Work Text:
“I can’t believe you,” Mary said, using the “I’m not mad, just disappointed voice” that pissed Sirius off. “This is the third time you’ve stood me up!”
Sirius wanted to say that this time he had an excuse, the previous night was a full moon, but he knows he can’t expose Remus like that.
“Look, I’m sorry Mary. It’s just… there was a marauder emergency.”
Mary rolled her eyes. “Are you sure that's what it was? Or was it just a Remus emergency?”
Sirius’ heart skipped a beat. She didn’t know, right? If he was responsible for Mary finding out, Remus would never forgive him. He was still on thin ice from the Snape incident.
“What do you mean?” He asked, more urgently than he’d liked. He leaned back against the loveseat he was sitting on to try to resemble his usual nonchalance, but he could still tell he looked stiff as a board. Mary was still standing, hands on her hips.
“How do you not know what I mean?” She tilted her head condescendingly. Sirius took a deep breath to cool his rising anger. He needed to stay calm. For Moony.
“You’re constantly ditching me for ‘Moony’,” Mary continued. “And you’re always talking about him.”
“What are you implying?” He stood up, forgetting to keep cool.
“Maybe,” Mary said slowly, stepping closer to him. It makes Sirius even more mad. “You’d be happier with Remus since you seem to spend every waking moment you’re not with him singing his praises.”
Sirius is suddenly very glad that Mary had put up a silencing charm over them. That’s crazy! Sirius and Remus being together. Dating. Remus wasn’t gay. And Sirius wasn’t either. Mary was crazy. Yeah, that’s what this was. Mary was just jealous of the completely platonic bond they had.
“You’re crazy,” he said after a beat, waving his hand dismissively.
“Yeah, and you’re single!” Mary said, walking out of the common room.
Sirius stayed sitting for a minute longer before he got up and went to the library, where he knew Remus was.
“Moony!” he exclaimed quietly, sitting next to Remus and throwing an arm around his sleeping friend’s shoulders.
Remus lifted his head from where it was resting on his book. Once he woke up enough he smiled slightly at Sirius.
“Padfoot. What time is it?”
Sirius looked at his muggle watch, something Remus had given him two years ago. It didn’t do anything but tell the time, but Sirius still loved it. “11:58. Wanna walk to lunch together?”
“Sure, let me just put these back,” Remus said, already gathering the multiple books around him. Sirius would help, but he never puts them back in the right place and Madam Pince gets mad at him. So, Sirius just watched Remus put them back. One of the books had to go onto an especially tall shelf and Remus’ school shirt and sweater rode up slightly, making Sirius look away.
On the way to lunch, Sirius’ mind was plagued by thoughts on how close they were walking together. Did they always walk this close? When their hands brushed against each other Sirius didn’t even notice how Remus had blushed and moved his hand slightly away because he was too stuck in his head overthinking every interaction he’s ever had with a guy.
“There you two are! Knew you guys wouldn’t miss lunch,” James said from where he was sitting next to Peter, smiling at them before taking a bite of his roast beef sandwich.
“Sorry, I was studying,” Remus told the other two marauders, filling up a large plate and immediately starting on his own sandwich.
“Sorry, I was busy being dumped,” Sirius joked, also filling his plate. James made a choking sound, briefly alarming Sirius.
“Wow,” James said, pausing to swallow and stop his quiet laughs. “What’d you do this time?”
“Apparently I ditch her too often for Moony- and you guys. She says I ditch her for marauder stuff, so she broke up with me,” Sirius said, shrugging. It’s not like this was the first time they broke up over something stupid. They do it almost every month.
“Sorry,” Remus said, looking right at Sirius.
Sirius laughed and averted his eyes from Remus’ amber ones. “What do you have to be sorry about? She was the one being a girl. It’s like I can’t have friends outside of her.”
Remus shook his head. “You couldn’t be with her last night because you were with me.”
Sirius laughed again and threw his arm around Remus. “Hey, she wasn’t wrong. I’d always want to hang out with you guys over her. Who needs girls anyway. We should all just date each other!”
James snorted and shook his head. “I love you man, but you’re like my brother. And anyway, you know I’m saving myself for Evans.”
Sirius rolled his eyes and locked eyes with Peter, who hadn’t said anything since Sirius arrived. ”Wormy? I know you haven’t gotten a bird.”
Peter looked up from his second helping of sandwiches, quickly swallowing his bite. “I-I don’t think that’s such a good idea. I mean, won’t people get the wrong idea?”
“And what idea would that be?” Sirius asked, crossing his arms.
“W-well… y’know. That we’re… qu-queer.”
James looked at Peter and smacked his head. “Stop saying stupid shit Wormtail. Padfoot’s been with enough girls that no one’ll think that. And even if he was, or any one of us, it’s not like it matters.” James looked at Sirius and they both nodded.
“Yeah, though I definitely like girls. But that’s not what this is about, Pete, it’s about justice!” Sirius yelled.
“Sorry, Padfoot,” Peter said, shaking his head. “But I-I’m not going to date you.”
Sirius put his hand to his chest in offense. “Well, I am just hurt.” Sirius turned to Remus, who was currently struggling to keep consciousness while eating as fast as he could so he could go back to sleep. “What about you Moony? Have you left me for the allure of women too?”
Remus snorted softly, “I promise I wouldn’t ever leave you for a girl , Padfoot.”
Sirius grinned and hugged Remus. “Thank you, Moony. I knew you wouldn’t betray me.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Remus muttered, taking another bite of his sandwich.
The next day, Monday, was mostly a normal day for the four boys. They went to class, caused a bit of their simple everyday mischief, and participated in their after-school activities. For James, this meant quidditch practice. Peter either watched quidditch practice or scurried off to his own devices. Remus studied or read, and Sirius almost always had detention. On the days he didn’t he spent time with Mary or Remus.
Today was a detention day, but this time he had company. Moony.
“I can’t believe I let myself get caught,” Remus said as they walked to McGonagall’s office to be told their punishment.
“Y’know, I was surprised too. McGonagall’s face, when she saw you with me, was priceless, though. You seem like such a goody-two-shoes, little do they know that you’re the mastermind behind all of our greatest pranks,” Sirius grinned, looping arms with Remus. He could do that now that they were dating, right? Well, sort of dating. Friend dating. Completely platonic best bro dating. Just dudes being dudes with a hint of pretend romance. The ultimate bromance. Yeah. Anyway, they were “dating”.
“Shh, don’t be so loud about it. Don’t want to blow my cover,” Remus joked.
“Oh yeah. Can’t ruin that hard-earned reputation.”
Remus nodded, turning his head towards Sirius to smirk.
“Ugh, I can’t believe she made us clean the toilets ! And without magic !” Sirius pouted, leaning back against the arm of the common room couch, his arms crossed.
Remus just nodded, lifting his book as Sirius’ feet shifted on their place on his lap.
“Actually, I can believe it. McGonagall loves to make me suffer,” he continued to whine.
“We did flood a couple of classrooms,” Remus replied, turning a page of his book.
Sirius huffed and reached over to take Remus’ book, but his attempt was easily reflected. “Pay attention to me, Moony,” the dramatic teen cried, moving his body until he was laying on Remus’ lap.
“Sorry, Padfoot. Why don’t you go bother your girlfriend?”
Sirius frowned. “We broke up again. I told you yesterday at lunch?”
Remus shrugged. “Then go apologise for whatever it is you did, I’m sure she’ll forgive you.”
Sirius pouted, firmly taking the book out of Remus’ hands. He sat up so he was facing Remus, sitting on his own legs.
“I don’t need to apologize. I didn’t do anything wrong. You don’t even know why she broke up with me,” he crossed his arms.
Remus sighed. “Why did she break up with you?” He asked indulgently.
“She said I spend too much time with the marauders, remember?” Remus looked at Sirius for a moment. Sirius felt cold for a moment, he couldn’t know what she had actually said, right? Wait. Does he even know we’re “dating”?!
“I remember now,” Remus said and Sirius had to stop himself from sighing. He doesn’t even know why he was so scared for a second. Maybe because he wouldn’t say yes if you really asked him out , part of him meanly suggested. He decided to ignore it.
“Good,” he said. “So you’ll pay attention to me now?” Sirius batted his eyes.
Remus sighed again. “Fine,” he conceded.
“Yay!” Without thinking, Sirius leaned over and kissed Remus on the cheek, causing the other boy to aggressively blush.
“What, uh-” Remus cleared his throat, “what do you want to do?”
“Oh, I have a couple of ideas,” Sirius said suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows.
Remus pushed Sirius off the couch.
The rest of the week passed by like most any other, the only difference being Sirius spent all of his free time (and some of his class time) hanging out with Remus. To everyone else they just looked like they were scheming. Planning the next big prank. Really, they were just spending time together.
When Saturday breakfast rolled around, the two were alone at their usual table as the other half of their group were at a quidditch practice, preparing for the game later that day.
Both boys were eating, Sirius talking in between bites of his eggs when Mary made her way to their table.
“Hey, Remus. Sirius,” she smiled at the pair. She stood on the opposite side of the table from where Remus and Sirius were sitting next to each other.
“Mary,” Sirius greeted, looking wearily between her and Remus. Remus hardly looked bothered, just taking another bite of his bacon and eggs.
“I’m sorry,” Mary said. “I shouldn’t have said that about you and Remus.”
Remus looked at her, then to Sirius, cocking his eyebrow.
“It’s whatever,” Sirius said, shrugging. This was the first time that he’d realized how he just proved Mary right by “dating” Remus. It would’ve been more effective if Prongs and Wormtail were in on it too , he thought bitterly.
“Well, I just wanted to say that I’m ready to get back together.”
Sirius considered it for a moment. Mary was lovely. She was beautiful and put up with him for so long. She was everything he should want. But Sirius didn’t want her. His week “dating” Remus has been better than the majority of the year he’d been with Mary and they hadn’t even kissed . He didn’t really want to think about what that might mean.
“Sorry, Macdonald, but I’m taken,” he grinned, throwing his arm around Remus. Mary’s eyes widened and Remus almost started choking on his breakfast.
Coughing for a few seconds, Remus pulled out of Sirius’ arm so he could fully face him. Remus opened his mouth to say something but a sharp laugh from Mary interrupted him.
“Haha, funny. I said I was sorry for what I said. I was just upset,” she apologized.
“Don’t be. I took what you said to heart and now Remus and I are dating. Aren’t we Moony?” Sirius looked to Remus.
“I-- no? What are you talking about?” He asked, staring at Sirius.
Sirius’ smile faltered. What was Remus talking about? They had been flirting all week. Mutually flirting. Unless he’d been reading it all wrong?
“I asked you out, remember? Well, I asked all the marauders but James and Pete said no. You said you remembered,” Sirius said, hurt. So Remus didn’t want to date him. Well, “date” him. Their completely platonic dating.
“You mean the day after the--, Sunday?” Sirius nodded. “I- Sorry, but I don’t remember,” Remus finished, shaking his head. He looked confused and frustrated.
Mary huffed, reminding Sirius of her presence. “C’mon Black, I don’t know why you’re making such a big deal about what I said. I know you’re not gay, I was just jealous.”
Remus moved away from Sirius subtly, but Sirius noticed. He felt desperate to explain himself, though he didn't know why and what he wanted them to believe.
“I’m not really — but I-I like you Moony. So maybe a-a bit , but—” Sirius stuttered out.
“Y’know what, Sirius. I don’t even want you back. Just be happy dating Moony ! Merlin knows you talked about him enough when we were dating to prove it!” Mary stomped away.
Sirius and Remus just sat in silence for a minute.
“I’m sorry,” Sirius said, standing up. He didn’t feel like eating. To his surprise, Remus also stood up. Sirius, not knowing what else to say, walked back to the dorm with Remus in silence. The quidditch game started in a bit over two hours so they had time to talk.
“I’m really sorry,” Sirius apologized again, taking a seat at the head of his bed. Remus sat at the foot of Sirius’ bed, putting as much space between them that he could.
“For what?” He asked, looking at Sirius. Sirius made eye contact with him for a second before looking down at his knees. Sometimes Sirius couldn’t believe how he got into Gryffindor. He was a coward.
“This entire time I’ve been using you, and you didn’t even know!” He said, not brave enough to look at Remus. “I’ve been all over you, for Merlin’s sake! We’ve been hugging and holding hands! Bloody hell, I even kissed your cheek!”
Remus shifted on Sirius’ bed before speaking, “To be fair, you’ve always done those stuff, and I didn’t stop you.”
“But-but, I was only doing all that stuff to spite Mary!” Sirius exclaimed, before realizing how it sounded. “I mean, I liked it. I love spending time with you, Moony.” Sirius looked up to smile at Remus for a moment so Remus could see how much he meant it.
Remus looked at him, his usual frown a little bit deeper. Sirius looked at his lips for a moment too long. He looked away blushing, wishing that none of this had ever happened. If Mary hadn’t made that stupid comment then Sirius wouldn’t be so confused. Confused about how he felt about Remus. Confused at what these feelings meant about him.
“Sorry,” Remus said. Sirius looked back at him, but this time Remus was the one looking away. “I lied the other day. I didn’t remember the conversation from Sunday. It’s my fault that Mary’s even more mad at you. I probably shouldn't even have said yes to… to,” Remus trailed off.
“To dating me?” Sirius finished for me, not knowing a word to describe what he’s feeling.
“Yeah, it just made things worse.” Remus looked genuinely sorry. Sirius felt guilty for making Moony feel this way.
“Nah, it’s nothing. I’m glad I’m done with Mary, it’s not like I really fancied her or anything. It was just some fun.” Sirius smiled and moved closer to Remus. Remus looked up at him, a ghost of a smile on his face.
“And anyway, she’s still mad at me,” Sirius shrugged, letting his feet touch the ground and laying the upper half of his body on his bed. Remus followed suit.
“I have an idea that would make her even more mad,” Remus said. Sirius turned to make eye contact with Remus. He hoped he meant what he thought he did.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking, Messer Moony?” Sirius grinned.
“Why yes, I do believe I am, Messer Padfoot,” Remus smiled back.
Sirius stood up quickly, nearly knocking his head on his bed’s canopy. “Remus “Moony” John Lupin,” Sirius said, dramatically getting down on his knee in front of a now sitting Remus, “Will you be my boyfriend?” He finished with a wink.
Remus was visibly trying to suppress a smile. “Hmm,” he fake pondered for a moment. “Yes, Sirius “Padfoot” Orion Potter-Black, I will be your boyfriend.”
Sirius grinned at the Potter part, proud to be considered part of their family. He grabbed Remus’ hand and placed a loud kiss on the back of it.
“May the courting begin,” he said. Remus started laughing.
“Courting, Padfoot, really?”
“Why of course! Only the best for my Moony.”
“WE SLAUGHTERED SLYTHERIN TODAY! GRYFFINDOR RULES!” James yelled, drunk off his arse, to the Gryffindor common room. Most people were tipsy, but James had gone all out the moment he and the rest of the team had arrived. “And did you see Snivellus’ face when we caught the snitch? Legendary !”
Sirius laughed and put his arm around James to make sure he didn’t fall off the table he was standing on. Currently, Sirius was sober, but as soon as he felt safe enough to stop babysitting James (or as soon as he found someone else to look after him) he was going to get plastered .
“Oi, Evans, come get your future boyfriend from getting himself killed!” Sirius yelled to Lily who was watching them struggle. She rolled her eyes and got up.
“Potter, get down from there,” she demanded in her Prefect voice. James looked down at her and smiled, but didn’t come down.
“Evans! How lovely of you to join us. Did you see how I did today? Got most of the points, right?” James boasted, grinning down at Lily.
“Yes, I saw. Now can you please get off the table?” Lily crossed her arms. This time, James obliged.
“Your wish is my command, Evans. May I say that you look as beautiful as always,” he said, shooting her a lopsided smile.
As he was leaving, Sirius noticed her blushing face. Maybe James was right, after all these years.
“Moony, my beloved boyfriend,” Sirius yelled, reaching up and wrapping his arm around Remus’ shoulders. Sirius took whatever Remus was slowly sipping on and downed it.
“Oh, boo. This isn’t even the good stuff,” Sirius complained. Remus smiled softly at him.
“Sorry Pad’s, I’m not planning on getting plastered,” Remus rolled his eyes. “Though I seem like I’m quite alone in this endeavor.”
Sirius looked around the common room while simultaneously moving his arm from Remus’ shoulder to holding his hand and bringing him over to the drinks table. Remus was right, like usual, as nearly everyone was drinking in some capacity.
“No need to worry, Moony, I’ll make sure to drink enough for the both of us!” Sirius beamed, filling a cup with firewhisky and downing half of it in one go. He flinched slightly at the burn from the drink but took another sip.
Getting drunk was Sirius’ favorite part of quidditch wins. He could just drink and have fun.
“Hey, Sirius,” a feminine voice he couldn’t place called. “Hey, Remus. Lovely seeing you here.”
Remus tugged on Sirius’ hand and motioned to the side of them. Mary Macdonald.
“Hey, Mary, did you see James today? He crushed it,” Sirius boasted.
“So did my girlfriend,” Mary bragged right back. It took Sirius a bit longer than it should to realize what she said, though in his defense the alcohol was just kicking in.
“Girlfriend?” he asked, realizing they were all standing in silence for a moment.
“Yeah, Marlene,” Mary looked over Sirius’ shoulder. “Oh, there she is now. Hey, Marls!”
Marlene appeared from behind Sirius. She walked over to Mary, who placed a big kiss on her cheek and wrapped her arms around Marlene.
“We were just talking about the game, especially how amazing you did,” Mary cooed.
“The whole team did good,” Marlene blushed.
“You hit all those bludgers, protecting the team. And you looked great doing it,” Mary continued.
“I especially liked that one you sent after my dear old brother. The one that caused him to nearly fall off his broom, and we didn’t even get flagged!” Sirius grinned, leaning against Moony.
Mary frowned, clearly frustrated, though Sirius couldn’t tell what for.
“Are you planning on playing quidditch professionally?” Remus asked politely.
Marlene shrugged, “I haven’t thought too much about it. I still have all of next year to consider it too. What do you want to do?”
Remus and Marlene made friendly conversation while Sirius made disgusting mixtures of different alcoholic beverages. Mary let go of Marlene and stood next to Sirius, slowly filling up a cup of firewhisky.
“So,” she started, “I know you and Remus are only dating to get back at me.”
Sirius shrugged, “It was at first, but now we’re together. We sorted it out right before the game.” He should probably feel bad for lying but… “Also it’s painfully obvious that that’s what you’re trying to do with Marlene. I mean, really? You realize that I’m into blokes and decide to get back at me by pretending you’re also bent? Not your best move, Macdonald.”
Mary put down her cup and turned to him, her hands on her hips.
“ You’re the one who started it, and I know that you like girls. We were together for far too long for you to be queer.”
“Maybe I like blokes and girls, babe. Did you ever consider that?” he suggested, ignoring the fact that he himself had only just considered that.
“Is that an actual thing?” Mary pondered out loud.
“Is what an actual thing?” Sirius heard Remus ask, jumping at the proximity that it came from. Turning to look behind him, Sirius was met with Moony’s jumper. He looked up slightly at Remus’ face.
“Liking both girls and boys,” Mary says. “Like being half bent.”
Sirius giggles, “half bent.”
“I suppose,” Remus answered, shrugging slightly.
Later Sirius would say that he wasn’t that drunk and had actually thought about what he was going to do before he did it, but that would be a lie. With no warning, he cupped Remus’ face and kissed him dead on the mouth.
Someone from behind him let out a small cheer (he later learned it was Marlene who had just won a bet with Dorcas. “ Like Remus would make the first move. I bet Sirius ‘ll do it drunk.” ).
Remus started to pull back but Sirius was already chasing his lips with his own.
“Uh, if you’ll excuse us,” Remus said to Mary who was staring at them, her mouth agape, and pulled Sirius, by his hand, up to their dorm.
“Moony,” Sirius said, a little turned on at the control Remus was exerting _ver him. Remus ignored him and just continued up the staircase.
Once they arrived to the safety of their room where the noise from below was hardly audible, Remus let go of Sirius’ hand. Putting both of his hands in his hair, Remus began to pace from bed to bed.
“I thought this—,” he began, only to cut himself off. “Why would you-What could you possibly -.”
“Should I not have kissed you?” Sirius asked, his brain working slowly.
“ Why did you kiss me?” Remus asks in lieu of an answer.
“Because… because you’re Moony,” Sirius’ brain isn’t working fast enough to come up with any good answers.
Remus paused his back facing Sirius, then whipped around to face him. “Right, of course. Look, Pad’s, it’s fine if you want to explore your-your sexuality, but you can’t just- I mean you can’t just do that,” he said, tugging on his hair and looking Sirius in the eye.
Oh. Oh. Remus didn’t want Sirius to kiss him, the drunk teen finally realized. “Oh. I’m sorry, Moony,” he said, looking at his hands. Of course Moony didn’t want to be with him. Sirius was… well, he was Sirius. Sirius Black, the ex-heir of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black fortune. Sorted into Gryffindor, kicked out, disowned. Why would someone as great and perfect as Moony want Sirius Black?
Remus sighed and Sirius flicked his eyes up, only to immediately look back down. “It… it’s fine. You’re drunk and, and you probably won’t even remember this is the morning.” He would. Sirius always remembers in the morning. “I know you didn’t mean anything by it. We can just forget it.”
Sirius hesitates long enough that Remus starts to grab his pajamas. “I,” he started, not knowing how to articulate the thoughts swimming in his head. Remus, as patient as always, stopped and looked at him. “I do like both. Like Mary said. A little bent, a little straight.”
Remus sighed, “That’s great Pads. Glad I could help.”
“Wait, let me be more specific.” Sirius tried to will himself to sober up. It worked. Kinda. “I’ve fancied girls, and probably some blokes too, but I only like one person.”
Remus looked at him, a deep frown of confusion forming on his lips. Sirius knew that he was confused because his hands were completely still at his sides, not fidgeting like they usually do.
“It’s a bloke. A really smart bloke. He’s probably not bent. I mean, I guess he’s never had a girlfriend, but I doubt I’d be that lucky. He’s probably my favorite person. Maybe even higher than Prongs.”
Remus dropped his head, and Sirius knew he was upset by the bouncing of his hands, lightly hitting his legs. He didn’t know what to do, was the idea of Sirius fancying him so horrible to Remus?
“I’m sorry,” he said again. “I know you— I know I’m not someone you would even,” want , “...y’know.”
Remus’ hands froze, but Sirius didn’t notice, instead looking at his own trembling hands.
“What are you talking about, Sirius?”
“I just mean that, you know, you’re you and I’m me . I’m Sirius Black, disgraced heir to the Black name and fortune. I can’t even do anything. I doubt I’d be able to get a job after Hogwarts. I mean, obviously, I’m going to fight You Know Who or die trying, but besides that, I don’t have a plan . And sure you say you don’t know what you’re going to do and that you won’t be able to get a job, but you’re Moony, I’m sure you’re going to figure something out. You’re too amazing for them to deny werewolf or not and,”
Remus’ hands were on his face. Sirius took a deep breath, trying to calm his breathing, something he didn’t even notice had gotten worked up.
“You have to tell me exactly what you mean,” Remus said, his face dangerously close to Sirius.
“I like you Moony. I fancy you. I’m mmph!” Remus cut him off with an Earth-shattering kiss, even better than the first since he was the one to initiate it.
“Are you sure?” Remus asked, his head against Sirius’ and his eyes closed.
“Yes,” Sirius breathed, kissing Remus again.