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"Lupin, you're patrolling with..." Moody flicks quickly through his notes, "Black."
"Oh, er... Alright," he says with a shrug, trying to pass himself off as calm.
Internally? Every single alarm is going off in his head.
Remus never exactly... spoke to Sirius Black, or his friends. Ravenclaws and Gryffindors aren't really destined to interact, and Remus would have chosen death over joining the Quidditch team. That didn't stop him from being one of far too many people in the school that had a major minor crush on Sirius.
Sure, he knew that Sirius had grown up rich and pampered. He always held himself in this way that made him seem ten times more important than everyone else. That wasn't exactly helped by the fact that he was a Gryffindor. Lily, Mary and Marlene were the only Gryffindors Remus has ever really tolerated. The rest are all pretentious as fuck. Everyone knows that.
Still, for some reason, his brain would short circuit whenever he was so much in the same room as Sirius. He still lays awake at night, humiliated about the time he accidentally caught Sirius' eyes and tripped over the bench in the Great Hall.
Joining the Order wasn't even a question for him. Anything to help them win the war. He hadn't exactly expected Sirius to do the same, but it just makes him feel like he's back in school. Frustratingly enough for him, Sirius has only gotten more attractive in the year since they've left school. It hasn't really mattered until now, though. He's been pretty successful in avoiding him. It's probably helped by the fact that he isn't even on Sirius' radar, but this? He's going to set the strangest first impression on the planet.
There's nothing he can do about it, though.
That's how Remus finds himself waiting outside the Order house, fidgeting with an unlit cigarette.
"Hey, Remus!"
There he is.
Remus looks up, shoving the cigarette back into the carton. Sirius has stopped in front of him, running a hand through his hair and grinning at Remus.
Leather jackets look weird on literally everyone other than him.
Remus has to jostle his brain into functioning. He blinks once, before finally mustering a polite smile.
"Hi. Should we get going?"
"Yeah. Yeah, let's go."
They walk in silence for a while, moving from spot to spot and taking the odd note.
Until Sirius decides he's done with all of that.
"Y'know, I was hoping you'd join the Order."
"Sorry?" Remus practically stops in his tracks, turning to Sirius with wide eyes. Shock ripples through him.
Hoping?
"I mean, I had a feeling you would. I'm just... glad you did, I guess."
"I didn't even know you knew I existed," Remus confesses quickly.
Sirius actually does stop moving, grabbing Remus' forearm and stopping him too.
"You're kidding, right?"
"No, really. You existed on this... separate plane. I mean, you were you. Everyone knew about you. Why would I be on your radar?"
"Remus," Sirius says slowly, eyes boring into Remus'. It sends a shiver down Remus' spine. "All I did was think about you."
"What?" Remus sputters, a strange mixture of confusion and shock overwhelming him.
"Oh, I had such a crush on you." He shrugs like it's nothing; like what he just said hasn't turned Remus' entire world on its axis. "I thought that was obvious, I mean... you're bloody brilliant. Ravenclaw prefect, running a study group-"
"I can't believe you've even given me a second thought," Remus says, a little breathless.
"Merlin, I did. I remember telling James that I'd fight a Basilisk for you." Sirius chuckles to himself, but Remus is losing control over his own responses scarily quickly. "I know you couldn't stand me, but-"
"Who said that?"
"Nobody had to." Sirius watches Remus, a little puzzled. "You're not the biggest fan of Gryffindors, right?"
Well, he's not wrong.
"Besides, you couldn't stay in the same room as me. You literally fell over yourself trying to get away from me before."
"Oh, God," Remus mutters under his breath, his face heating up uncomfortably. His one comfort has been that Sirius didn't notice him embarrassing himself every time he walked into the room.
"Sorry," Sirius says suddenly, releasing Remus' hand. "I didn't mean to- Christ, I've made things even more awkward, haven't I?"
Huh.
He's not as confident as Remus thought.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean- let's just forget I said that. Finish patrolling."
No.
Remus doesn't want to forget. He needs to do something, before Sirius never speaks to him again.
Hurriedly, he grabs Sirius' hand, pulling him into an alley nearby.
Well, he's committed to it now. No turning back.
"Remus, what-"
He pulls Sirius in by his jacket and connects their lips before he has a chance to second guess himself.
Thankfully, Sirius wastes no time in falling into the kiss. His lips are soft against Remus', parting just enough for their tongues to meet.
The kiss is everything he could have imagined and more. Sirius is somehow both tentative and eager and he tastes like cinnamon and fuck, Remus may as well have died and gone to heaven. His hand involuntarily slides into Sirius' hair, and he's rewarded with a muffled gasp.
Okay, maybe Gryffindors aren't all that bad.