Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, etc.

Warnings: Spoilers for past events referred to in PoA, OotP, and HBP (I think… -not too sure about the last one).

Mild language.

Note that the sub-genre is romance. Notice that the main characters are males. Read the summary. Put two and two together (I have every confidence that you can).

When two people fall in love gradually over the course of many years, there are three steps that must be taken before anything can become of it.

Step One: Both parties involved must realise their true feelings.

Step Two: Each party involved must embrace their true feelings.

Step Three: The parties involved must express their true feelings.

Step three:

It has been eighteen years since Sirius and Remus each realised their feelings for the other. Sixteen years have passed since they were each able to embrace those feelings. Thirteen years ago, a horrible incident occurred which separated them, and left Sirius imprisoned in Azkaban for crimes he did not commit, as Remus is shunned from a society that no longer has need of him, and for something that is no fault of his own. Last year, Sirius and Remus were briefly united, and each realised that love truly knows no boundaries, for they both still feel the same. Two weeks ago, Padfoot and Moony reunited more permanently when Dumbledore sent Sirius to Remus' home with instructions to inform Remus that their services will again be needed, and to lay low at Lupin's.

Sirius has wished for the past thirteen years that he had remembered a conversation between him and Remus that took place a couple years before both of their worlds collapsed around them. Alternatively, that he had remembered an incident a couple of years before that, when he thought he learned how acting without understanding could harm someone you do not intent to.

Considering all that has transpired, with Sirius having the audacity to suspect Remus as a spy, the resulting nightmare, the deaths of their friends, and the isolation that they both have had to endure since, Sirius had not expected his last remaining friend to accept him back into his life the way he has. In addition, Remus was not sure what to expect from his treasured friend, once they were reunited. However, he is rather pleasantly surprised to find that Azkaban, the slow march of time, and the events of the past, have not altered Sirius very much.

However, considering all that that these two young (for they are still rather young, even if they may not feel that way) men have experienced together, is it truly a surprise that that they are able to pick up the threads of their old relationship and weave them together again to be even stronger? The deep feelings they unknowingly share, and the way they have always complimented and understood each other are still there, as if the years apart have melted away when the two marauders came together.

Naturally, Remus forgives Sirius for all of his past mistakes, and he understands completely why his friend made them to begin with, although, being Remus, he does not believe that Sirius is completely at fault. In addition, Sirius can of course understand why Remus believed him to be the traitor and forgives him for this, although he hardly thinks any apologies were necessary to begin with.

Taking into consideration how long these two young men have kept their feelings to themselves, the pains and horrors they have endured, and the fact that they know better than most what they will have to face and endure throughout the oncoming war, it comes as no surprise that they have yet to express their feelings to each other. In fact, it would probably take a rather honest and intimate moment for them to do so.

They find themselves in such a moment during the beginning of their third week together.

Sirius has recovered well while staying with Remus; he now eats, baths, and sleeps well and regularly. His appearance is a drastic improvement from the time he escaped Azkaban; he has filled out nicely, his dark hair has regained much of its previous lustre, and most importantly, his grey eyes are no longer lifeless or haunted. However, while Sirius appreciates everything that Remus has done to heal and accommodate him; the thing that has made the largest difference to Sirius is the company of his dearest friend.

Sirius has never been a solitary person, not to say that he cannot handle being alone, his years in Azkaban have proved that he can, however, he always has preferred to have people around him, especially ones that he enjoys and can talk to or joke with. This fact actually played a large role in the origins of Sirius' friendship with Remus. During their first year in school, Sirius, who had become fast friends with his other dorm mates, could not understand how his polite, sickly-looking roommate could spend so much of his time alone, and therefore decided that he needed to make the other boy a part of his little gang.

A quiet evening two weeks after Sirius' arrival finds the dark-haired man looking through the cottage Remus inherited when his parents passed away, once again searching for the quiet lycanthrope who has wondered off somewhere by himself. Fortunately, the cottage is rather small, and Sirius quickly finds his truest friend standing on the back porch, looking out at the woods that surround the little cottage, and obviously deep in thought.

Sirius moves to stand beside his pensive friend. Without preamble, he reaches out an arm, brushes the other man's grey flecked, light brown hair away from his eyes, and then runs his hand through the soft hair, allowing it to rest at the base of his friend's neck. Sirius smiles benignly when this action causes Remus' eyes to drift close for a moment, his head to lower slightly, and his shoulders to relax.

"Dumbledore still has not explained anything to Harry," Remus surprises Sirius by speaking before the grey-eyed man can ask what the matter is. "I don't understand that. It makes sense not to hit him with everything at once, and there are some things I suppose he doesn't need to know, but I don't understand why Dumbledore doesn't want to explain any of it, or allow one of us to explain." His hoarse but soft voice has a wary note to it, one that Sirius has noticed a lot since his arrival. He wonders how long it has been threatening to become permanent.

Sirius also wonders why Remus has volunteered this information. "What brought this on? It's not like you to so openly question Dumbledore's reasoning." Sirius hopes that his dearest friend understands the true question. Before all of his friends betrayed him, Remus had been completely open with Sirius, a fact that always pleased the dark-haired man greatly. Now the grey-eyed man cannot express how happy he is that Remus has once again adopted this habit of being completely honest with him.

"Well I did promise I wouldn't keep any secrets from you after the last war." Remus answers mildly, and then continues as if he is unaware that he just made his last remaining friend's day. "Harry is like James… and you. He acts whether he understands the circumstances and the possible repercussions or not. He also cannot stand to feel weak or useless, and trust seems to be a mild issue. I fear that isolating him at this point is going to lead to ill results, and he deserves to know the truth in any case. I just… I have a bad feeling about this. I don't want anything to happen to him… or to you. He doesn't even know about the prophecy."

Sirius feels simultaneously pleased that Remus has grown to know Harry so well, and irritated that he himself knows so little about the boy. However, none of that is Remus' fault, and Sirius knows he should feel pleased that one of them has managed to know the real Harry. "I know, Moony. I'm worried about him too, and I don't know what I'm going to do if anything happens to you." Sirius stops his fingers, which he has been absently running up and down his friend's slender neck, when the logical point of Remus' words occur to him. "Harry doesn't even know about the prophecy? Didn't he wonder how James and Lily knew that Voldemort was after him?"

"I don't think he yet understands that it was him Voldemort was specifically after." Remus answers softly. "He hardly knew anything when we met on the train, Sirius. He didn't learn about you until after you escaped."

"He didn't learn about me until then?" Sirius asks in surprise. He had just assumed, when Harry proclaimed that Sirius betrayed his parents, and when he said that he knew Sirius was his Godfather, that someone -specifically Dumbledore, Hagrid, or Remus- explained at least the main facts to the boy. "So, he didn't know who you were? I mean, you told me about meeting on the train and all, but… Did he just think you were a strange, young, professor in shabby robes at first?"

"I sent letters to him… birthday cards and such, all the Muggle way of course, I remember what Lily said about her sister and brother-in-law," Remus says mildly, "but I don't believe they reached him. He already had the Map and James' cloak by the time he began to talk to me; I think most of what he knows is through eavesdropping, Draco Malfoy, Hermione, and general word of mouth."

"I told you I never trusted that Muggle post," says Sirius lightly, although he suspects that the issue with the letters has more to do with Petunia Dursley and less with the competency of the Muggle post delivery. "So, he knows nothing aside from common knowledge? Besides my innocence, your furry little problem, the marauders, and the rat, I mean. Hasn't he questioned why everything happened?"

"I suspect he's wondered, but he might not know that there is an explanation." Remus answers thoughtfully. Sirius has resumed his ministrations on the lycanthropes neck and the werewolf is subconsciously melting. "I expect he's been too distracted to give it his full attention, first by your escape, then the tournament, and now Voldemort's return."

"Then we'll tell him," Sirius says simply, as he begins stroking his friend's soft hair again. "We have more right to make these sorts of decisions for him then anyone. You're right, though; it is too much to hit him with at once. We'll start slow… we have time, right?" Sirius feels Remus tense suddenly under his fingers. His grey eyes close for a moment and he swears before opening them again. "If that barmy old bastard has asked you-!"

"He hasn't," Remus replies softly, but tightly, as if he is carefully maintaining his usually subconscious mild manner. "Not yet, anyway, but he will, Padfoot. We have the advantage of Harry's warning and Dumbledore knows better than to waste it. Besides, I was somewhat successful in my endeavours during the last war. I could not talk most of the beings I dealt with into joining us, but I managed to convince them not to join Voldemort. It wasn't much, but it was something."

"That's more then something, Moony; that's incredible." Sirius says as he moves his hand to squeeze Remus' shoulder. "Your right, as usual… I wouldn't even put it past Dumbledore to push further this time. If he asks you to spy, Moony…" Sirius voice lowers and gains a slightly dangerous quality. "Then he and I are going to be having a nice long talk about practising what you preach. He wouldn't put the rest of us in that position; spying on werewolves and recruiting magical beasts and beings isn't the same as dealing with humans."

"Which is why he asks the only nonhumans to do it," Remus answers reasonably. Sirius is sickened to find that all traces of bitterness or contempt for the matter have left his voice. During their years of separation, his friend has grown to accept that the world around him views him as something less then human. Remus still feels shamed by this fact, but whatever part of him used to fight it has long given up.

"What will you do if he asks you not to tell anyone again?" Sirius asks quietly, he is not sure that he wants to hear the answer, but he must. He can't stand the idea of having to go through all that again… not knowing what Remus is doing, where he is, or if he's alright tore him apart before, and the bitterness it caused is what led him to make one of the biggest mistakes of his life.

"I'll tell him that I'm sorry, but I did promise you first," Remus deadpans as he turns his head to face Sirius. The smile returns to Sirius' face. That Remus would defy Dumbledore simply for the right to be honest with him means so much to the Animagus… to both of them actually. The smile falters and is replaced by guilt when Remus speaks next. "If I hadn't been such a fool before… If I had told you everything, like I wanted to, the whole mess would have happened differently. You wouldn't have lost faith in me." His voice is wary again, and his eyes hold such sorrow and regret that Sirius can hardly bear to look into them, but he does.

Sirius moves his hand from the lycanthropes thin shoulder to his pale face. He holds his friend's cheek and jaw and forces him to continue looking at him. "Nothing that has happened was your fault, Remus. I should have just come to you," Sirius says firmly, but gently, and with a bitter edge. "I should have known better. I should have trusted you. You never gave me any reason not to… I'm the one who betrayed you."

Remus shakes his head slowly and looks at Sirius; his warm eyes are full of sympathy, regret, empathy, sorrow, and hope. "I should have spoken to you, too. I knew something was wrong… and I hated keeping what I was doing for the Order from you. However, I am through with wishes and regrets. They never accomplish anything and I cannot change the past, but I can learn from it. I won't be making the same mistakes again."

"I won't either, I promise Moony; this time you count on me." Sirius says quietly as he places his other hand on the werewolf's waist and uses it to turn him so that they are completely facing each other. He still does not release the scarred man's face and does not yet realise how unusual it is for Remus to allow himself to be manhandled by anyone except for Sirius.

He does however notice the complete trust and comfort that appear into the mix of sorrow, determination, and shame that usually grace Remus' calm eyes. Sirius feels his breath catch and then he adjusts his hold on Remus' face so that it becomes more of a caress. He does not expect Remus to pull away, but he also does not expect Remus to lean into the caress. Therefore, you can imagine his surprise when his precious friend does just that.

Now Sirius' hand completely envelops Remus' cheek and part of his mouth and his kind eyes close softly. Overall, the gentle werewolf looks more comfortable and vulnerable then he has allowed himself to be since the last time Sirius saw him this way all those years ago.

Just then, Sirius decides to hang the consequences, for when has he ever bothered with that sort of thing anyway? He moves forward a few inches before Remus releases a soft chuckle, which is lovely to hear in Sirius' opinion, but which also brings him back to what remains of his senses.

"And what, may I ask, is funny at the moment?" Sirius asks with a smile larger then any he's worn in the past fourteen years.

Remus does not move away before he answers, causing his lips to brush against Sirius' palm as he speaks. "It seems that every time we have one of these life defining conversations, my face ends up in your hand at some point or another."

Sirius smile grows until it threatens to split his handsome face, and then he releases one of his bark-like laughs. "That's true, isn't it? You know, you also end up in my arms at some point, too," Sirius says in a display of his usual confidence and Gryffindor bravery. "Do you mind terribly if we get to that part now?"

Sirius can feel as well as see the small but warm smile that turns the corners of his friend's mouth. Then Remus shifts his head without removing it from Sirius' hand and opens his gentle eyes to look into Sirius grey ones. "I would like that," he says softly, but Sirius can see a much stronger reaction in those warm orbs. He can see comfort, happiness, longing, pain, and love.

Before he can lose himself in those eyes, Sirius pulls his dear friend into a firm embrace, which Remus welcomes and returns warmly.

After a long moment of simply relishing in the fact that he is holding the svelte lycanthrope in his arms once more, Sirius' mind turns to the words his friend -his love- has just spoken. "Why did you say that this always happens during life defining conversations? What changed during those other conversations?"

Sirius knows why he considers them life defining and even life altering. However, he expected rational, reasonable, subtle Remus to consider other conversations to be life defining, such as the one he overheard between his parents and the Healers after he received his bite, or the argument they had when Sirius 'accepted' that Remus was the spy. Of course, Remus did not know what that argument was truly about at the time, but Sirius is quite sure that the wise lycanthrope has figured it out since.

Sirius is saved from having to dwell on these unpleasant memories when he feels Remus' lips start moving against his neck. "I don't think you're going to like hearing this," he says meekly.

Sirius smiles at the familiar warning. "I want to hear it anyway," he answers firmly.

"Do you remember the first time you held my face like that?" Remus asks quietly.

Sirius smiles lightly at the memory. "Yes, it was after we had the horrible idea to corner you and confront you about our suspicions that you were a werewolf in second year. We were such prats; we must have frightened you death."

"You barely spoke at first and you looked furious," Remus says lightly into Sirius' chest. "Then James asked a rather tactless question and before I knew what was happening, the two of you were arguing and then I ran."

"I found you crying in the owlery," Sirius says as he strokes the lycanthrope's gracefully slender back. "You just started apologising and pleading with me not to tell anyone until you were gone and I remember it sounded as if you were terrified that we, or someone, was going to hurt you and I realised how hard it must be to be you."

"You took my face in your hands," Remus voice is softer as if he is growing comfortable. "No one had ever done that before without hurting me."

"It was the only way I could get you to raise your face and look at me," Sirius adds.

"You told me that you, James, and Peter had been fools to approach the issue like that. I could not believe it when you said that you did not mind what I am, that you would keep my secret, and that you still wanted to be my friend. After that, you gave me my first hug since I became a monster." Remus releases a small sigh and continues, "I realised that I loved you that day; during that exact conversation."

"You are not a monster, Moony," Sirius says quietly and steadily. He broke his friend of this habit in the past and he intends to do it again. The Animagus is angered that the life Remus has lead in his absence has successfully lowered the lycanthrope's sense of self-worth enough for him to start referring to himself as a monster again.

Remus continues with his explanation as if Sirius has not commented on his status as a being. "Then, in fifth year, after you showed me the results of your 'grand master plan to help Moony'…"

Sirius chuckled, "I still think it was a brilliant idea… and it worked, didn't it? We had successfully become Animagi and the wolf was much easier on you during the nights that we came out to play with it." He tightens his hold on Remus, who seems to fit against him perfectly, Sirius notes.

"It was brilliant," Remus agrees, and Sirius can feel his small smile against him. "Mental, but brilliant… and the nicest thing that anyone has ever done for me. When I tried to convince you not to risk so much for me, you took my face in your hands again."

"Again, because you would not up or look me in the eyes." Sirius comments drily. "We really are going to have to work on your self-esteem sometime, Moony. It took me ages to convince you that you were more then worth the risks for me… as if I ever was one to worry about silly things like risks and consequences. Then as I recall, I had the privilege of pulling you into an embrace again."

Remus chuckles lightly before taking a deep breath, and then seeming to speak while holding it, he says, "that day, during that conversation, I realised that I felt differently about you than I did anyone else. I couldn't quite place it at the time, but I knew you had become the one person I could not live without."

"You can't live without me?" Sirius asks quietly, suddenly the conversation does not feel so light… now it feels like it just might be the most important conversation of his life. "What did you do the whole time I was in Azkaban?" He adds in an attempt to keep the atmosphere calm, because he really wants Remus to continue speaking.

"I survived," Remus replies, "but surviving is not the same as living. I survived before I went to Hogwarts and met you, James, and Peter. I learned to live while I was there with you. I lived with you for some time afterwards, and then I just started surviving again."

Sirius' throat, as well as his embrace, tightens and he rests his head on top of Remus'. "I want us both to start living again, Moony. We deserve it, don't we? To enjoy our lives… together?"

"I think so," Remus answers gently. "The next one was in sixth year, after the incident with Snape and the willow."

Sirius releases a heavy sigh, one which he realises Remus must feel, with how close he is holding the werewolf, and closes his eyes. "I was such a fool. I never should have put you in that position."

"You weren't thinking about how it would affect me, Padfoot," Remus' voice holds no bitterness or spite, just as it did all those years ago. "Anyway, I'm sure you remember that conversation, but what you don't know is that one of the reasons why it hurt me so much to have you be the one to…"

"To betray you?" Sirius suggests when Remus pauses to no doubt think of a more considerate way to phrase Sirius' past actions. "To hurt you? To be the first to throw you to the snakes that I swore I was going to protect you from?"

"I was going to say 'do that', but that's not the point, and you really need to let that go, Padfoot." Remus says as he moves his face so that his forehead is nestled into the crook of Sirius neck and his nose is against his clavicle. "My point is that I realised during that time that I didn't just love you… I realised that I was in love with you." Remus does not speak for a moment after that confession; in fact, Sirius can tell that his love is not breathing either. Sirius can feel it, with the way he is holding the smaller man cradled against him.

Sirius cannot blame Remus, for he thinks that he has forgotten how to breathe as well. The grey-eyed man tries to remind himself that his friend has been using past tense. Whether that is because he is referring to past emotions or simply past events is unknown as of yet. Therefore, Sirius decides to hold off any reactions… besides, Remus seems to be trembling now and Sirius wants his friend to continue to be comfortable in his arms, and to continue his explanation.

The Animagus lowers his face and inhales the warm, fresh scent of Remus as he gives the slim back another soothing stroke. "It's alright, Moony," he whispers, "please continue."

After releasing the breath he has been holding, Remus loosens his hold on Sirius shirt, which he had subconsciously gripped as he made the previous confession. "After Dumbledore asked me to speak to and reconnoitre with other werewolves, we had another of these conversations."

"I remember that one, too," Sirius offers.

"You were so… wonderful, really," Remus says with a timid quality to his voice, as if he's embarrassed or unsure if this is the proper way to express what he is trying to. Sirius grins to himself, thinking that Remus always was one for propriety… most of the time, anyway. Taking the lack of any change in Sirius stance as a good sign, and no doubt feeling the small smile, the slender werewolf continues speaking. "You were obviously concerned for me, and a little irritated, whether at me, Dumbledore, or just the situation, I was never sure, but you still accepted it and you supported my decision. You also seemed rather protective of me, but then, I suppose we all were a little over-protective of the ones we cared about during the war."

"I was never angry with you," Sirius says, just to make sure that the fact is known. "And of course I was protective of you. What would I do without you?" Sirius feels Remus tense slightly and it almost feels as if the fawn-haired man chocked on his own breath for a second or two. Sirius hopes that he has not said too much; that he has not upset the beloved person in his arms.

"Go on," Sirius says as he gives his cherished friend a squeeze.

"I had been, well, not fighting it exactly, but I certainly was reluctant to accept the way I felt about you as being alright." Remus says in as much of a rush as the careful werewolf ever says anything. With a small sigh and another squeeze from Sirius, he relaxes considerably and continues in a much smoother tone. "I just didn't think it was acceptable for a… for someone like me to love someone like… that. However, I realised sometime before that conversation that I cannot change how I feel. My love for you is simply a part of me, like any other part that I cannot change. During that conversation, I realised that it is all right for me not to want it to change… that I should not want to change it. I don't think anyone could blame even a werewolf for falling in love with you."

Once again, neither man seems able to breath, and Sirius wishes that he could see Remus' face, but that face is still tucked into his neck. Sirius knows that Remus rarely speaks without thinking. When you have something so important to hide, and you prefer not to lie any more than necessary, you have to choose your words carefully; Remus once told Sirius that, although Sirius has always wondered if Remus would be careful with his words anyway. In any case, Sirius knows that it is no slip of the tongue that Remus switched to the present tense.

Sirius manages to pull away from his thoughts to focus on the precious being that he is holding, who is holding onto him as if for dear life. He does not need to see Remus to know that he is holding his eyes closed. His head has lowered and his body stiffened, and Sirius can tell that the lycanthrope is waiting for another emotional blow. He clearly expects Sirius to be less then pleased by the news, although Sirius hopes that he knows him well enough to know that he would not be angry with him, if that was the case.

"Moony," Sirius begins and he sounds as if he has been running for a long time. "You know I've never felt badly about nearly killing Snape. The entire reason that I felt so remorseful about that trick is because I hurt you, and I made you feel even worse about yourself then you already had. I made you believe the terrible things that people like Snape or my parents think about you. When we were talking on the grounds that day, I realised that part of the reason why I felt so horribly, is because I love you. I mean, I knew that I loved you for years, but that evening I realised that I had fallen in love with you."

Sirius feels Remus blink against his throat and continues without any sign of fear or regret. "Only, I was too stupid to just accept it. I had betrayed you; I had hurt you. I broke your trust and your heart, and I knew it. I wasn't sure how you felt about me, but I wasn't about to risk damaging you any further. I think I hid my feeling well enough, either that or we were surrounded by unobservant idiots." Sirius chuckles briefly, although whether it is from his joke or just at the joy of finally expressing these feelings, he is not sure.

The dark-haired man can feel Remus loosen his muscles and begin to tremble lightly once again. "When Dumbledore pulled you aside that day and you returned saying that he asked you to do some work for Order, alone and without telling anyone, I was angry at him for putting you in danger and angry at myself for not being able to protect you. The odd thing is that I knew I could stop you; that if I pressured you, you would consent to my demands. Only, I couldn't do that, because I realised that you felt as if it was something you had to do, but I was so worried for you. I accepted my love for you then, but I didn't say anything because I was still afraid that I would hurt you… and I hurt you even more this way, didn't I?"

Sirius feels Remus take a deep breath and nod against him weakly before the werewolf speaks. "I never meant to hurt you either, Padfoot. I should have told you everything, what I was doing for the Order, how I felt…" Remus pulls away from Sirius just enough to look up and into his face. Sirius allows this and adjusts his grip so that he is still holding his most cherished friend in a loose embrace. Remus' slender hands are lightly curled against Sirius' chest and he is clutching the grey-eyed man's shirt gently, as if for support… Or proof that he is really there and is not leaving. "I still love you, Padfoot… I always will. It's alright if you don't-"

"Don't even think that, Moony… ever," Sirius interrupts firmly as he holds Remus' gaze with his own. "I have never stopped loving you, Moony; I never will. I know that I've hurt you before, and I've certainly let you down in the past, but if you can look beyond my faults and your condition, which does nothing to belittle you in my eyes, then I would like for us to embrace this together…" Sirius moves one of his hands around Remus' slim waist, pulling him closer, and the other hand returns to it former caress against the lycanthrope's fair cheek, "can you do that?"

"Yes, Padfoot," Remus answers without any doubt in his voice or eyes. "For you, I think I would do anything."

"All I want is for you to be with me," Sirius says with a smile before moving to do something that he has wanted to do for nearly two decades. He pulls Remus forward and bends his own head down so that their lips meet in a kiss that is even better than either man has dreamed because it is real.

Sirius is only aware that he has pulled Remus even closer when he feels the werewolf's heart beating frantically against his own body. He then realises that one of his arms is around those thin shoulders again and the other is completely encircling Remus' slender waist. One of Remus' hands has moved up to Sirius' shoulder to steady himself and the other is still against Sirius chest, where the lycanthrope can undoubtedly feel the erratic rhythm of Sirius' own heart.

Eventually, when their senses stop drowning in each other and start drowning from lack of air, the two lovers pull apart, but just enough to share a much-needed breath. They each are breathing heavily and just manage to whisper out the words "I love you" to each other.

Sirius pulls Remus back into a tight embrace, unable to let go and hoping that he never has to. He kisses Remus' temple and then rest his head against the werewolf's and smiles into his light brown hair. "I'm a fool for not doing that years ago."

Sirius can feel Remus smile against his neck before he feels a gentle kiss placed there. "I'm just pleased that you did it now."

Sirius releases a contented sigh as he continues to hold Remus. "I don't recall you dating anyone…ever, but I have the feeling you're the 'take it slow' type," he says without losing his smile.

"Well you do know me better than anyone," Remus answers and then Sirius can feel the lycanthrope's smile falter against him. "Is that-?"

"That's fine, Moony." Sirius interrupts smoothly. "Actually, it's more than fine. I've waited so long for this… I can certainly wait longer for that, as long as I know you're mine."

Sirius can feel Remus release a relieved sigh before the smile returns. "Thank you, Padfoot, that really means a lot to me… and I've always been yours. If you think about that, nearly twenty years is taking it slow enough, wouldn't you agree?"

Sirius' smile grows until it threatens to split his face and his embrace tightens until it threatens to engulf Remus completely. "Why yes, Messer Moony, I quite agree." Then he loosens his hold just enough to bend his head down as Remus reclines his own. This kiss is just as passionate as the last, but far more tender… almost achingly so, in Sirius' opinion. Even still, he smiles into the kiss and is pleased to see Remus smiling as well when they separate just enough to look at one another.

Then they head back inside the small cottage with Sirius' arm around Remus' slight shoulders. This time, there are no repressed emotions or unexpressed feelings. Sirius understands why Remus presents to only him a part of himself that he normally keeps carefully concealed. Remus understands that Sirius sees him differently than everyone else, including himself. They are in love. They realise this, they embrace it, and they have finally expressed it.

Sirius has always been stubborn and self-assured. Remus has always been patient and passive. Therefore, it comes as little surprise that Sirius determinedly tries to express his love to Remus as often as possible over the next several months. Nor is it shocking that Remus responds lovingly to Sirius' efforts every time.

Remus will always have difficulties in expressing himself because he will always have so much that he must keep bolted up inside, however, Sirius will always be the sole exception to that problem.

Sirius will never hesitate to express himself again because he spent enough time away from the world to know that he can exist perfectly fine without it, however, Remus will never fall under the same category as the rest of the world.

Remus will always love Sirius. He makes it a point to express this often, because he knows better than most what can happen if he does not let his love know what he is feeling.

Sirius will never stop loving Remus. He always looks for new ways to express this, because he knows that he can never be too careful when it comes to only one he loves more than life itself.

Step three completed…