Title: Hankies

Author: Kate of Kintail

Rating: NC-17

Pairing: Remus/OMC (slash)

Warnings: You reads your headers, you takes your chances. The story’s NC-17 for Merlin’s sake. Apart from a sex scene from my perverted mind: mentions/displays of fetishes of all sorts; some gay culture, slang, and dirtiness; possible bad!humor from tarotgal (I suppose that’s subjective).

Disclaimer: Remus is not mine, much as I adore him. And neither is the code. I get paid for none of it and, let’s face it, no one in their right mind should pay me for playing like this. LOL!

Summary: Remus tries his luck at a gay muggle night club and, ah, gets both sneezy and lucky.

Notes: This is what happens when bunnies attack at 5:30am. I blame my muses entirely for my having equal amounts of fun and frustration with this :-) I also sincerely hope I didn’t f-up the code, considering how long I spent pouring over lists from various spots in England.

 

 

Hankies

 

            Searching out a bare spot against the wall, Remus pinched his nose tightly as he made straight for it. His late night adventure into the muggle club scene had brought him quite a few new experiences. There was the music, which was much louder and faster than what he was used to hearing on the wizarding wireless. There was the great variety of alcohol, some of which came in violently bright colors. There was also considerably more smoking. It seemed every fag in the club had a fag hanging out of his mouth or in his hand.

 

            And all the smoke was really starting to get to Remus. It made his eyes sting and water, and made his nose tickle something fierce. Even when he’d distanced himself from a smoker, his nose still burned terribly. It was all he could do to get off the dance floor before exploding with sneezes. Luckily, he always carried a handkerchief, so he pulled it out of his back pocket and buried his nose in it for the umpteenth time that night. “ihhhhTChhhh! yihhhTchhhh! Ihhh’Tchhh!” He blew his nose, then tucked the mustard-colored handkerchief into the left back pocket of his jeans again.

 

            Someone circling the dance floor spotted him and made his way over with a grin. He was tall, dark-haired, and apparently a fan of getting right to the point. “You up for a go, Luv?”

 

            Remus blinked and coughed with surprise. “Ah, not just now, thanks.”

 

            The man looked disappointed but shrugged. “Fine. When you’re in the mood look me up, all right?” He turned, showing Remus his lovely arse in tight blue jeans.

 

            For a moment, Remus felt like calling him back. After a hard week of working for the Order and building up the courage to try things the muggle way, some good, casual sex might be just the thing tonight. But then another tickle rose up in his nose and he reached back for his hankie instead of a man. ehhhh’Gshhhh! ihhhh-KehShhhh! ihhhhTSchhhh! H’Shehhh!” He dabbed the handkerchief at his nose.

 

            That encounter had been his third since walking in the door earlier that evening. The other two had practically thrown themselves at him as well, and one had made a rather personal inquiry about the size of his cock. Remus had blamed it on the alcohol.

 

            hehhh” Or maybe the guys just had a thing for sneezing. He’d heard of stranger things. “ehhh-IHKShhhh! ehhhKShhh!” He blew his nose hard, then carefully folded the handkerchief and slid it back into his pocket. As he straightened, he noticed another man eyeing him. The man was large, burly, but had beautiful eyes that Remus found himself unable to look away from.

 

            The man cocked his head, and continued the stare, taking it as a sign that Remus wanted him. He headed right over, moving gracefully but plainly displaying his submissiveness. “Sorry,” he said, lisping slightly, “Were you looking at me, Big Guy?”

 

            Remus raised an eyebrow. Was there some muggle club rule that you had to address someone with a pet name upon approaching him? “I suppose I was,” Remus said, putting a hand on the man’s arm, feeling the hard, muscular arm through the fabric. He stroked his fingers along it, then pulled his hand back. “But I’m sorry. I…” He shook his head apologetically. “I cannot right now… I’m… I…” He cupped both his hands to his nose and mouth. “ehhh-HTChhhh! h’KShhhhh! ihhhh-Kihshhhh!” When he pulled his eyes open, he saw the man’s back, retreating back into the crowd of dancing, sweating bodies. Remus sighed. He supposed he couldn’t blame the guy. He sniffled wetly and directed one more into the back of his hand. “hih-IHShh!

 

            “Bless you, Sweetness.” There was a warm hand on his shoulder and Remus looked up to see a dead gorgeous blond man smiling charmingly at him. “You faking sneezes to get attention or do you need some cold meds?”

 

            Remus cracked a smile. This man was adorable. Reminded him of a certain friend with a certain charming smile. “Neither, actually. I think all the smoke in here is the culprit.”

 

            “Smoke? Better stay away from the tan boys, then.”

 

            Slightly confused about what men with tans had to do with smoke, Remus went on. “It’s merely a slight allergy. The smoke rather makes me snehh…” He wavered for a moment, eyes narrowing. Without time to reach for his handkerchief, he simply cupped his hand to his face. “ehhh-Umshh!” He sneezed, trying to hold it back but failing miserably.

 

            The man didn’t even flinch, though he did go for his own handkerchief. It was a bright, spotless white square, which he shook out to full size. “If you don’t mind it….” he said uncertainly, dangling it in a sort of half-offer.

 

            Holding the sneeze back had done absolutely nothing to relieve the tickle sitting at the end of his nose. He pinched it again to buy himself some time. “I dod’t bide,” he said, talking around his plugged nose and reaching for the proffered hankie. He folded it in half once then cupped it to his face as the sneezes struck. “ehhhh-HShhhh! ihhhhKShhh! ihhhSchhhhh!” His body shook forward with each, and after each he leaned back against the wall. He almost wished he could blend into the wall from embarrassment. “Thanks,” he said shyly, wiping his nose dry and folding the hankie to cover the damage done.

 

            “I’m Rich.”

 

            “Excuse me?” That had been a rather random declaration.

 

            The man chuckled. “Richard, actually, but I’m called Rich. That’s my given name, not my financial state. And your name, if I may be so bold?”

 

            “Remus,” said Remus. He could have kicked himself for saying it, though. He tended to use his less obscure middle name of John when out in the muggle world. “It’s a family name,” he said quickly to explain.

 

            “It’s nice,” said Rich. “You know, Remus…” He bent his elbow and rested it against the wall as he rubbed the back of his head with his hand, further mussing his already mussed spiky blond hair. Remus knew what that meant, having seen James make that move so many times. “I’m going to need my handkerchief back if I’m going to get any tonight. Unless you want to talk with me a while.” He smiled charmingly again. “I promise, no pressure for a shag until you feel better.”

 

            Feeling somewhat obligated and very attracted, Remus nodded. “I’ve got some time to talk, yes. Thank you.”

 

            “Good,” said Rich, moving half an inch closer and smiling. “So, you’re well endowed, are you Sweetness?”

 

            Hoping this was another out-of-the-blue exclamation that made just as much sense as the last one, Remus tried not to look so taken aback. “Excuse me?”

 

            However, the statement was unambiguous and clear. “I bet you’re hung like a horse.” Immediately he cupped Remus’ crotch to clarify. Ohhhh yes.”

 

            Remus could not hide how startled he felt now. He jumped away, wishing there wasn’t a wall right behind him. Clearly the man, Rich, meant it as a compliment, but at the moment he felt far more disturbed than honored. “That is a private matter, thank you very much. You will have to do a lot more talking before you find that sort of thing out.”

 

            “The sweet thing’s a tease,” Rich said, raising an eyebrow. “That’s a little unexpected. But sometimes a girl likes a challenge. So how long are you? Eight inches? Nine? Ten? If I guess right down to the last centimeter do I get a kiss?”

 

            Shocked and confused, Remus looked down. Why would this man suddenly start discussing his dick size relentlessly? Remus was only half hard, and most of that was due to Rich’s warm, firm touch just a few moments ago. But it wasn’t like he was hanging out of his pants, inviting people to speak openly about his cock.

 

            “Aw, come on, Show-off. How big are you?”

 

            Aghast, “I beg your pardon. That is really none of your business, Rich.” His breath caught for a moment, and he buried his face in his handkerchief. “ihhh-Kuhshhhh!

 

            The man shrugged and ruffled his hair again as he shifted his stance from casually leaning to something more accusatory, with his arms crossed over his chest. “Well, if you’re going to go around advertising your size, you’d better start expecting comments about it.”

 

            Remus shook his head. “I’m sorry, but have I gone mad? Why does everyone keep talking to me like this?” All he wanted was one nice, normal conversation which could lead into a good fuck, if he was lucky and if his sneezes died down long enough.

 

            It was Rich’s turn to look confused, as well as concerned. “You really don’t understand?”

 

            Remus shook his head. “It’s as if everyone is suddenly speaking a foreign language around me.”

 

            The man studied his face closely. “How about the terms pofter, poof, ponce, faggot, shirt lifter, arse bandit, fudge—”

 

            “*Those* I know,” Remus said with a smile.

 

            “Ah, so the lad really *is* gay. He’s just uninformed.”

 

            Remus shrugged, unable to argue with the truth.

 

            “First time in a gay club, Sweetness?”

 

            Remus hesitated, then nodded affirmatively. “First time in one like this.” Remus was hardly a virgin. He’d been in plenty in the last year or so since his graduation from Hogwarts, but this was his first excursion into a muggle club, or even a place so large. The man didn’t need to know that part of it, though. Remus was beginning to regret his bravery. He’d just been tired of the same tricks, the same sort of sex. And he’d been curious about how it was with muggles. How different, how similar, all of it and then some. Apparently he’d gotten in over his head. “ihhh” Instinctively, he reached into his back pocket again and retrieved his handkerchief. He would have used Rich’s, but the strong tickle coupled with his runny nose indicated he would need to blow his nose and he didn’t want to do that into a stranger’s hankie. “ihhh-Hehshhhh! Ehkshhhhhh! He blew his nose and started to tuck it away.

 

            But Rich reached out and fingered the handkerchief, an amused expression on his face. “Forget my advances, then. And since I’m such a good-hearted bloke, please accept my offer to walk you through the code.”

 

            “The, sniff, sniff, code?”

 

            Rich nodded, then turned and pressed his back to the wall. “Yeah. Haven’t you noticed how everyone has hankies hanging out of their back pockets?” That had caught Remus’ attention, but he looked around again to notice that literally everyone had hankies in one pocket or the other. “It’s not because they’re all gentlemen, I assure you. At least not most of them. It’s the hankie code.”

 

            Apparently that was supposed to mean something to him. Remus tried not to look like a wolf caught in a lumos spell.

 

            “The side and color of a hankie indicates a preference. Worn on the left means you’re a top and on the right means you’re a bottom.” Remus tried to remember which side Rich had pulled his handkerchief from, but the sick feeling in his stomach was overpowering his mental faculties. “And each color represents a different kink. That way, you know exactly what you’re getting into and people with the same color can match up.”

 

            Rich pointed towards the dance floor. “See that skinny bloke with the lavender one in his right pocket? He’s a drag queen.” Remus was rather unimpressed by this pronouncement as that was clear from the man’s top and the way he moved. Rich went on with the examples. “That one with the charcoal hankie is into latex. The two men there snogging have fuchsia ones, which means they’re into spanking. For the most part the colors are pretty easy to get a hold of. The black ones mean S&M. The yellow is watersports. Red’s into fisting. That olive one there means he’s a military man… Mmm, I just love a man in a uniform. But, then, doesn’t everyone?”

 

            Remus nodded, feeling even more overwhelmed now. There must have been at least fifty differently colored hankies out there. From solids to stripes to patterns. It was a sea of sexual preferences.

 

            “When I offered mine and you said the color didn’t matter, you can understand why I was surprised.”

 

            Remus looked down at his handkerchief. He sniffled nervously and tried not to let his hand shake. “I hate to ask, but what exactly does mine mean?”

 

            “Mustard colored, worn on the left like that, means you’re quite well endowed. Eight inches at least.”

 

            Remus groaned. That certainly explained a lot. “I should have guessed. And yours? White?” It wasn’t mustard-colored so clearly he wasn’t exclusively looking for someone with a big cock. But the man had failed to mention what white meant. Hopefully it didn’t have anything to do with Remus’ allergy attack; that was all he needed tonight.

 

            The man smiled a bit shyly. “This is why the hankies come in handy. It’s easier to tote around a bit of cloth instead of admitting one’s eccentricities.” He took a deep breath. “But white tends to mean handjobs and worn on the right means I like to take care of my men while I take care of myself.”

 

            Even in the darkened club, Remus could see Rich’s blush. As he tried to think of something comforting to say, along the lines of how fine he was with that, his nose tickled again. He gave it a rub, wanting the sneezes to wait a few seconds, but that did no good. “ihhh-ihhh-HIHShhhh! ehhhhKShhhhh!” He blew his nose and closed his eyes as his breathing returned to normal. “I think I need some air.” He opened one eye and looked towards Rich. “Do you know any good late night cafés around here?”

 

            Rich smiled and nodded. “I can show you a spot or two, if you like.”

 

            “Lead the way.” Remus said, gesturing for Rich to literally lead the way. He felt a bit lost in the enormous club and it would take him at least five minutes to locate the door. Assuming no one else tried to hit on him on the way out.

 

            They found a nice café a few blocks away from the club. There was a Celtic folk group performing but they didn’t stick around to listen since there seemed to be just as much smoke there as there had been in the club. Rich held their coffees while Remus sneezed and snuffled. “ehhhehhhhhh-CHUShhhhh!” He then blew his nose, not caring any more which handkerchief he used.

 

            Then he took his drink from Rich and they started walking down the practically abandoned streets. He took a sip and sighed happily at the taste, shoulders raising and sagging. “Caffeine and sex. Can’t live without either of ‘em.” Though he’d lately been drinking more tea than coffee, there was something about the richness of coffee that made him excited in more ways than one.

 

            Rich nodded in agreement. “So long as you don’t combine the two. Drink while you’re shagging and someone’s going to get right well burnt…” He trialed off, watching Remus.

 

            The man’s breath was hitching and, though he was trying to control it, a sneeze was well on its way. “ihhh…” Remus handed his cup over again. “ihhhh-HShhhhh! ihhhhChshhhh!And took it back from Rich, while sniffling. “Thanks. My allergies really should be clearing up in a little bit.” He inhaled the steam from his coffee cup. “Sorry about all the sneezing.”

 

            “I don’t mind. Just glad you’re feeling better, Sweetness.” He grinned.

 

            Remus smiled back as he took a few sips. “Feeling much better, thanks.”

 

            Raising his eyebrow curiously, “How much better is much better?”

 

            Remus turned and stopped Rich in place with a hand on his chest. “Much.” He leaned forward and placed a strong kiss on Rich’s lips. When he pulled back, he glanced around, finding a long, dark alley to their immediate right. It would do in a pinch, but he’d have preferred something a little more hospitable. “How would you like to… wait.” Holding a finger up while still clutching his cup, Remus pulled Rich’s white handkerchief out of his pocket. Instead of sneezing, he tucked it into his left pocket. “Now,” he said smiling mischievously, “How would you like to—”

 

            “Much,” Rich replied, grabbing hold of Remus’ shirt and kissing him back. “Very much. But I’m not much for back-alley sex. My flat’s nearby. Want to come back to mine?”

 

            “Absolutely,” Remus answered with another kiss. He was glad for the invitation. His own place was miles away, and he’d have to explain things like his owl and the magic books filling his many bookshelves. “ihhh” He rubbed the back of his hand against his nose, trying to tell the sneeze to leave him alone. He didn’t need it ruining their mood now that they actually had a mood.

 

            Luckily, his excitement held up during the walk. The caffeine and the fact that he was cupping the man’s arse the whole way there certainly helped. Once inside the building, Remus couldn’t hold back any longer. Ditching the rest of his coffee, he slammed Rich back against the wall and began snogging him hard. Not wanting to separate once the kissing started, they shuffled into the lift and hit the button to the fifth floor.

 

            “You know,” Rich whispered around Remus’ tongue in his mouth. “Just because I have a white hankie… doesn’t mean I only like the wanking.”

 

            Remus moved one of his hands from the seat of Rich’s jeans to Rich’s hand. He guided it down to his crotch and pressed it there. “We’re on your turf. We’ll do it your way.”

 

            Rich pulled back from sucking on Remus’ neck. He kept one hand on Remus’ crotch and slid the other into Remus’ left back pocket. “You’re the top. You call the shots.”

 

            Grinning, “I may be behind on my club etiquette, but I do know how to do that. And I say we do it your way.” He fondled Rich’s arse and pressed his front into the man’s back as Rich fumbled with his keys and let them into his flat.

 

            It was a nice place, with beige carpet and white walls. For an efficiency, it was rather large, with a sizeable kitchen, room for a sectional couch, and a king-sized bed in one corner. There were nearly as many bookcases as in Remus’ place, but there was also a nice television and sound system. Rich switched on the lights and put in a cassette tape of soft, relaxing music. Remus tried not to stare at the stereo or compare it in his mind to the picture of the one he has seen in the muggle studies texts.

 

            “You need anything?” Rich asked as he pulled off his shirt and made for the bed. “I’ve got some tissues in the bathroom if your allergies are still bothering you.”

 

            “Actually, that’s a good idea,” Remus admitted. Normally he would have waved his wand and summoned it over so he wouldn’t have to leave Rich’s sight. But now he headed into the bathroom and found the tissue box. He watched himself in the mirror as his nose tickled again. “ehhhh…. Ehhh-IHHShhhh! Kishhhhh! ahh-Chshhhhhh!” He blew his nose then splashed some water on his face.

 

            When he returned from the bathroom, Rich was naked and stretched out on his side across the bed. Starkers already?” Remus asked, studying the beautiful blond man lying pale against dark blue sheets. He wondered if Rich had expected him to strip down just as quickly. “I thought I’d leave that task up to you.” He grinned and rubbed at his nose. The tickle was coming and going and right now he just wanted it gone.

 

            “How’re you doing, Remus?” he asked, sounding a bit concerned for Remus’ health but still patting the bed in front of him in invitation.

 

            Remus slowly worked his way down his shirt, unbuttoning the buttons. “I could use a bit of that expert care of yours. More fucking and less talking about my sneezes.” He knelt down on the low bed and Rich went immediately for the button and zipper at the crotch of his jeans. With a thrust forward of his hips, he made it a little easier to access, and soon his jeans were at his knees. Instead of making Remus move to take off the jeans, the man was hungrily fixated on his Y-fronts. “Go ahead,” Remus commanded. “Take care of me.”

 

            The man cupped Remus’ through them gently, then not-so-gently pulled them down. Remus’ cock sprang free, already hard and ready. And Rich looked at it with awe in his eyes. “Looks like mustard might be the color for you after all,” he whispered, running a finger along the long shaft then applying a little pressure at the very tip which made Remus gasp happily. Rich could not resist touching himself at the sight, and he was just as hard as Remus in seconds.

 

            With Rich’s help, Remus shook off the last of his clothing- shirt, socks, jeans and undies. Then he lay on his back, lounging against the pillows and headboard. He stretched his arms out across the top of the headboard and flexed his muscles so that his cock jumped a few times, playfully inviting Rich to pay it proper attention.

 

            Rich accepted at once, lying half on his side and half on his back so that he had more of a range of motion and could use both hands. He fit nicely, nestled against Remus, with his head on Remus’ shoulder and chest, looking down at the two hard cocks below. Rich certainly wasn’t as big as Remus, but he was not small by any means.

 

            The two cocks looked nice beside each other, as Rich stroked them simultaneously. Remus groaned softly at the touch and at the sight. The man’s noticeably skilled hands slid up and down the shafts at the same time and stopped to stroke the heads at the same time. Remus liked knowing that what he felt was exactly what Rich felt. Every pinch and flick and stroke and tickle, only mirrored. With Rich’s right hand on Remus’ and left hand on his own. Rich apparently liked it just as much and moaned, his breath hot against Remus’ bare skin.

 

            When Rich looked down, it wasn’t Remus’ cock that he commented about, however. “Where’d you get… all your scars?”

 

            “Do they bother you?” Remus asked quickly, his tone serious. “I can cover up again.” He reached for his shirt. It wouldn’t have been the first time a lover had been uncomfortable staring at his marked and scarred body. At least with a muggle he didn’t have to worry about the man wondering if he were a werewolf as many of the wizards he made love to did.

 

            “No, I don’t mind them at all,” Rich replied just as quickly. Straining his neck, he placed a kiss upon one set of them. “Don’t you start feeling self conscious now. You’ve got a fucking sexy body, Sweetness.” He kissed again with kindness, then his tongue darted out and played with one of Remus’ nipples. “Don’t let anyone… tell you otherwise.” He stroked their cocks in time with the laps of his tongue.

 

            With a happy sigh, Remus kissed the man’s forehead. “The scars… too many rough nights a long time ago,” he confessed. “But not any more.” His thoughts flashed briefly upon his best friends and their efforts to make even those horrible nights of his transformation enjoyable.

 

            Now he looked forward to full moons and embraced the werewolf part of himself. Along with the transformations came a number of attributes he couldn’t help but benefit from. Among them were acute senses, a high threshold for pain, and astounding stamina, all of which could come in handy during sex.

 

            Of course, they could also be a bit frustrating. Rich was doing his best at working on Remus, and Remus was enjoying every instant, coaxing him onward. But it seemed Rich was also doing his best to hold himself back, despite the desperate desire to come. He kept changing his motions, alternating actions between the two of them. He’d stroke himself as he tickled Remus’ balls. Then he’d tickle his own while he stroked Remus. And then he would break off, gasping and closing his eyes tightly to keep himself from coming. Though Remus was hard, he wasn’t yet to that point.

 

            “It’s okay,” Remus whispered after a few more repetitions of this. He reached down and rubbed one of Rich’s nipples between his thumb and forefinger. “You can let go… whenever you like.” He groaned as the man’s thumb circled over the head of his cock again, spreading the bit of wetness that had thus far leaked out. “You have my permission.”

 

            But Rich shook his head and showed a smile on top of a resolute expression. “Same time,” he insisted. And he moved his hands in synch once more with a sigh of his own at the pleasure and fast-paced tempo.

 

            Remus wrapped an arm around him and held him tightly. The man shuttered with excitement and winced, managing to restrain himself again. It looked like his desire for synchronized orgasms would not be realized. Then he looked up into Remus’ eyes. “Fuck me.”

 

            Remus slid his hand down the man’s arm and caressed the back of his hand. “You certain?” Much as he wanted to be inside the man, he was truly enjoying the way the man wanked. The touch was pure bliss. However, he could keep this up all night and last far longer than Rich could.

 

            “God, yes, I’m certain,” he said, his hips bucking and pressing into the side of Remus’ body. “I want to make you happy. Do whatever you like, but hurry.”

 

            Tenderly, Remus smoothed down the man’s blond bangs before kissing the sweaty forehead again. “Only if you promise to keep touching yourself,” he whispered. “I’ve never had anyone touch me so well.”

 

            Rich whimpered excitedly and let Remus flip him over, face-down onto the bed. He drew himself into a kneeling position while Remus sat up and knelt behind him. He caressed the man’s backside a moment as he felt a sneeze coming on, perhaps because of the sudden moving around.

 

            Rich took the opportunity to rest a little, bending more at the waist until his face hit the sheets and he’d given Remus a good entry angle. “There’s a bottle of lube on the nightstand if you want it,” he suggested, glancing back to see that Remus was in no condition to answer at the moment. Patiently, he waited. But not so patiently that he ignored his erection completely.

 

            ehhh” Remus turned his head, directing the heavy panting and the inevitable sneeze to the side and over his shoulder. “ihhShkkhhhhh!” He gave his nose a rough rub. “Excuse me.” Remus’ hands wasted no time in caressing the lovely pale body before him, running up and down his sides and swimming over the gentle arsecheeks.

 

            “Consider yourself… excused…” said Rich, his breath hitching with anticipation. “Now would you please—” he broke off as Remus forced his way inside. “Ohhhh yes. That.” He gasped again. “Just like that.”

 

            Length was not the only notable characteristic of Remus’ cock, but with a bit of lube there wasn’t much trouble. And as he began thrusting, Rich started tossing again. After so much warming up, they had a rhythm established already. Remus found it easy to sense when to speed up and, eventually, sense when they were both ready. It did not take much time at all.

 

            Remus began with a groan, giving one last strong thrust into the man, then shaking and stiffening. Taking his lead, Rich followed along with one hand frozen in place on his cock and the other gripping the bedsheets into a tight fist.

 

            Even though he started first, Remus finished last. He pulled out of Rich just as the man was taking his second deep breath afterwards. Remus flopped onto his back, arms spread out to his sides lazily, as though laying claim to the bed. Rich straightened out his legs and stretched out on his stomach where he was. He wore a satisfied smile and sighed as he looked over at Remus.

 

            Remus smiled back, then gathered up his strength and grunted as he sat up. He reached for his clothes, then dropped them in favor of pulling out one of the handkerchiefs still tucked in his pocket. “ehhhh-HTChmmph!” He sneezed, rubbing at his nose as he shook his head.

 

            “Thought you might be over those. You hadn’t sneezed in a while,” said Rich, hugging his arms to his chest and pinning them down against the bed. He looked cold now.

 

            Remus shook his head and pulled on his undies. “Nearly gone, but not quite. Luckily, I did not leave home without a hankie.” He eyed the white one in his hand. “Though next time I think I might go with a white one. Seems to have grown on me. And I rather like it and who it might attract.”

 

            After slipping his arms through the sleeves of his shirt but leaving it unbuttoned, Remus reached down to the green throw folded into a rectangle at the base of the bed and draped it over Rich. Rich smiled and shifted a little, as though snuggling into the blanket and the warmth it brought. “Anytime,” he said, his blue eyes sparking.

 

            Remus chuckled lightly as he stood, doing up the buttons of his shirt. “I like a man who’s versatile. Is there a color for that?”

 

            “Orange,” Rich informed him.

 

            “Thanks.” He bent down and kissed Rich again. “For the shag and for taking pity on my patheticness tonight. Not many guys would have stuck around.”

 

            “I’d a feeling you might be worth it, and you definitely did not disappoint,” said Rich. “Besides, sometimes the best tops are the most attractive when they’re looking a little pathetic. And I hope I’ll be seeing you around now that you know the ropes.”

 

            Remus considered for a moment. It had been quite an adventure, albeit a confusing and embarrassing one. But he wasn’t entirely against the idea of another such adventure. He grinned and gave a nod to Rich, then let himself out before apparating home.