A silent, icy autumn wind seeped through the open window, barely disturbing the curtains. Trying to avoid the colder air, Remus pulled the blanket up higher and wriggled closer to Sirius, the other man's chest pressing into his back. When had it become so cold and silent? Gone were the balmy summer nights and the lazy choruses of insects. The occasional rustle of tree branches and the soft, steady breathing of the man who slept next to him were the only sounds that Remus could discern. Sirius slept so soundly, as he always did when they were together. With a sharp gasp of breath, Remus buried his face in the pillow and muffled the effect of an itchy nose.

"Ehh, ishoo! Ehushoo!" The sneezes came on quickly and left a lingering feeling that made his nose tingle and run madly. Ignoring the annoying tickle, Remus concentrated on getting to sleep and getting warmer.

Unable to hike the blankets any higher than his head, Remus shivered as a thin breeze ghosted over his face. The chilled air stirred his hair, light brown with a few threads of grey. Or silver, as Sirius would say whenever he would twist the long hair affectionately in his fingers. Sniffling, Remus closed his eyes and let his thoughts drift to his very warm and very asleep lover. Just as drowsiness began to cloud his thoughts, his eyes blinked open. Taking a breath, Remus lifted his head off the pillow and waited. Sneeze, he thought, I'm going to sneeze again, as if thinking about the act would make the sneeze come faster.

"Huhh, ehushoo! Esshuhh! Huhishhh!" He hesitated a moment, the aftermath of the sneezes still tensing his shoulders and clamping his eyes shut. Sirius mumbled something in his sleep and slid the hand resting on Remus' thigh up a bit higher.

Sniffling deeply and rubbing his nose in the pillow, Remus snuck one hand out from under the blankets. Drowsily massaging the bridge of his nose, he settled back down and with a yawn clasped Sirius' hand. However, the sharp cold of night now penetrated the thin cover over his body and forced sleep from his eyes.

How does Sirius sleep so well with the window open?

In order to close the window, Remus slid from his lover's entangling embrace and sat up. The moonlight fell in irregular patterns on the bed; patches of light illuminated Sirius' short, dark hair and made his skin look silver pale.

He is at home with the stars.

Reaching over Sirius and taking his wand from the small table, Remus bent his head down and touched his lips to Sirius' shoulder. The blanket had fallen when Remus sat up and exposed the smooth, warm skin that tempted Remus so much. Smiling, he straightened up as a gusty sigh told him his lover had felt the caress even in sleep.

A slight tingling in his nose made him take pause and drop the wand in his lap. Remus cupped his hands over his nose and mouth, his hair falling over his face as he bowed his head forward. Breath coming in silent, lengthy pants he waited as the tickle in his nose increased.

"Hehh, ehuhh, huhh, Ahhishoo! Eshuh! Aheshoo! Ehh, hehh, tshoooahh!" Moaning softly with relief and slumping his shoulders Remus sensed the warm pressure of a hand against his back. When he turned, one finger held under his nose, he gave a weak smile to Sirius as the man sat up.

"Hey," Sirius whispered and pushed a lock of hair behind Remus' ear, "Bless you. Too cold for you?"

Remus nodded and motioned toward the open window with one hand, the other held over his face again.

"Ehh, tishhoo! Ahh, hachoo! ohhh, sorry, thanks." Remus managed a few quick sniffles between words and gratefully handed the wand over to Sirius.

With wand in hand, Sirius wrapped one arm around his lover and rested his chin on Remus' shoulder. He kissed a clean-shaven cheek before pointing the wand at the open window.

"Claudio fenestra!" The window slid shut and Remus smiled as Sirius tickled his neck with a few more light kisses.

"Don't know why you're cold, Remus, it's so warm in bed with you." Sirius muttered into the curtain of hair that covered his love's neck and shoulder. He raised the wand again and nuzzled his cheek on Remus' hair. "Hmm, Lumos!"

The glowing wand-light he directed at the two of them and Sirius gazed at Remus for a moment. A few seconds passed and in them, a lifetime of tenderness was lived. Sirius extinguished the wand-light and embraced Remus in the silver spangled light of night.

"Keep me warm, then, Sirius." Almost shy, Remus touched his lips to Sirius' mouth. He then led their bodies down onto the mattress and nestled his head in the crook of Sirius' arm as they snuggled together.

"I'd be so cold without you. Keep you warm always, though, Remus. Always."

Sleep came easily in the warmth. In the hazy, moonlit moments of mumbled endearments and slow caresses, always didn't seem like such a hard promise to keep.

finis