Fic: The Professional (Remus/Sirius, NC-17) for nk_aeode Author:ramie_k Recipient:nk_aeode Title: The Professional Rating: NC17 Pairing(s): Sirius/Remus Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended. All characters engaging in sexual activity are 16 years or older. Summary: A chance meeting changes two lives… Warnings: AU, definitely! As well as the obvious m/m sex, mentions of prostitution Word Count: 5213 Author's Notes: My darling nk_aoede, I hope you like this as much as I enjoyed writing it! I tried to use most of your kinks. And once again, my most grateful thanks to M and D, the greatest betas I could ask for.
"One galleon for a wank, two galleons for a suck and ten galleons for a fuck."
Remus Lupin looked up from his seat at whatever dive-slash-bar he'd ended up in. Why did he come to places like this anyway? Because you're lonely and randy and you know it. So quit fooling yourself. You know better than to go out trolling around the full moon.
Remus mentally stuffed a sock into his inner voice's mouth.
He glanced over and saw a very fit bloke sitting at the end of the bar. Blond, blue eyed, broad shouders. Mmmm. Definitely what Remus would go for if he'd been so inclined at the moment.
Strangely enough, though, it wasn't the blond Adonis that captured Remus' attention. Rather, it was the young man, who looked no older than Remus' twenty years, currently propositioning him. Black, shoulder length hair, chiseled features with an aristocratic nose. Even from his vantage point down the bar, Remus could see he had the most striking, pale eyes he'd ever seen.
The blond glanced at the boy and gave him a derisive snort. He downed the remainder of his drink before standing up and tossing some money on the bar. Giving the boy a look of patronizing disdain, he said, "Come back in a few years, kid" before making his way out of the bar.
Ouch. Poor kid. Remus watched the boy's face fall before turning back to his own drink. He really shouldn't be wasting his time here. After being recently sacked from the fifth in his series of menial jobs, he knew there were far more productive activities he could, and should, be doing. Like keeping a roof over your head and food on the table.
"This seat taken?"
Remus glanced up at the question to find the boy now standing next to him. He regarded him for a moment before gesturing to the stool next to him. "It's all yours."
"Thanks." The boy sat, turning his body towards Remus. Leaning his elbow on the bar, the boy took a sip of his drink (Remus could make out a barely concealed grimace) before setting the glass down and leaning into Remus more. "Can I get you a drink?"
Was this kid actually flirting with him? "No, thanks," Remus said.
The boy nodded, seemingly undeterred. "So, what brings you to Knockturn Alley?" he asked, running his finger coyly around the rim of his glass.
Dear God, he was flirting with him. "What usually brings one down here?"
"Looking for some company, are you? Well, you've found it," the boy said, placing his hand on Remus' arm.
Remus couldn't help it; he laughed. He quickly got himself under control, feeling a smidgen of guilt at the hurt look in the boy's eyes. "I'm sorry, but…how old are you?"
"Old enough," the boy insisted, raising his chin in defiance.
"How old?" Remus asked again.
The boy looked down briefly before resuming his haughty stance. "Nineteen."
Remus snorted. "Try again."
The boy narrowed his eyes at Remus, before sighing. "Sixteen."
Remus' eyebrows shot up in surprise, but he refrained from commenting. "And…do you do this a lot?"
The boy pushed himself off the stool and made to leave. "Look, I don't have time to haggle. So, if you're not interested-"
A large hand suddenly landed on the boy's shoulder. Startled, both he and Remus looked up to see the Quidditch Beater-like bartender glaring at the boy. "I don't put up with your kind in here. Get out of here, you fucking faggot."
Remus glanced over to the boy. He stood up, face devoid of colour save for two pink spots on his cheeks. Remus noted as he yanked his arm away from the Neanderthal's grip that his hands were trembling slightly.
Remus watched as the boy, mustering as much dignity as he could, turned and stalked out of the bar. He held his head high, despite the vulgar catcalls and slurs hurled at him by the other patrons.
Before he realized what he was doing, Remus was on his feet. The bartender took his glass. "Get you another?"
"I thought you didn't serve 'my kind' here," Remus said, tone clipped as he threw some money on the bar. The bartender scooped it up with a noise of disgust.
Remus hurried out of the bar. Glancing around the dirty, crowded street, he could make out the dark head. Seemingly of their own accord, Remus' feet hurried after the boy. Muttering apologies, he charged his way through the crowd before finally catching up with the boy. He laid a hand on one tight shoulder. "Hey."
The boy spun around, fire in his eyes. His defensive stance reminded Remus of a cobra ready to strike. "What do you want?"
Good question. "I-um…I just wanted to make sure you were okay." Remus was sure the words sounded as lame to the boy as they did to his own ears.
The boy backed up a step, fixing Remus with a wary glance. "Are you a copper or Auror or something? Or with the Ministry?"
Remus barked out a laugh. "Not bloody likely."
The boy regarded Remus for moment. Suddenly, his expression eased, his lips forming that 'come hither' grin he had flashed at Remus back at the bar. He took a step toward Remus. "So, you decided you'd play my Sir Galahad? Or did you decide you did want company after all?"
The boy drew a finger slowly up Remus' arm. Remus tried to suppress a shiver. "I-um…I don't think-"
The boy chuckled. "You don't need to think." Invading even more of Remus' personal space, he leaned in until there was a hair's breadth of space left between them. "Believe me, I can drive all need for thought right out of your head."
"Care to put your money where your mouth is?" As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Remus wished the ground would swallow him whole. The boy looked as astonished as Remus was sure he did.
The boy recovered first. "No, but I'll put my mouth where your money is. And you can take that any way you want. It's one galleon for a wank, two galleons for-"
"Yes, I heard the sales pitch back at the bar," Remus interrupted. Taking a deep breath, he said quietly, "So, where do you usually…"
Looking around, the boy nodded to their left. "There's a perfectly good alley right over there."
Remus wrinkled his nose in distaste. Licking his suddenly dry lips, he ventured, "We could go to my place." What are you doing?
The boy's grin grew. "Lead the way."
His heart pounding, Remus led the boy through the streets. Was he really doing this? What was he thinking, bringing this boy, this child, home to…what? Get a quick blow-job? Fuck?
A thought suddenly occurred to him. Stopping suddenly, he turned to the boy. "What's your name?"
"It's whatever you want it to be," the boy drawled seductively.
"I want it to be what it is," Remus said firmly.
The boy's leer dimmed somewhat. "It's Sirius," he finally said with a sigh.
Remus nodded. "I'm Remus."
"Well, now that the pleasantries are out of the way, shall we?"
*****
"I'm afraid I wasn't expecting company," Remus said apologetically. He watched Sirius look around his small, modest flat before turning back to him. Remus ran a nervous hand over his face. "Um, listen, I'm not quite sure how the protocol works here-"
Sirius cut him off with a finger over his lips. He steered Remus until he could feel the wall against his back. "Just relax and let me do the work," he purred, squeezing and stroking the swelling in Remus' pants. With a flick of his fingers, he undid the snap and coaxed the zipper down.
With a Herculean effort, Remus threaded his fingers through the silky, dark hair, tugging gently. "Wait. There's something I need to tell you."
Sirius' eyes widened. "Fuck, you're not married, are you?"
Remus snorted. "No, believe me."
"Then whatever it is can wait," Sirius said, his mouth moving back towards Remus' neck.
Putting his hands on Sirius' chest, Remus gently pushed him back. "No, it really can't. Um, Sirius, how do you feel about Dark Creatures?"
Sirius shrugged. "They're people. Why, are you a vampire or something?"
Remus steeled himself. "Werewolf, actually."
He was expecting the instinctual step back. What he wasn't expecting was for Sirius to step forward again, pressing himself against him. Sirius moved on of his legs between Remus'. A hard thigh rubbed against Remus' groin. "Never known a werewolf before. That's kind of ace."
Remus watched, hypnotized, as Sirius dropped to his knees, his face leaning into his loosened clothing, his warm breath against his erection. He felt Sirius open his mouth, his teeth gnawing gently on the bulge beneath the cloth and couldn’t stifle the moan that escaped his throat.
Sirius looked up at him, desire in his pale eyes. Yet there seemed a hint of nervousness, too. His hands tugged Remus' pants down, freeing Remus' cock. Sirius wrapped his fingers around the base before lowering his mouth, slipping his tongue out to lap up the length of the hot shaft before taking Remus fully within his mouth. As he swirled his tongue around the head, he began to move his hand in time with his mouth. Sirius sucked hard, letting Remus' cock touch the back of his throat.
The noises Remus was making grew louder, interspersed with occasional growl, until finally, with a howl, he came hard in Sirius' mouth. Sirius made a pleased sound in the back of throat as he swallowed all that Remus offered.
With a last, soft lick up Remus' cock, Sirius stood up, a pleased grin on his face. "Have I drained the life from you?"
Remus let out a breathless laugh as he straightened out his clothing. "You're certainly good at it."
"Well, I aim to please." Sirius suddenly looked away. When he faced Remus again, he had an almost uncomfortable expression. "Um, I don't mean to be rude, but…"
Remus felt his face flush. "Oh, right." He fumbled around in his pockets before pulling out the money. He laid it Sirius' waiting palm, inwardly sighing. There goes breakfast tomorrow.
"Thanks," Sirius said quietly. He made to leave, then turned back towards Remus, his hand on the doorknob. "Maybe I'll see you around."
As Sirius left, quietly closing the door behind him, Remus exhaled loudly. "Count on it."
*****
Despite what Remus considered his best intentions, he found himself a week later wandering around the dank streets of Knockturn Alley.
And there he was.
He was almost at Sirius' side when the boy looked up and spotted him. Bestowing a dazzling smile that made Remus' stomach clench, Sirius nodded his head in greeting. "Well, hello there." When Remus stopped beside him, Sirius ran a hand down his back before resting it on Remus' arse. "Big, bad wolf," he purred in his ear.
From that point on, they continued to see each other. They developed a pattern over the next several weeks: Remus would wander around Knockturn Alley, Sirius would eventually show up. Then it was back to Remus' flat, where Sirius would give Remus a mind-blowing orgasm (or two or three) before Remus handed over the money, Sirius would slink out into the night, and Remus would feel a little more sick that their relationship, if one could call it that, added up to little more than a business transaction.
It finally hit Remus one night as they lay in his bed after bringing each other to gut-clenching ecstasy with their mouths. They basked in the closeness until Remus broke the silence.
"Why do you do it?"
"Hmm? Do what?"
Remus rolled onto his side. He gazed at Sirius, the glow from the streetlights falling across his face. "The hooking. Why do you do it?"
Sirius rolled to face him, their faces inches apart on the pillow. "I don't anymore. There's just you now."
"But why start in the first place?" Remus clarified.
Sirius shrugged. "I had to do something when I left home. Rooms at the Leaky Cauldron aren't free."
"But why leave home at all?"
Sirius sighed. "Trust me, you don't want to know."
"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't," Remus prodded gently.
They gazed into each other's eyes for a moment before Sirius took a deep breath. "Have you heard of the Black family?"
"Who hasn't?" At Sirius' 'there's your answer' look, Remus' eyes widened. "You're a Black?"
"Unfortunately," Sirius snorted in disdain. "But I learned a very early age that my ideals and theirs were not on the same page. And when I got to Hogwarts and was sorted into Gryffindor rather than Slytherin, like every other Black had been since the dinosaurs, it all went downhill from there. And I realized I just couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't be the pureblood fanatics they are and I didn't want to be. So, I left. Washed my hands of them."
Remus didn't know what to say. "Where did you go?"
"Went to my friend James' place, but I didn't stay long. I'm not a charity case," Sirius said firmly, hints of aristocratic pride in his words.
"And this is better than accepting help from a friend?" Remus asked incredulously, gestured at the two of them.
Sirius shrugged. "If you don't think about it, it's not so bad." He suddenly shivered slightly and burrowed close to Remus. "Can I stay here tonight?" he asked, voice small.
Remus wrapped his arms around the boy he knew he was falling for. And he was powerless to stop it. "Of course you can."
*****
The insistent pounding on the door to his flat woke Remus. Rising from his bed, he stumbled, half-awake out through his living room, mentally willing the source of the non-stop pounding to shut up.
The second he opened the door, he found himself flattened against the wall, a hot mouth pressed desperately against his, plundering without any restraint. He let himself enjoy it for a moment before gently pushing his visitor back.
"Sirius? What are you doing here at this time of night?" Remus asked, giving Sirius a quick once-over, looking for any signs of damage.
Physically, Sirius seemed unharmed. But his eyes had a pained, haunted quality to them. His hands gripped Remus' forearms so tightly, Remus feared for his circulation. "They're finished with me."
Remus frowned in confusion. "I'm sorry?"
"I saw James today. He told me he saw Regulus in Diagon Alley. The little toe-rag was only too happy to tell him that my parents have written me off for good. My mother's even blasted me off the family tree."
His heart breaking for this beautiful boy, Remus gently pried Sirius' fingers off his arms. He put his hands on Sirius' shoulders before sliding them around his back, and drew Sirius to him in a tight embrace.
Sirius slid his own arms around him and buried his face in Remus' neck, his chest heaving as sharp puffs of air fell on Remus' shoulder. Eventually the gasping breaths formed words, "Nothing, I have nothing", repeated over and over.
Remus' ribs protested the crushing pressure and he could feel wetness soaking his tee shirt, but he ignored it. Instead, he continued to stand there, making soothing noises and whispering, "It's okay, Sirius, it's okay," into Sirius' ear.
When the shudders racking Sirius' body finally subsided, Remus pulled back. Sirius raised his red-rimmed eyes to Remus', who gave him a gentle smile. "All right?"
Sirius linked his fingers behind Remus' neck. "Fuck me," he said, voice just above a whisper.
Remus' eyebrows shot up almost to his hairline. "Beg your pardon."
"Please, Remus. I need to feel…something. I need to feel you inside me. I need you. Fuck me, please," Sirius begged. He pulled Remus' mouth down to his.
Remus knew he should stop this, that it wasn't right to take advantage of Sirius while he was so obviously upset. But the taste and feel of Sirius' kisses were, as always, enough to drive all rational thought from Remus' mind.
Letting out a soft moan, Remus opened his mouth to take the kiss deeper, his tongue tangling with Sirius' as he twined his arms around Sirius' neck. The persistent niggling voice in the back of Remus' mind telling him there was something not quite right here was quickly silenced.
Sirius' hands went to Remus' shirt, tugging it out of his pajama bottoms and pulling it up. Remus made a small noise as he made a grab for Sirius' wrists, trying to still him. "Sirius…wait…"
Sirius shook his head. "No…now…I want you now."
"But-"
"Please," Sirius breathed, hot breath tickling Remus' ear. "Please, Remus, I need you…need you so much…"
Bidding a final farewell to all protest, Remus led Sirius through the flat to the bedroom. Once there, he made short work of Sirius' clothes. Sirius returned the favour, ridding him of his pajamas, until it was just them together, the intoxicating slide of skin on skin against the bedclothes. Their mouths got more demanding and their hands more frantic, clutching skin, threading through hair.
"Oh, Sirius, so beautiful," Remus whispered against Sirius' neck. The groan he could feel coming from Sirius' throat made him smile.
Trailing kisses down Sirius' chest, he licked at the indent of his bellybutton, delighting in the feel of the muscles twitching. His hands glided over Sirius' body in soft caresses. The desire to please Sirius, comfort Sirius was growing beyond his ability to stop.
"Remus…please, touch me," Sirius moaned.
"I am touching you," Remus said with a huff of laughter.
"You know what I mean, you git! Don't waste time with niceties. I just want to fuck me. I want it…want it to be you." Sirius' last words came out so quietly, Remus was unsure if he'd heard them correctly.
Raising himself, he stared at Sirius incredulously. "Sirius, are you saying you've…"
Sirius nodded. "I-I haven't…you know, with too many blokes. Mostly just sucked them off. Those that wanted a fuck…I just-couldn't. So I'd only do it if I topped."
Remus' heart broke a little more and he felt his chest ache at the trust he saw in Sirius' eyes. In the short time he'd known Sirius, he knew that Sirius wasn't one to place his trust in someone easily. And to be given the ultimate gesture of trust…Remus brought his mouth down to Sirius' again, trying to pour all his feelings for this boy into the kiss.
Satisfied with the deliciously desperate noises Sirius was making, Remus broke the kiss leaned over the side of the bed and yanked open the drawer of the bedside table, his fingers scrambling around within until they closed on the lubricant.
Spreading the slick substance over his fingers, Remus trailed them across Sirius' thigh. Treasuring every sigh, every movement, Remus slowly moved inwards. He softly stroked the reddened, hard cock before moving his fingers over Sirius' balls and further down to lightly trace around his opening.
Sirius cried out, bending upwards to rub himself harder against Remus. "Yes, Remus!"
Remus smiled down at him. "Like that? Want more?"
"Fuck, Remus, just do it, damn it!" Sirius gasped, his voice thick with desire.
"Do what? You'll have to be more specific," Remus teased.
Sirius' let out a growl as he scraped his nails up Remus' back, producing a shiver, before gripping the sides of Remus' face. "If you don't shut up and fuck me, right now…"
Chuckling, Remus reached down and gripped Sirius' cock firmly at the base. Lowering his mouth, he slipped his tongue out to lap up the length of the hot shaft before taking Sirius fully within his mouth. Remus swallowed and sucked hard enough to hollow his cheeks. Sirius' cock touched the back of his throat.
The reaction was instantaneous as Sirius' back arched, little spasms rocking his body. He wound his fingers in Remus' hair as he begged, "Enough, Remus, come on, just do it!"
With a last, hard suck to Sirius' cock, punctuated by a kiss to the tip, Remus slid up to align the two of them, every inch of their bodies touching.
Gazing at the wanton vision beneath him, Remus slicked himself and pressed the head of his cock to Sirius' hole. Although it almost killed him to do so, he paused and asked through gritted teeth, "Are you sure?"
At Sirius' almost frantic nod, he slowly eased himself deeper inside Sirius. A deep groan seemed to start from the very bottom of his lungs. Once buried inside his lover, Remus stopped and touched Sirius' cheek. Before Sirius could utter a protest at the pause in the proceedings, Remus laid a finger on his lips. "You okay?"
Sirius nodded. "It feels…weird, but a good weird." He grabbed hold of Remus' hands and entwined their fingers. Rolling his hips slightly, making them both moan, Sirius smiled up at him. "Move, Remus, please."
And he did.
Hips danced in a slow, sensual rhythm, deep, strong stokes. Hands seeming to know how to tease, touch. Mouths caressing mouths, hair, skin. Until finally it became too much. Reaching again for Sirius' cock, Remus began to stroke faster, wanting to bring Sirius to completion with him. And finally, as he felt Sirius' come flow through his fingers, he succumbed to the welcome release, warm seed spilling into Sirius' arse.
Remus rested his forehead against Sirius', panting lightly. As their breathing slowed, Sirius began to rub his hands up and down Remus' back, soothing the skin he'd marked in passion.
Remus carefully slid out and curled against Sirius' side. He returned his lips to that delectable mouth, capturing the moans of pleasure still falling from Sirius' lips. "You still okay?"
"Oh, fuck, yeah," Sirius said with a dopey, sated smile. "Couldn't you tell?"
Remus chuckled as his continued to brush his lips over Sirius'. "Well, you certainly seemed to like it."
"Only because I don't have anything to compare it to. We probably need to do this again and again, just to be sure," Sirius murmured as he rolled into Remus, resting his head on his shoulder.
"Well, we have the rest of the summer anyway," Remus brushed his lips over Sirius' forehead.
"And longer," Sirius ventured.
Remus frowned in confusion. "What do you mean longer? You're going back to Hogwarts in September."
"No, I'm not," Sirius said firmly.
Detangling himself, Remus sat up and stared down at Sirius. "What do you mean, no you're not?" he demanded.
Sirius shrugged. "Why do I need to go back to school? I'll be seventeen next year and I'll come into the money my uncle left me. We can get a place and-"
Remus sprang up from the bed. Grabbing his pants off the floor, he yanked them on. "Have you lost your mind?!"
Sirius sat up. "Actually, I thought it was my virginity I just lost," he joked weakly.
Whirling on Sirius, Remus snapped, "Don't be cute!"
"Why are you hacked off?" Sirius frowned.
"Are you kidding? Do you even hear yourself? All of the sudden you're planning a future with the white picket fence and dog? We are not a couple, Sirius!" Remus insisted.
"Then what have we been doing for the last month?" Sirius shot back.
Remus crossed his arms. "If I have to tell you that, it's a wonder you made any money as a rent-boy at all."
Even before the words were out of his mouth, Remus knew he'd said exactly the wrong thing. He saw Sirius' posture stiffen, his gaze going cold. Remus tried to say something, anything, but his tongue felt like it was stuck to the roof of his mouth.
Getting up from the bed, Sirius snatched his clothes. Remus hadn't known before that it was possible for someone to actually dress angrily. "I see," Sirius said, his tone as frosty as the glare he was fixing on Remus. "I've done my job, right? You've had your little summer fling and now it's over?"
Remus ran a hand threw his hair in exasperation. "You know that's not what I meant-"
"No, actually I don't, Remus. Explain it to me. Or am I not even worth that?" Sirius demanded.
Remus grabbed Sirius' shoulders, turning him to face him. "Stop it! You know I care about you. But you're romanticizing this and at least one of us has to be sensible. You're sixteen, Sirius. You have your whole life ahead of you, and I will not allow you to give it up for me."
Sirius shrugged his hands off. "Shouldn't that be my decision?"
"In this case, no."
"Why not?" Sirius insisted, all traces of anger gone. Instead, there was a vulnerable desperation to his words. Remus didn't know which was worse.
"I just told you."
"Yeah, you told me. But don't I get a say? I love you, Remus!" Sirius pleaded.
"Well, I don't love you!" Remus shouted.
Silence descended on the flat. The two young men stared at each other, breathing harsh and loud. Remus cringed inside as he saw Sirius' face drain of colour. His expression hardened and he lifted his chin, his eyes resolute. So reminiscent of their first meeting.
"Well, my mistake then," Sirius said, voice flat and lifeless. "I'll be on my way then. You owe me ten galleons, by the way."
A physical blow wouldn't have hurt more. "Sirius…"
Sirius let out a derisive snort. "Forget it. I don't want your money. Have a nice life." And without another word, he stormed out of the room.
Remus sat down heavily on the bed. As he heard the front door slam, he dropped his head into his hands. How had he messed this up so badly?
*****
At Kings Cross Station, Platform 9 ¾ was bustling with activity that was the norm for the first of September. Nervous first years with equally nervous parents. Upperclassman greeting each other, swapping stories of their summer adventures. All of this went completely unnoticed by the lone figure sitting by himself.
Sirius hugged his knees to his chest. After the debacle at Remus' flat, Sirius had turned to James. He had refused to return to selling himself. And with no income and nowhere else to go, Sirius had begged his friend for help. The Potters had taken him in without a second thought.
James had tried to get details out of Sirius about where he'd been and what he'd been doing all summer. But Sirius had remained silent. There were some things he'd never tell anyone. Even the boy he held as a brother.
Sirius had resolved not to think about Remus. But late at night, despite himself, his mind's eye would bring up that kind face. He would replay their nights together. Not just their moments of mind-numbing pleasure, but the times they would just talk. When Sirius told Remus all about his life at Hogwarts, which Remus had soaked up, never having the opportunity to go. When Remus actually listened to him. And that's when he would feel like a part of him was missing.
"Oi, Sirius! Look who I found?"
Sirius looked up to see James approaching, Peter Pettigrew hurrying behind him.
"Hi, Sirius," the small boy greeted, slightly out of breath.
Sirius forced a small smile. "Hey, Pete."
"How was your summer?"
"Yeah, maybe you can get something out of him. I've been trying for days, but the prat won't tell me anything!" James complained, punching Sirius in the shoulder.
Peter laughed. "Come on, we better get on the train."
As the boys grabbed their trunks and belongings, James frowned as he glanced down the platform. "Who the hell is that?" The others followed his gaze.
Sirius thought he was going to be sick.
No fucking way.
What was he doing here?
James noticed the stunned expression on his friend's face. "Sirius? You all right, mate?"
"He's looking at you, Sirius. Do you know him?" Peter chimed in.
"Get on the train. I'll be along in a minute." Sirius walked down the platform, leaving his very confused friends behind.
*****
Remus was wondering if he'd made a huge mistake as Sirius approached him. His calm exterior masked the horde of Fizzing Whizbees churning around his stomach.
God, Sirius was still as beautiful as he was the last time he saw him. Unfortunately, the expression on his face held the same contempt as last time, too.
Sirius stopped a few feet away from him, arms crossed. "What are you doing here?" he asked coldly.
"I had to come and see you off," Remus said, shoving his hands in his pocket.
Sirius raised one haughty eyebrow. "Is that all?"
"No. I also came to tell you I lied to you."
"When?"
Remus took a deep breath. "When I said I didn't love you. I do love you, Sirius. So much. But I also meant what I said. I can't let you give up everything for me."
"How many times do I have to say it? You are everything to me!" Sirius insisted. The earnestness of his tone reminded Remus of a puppy.
Remus held up a hand. "I know you feel that way now. And if you love me as much as you say you do now, you'll love me just as much two years from now. I will wait for you, Sirius. Because I don't know how it happened, but you're everything to me, too."
And with that, he opened his arms.
Sirius hesitated for millisecond before he flung himself into Remus' embrace. Their arms tight around each other, Remus rested his cheek on Sirius' head. He inhaled deeply, trying to capture that wild scent of the boy he loved. Willing his lungs to memorize it and keep it forever.
Reality intruded on them as train whistle rang out. They reluctantly lessened their holds on each other. Leaning into one another, their lips met in a kiss full of love and promise. Remus ran his fingers over Sirius' face, trying to capture every detail.
The whistle rang out again. Remus pulled back and nodded at the train. "You better get aboard."
Sirius nodded. "Can I owl you?"
Remus smiled softly. "You'd better."
"Sirius!"
They both looked over to see James and Peter hanging out their compartment window. "Come on, you great fairy! Just kiss him and get on before it leaves without you!"
They both snickered at James' declaration. "You realize I'm going to be the topic of gossip for weeks now," Sirius said, sighing in mock-irritation.
"I'm sure you'll survive."
Great puffs of steam came from the engine as the gears slowly began to crank. Sirius ran for the train, jumping on as the rather disgruntled porter closed the door behind him.
Remus watched the train begin to roll out of the station. Sirius' face suddenly appeared in the window where his friends had been. He waved, mouthing 'I love you'.
Remus mouthed the words back. He remained on the platform, waving until the train rounded a bend and disappeared from sight. He continued to stand there, knowing he'd be back someday.