It was in their bedroom. Technically, it was Sirius' bedroom, though Remus joined him more often than not. Sirius was lying on his stomach, staring, glaring, at a clock on the wall.

Tick

Tock

Remus came in, wand lit as Sirius' was.

"What're you doing, Padfoot?" he asked, as quietly as he'd been when they were children.

Sirius hardly moved. "Time has made fools of us, Moony. And we simply let it."

Tick

Tock

"We can't help it." Remus sat down on the bed next to Sirius, jostling the other man's wand and causing frightening shadows to be thrown all along the walls. Sirius tensed slightly at the sight, and Remus gently rubbed a hand along his back, knowing how antsy he could get, especially at night. "Time continues moving. It doesn't stop for anyone."

"I know that," Sirius snapped, but his voice sounded almost broken. "I know that, Moony, but I want it to stop. I want it to go back. I don't like it."

Remus sighed softly, tugging Sirius gently up and into his arms. "We can't stop the clock, Padfoot, and even if we did, it wouldn't stop time."

Tick

Tock

Sirius didn't resist the comforting touch, and buried his face in Remus' neck, thin arms going around Remus' less-than-filled-out frame.

"I know. I don't have to like it."

Remus was silent for a long time, and the ticking of the clock was the only sound heard in the otherwise quiet room.

Tick

Tock

"Do you remember our time at Hogwarts?" Remus asked after a while. Sirius pulled his face away from Remus' neck to look at him.

"Of course I do... Mostly." Sirius sighed softly. "Some things are fuzzier than others. I hate it when I forget things I shouldn't. I can't help it, though."

Remus ran his fingers soothingly through Sirius' hair. "No one blames you for that. And you're getting better. You remember things and forget things like everyone else. Your case is just a little more extreme."

Sirius closed his eyes and laid his head down again. "I still hate it, Moony."

Tick

Tock

Remus pressed a kiss to his forehead. "I know. But you can't change it, either."

Tick

Tock

Sirius sighed. "I know. It's not fair, but I know."

Gently, Remus manoeuvred them so that they were cuddled up on the bed, his arms protectively draped around his lover.

"It'll be okay, Sirius."

Tick

Tock

With a murmur of 'Nox,' the wand was extinguished, and the two men fell asleep together, after allowing their demons to float away for the moment in the calm quiet of the dark.

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A/N Casually hates myself for becoming one of those authors that starts a fic and then doesn't finish/update it forever.