FIC: Centre of Gravity
Title: Centre of Gravity
Author: vissy
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Remus/Sirius, James/Lily, James/Sirius, Lily/Sirius
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: These characters remain the intellectual property of J.K. Rowling. No infringement is intended and no profit is made.
Summary: Based on the following prompt: James wouldn't ever cheat on Lily...or would he?
Notes: Written for mwppfqf.
Remus had read somewhere that there might be a correlation between volcanic activity and lunar cycles; history seemed to show that a volcano was more likely to erupt during the full moon. Remus could believe it; he'd long had reason to respect the moon's gravity.
Tonight the moon began its wane, taking most of his strength with it. He felt sore and tired and horribly heavy, so heavy he had a pull all his own. It was Sirius who was most susceptible to it.
There was a knock on their dormitory door, and Remus removed his hand from Sirius' pyjama bottoms with regret. Sirius scowled at the door, and Remus shrugged. "Can't be James," he said, wincing as his shoulders protested the movement. "James wouldn't bother knocking."
"Who is it?" Sirius yelled.
"It's Lily," they heard. "Can I come in? Are you decent?"
"Not likely," Remus muttered. "Come on in!" he called in a louder voice, before breaking into a coughing fit. The change made his throat raw for days afterward - probably from all the howling. Peter always complained about the racket, but Sirius reckoned he was just jealous 'cause he couldn't manage more than a squeak at the moon. Sirius, on the other hand, could bay as long and loud as any wolf. James said they all gave him a headache, but he was just stroppy 'cause Lily never put out around full moon time. Remus wondered why that was.
She probably had her reasons, he thought, as she shuffled up the staircase into their bedroom on slippered feet. Very cluey girl, all things considered. They were still a bit cagey about their secrets around her, but Remus figured she knew practically everything anyhow. They were in don't ask, don't tell sort of circumstances; no doubt his hurts and scars spoke for themselves so long as a person was paying attention - and Lily usually did.
"James isn't here," Sirius told her, as she looked about for somewhere to sit.
"I know. He's consoling that Hufflepuff first year who's staying over for Christmas. Her parents didn't even owl her a card."
"That's rough," said Sirius quietly. The ongoing silence from the Black household was both a relief and a disappointment to him; Remus gave his hand a comforting squeeze.
"Yeah, it's not good," said Lily, sitting herself at the end of their bed. Remus knew her own family situation was less than ideal, and was the reason (other than James) for her presence at Hogwarts this Christmas. She never said much about it, but Remus suspected that being the magical changeling in a family of Muggles was more painful than the rest of them had ever given much thought to. "Anyhow, James is heaps better at that sort of thing than I am. I always end up giving practical advice, whereas he remembers that they just need a hug."
"He turned out to be a pretty decent Head Boy," said Sirius. "Never would've thought it."
"Probably be a good dad too one day," said Remus, grinning.
"Urgh, don't even suggest it," Lily groaned. "If I can just finish my NEWTs without getting knocked up, I'll be satisfied. Honestly, every time the full moon comes around I start ovulating like mad..."
"Right-o, more than I needed to know!" said Sirius, waving his hands in protest (although Remus was pleased to have the mystery of James' monthlies solved.)
"...and I swear, James could impregnate me by just breathing on me right now. He hasn't jinxed anyone for so long I know he's saving something up specially for me." She looked glum, and Remus gave her a soothing little rub with his feet as he tried to decide whether he had the strength to sit up and hug her.
"Lily? Is that a bottle?" he asked, as his big toe hit something hard in the pocket of her dressing gown.
"Oh! Yes, that's why I came. Dad sent me some whisky for Christmas - sort of a sorry-your-sister's-such-a-giant-pain-in-the-arse present, I suppose - and I thought you boys might like to share it. 'Cept James and I have already made a fair dent in it," she said, pulling the bottle out and flourishing it at them.
Sirius leapt out from beneath the covers with a yelp. "Bloody hell, Evans, you can't treat Lagavulin like that! Where's your respect?" he said, grabbing the bottle off her and cradling it to his chest, before yelping again as the glass touched his bare skin.
"Where's yours?" she asked, nodding pointedly towards his lap, where a persistent hard-on lurked beneath his otherwise innocent-looking pyjama bottoms.
"Like you haven't seen it all before," said Sirius, rolling his eyes.
"Actually, I think I have," she said, looking puzzled. "Aren't those James' pyjamas?"
"Maybe," Sirius muttered. Since declaring his independence from his family, Sirius had become a good deal more dependent on his friends for life's basics; he wasn't short of funds so much as domestic capability. That was the official statement, anyhow; privately, it was understood amongst them that Sirius just liked wearing James' clothes.
It's a good thing I'm not the jealous sort, Remus thought.
And he wasn't, really. He had always felt very sure of Sirius' heart: its passions and loyalties and simplicities. He loved Remus and James fiercely; and even Lily had a piece of Sirius, not just for James' sake, but for her own sweet and sarky self. Remus suspected that there was little, if any, resentment in Sirius towards Lily.
Lily, for her part, seemed to take everything in her stride, accepting the free-floating, mostly unspoken devotion between the best friends, as if she knew full well that she was in a love me, love my dog situation. And if Remus remembered a night when an ecstatic James had announced to the room that he'd kicked his virginity at last, a night when Sirius had later trembled in Remus' arms with bitter, unspent tears, he found that the memory didn't hurt him too much. That was just Sirius.
"S'your fault anyhow," said Sirius, and Remus remembered that they were discussing, of all things, Sirius' unrelenting hard-on. Sirius was still mock-glaring at Lily, who pouted right back, and Remus braced himself for a bout of good-natured bickering.
"Interrupt a spot of shagging, did I?" she asked.
"Goodness me, no, I'm as hard up as young James," said Sirius with a sly grin in Remus' direction. Remus sighed in exasperation. Looked like it was him who was copping it tonight.
"That's rough, lad. Better drink up and tell Aunt Lily all about it."
Sirius took a swig straight from the bottle and sighed gustily. "Oh, that is good," he said. "That is splendid. Your father is a great man."
"He's all right. I do miss him," she said, shivering.
"You cold?" Sirius asked. He blinked around at the drafty room as if noticing it for the first time. "Suppose it is a bit nippy in here." He scooted back up the bed and tucked himself in next to Remus again. "Hop in with us, if you like. S'like cuddling up to an open fire." Remus' veins were still running hot after the full moon; he wouldn't simmer down for a few days yet. Sirius tipped the bottle up for him, and he drank the whisky down fast; his sore throat complained, but the other aches and pains soaked up the alcohol with gratitude.
Lily, meanwhile, had shrugged off her dressing gown, and was eyeing the bed with doubt. Sirius was examining her voluminous white nightie with a similar expression. "That's a bit naff, isn't it, Evans? No wonder James isn't getting any. Probably can't find you under all that granny gear."
"Please. This from the guy wearing my boyfriend's pjs." She pulled out her wand, which had been pinning her hair in a tight bun, and Grandio'd the bed beneath them. "Here, move over and give me back my bottle before you spill it."
"Smooth work," said Remus, once the world stopped shifting. He and Sirius wriggled over to let her in, and she snuggled down beside him, dropping her wand on the bedside table and grabbing for the whisky.
"Mmm, that's lovely," she said. "It's the lush's life for me, I think. Now, tell me your woes, young Sirius. How can I help?"
"Well, you might grow a cock and shag me senseless," he answered. "No, get that look off your face. I know what you're thinking, and I'm sure there is a spell for it, but it's frightening enough having a girl in my bed..."
"Whose bed?"
"All right, Remus' bed. And as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted by our sandwich filling here, I might just throw myself from the Gryffindor tower in abject terror if you start sprouting inappropriate body parts."
"Right. Check. No penises."
"Thank you. As to my woes, it is Christmas..."
"Boxing Day."
"Thank you, Remus. It is Boxing Day, and not a creature is stirring. Not the one in Lupin's pants, anyhow."
"Sirius!"
"He is, in fact, as limp as a noodle, and all too likely to stay that way for the next few days."
"Sirius, I'm right here, you know."
"I know, noodle. Your presence drives me mad with desire as always."
"I need another drink."
"What you lads need is a dildo."
They stopped glaring at each other long enough to give her a dubious look. "What's that?" asked Remus.
"It's a muggle thing."
"You can stop right there. I don't want to know," said Sirius.
"What? You'll drink muggle whisky, but you won't use muggle sex toys? Coward."
"Oi!"
"Drink up, both of you, and stop pummelling me," said Remus. "Where's James when I need him?"
"Someone mention my name?" Three heads spun around to find James leaning in the doorway with a big smile across his face. "Here you are. I was looking for you, Lily. Hullo, what's with all the debauchery? You might've waited for me," he said cheerfully.
"Come in, come in! The water's fine," said Sirius.
"Hang on a tick while I strip down," said James, and they all watched in appreciation as he removed robes and clothes and Head Boy badge; he kept the badge sparkling, but the rest was a shambles. "Been wept all over by one of the first years. Poor thing. Turns out her mum and dad are both aurors. Both out of touch. She's not to understand that there's nastiness brewing out there. Still, sometimes I wish Dumbledore'd just come clean with the young ones. They ought to know what's going on. Not like they're stupid. Not all of them, anyhow." He hopped about like some demented, bespectacled rabbit as he tugged off his boots.
"Forget the first years. I wish he'd come clean with us," said Sirius.
"He does keep things close," Remus agreed. And not necessarily for the good, he thought. His own on-going presence at Hogwarts was a source of both relief and alarm to Remus; arrangements that had been acceptable to an eleven year old now struck him at eighteen as ludicrously inadequate. Not that he'd ever had much in the way of options. But when he thought of some of the strife he'd been in, and how much worse things could've turned out...
There was an uneasy stirring at his right - Sirius was, as always, four parts instinct and the rest, who knew - and he squeezed the hand not holding the booze, receiving a cold-nosed nuzzle under the ear for his trouble.
James, meanwhile, was shivering in his smalls as he tossed some extras pillows towards the huddle in the bed. "Do you always just barge in here without knocking?" Lily asked him, sounding genuinely curious. "What if they'd been on the job?"
James blinked. "Um. Well. Normally they're quite discreet."
She looked sceptical. "Didn't seem too discreet when I came in. No curtains, no Quietus."
James sent a silent appeal for help in Remus' direction, but he just smiled while Sirius snickered in his ear. "I suppose security's a little lax over the holidays," said James at last. "Gryffindor's practically deserted, so who's to know?"
"You know," she said pointedly.
"Oh, well, we're all family here," said James, as if it was perfectly understandable. "Bloody hell, it's chilly. Three in the bed and the new bloke says..."
"Roll over, roll over?" Sirius sing-songed.
"Was going to suggest you haul your fat arses, but whatever." They all wriggled across the mattress until James had enough space to spoon up against Lily. "Mmm, deliciously plump arse, I should say. Is that the whisky your dad sent?"
"Get into it, lad, before it's all gone," said Sirius, passing it over the bodies between them.
James knocked back a fair mouthful, plainly eager to forget the troubles outside for one night. The angle was awkward and some of the whisky spilt onto Lily's neck; Remus watched with interest as James brushed her hair back and licked up the droplets as she giggled and squirmed between them. "Fucking ambrosia," James muttered, nuzzling at her throat. "Good man, your dad. Going to make a fine father-in-law." He pressed the bottle to her own mouth before she could protest. "Peter'll be sore he missed out on this."
"Poor old bubble and squeak," said Sirius. "Serves him right for having a sane family to spend Christmas with."
"Probably too shy to share a bed with us all, anyhow," said Remus regretfully. He'd rather have his whole pack with him, particularly at full moon time, but he didn't begrudge Peter time with his family. Remus wouldn't've minded seeing his own parents for Christmas, but it was easier on his body to change on familiar territory, and after almost seven years, Hogwarts was home.
"No, Peter's a terrible prude. Not a fan of the faggotry, either," said Sirius. "Actually, we're a lot cosier without him underfoot, come to think of it."
"But you don't mind having James about," said Lily, clearly intrigued by their level of comfort with one another. "I still want to know what would've happened if James had walked in on you two shagging."
Remus bit his lip. "I'm sure he would've left us to it."
"Stayed and watched, more like," Sirius interrupted with a naughty grin.
"I never!" James cried out indignantly. He sat up and glared at them both, but his expression soon turned sheepish at their raised brows. "Well. All right. Maybe. Occasionally. Um."
Lily burst out laughing as he took another fortifying swallow of whisky. "James, you deviant!"
He shook his head at her sadly. "And you love it, you saucy tart."
"I do, I really do," she said, stroking his flushed cheek with tenderness. He leant down and kissed her mouth, and she whispered against his lips, "You're such a surprise."
James placed the bottle on the bedside table before nestling back down beside her. "You know me. No surprises here."
"An open book, in fact," said Sirius. He was leaning over Remus as he watched James embrace Lily, and his sharp chin dug into Remus' sternum with each word. Remus brushed Sirius' dark hair back until Sirius relaxed against him, one sweaty cheek pressed to Remus' chest.
"Uh-huh," James agreed, sounding happy and drowsy as he wound an arm beneath Lily's breasts. "Can ask me anything."
And Remus heard himself saying, even as the question glanced across his mind, "Would you ever cheat on Lily?"
James peered at him over the fall of Lily's hair. "'Course not. Daft question. Got everything, haven't I?"
"Uh-huh," whispered Sirius, a soft exhalation across Remus' heart. They all belonged to James.
Lily reached out and touched Sirius' hand, which was tucked like a baby's beneath his chin. "You want him."
"'Course. Always," said Sirius.
"Me too." She took his hand and dragged it down to her crotch, lifted a brow, and said, "See?" The suddenness of it threw Remus; he felt Sirius' instinctive squirm of discomfort and knew Lily probably noticed it too, although Sirius did not pull himself from her grip. And if Sirius didn't back down, Lily wasn't likely to either. "Dare you, Sirius. I black dog dare you," she said, baring her teeth in a wicked grin, and yeah, she had him, Remus thought. Like Sirius could ever resist a challenge. A girl, sure. But not a challenge.
Sirius sat up, bracing himself on one arm as he pushed the covers back, then took the hem of her nightie and yanked it up until it was rucked about her hips. Lily's face softened all at once with Sirius' acquiescence; her eyes were questioning and almost shy as they caught Remus watching, and he must have pasted the right expression on his face, because she took his own hand now and rolled onto her back, vulnerable and exposed.
As for Sirius, it seemed as if his curiosity was stronger than his aversion, because he eased his grip on Lily's nightie and reached for her. Remus could tell the moment he touched her by the way her fingers clenched around his; otherwise, she was very still. Sirius looked intent - Remus was certain he had never been on such close terms with a female body before, and had it been anyone but Lily, he'd probably be out the door by now, muttering about girl germs - and then James hooked a hand beneath Lily's knee, pulled her up and open for Sirius, and said, teasingly, coaxingly, "Go on, lad, be brave."
"Heart of a lion," said Sirius. It was usually Sirius who was babied by the rest of them, but James who always got his way in the end, and if James was happy to have Sirius playing silly buggers with his girlfriend, then Sirius wasn't going to say no. Remus wondered if this might not be very stupid, but he could be as much a creature of instinct as Sirius, and he felt like letting this all wash over him and just seeing what happened. To Remus, the scene was suggestive of neither eroticism nor squalor, but some comforting commonplace in between. And James and Sirius, always self-consciously rebelling against their pureblood backgrounds, did common rather well.
"How are you finding that pussy?" asked James, sounding sly and gleeful.
"Well, bloody hell, James, it's right here between her thighs, just as I always thought! You certainly are very wet, Evans," said Sirius, making James and Lily chortle like children. Remus watched the careful up and down motion of Sirius' arm, the delicate flex of muscle, and knew that despite his plain words, Sirius was treating Lily as reverently as he knew how.
"Like cats and dogs," said Lily, rocking her hips against Sirius' hand. The sound of fingers sliding through wet folds was clearly audible. "Who would've thought they might get along?"
"None of your dodgy puns, now," said Sirius with a humph. He was watching her face for clues about his competence, but she wasn't giving much away.
It was James who said, "Harder," and when Sirius blew his hair out of his eyes and started putting his back into it, Remus felt the change in Lily immediately - the prick of her fingernails against his palm as she clutched hard, the restless rustle of her leg hair against his own. "That's better. Can't let the name fool you. She likes it rough."
"You hear what he says about you, Evans?"
"He's a...disrespectful...bastard," she panted. "S'why I like him."
"Liar," said James in a tender tone at odds with the vicious grip he had on her thigh. Remus suspected there'd be bruises; he also had a feeling she wouldn't mind a bit. "You like me 'cause I'm wrapped around your baby toes and you know it. Going to kiss 'em every day for the rest of our lives." Her only reply was blissful murmur as her head rolled back and forth across the pillow. "Ah, that's my happy, incoherent sweetheart. You must be hitting the right spot, Pads."
"Bloody hope so," said Sirius. "Fingers're getting sore."
"Pain is no excuse, lad! Grind the heel of your hand in. Yeah, that's right. That's right. Pressure. That's what my girl likes." Lily's tongue flicked her top lip over and over; one hand gripped Remus's like a vise, while the other scrabbled at her belly, pressing it down as her body tried to arch off the mattress. Remus pondered his soreness and exhaustion and then muttered, "Bugger it," as he struggled up to see what Sirius was about. Lily's nightie was gathered around her gingery muff like the world's silliest bonnet. And then he could see Sirius's glistening fingers moving in and out and all about, and Lily's scent filled his nostrils. The moon magic was working on her hard all right; to Remus, she smelled like hungry, tangy fertility. No wonder she wasn't game to let James at her this time of month.
Sirius, grinning at Remus' reluctant interest, got his legs tucked beneath himself for more stability and wrapped his free arm around Remus to support him. Lily growled at the distraction, making them all laugh, even as the animal sound lit inside Remus. He wondered what might be inside her - a fat, marmalade moggie, or maybe a snarling tiger - and he thought hopefully, happily, of a time when she might join them. Sirius breathed, "Sorry, sorry," and started stroking her again. The sight, the scent, the grip of Lily's hand - they all seemed odd to Remus, as if he was attending a birth instead of a fingerfucking. Lily was fighting for release and looked wild and almost ugly as she reached for it. James had a fistful of her hair and was pulling on it hard as he mouthed dreamily at her throat and murmured in her ear. She came so quietly, Remus hardly even knew it, except that she sighed and smiled and relaxed all over, including her brutal hold on his hand.
Remus felt too achy to sit up for long, so he lay back down beside her and kissed one freckled shoulder where her nightie had slipped. Sirius was watching the three of them with a smug expression, before turning his attention to his slick, cramping hand. "Bloody hell, Evans, you made me all pruney," he said. He sniffed, shrugged, and stuck two fingers in his mouth, sucking on them with a meditative air. "You taste like that ham we had for dinner," he said at last, picking a small hair off his tongue and flicking it in James' direction.
Remus shook his head at this display, but Lily and James only laughed. "He's a real ladies' man," said James in an awestruck tone.
"And a true gentleman," Lily added.
"Got you off, didn't I?" Sirius still looked awfully proud of himself, so Remus pinched his arse. "Oi!"
"Going to fly for a different team, now, are you?" Remus asked in a voice of mild interest.
"No thanks," said Sirius, with a shudder that was only mostly theatrical. Lily tsked and reached out to poke him in the chest, light enough to show she wasn't actually offended, and Sirius pasted on an innocent face and asked, "What? What?"
She just shook her head, rolling over until she was cuddled along Remus' length again, nosing gently at a scar on his arm. He could feel her wet pubes against his hip; it was weird but sort of companionable, he supposed. Once settled, she reached out hesitantly and touched Sirius' knee. "I...I'm...well, I'm not sorry, precisely, but...perhaps...I shouldn't have done it?"
Sirius cocked his head, looking thoughtful and a little puzzled. "You thinking my innocence has been besmirched or something?"
Remus felt her lips curl in a smile against his skin and heard a faint snort from James behind her. "Silly. I just meant...well, I don't know what I mean, except that I...I'm not a tollgate or anything."
"I know," said Sirius, grinning as he petted her hand. "Funny if you were. We could play Billy Goats Gruff."
"I said tollgate, not troll," she complained, shaking his knee. "What I mean is..."
"I know what you mean, Evans. You get yours so I can have yours, and all that."
"But...I didn't mean to imply you had to do anything."
"I know. And you know me. Like I'd ever do anything I didn't want to."
She sighed. "Look, I just...I think I'd kill him if he ever touched anyone else. And at the same time I know full well there won't ever be any killing, because he wouldn't do that to me."
"But I'm different."
"'Course you're different, Sirius. We all are here."
"I know," said Sirius, taking her hand to his mouth and kissing it softly. "Just making sure you know it too." He lowered her hand to Remus' heart. "You're all my best loved ones, right? And look at us: we'll all dash about in circles trying to please each other. Or at least you'll all try and please me, 'cause I'm the spoilt brat here and you just can't help yourselves, and I'll let you. And I'm going to let you now. Whisky or no, I think I'm fairly sober for all that - stars know, Remus'll tell me if I'm not - constitution of a nogtail, he's got - and I don't think we're mistaking one another. Don't see how we could."
"Have you two managed your mischief, yet?" asked James suddenly. "Divided the spoils?"
He didn't sound angry or impatient to Remus - just their same, sweet-tempered James. "They're like that, you know," Remus said. "Discuss a fellow like he's not even here." He hoped they could all hear the permission behind his words, if permission was wanted; they all tended to defer to Remus, not so much for leadership as for common sense. He'd never understood why.
James was apparently reassured, if he'd even had a doubt to begin with. "Better make my presence felt, in that case," he said as he sat up. It was Remus' eyes that he sought though, and Remus saw that he wasn't as confident as Remus had supposed. Remus couldn't think what to say, so he just smiled. He knew James' desire to please Sirius would not outweigh his disinclination to hurt Remus, but this was not where Remus' fragility lay; he had their acceptance, their company and their love, and all he wanted was for things to stay that way.
"It's just us, James," said Sirius softly. He looked wistful rather than hopeful. "Doesn't have to be complicated."
"Couldn't do complicated if I tried. But wanting's not like having. And there's nothing special here, you know," said James, his voice wavering a little. "You might be disappointed."
"Bet I wouldn't be. Don't care if I am. I want to have you anyhow, before the wanting drives me mad. And I know you're not averse."
"Well, I'm not an idiot, am I?" said James. "Better kiss me then, so I know you're serious."
It was a stupid old joke between them. The kissing part, though - that was brand new. They both leant gingerly across the two fascinated faces below them, meeting somewhere in the middle in a careful kiss - noses here, chins there, glasses pressed against unfamiliar skin. James' tongue flicked at Sirius' lips, probably tasting Lily there, and Sirius' shoulders jerked in the involuntary shimmy he did when he was trying not to pounce. Instead he ran the flat of his tongue upside James' face, bristled jaw to sweaty brow, tripping over the glasses along the way, and James flinched and giggled, although he did not scrub the spit away.
There was more room on Sirius' side of the bed, sprawling lank that he was, so James picked a delicate path over the legs between them, squeezing their ankles as he passed - maybe for courage, or luck, thought Remus. He knelt in front of Sirius and yanked his undershirt off, making his hair even more demented and pulling his glasses askew; Sirius eased them back around James' ears as calmly as if he hadn't been waiting over six years for the chance. Remus could tell by the fond and rather embarrassed expression on James' face that Sirius was staring up at him with his annoying, adoring puppy eyes. James' skin looked as soft and white as talcum powder; Sirius traced the slopes and grooves of musculature first with curious fingertips and then with the firmer press of palms. James accepted the exploration patiently enough, rubbing first at Sirius' shoulders and then up and down his arms, leading him away from tickly spots and then back again just for the fun of it. He finally gathered Sirius' face in his hands for a deeper, more deliberate kiss, and Sirius' arms wound about him so tightly in return it made Remus short of breath just to look at them.
James eased Sirius back, scraping his fingers through the long, dark hair and smacking his lips soundly against Sirius' brow. Then he wriggled out of his boxer shorts with Sirius' help, and Lily laughed as James swiped at his rather fogged up glasses with his undies; Remus guessed she'd seen that sort of thing before. "Just leave 'em off," said Sirius, but James shook his head with his typical stubbornness, muttering something about wanting to see what the fuck he was doing.
Sirius seemed to take this literally, lying back and hitching his arse up to push his pyjamas down over his hips. James grabbed hold of the waistband to help and they ended up in a tangle of flailing legs and rumpled flannel; James finally freed the pyjamas from around Sirius' ankles, bundled them up and stuffed them under his wiggly bottom. Sirius stilled with a slow smile as James snuck up between his thighs and started licking his balls. "Fuck me, that's nice," he hissed, and James's laughter was muffled as he filled his mouth with cock. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, you have been watching, you smug bastard. Fuck!"
Sirius soon lost all knowledge of any word apart from 'fuck' as he was thoroughly kissed, sniffed and licked; James stroked his cock and worked the head between his lips and all over his tongue with the same cheerful enthusiasm he brought to everything in life. Sirius soon had James by the hair, trying to fuck his mouth, and James pulled away, saying, "Nuh-uh, don't come yet, all right? Don't come 'til I'm in, yeah?"
Sirius grunted his reluctant-sounding assent, and James sat back on his heels, grinning at Lily as he swiped at his wet chin. "Have a hunt in that drawer next to you, will you, Lily? That's where they keep their stash." She smirked and saluted, before rummaging through the clutter and handing over a jar; Remus had found a great recipe for lube months ago and had been making it up in Potions behind their professor's back ever since. James cracked the jar open, scooped his hand through the syrupy substance and pumped his cock blissfully. "Great stuff. Not even cold. Amazing. Fuck. Here, you want some of this, Pads? Fuck me, look at your hole twitch. Someone wants it bad. Sling your legs up on my shoulders for a tick, will you? Here, I'll help. Mmm, you're flexible. Fuck, that's right, I just want to get in...fuck..."
Sirius flung his head back with a growl, grinding his teeth around a "S'good" as James eased his cock inside. James was being mindful, marking the territory with careful thrusts and looking sharp-eyed behind his foggy glasses. He snugged up close, an arm braced on either side of Sirius to catch the lolling, slipping legs. Remus could hear the wet slide of cock and then the rude slap of balls on bare skin as James started moving quicker, more confidently. Sirius was panting, his mouth gaping open, and James leant down to seal it with his own. They were soon fucking so hard the mattress was shifting beneath them, and Remus found himself steadying Lily against him; she was humming and trembling all over, and he felt a similar flurry beneath his own skin, as if he was moonlit.
Sirius looked ferocious; he was pulling his own thighs back even further as if James' hold was not enough. But he plainly wanted a hand free to tug on his own cock, so Remus grabbed him behind the knee, fingers slipping a little in the sweaty hollow, and held him fast against his own body. Sirius hissed his thanks and fucked his own hand with relief. "Come on, then. Come on," coaxed James, and his voice might well've been bells, Sirius obeyed so readily.
Remus thought it was strange but perhaps apt the way Sirius tended to come when he was called.
James didn't take much longer, fucking himself into a frenzy that Sirius absorbed with a rather dazed smile as he caressed James' chest with a sticky hand. James finally arched his back and bellowed, "Fucking lovely!" which made Sirius laugh and then ooph when James flopped on top of him. Suddenly boneless, James huffed and puffed for a bit before apparently realising he was committing a squashing offence, at which point he gave Sirius' lips a fast and happy rumple, muttered, "Huh, wet spot," and eased off him with whatever strength was left in his arms.
"You don't say," teased Sirius. "I'm lying in the worst of it, you know." James just murmured and patted Sirius on the belly in what he probably assumed was a comforting manner.
Although he suspected Sirius would've happily wallowed in the wet spot all night, Remus nudged Lily, who was still watching the other two in fascination, and said, "Wand."
She blinked at him, and then nodded, saying, "Good notion." She fetched her wand and waved it about, scourgifying them all quite thoroughly.
"Spoilsport," said Sirius. "That's cheating."
The word hung oddly in the air, before Lily shushed him. "You'll thank me in the morning."
"I will," said Sirius quietly. Then, as if unwilling to admit the gravity, he hurried to say, "Breakfast in bed for all, I think. And hair of the dog, thanks to your dad. James'll probably need it. Look at that, out to the world already. Bloody hell. Not a bit of fight in the lad." He sat up and pulled the blankets over them all, making sure everyone was tucked in. Then he nestled against Remus, jumping a little when James pressed up behind him with a sleepy sigh.
"I hope this bed doesn't decide to shrink while we're all fast asleep; James'll be the first to land on his arse," said Remus.
James' vague "mmph?" made Lily laugh in the middle of her Nox spell, and the candles hiccupped giddily before the room lapsed into moonlit dimness. Three different hands came to rest over Remus' heart; he was sore and tired and loved, and he had a pull all his own.
Author: vissy
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Remus/Sirius, James/Lily, James/Sirius, Lily/Sirius
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: These characters remain the intellectual property of J.K. Rowling. No infringement is intended and no profit is made.
Summary: Based on the following prompt: James wouldn't ever cheat on Lily...or would he?
Notes: Written for mwppfqf.
Remus had read somewhere that there might be a correlation between volcanic activity and lunar cycles; history seemed to show that a volcano was more likely to erupt during the full moon. Remus could believe it; he'd long had reason to respect the moon's gravity.
Tonight the moon began its wane, taking most of his strength with it. He felt sore and tired and horribly heavy, so heavy he had a pull all his own. It was Sirius who was most susceptible to it.
There was a knock on their dormitory door, and Remus removed his hand from Sirius' pyjama bottoms with regret. Sirius scowled at the door, and Remus shrugged. "Can't be James," he said, wincing as his shoulders protested the movement. "James wouldn't bother knocking."
"Who is it?" Sirius yelled.
"It's Lily," they heard. "Can I come in? Are you decent?"
"Not likely," Remus muttered. "Come on in!" he called in a louder voice, before breaking into a coughing fit. The change made his throat raw for days afterward - probably from all the howling. Peter always complained about the racket, but Sirius reckoned he was just jealous 'cause he couldn't manage more than a squeak at the moon. Sirius, on the other hand, could bay as long and loud as any wolf. James said they all gave him a headache, but he was just stroppy 'cause Lily never put out around full moon time. Remus wondered why that was.
She probably had her reasons, he thought, as she shuffled up the staircase into their bedroom on slippered feet. Very cluey girl, all things considered. They were still a bit cagey about their secrets around her, but Remus figured she knew practically everything anyhow. They were in don't ask, don't tell sort of circumstances; no doubt his hurts and scars spoke for themselves so long as a person was paying attention - and Lily usually did.
"James isn't here," Sirius told her, as she looked about for somewhere to sit.
"I know. He's consoling that Hufflepuff first year who's staying over for Christmas. Her parents didn't even owl her a card."
"That's rough," said Sirius quietly. The ongoing silence from the Black household was both a relief and a disappointment to him; Remus gave his hand a comforting squeeze.
"Yeah, it's not good," said Lily, sitting herself at the end of their bed. Remus knew her own family situation was less than ideal, and was the reason (other than James) for her presence at Hogwarts this Christmas. She never said much about it, but Remus suspected that being the magical changeling in a family of Muggles was more painful than the rest of them had ever given much thought to. "Anyhow, James is heaps better at that sort of thing than I am. I always end up giving practical advice, whereas he remembers that they just need a hug."
"He turned out to be a pretty decent Head Boy," said Sirius. "Never would've thought it."
"Probably be a good dad too one day," said Remus, grinning.
"Urgh, don't even suggest it," Lily groaned. "If I can just finish my NEWTs without getting knocked up, I'll be satisfied. Honestly, every time the full moon comes around I start ovulating like mad..."
"Right-o, more than I needed to know!" said Sirius, waving his hands in protest (although Remus was pleased to have the mystery of James' monthlies solved.)
"...and I swear, James could impregnate me by just breathing on me right now. He hasn't jinxed anyone for so long I know he's saving something up specially for me." She looked glum, and Remus gave her a soothing little rub with his feet as he tried to decide whether he had the strength to sit up and hug her.
"Lily? Is that a bottle?" he asked, as his big toe hit something hard in the pocket of her dressing gown.
"Oh! Yes, that's why I came. Dad sent me some whisky for Christmas - sort of a sorry-your-sister's-such-a-giant-pain-in-the-arse present, I suppose - and I thought you boys might like to share it. 'Cept James and I have already made a fair dent in it," she said, pulling the bottle out and flourishing it at them.
Sirius leapt out from beneath the covers with a yelp. "Bloody hell, Evans, you can't treat Lagavulin like that! Where's your respect?" he said, grabbing the bottle off her and cradling it to his chest, before yelping again as the glass touched his bare skin.
"Where's yours?" she asked, nodding pointedly towards his lap, where a persistent hard-on lurked beneath his otherwise innocent-looking pyjama bottoms.
"Like you haven't seen it all before," said Sirius, rolling his eyes.
"Actually, I think I have," she said, looking puzzled. "Aren't those James' pyjamas?"
"Maybe," Sirius muttered. Since declaring his independence from his family, Sirius had become a good deal more dependent on his friends for life's basics; he wasn't short of funds so much as domestic capability. That was the official statement, anyhow; privately, it was understood amongst them that Sirius just liked wearing James' clothes.
It's a good thing I'm not the jealous sort, Remus thought.
And he wasn't, really. He had always felt very sure of Sirius' heart: its passions and loyalties and simplicities. He loved Remus and James fiercely; and even Lily had a piece of Sirius, not just for James' sake, but for her own sweet and sarky self. Remus suspected that there was little, if any, resentment in Sirius towards Lily.
Lily, for her part, seemed to take everything in her stride, accepting the free-floating, mostly unspoken devotion between the best friends, as if she knew full well that she was in a love me, love my dog situation. And if Remus remembered a night when an ecstatic James had announced to the room that he'd kicked his virginity at last, a night when Sirius had later trembled in Remus' arms with bitter, unspent tears, he found that the memory didn't hurt him too much. That was just Sirius.
"S'your fault anyhow," said Sirius, and Remus remembered that they were discussing, of all things, Sirius' unrelenting hard-on. Sirius was still mock-glaring at Lily, who pouted right back, and Remus braced himself for a bout of good-natured bickering.
"Interrupt a spot of shagging, did I?" she asked.
"Goodness me, no, I'm as hard up as young James," said Sirius with a sly grin in Remus' direction. Remus sighed in exasperation. Looked like it was him who was copping it tonight.
"That's rough, lad. Better drink up and tell Aunt Lily all about it."
Sirius took a swig straight from the bottle and sighed gustily. "Oh, that is good," he said. "That is splendid. Your father is a great man."
"He's all right. I do miss him," she said, shivering.
"You cold?" Sirius asked. He blinked around at the drafty room as if noticing it for the first time. "Suppose it is a bit nippy in here." He scooted back up the bed and tucked himself in next to Remus again. "Hop in with us, if you like. S'like cuddling up to an open fire." Remus' veins were still running hot after the full moon; he wouldn't simmer down for a few days yet. Sirius tipped the bottle up for him, and he drank the whisky down fast; his sore throat complained, but the other aches and pains soaked up the alcohol with gratitude.
Lily, meanwhile, had shrugged off her dressing gown, and was eyeing the bed with doubt. Sirius was examining her voluminous white nightie with a similar expression. "That's a bit naff, isn't it, Evans? No wonder James isn't getting any. Probably can't find you under all that granny gear."
"Please. This from the guy wearing my boyfriend's pjs." She pulled out her wand, which had been pinning her hair in a tight bun, and Grandio'd the bed beneath them. "Here, move over and give me back my bottle before you spill it."
"Smooth work," said Remus, once the world stopped shifting. He and Sirius wriggled over to let her in, and she snuggled down beside him, dropping her wand on the bedside table and grabbing for the whisky.
"Mmm, that's lovely," she said. "It's the lush's life for me, I think. Now, tell me your woes, young Sirius. How can I help?"
"Well, you might grow a cock and shag me senseless," he answered. "No, get that look off your face. I know what you're thinking, and I'm sure there is a spell for it, but it's frightening enough having a girl in my bed..."
"Whose bed?"
"All right, Remus' bed. And as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted by our sandwich filling here, I might just throw myself from the Gryffindor tower in abject terror if you start sprouting inappropriate body parts."
"Right. Check. No penises."
"Thank you. As to my woes, it is Christmas..."
"Boxing Day."
"Thank you, Remus. It is Boxing Day, and not a creature is stirring. Not the one in Lupin's pants, anyhow."
"Sirius!"
"He is, in fact, as limp as a noodle, and all too likely to stay that way for the next few days."
"Sirius, I'm right here, you know."
"I know, noodle. Your presence drives me mad with desire as always."
"I need another drink."
"What you lads need is a dildo."
They stopped glaring at each other long enough to give her a dubious look. "What's that?" asked Remus.
"It's a muggle thing."
"You can stop right there. I don't want to know," said Sirius.
"What? You'll drink muggle whisky, but you won't use muggle sex toys? Coward."
"Oi!"
"Drink up, both of you, and stop pummelling me," said Remus. "Where's James when I need him?"
"Someone mention my name?" Three heads spun around to find James leaning in the doorway with a big smile across his face. "Here you are. I was looking for you, Lily. Hullo, what's with all the debauchery? You might've waited for me," he said cheerfully.
"Come in, come in! The water's fine," said Sirius.
"Hang on a tick while I strip down," said James, and they all watched in appreciation as he removed robes and clothes and Head Boy badge; he kept the badge sparkling, but the rest was a shambles. "Been wept all over by one of the first years. Poor thing. Turns out her mum and dad are both aurors. Both out of touch. She's not to understand that there's nastiness brewing out there. Still, sometimes I wish Dumbledore'd just come clean with the young ones. They ought to know what's going on. Not like they're stupid. Not all of them, anyhow." He hopped about like some demented, bespectacled rabbit as he tugged off his boots.
"Forget the first years. I wish he'd come clean with us," said Sirius.
"He does keep things close," Remus agreed. And not necessarily for the good, he thought. His own on-going presence at Hogwarts was a source of both relief and alarm to Remus; arrangements that had been acceptable to an eleven year old now struck him at eighteen as ludicrously inadequate. Not that he'd ever had much in the way of options. But when he thought of some of the strife he'd been in, and how much worse things could've turned out...
There was an uneasy stirring at his right - Sirius was, as always, four parts instinct and the rest, who knew - and he squeezed the hand not holding the booze, receiving a cold-nosed nuzzle under the ear for his trouble.
James, meanwhile, was shivering in his smalls as he tossed some extras pillows towards the huddle in the bed. "Do you always just barge in here without knocking?" Lily asked him, sounding genuinely curious. "What if they'd been on the job?"
James blinked. "Um. Well. Normally they're quite discreet."
She looked sceptical. "Didn't seem too discreet when I came in. No curtains, no Quietus."
James sent a silent appeal for help in Remus' direction, but he just smiled while Sirius snickered in his ear. "I suppose security's a little lax over the holidays," said James at last. "Gryffindor's practically deserted, so who's to know?"
"You know," she said pointedly.
"Oh, well, we're all family here," said James, as if it was perfectly understandable. "Bloody hell, it's chilly. Three in the bed and the new bloke says..."
"Roll over, roll over?" Sirius sing-songed.
"Was going to suggest you haul your fat arses, but whatever." They all wriggled across the mattress until James had enough space to spoon up against Lily. "Mmm, deliciously plump arse, I should say. Is that the whisky your dad sent?"
"Get into it, lad, before it's all gone," said Sirius, passing it over the bodies between them.
James knocked back a fair mouthful, plainly eager to forget the troubles outside for one night. The angle was awkward and some of the whisky spilt onto Lily's neck; Remus watched with interest as James brushed her hair back and licked up the droplets as she giggled and squirmed between them. "Fucking ambrosia," James muttered, nuzzling at her throat. "Good man, your dad. Going to make a fine father-in-law." He pressed the bottle to her own mouth before she could protest. "Peter'll be sore he missed out on this."
"Poor old bubble and squeak," said Sirius. "Serves him right for having a sane family to spend Christmas with."
"Probably too shy to share a bed with us all, anyhow," said Remus regretfully. He'd rather have his whole pack with him, particularly at full moon time, but he didn't begrudge Peter time with his family. Remus wouldn't've minded seeing his own parents for Christmas, but it was easier on his body to change on familiar territory, and after almost seven years, Hogwarts was home.
"No, Peter's a terrible prude. Not a fan of the faggotry, either," said Sirius. "Actually, we're a lot cosier without him underfoot, come to think of it."
"But you don't mind having James about," said Lily, clearly intrigued by their level of comfort with one another. "I still want to know what would've happened if James had walked in on you two shagging."
Remus bit his lip. "I'm sure he would've left us to it."
"Stayed and watched, more like," Sirius interrupted with a naughty grin.
"I never!" James cried out indignantly. He sat up and glared at them both, but his expression soon turned sheepish at their raised brows. "Well. All right. Maybe. Occasionally. Um."
Lily burst out laughing as he took another fortifying swallow of whisky. "James, you deviant!"
He shook his head at her sadly. "And you love it, you saucy tart."
"I do, I really do," she said, stroking his flushed cheek with tenderness. He leant down and kissed her mouth, and she whispered against his lips, "You're such a surprise."
James placed the bottle on the bedside table before nestling back down beside her. "You know me. No surprises here."
"An open book, in fact," said Sirius. He was leaning over Remus as he watched James embrace Lily, and his sharp chin dug into Remus' sternum with each word. Remus brushed Sirius' dark hair back until Sirius relaxed against him, one sweaty cheek pressed to Remus' chest.
"Uh-huh," James agreed, sounding happy and drowsy as he wound an arm beneath Lily's breasts. "Can ask me anything."
And Remus heard himself saying, even as the question glanced across his mind, "Would you ever cheat on Lily?"
James peered at him over the fall of Lily's hair. "'Course not. Daft question. Got everything, haven't I?"
"Uh-huh," whispered Sirius, a soft exhalation across Remus' heart. They all belonged to James.
Lily reached out and touched Sirius' hand, which was tucked like a baby's beneath his chin. "You want him."
"'Course. Always," said Sirius.
"Me too." She took his hand and dragged it down to her crotch, lifted a brow, and said, "See?" The suddenness of it threw Remus; he felt Sirius' instinctive squirm of discomfort and knew Lily probably noticed it too, although Sirius did not pull himself from her grip. And if Sirius didn't back down, Lily wasn't likely to either. "Dare you, Sirius. I black dog dare you," she said, baring her teeth in a wicked grin, and yeah, she had him, Remus thought. Like Sirius could ever resist a challenge. A girl, sure. But not a challenge.
Sirius sat up, bracing himself on one arm as he pushed the covers back, then took the hem of her nightie and yanked it up until it was rucked about her hips. Lily's face softened all at once with Sirius' acquiescence; her eyes were questioning and almost shy as they caught Remus watching, and he must have pasted the right expression on his face, because she took his own hand now and rolled onto her back, vulnerable and exposed.
As for Sirius, it seemed as if his curiosity was stronger than his aversion, because he eased his grip on Lily's nightie and reached for her. Remus could tell the moment he touched her by the way her fingers clenched around his; otherwise, she was very still. Sirius looked intent - Remus was certain he had never been on such close terms with a female body before, and had it been anyone but Lily, he'd probably be out the door by now, muttering about girl germs - and then James hooked a hand beneath Lily's knee, pulled her up and open for Sirius, and said, teasingly, coaxingly, "Go on, lad, be brave."
"Heart of a lion," said Sirius. It was usually Sirius who was babied by the rest of them, but James who always got his way in the end, and if James was happy to have Sirius playing silly buggers with his girlfriend, then Sirius wasn't going to say no. Remus wondered if this might not be very stupid, but he could be as much a creature of instinct as Sirius, and he felt like letting this all wash over him and just seeing what happened. To Remus, the scene was suggestive of neither eroticism nor squalor, but some comforting commonplace in between. And James and Sirius, always self-consciously rebelling against their pureblood backgrounds, did common rather well.
"How are you finding that pussy?" asked James, sounding sly and gleeful.
"Well, bloody hell, James, it's right here between her thighs, just as I always thought! You certainly are very wet, Evans," said Sirius, making James and Lily chortle like children. Remus watched the careful up and down motion of Sirius' arm, the delicate flex of muscle, and knew that despite his plain words, Sirius was treating Lily as reverently as he knew how.
"Like cats and dogs," said Lily, rocking her hips against Sirius' hand. The sound of fingers sliding through wet folds was clearly audible. "Who would've thought they might get along?"
"None of your dodgy puns, now," said Sirius with a humph. He was watching her face for clues about his competence, but she wasn't giving much away.
It was James who said, "Harder," and when Sirius blew his hair out of his eyes and started putting his back into it, Remus felt the change in Lily immediately - the prick of her fingernails against his palm as she clutched hard, the restless rustle of her leg hair against his own. "That's better. Can't let the name fool you. She likes it rough."
"You hear what he says about you, Evans?"
"He's a...disrespectful...bastard," she panted. "S'why I like him."
"Liar," said James in a tender tone at odds with the vicious grip he had on her thigh. Remus suspected there'd be bruises; he also had a feeling she wouldn't mind a bit. "You like me 'cause I'm wrapped around your baby toes and you know it. Going to kiss 'em every day for the rest of our lives." Her only reply was blissful murmur as her head rolled back and forth across the pillow. "Ah, that's my happy, incoherent sweetheart. You must be hitting the right spot, Pads."
"Bloody hope so," said Sirius. "Fingers're getting sore."
"Pain is no excuse, lad! Grind the heel of your hand in. Yeah, that's right. That's right. Pressure. That's what my girl likes." Lily's tongue flicked her top lip over and over; one hand gripped Remus's like a vise, while the other scrabbled at her belly, pressing it down as her body tried to arch off the mattress. Remus pondered his soreness and exhaustion and then muttered, "Bugger it," as he struggled up to see what Sirius was about. Lily's nightie was gathered around her gingery muff like the world's silliest bonnet. And then he could see Sirius's glistening fingers moving in and out and all about, and Lily's scent filled his nostrils. The moon magic was working on her hard all right; to Remus, she smelled like hungry, tangy fertility. No wonder she wasn't game to let James at her this time of month.
Sirius, grinning at Remus' reluctant interest, got his legs tucked beneath himself for more stability and wrapped his free arm around Remus to support him. Lily growled at the distraction, making them all laugh, even as the animal sound lit inside Remus. He wondered what might be inside her - a fat, marmalade moggie, or maybe a snarling tiger - and he thought hopefully, happily, of a time when she might join them. Sirius breathed, "Sorry, sorry," and started stroking her again. The sight, the scent, the grip of Lily's hand - they all seemed odd to Remus, as if he was attending a birth instead of a fingerfucking. Lily was fighting for release and looked wild and almost ugly as she reached for it. James had a fistful of her hair and was pulling on it hard as he mouthed dreamily at her throat and murmured in her ear. She came so quietly, Remus hardly even knew it, except that she sighed and smiled and relaxed all over, including her brutal hold on his hand.
Remus felt too achy to sit up for long, so he lay back down beside her and kissed one freckled shoulder where her nightie had slipped. Sirius was watching the three of them with a smug expression, before turning his attention to his slick, cramping hand. "Bloody hell, Evans, you made me all pruney," he said. He sniffed, shrugged, and stuck two fingers in his mouth, sucking on them with a meditative air. "You taste like that ham we had for dinner," he said at last, picking a small hair off his tongue and flicking it in James' direction.
Remus shook his head at this display, but Lily and James only laughed. "He's a real ladies' man," said James in an awestruck tone.
"And a true gentleman," Lily added.
"Got you off, didn't I?" Sirius still looked awfully proud of himself, so Remus pinched his arse. "Oi!"
"Going to fly for a different team, now, are you?" Remus asked in a voice of mild interest.
"No thanks," said Sirius, with a shudder that was only mostly theatrical. Lily tsked and reached out to poke him in the chest, light enough to show she wasn't actually offended, and Sirius pasted on an innocent face and asked, "What? What?"
She just shook her head, rolling over until she was cuddled along Remus' length again, nosing gently at a scar on his arm. He could feel her wet pubes against his hip; it was weird but sort of companionable, he supposed. Once settled, she reached out hesitantly and touched Sirius' knee. "I...I'm...well, I'm not sorry, precisely, but...perhaps...I shouldn't have done it?"
Sirius cocked his head, looking thoughtful and a little puzzled. "You thinking my innocence has been besmirched or something?"
Remus felt her lips curl in a smile against his skin and heard a faint snort from James behind her. "Silly. I just meant...well, I don't know what I mean, except that I...I'm not a tollgate or anything."
"I know," said Sirius, grinning as he petted her hand. "Funny if you were. We could play Billy Goats Gruff."
"I said tollgate, not troll," she complained, shaking his knee. "What I mean is..."
"I know what you mean, Evans. You get yours so I can have yours, and all that."
"But...I didn't mean to imply you had to do anything."
"I know. And you know me. Like I'd ever do anything I didn't want to."
She sighed. "Look, I just...I think I'd kill him if he ever touched anyone else. And at the same time I know full well there won't ever be any killing, because he wouldn't do that to me."
"But I'm different."
"'Course you're different, Sirius. We all are here."
"I know," said Sirius, taking her hand to his mouth and kissing it softly. "Just making sure you know it too." He lowered her hand to Remus' heart. "You're all my best loved ones, right? And look at us: we'll all dash about in circles trying to please each other. Or at least you'll all try and please me, 'cause I'm the spoilt brat here and you just can't help yourselves, and I'll let you. And I'm going to let you now. Whisky or no, I think I'm fairly sober for all that - stars know, Remus'll tell me if I'm not - constitution of a nogtail, he's got - and I don't think we're mistaking one another. Don't see how we could."
"Have you two managed your mischief, yet?" asked James suddenly. "Divided the spoils?"
He didn't sound angry or impatient to Remus - just their same, sweet-tempered James. "They're like that, you know," Remus said. "Discuss a fellow like he's not even here." He hoped they could all hear the permission behind his words, if permission was wanted; they all tended to defer to Remus, not so much for leadership as for common sense. He'd never understood why.
James was apparently reassured, if he'd even had a doubt to begin with. "Better make my presence felt, in that case," he said as he sat up. It was Remus' eyes that he sought though, and Remus saw that he wasn't as confident as Remus had supposed. Remus couldn't think what to say, so he just smiled. He knew James' desire to please Sirius would not outweigh his disinclination to hurt Remus, but this was not where Remus' fragility lay; he had their acceptance, their company and their love, and all he wanted was for things to stay that way.
"It's just us, James," said Sirius softly. He looked wistful rather than hopeful. "Doesn't have to be complicated."
"Couldn't do complicated if I tried. But wanting's not like having. And there's nothing special here, you know," said James, his voice wavering a little. "You might be disappointed."
"Bet I wouldn't be. Don't care if I am. I want to have you anyhow, before the wanting drives me mad. And I know you're not averse."
"Well, I'm not an idiot, am I?" said James. "Better kiss me then, so I know you're serious."
It was a stupid old joke between them. The kissing part, though - that was brand new. They both leant gingerly across the two fascinated faces below them, meeting somewhere in the middle in a careful kiss - noses here, chins there, glasses pressed against unfamiliar skin. James' tongue flicked at Sirius' lips, probably tasting Lily there, and Sirius' shoulders jerked in the involuntary shimmy he did when he was trying not to pounce. Instead he ran the flat of his tongue upside James' face, bristled jaw to sweaty brow, tripping over the glasses along the way, and James flinched and giggled, although he did not scrub the spit away.
There was more room on Sirius' side of the bed, sprawling lank that he was, so James picked a delicate path over the legs between them, squeezing their ankles as he passed - maybe for courage, or luck, thought Remus. He knelt in front of Sirius and yanked his undershirt off, making his hair even more demented and pulling his glasses askew; Sirius eased them back around James' ears as calmly as if he hadn't been waiting over six years for the chance. Remus could tell by the fond and rather embarrassed expression on James' face that Sirius was staring up at him with his annoying, adoring puppy eyes. James' skin looked as soft and white as talcum powder; Sirius traced the slopes and grooves of musculature first with curious fingertips and then with the firmer press of palms. James accepted the exploration patiently enough, rubbing first at Sirius' shoulders and then up and down his arms, leading him away from tickly spots and then back again just for the fun of it. He finally gathered Sirius' face in his hands for a deeper, more deliberate kiss, and Sirius' arms wound about him so tightly in return it made Remus short of breath just to look at them.
James eased Sirius back, scraping his fingers through the long, dark hair and smacking his lips soundly against Sirius' brow. Then he wriggled out of his boxer shorts with Sirius' help, and Lily laughed as James swiped at his rather fogged up glasses with his undies; Remus guessed she'd seen that sort of thing before. "Just leave 'em off," said Sirius, but James shook his head with his typical stubbornness, muttering something about wanting to see what the fuck he was doing.
Sirius seemed to take this literally, lying back and hitching his arse up to push his pyjamas down over his hips. James grabbed hold of the waistband to help and they ended up in a tangle of flailing legs and rumpled flannel; James finally freed the pyjamas from around Sirius' ankles, bundled them up and stuffed them under his wiggly bottom. Sirius stilled with a slow smile as James snuck up between his thighs and started licking his balls. "Fuck me, that's nice," he hissed, and James's laughter was muffled as he filled his mouth with cock. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, you have been watching, you smug bastard. Fuck!"
Sirius soon lost all knowledge of any word apart from 'fuck' as he was thoroughly kissed, sniffed and licked; James stroked his cock and worked the head between his lips and all over his tongue with the same cheerful enthusiasm he brought to everything in life. Sirius soon had James by the hair, trying to fuck his mouth, and James pulled away, saying, "Nuh-uh, don't come yet, all right? Don't come 'til I'm in, yeah?"
Sirius grunted his reluctant-sounding assent, and James sat back on his heels, grinning at Lily as he swiped at his wet chin. "Have a hunt in that drawer next to you, will you, Lily? That's where they keep their stash." She smirked and saluted, before rummaging through the clutter and handing over a jar; Remus had found a great recipe for lube months ago and had been making it up in Potions behind their professor's back ever since. James cracked the jar open, scooped his hand through the syrupy substance and pumped his cock blissfully. "Great stuff. Not even cold. Amazing. Fuck. Here, you want some of this, Pads? Fuck me, look at your hole twitch. Someone wants it bad. Sling your legs up on my shoulders for a tick, will you? Here, I'll help. Mmm, you're flexible. Fuck, that's right, I just want to get in...fuck..."
Sirius flung his head back with a growl, grinding his teeth around a "S'good" as James eased his cock inside. James was being mindful, marking the territory with careful thrusts and looking sharp-eyed behind his foggy glasses. He snugged up close, an arm braced on either side of Sirius to catch the lolling, slipping legs. Remus could hear the wet slide of cock and then the rude slap of balls on bare skin as James started moving quicker, more confidently. Sirius was panting, his mouth gaping open, and James leant down to seal it with his own. They were soon fucking so hard the mattress was shifting beneath them, and Remus found himself steadying Lily against him; she was humming and trembling all over, and he felt a similar flurry beneath his own skin, as if he was moonlit.
Sirius looked ferocious; he was pulling his own thighs back even further as if James' hold was not enough. But he plainly wanted a hand free to tug on his own cock, so Remus grabbed him behind the knee, fingers slipping a little in the sweaty hollow, and held him fast against his own body. Sirius hissed his thanks and fucked his own hand with relief. "Come on, then. Come on," coaxed James, and his voice might well've been bells, Sirius obeyed so readily.
Remus thought it was strange but perhaps apt the way Sirius tended to come when he was called.
James didn't take much longer, fucking himself into a frenzy that Sirius absorbed with a rather dazed smile as he caressed James' chest with a sticky hand. James finally arched his back and bellowed, "Fucking lovely!" which made Sirius laugh and then ooph when James flopped on top of him. Suddenly boneless, James huffed and puffed for a bit before apparently realising he was committing a squashing offence, at which point he gave Sirius' lips a fast and happy rumple, muttered, "Huh, wet spot," and eased off him with whatever strength was left in his arms.
"You don't say," teased Sirius. "I'm lying in the worst of it, you know." James just murmured and patted Sirius on the belly in what he probably assumed was a comforting manner.
Although he suspected Sirius would've happily wallowed in the wet spot all night, Remus nudged Lily, who was still watching the other two in fascination, and said, "Wand."
She blinked at him, and then nodded, saying, "Good notion." She fetched her wand and waved it about, scourgifying them all quite thoroughly.
"Spoilsport," said Sirius. "That's cheating."
The word hung oddly in the air, before Lily shushed him. "You'll thank me in the morning."
"I will," said Sirius quietly. Then, as if unwilling to admit the gravity, he hurried to say, "Breakfast in bed for all, I think. And hair of the dog, thanks to your dad. James'll probably need it. Look at that, out to the world already. Bloody hell. Not a bit of fight in the lad." He sat up and pulled the blankets over them all, making sure everyone was tucked in. Then he nestled against Remus, jumping a little when James pressed up behind him with a sleepy sigh.
"I hope this bed doesn't decide to shrink while we're all fast asleep; James'll be the first to land on his arse," said Remus.
James' vague "mmph?" made Lily laugh in the middle of her Nox spell, and the candles hiccupped giddily before the room lapsed into moonlit dimness. Three different hands came to rest over Remus' heart; he was sore and tired and loved, and he had a pull all his own.