(no subject)

[grimsirius.livejournal.com]

Date: December 10th
Status: Private (Complete)
Location: Lobby (or doorway between Lobby and Bar, to be precise :D )
Summary: A bit of Christmas cheer



He wasn't sure why he was up so late, or, well, early, actually. He'd been feeling a bit off for the past few days, of course, somewhat nervous and frustrated and restless, really. Maybe it was all of the daytime hours spent sleeping finally catching up with him, ruining his chances to sleep through the shadows that still, loathe as he was to admit it, made him feel strange and uneasy. The room shouldn't have felt as hot or as cloying as it did to him, cold was it was outside, nor should the bed have felt nearly so big and uncomforting. He'd given up sleep hours ago in favor of reading old newspapers of Remus' and doing the crosswords by dim wandlight in the early hours of the morning with a leftover bottle of wine for company. The wine didn't make him sleepy enough to crawl back into bed, nor did it soothe the sudden, animal-like aching for action, fresh air, something that had built up in his bones.

When the old clock finally told him Remus was nearly done for the night, he let his breath go before he realised he'd been waiting. Right. He really needed to see that Adam fellow about a job one of these days, devoted domestic clearly didn't suit him. He folded a half-finished Sunday Prophet on the desk, and then quickly dressed for the purposes of Moony getting. Maybe Remus' easy presence would relax him, or maybe he'd just be less bored with someone around to be bored with. After pulling on the last shoe and not bothering to lace it, he made his way quietly down to the lobby through the now deserted bar. He'd meet Remus and sneak into the kitchen for a bite, most likely, and then drag his no doubt exhausted friend's arse to bed straightaway.

He cleared his throat once he was standing in the lobby. "Morning," he said hoarsely. "'bout done?" Remus would worry, or imagine he'd had more nightmares, he realised suddenly, so he grinned to show that everything was all right.

Comments

[-moonylupin-.livejournal.com]

He set down some papers, ignoring the thrill of happiness that infused him, as he was wary of relying on it. Having someone show up to greet you when you finished work every day wasn't a new feeling, but it wouldn't last. Surely.

"Just now," Remus replied, cocking an eyebrow at him and gathering a few last-minute items. "Why on earth, Padfoot, are you up this early? Usually I only saw you this early when you were planning something and needed to wheedle me into cooperating, which I generally did. Since, you know, I have more faith in your intelligence than to suppose you play a prank on Adam, or somesuch, then I shall guess that you're up for some other reason." He paused. "That grin is making me nervous."

It was funny, as James had once told him, that he got verbose when he was tired (or really drunk). His diction became more formal, his vocabulary greater. Remus had replied that if James got him even more drunk Remus was sure to shut up, because he'd be too sick to say anything at all.

[grimsirius.livejournal.com]

Sirius shrugged. "Couldn't sleep, actually. Nothing," a pause, "nothing to worry about, really, think I'm just napping too much. Figured I could get me a Moony to bore me to sleep, right?" His grin softens a bit to show that he's joking. "I'll have you know, Lupin, that there are many people in this world who like my grin. They find it dashing, actually. Maybe even rakish. So it'd be very selfish to ask me to change it just for you."

Sirius has known Remus far too long to not notice when Remus is tired. "Come on, let's grab a bite and then get back upstairs, I think I could probably sleep now." It was far more likely that Remus would take care of Sirius than that he'd take care of himself, so the technique of pretending they were doing things for him was an effective one. Unfortunately, it hadn't worked as well as it usually did when Sirius had once tried to tell Remus that he was burdened with just far too much money, and why wouldn't some generous soul take it off his hands?

That Remus. He was a clever one.

[-moonylupin-.livejournal.com]

"Breakfast? If you weren't so tired I'd demand breakfast in bed, you know." His eyes softened momentarily: "You spoil me, Padfoot."

He remembered generosity, from before; that's where Remus had always teased him about pack loyalty, really, and gave Sirius sidelong glances about. There was pride in him - both of them - but Remus knew enough to take a rope when it was given to him.

The image of the snowglobe floated in front of him and Remus coughed, nodding. Right. "Follow the yellow-brick - sorry, red-carpeted stairs?"

[grimsirius.livejournal.com]

Sirius only laughed at that comment, but in such a way that someone who knew him as well as Remus could easily pick out the implied 'We all know who spoils whom.' But it wasn't a bitter laugh, just warmly affectionate.

"Oh, stop making awful jokes and get over here," said Sirius, crossing a few paces in order to grab Remus by the arm and half drag him along. He was more gentle in the action than he looked, of course, because while he paid close attention to Remus' monthly injuries, he didn't always know all of them, or which old sore points were acting up again. It was as he was pulling Remus (or rather, pretending to) through the doorway into the bar, he suddenly found that he couldn't take another step forward.

"What on--" but he realised what was blocking his way at the exact moment her heard a voice above them.

"OI, YOU POOFTERS, GET ON WITH IT!"

[-moonylupin-.livejournal.com]

Half-crashing into Sirius with the forward motion, Remus was able to stop himself, and follow Sirius' horrified gaze.

"Sirius," he said slowly, because it was just that early in the morning, "Why is there a plant yelling at me? Why is-" he glanced up "-mistletoe yelling at us?"

"GET RIGHT ON WITH IT, THERE YOU GO LADS, COME NOW..." and it cackled, and Remus stared.

He turned against the barrier, which didn't shift or let them leave, and fumbled for his wand, which he hadn't with him. Fantastic. Some childish prank and he's wandless.

He turned back and found they were pressed together, tightly, and Remus realized he could suddenly feel the lines of Sirius' body against his, at once familiar and new, and his own body reacted before he could help it.

Shit.

He was tired and hungry and horny and trapped in a small, enclosed yet public space with his best friend, and there were little green plants shouting at him.

"JUST GIVE HIM A NICE BIG WET ONE."

"In for a penny," Remus whispered, closed his eyes and lunged for Sirius, lips meeting and opening beneath his assault. Remus kissed him deeply, and shoved him against the barrier, which melted away into the doorframe. And they kept... kissing. Sirius' lips were soft against his own chapped lips, tongue hot and wet and sliding, and Remus made a noise, slightly, before he could help it.

[grimsirius.livejournal.com]

Sirius, for his part, grinned from ear to ear as soon as he saw the mistletoe hanging above their heads. Oh, he shouldn't have wanted this, not from someone he'd have to look in the eye again the next morning. If he'd considered this possibility with Remus before, he'd have expected to be horrified, but no, he was very pleased.

It would just be a matter of convincing Remus to let him make it more than a peck and a runner, he knew how he'd do it, too, but he'd have to--

His eyes widened when Remus, there was no other word for it, pounced, but they quickly shut again as Remus shoved him against the doorframe(!) and proceeded to snog him within an inch of his life. He responded passively at first, letting his lips move with Remus', letting his tongue slip in and pull out lazily when Remus' lips parted, allowing himself to sink into a fuzzy, pleasurable daze and to sigh into the kiss, but then Remus made a noise that was just so very Remus that Sirius couldn't help making one right back and sliding his hands up Remus' arms until he was gripping his biceps.

He increased the pressure of the kiss, taking the lead sometimes but letting Remus regain control again quickly-- the sounds Remus made when he felt aggressive were just too good to pass up. A sudden, accidental brush of groins made him gasp and nip at Remus' lower lip and tighten his hold on Remus' arms, but oh fuck he was going to have a problem soon if they kept this up much longer.

But fuck if he was going to be the one to break it off. He chuckled against Remus' lips, instead, and in a pause for air whispered "Remus," with just a hint of amusement in his voice.

[-moonylupin-.livejournal.com]

There was a pause as Remus froze, the cackling mistletoe above them suddenly, shockingly silent in the stillness of the hall.

Sirius went along with the biggest jokes. Went too far, pushed too far, even the Whomping Willow, why should this be any different? Remus' mind raced, as a dark, deep red flushing up from the collar of his threadbare jumper. He made no move to pull away yet; he only stared, horrified.

We can't. Sirius didn't know anything; Remus couldn't very well go on relying on him as he had, look what happened all those years ago. Being back for a year didn't make this anymore all right than Sirius... snogging him back, really. At least - he reddened - snogging him like that.

He stumbled backwards - there was no wall, now - and bumped against the opposite wall.

There was a girl to think about, after all.

[grimsirius.livejournal.com]

"Moony?" Sirius felt just a bit panicked right about now. He'd expected this to be met with, if not laughter, at least sarcasm or that feigned outrage Remus put on when he was being too stubborn to admit he was amused. But Remus looked more, well, horrified, and that wouldn't do at all. He'd done an awful lot of stupid things that had seemed funny at the time, and he was a bit tired of doing them. It wasn't even fair, really-- he hadn't meant to get stuck under the mistletoe, and Remus had started the kiss besides.

"Ooh, careful, mate," he said when Remus stumbled, automatically grabbing his arm and pulling him back to steady. "Are you all right?" And with just a trace of nervousness in his voice, "Are we all right? You know I didn't mean anything by it. Just thought we should give the annoying plant what it wanted." He grinned, hoping this would be enough to set Remus at ease enough to appreciate the humor of the situation.

[-moonylupin-.livejournal.com]

"Right."

They were both in their forties now, Remus realized with a pang. Forty-three, forty-four soon. Too old for "crushes". (No matter how dashingly one's object of ABSOLUTELY unrequited - squishiness - grinned at them.)

"Right."

He'd better stop repeating that word; Sirius was already giving him a look. "Sorry, Padfoot."

[grimsirius.livejournal.com]

He laughed, somewhat relieved Remus didn't really seem mad. "Nothing to be sorry about, mate. Though you surprised me, I'll admit. Been some time since someone's shoved me against the wall for a snog like that. Didn't know you had it in you, Lupin," he said with a wink.

It had been a very good kiss. Stodgy Remus had always been one of the few really stable things in his life, Sirius'd never expected that he could be so aggressive and, he had to admit it, sexy. "Still want a bite to eat," he added cheekily, "or have you had your fill?"

[-moonylupin-.livejournal.com]

His cheeks reddened as he shut his mouth, but his stomach knew what time it was and what time breakfast should be and rumbled, loudly, demandingly.

"I, er, could use some breakfast, now that you mention it," Remus announced, to save the last shred of dignity, which clung on like a crab that has caught a dog by its whiskers. It has no reason to stay clinging, but it does out of some perverse instinctual ideals. "And mouthwash. Incidentally, have you heard of mints? Eugh." He shuddered the delicate shudder that had almost gone extinct in the last ten years, but was back in force now that it had a steady home to compare to. "Come, I'll make you eat an apple."

Ah, 'cheeky' icon, never before have I had so much use for you

[grimsirius.livejournal.com]

Sirius steered Remus towards the kitchen, and couldn't help but laugh at Remus' reaction. "First, may I point out that I wasn't exactly expecting to be snogging anyone at fucking early o'clock in the morning. Second, may I point out that you hardly seemed to mind during the, ah, duration." He managed to wiggle his eyebrows both suggestively and ridiculously at the same time. "C'mon, there's no shame in it. You may not have noticed, but I'm actually considered quite a catch. In certain circles, of course."

Hee.

[-moonylupin-.livejournal.com]

"Oh yes, the best-friends-with-a-werewolf, ex-convict, newly-back-from-the-grave sort of man. Very popular. Good-looking, though." Remus nodded, official. "Good kisser. Eggs?"

Re: Hee.

[grimsirius.livejournal.com]

"Some people," he continued grandly, "think that death-defying werewolf-befriending ex-convicts are terribly sexy. And such people are, in fact, known as Remus J. Lupin." He smirked. "Scrambled, please."

Re: Hee.

[-moonylupin-.livejournal.com]

His ears were already flaming, thanks very much.

"You may tell the other Messrs Remus J. Lupins that they can have this Sirius Black you're painting for them," Remus replied with great dignity, "and the painter itself. Have you even heard remotely of the word, 'ego'? It may be a fascinating topic for yourself. Oh, and let's have a seat, we'll order since it's open."

Re: Hee.

[grimsirius.livejournal.com]

"I'll be sure to look it up," he replied with equal dignity. "Although I think you'll find egos are for people who actually have to exaggerate their assets." The word was carefully chosen, as was the accompanying grin.

Despite the difficult to debate existence of an ego, he took his seat quiet obediently.

Re: Hee.

[-moonylupin-.livejournal.com]

Remus winced, and pretended not to look as utterly embarrassed as he was feeling.

"That's terrible, you know. We are about to eat at this table which you are speaking over. While you may have very nice... assets, you also lack subtlety. Of the two I would've picked subtlety, Padfoot." He raised his eyebrows in a challenge for a reply.

Re: Hee.

[grimsirius.livejournal.com]

Sirius smiled broadly in a terribly you-aren't-getting-to-me sort of way. "It's natural to have these feelings, Remus. You don't have to pretend not to be desperately turned on around meee."

He punctuated this intelligent comment by sticking his tongue out.

Re: Hee.

[-moonylupin-.livejournal.com]

"By your lovely... assets, I presume, Mr. Black."

He sighed. He knew continuing to open his mouth would generate further teasing, especially in light of the recent kiss. He also knew that walking away would show that it was getting to him, and not prevent Sirius bringing it up later when he wanted to be irritating.

Remus slid back his chair and stood up. "You know, Padfoot, I'm not all that hungry. Why don't you have something to eat and I'll see you back at the room later? Ta."

Re: Hee.

[grimsirius.livejournal.com]

Well fuck.

Remus may have been good at hiding it, but Sirius always knew when he'd crossed the line. He quickly stood and went after Remus.

"Wait, hold on," he said, grabbing the man's shoulder. "I'm sorry if I made you mad, I was just joking." He smiled apologetically. "Anyone's gonna enjoy a kiss, right? It doesn't mean anything, I know that."

Re: Hee.

[-moonylupin-.livejournal.com]

"Right, of course it didn't," Remus said agreeably, rubbing a hand over his tired eyes. He sighed, "And I'm not mad, Sirius. I would, however, like to go and have a sleep. I'll eat when I wake. Have a nice morning, Padfoot."

Feeling the weight of exhaustion, Remus darted off towards the exit, leaving behind one quietly swearing Sirius Black.