the_debt_of_time

When he stepped into the shower and moved under the fall of hot water, Sirius let
out a loud moan mixed with pleasure and relief. He rested a palm against the wall and
closed his eyes, letting the warmth spread down over the taut skin of his back, penetrating
the stiff and sore muscles.
Reaching for the small bar of cheap soap, Sirius lathered up a flannel and ran it over
his skin to wash away the dirt, the grime, and twelve years' worth of memories. He rubbed
the flannel across each of his arms and down his legs, then across his stomach and sides,
pausing to feel the way his fingers rose and fell over his ribs. He vigorously scraped the dirt
away from his pale chest, looking down with relief as the tattoo of Mia's name became
clearer. He hissed in pain as the soap cleansed a still-open cut along his back, making a
mental note to have Remus heal it once he was out of the shower.
He groaned when he was able, after several attempts, to get his fingers through his
thick, dirt-crusted hair. After the fourth time washing it, the feeling of cleanliness was so
great he was at last able to answer a question he'd had over the years: did long-term
exposure to dementors decrease a man's ability to get hard?
The answer was a resounding no.
Unfortunately, his previous go-to fantasy was his witch, but his witch was now a
fourteen-year-old girl, and though thoughts about dementors did not have the ability to kill
an erection, the very implication of lechery certainly did.
Sirius focused on the dirty water as it circled the drain, washing away the dirt, blood,
and pain. He logically knew that he would never be able to forget Azkaban. Still, when the
water finally ran clear, there was a sense of accomplishment that overcame him. He had
long ago come to terms with the fact that he might never feel clean again.
After turning the water off, he reached for a towel that had been set out for him,
rubbing the dry, soft cloth vigorously over his skin. His gaze fell on a set of clean clothes
that Remus had placed on the edge of the bathroom counter. Sirius smiled at the gesture,
having forgotten what it was like to have someone take care of him, even with something
as simple as setting out clothing.
"It's a good thing life's been as shitty to you as it has been to me," he said as he
walked out of the bathroom wearing only a pair of Remus's jeans. "The fact that we've
both been starved has kept us the same size."
Remus's lack of laughter drew his attention.