part two of polygamy bigbang


Six
"So. Er-" is Lily's morning hello.

"Yeah," is Sirius' distracted reply. He takes another sip of tea, his fourth cup this morning. Afternoon rather, as it's just past one.

"It's our day." She fiddles with a few strands of her hair.

"Right. I saw the socks." Does she think he's blind?

"Except you're gay."

Sirius sighs, already bored with the conversation. He takes another sip of tea before answering "Doesn't matter."

"But it does! Remus and Peter are bisexual but you're gay!"

Lily's acting like she thinks it's unfair, which is bound to be a nightmare. In her Gryffindor, feminist, activist eyes, anything unfair is grounds for immediate protest. Sometimes Sirius feels like she's just a toddler. How can someone be nineteen and not understand the world is unfair? So what if he's gay. If the only way he's going to keep Remus and James and Peter is by shagging a woman every now and again it's a small price to pay. "We all have to make sacrifices."

"Jesus Christ! I don't want to be a sacrifice!" With all her shouting, the Marauders should be watching them. Luckily James and Remus are out doing something unmentionable for Albus, and Peter is taking a shower.

"Lily, really. I know you and James haven't had your day yet, but you have to have figured out that things are going to get really horrible, really quickly if we don't all shag each other." Lily frowns, but she doesn't say anything and Sirius uses the silence to press on. "So we deal. You shag a bloke who has no interest in you and damage your self esteem a bit. I shag a woman though the idea is fairly disgusting. So stop thinking about it, and just kiss me."

As far as seduction goes, the speech is rather uninspiring. He can see Lily is in danger of beginning to protest again, and normally he likes that in a person. Changing things through sheer willpower is something a Gryffindor Black knows well and appreciates. But as the outcome is fixed, trying to change it can only result in more distressing conversation, and he's truly not in the mood.

So to stop her he stands, pushes the cups of tea to the side of the table and hoists her up. She starts to ask him what he's doing, but he cuts her off with a kiss. Not one to be stopped so easily, she shoves at his chest until he takes a step back. "What?"

"Sirius, you don't want this."

"I do" he says in a tone that brooks no argument, and it's almost strong enough to convince himself.

He can feel the moment Lily gives in. Her posture changes, stiff and angry to loose and pliant. Her tongue traces his lips so he opens his mouth obediently. She starts off gently, then seems to realise that's not how blokes snog, and tries to pick up the pace. He won't stop because he's not sure he could make himself start again, but he mentally gives thanks for that help, and small miracles like Lily's lips not being smeared with disgusting lipstick.

With a now or never attitude, he unzips her jeans. She grabs hold of his shoulders whilst holding herself up so he can slip them from under her arse. For the first time he gets a good look at female bits, and tries his best to not pale. There's not enough hair and he gets a bit nauseated. But goddamn it, he is Sirius Black, and he can control everything. He takes a few deep breaths to steady himself and takes another look.

Everything is flat with no obvious instructions as to how to commence fucking. It must be obvious he's staring, Lily's hand slips between her legs and uses two fingers to hold herself apart. All of a sudden everything is reddish-pink and everything has multiple layers and it's no less confusing. How can Remus and James stand this? Not just with Lily, but with anyone? It's revolting, is what it is.

"Sirius, you don't have to do this."

"Shut up. Just gimme a second." he staunchly looks away and pulls up one of his favourite wanking fantasies, Remus and James snogging at the breakfast table at Hogwarts. Good when he thought he and Remus were exclusive, it's a much better sight knowing that it could have been happening. He hasn't actually talked to either of his Marauders about when their relationship started.

When he's hard enough he takes another step toward the table and thrusts blindly. "Oh, Sirius,' she sighs. Never has sex made two people more melancholy, but it has to be done. The hand that curls around him feels wrong, and he casts desperately for a memory of James blowing him to stay hard. The fingers guiding him have long fingernails, and this is the most wrong thing he's ever done, but if he'd die for the Marauders he'd certainly shag a woman for them.

Sirius manages to stay hard by keeping a steady stream of memories in his mind. He can't bring himself to touch her breasts, but he thrusts in the slow rhythm that he knows Remus loves. Neither is close to orgasm, and Sirius can't see it happening soon. How depressingly amusing would it be for them to be fucking after Peter's out of the shower, after Remus and James get home, whilst Peter's making dinner, not because they're in the midst of tantric bliss, but because they just can't get up the hill that peaks in orgasm? It's a stalemate of the most pathetic sense.

Finally Lily offers "How about we just work on ourselves?"

Sirius nods in agreement, then spits on his hand. As he gratefully slides a finger into himself Lily's hand starts stroking at the skin right at the top of her folds. Judging by the look that quickly comes over her face, that's where her clit is. While Sirius wants no part in it, he is happy that she's able to help herself.

Her legs curl around his hips and pull him towards the table as she begins to shake, upper teeth firmly clamped on her bottom lip. Her cunt tightens around him and it's enough to spur him to orgasm in his first heterosexual experience. They stay locked together as their shaking subsides, then Sirius slips out.

"Do you want to go have a shower?" Lily asks, head tilted slightly, voice tired.

"No," Sirius snorts. "It's not like I feel unclean for doing that, it's just not my thing."

"We could have a cup of tea?" she tries. Sirius waves his wand to clean them both up, then moves to the counter.

A few minutes later he's taking his last sip. He swirls the cup then turns it so the handle is at the top. Again. "Fuck!"

"What?"

"Again. I got a fucking goose again!"

"Could you clarify that for me?"

"The tea leaves, they're a goose. This is my fifth cup this morning, and they've all been geese. Bloody hell."

"Could you clarify that for someone that never took Divinations?" Lily's smiling, but Sirius only scowls at her.

"Geese mean the arrival of unexpected and rather troublesome visitors. And with things the way they are, we need neither unexpected, nor troublesome people around."

"You think your cup of tea is saying we're about to have Death Eaters visit?"

"No, I think five cups of tea read by someone with a NEWT in Divinations alludes to the possibility of a visitor that's going to cause trouble or grief. And I don't like it, obviously, but there's no other way to read the leaves."

Lily frowns. "Should we tell Albus?"

"Maybe Albus is the reason my cousin is following Remus and James home this minute. Look, I'm not trying to get you so paranoid you can't breathe without twitching, but keep your wand at hand for the next few days, okay?" It's not much help, as Order members they all already do so. Still, it's the best advice he has, until the cups come up differently.

Five
They always talk about the future after they make love. Neither is the type to get sleepy after orgasm, and the conversations that have come with the pleasant afterglow are some of the best she's had with her husband. But when their names are finally drawn, and they're together for the first time in a week the future is the last thing Lily wants to talk about. For the first time she wishes she could pretend to snore and James would believe it. He wouldn't, not for a moment, there's no point in even trying.

Still, she doesn't know what to say. She's not sure she can get her thoughts out coherently, and when discussing with James Potter one needs to be very clear and emphatic if they want to be listened to. Lily fears either being too emotional or too intellectual, and as she searches for the right opening statement, James cuts to the heart of it.

"So, do you want to marry three other people?"

The question is horribly unfair. "You can't put this just on me! It's our relationship James."

"Our marriage. But you already know my answer, Lils. I love you, and I love them. And I do."

Her mind is in a tizzy, has been since James dragged her out of bed to confront everyone about cheating, has been since completely gay Sirius had sex with her to make others happy. Like a tropical depression working up to a tropical storm to finally a tropical cyclone, Lily is spinning in the idea that James wants long term group sex. She sits up, hoping to quell the storm in her stomach. "You want to marry them."

"Well, it's not like it'll be legal." James reaches out and grabs her robe from the back of the door set they never use. It's comforting against her still flushed skin.

"But you would if you could."

"Hell, sometimes I feel like I married them all at eleven, and just didn't realise it for years." Lily knew as far back as fifth year that if she ever said yes to nagging prat Potter asking for a date, she would in affect be dating his best mates as well. All females know potential boyfriends come with mates you have to at least pretend to get on with.

"And if I said no to a committed group, and vowed to never see them again? Honestly? I would probably continue to shag them anyway. And even if I didn't, you would never believe me saying I haven't. You could never trust me again, because you'd always know that I'd want to, even if I didn't."

Lily thinks of herself five years in the future. The Death Eaters are still killing, Voldemort still striving to reign over Wizard Britain. But she won't care, because James didn't come home last night, and even though Albus and five other Order members swear he's on a mission, she knows he's with Sirius.

"For that matter, you've now slept with all three of my best mates. If you said you'd stopped, how could I believe you, knowing how good Remus and Peter are?" Lily wants to protest that she would stop, but doesn't for two reasons. The first being the matter isn't whether or not she would stop, it's if James could believe her, which is out of her control. The second is if she's completely honest, she's not sure she could stop forever. Sure, she could stop for months, maybe even a year. But eventually she'd want to taste Peter's casserole and she'd invite him over one night and as it was in the stove they'd fall to the floor and begin to make love.

"Not to mention, if Padfoot and Moony and Wormtail aren't our friends anymore, who do we have? Alice and Frank?" utterly devoted to each other, but completely boring. "Marlene?"

"Why would we have to stop being friends with them? Just because we weren't shagging we would stop talking to them?"

James rolls his eyes at her. "Lily, don't even try it. You know as well as I do that we're addicted to them. So we're left with two options, fall back into old habits, or run away because we think it's bad. One's easy, one's hard."

"Easier isn't always better" she whispers.

"No, but it's not always the wrong decision either. But you have to tell me what you think. You've said barely anything."

She'll lose the fight if she can't argue coherently. But she's not really arguing with James, they're in the midst of the same struggle, drowning in the same tidal wave of potential futures. So really, what's it matter if she can't say everything in an organised manner? "Remus and Sirius have already said yes, haven't they?"

"I haven't talked to them, but I think so, yeah." It must be so much easier for them. They aren't married, they don't know the pressures of family and society to be happy and fulfilled and produce children who are happy and content. She doubts they ever would, but they can break up without it being a thing of shame. Hell, neither of them has even talked to their parents in years!

"And Peter wants it, doesn't he."

"I'm sure he does. But it's not up to the three of them. Lily, you still haven't said what you, just you think."

"I think that Remus is the best lover I've ever had, that Sirius is so goddamn noble he'd shag a woman to save the world, and that Peter needs us or he'll get arrested by some stupid law follower. I think that my mum and dad will never talk to me again, I think that the Order will never understand and there will be pathetic rumours for the rest of our lives. I think that I love you, James Potter, more than I've ever loved anyone else, but I need more, and I think that you love me but you can't help but love the rest of your Marauders, and that's something I can never be, and to ask you to chose would be cruel. And it might ruin our marriage.

I think that the future is a terrifying thing, and now I only have to be terrified you'll die, but if we do this I'll have to worry about Remus and Sirius and Peter too. Except that's a lie, because I already do worry about them. I think I'll want a baby in the future, and how the hell will that work? I think that I hate you a little for suggesting this. And the small part of me that's brave thinks that this could be amazing. But most of me is just scared, and really doesn't want to talk about it any more. We've got two days before we have to talk about it, so let's stop talking and you just hug me."

Lily lies back down, robe fuzzy against her skin and James' stomach as he spoons her. And James doesn't say anything, and Lily doesn't say anything, because sometimes silence is the best thing you can give someone you care about. And if she briefly imagines five dissimilar hands, scarred, chubby, hairy, long fingered, and calloused, all with a golden band encircling one finger, nobody has to know.

Four
It's barely six am when James gets up to use the loo. By the time he's finished he's awake enough to do the socks for the day. There are only two pairs left, and then they'll have to have a very awkward group conversation. But that doesn't need to be thought about so early, so he stumbles back to the master bedroom.

The next time he gets up it's because a dog is nosing his thigh. Not Padfoot, which would be strange only in that Sirius would never be up so early on purpose. Instead it's a small Jack Russell patronus, which James knows belongs to Alice. It doesn't bare any warning message, so he snaps at it to go away.

Moments later he hears the floo open, so he grabs his robe from the door and steps into the living room. His visitors comprise of Alice, Marlene, and Dorcas. Any of the three alone are tolerable, but unfortunately they're almost always together. He doesn't remember if it was Remus or Sirius who first called them a flock of birds, but it fits. Dorcas prods for secrets like a woodpecker looking for bugs, Marlene has the shrillest and most irritating voice, as though a rooster could talk, and all it takes is a single drink for Alice to start babbling like a sparrow.

James doesn't know why the birds have come calling, but he's got a bad feeling about it. He automatically backs away from them into the door, then realises there are socks stuck to it. He quickly snatches them down and prays that none of them ask, as he can't think of an excuse for the life of him. Either he's losing his Marauderish ways, or it's just much too early for thinking. "What's going on?"

"You're coming over in a few hours." Dorcas says.

James tries to think, grumpy morning haze making his mind slow. Where is everyone and how can he explain having friends over so early? He doesn't know exactly what time it is, but the sun isn't quite up yet.

The back door opens and Peter comes in still coughing. James knows he must reek of pot, and while the Marauders don't care no one else knows and it is illegal. If it gets back to Albus the old man might think Peter's a drug addict and not trust him and that's the last thing anyone needs. His stress level ratchets up a notch.

"So whose turn is it today? Oh, hi." He doesn't see Lily come out of the bedroom, but she's standing beside him in his matching robe. Which would be fine, albeit a bit more sexual than the birds usually see them, except Peter is staring at them eyes wide and red in drug hazed shock. And whilst James doesn't blame Peter for being horrified at the sight of the guests, nor at being distracted by two beautiful people in loosely tied robes that barely cover Lily's tits or his prick, it would be a horrible thing for any of the birds to notice.

"Me and Lily are going where?"

Dorcas isn't looking at them though, she's staring back at Peter. And then Remus walks out of the guest room nude, and everyone's gaze changes. He's half way through a good morning before he notices the guests and darts back into the bedroom. James feels like he's going to faint.

"You're coming to a Christmas party." Marlene screeches.

"We were going to spend the morning talking to the different members of the Order, but thanks, you've cut a few houses off our list."

"What?" he asks numbly, recognising too late that providing Dorcas with more room to talk is a bad thing.

"Well, since Peter and Remus are here, we don't have to go see them next. Why are they here, actually?"

Dorcas acts as though she deserves answers. It's an attitude that normally works, most people are cowed into obeying her. It's why she makes such a good operative for the Order, she has a brilliant ability to make people cower. Brilliant when she's not trying to use it on you, anyway. But James is not the cowering type, and he says nothing, only glares at them all.

Thankfully Alice soon reignites the conversation. "We're doing it this afternoon, because Benjy is going to Spain later tonight and we wanted to include him."

"Who's house?"

"Me and Frank formally invite you to come see our new flat."

"Well, thanks for the invitation and we'll see you in a few hours but if you'd please leave so I could go back to bed?"

"James!" Lily acts lik the indignant wife with an elbow to the ribs. He's not worried, he knows she dislikes the birds too, and surely she realises the longer they stay the more likely it is they'll figure something weird is going on.

"Er, alright then, James. We'll see you at noon. It's BYOB."

"That's fine. Goodbye." He doesn't wait for them to leave before he goes back into his bedroom and slams the door. Fucking bints, always have to ruin a good morning.

Six hours later and he's in nearly the same position, though at least he's dressed. Facedown in the pillow he groans, and Sirius chucks something at him through the open doors.

"Lighten up!"

"Fuck off. That was horrible!"

"You drank enough to be happy." Remus mutters.

"No, I drank enough to not kill everyone in the room. Remind me why they're our friends?"

"So that when the Death Eaters attack Marlene doesn't say 'Right, you're on your own then' and fuck off?" Lily suggests. He hears her coming into the bedroom and he's sure she's taking off her dress, but he can't be bothered to look up.

"Why in the fuck did everyone keep calling us the happy couple?"

"Because they don't know you two are a bunch of cheating perverts?" That one belongs to Peter.

"Would you all stop answering my rhetorical questions!"

"No," Sirius snickers, and James sits up only so he can slide the shoe off his foot and throw it at Padfoot.

"Er," Remus starts, then trails off.

"Yeah?"

"Was it just me, or did that feel really awkward?"

"It was more then awkward, it was a sodding nightmare."

"No, besides that. I mean, did anyone feel like they wanted to dance with James or drink a shot from Peter's mouth but couldn't?" James stares at Remus, who's supposed to be the one least likely to like the plan he's going to suggest in two days time. Everyone else is staring too, and he blushes under the attention. "Right. Sorry. Never mind."

"No. I mean, yes. I mean, yes, I would have enjoyed dancing with Prongs. Or when we were talking to Frank, I wanted to put my arm around your shoulder. Couldn't, of course. But I thought about it." James smiles at Peter, glad to see him showing his Gryffindor daring and admitting to it.

"Does anyone want to continue the drinking?" Sirius suggests, waving his half full bottle of Firewhiskey. Lily shrugs and joins Sirius and Remus on the couch, and Peter grabs the errant pillow so he can sit comfortably on the floor. James smiles again. Now this is what a real party is.

Three
Time and time again Peter has proven that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but the way to a woman's heart lies in the same path.

Lily watches intently as Peter whips eggs in one tray and pours flour into the next. He gets two types of crackers and uses a rolling pin to smash them into smithereens. The butter sizzles against the heat of the frying pan, and she revels in the sound. The meat is dipped first in the flour then in the egg batter before going in the cracker crumbs. When it's placed into the frying pan, the sudden hiss makes Lily want to snog Peter. He sprinkles a variety of spices over the slowly browning forms; Lily hadn't even known she owns spices, they must have been one of the many useless wedding gifts.

Just as the first pieces of veal are sliding onto her plate, oily and rich, the others come in. Lily wants to hex all three of them, nothing heavy, just enough to get the point across. She'd sent them out earlier with a few galleons to spend at the pub, specifically so they wouldn't ruin this moment.

"Ohh, Peter's made dinner!"

"Out! It's mine." A bit harsh, perhaps, but it's not like James and Sirius are listening to her anyway. All three are gathered around the stove, inhaling the delicious sent of the finely cooked dinner.

"I'm serious, Peter and I are having dinner. Go back to the pub."

"Why would we eat pub food when we could eat his?" Remus asks logically. Lily is not in the mood for logic at this point.

"There's not enough to share, you prats. Out."

"I can make seconds," Peter offers, trapped between pleasing those he cares about.

"No. This is my night, and you're making me a seductive dinner, and you won't have time to make seconds because you'll be shagging me. James, Remus, Sirius, out. Eat pub food, or eat at a proper restaurant or eat your own excrement, I don't care. But out, right now!"

All four stare at her, Peter in shock whilst the other three try to determine if she's likely to give in if they work at it. She's proud when Sirius shakes his head and says 'bloody Evans', and they all tramp back out the door.

"It's not that good. Is it?"

"You cook like a master chef, Peter. Do everyone a favour and don't underestimate yourself. When James wants you to make breakfast, demand that he mow the lawn first."

"I live in a flat?"

"Or something." Lily blushes at revealing her secret wants, though she's not sure Peter's caught it. "They all order you around, stop taking their shit. And pass me another cutlet please."

Peter digs his spatula under one and places it on her outstretched plate, then gets another plate for himself. "You know, I think I actually kind of like their shit. Makes me feel needed. If James and Sirius didn't have me to bother, they'd bother Remus, and he'd take it too personally and withdraw, or they'd bother each other and get into a fight and never patch up."

Lily doesn't know what to think. It does seem partially like the abused making excuses. On the other hand, there's no question it's true, at least in their Hogwarts selves. James and Sirius have gotten less biting, and Lily thinks everyone's the better for it. So she doesn't say anything, only takes another bite of her cutlet.

"You really think I'm a good cook."

Lily stifles the urge to sigh at the fishing for compliments when she realises it's likely Peter's never actually gotten compliments. There was never a James waxing melodic about every quality of his being, even if they'd been shagging since Hogwarts, which she hasn't asked. She doesn't really want to know, just as she's sure James doesn't want to know how long it's been between her and Remus or her and Peter. "You have tasted it, haven't you? You should go to France, become a famous cordon bleu chef."

"The only people I know in France are my aunt and cousin, and I won't ever become anything like those screeching old hens."

"So learn here then. But learn, or at least think about it. Me and James think about the future a lot, after all the death is over he's going to open a shop."

"Personally I think he'll be rubbish at it. He'll get arrested. He won't let people leave his shop without buying something, the pushy berk, and he'll get arrested for harassment."

Lily laughs. "I've always thought the same, actually. But that's not the point, the point is having a dream to get you by all the sorrow."

Peter nods his head and doesn't say anything. For a minute Lily wonders if she's just another person cowing him, but really, he's the biggest pushover she's ever known. They continue the meal in silence, and when she's full and sated the question comes out. "What did you make for dessert?"

"Nothing. But I could whip-"

"Mind if I have you?" It's supposed to be seduction, but Peter bursts into laughter.

"You realise that's extremely corny, right?"

"You realise if you shut up I'll blow you, right?" Peter stops immediately, and pushes his chair away from the table. Lily hums in contentment around his cock, well aware that once he comes he'll return the favour and go down on her. It's supposedly improper to compare prior lovers to your present lover, but seeing as Lily's never stopped with either of them the adage doesn't really apply. Therefore, it's fair to say Peter's the best cuntlicker she knows.

Two
It's somewhat ironic, James thinks, that the last day of this experiment is set for Sirius and himself. After all, it's what prompted the initial idea. Don't get him wrong, he loves to shag Remus. The werewolf has an insane amount of stamina and can get delightfully possessive around the moon. And he loves to shag Peter. Wormtail provides sex in which James can do whatever he wants and have it be enjoyed, not to mention how good Peter is with a blowjob or rimming. But he thinks back to his conversation with Lily and knows it was a bit of a lie. It would be difficult, but he probably could stop shagging Peter and Remus, if he and his wife vowed to stop shagging other people.

But Sirius. He could never, ever stop with Sirius. Sometimes he thinks he loves Sirius more than Lily, because Sirius understands every single thing he's ever said or done, and Lily occasionally struggles. Fucking Sirius is almost like fucking himself, not that he thinks he's that narcissistic.

They've already shagged once, and James has no question that it's going to happen at least once or twice more today. He and Lily talk after sex, but he and Sirius just lie on their backs and think. Or at least James thinks, he's never pried into what Sirius does. Maybe he's sleeping with his eyes open, like his mum can.

Upon hearing the whistle of Remus making tea James decides it's a good idea to regain fluids. He stands and pulls on his jeans, forsaking pants, and leaves the bedroom. A quick nod to Peter and Lily on the couch before he joins Remus in the kitchen, who senses his presence. "So I'm pouring five cups then. What do you want in it?"

"We'll both take ours black" Sirius cuts in before James can suggest a dash of milk. He doesn't particularly like straight tea, but it's obvious that Sirius wants to take a look at their leaves and he can't do that with tainted tea.

Remus leaves two cups on the table before balancing the other three on a plate and taking it into the living room. James sips at his tea in silence, listening to his mates argue about the Wasps chances this year without getting involved himself. He knows without Sirius requesting to swirl his cup once as he finishes the tea. Sirius does his own cup first, then takes a look at his. James waits, his tension building as Sirius squints. He's not sure how much Remus or Peter believes, but he, Lily, and Sirius all believe in Divinations; future telling and prophecies. The things Sirius sees always come true, as recently as four days ago he'd informed the house they were going to have troublesome visitors, and the bloody Order birds came over and forced them to go to a horrid party.

Sirius' concentrating expression breaks into a smile and James all but sighs in relief. "What did you see?"

"It's all coming up animals." James rolls his eyes - half the possible symbols are animals. "More specifically, turtles and doves. Lucky us! That's prosperity, affection, wealth and luxury."

"So we're going to live happily ever after, is what you're telling me."

"Happily, richly ever after, actually, Prongs my boy." Sirius bends across the table to seize James' face and kiss him delightedly on the forehead. James knows exactly how he feels. They always know how each other feel. To get a reading of love and money in times where a reading of death or pain is much more likely is something to be thrilled about.

He wrenches his head from Sirius' grasp so he can lean in for a proper snog. He tastes of bitter undiluted tea, but that's not really a call for concern. The first time they'd snogged he'd tasted of old Knuts, copper and dirt and sweat and James' lips had come away bloody.

They kiss until James' back is quivering from bending over the table without his arms for support for so long. He pulls his fingers out of Sirius' hair and tugs him towards the bedroom. "If you'll excuse us, we're going to go shag again," he explains briefly as they pass through the living room.

Not wearing pants is always a brilliant idea, because when Sirius shoves him against the wall all he has to do is open the fly and he's in Pads' hand. He should be reciprocating, but one hand is already back in Sirius' hair and the other is perched on the middle of his back. The longer he has is tongue in Sirius' mouth, the less he tastes like harsh tea, or maybe that's just an illusion and James just isn't noticing because Sirius' thumb is rubbing the slit of his cock. Either way it doesn't really matter, all that matters is that he has as much bodily contact as he can.

He keeps thrusting forward as Sirius' hand speeds up, and Sirius keeps using his free hand to shove James back against the wall, and with the constant thudding sound he wonders if the others think they're fucking. In his mind this doesn't quite qualify as fucking, but it's not like he's going to stop to complain.

This goes on for awhile, and he keeps thinking he should help Sirius out, but James fucking loves Sirius' long hair and doesn't want to move that hand, and he fucking loves the way Sirius' muscles move under his skin so he doesn't want to move that hand. Warm splatter hits his belly, and it's only then that he realises when Sirius' hand wasn't shoving him back against the wall he was stroking himself. He can't see the change in Sirius' expression because he's snogging him and would go cross-eyed if he tried, but he's panting into his mouth, and that's it for James. He comes in Sirius' grip, and probably on the floor as well, but he can take care of that later.

He doesn't want to stop kissing Sirius until they get hard again and fuck, he doesn't want to ever not be kissing Sirius, but the man breaks away and flops down on the bed. He's the image of debauchery, messy hair and covered in sweat, cock flaccid and out of jeans with the waistband around his thighs. James smiles and stretches out beside Sirius, content in the ensuing silence, sure that when Sirius is ready to start talking, he'll be ready to start fucking.

One
Sirius wakes up without anyone nudging him, and as if that's not enough surprise, it looks like he's the first one awake. James is silent, and there's no sliver of light streaming in between the curtain and the wood of the doors leading to the living room. He carefully climbs over James to grab his clothes and upon entering the living room confirms his suspicions. Nobody has made tea, nobody is in the shower. They aren't even away to talk to Order members. Peering into the guest room shows Peter and Remus and Lily are all still in their beds.

It's a first for Sirius, being the only one awake. He sits in his chair in the dark living room for over ten minutes before he understands. Or at least he thinks he does. To test his theory he goes back to the master and lights a Lumos. Sure enough James pulls the blankets over his face. He's not even shouting, which means he's been awake long enough to get over his bitchy morning phase.

"Get up." James doesn't respond. "Get up!" James still doesn't say anything, so Sirius grabs the blankets and pulls them completely off his still body. "Go brush your teeth and make some fucking tea."

He repeats this three more times, with various levels of vigour. All it takes for Peter is to start throwing clothes at him, and for Lily, she needs a healthy fit of swearing. Remus is the most difficult, Sirius has to levitate his mattress then flip it upside down. Remus glares from the floor, but he gets up.

He's last for a turn in the loo. By the time he gets out there are three empty cups of tea between the four of them. He takes them and quickly looks at their contents before placing them beside the sink. He doesn't say anything of what he's read, but he doubts he's fooling anyone. He reads cups like others read the Daily Prophet.

The future forecast isn't too bad. The cup with the pink flowers has a pear, new plans. The blue cup has a tree, good health and prosperity. The white cup has a cluster of birds, which can be either swift decisions or delays in receiving wanted news depending on a defining characteristic that Sirius can't remember, and he certainly doesn't have time to pop home and get out his tasseography book. He'd love for the cups to be figs for joy and abundance and frogs for love, but new plans and decisions will have to do.

"We should say something, instead of just staring at each other," Remus suggests. Sirius thinks that's inaccurate, as Remus is staring firmly at the table, not at any person.

"We should talk about what we're going to do." Lily says.

"We should stop acting like we don't know what we all want!" Sirius shouts.

"We should remember that what we want isn't always the best thing to do!" Lily shouts back, still using "we" but obviously the words are aimed at him.

"We should stop being such fucking cowards!" he replies.

"We should stop shouting at each other." Remus says, but this time his suggestion is ignored.

"It's not cowardly to think about the future and try to figure out what's best!"

"It's fucking damn cowardly to let fears about the future take away any happiness you might have today!"

"Both of you shut up. You're both right." Sirius looks at Peter, surprised to hear him jump into an argument. If anything it should be James, who's sitting with his elbow on the table and his hand over his eyes. "It's a matter of weighing things, unknown future and today's potential."

It's all going to hell in a handbasket. James isn't offering an opinion, Lily is turning into a coward, Peter's being wise... what's the world coming to?

"I'm sorry, but I shan't be spending my morning listening to you fight." Remus stands, and for a brief terrifying moment Sirius thinks he's going to apparate away. But he only retreats into the living room.

Without anyone suggesting it, they migrate after him. They all sit, except for James who grabs the bin of socks. He puts his on his left foot, leaving the right bare. Lily tries an underhanded toss into the bedroom with her, Peter shoves his in his pocket, and Sirius doesn't know what to do with his so he just puts it on the coffee table.

It's when he tries to pass Remus' threadbare sock to him that things change. Remus grabs James' arm and yanks him down to capture him in a kiss. It's the first time Sirius has seen Remus sexual outside the master bedroom, and in his head he's cheering on his werewolf. Lily sucks in a breath, and Sirius decides the best thing to do is tag team her. He turns so he's half facing Peter and pulls him close, fingers clasping his t-shirt.

"I'm going to snog you now," he says, and then does. Peter's red when he pulls away, obviously not used to being affectionate in front of others. Not that Remus and James are going to notice. Since the last time he's looked at them, James has slipped off both his and Remus' trousers. He's straddling Remus in Padfoot's armchair, grinding his cock against Remus' belly. As Sirius watches, Remus' wand comes out. He can't hear what spell he says, but the wand is tossed to the ground and Remus' hands are pulling at James' arsecheeks. A finger slides inside his best mate, and there's nothing Sirius wants to do more than watch.

At least until Peter slides to the floor, shoving the coffee table haphazardly out of his way. He wriggles out of his clothes and looks at Sirius expectantly, and how is he supposed to refuse that? So he joins him, mouth on Peter's cock in mere moments. His jaw aches pleasantly as he bobs his head, one of Peter's hands woven through his long hair. It seems to be a common theme with all three of the Marauders, and he vows to never cut it.

He startles when he opens his eyes -they automatically close when he's giving head- and there's a face millimetres from his. As he moves away Lily usurps his place. Far from being angry, he laughs. So all it takes is a bit of action for Lily to change her mind? That'll be good to know for the future.

Sirius crawls a few feet until he's at Peter's face, then with permission asked only with body language, positions himself so Peter can angle his head to suck him. He looks back and forth between Peter's lips stretched wide and pink around his cock to James riding Remus like he's never had anything so good in his life. He even once looks behind him, to see that Lily's shirt is off and she's pinching her nipples whilst bouncing on Peter's prick.

Swift decisions? Check. New plans? Not really, the plan is the same as it was the day James inspired them all; make sure they can all continue to love each other. Good health? Well, hopefully none of them have an STD.

Sirius loves Divinations because it's fantastically vague. It tells you just enough so that you have a bit of a guide without spoiling everything. He doesn't want to know how they'll make this work - it'll ruin the fun of living it. He's content in the shared knowledge of yesterday's cup, affection will continue to occur. That's enough for now.

How Things Begin
Peter passes Ignatius to Remus, who fussily adjusts his blanket. Remus's hands are gentle against Iggy, holding him steady even though the full moon was only yesterday.

James murmurs the same spell he's been working on the entire day, but this time it works. Each branch of the tree turns a different vibrant colour from the original dark green. Most of the ornaments on their tree don't match, and all clash with the tree branches, but Peter loves it. A colourful and unorganised tree is far better than the perfectly classy one his mum would hire someone to craft each year, with matching wreath on the door and candle sconces on the wall.

Christmas is five days away, and they have no relatives coming. James' father has passed away, a day that broke everyone's heart. Sirius' father has passed away, a day which upset no one, and seeing as he wasn't invited to the funeral they all feel disinclined to invite his mother to their celebration. Remus hasn't spoken to his mother in years, and his father is out of the country. And he and Lily's families find their choice ungodly and disgusting.

Nor do they have friends coming. Everybody seems highly unimpressed with their choice, those that are still alive anyway. Peter never would have thought he'd miss having his secrets pried open and used in an anecdote, but now that Dorcas is gone he thinks it wasn't the worst thing. Of course, Albus still needs them, even if his eyes don't twinkle at them they way they used to. They still go on missions, they just don't get to go to the pub afterwards.

Remus curls his hands around Iggy's torso and holds him so that he's looking right at the tree. "Isn't it pretty?" Remus coos. Iggy doesn't answer, not even a gurgle. But to be fair, babies can't talk and Peter thinks he's read somewhere that they don't see in colour until they're older.

"I'm going for a smoke, anyone want to join?" he asks, not expecting agreement. Sure enough Remus continues to hold Iggy as James plucks an ornament off the tree and dangles it in front of his son, and Lily wraps her arm around Sirius and they watch fondly. Peter takes one last look at them before rapidly climbing up to the second floor.

With five people paying one mortgage they were able to afford a large house, each of them have a study on the upper floor. Peter uses his for smoking, spells cast to make sure the smoke can't escape the room and harm Ignatius in any way. Peter would do anything to prevent his son from being hurt, he'd quit smoking but no one seems to think it necessary.

Once the door is locked he casts another healing charm on his hand. It would be better for Lily or Sirius to do it, but he doesn't want to involve them. They'll ask how he broke his fingers, and telling them he got in a fight will only lead to more questions. They don't need to know he didn't take kindly to Nedmir Nott asking him for information on the Order, suggesting something could happen to Iggy if he didn't tell. All in all it had been a quick affair. He was checking the dates on the jugs of pumpkin juice at the grocers, Nott opened his stupid mouth, Peter broke his hand closing it, he paid for the pumpkin juice, and went home.

A few puffs of a joint help ease the pain more than his hastily applied charm does, and he thinks that if it's not better by the morning he'll go to St. Mungo's. Provided that one of the four of them will be home to look after Iggy, because their son obviously matters more.

For now he'll let the pot haze the ache in his hand, and go back downstairs and maybe be Wormtail for a bit, because their son seems to like that.