This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Word Count: 781

Title: Smoke and Fire

Note: Fire Fighter AU

Sirius Black didn't think it could get much worse, his parents were furious with him for coming out as gay, and his mother used a cigarette to burn his face off the family tapestry. That was until Mrs Black's hand slipped, and the entire thing lit on fire. His father was fanning it furiously, and told Regulus to call the fire department. Sirius was trying to tell his father that it was only a piece of cloth, and that surely they could put the fire out before the fire fighters arrived. But Mr Black was adamant. That was when Sirius and Regulus noticed the fire had spread across the room, and the room was filling with black smoke. Sirius coughed, and tried to get his parents to come outside. The room was engulfed in flames, and the flames were soon moving into the rest of the house. Regulus was asthmatic, so Sirius grabbed his inhaler, pulling him outside into the cold clear night air.

Soon, the firefighters arrived, and Sirius found himself staring at the most handsome man he had ever seen. He didn't have a classic handsomeness. But there was something rugged and unkempt about him. Sirius watched the man handle a giant hose, and almost fainted with delight. A paramedic rushed to his side, only to notice his faintness wasn't from smoke inhalation, and turn his attention to Regulus, who was struggling to breathe. Sirius watched his mother and father, and he knew once they remembered, he would be without a home. He was disowned. The realisation was both a shock and a relief. He had never wanted to be part of the Black family, they were old fashioned and they never understood him. It wasn't like any other teenager who fought with his parents, he actually knew that his mother wouldn't change her mind.

"I no longer have a home," Sirius said. The handsome firefighter was standing close by, and looked at him curiously.

"It only hit a couple of rooms," the man said. "You guys called us in fast enough."

"Oh," Sirius laughed, but it was shallow. "I meant because my mother disowned me because I told them I was gay."

"In that case," the man said. "I'm Remus, you are welcome to crash on my couch?"

"Why would you do that for a stranger?" Sirius asked.

"I know your friend James," Remus said. "And I also know what it feels like to be cast out from your family."

"Sounds good to me," Sirius said, with a grin, he took a couple of his things, including his favourite guitar, and followed the handsome man to his apartment.

It was a couple of weeks later, and Sirius heard a knock on the door. He stood up to open it, and on the other side was his best friend James Potter.

"Hey mate, I heard you live here now," James grinned. "Fancy having you two meet each other under such strange circumstances."

Sirius nodded. "Yeah, very strange."

"And I was planning on setting you guys up on a blind date," James added.

"Remus is gay?" Sirius was shocked. How could he have not noticed it before?

"Oh come on Sirius," James said. "You can't tell me you never noticed."

"I—" Sirius paused. "Please go."

"What?" James asked in confusion.

"Remus is in the shower, and I'm going to join him," Sirius said bluntly, slamming the door in James's face. James laughed. He wanted to be offended by Sirius's behaviour, but frankly, a couple of weeks was a hell of a lot longer than James thought it would take for the two of them to hook up.

Sirius walked into the bathroom, and spotted the naked Remus washing his hair. He tried to close the door quietly, but the creek made Remus look up, giving Sirius a full view, and he couldn't deny he liked what he saw.

"Why didn't you tell me you were gay?" Sirius asked, his gaze not staying on Remus's face. Remus blushed.

"I didn't want you to think I was going to take advantage of you," he spoke, not even trying to cover himself up.

"But I've been wanting you to, for weeks," Sirius said, gesturing wildly.

"Well, come on then," Remus said with a grin. "What are you waiting for?"

"Definitely not an invitation," Sirius teased but was already unbuttoning his jeans and letting them fall to the floor.

"You have one," Remus said. "I've never locked the door once. I was hoping you would be bold enough to come in here."

"Idiot, I thought you were straight," Sirius said, crossing the small bathroom in a couple of short steps and claiming Remus's lips.