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“Pick a number.”
“Seven.”
Mary checked the card at the top of the pile but didn’t let anyone see it. “Higher.”
Lily thought for a moment. “Ten.”
“Eight.” Mary flipped the card so they could all see. Lily mumbled a swear before taking two sips of her drink. Even though they were outside, the music from the house was so loud they had to speak up to hear each other. But it was still early, so it was fine. Mary put the deck of cards to the side and leaned over the table. “Time for a new game: gossip. Who has any?”
Remus rolled his eyes fondly. Mary was a loud person, and he loved that about her. She always fought for what and who she believed in and would let anyone know if they were a jerk and needed to shut up. Over time, everyone at school learned to not mess with her or her friends.
“Well,” Lily leaned over the table as well. It was shaking from the bass in the song currently playing. Lily had been his best friend since childhood. They had been living just across the street from each other, and even when Remus moved to another part of town, they remained friends. “I saw Marlene and Dorcas talking together for fifteen minutes by her locker earlier.”
They all looked towards Marlene who was turning bright red. “We have that project together,” she mumbled. Marlene was captain of the football team, had won many trophies and was a cool person. Except when she was with Dorcas. It was as if Dorcas flicked a switch in her brain that turned her into a babbling mess.
All his friends were amazing, and he loved them.
“Sure,” Mary wiggled her eyebrows at Marlene, then turned her attention back to the whole group. “In similar news, I saw Sirius ogling at Remus during the entirety of English class.”
Well, they were amazing most of the time.
Remus rolled his eyes, this time not fondly. “Not this again.”
Mary held up her hands and her voice was sugary sweet as she spoke. “I didn’t say anything.”
“You implied.”
“I don’t understand your aversion to it,” Marlene tabbed his hand. “Sirius is the most handsome boy in school. Even I can see that.”
It was hard to argue with lesbians sometimes, and Remus wouldn’t dream of trying. Sirius Black had a jaw so defined it could cut, and black, shoulder-length hair which he bet was super soft and probably smelled deliciously of some kind of flower.
Remus shrugged. “I just don’t know him that well, so I don’t get why everyone is so obsessed with him.”
“He’s cool. Bad boy type of cool. Dresses like a model,” Lily said.
“Amen.” Mary agreed.
They giggled.
“Everyone always says that, but I don’t see it.”
“You always say that,” Marlene pointed out. “But I don’t understand what you mean.”
“Uhm,” Remus glanced around while searching his brain for an example, and the perfect one stood in the doorway, talking to a group of guys from the football team. They had eye contact for a moment, and Remus saw his opportunity. “Like this.” Remus gestured towards Sirius, then lifted his hand to wave.
The drink Sirius had been holding fell to the floor in his eagerness to wave back. His face turned bright red, but all the people around him were too drunk to notice. Except James Potter. He glared at Sirius before fishing cleaning supplies out of a closet to clean the mess before the floor was stained. Sirius sent a quick glance Remus’ way, but quickly averted his eyes when he saw him looking.
When Remus looked back at his friends, their jaws were on the floor.
“Oh. My. God.” Mary had a sudden glint in her eyes. “He totally likes you.”
Remus frowned. “I thought you had already decided that.”
“We knew he thought you look good,” Lily corrected. “But this. He’s a total mess. Like Marlene with Dorcas.”
Marlene spluttered. “I am not…” With a pointed look from Lily, she shut her mouth. Her cheeks were pink.
“He’s not into me,” Remus declared. “He has dated half the girls in our year.”
“Oh, you got us there. That’s hard to argue with.” Lily leaned over the table and rested her head on her hand, staring at him intently. “Remind me of your sexuality again.”
“Right.” Remus had known he was bisexual almost as long as he had known he was a boy. “That still doesn’t mean he is into me.”
“But it doesn’t mean he’s not into you,” Mary pointed out. She smiled deviously.
Remus narrowed his eyes at her. He did not trust the look she was sharing with the others. They were all really sweet, but borderline obsessed with his love life. Okay, yes, he had never kissed anyone or met anyone he felt that kind of connection with. It kinda came with his demisexuality. And even though he wanted to experience those things, it didn’t mean he wanted to force it.
“Whatever you’re thinking. Don’t.”
“But—”
“No.” Remus shook his head. “I don’t want you to set me up.”
“Would it be okay if we set you up platonically, then?” Marlene put her hands on the table and pulled herself forward a bit. “Group hangout so you can get to know him, see if there are sparks before you reject the possibility immediately.”
“We could ask if they want to play never have I ever,” Lily suggested.
“He really is a good guy,” Mary added helpfully. They had dated for two months about a year ago; Sirius’ longest-known relationship. Remus did recall that Sirius left notes in her locker, gifted her chocolates and flowers occasionally and texted her every morning and every night. In the end, they hadn’t worked out. Mary hadn’t said much about their breakup, but it seemed to be on good terms. “I think you’d like him if you got to know him. Whether that be romantically or platonically.”
Remus bit his lips to hold back a smile. “Alright. You can set me up platonically.”
The girls cheered loudly, and a few bystanders joined in.
Lily got up to invite James over. He always did what she asked, and if he came then Sirius would come. Meanwhile, Mary got up to get more stuff to drink. When they had left, Marlene moved over to sit next to him, then leaned her head on his shoulder.
“I want to make sure he won’t sit next to you,” she informed him.
Remus put his arm around her. “Thank you.”
“You know, if he is such a mess around you, it probably means he likes you.”
“Is this your way of saying you like Dorcas?” He brushed some of her hair behind her ear.
Marlene sniffled. “She’s so pretty.”
“Alright.” Remus helped her sit up and put the chips bowl in front of her. “Eat some of this. And you’re drinking water for the game.”
“I’m so glad I’m not the only ‘mum-friend’,” James took the spot across from Remus and Lily sat next to Marlene. Meanwhile, Sirius was frozen behind James. Eyes wide, unblinking. James turned around, took Sirius’ hand and gently pulled. “Pads, you have to sit down.”
“Pads?” Remus couldn’t help himself.
Sirius made a sound in the back of his throat and did not sit down.
James grinned. “Short for Padfoot. It’s our brother nickname thing. Right, Pads?” Although Sirius had not yet found the ability to talk, so he simply nodded while avoiding eye contact. “You’ll have to excuse him. It’s hard for him to be around beautiful men as he’s almost too gay to function.”
That earned James a punch on the arm, however, he did not seem to mind. Marlene snorted then burst out giggling just as Mary returned.
“Oi, don’t have too much fun without me,” she put a carafe filled with some weird green stuff on the table with a light clonk, and another one with a clear liquid.
“That’s water?” James checked.
“Yep.” Mary sat across from Lily. “We have a rule that every other cup you drink has to be water. Courtesy of Lily.”
Once James and Marlene both had a full cup of water in front of them and everyone else had the green stuff, Sirius was still standing behind James. He seemed to be shrinking behind him, and if given enough time, Remus was sure he would disappear.
“Sirius, babe, sit down. They aren’t going to bite you.”
Not unless you’re into that. Remus thought to himself but decided it was probably best not to scare Sirius away so soon.
He finally did sit down between James and Mary. His face was getting redder by the minute. Sirius put his hands on the table, then under, then on the table again. Then held his cup.
“So,” James cleared his throat. “Never have I ever donated my whole paycheck to charity.”
Sirius mumbled something Remus couldn’t hear, then took a sip of his drink. It was obvious James was doing his best to wing-man Sirius. It was sweet, although he hoped his friends wouldn’t do the same for him. He didn’t feel the need to be put on display like that.
Everyone, even Sirius, looked to Remus since it was his turn. He smacked his lips while thinking. “Never have I ever… smoked a cigarette.”
Sirius, Mary and Lily took a sip. Remus raised his eyebrow at Lily, who shrugged. “It was one time at a party. Never again though.”
“Which party?”
“Ah,” Lily tapped her fingers on the table. “Back in freshman year. When you were boring.”
Remus stuck his tongue out at her. Their friend group hadn’t fully been formed back then, so Lily was his only real friend, and her other friends were… quite unpleasant. Luckily, she realized that and hung out with much cooler people now.
“Never have I ever,” Marlene said suddenly. “Uhm. Kissed a boy.”
Lily, Mary, James, and Sirius all drank. Sirius cast a not-so-subtle glance at Remus to see if he would too.
“Oh! Remus hasn’t had a drink yet,” Lily said, with a devious look in her eyes. Remus narrowed his eyes at her. “Never have I ever accidentally mooned the person I was crushing on.”
“You always do that one,” Remus said before taking a sip. The others giggled although that stopped abruptly when Sirius spoke.
“You’re Moony.”
Remus blinked. “I’m what?”
If possible, Sirius’ head burned brighter. “Uhm. Mine and Prongs’ nicknames come from an embarrassing experience with someone we liked, so I just thought, uh. If you want a nickname.”
“Sure.” It was a friend thing, after all. “I’ve actually always liked the moon, so it fits.”
Sirius was smiling from ear to ear, and he kept opening and closing his mouth as if wanting to say something but not being able to. Only the music from the house made sure there was no awkward silence. He coughed and pulled at the collar of his shirt. “Is it hot out here?”
“You’re hot out here,” Mary giggled into her cup.
With a lot more swagger than he had mustered the entire night, Sirius flipped his head, making his hair flow in the wind, and winked at Mary. “Still not over me, Sugarplum?” He asked in a low, breathy voice.
“Oh, how could I ever, Sweetie pie.” Mary gasped dramatically with a hand to her forehead. They burst out laughing.
Remus rested his head on his hand to hide the smile. As long as Sirius got over his gay panic, he wouldn’t mind getting to know him better.