Too Beautiful For You

***


Chapter 5


A week went by, slow and uneventful, without a hint from Sirius that anything had transpired between them other than the comfortable friendship they'd always shared. Remus caught himself sighing quietly with relief every time they spoke, passed one another, or met eyes and the fact was obvious that nothing had changed. He was still Remus, Sirius was still Sirius, and the whole I'm in love with you thing seemed, for all intents and purposes, to have never happened.

Remus knew it had, though. His heart still ached with longing when Sirius' soft blue eyes looked laughingly into his own; he still felt the dull throb in his loins when Sirius touched him, no matter how innocent the contact. The fact that Sirius hadn't cast him off once the revelation was out in the open made Remus love him all the more intensely, if that were possible. But he held it inside, carrying the burden alone.

A meeting was called and the Order assembled, filling the kitchen of Black Manor with hushed voices and hastily scribbled parchments making swooshing sounds as they were pushed back and forth across the table. Voices raised in excitement or anger from time to time, mixing and melding into one cacophony that hurt Remus' head. He wanted to go to bed, just walk out and leave it to the others tonight, but his deep sense of responsibility toward the Order made him stay. He glanced up sullenly from a stack of parchments he'd been pretending to analyze and caught Sirius staring at him.

Black's eyes were grinning. He tilted his head to one side, motioning toward a young witch sitting two chairs down. She was a member of their covert investigations team; Remus didn't know her personally, had met her perhaps twice, and for the life of him couldn't even begin to remember her name. She was pretty, he noticed. His mood darkened when he realized that Sirius had noticed as well.

He watched as the witch glanced over and met Sirius' stare, smiling sweetly...he followed the smile to Sirius, who was smiling back at her.

Damn.

Kingsley Shacklebolt was arguing with Severus Snape over whether or not the Vampires should be more actively recruited; Snape was of the opinion that they should be wooed with whatever resources were available, furthering Lupin's sneaking suspicion that Snape himself was a bloodsucker. Neither Sirius nor the pretty witch from the C.I. team appeared to care much either way---they were too busy exchanging suggestive glances to be bothered with the nuances of Vampire persuasion.

Nobody noticed.

Nobody except, of course, Remus Lupin.

Whose head was now killing him.

He stood, politely excusing himself, brushing aside Molly Weasley's concerned fussing as he exited the diningroom and shut the door behind him, slumping against the doorway, his aching head drooping into his hands.

Don't think about it, he chastised himself. Just put it away, it can only hurt.

A scuttling sound under the stairwell brought him out of his grief. Kreacher. Just what I need right now. He shook his head briefly to clear it and was surprised when a tear rolled down his cheek, tickling his nose. He brushed it away.

Just go home and go to bed. Forget this day. Forget everything.

He sighed deeply, looking around for his cloak. Molly was forever stashing things away, removing everyone's outer clothing the second they arrived and putting it god knew where. Usually he just waited for her to return it to him at the end of the night, but at the moment she was engaged in a heated discussion with Albus over something Remus couldn't care less about. Their voices carried through the heavy wooden door, wrapping themselves around him in a way that grated on his nerves so unbearably that he shuddered.

Let the war come. He could use the quiet.

He heard Kreacher shuffling around again and decided it couldn't hurt to just ask him where the cloaks were. Although he normally made it a practice to avoid conversation with the nasty little thing if at all possible, he felt that the need to vacate this place was more pressing at the moment than his desire to avoid being insulted by the help.

"Kreacher, tell me where Mrs. Weasley put the guest's cloaks please."

A long silence followed, as the shuffling ceased and Remus was left momentarily wondering if what he'd been hearing wasn't actually mice. He was about to speak again when a thin, raspy croak of a voice drifted from the darkness beneath the stairwell.

"The Blood Traitor's friend shall get his cloak and leave this place, leave this place and not sully its sacred steps with his tainted presence ever again!"

Remus rolled his eyes.

"Yes, the Blood Traitor's friend is leaving. He promises not to sully this place with his tainted presence again until next Wednesday. Will that do?"

Kreacher growled, clearly insulted at being required to communicate with any associate of his master. "Cloaks upstairs, in the Blood Traitor's bedroom."

"Thank you, Kreacher."

The house elf disappeared back into the darkness under the stairwell, mumbling menacing, incoherent threats and curses as Remus climbed the stairs above him.


***


"There it is," Remus said quietly to himself, crossing the darkened room to the large ornate armoire by the shrouded window. He was pulling his tattered cloak off the hanger when voices outside the door startled him and he jumped, spinning around to see shadows moving on the floor under the doorway. The distinctive voice of Sirius Black cut through the silence, accompanied by softly lilting, very obviously feminine laughter.

Oh shit was the only coherent thought Remus could muster. The doorknob started to turn; without thinking, he leaped into the armoire, but was unable to get the doors latched before Sirius entered the room, the laughing girl following closely behind. He hoped to god neither of them happened to look over and notice his finger sticking out from between the doors.

After a moment his wildly racing heart stopped thumping violently in his ears and he realized with chagrin that he could hear, quite plainly, not only every word that was said between Sirius and the girl, but every move that was made by either of them as well. Oh god, please don't let them fuck. Please. PLEASE!!

He closed his eyes hard, willing himself to die. When that didn't work, he concentrated on breaking the charm that prevented anyone from apparating into or out of Grimmauld Place, hoping to quietly disappear from the closet and reappear someplace safe, like the bottom of the Atlantic. Failing that, he slumped against the back wall of the armoire and resigned himself to his fate...Sirius and the girl were going to screw, and knowing Sirius the way he did, it was going to be epic.

Wet sounds met his ears, the sound of two mouths exploring each other passionately, tongues slipping and sliding and sucking and smacking, first with hesitancy and then with mounting urgency as other sounds started making their way into his awareness...hands removing clothing, sliding over flesh, ripping bodices and snapping buttons, the creaking of bedsprings as bodies fell onto it, bouncing and breathing hard, bare skin now sliding on silk as breathing became more labored and quick...

Remus could no longer stand it. He opened his eyes, moving very slowly inside the closet until he could see through the small opening between the two doors. He actually caught himself biting his tongue when he saw Sirius on the bed, his long, sleek body stretched over the softly moaning, half naked witch.

A familiar, somewhat painful, highly unwelcome sensation washed over him and he felt his cock instantly stiffen. Dammit. He had to stifle a gasp when Sirius rolled over so that the woman could finish undressing; he watched as his friend, already barechested, unfastened his trousers and pulled them off, chucking them over the edge of the bed.

Good old Sirius. He hadn't worn underwear since grade school, and apparently hadn't felt the need in recent years to make any changes in that regard. He stretched out on the bed without the slightest hint of self consciousness, his erection resting on his belly, watching the girl while Remus watched him.

No no noooooo Remus chastised himself silently...don't you dare... He felt his fingers twitch, insistent on reaching for his own cock, but stopped them. The last thing on earth he wanted to be caught doing was masturbating in his best friend's closet. He could see himself, head hanging in shame, stammering a hastily made-up lie to explain his way out of it to Dumbledore while Sirius snickered in the hallway, carving REMUS WANKS into the waiting-area bench.

But Merlin help him, if Sirius didn't turn over or cover up soon, that was exactly what he was going to spend the rest of his evening doing.

Face hot with shame, he hastily whipped out his wand and whispered a very quiet silencing charm on the cabinet that held him; his resolve was weakening by the second and he could tell by the throbbing ache in his crotch that he was going to need that charm, or a sock wadded up and stuffed into his mouth, very soon. He grimaced as his wand accidentally tapped the armoire door with a soft *click*, freezing every muscle in his body taut. Sirius gave a half glance toward the window, but quickly turned his full attention back to the lovely young witch that was now licking his bare shoulder.

Thank Merlin's beard this thing's next to the window Remus silently prayed, casting his eyes heavenward and kissing his knuckles. He had never really gotten the whole religion thing, but occasionally felt the need to make nice with whoever or whatever might be hidden away in the clouds, watching over him. He was certain he was getting a notch in the naughty books for this one. Sorry God, I just can't help myself.

He bent forward, pressing his nose against the cabinet door to get a better look at the proceedings. Somewhere between Sorry God and Amen Sirius had passed second base and was well on his way to third; the nubile young witch was sitting on the edge of the bed, facing the cabinet, with Sirius on his knees behind her. His arms slowly snaked around her body, his hands caressing her naked breasts as he kissed her supple shoulders and neck, eliciting a long, slow, drawn out moan from her throat as he nipped it none too gently with his teeth.

Remus heard a second moan and jumped, startled, slapping his hand over his mouth when he realized it had slipped from his own throat. Geezus Remus, get a grip. Remembering the Silencing charm, he sighed and slumped back against the back wall of the armoire; it was the moment of truth, time to put up or shut up, the few crucial seconds that would define his opinion of himself for months to come...

"Fuck it" he muttered, rushing back to the crack between the doors. It took all of two seconds for his opinion of himself to take a quick trip down the swirling toilet as he hastily unfastened his trousers and crammed his hand inside, dropping his head back in relieved ecstasy as his fingers encircled his painfully engorged cock and set it free of its constrictive clothing. Sirius was busy rubbing the girl's nipples, pinching them till she yelped in pleasure, turning her to face him and dropping his head down to suck them one at a time while she moaned and writhed and murmured his name.

"I want you soooooo bad, Master Black," she groaned.

"Say it, then," Sirius whispered against her throat, his hands sliding all over her silky body. She moaned, arching up against him, but said nothing; Sirius gripped her upper arms hard, shaking her once as he hissed into her ear. "Say it!"

Remus felt himself shiver as the girl whimpered "Please, fuck me...please, Master Black..."

So. Sirius was a Dom. Remus had often wondered...now he knew, saw it with his own eyes. The information gave him an indescribable sort of pleasure, something like opening an unmarked chocolate and discovering it's got your favorite filling. His fingers gripped more tightly around his cock as he moved closer to the doors, improving his view. The term Voyeurism flitted briefly through his consciousness but was chased out by the rising sense of all-encompassing horniness that outweighed everything else. He'd feel guilty tomorrow. Maybe even do some sort of penance. But right now...who cared.

Sirius pushed the girl onto her back and climbed on top of her, giving Remus a lovely view of his naked backside as he spread her legs with his knee and guided his cock to her slick opening with one hand. His words were lost in the girl's whimpers and moans as he stroked her momentarily with the head of his cock before pushing roughly into her; she screamed, her outcry muffled by Sirius' mouth as he kissed her, his tongue reaching deep into her throat, his body rocking against hers while the bedsprings creaked beneath them.

Remus could stand it no longer. He began pumping his swollen cock, wetting it with its own slick juices, never taking his eyes off Sirius and the girl as they made love with all the urgency and passion he'd always suspected a Sirius fuckfest would entail. His eyes drank them in, traveling up the long, sleek length of Sirius' legs to his well-formed and gloriously shaped arse, over his strong, tattooed back, to his muscular shoulders and handsomely defined arms, whimpering softly himself as he watched Sirius' beautiful, glossy black hair tumble over his shoulders and onto the girl's face. The heat rose in his belly as he grew nearer climax, his cock stiffening harder than he'd ever felt it, the agony of pleasure dimming his vision as he reached the pinnacle and exploded, spiraling out of control, the wave breaking and finally receding as he spurted his juices over his hand and onto the inside of the cabinet door.

Merlin's scrotum.

The intensity of his orgasm made him momentarily weak and he slumped against the side wall of the armoire, breathing heavily and trembling. He could hear Sirius and the girl finishing, their cries drowning each other out, the creaking of the bedsprings reaching a frenzied crescendo and then finally stopping as Sirius collapsed onto her, his own heavy breathing nearly keeping perfect rhythm with Remus'.

His hand sticky and wet, Remus glanced around the dark interior of the cabinet looking for something to wipe it on. Kingsley Shacklebolt's bright purple cloak caught his eye.

That is just so wrong, he chastised himself, settling on the tail of his own shirt as a makeshift handtowel as he began putting himself back together. Sirius and the witch would likely be vacating the bedroom soon and he could sneak out; Molly and Arthur would most likely be gone by now, Molly Weasley being the only person that he was genuinely scared of bumping into under the circumstances.

Remus Lupin, we thought you'd gone already! Where've you been hiding, in the cloak cabinet? Come come now, let's get you a spot of tea with brandy to warm you up for the trip home...oh! You're all sweaty! Are you ill? Now you have a seat right here and let me have a look at you...what's this all over your shirt?

He shuddered. Nothing could make him shudder like Molly Weasley.

Except, maybe, Sirius Black.

Ahhh, Sirius...

He shifted back to the doors and peered out. The witch was dressing, a contented and completely satisfied smile on her lips as she let Sirius button the back of her skirt. His hands roamed across her backside, slapping her resoundingly on the fanny. She yelped.

Sirius was still naked, sitting propped against a multitude of fluffy pillows, watching the witch with a devilish grin. When she crossed in front of the armoire, Remus suddenly realized where he was and a sickening stab of fear punched him soundly in the gut as it dawned on him just how colossal his screwup actually was...she was going to open the armoire and get her cloak so she could leave.

He watched with dread as she reached for the doors, his mind totally blank, unable to even formulate an excuse for his presence. He was already beginning to stammer something nonsensical when Sirius' voice broke in with an authoritative "Wait a second---"

The girl stopped, her hand on the knob. Sirius was stretching, sitting up and swinging his legs over the edge of the bed to reach for his dressing robe on the bedside armchair.

"Run downstairs and get me a cup of tea, would you darling? A few members may still be lingering and I don't feel like getting dressed."

The witch smiled, leaning over to kiss Sirius on the forehead. "Of course, Master Black." She gave him a fetching grin, then turned and exited the bedroom.

Remus sighed, his relief almost overwhelming. There were close calls, and then there were close calls. In the history of close calls, this one had to have been the closest.

He was trying to figure out whether he should just dart out of the closet and race for the exit without an explanation or come up with something quickly to tell Sirius...the best he could come up with in a hurry was some nonsense to do with hitting his head on the cabinet door while retrieving his cloak...it sounded weak even to his own ears. He could always put a Confundus spell on Sirius, though he knew the consequences if he ever found out would be severe. He was arguing with himself over the best way to get it over with when a voice interrupted.

"You can come out now Remus. It's all clear."

Remus' heart nearly stopped. Had he heard correctly? Was Sirius speaking...to him?

"You heard me. You'd better hurry, she'll be back in a moment."

Oh dear god.

He pushed the armoire doors open slowly and stepped out, his face a red mask of shame and embarassment. He couldn't look Sirius in the eye as he shut the doors behind him, tucking his shirt back into his pants and praying his friend wouldn't notice the damp splotches.

Sirius chuckled softly.

"You'd best go out the back way, you're least likely to be caught that way," he said matter-of-factly, as if he hadn't just discovered his best friend having a wank in his closet. "Take a left out this door and use the servants' hallway, there's an exit into the alley from there."

Remus nodded, turning for the door.

"Oh, and Remus---"

He stopped, humiliated beyond comprehension. His voice sounded tiny in his own ears. "Yes?"

"Do you feel better now?"

Sirius was smiling. Not his usual smirky, self-assured grin, not the arrogant sneer he was known for, but a true, honest, heartfelt smile. Remus felt warmed by it, his shame melting away as he realized he hadn't been caught doing something wrong...he'd been given a gift by his dearest friend. He felt a smile spreading across his own face as he nodded.

"Yes," he said quietly. "I do."

Sirius' smile began to take on the wry twist of arrogance that Remus was so familiar with. "Then get out of here, I need some sleep after that. Damn witches just keep getting younger and younger."


***


Remus Lupin settled into his bed, relieved to be home despite the cold of his bedroom; he had neglected to start a fire before he left for the meeting, so his bed was chilly and the air he breathed was so icy it made his sinuses ache. But a warm feeling that had crept over him on his way out of Black Manor kept him from noticing the discomfort, and he snuggled down under the blankets with a contented smile on his face.

As he drifted into the hazy warmth that precedes sleep, he ran over in his mind the things he needed to do in the morning...tea and chocolate, then to the castle to speak with Dumbledore about this term's curriculum...there was a two-day old OWL from Tonks on the kitchen table that needed answering...she was asking him out again, rather forthrightly this time, finally giving up on the veiled suggestions and coy hints she'd been employing for months.

Her face suddenly appeared in his head, smiling, her hair a soft pink, her expression nonjudgmental. He opened his eyes.

The kitchen floor was icy cold under his bare feet, but Remus felt a sense of urgency as he dug a quill out of the junk drawer and turned Tonks' letter over to write on the back.

Dearest Tonks,

Please accept my sincerest apologies for the delay in responding to your OWL of two days ago. My mind has been occupied with other things, but having had time to work them out, I would now be honored to accept your invitation for dinner on Tuesday. I look forward to spending some time with you and getting to know you better.

Best regards,

Remus



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~THE END~


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If you enjoyed this...even if you didn't...please hit the review section and let me know what you thought! Thanks so much for reading, I really enjoyed writing this one =)


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