Work Text:
“Oi, Moony, heads up!”
Remus looked up just in time to see a large pack of something soaring through the air, growing bigger as it approached his head.
He quickly leaned back on his seat, reaching out and catching the pack before it hit his face and fell over, his chair hitting the ground with a large clatter.
Groaning, he peaked at the package, rubbing his head, only vaguely aware of the laughter about him.
His eyes widened and he gasped. “Merlin's beard, Sirius! You remembered??!”
A chuckle.
Footsteps drew closer and two pairs of arms pulled Remus back to his feet. Peter stood before them, smirking as James and Sirius dusted Remus, who was too busy ripping open the package, promptly sitting down on the old couch nearby. It was a package of tiny artisanal chocolates from a small store in France that Sirius had bought once that Remus had loved.
He never expected Sirius to remember.
“They wouldn't let me try one,” Peter quipped, reaching out for the open packet, but Sirius slapped his hand away.
“Peter, no. That's for Moony.”
“How come I didn't get anything? James got a copy of Laws of Attracting Redheads. Remus got the chocolates. But I got nothing.”
“Never said I got you nothing,” Sirius smirked, pulling out a small brown wrapped package from his pocket and tossed it to Peter, who promptly dropped it then picked it up with a squeak of delight.
James wrinkled his nose. “Whatever’s that?”
“Cheese.”
Remus choked on his chocolate. James snorted, his eyes snapping to the entrance of the common room to where a few giggling girls had entered, a familiar redhead among them. But Peter barely noticed, nibbling on the block of cheese and humming with pleasure.
“Mm. It's perfect, Sirius. Thank you. It's nice and nutty.”
James groaned. “Peter, get at least ten feet away from me, that stinks.”
“Oh, come off it.”
“Don't make me hex your pants off. Mary's watching,” James winked at the girl by Lily Evans’ side, who waved at him. Peter squeaked and hurried up the stairs to their shared dormitory. Everyone and their mother knew that Peter harboured a not so secret crush on the long legged beauty.
Sighing heavily, James collapsed on the couch beside Remus, who was merrily making his way through his chocolates, “Fucking hell, Sirius. I swear if the dorm smells like cheese for a week. I'm ending you.”
“You can try,” Sirius smirked and stretched. His shirt moved up, revealing a sliver of his hips, the dip of his toned body into his pants that sat low on his waist. Remus swallowed hard, his eyes setting on the little treat as he licked the chocolate off his lip. “But I've got my Moony by my side. Ain't that right, Moon moon?” He teased.
“Huh?” Remus’s eyes snapped up to the knowing little grin across Sirius's face.
Sirius leaned over, his palms flat against his thighs and met Remus’s gaze. A lock of black hair fell over his glittering grey eyes. Remus was always so much fun to play around with.
“You wouldn't let James hurt me, would you?” His voice dropped slightly, but his smirk widened as Remus backed away into the couch like a cornered animal. He could feel the heat rise on his face at Sirius's words and he glanced sideways at James, hoping he didn't notice.
Thankfully, James was nose deep in his new book to even hear a thing.
Remus cleared his throat, opened his mouth and closed it again, unable to meet Sirius in the eyes.
“I'm sure James wouldn't hurt you...” He mumbled, his voice fading while he dug through his chocolates again to avoid looking Sirius in the eyes.
Sirius chuckled, straightening to his full height. Between Remus pretending to rifle through the package as if he was expecting gold to magically appear to James so focused on his book with his lower lip disappearing behind his teeth, Sirius wondered how long it would take either of them to realise that three quarters of the Marauders were gay. It was incredibly obvious that Remus couldn't keep his eyes off him, no matter how much he tried. That could be fun, Sirius thought with wicked wonder.
Lily was watching James as he read the book, quietly amused, the title of his book glaring at her openly. She knew of his secret first, because the only reason James openly and incessantly pursued Lily in public knowing she would never go out with him was because James was in love with someone he could never be with openly.
Sirius didn't believe it at first.
He had confronted Lily in private last term, begged her on his knees to give James a chance. They were in their last year at Hogwarts, he'd said. Everything would end with their eighth year.
Lily had let him play out his little dramatic piece with the patience of a saint and at the end of the fifteen minutes, she burst into a peal of giggles. He didn't believe a word she said after she could speak again, of course. How could James have not told him?
Lily reminded him that he'd kept secrets from his best friend too, leaving him speechless. The redhead knew more than he was comfortable knowing. But Sirius played along now, with full knowledge that James had already asked Lily permission to be embarrassingly and publicly obsessed with her, a cover for both her relationship with Mary MacDonald and James's with… Him.
The skeptic he was didn't want to believe that James could hide it from him. Sure, Sirius hid his secret, but James couldn't, right? James wore his heart on his sleeve, didn't he?
Dammit James. Hiding things from him. He wondered who James's Slytherin bedbug was. Why would James hide it?
They'd been packing to go back to Hogwarts after the Christmas break when Regulus stalked into Sirius's room with a thundercloud over his head and flung a Gryffindor jersey at his older brother's head.
“Your fucking jumper was with my fucking stuff, dipshit.”
Sirius grabbed it and frowned, turning it around. He was sure it wasn't one of his, he had charmed a little paw print on the inseam of his every sweater, before it dawned on him. He snorted.
“Reggie, this isn't mine.”
Regulus froze on his way out. Slowly, carefully, he turned around to face his smirking brother with an impassive face.
“Maybe one of your disgusting Gryffindor friends then,” He spat out with a little less malice than usual. A careful dosage of malice, one might suppose. But that didn't fool Sirius. Lily had told him enough that James was dating a Slytherin boy, and it didn't take much for Sirius to join the dots.
Sirius laughed quietly.
He slid off the bed with easy grace and sauntered over to his brother, hands in his pockets before leaning against the doorframe to whisper to a now slightly fidgety Regulus.
“Really? Disgusting? Maybe that's what mum might think when she hears that you've been shagging my best friend.” Regulus shrank.
“How did you know?” He stuttered, his face turning white.
Sirius's grin grew wider at his brother's obvious discomfort. “I didn't.”
“Remus,” Sirius grabbed his arm and tugged him up off the couch. “Come with. I need to ask you something. About the next moon.” He emphasised in James's direction, but there was really no need. James was lost in the pages of the book.
The lanky werewolf stumbled to his feet, holding the chocolate bag to his chest as if it could protect him from Sirius Black and his charms. He let Sirius drag him along because he didn't quite have a choice, dreading whatever it is he was going to say.
“James and Regulus have been together for a year,” Sirius said offhandedly, halfway through the courtyard as they made their way to the Black Lake.
Remus promptly dropped his bag of chocolates. Sirius continued to walk, hands tucked behind his head, cheerfully whistling. Remus blinked, his breath whooshed out of his lungs.
James was… gay? And that was okay? He felt lightheaded at the thought.
“Padfoot,” He stared after the dark haired devil who continued to walk away like he hadn't dropped the most earth shattering news ever. “Padfoot!” He called out, running after him.
Sirius chuckled to himself and glanced over his shoulder.
“Yeah, Moony?”
“You're joking,” Remus said breathlessly. “Tell me you're joking.”
“Anything for my Moony.”
“Sirius!” Remus grew impatient, but the tips of his ears turned pink. “I'm serious.”
Sirius laughed. “No, you're not. You're Remus John Lupin.” He poked Remus’s chest. Remus flinched and groaned, slapping the palm of his hand onto his face and sliding it down in exasperation.
“Sirius, I swear,” He said slowly, “You make it easy to want to kill you.”
“And love too, apparently, “ Sirius said idly, sitting down by the large oak by the Black Lake.
Remus frowned, hands on his hips, staring down at Sirius. “What are you on about?”
“Marlene McKinnon,” His sly little smile didn't go unnoticed by his glowering friend. “She asked me to the ball. Said she's been in love with me since sixth year. Can you imagine that? Someone being in love with me for two years and never saying anything about it before?”
Heat pricked Remus’s eyes and he blinked rapidly. Curse the sun for being in his eyes.
“Can't imagine that,” Remus mumbled sinking to the grassy patch beside Sirius, looking deflated.
A beat later.
“I said no.”
“What?”
“Marlene. I said no.”
Remus’s throat constricted, he kept his gaze affixed on a dandelion close by, it's head lolling in the gentle breeze.
“Oh.”
“Aren't you going to ask me why?”
“Didn't think I have a choice.”
Sirius moved as lithe as a cat, pushing Remus over and straddling him in one swift motion. Before Remus could even process it, he found his hands pinned up over his head on the grass with the fierce grip of one of Sirius's hands and his cheeks held tight by the other as the long, dark haired mischief maker dipped his head closer.
“Because I want you.” The warmth of his breath on Remus’s face skittled away sent the dumbstruck boy's mind reeling.
“Me?” Remus asked dumbfounded. Sirius was close. Too close. He couldn't think anymore.
“Yeah, asshole. You.” And Sirius kissed him. Slowly, hesitantly, at first, but then Remus relaxed and pushed back, grabbing the waist he'd long to hold for years as he crushed his lips against Sirius's, hot and demanding in his assault.
Remus found himself unable to stop. Even when Sirius broke free for a breather and smiled that terribly mischievous smile and opened his mouth to say something, Remus yanked him back into another kiss.
“No,” He mumbled against Sirius's lips, through the kisses. “You shut up and keep kissing me.”
A perfect day it was.
They kissed each other for the better part of the afternoon. Snuggled up beside Sirius, Remus breathed him in, unable to believe that this was real. It didn't feel real. He'd never allowed himself to even dream of this. And yet, here they were, snuggled up together under the oak tree.
“Padfoot, you said that James and Regulus have been together for a year. But we saw him kiss Lily at New Year's.”
“Ah,” Sirius chuckled, stroking Remus’s brown locks. “That's the fun bit. Regulus has been sneaking around with Polyjuice potions. Amusing how fast he started spilling all his dirty little secrets when I pressed just a bit.”
Remus sat up and stared. “You're joking.”
“Wish I was,” Sirius snorted. “Now come here, I want to snog you again.”
“Seriously?”
“Dead Serious.”
The Ball turned out to be the best Remus had attended during Hogwarts. Freshly disowned due to the public nature of his romance with Remus, Sirius lounged on a couch at the ball, his head on Remus’s lap and their fingers intertwined. He was pleased, his plan of getting his family to disown him worked perfectly. For now, he would bask in the glory of Remus’s affection.
They watched James dance with Lily, with the full knowledge that it was actually Regulus. They'd never seen James look happier in his life. But they burst out laughing when a figure of Regulus tipped Sirius a wink, swaying Mary MacDonald on the dance floor.
Life was blissful. Perfect. But it didn't stay that way. Nothing good ever seems to last, that is the curse of being alive.
Sirius, ever true to his fickle nature, moved on from girlfriend to girlfriend almost soon after the ball. He always called Remus "His Moony", always told him that he loved him, even while he had a girl on his lap, his hands up her shirt.
Remus was almost jealous of James and Regulus. They'd found peace in each other. Sirius, it seemed, kept Remus around like a a dog on a leash. Whenever Sirius was bored, he'd slip into Remus’s bed.
"My Moony," He would say.
And Remus would give in. He'd resigned himself to the role, whatever it was, as long as it meant he could have what little of Sirius he was allowed. It hurt him every morning after. There were days where Remus thought he wouldn't survive the ache in his heart.
Five years later, Remus cowered under a large bush in the dark forest, on his hands and knees. Mud splattered against his threadbare clothes.
“Come out, come out, Mr Wolf,” Sang the squeakingly familiar voice. “Let's play. We've always played together, haven't we?”
Remus squeezed his eyes tight, shivering. He forced himself to not think. Not remember them. He had to survive.
But they rose up in his mind regardless.
Mary who had been murdered by the cold hands of Walburga Black for tainting her proper heir with her mud blood love.
Lily, fuel with rage, transformed herself permanently into Regulus, vowing to bring down Voldemort from within. She died trying.
Regulus, frozen in Lily's body as a result of Magic unbalanced in the world with his own form now an inferi, hid with James in Godric’s Hallow at the height of the war.
“Come out, Moony. Come out and play.”
He inhale a shuddering breath through his mouth, tasting his tears that he didn't know he was shedding, trying to keep his lanky form low as he crawled.
Sirius had come home that night, screaming. Regulus and James were dead. Murdered.
“It's your old friend, Peter! Where are you hiding?” laughed the cruel voice drawing closer.
Sirius crying. Sirius sobbing. Wormtail. Wormtail had killed them both. Impure of blood, he'd marked on their walls. A shame to pureblood pride.
It was a full moon that night. Remus begged him to stay home.
“Don't go after him, Pads.”
“He killed them both. He was our friend!”
“Sirius, please. I can't lose you.”
But when he transformed back to his human self, he heard the news. Sirius Black was murdered by Voldemort's most faithful servant.
Peter “Wormtail” Pettigrew.
He'd sobbed all night and then, like the coward he was, he ran. He'd hidden away for a year, but now here he was. No friends, no family, no Sirius - who was somehow both and more.
He should have avenged him. Instead he was scrambling to the cover of a large oak tree.
“Forgive me, Sirius,” He whispered, sobbing uncontrollably into his muddy palms. “I'm so sorry.”
He felt it then. The warmth. The musk of the all too familiar scent of leather and cigarettes, the smell he'd long associated with Sirius Black. The man he loved, the man he gave everything to. The man who never really loved him back.
He didn't see Peter, turn the corner, with a manically gleam. Didn't see the flash of green come his way.
Instead, he heard Sirius's voice call out, full of mirth,
“Oi, Moony, heads up!"