Try And Paint The Devil

Try and Paint the Devil

***

"I can't believe I let Remus talk me into this," Sirius grumbled. "Who knows what he'll do to me?"

"I'm sure it won't be _that_ bad," James said, grinning. "It's only a Halloween costume."

"Oh, and there's absolutely no potential for school-wide humiliation in those, right?"

"Think of it as a rite of passage, then... everyone gets publicly embarrassed by their girlfriend- or boyfriend- every now and then, and you owe Moony quite a few by now."

The other boy scowled. "I'll have you know that I'm a model of decorum- a perfect angel, if you will. Even the Ravenclaws marvel at my powers of self-restraint."

"If you insist," James said, an odd smirk spreading across his face. "Go on up without me- I still need to get my costume from Lily."

***

Sirius poked his head into the dormitory. "Moony?"

No answer- and no sign of Remus. If Remus wasn't around to give him his costume, surely there was no way he could be expected to- Sirius's gaze fell on his bed, where _something_ was neatly laid out on the rumpled bedspread. Holding his breath, he moved in for a closer look. //Please let it not be awful, please, please, please...//

//Oh, no.// Sirius stopped dead in his tracks, eyes and mouth gone wide in horror. //No, no, no. He _can't_ expect me to-// But Remus apparently did expect him to, and Sirius, against his better judgment, had promised. He was trapped- and he _was_ going to be the laughing-stock of the school.

Grimacing, he efficiently divested himself of his robes and slipped into the costume. The cool, filmy material whispered against his skin as he strode to the mirror for some final adjustments and, his humiliation deepening, he realized that the silken touch was starting to arouse him.

//Great. Just what the world needs: an angel with a hard-on.//

A swift shrug of his shoulders set his wings fluttering into place and, with a last despairing glance at the mirror, he settled the halo a few inches above his head. Dropping his hands to his sides, he studied his reflection.

The contrast between jet black hair and flowing white robes softened the lines of cheek and jaw almost into androgyny, and his eyes seemed huge and astonished in that unfamiliar face. The swirling, glistening wings and the shimmering halo were almost overkill, in fact. He, Sirius Black, originator of a thousand successful pranks (and ten thousand failed ones), champion of the kitchen raid, and overall master of mayhem, looked cute.

Cute.

"I _can't_," he muttered, almost despairing as he started to fumble with the halo. The sound of a throat being cleared made him whirl around, robes belling out and wings unfurling of their own accord.

Remus Lupin, striking and shocking in scarlet and black, lounged against the doorframe. Fair, tousled hair almost hid the sharply pointed horns on his head, and cloven hooves peeked out from beneath his robes. One hand lazily twirled a small pitchfork. One eyebrow cocked and feral eyes gleaming, he gave Sirius a deliberate once-over.

Sirius Black, to his utter horror, blushed.

Lips curving in a way that was positively indecent, the werewolf glided forward with a prowling grace that very nearly turned Sirius's knees to water. Pausing in front of him- so close that their robes whispered together- Remus delicately raised the other boy's chin with his pitchfork. Terribly off-balance, mouth cotton-dry, and cheeks flaming brighter yet, Sirius raised his eyes to meet his lover's gaze.

Oh, yes- Remus was enjoying himself thoroughly.

Unable to stand the silence any longer, Sirius spoke. "Satisfied?" he asked, steadying his voice with an effort.

Remus chuckled, low and wicked in his throat. "Oh, yes. Worth it, for the way you blushed." Clever eyes flickered downward, and Sirius fought to keep his breath from catching as an expert hand trailed down his torso. "You don't seem to mind either," Remus murmured.

"Moony-"

"All right, angel. I'll let you be. For now."

There was invitation in the caramel-warm voice, and the last of Sirius's blush vanished as the rest of his blood departed for points further south. Still, there was one thing-

"Look, aren't wings enough?"

This time, it was the pitchfork trailing a line of fire down his chest, and his lover's smile looked more like a smirk than anything else. "No."

"But, Remus-"

"No." And this time, Remus leaned in to trace the outline of Sirius's lips with a forked tongue. Sirius found himself unable to breathe as Remus moved on to the sensitive spot behind his ear. "Do we have a deal?"

Sirius nodded. Speech required too much thought.

"Good."

To Sirius's enormous regret, Remus stepped back for another appraisal. Frowning a bit, he raised his pitchfork and gently tapped the halo. "Lumos." The halo began to emit a gentle, diffuse light, and Remus nodded, satisfied.

"Now you look properly angelic."

Sirius scowled, but refrained from commenting. After all, he _had_ promised, and that forked tongue was giving him Ideas...

Remus twirled his pitchfork- actually his transfigured wand- lazily. "Behave, or you're getting a harp, too."

Now _that_ was too much. "I will," Sirius said, "but you're going to pay for it later."

Remus gazed at him out of heavy-lidded eyes. Slowly, deliberately, he licked his lips. "Oh, I hope so," he murmured, a small, secret smile on his lips.

"Moony-"

"Patience, Padfoot. We have a party to attend, and people to shock. Besides," he added practically, "the others will be back in a minute."

Sure enough, Sirius could hear familiar steps and voices growing louder- Lily teasing Peter about his Puffskein costume, no doubt. Remus tilted his head to the side and offered his hand.

"Shall we, angel?"

With an exaggerated sigh, Sirius moved in to take Remus's hand. The night definitely had potential- and the party might not be so bad, either.

Sirius followed Remus out, smiling.

~fin~

***