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The grand double-doors to the ballroom opened, as Sirius entered the ballroom with James by his side, both men radiating a dominant aura.
They stopped upon entry. They were on a platform, that had a staircase on either side to descend to reach the main floor, where the crowd was.
Sirius had his hands stuffed in his pockets, weight shifted to lean on one hip. James had his arms crossed over his chest. The two men were scanning the crowd, gaze sharp and expression serious.
Sirius was the first to take initiative, going down the stairs as if the spotlight in the room was on him solely.
It might as well have been with the amount of eyes on him.
James caught up quickly, the two falling in step with one another.
“Oh, cut it out, you two. Dramatic,” Marlene scoffed into their ears through their earpieces– precautionary for any mission.
“No need for jealousy, McKinnon,” Sirius spoke almost silently, lips not moving with his words.
He was the best in the business. Well, in the business with the French Mafia, of course.
There were only two other people that even just began to reach his level of expertise, in his opinion. Regulus Black(the drama with that grows exceedingly by every week) and Remus Lupin, both assassins for the United Kingdom Mafia.
Sirius was in a black undershirt that puffed at the arms and cuffed at the wrists. On top of the shirt was a corset that wore on him like a tank top around the shoulders. His standard black tie was tucked into the corset. His hair was tied back into a low ponytail.
James, who was almost the exact opposite of Sirius, was dressed in modern black dress pants and white button up. On top of the undershirt was a black vest. His burgundy-red tie was tucked into the vest, along with a few knives and a singular gun.
James had on his glasses; something Peter had attempted to convince James of otherwise. Another thing that was so characteristically James Potter– his curly hair that appeared to be a mop on the top of his head.
“Now, now, ladies. You’re both pretty,” James spoke up just as he and Sirius were on the ground floor.
“I can’t believe we’re here,” Peter grumbled, somewhere in the ballroom.
Sirius went to respond to Peter, but was interrupted by someone approaching him and James.
“Good evening, gentlemen. Excuse me, I hate to be a bother, but if you’d be so kind as to wear your masks through the duration of the night. One of Boss’ orders,” one of the workers serving at the event, informed.
Right , Sirius thought dismally.
“Of course. Sorry,” James answered for them.
In one and the same moment, Sirius and James slid their masks on to their faces.
Both were black, just covering the eyes. On the masks were small silver and bronze lines, as if woven with an intent to intrigue.
The two men were comely.
“Thank you. Have a great night, gentlemen.” The worker nodded in gratitude, then excused him and left.
Sirius rolled his eyes. “Because, Pete, I’m here to kill the host of the night,” he finally responded once the worker was out of earshot.
“You and your infatuation with Remus Lupin,” James chided playfully, to tease the raven-haired killer.
“It’s not an infatuation, Jamie. More of a promise to see to him lying in dirt, six feet below the soles of my shoes.” Sirius picked up two glasses of champagne off of a tray passing, “Drink?”
James chuckled darkly, shaking his head in almost a scolding way, “Brother. May god, if there is one, rest on that man’s poor soul.”
“If there is a god out there, he could do nothing for this man’s soul,” Sirius responded smoothly, downing his drink right after his sentence.
“Stick to the mission, boys. We don’t want Effie on our asses just because we were mouthing off. Now that I think about it, that’s all you two do.” The three men could hear Marlene as she was making her way across the room, voices faintly fading in and out as she passed by them.
“My mother loves me,” James scoffed.
Sirius turned to James, looking him dead in the eye and stating, “She loves me more.”
The two could actually hear Peter’s laugh in real life a few feet away.
“Let’s just mingle for a bit, then when everyone’s had a few drinks and is relaxed, we’ll find Lupin and strike. Just like the plan; stick to the plan. Capeesh?”
“Who the hell says ‘capeesh’?” Sirius scoffed, as James and he went about roaming around the room, trying to locate a familiar face behind the masquerades.
“Black,” Marlene warned.
“McKinnon,” Sirius threw back, just as fiercely. He was never one to back down. Especially when he was the mission leader.
“Well, well,” the two heard a voice chant from behind them.
James was the first to turn around, recognizing the voice immediately. Sirius still faced the other way, but bowed his head. “Evans.”
“In the flesh,” Lily finished, just as Sirius turned around to meet her gaze.
And damn did she look good.
Her dress was big and flowy, layers upon layers of sheer fabric. Red, a fiery red, that almost matched her hair. It was a long-sleeved dress that did the same as a poet shirt, just as Sirius’. The neckline connected to the top of the sleeves, revealing almost too much of the collarbone to make it seem scandalous.
James was enthralled.
“Interesting to see you here,” Sirius commented, sarcastically.
“Oh? As if I don’t work for Remus Lupin, the host himself?” Lily responded, just as sarcastically.
“Oh, you still have that spunk, flower power,” Sirius teased, giving her his signature smirk.
Her gaze turned deadly, something she truly was(deadly, that is) but hid so well. Her jaw clenched, and she made an effort to roll her eyes the most dramatically obvious way she could.
“We’ll see who has the spunk at the end of the night. Won’t we, Black?” Lily quirked her head to the side, her gaze turned to teasing.
“What do you mean by that, Evans?” James questioned, speaking up for the first time.
“Let’s just say Boss is gonna be pretty entertained tonight,” Lily drawled.
“That sounded dirty,” Sirius blurted.
“Your eleven,” Marlene warned. Just a second later, two men flanked Lily, eyeing the two in front of her with a malicious stare.
“Everything all right over here?” The host of the night, Remus Lupin, inquired. He shoved his hands in his pant pockets, a sign of relaxation and ease. To show he wasn’t intimidated by the two assassins who wanted him dead.
Remus knew they(that being James and Sirius) wanted him dead. Was he threatened? Hell no.
“Just fine. Peachy, even.” Sirius shoved his own hands in his pant pockets. “Still breathing, Lupin?”
“It appears so.” Remus took one hand out of his pocket to gesture his hand down his body, to show he was, yes, in fact, still breathing.
“Shame, that,” Sirius sighed. “A masquerade ball? Really? What are we living in, the eighteenth century? Have to say, it did give me an excuse to pull this neat thing from my closet.” Sirius ran a hand down his corseted-vest, giving himself a once over.
“I don’t recall sending you an invitation,” Remus pointed out.
“Oh, you didn’t? Yes, offense taken, by the way. I mean, what was I supposed to do when I caught wind of a certain fellow hosting a masquerade ball for the mafias? Am I not in one myself?” Sirius tilted his head sideways, showing off his pearly-white teeth.
Remus didn’t answer. Sirius took that as his sign to continue the conversation, aiming his next question at Regulus, who hadn’t wavered his glare on James yet. “How’s it been going, brother? Ready to throw in the towel with ole Remy here, and join the big boys?”
Regulus let his expression drop to a bored one, lazily moving his gaze to meet Sirius’. “I believe it’s well past due for you to grow up, Sirius.”
James was the one to answer, right before Sirius could snark back a sarcastic comment. “As if you’re not in the same boat.”
Regulus snapped his head to James, a second’s worth of murderous intent in his eyes, before he dropped to lazy once again. He scoffed at James, “The audacity.”
The orchestra in the front of the room ended their song, gaining a round of applause.
A musician stood from his harp, walking over to the piano.
As if timed, Remus held out a hand to Sirius the moment Regulus held one out to James.
“Care to dance, Black?” Remus inquired.
Sirius let his smile shrink for a fraction of a second, weary. Then replaced his smirk with an even bigger grin, “It’d be my honor, you piece of shit.”
“Only take my hand if you know not to step on feet,” Regulus warned James, who took his hand with a cheesy smile.
“How do you fancy a few broken toes?” James inquired, already walking off.
Remus turned his grip to Sirius’ arm, grip as tight as iron. He practically dragged Sirius over to the dance floor, where everyone lined up, a line of partners facing the other line of partners.
“I’m watching your six, Sirius. You need me, utter my name, I will be there,” Peter consoled, which Sirius had located, was over at the minibar.
The piano rang out a few keys, initiating the start of the dance.
The line with Remus and Regulus in it inched towards Sirius and James’ line. James and Sirius gave each other one more look, before focusing on their partner.
The guitar strang a few notes, ringing out into the air.
At this point, Remus and Sirius were still a few inches apart.
The first major note of the song hit, and both men snapped up their hands to mirror each other, keeping a ten-centimeter distance, just like every other pair.
Just as the dance went.
Remus crept forward, gaze solely focused on Sirius in front of him.
He looked at Sirius as if he wanted to eat him.
Sirius only found the fact that he thinks he would let Remus, terrifying.
Keeping the same distance in between their hands, Remus circled Sirius– the man turning on the spot– until he was back into his original spot in front of him, all while maintaining eye contact.
On the next beat, the two were pressed against each other.
Sirius pressed a hand on Remus’ lower back, pulling him just that much closer.
Not for the close proximity, oh no.
Sirius wanted to feel the gun Remus had stashed right under his vest.
Speaking of outfits, Sirius allowed a small second to scan Remus.
The man was dressed mostly in black. Black pants, black poet shirt, black mask. The only coloring was the dark red vest, and the gold pendant at his collar and the gold buttons that held his vest together.
“You look ravishing,” Sirius commented. As an afterthought, he added, “You’d look better dead, though.”
Remus scoffed, giving Sirius a short half spin before slamming Sirius back into, right into the pointed dagger.
The sharp end cut a small hole into Sirius’ corset, allowing a few strings to come loose.
“Bitch,” Sirius hissed, gaze snapping down to examine the material, then back up to Remus.
“Hmm,” Remus hummed. Their noses were just centimeters apart, breaths mixed in with each other’s.
“How do you think the night will end?” Remus inquired, head tilting up just enough to bump noses with Sirius.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Sirius teased darkly, pulling his face away from Remus.
The man grunted. Remus spun the two around, following the circle. He lifted his arm above Sirius’ head, spinning him twice before bringing Sirius back into his chest.
Right back into his dagger.
Sirius gasped, feeling the cool trickle of blood seep down the side of his stomach.
“That hurts ,” Sirius growled, as Remus placed his hands back on Sirius’ waist and held hand out to the left.
“ Good ,” Remus growled right back.
Sirius placed his arms around Remus’ neck, preparing for their next move off of Remus’ lead.
Sirius squeezed his arms together, ultimately choking Remus.
He held Remus’ gaze, watching as the man wouldn’t fold. The two stood frozen in dance. “Give up.”
“Never,” Remus gasped, turning colors.
Sirius just squeezed that much tighter.
He hadn’t noticed how Remus slipped his hand into Sirius’ vest, pulling out one of his daggers.
He didn’t notice until it was embedded in his thigh.
Sirius gasped, letting go and pushing space between him and Remus. “You stabbed me,” Sirius gasped in surprise (not really), pulling the dagger out of his dress pants and throwing the knife across the floor to remain a few feet away.
Remus just shrugged, grabbing Sirius’ arms and placing them back around his neck. “I did. Now dance.”
And just like that, the air turned to tension. The two men pressed themselves together, aiming to stab the other with one of their weapons(but actually just giving themselves the excuse to be this close in proximity).
Sirius wrapped and unwrapped his right foot from Remus’ left leg, copying the crowd’s actions.
Remus let his hands roam Sirius’ body. Sirius growled under his breath as Remus slowly but surely unarmed all of his surface weapons.
Sirius removed his hands from Remus’ neck, gripping tightly to both of his wrists instead. “Don’t touch my things.”
“Shouldn’t have been smart with me,” Remus replied coolly, looking around the room instead of at Sirius.
“Shouldn’t have stabbed me,” Sirius clipped.
“Ah,” Remus breathed, ignorant. Remus grabbed onto Sirius' waist with both hands. On cue, he lifted Sirius in the air, twirling the both of them around, then forcefully setting him back down on the ground.
Sirius took charge next, peeling the two just slightly out of the circle of dancing to slam Remus into the marble stone of one of the room’s pillars.
Remus threw his head back, face scrunching in pain.
He turned his head over Sirius’ shoulder, shaking his head. Sirius turned his head, observing as a group of men were on standby, ready to advance with murderous expressions.
“Yeah, that’s right. Call the killer dogs off of me,” Sirius muttered. The two stood frozen as people danced around them, music passing by but still remaining the same tension-filled tempo, as if waiting for the pair to make their cue.
Remus pushed Sirius with his hands still attached, and the two joined back into the circle to continue the banter.
“This is a bit intimate, no?” Sirius asked, his native accent prodding through the sentence.
“I thought the French loved a bit of intimacy,” Remus replied.
“Oh, we do. I’m just not particularly fond of dancing with a man who has been trying to kill me for the past six years.” Sirius squeezed the hand attached to Remus’ as hard as he possibly could.
“Six? Really? Wow, it’s been a while for the two of us,” Remus murmured, spinning the two around before ending, swaying their hips simultaneously.
“Oh, I hope you’re not attached.” Sirius, instead of meeting Remus’ gaze, turned his head to find James dancing with his brother.
No luck.
Where’d they go?
“You couldn’t catch me attached even if I looked in your eyes and confessed my love,” Remus drawled, as if the concept was so simple.
“You love me?” Sirius inquired, looking up at the beanstalk, batting his eyelashes. “You know you’re tall?”
“I’ve been told, yes.”
“Good,” Sirius clipped. His hand reached for what it had been looking for, shedding the knife from Remus’ front waistband; he let the knife slice through the air and land in a pillar across from them.
Remus let his eyes follow the movement. He hadn’t anticipated the action, Sirius noted.
It made Sirius smirk victoriously.
Remus rolled his eyes, then his eyes flickered with an idea.
Remus slid down Sirius’ front. Sirius widened his eyes, a quiet gasp escaping his parted lips.
“What are you doing?” Sirius growled under his breath, head tilted up and not down.
A couple makes eye contact with Sirius, and he just smirks with an accomplished nod.
Remus worked to pull the small gun from Sirius’ ankle holster. He finally got it undone, and threw it across the floor.
“How many weapons does that leave you?” Remus inquired as he stood back up to his full height, towering over Sirius. He placed his hand back in Sirius’, the other going back around his waist.
They continued to dance.
“I’d say you’ve narrowed it down to about seventeen– twenty if we’re rounding.”
Remus couldn’t help the snort that left him.
Sirius’ gaze turned perplexed, then accomplished.
He made Remus laugh.
“So, where does that leave you?” Sirius spoke up after a moment.
“Pardon?” Remus tilted his head down to make eye contact with Sirius.
“Weapons. How many weapons are on you right now? How many do you have left?” Sirius gave him a short smirk.
“Like I’d tell you,” Remus scoffed.
“A bit unfair, I have to say. You know how many I have left.”
“And whose fault is that?”
Remus pulled Sirius closer, inevitably so.
He held a hand behind Sirius’ neck, entangled in his hair. Remus’ other hand had a death grip on Sirius’ tie.
And on cue, the orchestra relied on a simple violin.
Remus bent over Sirius’ body, dipping him slowly with just the grip on the back of Sirius’ neck and top of his tie.
Sirius’ breath hitched. He knew Remus had the authority at the moment.
A simple let go and Sirius would be sprawled out on the floor.
There was nothing but Remus holding him suspended in the air.
Sirius could fix that. He could pull his feet under him instead of straight out.
But what fun would that be?
Remus didn’t let him go. He just held tighter, leaning in closer to Sirius’ face. “You want to know how I believe the night will end?”
His breath fanned over Sirius’ face. Sirius had to resist the urge to shut his eyes, and just breathe in .
“I’m mildly curious,” Sirius answered as if he wasn’t gnawing at the bit.
“With your body…” Remus breathed in deeply, closing his eyes in pure bliss. His nose was brushing against Sirius’, lips just a push apart. “...Sprawled out…” Remus opened his eyes, making direct eye contact with Sirius. “Six feet under, in a coffin. With the breath basically vacuumed from your lungs.”
Sirius let out the breath he was holding.
Remus stood them upright, giving Sirius a spin, letting go of his hand for just a second before slamming Sirius’ body into his.
“How would you do it? How would you kill me?” Sirius kept his gaze directed on everything that was Remus Lupin.
“I’d look into your eyes as I impaled you with my knife-”
“The one with your initials engraved in the handle?” Sirius blurted, interrupting Remus.
“ Precisely . Now, stop interrupting and listen. As I impale you with my knife, the one with my initials engraved in the handle, I’d watch that life of yours leave your eyes.”
Sirius grinned, closing his eyes momentarily. “Precisely.”
Remus grunted, slamming his foot down on Sirius’ foot. “Oops,” he answered, as Sirius gasped and looked at him with wide, surprised eyes.
“You’re not sorry,” Sirius breathed.
“Nope,” Remus clipped, spinning them in never-ending circles.
The song was reaching the climax right before it ended, Remus noted.
He had it all planned out.
Who’d he be if he didn’t? He was the host, after all.
He lifted Sirius up once more, keeping him suspended in the air for a moment, spinning still.
Sirius’ eyes were on him, not letting a moment slip. He was suspicious– weary.
Good .
Sirius let his hands roam Remus’ shoulder, before he let them wrap around Remus’ neck.
Remus rolled his eyes.
He noted how Sirius wasn’t squeezing. More like he was communicating to Remus that he had the ability to either choke him out or snap his neck, in a second .
Remus remained unintimidated.
“Come on, Black. We both know-”
Sirius squeezed his hands around Remus’ neck, eyeing him darkly.
Remus let go of Sirius’ waist immediately.
Sirius landed on his feet, already pulling Remus in for a dance, leading this time.
Just as the song finished the climax and slowed into a peaceful violin, Sirius took his cue to dip Remus.
He felt Remus’ leg hook around the back of his. One of Sirius’ hands was wrapped behind Remus’ back, lowering him swiftly.
Sirius enjoyed how their breaths mixed once more.
“Ce sera un honneur de te tuer,” Sirius breathed out in French, tongue accommodating the language and accepting it lovingly.
Remus sighed out of bliss, closing his eyes and leaning his head back. “What?”
Remus snapped his eyes open as he felt the impale of the blade. He looked down, eyes grasping at his abdomen. A handle, one with his initials on it, was sticking out of his outfit.
His blood dyed the vest an even deeper red.
“I said ,” Sirius started snidely, but softened it to a sweet tone, “it will be an honor to kill you.”
Sirius twisted the knife, letting it twist in Remus’ gut.
They both knew it wasn’t a fatal stab. If he bled out, sure. But the initial injury would still keep him alive.
But the real question is why ?
Why not go for the kill shot?
Both were asking the same question.
Sirius held Remus in the dip position, letting the wound really seep into Remus.
“Now who has the upperhand?” Sirius whispered into Remus’ ear, just before letting Remus drop to the ground.
Remus was not going to die tonight , both answered in their minds.
Sirius snatched James’ arm, who had made his appearance once again.
James grunted as his arm was grabbed.
Regulus, who was… blushing?, turned to Sirius. Realization flicked in his vision, then he snapped his head to Remus, who was laying on the floor in the midst of an applauding crowd.
It was chaos.
It was James’ turn to drag Sirius, gripping his arm and hightailing it out of there.
“Peter, Marlene, let’s get out of here. Now,” James snapped into the comms. “Lupin isn’t dying tonight.”
Sirius snapped his gaze to James, who only nodded.
“Effie is going to be upset,” Marlene sang, now in real life. The four exited the doors, shedding off their masks and throwing them to the side.
“We’ll deal with her later,” James reasoned.
“Right now, let’s focus on getting out of here alive,” Peter added.
Sirius was in a daze.
He was, until he heard a voice from the top of the stairs.
“Sirius!” Remus shouted.
The four turned to the top of the marble staircase, eyeing the three at the top.
“You can’t run forever, Black!” Lily shouted, the bottom of her dress lifted in the air to get off the ground, ready for the chase.
“It’s no use, Lils. He’s demented, and arrogant, and self-absorbed,” Regulus scoffed, on the right side of Remus.
Remus made eye contact with Sirius, staring him down.
Sirius noted the way he clutched at his abdomen. It made Sirius feel good .
“And pretty,” Sirius added to his brother’s words. “You can’t forget that one.”
The four at the bottom of the staircase, as if on cue, break apart and run for the garden.
Which technically shouldn't be called a garden– more of a hedge maze than anything else.
“Don’t be stupid, Sirius!” He could hear Remus shout from the entrance.
“Come and get me then, Lupin!”
Sirius took off, immediately searching for the exit, and praying the others could and would do the same.
He let out a long breath once he found the opening in the hedges.
Sirius took a step forward, but felt something was off.
A second later, his back was pressed against a body– Remus’ body.
The two stood there for a solid few minutes, just breathing.
“Sirius! Sirius!” They could hear Peter call from the exit, unaware of the two men just right there.
“Well, isn’t this something,” Sirius whispered to no one in particular.
“Give up,” Remus murmured into his ear.
“Never,” Sirius scoffed.
“And what? Just never end it, and I never die? Because you so obviously don’t want me dead.” Remus gripped on to Sirius tighter.
Sirius felt around mentally and couldn’t feel any weapon aimed on him.
“We can’t both win, Sirius,” Remus stated.
Sirius turned around in Remus’ grip, eyeing the assassin down. He wouldn’t kill him.
He couldn’t.
God that scared him.
Sirius held up his gun, falsely.
His hand didn’t waver, it never did.
But he didn’t think he could pull the trigger.
Remus mirrored his actions, holding up his own gun. “Let’s be realists here, Black.”
“You have the wrong weapon,” Sirius pointed out, gesturing his free hand towards the gun and not the knife with Remus’ initials carved into the handle.
Remus sighed, beside himself, “Well, you bloodied my weapon of choice. I mean, I have to admit, good move on your part– stabbing me with my own weapon, the same one I admitted I’d kill you with.”
Sirius shrugged. “What can I say? I’m always up for a bit of fun .”
The air went silent.
“When?” Sirius asked, almost silently.
“When, what?” Remus responded, tilting his hand with the gun the same time he tilted his head.
“When did you fall in love with me?”
Sirius’ words had the intended effect. Remus’ eyes widened and his hand wavered.
Sirius spun around, kicking his foot up and knocking Remus’ gun from his hand. Mid-spin, Sirius took off towards the exit, running towards the car Marlene had pulled up.
He could faintly hear Remus screaming in frustration and his footsteps chasing after Sirius.
Peter, in the back seat, opened the door for Sirius once he got close enough. “What took you so long?!”
Sirius turned his head as a gesture, observing Remus chase for the car.
Sirius stuck one leg in the car, most of his body just hanging out. He raised his right hand, giving Remus a salute. Sirius’ hand fell on his chest, before he winked at Remus and flung himself the rest of the way into the car.
Marlene hit the gas pedal hard before Sirius even had the door closed. “Do you have to be so dramatic?”
“Who would I be, if not?” Sirius questioned, just as he turned around in his seat to look through the back window.
He spotted his brother and Lily on either side of… Remus.
Remus, who was bleeding from his side. Remus, who had a murderous expression on his face. Remus, who had his gun back in his hand. Remus, who had the knife with his initials carved into the handle in his other hand.
He had it with him. He could’ve killed Sirius. Should’ve.
But he didn’t.
Remus, who was beautiful .
Sirius lifted his hand, giving Remus a little wave, one he knew Remus could see.
Then the four drove away; Sirius’ cackle was heard over everything.
And Remus, from the exit of the maze, was staring at the back of the car driving away.
“What do we do, Boss?” Lily questioned from his left.
Remus’ gaze didn’t waver from the car.
“We let them go. We’ll always have more opportunities,” Remus explained.
“But tonight was fun,” Regulus pouted.
Psychopath.
“Was that because you had James Potter hanging all over you?” Remus threw at him sarcastically.
Regulus blushed , for the second time of the night. “He will die at the expense of my hands.”
Remus watched as Sirius waved at him from the back window of the car.
“Cheeky bastard,” Remus muttered, with a helpless smirk on his face.
Then the car disappeared into the darkness of the distance.