Rating: R
Words: ~1,500
Warnings: Strong language; mentions of violence; gen with some hints; a bit of angst; AR.

Notes: Part of Harry's Two Daddies series, sequel to The Last Will of James and Lily Potter, Vulnerable, A New Life and Life Together. ;)

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended – Standard disclaimer.

6. Picture.

On that very same Christmas, Black gave Severus an expensive set of potions utensils – one Severus made of materials Severus didn't see often – and Severus gave Black a photographic camera.

Severus had never been much given to material mementos, but Black had been complaining for a while that they should record Harry's childhood so that they could remember it later on. Severus bit his tongue about how their arrangement would probably last less than the seventeen years it would take to bring up Harry, and bought him the means to do as he wanted.

Black had been thrilled, grey eyes alight with pleasure. He insisted that the three of them posed in front of the Christmas tree and took the picture that would hang above the fireplace in Severus' private office for as long as Harry would remember.

10. Breakfast.

Severus woke up on New Year's day with someone crawling over his body, hot hands over his pyjamas and a wet mouth on his skin, sloppily attempting to kiss his cheek. Severus groaned and opened his eyes to face bright green ones staring at him from atop of his chest, crinkled in the corners as their owner grinned. "Si'veh'ush!"

Annoyance gone, Severus cradled the boy against his chest. "Good morning, child." Harry cuddled closer, allowing Severus to see Black standing on the side of his bed, eyes hard and intense. "Black," he greeted, averting his eyes. "I see you got Harry ready for the day."

Black cleared his throat in reply and motioned to pick Harry. "Yeah, I'll just take him while—."

"Wait!" Severus saw Black blink at the unexpected shout, before turning his eyes back at Severus expectantly. "I'll help—uh, Harry. He likes making cookies."

"Sure, Snape; I'll get things ready."

"I'll be just a minute." Severus got up, trying to appear unfazed at showing Sirius Black is worn nightshirt, and handed Harry over, before heading to their shared bathroom.

"Yeah, it's fine." Sirius sounded distracted and Severus flushed at seeing those grey eyes strained on him. "I'll—uh, I'll wait in the sitting room."

Severus stood there after a moment, trying to make sense of just what had happened.

20. Clarity.

It wasn't until the spring that Severus realised two things: people treated them as an item and, worse, they were acting like it, too.

On that particular day, Black carried Harry towards the Great Hall while Severus fussed over them – "Honestly, Black, the boy's jumper is un-tucked. These halls are cold for a child, and I don't want to spend my nights taking care of a sick infant, do you?" – carrying the batch of cookies they had made that very same morning, because Harry insisted on taking sweets to the Headmaster whenever he could.

"Good morning, my boys," greeted Dumbledore, when they took their places at the High Table. Nowadays, practically no student bated an eye when the three of them made their way inside. Much to their credit. "It's a chilly morning, isn't it?"

"Albush!" Harry exclaimed, getting himself off Black's grip, before running to the Headmaster, extending the cookie jar Severus had just handed him. "Cookiesh!"

"Why, thank you, Harry," Dumbledore accepted, pulling the boy onto the chair next to him, eyes twinkling happily. McGonagall didn't think it so amusing that her place was usurped by a one year-old. "You must eat some with me." Severus narrowed his eyes, and Dumbledore amended, "But only after breakfast." Severus cleared his throat. "And fruit," Dumbledore added, "You must have some fruit."

Choking back a laugh, Black settled next to Harry and began filling the boy's plate with oatmeal, before looking expectantly at Severus. "Aren't you going to sit, Snape? You missed dinner last night and don't think that passing out from hunger will get you out of giving Harry his bath tonight. It's your turn." That was when it hit Severus that Sirius Black actually paid attention to him.

35. Severe.

The three of them actually had a very good life. Sometimes, the Mark itched and, sometimes, it hurt to look at Harry, but Severus woke up and ended his day content – listening to Black tell Harry his bedtime story, before sweeping in to tuck him in. He would share a drink with Sirius afterwards, before they both retreated towards their bedrooms. When Harry was six, they sent him to a Wizarding grade school.

If Severus wanked more than he possibly should have, it was worth it for being emotionally fulfilled in every other way; and, if by any chance, a dark-haired, blue-eyed man featured his dreams more than he should have, it meant nothing. Just as it meant nothing that Black took every Friday night to hit Madam Puddifoot's and didn't return until next morning. He even offered Severus to stay in half of the nights so that he could do the same – it took a while for Severus to believe Black wasn't mocking him.

Soon, Harry was accepting invitations for sleepovers. After making sure this Weasley family was safe, Severus found himself alone on a Friday night, with a book for company in front of the fireplace.

Black entered the main room soon after, dressed up for his night's conquest. Severus forced himself to avert his eyes. "I could stay home tonight, you know?" Black began with deliberate casualness and Severus felt himself tense up; when he looked up, there was something in Black's eyes that was hot and expectant. "We could play chess or something."

Nothing had taken as much of Severus's willpower as saying, "No, thank you, Black." He looked away. "There's no need for that, although I appreciate the offer for company."

The last Severus's wanted from Sirius Black was pity.

30. Regret.

Everything hurt a little bit from that day on, because Severus was acutely aware of what he could have had. Not that it had been much, but he suspected it would have been worth it. He didn't know what had possessed him to say no at the time.

A few Fridays afterwards, Black didn't go out. Instead, they tucked Harry in and Black ambushed him outside the little boy's room, pressing Severus against the wall with his body.

"Are you done treating me like I've cheated on you?" Black growled, and his face was all that Severus could see in that moment – anger, arousal and no small bit of longing could be seen in his eyes. "You told me my company wouldn't be needed. So stop acting as if I hexed your rat."

"Again," Severus added, despite himself.

Black narrowed his eyes. "Is that what this is about? You're still holding a grudge against me. I'm sorry I was a prat, but you weren't very nice either and we were kids. Let go."

Severus tried to push him away, and he supposed that he could have – by hand or magic – if he really wanted to. "You let go, Black. This is unnecessary. Go out there and find yourself—."

"Oh, Merlin, just shut up about it already. You want me to apologise for having actually had sex this past five years? I will, you know? If you tell me why you're so keen in ignoring this," he said, pressing their hips together to get his point across.

Severus sneered. "You don't find it odd that this newfound surge of lust came up only after we moved in to—that you moved in here? I'm convenient."

Black laughed. "You wouldn't be convenient if you were the last bloke on earth. Sorry to disappoint." Severus scowled, but Black seemed to think he had won something because he pecked Severus on the lips and headed towards his bedroom, swinging his hips a bit more than necessary, in Severus's opinion.

40. Promises.

After that, Sirius – yes, because they were Sirius and Severus now – seemed to believe it was okay to touch Severus whenever he liked, or that it was acceptable to tell Severus when to eat or sleep, or creep into Severus's bedroom for slow handjobs that hardly ever got any reciprocation. Nothing shy of a hex ever stopped him and Severus suspected nothing would stop him from trying a next time.

When Sirius deemed acceptable to place his hand on Severus's in front of everyone having dinner in the Great Hall, Severus's could have murdered him right there, except that would have made him a single parent – and he wasn't quite ready for that – and Harry chose that moment to look up, mouth stretched in a grin missing the two front teeth.

The three of them headed towards the dungeons, holding hands, with Harry occasionally swinging on his arms between them, and, when Sirius climbed into Severus's bed that night, Severus finally welcomed him properly. It was, apparently, quite easy to satisfy a Gryffindor.

Sirius liked to cuddle, Severus found out afterwards; nothing too mushy, just sharing a pillow with Severus as the little spoon, hands creeping lower than Severus was ready to respond to. "I think we should ask Molly to keep Harry next Friday. We really need to work on our sparkle." Severus just barely refrained from hexing him, the smug ponce.

THE END