, and is unbetaed until tomorrow.
Summary: Sirius begins his journey from the shores beyond Azkaban towards Hogwarts and makes a stop along the way. Set after seeing Harry in the park. Prompt from scarvesnhats, Day One. 1,446 words.

Hollow
For old_light

He forced his tired feet to pad down the deserted street. Even with his skewed senses, he knew this place, felt how familiar it all was. The wind had become brisk over the past weeks as he migrated from place to place, grateful for the warm coat his animal familiar provided him. How he wished for a place to stay, to curl beside a roaring fire with a dish of warmed food leftover from a family’s decadent supper, but to reach his goal, he knew that he must trudge on. He ducked behind a thatch of trees and transformed to see the path in living color, just to remind himself that he had returned to the correct street, even though he would never forget.

He stayed in the shadows as he passed several amber-lit homes. Honey amber, like those eyes. He felt his heart plummet down into the hollows of his stomach and fought back the urge to allow a single tear to fall. No, that was an age ago and probably long forgotten on behalf of his other self. He must reach the end of the high street.

He approached the fence of the darkened house and hitched a breath. There was nothing bright and warm about the shabby cottage. Everything around the building screamed silently a warning of evil, and betrayal, and carnage, and death. He shut his eyes and unlatched the gate and stepped tentatively onto the overgrown lawn. He opened them again and finally breathed. This was home.

~*~*~

“What do you think, Moony?”

Remus quirked a smile and took a glance over at the boy who had grown up before his eyes and married the beautifully bossy redhead his familiar had affectionately called Tiger.

“I think it’s perfect, Prongs,” he mused. “I’m sure Lily had a most trying time trying to get you to finally put down for it.”

A shake of a head and a quirked grin. “It may not be exactly my taste, but it’s what she wants.”

“Well, if you ask me-“

“We didn’t,” Remus and James voices sounded collectively, causing the third boy to sulk. James threw his arm around his shoulder and squeezed reassuringly.

“You have your own flat, Pads,” James offered. “One that you can decorate with purple shag carpeting and orange polka dot wallpaper for all I care.”

“Tch,” Sirius snorted. “Like I would ever have the audacity to do that.”

~*~*~

He entered the house. It carried the slight odor of not being lived in for twelve years, a stale mingling of mildew and dust. The furniture had been draped with white cloths, but the rubble was just as it had been that night. He softly stalked from room to room, his mind sometimes playing tricks on him. In the living room, he could see the brightly lit tree, James allowing a brand new Snitch to buzz around the room, catching it as it zoomed above little Harry’s head as the baby clapped his hands with a tinkling laugh, Lily keeping watch nearby with a bright smile, and Remus stealing furtive glances towards him as he leaned against the doorjamb. In the kitchen, Harry was seated in a high chair, wailing at the top of his lungs, flinging his dinner in every direction as Remus ducked and dodged, finally getting a plate full of wet spaghetti noodles right in the face as he could hear his own voice roaring with a barking laugh. In the dining room, the dining room… He felt his heart sink as he watched the figures of Peter and James sat at the table discussing with him the particulars of the Fidelius as he stood leaning against the mantlepiece. He growled and stormed out of the room.

He found himself in the tiny entryway and he glanced at the stairwell.

~*~*~

“Best Christmas ever, Moony?”

“You ask that every year, Sirius.”

“I know, but this year’s different, you know?”

“How so?”

“Harry.”

“Well, there is that.”

“It’s funny, you know. I never knew I’d think that watching the sprog would be better than my own presents.”

“Yes…”

“What is it?”

“I can think of something that’s better.”

“Oh?”

~*~*~

He watched as Remus kissed him soundly as they sat on the stairwell in the candlelight, before thoughts of deception, and disdain, and betrayal, and TRAITOR became the forefront of their minds. He closed his eyes and willed the image to disappear, but as he opened them, the two of them were still there, clinging to each other and letting out soft gasps in the deafening silence. A single tear fell from his cheek as the image faded, revealing the ghost of James’ body lying motionless at the bottom of the stairs, limbs sticking out at odd angles, a blank stare masking his face. Dimly, from somewhere above him, he heard a baby crying frantically.

Sirius bolted out of the house and dropped to his knees, the urge to wretch what little food he had eaten in the last few days shooting towards his throat. He swallowed back the gag and breathed heavily. He needed to regain his focus. I shouldn’t have come here, he chided himself. Hogwarts. Peter’s at Hogwarts.

He heaved himself up onto his feet and transformed once more into the great black dog and padded across the lawn to the gate. He turned to give one last look to the lonely little house with the chipped pale yellow paint.

~*~*~

“Where are you going?”

“For a walk. Need a bit of air.”

“Be careful.”

“Right.”

Sirius stepped out of the flat and shut the door behind him, leaning against it for a moment to catch his breath. The arguments were getting worse with each passing day. Gone were the days where it was just Remus and Sirius, carefree and in love, with nothing to lose. They had learned the hard way that friendship, love, and most of all trust, were not only easy to slip from their fingers, it had happened almost effortlessly, and now there was just a thick static between them.

He kicked himself away from the door and stepped out of the building into the brisk October air, pulling his jacket even tighter around him. He slipped into an alley and Apparated to Godric’s Hollow. As he blinked his eyes, he realized something was terribly wrong. Something in the back of his throat caught and he let out a sour cough. He took off down the street and there it was, the once bright little yellow house, now standing frightened and eerily silent.

He tore into the house, finding James at his feet, struck dead, the ever present glasses skewed and cracked. He heard little Harry’s soft cries and took the stairs two at a time and reached the nursery, the body of the boy’s mother laying face down unmoving. He clapped his hand to his mouth, letting out an involuntary sob before remembering Harry and carefully stepping over the body to reach the crib. He lifted the child out of the crib and quickly made his way back downstairs and out the door, cooing softly to the bundle in his arms calmly.

Hagrid had been waiting outside the door, arriving right after he had. He remembered the giant taking the precious gift from his arms to deliver him to safe haven. He watched as his last hold on his humanity disappeared on his beautiful motorbike into the night.

~*~*~

He stepped out onto the London street, the sniveling man trembling in fear before him. He gripped his wand at his side until his knuckles turned white and he began to stalk to his prey. He was never prepared for what that small insignificant TRAITOR had in store for him. Not until it was too late.

~*~*~

As the great dog padded back out onto the street heading away from the house, he glanced over to a corner of a side-street. He found that his eyes were still playing cruel tricks on him, because the street flooded with an early morning light and he could just make out a figure trying to stand, clutching a lamppost.

Remus.

He locked eyes with his friend, his lover, his soulmate and watched him fall to his knees, breathless. He blinked and the boy he had grown up with, had grown to love and cherish without a shadow of a doubt, even with the looming fear of betrayal hanging over them, mouthed a single word.

Why.

He ducked his head and tore his eyes away from the lamppost as the vision of Remus Lupin disappeared, the light faded into stale darkness, and he continued down the high street of Godric’s Hollow on his way to Hogwarts.

FIN

X-posted at scarvesnhats and remusxsirius

For Beta

Fri, 14 Jul 2006 14:49:29 GMT

Plot Bunny #3

Title: Left of the Middle
Author: plotbunnies_rxs (AKA hp_joss_isboss
Word Count: 3387
Rating: PG13
Pairings: Remus/Sirius; James/Lily
Warnings: NWS to be on the safe side (I can never judge these things!); implied Pup-Wank and language; not graphic
Summary: James' POV; James unwillingly discovers his friends newest secret, not knowing exactly how to handle the situation; A Side to a scene in Compline.
A/N: When I began planning these snapshots (if you will) to follow Three Days, I really wanted to write a piece from James' POV; his reaction to finding out that two of his closest friends had started a secret relationship. I wanted to explore how that would weigh on his mind and his path from initial shock to acceptance to eventually embracing it.

Left of the Middle
for Missy,
forever the Prongs to my Padfoot

Wow.

It was the only clear and coherent thought that James Potter could register in his mind. Everything else was a swirling mass of tongues and hands and lips and green eyes and long flowing red hair. His life was now officially complete.

Lily Evans had kissed him.

He returned to his dormitory at half past midnight, his hair a bit more disheveled than usual, his glasses slightly skewed. He opened the door slowly and closed it behind him, leaning against it as he let out a content sigh.

'Wow,' he managed to say dreamily. He didn't even notice that three pairs of eyes were now fixed upon him until a mass of arms, legs, silver eyes, bright smile, and long silky black hair had bounded towards him.

'She kissed you, didn't she?!' Sirius beamed as he grabbed James by the shoulders excitedly and shook him before throwing back his head with a barking laugh and scooping him up into a great brotherly hug. He pulled away and furrowed his brow. 'James, she didn't... bite you did she?'

James blinked and suddenly sobered out of his stupor to look at Sirius curiously.

'No,' he said, a bit confused at the remark. 'Why?'

'Oh, well, it just looks like your lip's bleeding.' James swiped at his mouth with the back of his hand. It seemed as if a fair amount of Lily's lipstick had secured itself against James' skin. He let out a chuckle as he strode over to his bed to grab a tissue from the nightstand and wipe his mouth clean.

'Better?'

'Much,' said Peter. 'Sirius, are we going to finish this game, or what?' Taking that as a cue to move a piece across the board, Sirius returned to the game of Wizard's Chess he and Peter had strewn across the floor with a groan. Remus paid no mind to the scene before him from his bed as he was immersed in a rather thick book. James ran a hand through his hair and his smile faded slightly.

'Whatcha reading, Moony?' he asked. Remus turned the page and didn't look up at him.

'Othello,' he replied. James nodded, understanding the significance of Remus reading Shakespeare.

'Waxing?' he asked simply. Remus quirked a corner of his mouth indifferently in response. James took that to mean, of course, you should know that by now so quit bothering me and let me finish reading in peace if you don't mind.

James glanced back down at his other two roommates. Peter wore a look of complete triumph as his Knight took Sirius' Queen. Sirius glared at Peter and began to scoop up his pieces to put them away in his trunk. James simply shook his head with a playful smirk on his face.

'I dunno about you gents, but I think I'm going to turn in for the night,' he announced. Sirius glanced up at his best friend and gave him a mischievous wink.

'Alright, Prongs,' Sirius drawled. 'But if I hear any heavy breathing coming from behind your curtains, I'm throwing my pillow at you.' James laughed as he changed into his pajamas and climbed into bed, closing the curtains around him.

***

James found it difficult to fall asleep that night. His mind kept replaying the events of his day, the perfect date with the perfect girl, sealed with the perfect goodnight kiss. He brought his hands up to rest behind his head as he let out another soft happy sigh. Nothing could ever bring him down from the high he was experiencing at that very moment. He blinked several times at the canopy above his bed, willing himself to stay awake so that he could remember the events of his day over and over until sunrise.

The room was quiet save for Peter's soft snores. Then, he heard a set of quiet footsteps shuffle from the other side of the room. James raised his head slightly and quirked an eyebrow, making not a sound. It's probably just Remus or Sirius heading for the loo, he told himself with a shrug. He laid his head back down, but suddenly realized that the footsteps were not heading in the direction of their lavatory, but towards one of his other roommates' beds.

'What do you think you're doin', Moony?' he distinctly heard Sirius whisper.

'I can't sleep,' Remus whispered in response. James remained still.

'Well you bloody well can't sleep here!' Sirius said a bit louder. James furrowed his brow. That's rather odd. Why is Remus crawling into Sirius' bed?

'shh!' Remus hissed. 'You'll wake James or Peter.' James heard a bit of a rustle coming from Sirius bed and quirked his head towards them, though he kept his curtains closed. He was just about to open his mouth to inform them that he was awake when he heard a sharp breath and Sirius' booming voice.

'Oi! James! You awake mate?!' James froze. He didn't know what to do. Part of him said to alert them to the fact that he was wide awake, but the other half was silently curious as to what kind of strange mischief they were up to. Sirius whispered, 'James sleeps like the dead, and Peter's snoring. They won't hear us.'

James blinked, his confusion setting in deeper. Hear them? Hear them do what?

But his question had been answered with one low growling moan emitted from the bed next to him.

***

Two hours later, James was still awake. The quiet sounds and whispers had ceased from Sirius' bed, and James still felt a bit of shock at what he had eavesdropped on. He felt like an outsider in his own room, and the feeling made him rather ill. He carefully drew back his curtain and looked over at Sirius' bed. The red velvet fabric was draped around the posts, closing off the bed from the outside world. James silently swung his legs over the side of his own bed and slowly padded over to where his best friend slept.

He drew back the curtain far enough to make out two teenaged boys, their limbs tangled around each other in a slumbered embrace that he himself would only think natural between him and Lily. He shook his head, not knowing whether to feel betrayed or angry or disgusted. All he could think was that something was terribly wrong and that the sweat now forming on his brow was strangely cold.

He let the fabric fall from his fingers, and ran as quietly as he could to the lavatory, trying not to become ill on before he got there.

***
The next morning, James emerged from his bed and dressed quickly, having not slept the night before. He could still feel a bit of cold sweat on his forehead, but took a handkerchief from his trunk and mopped his brow before stuffing it into his back pocket. He started to hastily throw his books into his pack when he felt a hand on his shoulder, causing him to jump. He spun around quickly to find Remus staring back at him.

'James? Are you alright?' James looked away and nodded, feeling the cold sweat beading up now along his neck.

'Okay,' Remus replied quietly, a look of concern painted across his face. 'Peter and I are headed down to breakfast. I couldn't get Sirius up.' James' eyes widened slightly in shock at the double entendre, causing Remus to blink at him curiously. 'Mind trying to wake him?'

James suddenly realized that he was holding his breath. He didn't know what to even say to Remus, so he simply nodded again. Remus took one more slight glance at him as he followed Peter out of the dorm.

James watched them leave and finally exhaled before turning his attention towards Sirius' bed. He slowly started moving towards it, reaching his hand out to touch the fabric hanging lazily about the posts. He drew back a side and cautiously sat down beside Sirius, who was still sprawled on his belly in a deep sleep. He felt a shudder go down his spine as he reached his hand out hesitantly to shake him gently awake.

'Sirius.' James choked. 'Sirius, come on. Wake up.' The sleeping boy beside him stirred and blearily opened an eye.

'What time is it?' Sirius asked with a yawn.

'It's half past a monkey's ass, and a quarter 'til its balls,' James said softly. 'Come on. We need to talk,' he added as he got up and began to pace the room. Sirius stretched languorously and hopped out of the bed, rubbing a sleepy eye with his fist.

'What's the matter, Prongs?' Sirius asked drowsily. James stopped pacing and turned away from him. He fidgeted with his hands for a moment, trying to come up with the best way to ask Sirius about what he had heard the previous night.

'Er, sleep well?' was what he had managed to say. Sirius tilted his head and frowned.

'Like the dead,' Sirius replied. He took a step towards his friend, his brother, and reached out his hand to touch James' shoulder. James flinched and stepped further away from him. 'Are you alright? You look like hell.'

'I... I...' James stammered, inhaling another sharp breath. 'I didn't sleep last night.' He turned back to Sirius, but couldn't look up to meet his eyes. 'I was... pretty much wide awake the whole time.'

Sirius didn't answer. He merely blinked.

'Yeah,' James continued softly. 'What's going on here, Pads?'

'I...' It was Sirius' turn to sputter. James looked up and saw the look of slight horror now flushing Sirius' face. 'The whole time?' he asked James in a low pleading voice.

'The whole time.' James watched Sirius choke down a gulp of air. He couldn't read what Sirius was thinking. For the first time since the two had met, Sirius seemed entirely foreign to him, as if he didn't know his best friend.

'I didn't want you to find out like that,' Sirius apologized softly. 'I was going to tell you... eventually.' James quirked an eyebrow as he crosses his arms, now looking dead at him.

'Eventually?' James asked. 'Jesus, Sirius!' Sirius snapped his head up.

'Yeah, eventually,' he snapped. 'Not everything I do is your business!'

'It used to be,' James said quietly. He let out a sharp sigh and grabbed his bag. 'We're late for breakfast. I can't... I can't talk to you right now. I just... I need time to think.' He started walking towards the door and paused. He felt as though he should say something else, but couldn’t find his voice. He turned the knob and started down the steps, leaving Sirius in the dormitory to hang his head in shame.

***

It was all for James to do all day to avoid his friends, especially since they shared the same classes. He took notice that after lunch, Remus had begun to glance at him with the same apologetic look on his face that Sirius had shown him that morning, and finally, James decided that he would be better off going to the library to clear his head.

He sat alone at one of the tables, pouring over his Charms homework when he was brought out of his trance by a sweetly familiar voice.

‘Oh lord, I’ve died and gone to Hell.’ He looked up to meet emerald green eyes and a fierce smile.

Lily.

‘Why are you in the library, James?’ she asked softly as she dropped her bags into an empty chair and sat down next to him, taking his hand into hers. ‘You never come in here. Is everything alright?’

James looked around him. There were too many people occupying that particular section of the library for his liking. He looked Lily in the eye and tilted his head slightly towards the back stacks so that they could speak privately. A touch of relief togged at his throat as she nodded and rose from her chair, himself following in her wake.

‘What’s the matter?’ she asked softly as she turned around to meet his eyes. James didn’t reply, only wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek. ‘James! What are you doing?’ she hissed with a smirk. He closed his eyes and shook his head slightly. He took a deep breath and opened them to find a concerned look on her face. ‘What is it?’

‘It’s about…’ he began, finding it difficult to voice his worries, even to her, ‘it’s about Sirius… and Remus.’ He paused to see if she would press him to continue, or get some sort of reaction. She merely smiled sweetly.

‘Is that all?’ she asked. James blinked in confusion at her response. Is that all?! he thought to himself. My best friends have been doing Merlin knows what behind my back and that’s all you can say, Is that all?! As he stood there, his mouth starting to open in complete and utter bewilderment, she gently brought her hand up and pressed her fingertips against his mouth.

‘James,’ she cooed softly. ‘I already know about Remus and Sirius.’

‘You what?!’ he hissed against her hand. She giggled quietly and gently shushed him.

‘I found out a week ago.’

‘A week ago?!’

‘Remus hadn’t meant to tell me, really. I sort of figured it out on my own.’ James furrowed his brow.

‘You’re not…’ he began cautiously, ‘you’re alright with this?’ Lily pulled her arms from James and took a step back, crossing her arms. She shot James an incredulous glare and scoffed as she knitted her brow.

‘Why shouldn’t I be?’ This took James aback. He opened and closed his mouth in bewilderment, and stammered slightly before Lily put a hand to silence him.

‘James,’ she said sternly. ‘Have you even really talked to them about this?’

‘Well, I kind of just asked Sirius about it and took off,’ he mumbled, hanging his head slightly.

‘It’s no wonder!’ Lily exclaimed softly as she closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his neck, looking up into his hazel eyes. ‘You need to really talk this over with them.’ She lifted her hands slightly to press his head down so that they stood forehead to forehead. ‘They’re the two of the most important people in your life. You should be happy for them if this is what they want, not running away from them if it seems off to you.’

‘I just…’ he bit his lower lip. ‘It’s like I’m all of a sudden being pushed out of this world that they’ve created.’ Lily shook her head.

‘You’re not being pushed aside, James,’ she assured him. ‘They both adore you, and would do anything for you. You’re their best friend, after all.’

He stared down into her brilliant glass green eyes and heaved a sigh before pressing a chaste kiss to her lips.

‘How did I get so lucky to finally catch you?’ She smirked and tilted her head playfully.

‘I couldn’t tell you. Promise me you’ll talk to them?’ James nodded and kissed her again, this time a little more passionately.

***

James let out a thoughtful sigh as he brought his cigarette up to his mouth and pulled a slow drag. He tried to take Lily’s advice to heart, but still couldn’t bring himself to speak to either Sirius or Remus. When they had found their way back to the dormitory after dinner, Remus hadn’t joined them due to prefect duties, Sirius had closed himself behind the curtains of his bed, and Peter was left in the middle of it all, perplexed and bewildered. James quietly gathered a package from his trunk along with the Invisibility Cloak and retreated without an explanation. He walked along the corridor until he found himself at the top of the Astronomy Tower, settling himself against one of the cool stone walls. He opened the package he had brought, revealing a packette of cigarettes he had nicked from Sirius a few days prior and a bottle of Firewhiskey he had traded from Gideon Prewett for 15 Chocolate Frogs and a box of Emperor’s Best Chinese Firebombs (chewy round cinnamon candies that were filled with a charmed gooey center that when one took a bite, they would set off in their mouth and emit smoke from their ears). He didn’t know how long he sat there, thinking to himself before the sounds of cautious footsteps and a familiar voice brought him back to himself.

‘I should turn you into McGonagall, you know,’ Remus said softly. ‘It wouldn’t do for the Head Boy to be sitting up here in the dead of night drinking himself into a stupor alone.’ James shrugged and took another drink from the bottle. ‘Care if I joind you?’

‘Who am I to stop you, mate?’ James made to pass the bottle over, but Remus merely shook his head in polite decline. ‘Suit yourself,’ James replied as he took another drink.

‘Sirius told me,’ Remus began, ‘that you, er… found out?’

‘More like heard the show.’ James glanced over at Remus. Even in the dark, he could make out the wide eyes and flush in his cheeks. ‘I couldn’t sleep last night.’

‘I told Sirius we were going to wake you up,’ Remus replied.

‘You didn’t wake me up. I was already awake.’

Remus nodded and inhaled a sharp breath. James could tell that he was nervous about confronting him about the ordeal, especially without Sirius there to help him out with the explanations. He let out a sigh and flicked his cigarette off the side of the Tower.

‘Listen,’ James began as he turned to face his friend, ‘I’m a stupid prat. You two are my best friends. I’m not going to make this difficult for you if it’s what you want, alright?’ Remus blinked a few times blankly before a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

‘Thank you,’ he said softly. ‘That really means a lot.’

‘Yeah, just don’t drag me into some outlandish lover’s quarrel, and don’t do anything else in the dorms if I’m in there. I think I’ve been scarred enough for one lifetime.’ Remus shot him a slight smirk and nodded.

‘I think we should get you back down from here,’ Remus suggested with a slight nod towards the starwell. He stood and proceeded to help James to his feet and then led James back to the dormitory.

He followed Remus into the dormitory to find Peter snoring loudly amongst his homework on the bed and Sirius sulking on his own bed. He lifted his head like a wounded puppy as James stepped forward towards him.

‘Listen,’ he began, finding himself at a loss of words again. Sirius didn’t need to say a word for James to know he was sorry for everything, and he merely smiled at him. James found years ago that there were times when he and Sirius were simply beyond words.

Over the next few weeks, James came to realize that his decision to accept his friends becoming involved was the right one. He didn’t know why he hadn’t seen it sooner, the way the two of them bickered and complimented each other so perfectly. He saw a bit of what he and Lily saw in each other and smiled inwardly at himself. Being to the left of the middle isn’t so bad, he thought to himself. S’long as I’m not in the middle. That would just be… odd.

FIN

Compline

Wed, 12 Jul 2006 20:03:45 GMT

This is my new fic journal, Chels. Be sure to add it!

Plot Bunny #7

Title: Compline
Author: plotbunnies_rxs (hp_joss_isboss)
Word Count: 4403
Rating: Hard R/Mild NC17
Warnings: NWS, Implied BoySex
Pairing: Remus/Sirius
Summary: As the war threatens to tear them apart, Sirius contemplates all that he is truly thankful for, fearing he'll survive with very little.
Disclaimers: The song, Compline (rhymes with 'pin') is not mine. The words/music belong to Christopher Grundy. I've taken a bit of artistic liscense in changing the 'she's to 'he' to make it fit. Sadly, I don't own the pups either. *pouts*

A/N: The piece in its entirety also has 'B side's to Three Days, and planned oneshots entitled Slackened Ties, Left of the Middle, Older & Far Away, and Never Walk Alone.

Here's the song: Compline

Compline
For Mom, though she'll never read it.

I will thank you every moment 'til I close my eyes.

Peace. Something not often found in those dark times. Only the sound of light rain against the windows and soft thunder in the distance could pierce the silence that hung upon the small London flat. Only that eerie silence could keep Sirius Black awake.

He turned to look upon the body that shared his bed. Remus had turned away from him in his sleep a half an hour prior. He did that exceedingly more as the days drudged on. Sirius understood. They had grown further apart as the war raged outside their home. He himself had been absent more and more as of late; missions for the Order, trying to keep his friends alive. He found that they no longer made love; they just participated in empty sex, something to make themselves feel. He felt as though there was a bridge between them that couldn't be crossed. It wasn't like it was, and it put a rift in their trust.

He let out a soft sigh and carefully rose from the bed so as not to disturb his mate. He couldn't bear to see a look of hurt, or worse (anger, resentment, betrayal) creep across those beautiful eyes if they thought he was slipping away again.

He padded softly to the window seat and sat, looking out onto the street below. He blinked, and the buildings all but disappeared. His mind became a swirling pool of memories and thoughts.

What happened to us? he thought to himself. This fucking war. It's like a sodding brush fire. Burning, consuming...

Until there's nothing left.

Remus.

He let out another silent sigh and tried to force himself not to glance back over to the bed, to no avail. Remus had stirred, as he had anticipated, yet was still sound asleep facing him. Sirius' mouth quirked into a weak smile. Remus.

For the light around his face
At the moment when he sees me
For the way that the music
Fills me any time he's near
For the smile that can break me
When I've given up on bridges
I will thank you every evening as I close my eyes

Sirius remembered the first time he had looked upon the sadness that was Remus' face. So sullen, so timid. It seemed to take no time at all for James and himself to embrace him as a part of their circle. Their pack of friends. Yet, he also remembered how difficult it was to break down the barriers Remus had put up against them. The secrets he held behind the soft, yet surprisingly sharp wit that flowed from his tongue. It was almost a year before they figured out his burden. Not a burden, Sirius chastised himself. It's a part of what makes him Remus. The wolf was what made them what they were. Dog, Stag, Rat. The pack. As their youth pressed on, he began to see a different side of Remus. The affectionate, shy, beautiful side of him.

He remembered their first kiss, the stupid bet made that summer at the Potter's house. They would be going into their seventh and final year at Hogwarts. He was not adverse to his feelings of Remus, just chose to hide them fairly well. Fear of the unknown and whether such advances would be reciprocated weighed on his conscience. He never made a move during school. It was unheard of.

Then Remus' parents had allowed him to spend the majority of the summer at the Potters with him and James. Peter wouldn't be there; his grandmother had taken ill and needed him at home. It would just be the three of them, and if Sirius knew the household as well as he did, he knew that James (and his parents for that matter) would hardly notice.

He had conned Remus into walking around uncomfortably for three days without his underwear. Half of him laughed inwardly at the joke, at how he had gotten Remus to squirm, yet again. He remembered telling James, that little conspiratorial glint in their eyes. He had found it easy to convince James that it was in good innocent fun. But then the prank turned against his favor when Remus seemed to enjoy his 'newfound freedom'. The other half of him, the half not laughing, was beginning to become aroused at the fact that Remus had nothing on underneath his trousers.

Then Remus walked for an entire day in jeans. Thick, constrictive jeans. It had sent him over the edge. He couldn't bear to be in the same room anymore for fear that his own erection would be discovered not only by Remus, but James (or worse, his parents) as well. He had fled to his room several times over the course of the day to rid himself of the thoughts, but it still had not worked. He kept thinking of himself pulling Remus in close and slipping his hand into that pair of jeans to wrap his hand around Remus' cock, just to make him realize the effect he was having over him. It had been unsettling and arousing all at the same time.

He remembered going to Remus' makeshift room in the den that night and handing over the bundle of neatly folded shorts and the package of Gorant Glooby's Truffly Fudge that had been the bargaining chip. The intent had been to get the manner of thoughts out of his head as quickly as possible so that he could breathe that summer without thinking of an unfettered Remus prancing about the Potters' house. And yet, Remus had invited him into his room. Sirius had felt a pang of... he didn't know what, shoot from his stomach into his groin, and knew that eventually, the wolf that slept inside of Remus would awaken to the pheromones he was emitting. He declined hastily and ran back to his room. He had paced about for fifteen minutes before curling up under his covers, willing for his erection to go down on its own. But it didn't, and he found himself in the bathroom, a shaky Silencing charm placed upon himself as he released the tension that had arose again.

He didn't sleep that night, the thoughts still flooding his mind, yet had spent himself and was thankful that he hadn't the need for another release. The dawn broke through his window and he padded grumpily down the stairs, finding James awake and making coffee. James had asked him why he had acted so strangely the day before, and Sirius merely scoffed. He heard Remus yawn as he joined them and took notice of the loose pajama pants that clung to hips. There were no lines indicating that he had his shorts on underneath, and a rage of arousal coursed through him. He remembered grabbing the boy by the arm and dragging him up to his room, hoping against hope that Remus couldn't smell the traces of his masturbatory endeavors of the day before. He swore at Remus and ordered him to go back and put on his underwear, but to his surprise, Remus had smiled and called the ordeal ridiculous. Sirius couldn't stand it any longer and finally crushed his mouth against the oblivious lad's, not thinking about whether or not it was invited. But then...

Before Sirius could contemplate what was happening, he felt Remus begin to snog back, their tongues twining together. A rush of excitement and confusion and release poured through him and as they broke apart, both were breathing raggedly. He barely heard Remus try to speak before his own voice had formed a mind of its own and began to ramble on at great length on the agony of the past days. There he was, spilling everything, praying that Remus wouldn't run from the room at the revelation. Instead, he found Remus walking towards him, a playful glint in his eyes, and he couldn't help but to start snogging him again, his hands beginning to explore Remus' skin, ghosting over scars through a fabric barricade, each one etched deep within from years of clawing at himself in the Shack. He couldn't even calculate how long it took for them to finally break apart, straighten themselves and emerge downstairs again, hoping that James hadn't noticed.

For the honey amber eyes
That see through all my pretensions
Calling me back to myself
Without leaving me in shame
For the strong and graceful hands
With their own quiet language
I will praise you every evening as I close my eyes

He remembered the night when they went a step further. It was Halloween, seventh year. The tradition had been in years past that the four of them, James, Peter, Remus and himself, would sneak out of the castle, head down to the Shack and stay up drinking Butterbeer (or Firewhiskey when one could procure a bottle), smoking phoenix ash spliffs, and telling ghost stories. James' tales always included a familiar redhead, Peter would tremble while telling a wizard tale he had heard in his youth, Sirius would shock them all by turning his tale into something worthy of a Muggle pornographic publication. But Remus... Remus would recite Poe. It was always Poe, and it was always reserved for Halloween. But this year had been different.

James had been revelling for days that the reluctant Lily Evans had finally obliged in accompanying him on a date, while Peter had been fumbling with his robes as he had a date with an equally striking Hufflepuff girl. The three had been teasing Peter for the past few days that he even secured the date at all. This left Remus and Sirius alone on Halloween for the first time since their first year.

'Are you sure you two will be alright?' James had asked, not really meaning it. Sirius assured him that they would be able to find something to do. He knew that James had been wanting this since the dawn of time, and he wasn't about to stand in his way, if this was what James had longed for.

Sirius made his way up to the dormitory and sat down on his bed, sulking that his last Halloween wouldn't be spent with the four of them as in years past. He felt that something would be missing, but then Remus entered the room, a playful glint in his eyes, a glint that was reserved only for him.

'Why are you just sitting there?' Remus asked as he crossed over to James' trunk. 'The Shack, remember?'

'We're not going to the Shack,' Sirius had replied. 'Not without James and Pete.'

Remus pulled the Invisibility Cloak from the trunk, shoved it into his bookbag, and stepped over to stand before Sirius, lifting a deft finger beneath Sirius' chin to make him meet his gaze. Sirius looked into those bright eyes, and the weight seemed to melt instantly.

'Yes,' Remus said shakily. 'We are.'

They made their way out of the castle unseen and stood before the Whomping Willow. Remus slipped out from under the cloak long enough to find a stick and prodded at the knot, causing the thrashing tree to still. Sirius felt a gulp of air pass his throat as Remus grabbed his hand and gently pulled him into the tunnel. What is he planning? Sirius had thought to himself.

They made their way through the tunnel in an anxious silence. Sirius could feel his pulse quicken as Remus pushed open the trapdoor and pulled himself into the Shack, turning and holding out his hand to help Sirius out of the tunnel. Their eyes met, and Sirius finally understood. They wouldn't be telling stories, or smoking phoenix ash, or drinking themselves into a stupor. There was only him and Remus, and the world should just stop spinning so that he could freeze this moment.

He remembered the smile that faded from Remus face, leaving him thoughtful and basking, before turning and leading him upstairs into that fateful room. This room, he shuddered, where Remus transformed once a month, where he had mopped his sweaty brow after difficult and painful nights then skitting out before Pomfrey would arrive to retrieve the boycub. This room, where they would go further than before.

They stood there, Remus' hand beginning to tighten around his own as they just stood surveying the scene. Sirius risked a glance, and Remus feigned a weak smirk, and he pulled him toward the bed and sat down. Sirius lingered for a moment, just holding his hand. They had never ventured far from snogging in empty hallways and vacant classrooms. They never even tried anything in their room for fear that they would wake their roommates. But now, there was no one but them, no risk of being discovered. He stood there, just looking down into Remus' honey amber eyes and heaved a nervous sigh.

'Are you going to stand there?' Remus had whispered. Obediently, Sirius sat beside him, placing a soft kiss just next to Remus' ear. He felt Remus hitch a breath and began to kiss along his jaw towards his mouth, finding Remus' lips parted and ready for him to explore the cavern with his tongue. He slipped his hand into his hair and deepened the kiss, hearing a soft whimper escape into his mouth from the boy next to him. As if by its own volition, he found his hand moving toward Remus' collar, slipping a finger under his school tie and loosening it to pull it free. He remembered opening his eyes as Remus broke away from the kiss, bringing his own hand up and unfastening the top button of his shirt. Sirius read his eyes, seeing that he wanted this as much as he did.

He disentangled his hand from Remus' tie, and as he kept his eyes locked in those pools of brilliant gold, he began to unfasten the buttons on Remus' shirt, one by one until Remus' lightly scarred torso was exposed. He hitched a breath and barely registered that Remus had grabbed his own school tie, twisting it around his hand and tugging him to his mouth for another kiss, closing his eyes. He sighed lightly into Remus' mouth, not aware of where he was, only that Remus was here and there were only the two of them. He was completely drowned in Remus that when a nimble hand reached for the button of his own trousers, he jumped slightly, snapping his eyes open. He tried to read Remus' eyes again, but they seemed clouded.

'Is this...' Remus began softly. 'Is this alright?'

Sirius bit his lip. It was foreign and new, but he couldn't express words. His cock had started to harden ten minutes prior, but he was still unsure of himself, and of Remus at this point. Anxiety started to quicken his pulse. He swallowed another gulp of air and finally nodded. He watched Remus blink his long lashes and hitch an equally nervous breath. Slowly, deftly, Remus pulled the zipper of Sirius' trousers down and gracefully slipped his hands behind the fabric. Sirius hitched his breath as he felt surprisingly soft fingers wrap themselves gracefully around his painful erection, closing his eyes once more. As he felt Remus begin to gently stroke him, he became suddenly aware that the boy next to him had begun to nuzzle his neck and hair. Never breaking the rhythm, another set of soft fingers had taken his own hand, and guided it to Remus’ fly, pleading for him to return the gesture.

He fumbled for a second with the button of Remus’ trousers, not used to undressing another boy other than himself. As he lowered the zipper, he gave a short whimper as Remus had slightly tightened his hold on him. At last, he had slipped his own hand beyond the fabric and sought Remus’ erection. He found that he was as hard as he was, rubbing his palm over the head which had weeped a bead of precome, allowing him a bit of lubrication as he began to stroke the shaft, matching the rhythm Remus had controlled on his own cock.

Sirius remembered that it didn’t take long for him to come that night. They were still young, still inexperienced. He remembered that Remus had followed shortly after. They became brave after that, sneaking off to the Quidditch shower room when the school was at dinner, the Astronomy Tower in the dead of night, down to the Shack on lazy Saturday afternoons. They still tried to not do anything in the dorms, in case James or Peter would walk in on them, or wake in the middle of the night.

But he remembered that James had found out.

They had been careful, or so they thought. The moon had been waxing, and the wolf became a bit restless. He had awoken to find Remus drawing back the curtain slightly to crawl into his bed.

‘What do you think you’re doin’, Moony?’ he had whispered.

‘I can’t sleep.’

‘Well, you bloody well can’t sleep here!’

‘shh! You'll wake James or Peter.’ Sirius took this as a challenge. He saw the smirk on Remus’ face in the darkness and slipped his hand into Remus’ pajama trousers easily, finding him exceedingly hard.

‘Oi!’ Sirius called, a playful grin on his face. ‘James! You awake mate?! Mmpfle!’ Remus cupped Sirius’ mouth, biting his lip in the process as Sirius began to stroke him. Sirius smirked and whispered in reply, ‘James sleeps like the dead, and Peter’s snoring. They won’t hear us.’

But James was not asleep. On the contrary, James had been very awake, and made it a point to keep himself quiet at the sounds emitted from the next bed over, especially once he had heard his own name. Sirius remembered being confronted the next day about the incident, and feeling deeply ashamed that he had kept something like this from his best friend, his brother. He remembered telling Remus once he had gotten him alone in the dormitory, 'James knows,' and seeing the fear that had clouded his eyes five years earlier when he had told him that they knew he was a werewolf.

'What...' Remus had stammered, 'what did he say?'

Sirius only hung his head. James hadn't really said anything one way or the other, but that could have been out of shock. He couldn't imagine how this weighed on James, knowing that his two best friends, both boys, had been treading into the unknown. He felt Remus entwine his fingers with his own as he sat beside him and looked up. Remus was not looking into his eyes with hurt or shame. Instead, he saw a smile even if it didn't reach his lips. He knew that this was a bump in the road, however long the road would be. He knew that eventually that James would accept it. He would just have to, because Sirius and James were brothers and that was that. He knew everything would work itself out as Remus leaned in for a gentle kiss.

For the words spoken plainly
Open as the fields of Illinois
For wisdom
And for Laughter
Like a soft and playful breeze
For the curve of his neck
As he bows his head in silence
I'll be grateful every evening as I close my eyes

He remembered the first time they made love. It was their last night at Hogwarts. They had managed to slip away from the party that they, themselves, had organized in the Tower. James and Lily had the Invisibility Cloak, sneaking away to Hogsmeade to procure more beverage, and to perhaps have a bit of fun of their own in the passage behind the One-Eyed Witch. Sirius had the map. Sirius always had the map on him these days, since Filch had become increasingly vigilant over the halls.

He remembered whispering into Remus' ear that he had found something new, something that wasn't on the map. Something he had no intentions of charting.

He had led Remus cautiously through the corridors, avoiding Mrs. Norris and McGonagall on their way up to the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy.

'Wait here,' Sirius had cautioned Remus. He stepped in front of the tapestry and scrunched up his face in concentration.

'Sirius, what are you-' Sirius cut him off by tossing up his hand. He began to pace in front of the tapestry and right before his eyes, a door appeared opposite Barnabas. He strode back over to Remus and grabbed him by the wrist, a mischievous grin across his face. He pulled him into the room and slammed the door, pushing Remus against it to snog him furiously. After several minutes, Remus finally gathered enough strength to push Sirius away.

'You mind telling me where we are, and why we're here?' Sirius merely grinned and stepped aside to allow Remus the full view of the room.

There was little light in the room, save for various shaped candles faintly illuminating the scene. To his right, was a small table that was adorned with various fruits and several bottles of Butterbeer. In the center of the table was a small enchanted fountain that poured hot melted chocolate. To his left, a plush red sofa and two matching club chairs sat before a roaring fire. Further into the room, stood a grand four-poster bed, clearly large enough for four people, draped with fine silk and velvet. Sirius watched Remus with delight as his eyes fell over the aspects of the room, each station garnering a brighter sparkle in his golden eyes.

'I heard it's called the Room of Requirement,' Sirius whispered into his ear. 'It's for you.'

'Me?' Remus whispered.

'It's always for you, Moony.'

They had spent their last night, exploring and relishing in each other. Everything they had needed was theirs for the taking. They laughed at fumbled fingers, swore at hitched breaths, moaned at a shared climax, their first. They made discoveries and soared to new heights with each other until they had fallen asleep tangled in each other's arms in the luxury of the silken sheets. That was the first night Sirius told Remus that he loved him and the first night that he realized that everything would change.

For the way that he trusts me
Knowing full well my failures
For the power in his forgiveness
Like a gift straight from your heart
For the way he reveals you
With a Love that long endures
I will thank you every moment 'til I close my eyes

Sirius brought up a knee and rested his chin on a draped arm as he gazed out into the abyss that was outside their London flat. The good and the bad, he thought to himself. Remus stood by his side as they watched the burial of the Potters, the only adults in the world that Sirius considered family. They fought several battles backside to backside as the war raged on. Yet, the war had spilled into their home disguised as a loss of friendship, a loss of trust. Remus traveled to an undisclosed location once a month for his transformations now, never allowing Sirius to join him. A week prior, James had asked Sirius to be their Secret Keeper, fearing that his family was in mortal danger. He would have to put himself into hiding for God knows how long. Rumors of a traitor in their midst had put everyone into their own suspicions. Remus was distant, and Sirius couldn't think for the life of him any reason why Remus shouldn't be that traitor. He had all the signs. And yet...

Sirius thought of all the good in his life. He had Remus, he had James and Lily, he was the godfather to their child. He had a bright future ahead of him should the war ever end. A tear fell from his silver eyes as he thought of all he could lose.

He rose from the window and silently pulled on his robes. He took another glance at the window. The rain had slowed, but not stopped completely. He took one last look at his partner, his mate. Remus was still sleeping soundly, his legs curled up tightly now. Sirius knew he was dreaming, knew he was mirroring his own thoughts in his slumber. He crossed over to the bed and placed a soft kiss on his lover's temple.

I will thank you every moment 'til I close my eyes

James sleepily descended the stairs as he pulled on his dressing gown, having neglected his glasses. He gave a great yawn as he fumbled for his wand to lift the wards on the door. He knew before he had made it halfway down who was on the other side of the door.

'M'comin'. Don't get your knickers twisted.' He opened the door to see Sirius standing before him, his head hung in despair. He brought his eyes to meet James', his silky black hair wet from the rain. His eyes were red from crying and another hot tear spilled down his cheek.

'Sirius? You alright? Is it Remus?'

'I can't be your Secret Keeper,' Sirius said simply before crossing the threshhold into the Potters' home. 'I can't lose him like that.'

James placed an arm around his brother's shoulder and guided him inside, resealing the wards behind him.

I will love you every moment 'til I close my eyes

FIN

I adore feedback! I place it on an altar and worship it until dawn!

[excerpt of the story behind Compline]