Fic: Muse Final chapter + Epilogue COMPLETE
Title: Muse
Author:remuslives23
Summary: Remus is a struggling artist who loses his confidence after a car accident. He goes back to basics to try and rediscover his talent and meets a man who inspires him both professionally and personally. AU. Slash.
Pairing: Remus/Sirius
Rating: NC-17
Author's Note: Thanks to plarpatubin for your prompt, ta to lupinlicious for pointing me towards the prompt, and love, love, love to dogsunderfoot for constant support, correcting of ridiculously basic errors and for insisting this wasn’t crap when I was absolutely certain it was. Thanks so much for your interest in Chapter Seventeen.
EXTRA NOTE: I've decided to post the last chapter and the epilogue as one chapter. I'm off for surgery next week and wanted to make sure this was completed before that. Thanks so much for all your wonderful comments and support of a fic I was very nervous about writing and posting. I do have an outline for a sequel and I'm also hoping to post one or two 'cut-scene' type of one shots. If you have a suggestion for a scene you would like to see, feel free to give me suggestions! :)
Chapter Eighteen
Remus opened his eyes, groaning when he caught sight of the time. It was seven o’clock and he’d only gone to bed a couple of hours ago. He and Sirius had come home early after dinner at James and Lily’s and Sirius, still in an odd mood, had initiated a quick, rough shag against the tiled wall of their bathroom under the stinging spray of water.
Then he’d decided that it was too early to call it a night and dragged a protesting Remus out to the closest club. Remus mostly watched the energetic Sirius dance, the brunette obviously trying to work out his frustration and irritation on the dance floor. As he drank his bourbon and coke, Remus noticed Sirius leaving the dance floor and saw him huddled up with a few men in a corner, chatting enthusiastically. Sirius saw Remus watching and smiled, raising a hand in a wave, before he turned back to his companions.
Remus felt a sting of jealousy, but was confident enough to realise that Sirius wasn’t going to cheat on him. Eventually, Sirius came back, happier than he’d been since before Remus’ showing, and he grabbed Remus’ hands, pulling him out onto the dance floor. They gyrated against each other, becoming hotter and hotter until Remus was the one doing the dragging, pulling Sirius into a bathroom stall where they fucked vigorously, spurred on by the thumping bass vibrating through the floor before coming home to collapse into bed.
‘Rem? You awake?’
‘Mmm,’ Remus hummed croakily before reaching for the glass of water on his side table. His head hurt, not from overindulgence but from lack of sleep, and his throat was sore from breathing in cigarette smoke. ‘Sort of.’
Remus heard Sirius huff in amusement, then an arm curled over his chest. He smiled and turned onto his side, sliding his own arm over Sirius as they lay face to face.
‘Morning,’ he said softly and Sirius grinned, shifting his hand from Remus’ ribs to cup his cheek, sliding his thumb over a stubble-rough jaw.
‘Morning, Sirius echoed, then leaned in for a kiss.
Remus tasted smoke and the staleness that came from a night’s sleep on Sirius' tongue, but opened his mouth to deepen the lip lock. Sirius grunted approval, shifting closer so their torsos’ pressed together with each breath. Legs twined as their lips moved slowly, sensuously together, content for now to do just this. Sirius pulled back, dragging his mouth over the rough skin of Remus' jaw before burying his face in the crook of Remus' neck and inhaling deeply.
They were quiet for several minutes and Remus began to drift back off to sleep when Sirius mumbled against his throat,‘I’m sorry I’ve been such an arse these last few days.’
Remus, eyes still closed, nuzzled his face into the other man’s black tresses. ‘We’re all entitled to bad moods,’ he murmured, kissing the top of Sirius’ head.
He felt Sirius shift and opened his eyes to see him staring down at him. ‘Remember what we talked about yesterday?’ Sirius asked, his tone a little hesitant. ‘Me and my lack of direction?’
Remus frowned, but nodded. ‘Yeah,’ he said, circling his arms around Sirius’ waist.
‘Now, don’t laugh,’ Sirius warned and Remus’ frown deepened.
‘Why would I laugh?’
Sirius took a deep breath. ‘I was talking to a couple of blokes last night that work for the ‘Gay Rights Alliance’. One of them is a lawyer who takes on a lot of discrimination cases and it sounded really interesting…’
‘You… want to study law? You want to be a lawyer?’ Remus asked, eyes wide with surprise and Sirius bit his lip.
‘Is that a stupid idea?’
‘No,’ Remus said immediately, his brain slowly catching up. ‘No, I…’ He thought for a moment then smiled. ‘I think it’s a great idea…’
‘But?’ Sirius said warily as Remus' sentence tapered off.
Remus grinned. ‘You realise that you’d have to follow rules as a lawyer?’ he teased and Sirius pinched his arm lightly.
‘Prick,’ he muttered in relief then he sighed heavily, laying down on Remus’ chest and resting his head over the other man’s heart. ‘I just… I’m just sick of us being called names or having to hide because we happened to fall in love with another man. It might seem naïve, but… I just want to try and make life easier for us.’
Remus carded his fingers through Sirius’ hair, gripping the black strands and tugging gently. Sirius, taking the hint, raised his head to look at Remus.
‘You are such a passionate person, Sirius,’ Remus said softly. ‘I think you would be a brilliant lawyer.’
Sirius beamed and kissed Remus hard. ‘He wants me to come and see him,’ he said when he pulled back, excitement obvious in his voice. ‘He - Jonathon - said I could do some work in the organisation while I’m studying then intern for him…’
Remus raised an eyebrow. ‘Do I have anything to worry about?’ he asked, only half-joking as he watched Sirius’ animated face and dancing eyes. ‘You and… Jonathon will be bending over piles of paper in your fancy suits and I’ll be playing with my paints…’
Sirius chuckled, shifting until he was straddling Remus’ hips. He pressed his arse down on Remus’ groin, making the other man grunt softly.
‘The only man I’ll be bending over for is you,’ he murmured, dipping down to kiss Remus again, slow and deep, taking their time as their hands explored the expanse of exposed flesh.
It was a languid, lazy exploration that left them feeling heavy with a combination of desire and love and, as Sirius reached for the bedside table drawer, Remus moaned, ‘I can’t move, love. My turn to bottom.’
Sirius grinned, tearing open a condom with his teeth before efficiently rolling it down Remus’ shaft. ‘I want you inside me,’ he murmured, popping the lid on the lube then squeezing some onto his fingers. ‘Let me do all the work.’
Remus grinned, skimming his fingers along Sirius’ thighs as the other man rose to his knees and snuck a hand between his legs. Remus’ breath hitched as he watched Sirius bite down on his lip as he prepared himself, and he flexed his hips unconsciously.
Sirius chuckled. ‘Not as lethargic as you thought?’ he teased then fell back off Remus’ lap to lie on his back, legs akimbo, fingers still inside his arse. Remus sat up, reaching for him, but Sirius shook his head.
‘No, just watch,’ he ordered and Remus let out a shaky breath, eyes fixed on Sirius’ probing fingers.
His toes curled and fists clenched in the bedding as Sirius moved his other hand to his cock, stroking in long, even strokes as he finger fucked himself.
One loud, gravely moan which sounded as if it had been torn forcibly from Sirius’ chest put Remus over the edge and he shoved the bedding off of himself and demanded, ‘Stop being such a prick tease and fucking get on with it!’
Sirius opened his eyes, grinning as he sat up and scrambled into Remus’ lap, pulling the other man into a desperate kiss as he aligned their bodies. Sirius took him in one long stroke, pausing only when Remus was balls deep inside him.
Their movements were sinuous, rhythmic and their passion slowly building into a boiling frenzy, uncontrollable and unstoppable. Remus cried out, the sight of Sirius riding him hard, fisting himself with his head thrown back in abandon, proving too much for him and he came gripping the other man’s hips bruisingly. Sirius groaned, the noise accompanied by ribbons of viscous fluid which splattered across Remus’ chest, and a clenching of his arse which made Remus shout out as his overstimulated flesh was squeezed.
‘Fuck, I love you,’ Remus gasped as Sirius fell down next to him, sweat-and-come-slicked skin sticking together.
Sirius laughed and turned his head to look at Remus. ‘Love you too,’ he mumbled, rolling over to kiss Remus sloppily on the cheek then he laughed. ‘You are a mess.’
He trailed his hand through the cooling come on Remus’ torso then raised his hand to the other man’s mouth. Remus licked at the finger then drew it inside his mouth, watching Sirius’ eyes darken once more as his tongue swirled around the digit.
‘Christ,’ Sirius breathed then shut his eyes. ‘Oh, the spirit is so very willing, but the flesh is weak. I’m sorry…’
‘Don’t be,’ laughed Remus, releasing Sirius’ finger. ‘I’m all talk. I couldn’t get it up now for all the money in the world.’
Sirius sighed then grimaced. ‘I need a shower,’ he murmured, kissing Remus on the forehead. ‘Get a bit more sleep.’
‘Mmm,’ Remus mumbled, already closing his eyes in an attempt to do just that.
He heard Sirius’ low laugh, then the hiss of the shower. Remus rolled over and was floating between wakefulness and sleep when a knocking jolted him from his respite.
‘Fuck off,’ he muttered, pulling a pillow over his head, but the knocking came again, louder this time and he threw the pillow across the room in frustration.
‘Buggering hell,’ he swore as he climbed out of bed. He snatched up a pair of boxers and struggled into them, calling, ‘Alright! I’m coming!’ as the knocking persisted.
He grabbed the nearest shirt off the dresser and yanked it over his head as he made his way to the door, swearing colourfully when he stubbed his toe on a hall table along the way. By the time he forcefully jerked the door open, he was irritated and in pain and ready to give whoever had the nerve to show their face on his door at this time of a morning a mouthful of abuse.
‘Diane?’
The woman smiled then broke out into giggles, covering her mouth with her hand. ‘Nice shirt,’ she said through her fingers and Remus looked down, groaning when he saw he’d pulled on Sirius shirt with the declaration ‘I don’t know the question, but sex is definitely the answer.’
‘Oh, for the love of…’ Remus groaned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. ‘Come in, Diane. Sit down and I’ll try and wake up a bit.’
He waved her inside and pointed her towards the teapot then made his way to the bathroom. He could see the outline of Sirius’ body and grinned, flinging open the shower curtain and making Sirius cry out in surprise.
‘Arse,’ Sirius muttered, flicking water at Remus before reaching for the soap. ‘You change your mind about round two?’
‘Diane’s here,’ Remus said and Sirius raised an eyebrow as he soaped his crotch lewdly.
‘Well, I don’t usually go for women, but if you insisted on trying it…’
Remus sniggered and slapped Sirius’ wet backside. ‘Hurry up in there and come say hello to our guest,’ he said, shoving his hands under the spray then splashing a handful of water on his face.
Ten minutes later, feeling a lot more awake, he was sitting in front of Diane with a cup of tea, staring at her with an open mouth.
‘Italy?’
‘That’s where the studio is, yes.’
Remus knew he must look like a fool with his mouth hanging open as he gaped at Diane, but he just couldn’t comprehend what he was hearing.
‘You’re telling me that this bloke - who doesn’t know me from a hole in the wall - saw my paintings and is offering me a chance to train at ‘Europeo di Belle Arti Studio Formazione’? With a full scholarship? Diane, that’s… impossible.’
Diane grinned and shook her head. ‘Then you’ve just done the impossible, Remus. Benedict Tannino himself was at the gallery the other night and sent his representative back with an invitation to meet with him to discuss your acceptance…’
‘I… I haven’t accepted…’ Remus stammered, his mind spinning.
Diane looked scandalised. ‘No, but there’s no question…’ Her voice trailed off as she took a good look at his face. ‘Remus. You can’t say no. No one says no to an opportunity like this.’
‘Diane, I can’t just up and leave the country,' Remus objected, still trying to wrap his mind around this. 'I’ve got commitments…’
‘Your commissions?’ she said disbelievingly. ‘Remus, they’ll find someone else…’
‘Sirius,’ he reminded her with a frown. ‘I can’t just expect him to pick up and move to Italy.’
‘Italy?’
Remus turned around to see Sirius staring at him in shock from the doorway. ‘You’re going to Italy?’he said, hurt and confusion shining in his eyes.
‘No,’ Remus said just as Diane answered, ‘Yes’.
Remus glared at the woman who ignored him. ‘Remus has been offered the chance of a lifetime - to study at ‘Europeo di Belle Arti Studio Formazione’ in Italy,' she explained. 'It’s a full scholarship, many of the great artists studied there and just the name…’
She turned back to Remus and implored, ‘Remus, just the name on your resume will open doors that may have always remained closed to you otherwise. They only take the best…’
Diane looked as though she was about to stomp her foot when she saw the stubborn set to Remus’ face. ‘Oh, why are you being so obstinate? Do you know how many people would kill for this opportunity…?’
‘He accepts.’
Remus and Diane turned to stare at Sirius. ‘What?’ Remus said with a frown. ‘I don’t accept…’
‘You’d be mad to turn this down, Remus,’ Sirius said, shaking his head. ‘Why on earth would you say no?’
Remus’ jaw tightened and he stood up, the chair grating loudly across the wooden floor. ‘Well, I thought that my future plans should include my live-in boyfriend, but obviously he isn’t thinking along the same lines as I am.’
He turned to Di, eyes flashing as anger and hurt whirled like a hurricane inside of him. ‘Fine. Tell them I accept. I’ll be there in a day or two.’
‘Remus…’
He ignored Sirius’ call, grabbing his jacket from a hook beside the front door and storming off.
‘Shit,’ Sirius mumbled, sinking into a kitchen chair. ‘That is not what I meant…’
‘I know,’ Di said, finishing off her coffee then standing. ‘I’m sorry about this, but it is such a wonderful opportunity for him…’
‘And I don’t want him to turn it down because of me,’ Sirius said, running a hand through his hair restlessly. ‘I want him to be the best he can be.’
‘He doesn’t want to leave you,’ Di murmured and Sirius frowned.
‘And I don't want him to,’ he told her, a hollow ache building in his chest. ‘But he’d resent me if he turned this down. Maybe not straight away, but later, he’d hate me for holding him back.’
He smiled grimly and nodded in determination. ‘We’ll work it out. Long distance relationships…’
His voice petered out; they both knew damn well long distance relationships usually failed. ‘We’ll work it out,’ he repeated.
Epilogue
One Year Later
‘Stupid fucking thing,’ Sirius swore, slapping the computer monitor then giving it a shake. ‘Where did you put my bloody paper?’
He poked at another button then groaned when the screen went blank. ‘Oh, bloody wanking arsehole!’ he growled.
‘Swearing at it doesn’t work, you know,’ came an amused voice over his shoulder and he turned to scowl at James.
‘Fuck off you,’ he muttered then he slumped in his chair, running a hand through his disheveled hair. ‘I think I just lost that paper that was due tomorrow. Aren't these stupid things supposed to make life easier?' He glared at the computer and stabbed fruitlessly at the keyboard once more.
James frowned and walked around behind Sirius’ desk, fiddling with a few cords then he leaned over and pressed a button. The screen lit up again and Sirius grinned in relief when he saw his assignment there.
‘Oh, thank Christ,’ he muttered, quickly typing in the print command. ‘I think I might actually have slit my wrists if I’d lost that. Two bloody weeks of constant work - no eating, no sleeping, no shagging…’
James snorted. ‘Yeah, right,’ he said, throwing himself into the spare office chair. ‘Although the no-shagging part I believe - you are taking far too long in the shower every morning.’
Sirius pulled the pages out of the printer and poked his tongue out at James. ‘I’ll be getting more than I know what to do with now I’ve finished this,’ he retorted, carefully placing the pages in a manila folder and putting them in his briefcase. ‘And once Remus and I are both in the same country, of course.’
James tilted his head, smiling a knowing smile. ‘You miss him like mad, don’t you?’ he said and a small crease appeared between Sirius’ eyes.
‘Yeah,‘ he admitted, avoiding James’ gaze. ‘But I had to come back to London to sit those exams and Remus had to stay…’ He sighed and looked up at James. ‘I really miss him.’
James smirked. ‘I never thought I’d see the day,’ he teased. ‘Sirius Black is cock whipped.’
Sirius punched him in the arm, but laughed. After Diane dropped her bombshell nearly twelve months ago, he finally tracked Remus down at the bar where they'd had their first date. After several tense minutes of cold silence, Remus finally agreed to talk about the offer. Over the next three hours, Sirius had used every wile he had to talk the obstinate Remus into accepting the position and, with the help of Sirius’ new employer, Jonathan, they worked out an arrangement that suited them both.
They had both moved to Italy a few weeks later, renting a tiny little flat after Remus gained permission to live off-campus. Remus had thrived in the country where art was revered and was rapidly garnering more and more attention as one of the 'to watch' artists. Sirius and Jonathan had worked hard on an application to prove Sirius could manage a long distance study load and had been allowed to enroll in several modules of a pre-law course, completing them via mail. Jonathan had wrangled a part-time position for him with one of the lawyers in the Gay Alliance’s European offices which had given Sirius invaluable practical experience in a law office.
But a month ago, Sirius had to return to London to sit the exams that could not be done long distance. Remus was also completing his final works for his apprenticeship so they had spent the last month relying on letters and phone sex to get by - as well as those long and frequent showers in James and Lily’s bathroom.
But the exams were finished, Sirius’ last assignment was done and Remus was coming home.
Today.
‘What time is it?’ Sirius asked and James sighed.
‘About fifteen minutes since you last asked,’ he said wearily. ‘Sirius, he won’t even have left Florence yet.’
Sirius grunted an acknowledgement then exhaled long and loud. ‘I might try and get some rest before he gets home,’ he decided, thinking the time would go faster if he were unconscious. ‘You’ll wake me in plenty of time to get to the airport…?’
‘Yes,’ James assured him, standing up. ‘I’d never hear the end of it otherwise.’
Sirius grinned, pushing himself to him feet and heading off to his temporary bedroom.
~*~
He was dreaming of Remus. Dreaming of his lips on his neck, teeth and tongue following the curve of his throat then trailing over his collarbone to nibble lightly at the hardening bud of his nipple. Fuck, it felt so damn real and Sirius moaned, arching up to be closer to the phantom Remus’ exploring mouth. The chuckle that filled Sirius’ ears sounded so tangible that he couldn’t help but reach out to try and touch…
Sirius’ eyes sprung open when his hands hit warm, solid flesh and Remus’ beaming smile was the first thing he saw.
‘Hey there, gorgeous,’ Remus said softly and Sirius’ mouth fell open in surprise.
‘I’m dreaming,’ he said, his voice hoarse from sleep, and Remus laughed softly. Sirius felt a hand cup his genitals firmly, thumb rubbing a concentric pattern on the head of his rapidly stiffening cock, and he gasped.
‘Does that feel like a dream to you?’ Remus murmured, leaning down to bite Sirius’ earlobe as he gave his cock a long, slow pull.
Sirius groaned and reached out, tangling his hands in Remus’ hair. ‘I don’t care if it is,’ he muttered, tugging Remus’ head up. ‘I’ll take you however I can get you.’
Remus made a noise of satisfaction then Sirius covered the other man's mouth with his own, the minty taste of toothpaste not quite smothering the taste of Remus and Sirius finally felt at ease in his own skin, finally felt like he could stop looking because whatever it was that he was missing had been found.
‘I missed you so fucking much,’ Remus murmured, sliding his lips along Sirius’ throat, sucking lightly on his adam’s apple.
Sirius moaned softly, parting his legs to allow Remus to press closer, closer, closer. ‘Missed you,’ he mumbled against Remus’ temple, his hands skimming down to the artist’s arse and hauling him nearer. ‘Missed you so bad.’
They didn’t wait - they had already tolerated a month of foreplay. They moved together slowly, Remus buried inside Sirius, until one at a time, they broke, calling out each others’ names as their climaxes washed over them.
Panting, they lay in the rumpled bed, limbs knotted together. Sirius couldn’t stop touching Remus, still not quite believing that he was really here.
‘Best wet dream ever,’ he managed to whisper and Remus chuckled, turning his head to gaze into Sirius’ eyes.
‘I caught an earlier flight,’ Remus murmured, running his hands over Sirius’ back. ‘I just wanted to be with you.’
Sirius smiled, wrapping Remus tight in his arms. ‘You’re home now,’ he said softly, burying his face in the crook of Remus’ neck. ‘Back in good old London.’
‘No,’ said Remus, lifting his head. ‘You… you are home, Sirius. I don’t care if we live in Florence or London… Wherever you are is home and that’s where I want to be.’
He kissed Sirius, a long, bone-melting kiss, and when he pulled away, he gave a tiny, contented sigh. ‘I’m home,’ he whispered, closing his eyes and Sirius kissed his chin.
‘Yeah,’ he agreed, smiling happily. ‘Yeah, you’re home.’
fin.
Author:remuslives23
Summary: Remus is a struggling artist who loses his confidence after a car accident. He goes back to basics to try and rediscover his talent and meets a man who inspires him both professionally and personally. AU. Slash.
Pairing: Remus/Sirius
Rating: NC-17
Author's Note: Thanks to plarpatubin for your prompt, ta to lupinlicious for pointing me towards the prompt, and love, love, love to dogsunderfoot for constant support, correcting of ridiculously basic errors and for insisting this wasn’t crap when I was absolutely certain it was. Thanks so much for your interest in Chapter Seventeen.
EXTRA NOTE: I've decided to post the last chapter and the epilogue as one chapter. I'm off for surgery next week and wanted to make sure this was completed before that. Thanks so much for all your wonderful comments and support of a fic I was very nervous about writing and posting. I do have an outline for a sequel and I'm also hoping to post one or two 'cut-scene' type of one shots. If you have a suggestion for a scene you would like to see, feel free to give me suggestions! :)
Chapter Eighteen
Remus opened his eyes, groaning when he caught sight of the time. It was seven o’clock and he’d only gone to bed a couple of hours ago. He and Sirius had come home early after dinner at James and Lily’s and Sirius, still in an odd mood, had initiated a quick, rough shag against the tiled wall of their bathroom under the stinging spray of water.
Then he’d decided that it was too early to call it a night and dragged a protesting Remus out to the closest club. Remus mostly watched the energetic Sirius dance, the brunette obviously trying to work out his frustration and irritation on the dance floor. As he drank his bourbon and coke, Remus noticed Sirius leaving the dance floor and saw him huddled up with a few men in a corner, chatting enthusiastically. Sirius saw Remus watching and smiled, raising a hand in a wave, before he turned back to his companions.
Remus felt a sting of jealousy, but was confident enough to realise that Sirius wasn’t going to cheat on him. Eventually, Sirius came back, happier than he’d been since before Remus’ showing, and he grabbed Remus’ hands, pulling him out onto the dance floor. They gyrated against each other, becoming hotter and hotter until Remus was the one doing the dragging, pulling Sirius into a bathroom stall where they fucked vigorously, spurred on by the thumping bass vibrating through the floor before coming home to collapse into bed.
‘Rem? You awake?’
‘Mmm,’ Remus hummed croakily before reaching for the glass of water on his side table. His head hurt, not from overindulgence but from lack of sleep, and his throat was sore from breathing in cigarette smoke. ‘Sort of.’
Remus heard Sirius huff in amusement, then an arm curled over his chest. He smiled and turned onto his side, sliding his own arm over Sirius as they lay face to face.
‘Morning,’ he said softly and Sirius grinned, shifting his hand from Remus’ ribs to cup his cheek, sliding his thumb over a stubble-rough jaw.
‘Morning, Sirius echoed, then leaned in for a kiss.
Remus tasted smoke and the staleness that came from a night’s sleep on Sirius' tongue, but opened his mouth to deepen the lip lock. Sirius grunted approval, shifting closer so their torsos’ pressed together with each breath. Legs twined as their lips moved slowly, sensuously together, content for now to do just this. Sirius pulled back, dragging his mouth over the rough skin of Remus' jaw before burying his face in the crook of Remus' neck and inhaling deeply.
They were quiet for several minutes and Remus began to drift back off to sleep when Sirius mumbled against his throat,‘I’m sorry I’ve been such an arse these last few days.’
Remus, eyes still closed, nuzzled his face into the other man’s black tresses. ‘We’re all entitled to bad moods,’ he murmured, kissing the top of Sirius’ head.
He felt Sirius shift and opened his eyes to see him staring down at him. ‘Remember what we talked about yesterday?’ Sirius asked, his tone a little hesitant. ‘Me and my lack of direction?’
Remus frowned, but nodded. ‘Yeah,’ he said, circling his arms around Sirius’ waist.
‘Now, don’t laugh,’ Sirius warned and Remus’ frown deepened.
‘Why would I laugh?’
Sirius took a deep breath. ‘I was talking to a couple of blokes last night that work for the ‘Gay Rights Alliance’. One of them is a lawyer who takes on a lot of discrimination cases and it sounded really interesting…’
‘You… want to study law? You want to be a lawyer?’ Remus asked, eyes wide with surprise and Sirius bit his lip.
‘Is that a stupid idea?’
‘No,’ Remus said immediately, his brain slowly catching up. ‘No, I…’ He thought for a moment then smiled. ‘I think it’s a great idea…’
‘But?’ Sirius said warily as Remus' sentence tapered off.
Remus grinned. ‘You realise that you’d have to follow rules as a lawyer?’ he teased and Sirius pinched his arm lightly.
‘Prick,’ he muttered in relief then he sighed heavily, laying down on Remus’ chest and resting his head over the other man’s heart. ‘I just… I’m just sick of us being called names or having to hide because we happened to fall in love with another man. It might seem naïve, but… I just want to try and make life easier for us.’
Remus carded his fingers through Sirius’ hair, gripping the black strands and tugging gently. Sirius, taking the hint, raised his head to look at Remus.
‘You are such a passionate person, Sirius,’ Remus said softly. ‘I think you would be a brilliant lawyer.’
Sirius beamed and kissed Remus hard. ‘He wants me to come and see him,’ he said when he pulled back, excitement obvious in his voice. ‘He - Jonathon - said I could do some work in the organisation while I’m studying then intern for him…’
Remus raised an eyebrow. ‘Do I have anything to worry about?’ he asked, only half-joking as he watched Sirius’ animated face and dancing eyes. ‘You and… Jonathon will be bending over piles of paper in your fancy suits and I’ll be playing with my paints…’
Sirius chuckled, shifting until he was straddling Remus’ hips. He pressed his arse down on Remus’ groin, making the other man grunt softly.
‘The only man I’ll be bending over for is you,’ he murmured, dipping down to kiss Remus again, slow and deep, taking their time as their hands explored the expanse of exposed flesh.
It was a languid, lazy exploration that left them feeling heavy with a combination of desire and love and, as Sirius reached for the bedside table drawer, Remus moaned, ‘I can’t move, love. My turn to bottom.’
Sirius grinned, tearing open a condom with his teeth before efficiently rolling it down Remus’ shaft. ‘I want you inside me,’ he murmured, popping the lid on the lube then squeezing some onto his fingers. ‘Let me do all the work.’
Remus grinned, skimming his fingers along Sirius’ thighs as the other man rose to his knees and snuck a hand between his legs. Remus’ breath hitched as he watched Sirius bite down on his lip as he prepared himself, and he flexed his hips unconsciously.
Sirius chuckled. ‘Not as lethargic as you thought?’ he teased then fell back off Remus’ lap to lie on his back, legs akimbo, fingers still inside his arse. Remus sat up, reaching for him, but Sirius shook his head.
‘No, just watch,’ he ordered and Remus let out a shaky breath, eyes fixed on Sirius’ probing fingers.
His toes curled and fists clenched in the bedding as Sirius moved his other hand to his cock, stroking in long, even strokes as he finger fucked himself.
One loud, gravely moan which sounded as if it had been torn forcibly from Sirius’ chest put Remus over the edge and he shoved the bedding off of himself and demanded, ‘Stop being such a prick tease and fucking get on with it!’
Sirius opened his eyes, grinning as he sat up and scrambled into Remus’ lap, pulling the other man into a desperate kiss as he aligned their bodies. Sirius took him in one long stroke, pausing only when Remus was balls deep inside him.
Their movements were sinuous, rhythmic and their passion slowly building into a boiling frenzy, uncontrollable and unstoppable. Remus cried out, the sight of Sirius riding him hard, fisting himself with his head thrown back in abandon, proving too much for him and he came gripping the other man’s hips bruisingly. Sirius groaned, the noise accompanied by ribbons of viscous fluid which splattered across Remus’ chest, and a clenching of his arse which made Remus shout out as his overstimulated flesh was squeezed.
‘Fuck, I love you,’ Remus gasped as Sirius fell down next to him, sweat-and-come-slicked skin sticking together.
Sirius laughed and turned his head to look at Remus. ‘Love you too,’ he mumbled, rolling over to kiss Remus sloppily on the cheek then he laughed. ‘You are a mess.’
He trailed his hand through the cooling come on Remus’ torso then raised his hand to the other man’s mouth. Remus licked at the finger then drew it inside his mouth, watching Sirius’ eyes darken once more as his tongue swirled around the digit.
‘Christ,’ Sirius breathed then shut his eyes. ‘Oh, the spirit is so very willing, but the flesh is weak. I’m sorry…’
‘Don’t be,’ laughed Remus, releasing Sirius’ finger. ‘I’m all talk. I couldn’t get it up now for all the money in the world.’
Sirius sighed then grimaced. ‘I need a shower,’ he murmured, kissing Remus on the forehead. ‘Get a bit more sleep.’
‘Mmm,’ Remus mumbled, already closing his eyes in an attempt to do just that.
He heard Sirius’ low laugh, then the hiss of the shower. Remus rolled over and was floating between wakefulness and sleep when a knocking jolted him from his respite.
‘Fuck off,’ he muttered, pulling a pillow over his head, but the knocking came again, louder this time and he threw the pillow across the room in frustration.
‘Buggering hell,’ he swore as he climbed out of bed. He snatched up a pair of boxers and struggled into them, calling, ‘Alright! I’m coming!’ as the knocking persisted.
He grabbed the nearest shirt off the dresser and yanked it over his head as he made his way to the door, swearing colourfully when he stubbed his toe on a hall table along the way. By the time he forcefully jerked the door open, he was irritated and in pain and ready to give whoever had the nerve to show their face on his door at this time of a morning a mouthful of abuse.
‘Diane?’
The woman smiled then broke out into giggles, covering her mouth with her hand. ‘Nice shirt,’ she said through her fingers and Remus looked down, groaning when he saw he’d pulled on Sirius shirt with the declaration ‘I don’t know the question, but sex is definitely the answer.’
‘Oh, for the love of…’ Remus groaned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. ‘Come in, Diane. Sit down and I’ll try and wake up a bit.’
He waved her inside and pointed her towards the teapot then made his way to the bathroom. He could see the outline of Sirius’ body and grinned, flinging open the shower curtain and making Sirius cry out in surprise.
‘Arse,’ Sirius muttered, flicking water at Remus before reaching for the soap. ‘You change your mind about round two?’
‘Diane’s here,’ Remus said and Sirius raised an eyebrow as he soaped his crotch lewdly.
‘Well, I don’t usually go for women, but if you insisted on trying it…’
Remus sniggered and slapped Sirius’ wet backside. ‘Hurry up in there and come say hello to our guest,’ he said, shoving his hands under the spray then splashing a handful of water on his face.
Ten minutes later, feeling a lot more awake, he was sitting in front of Diane with a cup of tea, staring at her with an open mouth.
‘Italy?’
‘That’s where the studio is, yes.’
Remus knew he must look like a fool with his mouth hanging open as he gaped at Diane, but he just couldn’t comprehend what he was hearing.
‘You’re telling me that this bloke - who doesn’t know me from a hole in the wall - saw my paintings and is offering me a chance to train at ‘Europeo di Belle Arti Studio Formazione’? With a full scholarship? Diane, that’s… impossible.’
Diane grinned and shook her head. ‘Then you’ve just done the impossible, Remus. Benedict Tannino himself was at the gallery the other night and sent his representative back with an invitation to meet with him to discuss your acceptance…’
‘I… I haven’t accepted…’ Remus stammered, his mind spinning.
Diane looked scandalised. ‘No, but there’s no question…’ Her voice trailed off as she took a good look at his face. ‘Remus. You can’t say no. No one says no to an opportunity like this.’
‘Diane, I can’t just up and leave the country,' Remus objected, still trying to wrap his mind around this. 'I’ve got commitments…’
‘Your commissions?’ she said disbelievingly. ‘Remus, they’ll find someone else…’
‘Sirius,’ he reminded her with a frown. ‘I can’t just expect him to pick up and move to Italy.’
‘Italy?’
Remus turned around to see Sirius staring at him in shock from the doorway. ‘You’re going to Italy?’he said, hurt and confusion shining in his eyes.
‘No,’ Remus said just as Diane answered, ‘Yes’.
Remus glared at the woman who ignored him. ‘Remus has been offered the chance of a lifetime - to study at ‘Europeo di Belle Arti Studio Formazione’ in Italy,' she explained. 'It’s a full scholarship, many of the great artists studied there and just the name…’
She turned back to Remus and implored, ‘Remus, just the name on your resume will open doors that may have always remained closed to you otherwise. They only take the best…’
Diane looked as though she was about to stomp her foot when she saw the stubborn set to Remus’ face. ‘Oh, why are you being so obstinate? Do you know how many people would kill for this opportunity…?’
‘He accepts.’
Remus and Diane turned to stare at Sirius. ‘What?’ Remus said with a frown. ‘I don’t accept…’
‘You’d be mad to turn this down, Remus,’ Sirius said, shaking his head. ‘Why on earth would you say no?’
Remus’ jaw tightened and he stood up, the chair grating loudly across the wooden floor. ‘Well, I thought that my future plans should include my live-in boyfriend, but obviously he isn’t thinking along the same lines as I am.’
He turned to Di, eyes flashing as anger and hurt whirled like a hurricane inside of him. ‘Fine. Tell them I accept. I’ll be there in a day or two.’
‘Remus…’
He ignored Sirius’ call, grabbing his jacket from a hook beside the front door and storming off.
‘Shit,’ Sirius mumbled, sinking into a kitchen chair. ‘That is not what I meant…’
‘I know,’ Di said, finishing off her coffee then standing. ‘I’m sorry about this, but it is such a wonderful opportunity for him…’
‘And I don’t want him to turn it down because of me,’ Sirius said, running a hand through his hair restlessly. ‘I want him to be the best he can be.’
‘He doesn’t want to leave you,’ Di murmured and Sirius frowned.
‘And I don't want him to,’ he told her, a hollow ache building in his chest. ‘But he’d resent me if he turned this down. Maybe not straight away, but later, he’d hate me for holding him back.’
He smiled grimly and nodded in determination. ‘We’ll work it out. Long distance relationships…’
His voice petered out; they both knew damn well long distance relationships usually failed. ‘We’ll work it out,’ he repeated.
Epilogue
One Year Later
‘Stupid fucking thing,’ Sirius swore, slapping the computer monitor then giving it a shake. ‘Where did you put my bloody paper?’
He poked at another button then groaned when the screen went blank. ‘Oh, bloody wanking arsehole!’ he growled.
‘Swearing at it doesn’t work, you know,’ came an amused voice over his shoulder and he turned to scowl at James.
‘Fuck off you,’ he muttered then he slumped in his chair, running a hand through his disheveled hair. ‘I think I just lost that paper that was due tomorrow. Aren't these stupid things supposed to make life easier?' He glared at the computer and stabbed fruitlessly at the keyboard once more.
James frowned and walked around behind Sirius’ desk, fiddling with a few cords then he leaned over and pressed a button. The screen lit up again and Sirius grinned in relief when he saw his assignment there.
‘Oh, thank Christ,’ he muttered, quickly typing in the print command. ‘I think I might actually have slit my wrists if I’d lost that. Two bloody weeks of constant work - no eating, no sleeping, no shagging…’
James snorted. ‘Yeah, right,’ he said, throwing himself into the spare office chair. ‘Although the no-shagging part I believe - you are taking far too long in the shower every morning.’
Sirius pulled the pages out of the printer and poked his tongue out at James. ‘I’ll be getting more than I know what to do with now I’ve finished this,’ he retorted, carefully placing the pages in a manila folder and putting them in his briefcase. ‘And once Remus and I are both in the same country, of course.’
James tilted his head, smiling a knowing smile. ‘You miss him like mad, don’t you?’ he said and a small crease appeared between Sirius’ eyes.
‘Yeah,‘ he admitted, avoiding James’ gaze. ‘But I had to come back to London to sit those exams and Remus had to stay…’ He sighed and looked up at James. ‘I really miss him.’
James smirked. ‘I never thought I’d see the day,’ he teased. ‘Sirius Black is cock whipped.’
Sirius punched him in the arm, but laughed. After Diane dropped her bombshell nearly twelve months ago, he finally tracked Remus down at the bar where they'd had their first date. After several tense minutes of cold silence, Remus finally agreed to talk about the offer. Over the next three hours, Sirius had used every wile he had to talk the obstinate Remus into accepting the position and, with the help of Sirius’ new employer, Jonathan, they worked out an arrangement that suited them both.
They had both moved to Italy a few weeks later, renting a tiny little flat after Remus gained permission to live off-campus. Remus had thrived in the country where art was revered and was rapidly garnering more and more attention as one of the 'to watch' artists. Sirius and Jonathan had worked hard on an application to prove Sirius could manage a long distance study load and had been allowed to enroll in several modules of a pre-law course, completing them via mail. Jonathan had wrangled a part-time position for him with one of the lawyers in the Gay Alliance’s European offices which had given Sirius invaluable practical experience in a law office.
But a month ago, Sirius had to return to London to sit the exams that could not be done long distance. Remus was also completing his final works for his apprenticeship so they had spent the last month relying on letters and phone sex to get by - as well as those long and frequent showers in James and Lily’s bathroom.
But the exams were finished, Sirius’ last assignment was done and Remus was coming home.
Today.
‘What time is it?’ Sirius asked and James sighed.
‘About fifteen minutes since you last asked,’ he said wearily. ‘Sirius, he won’t even have left Florence yet.’
Sirius grunted an acknowledgement then exhaled long and loud. ‘I might try and get some rest before he gets home,’ he decided, thinking the time would go faster if he were unconscious. ‘You’ll wake me in plenty of time to get to the airport…?’
‘Yes,’ James assured him, standing up. ‘I’d never hear the end of it otherwise.’
Sirius grinned, pushing himself to him feet and heading off to his temporary bedroom.
~*~
He was dreaming of Remus. Dreaming of his lips on his neck, teeth and tongue following the curve of his throat then trailing over his collarbone to nibble lightly at the hardening bud of his nipple. Fuck, it felt so damn real and Sirius moaned, arching up to be closer to the phantom Remus’ exploring mouth. The chuckle that filled Sirius’ ears sounded so tangible that he couldn’t help but reach out to try and touch…
Sirius’ eyes sprung open when his hands hit warm, solid flesh and Remus’ beaming smile was the first thing he saw.
‘Hey there, gorgeous,’ Remus said softly and Sirius’ mouth fell open in surprise.
‘I’m dreaming,’ he said, his voice hoarse from sleep, and Remus laughed softly. Sirius felt a hand cup his genitals firmly, thumb rubbing a concentric pattern on the head of his rapidly stiffening cock, and he gasped.
‘Does that feel like a dream to you?’ Remus murmured, leaning down to bite Sirius’ earlobe as he gave his cock a long, slow pull.
Sirius groaned and reached out, tangling his hands in Remus’ hair. ‘I don’t care if it is,’ he muttered, tugging Remus’ head up. ‘I’ll take you however I can get you.’
Remus made a noise of satisfaction then Sirius covered the other man's mouth with his own, the minty taste of toothpaste not quite smothering the taste of Remus and Sirius finally felt at ease in his own skin, finally felt like he could stop looking because whatever it was that he was missing had been found.
‘I missed you so fucking much,’ Remus murmured, sliding his lips along Sirius’ throat, sucking lightly on his adam’s apple.
Sirius moaned softly, parting his legs to allow Remus to press closer, closer, closer. ‘Missed you,’ he mumbled against Remus’ temple, his hands skimming down to the artist’s arse and hauling him nearer. ‘Missed you so bad.’
They didn’t wait - they had already tolerated a month of foreplay. They moved together slowly, Remus buried inside Sirius, until one at a time, they broke, calling out each others’ names as their climaxes washed over them.
Panting, they lay in the rumpled bed, limbs knotted together. Sirius couldn’t stop touching Remus, still not quite believing that he was really here.
‘Best wet dream ever,’ he managed to whisper and Remus chuckled, turning his head to gaze into Sirius’ eyes.
‘I caught an earlier flight,’ Remus murmured, running his hands over Sirius’ back. ‘I just wanted to be with you.’
Sirius smiled, wrapping Remus tight in his arms. ‘You’re home now,’ he said softly, burying his face in the crook of Remus’ neck. ‘Back in good old London.’
‘No,’ said Remus, lifting his head. ‘You… you are home, Sirius. I don’t care if we live in Florence or London… Wherever you are is home and that’s where I want to be.’
He kissed Sirius, a long, bone-melting kiss, and when he pulled away, he gave a tiny, contented sigh. ‘I’m home,’ he whispered, closing his eyes and Sirius kissed his chin.
‘Yeah,’ he agreed, smiling happily. ‘Yeah, you’re home.’
fin.