Chapter Text
Gryffindor tower was abuzz with the spirit of the final night at school. Mary had put on the same ABBA album that she’s been obsessing over since third year. The girls (Except Lily, who was a bit to the side of the group, on James’ lap) were lying in a heap on the floor of the boys room, singing along, missing words here and there. It had surprised Remus, even drunk he would’ve assumed Mary burnt the lyrics in their minds by now.
“Hey, Moony!” Sirius called, he was hanging on his bed posts , Remus had to fight with his eyes to not openly stare at the way his shirt lifted. He took another big swig of his drink.
“What?”
“Why didn’t you invite that year five who’s been tailing you? “
Remus made a face, but that didn’t deter anything. Mary chimed in next, coming to lay across his lap on the floor, her feet in the air behind her.
“Yeah, Remus, she’s so obviously into you.”
“‘Bout time the casanova of Gryffindor tower lived up to the title,” James said, his hair even more messed up from the bout of snogging he and Lily had just come up from.
Remus rolled his eyes, because what else was he supposed to do? Spill his guts?! I don’t like her, in fact, I don’t like girls at all! Sirius, come snog me. Bloody likely.
“No matter how much teasing you lot do, I’m not going to become interested in dating her overnight.”
“Doesn’t have to be a date, might just be good to get out of the house, you reckon, Moony?” Sirius said, swinging down from the bedpost and coming to sit beside Remus. Too close. Remus scooted a little away, but Sirius followed him. “You’re not scared, are you?”
Remus could feel his face heating him, Padfoot’s nose was almost pressed against his cheekbone and he could feel his breath against his jaw. Almost like the bastard knew. “ ‘Course not, just uninterested,” He shoved Sirius away. “Now back up.”
“ Oooh , Moony’s scared!” Mary called again, but Lily grabbed the back of her shirt and pulled her off of Remus and to her side. He was silently grateful, he felt claustrophobic.
‘Just one look, and I can hear a bell ring.
One more look, and I forget everything
Whoa-oa, Mamma mia, here I go again’
“ Argh, Mary! turn this garbage off!” Peter whinged, but was inevitably ignored as the group continued to heckle Moony.
“Seriously, when’s the last time you had a good snog?”
Only Mary could ever be so bold.
“Not that long ago!” Remus spoke without thinking, he spared a glance to his right to see Sirius grinning like he’d won the lottery— Honestly, why does he have to look like that? — Probably because his stupid , handsome dog nose could smell Remus’s lies.
“It’s alright, Moons. We all go through dry patches.” James slurred, lightweight as always. Remus squirmed uncomfortably.
“Leave poor Remus alone, you slags. It’s OK to just be uninterested.” Thank God for Lily Evans.
“Oh! I know!” Marlene pipped up, Tucking in beside Mary and Lily. James moved over to be between Sirius and Pete, surely realizing his tongue was abandoned anyway now. “Let’s play a game.”
***
They set up in a circle on the rug, everyone with a full shot of Firewhiskey in their hands. Remus was feeling particularly antsy, being deemed untouchable at best— full on incapable of getting laid at worst— he didn’t have high hopes as for being made fun of.
It’s not a dry patch . Actually, he’d been making more use of his hand than he ever had to before. Ever since the Sirius revelolation , he’d found himself in need of assistance much more often. He knew it wasn’t normal to be absolutely head over heels for your best mate, but right now he was in terrible danger of that secret being found out.
All the girls giggled and eyed one another as Marlene (Of all people?!) took initiative, the bottle began spinning in the middle of the circle.
Time seemed to slow, Remus’s eyes unfocused as the neck of the bottle pointed at every one of his friends. Feeling a lot more like the barrel of a gun than an empty muggle vodka.
It finally slowed, pointing to Peter. The girls all looked thoroughly disappointed ( More like disgusted, but Remus was trying to be kind to Wormtail) Prongs and Pads both whooped, and Remus decided to leave his funk for long enough to cheer his friend on.
The bottle was set in motion again, it pointed to Lily, who gave a sympathetic look to James, and a peck on the cheek to Pete. Poor bastard.
The game carried on until the girls were singing along drunkenly to SOS , (Mary had gotten up and restarted the record, to the complaint of everyone but her and Marls) and everyone had pecked each other. Mary kept whining that you’re meant to give a real kiss, but still refused to do so on her turns. Except for with Marlene… Wonder what that’s about.
Remus had avoided the Sirius kiss. They were the only duo to get out scott free, and were about to get away with it until James and Lily recounted every kiss to make sure everyone had a turn being embarrassed.
“Pads and Moony are the only ones left!” Prongs exclaimed, Lily laying in his lap, her hair like sun rays around her freckled face. Remus wondered briefly if he would’ve been the one being laid on, or if he’d do the laying, should he ever find a boyfriend. (Yes, he did picture Sirius. Sue me! )
“ Oooh! Give us a snog, Moony!” Remus was red-faced, he glanced at Sirius beside him, only to find that he was just as stunned as Remus felt. He wasn’t sure to be happy or devastated.
“It’s just a kiss,” Padfoot said, turning to Remus, but it seemed like he was trying to assure himself.
“Y-yeah, uh, this game is stupid anyway. Let's just not–?” Please, please, please, whatever higher power is out there. If I feel Sirius Black's lips I may never recover.
“Nah,” Sirius crawled forward, shock turning into a smug grin— that Sirius Black grin — “Just a peck, yeah, Moons?”
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, no, no, no, not this. Not NOW?! In front of all their friends?!
Who am I kidding, fuck YES!
Remus nodded, despite himself. Sirius was leaning on his hands over Remus’s lap. Open mouthed smile on his face.
Remus knew he should be playing casual, he had only gotten a little flustered with the other kisses. Mostly with Mary, but that’s because she licked him. He was practically giving himself away! But he couldn’t find it within himself to calm down. Sirius is inching closer to his face. His LIPS. HIS lips. Remus Lupin was about to kiss Sirius-bloody-Black.
Then their lips were touching.
Remus was pretty sure he knew what a peck was, Godsake, he’d just done it with everyone else in the room. He was also pretty sure whatever Sirius was doing with his mouth was not a peck.
It wasn’t like fireworks, it wasn’t sexy or slow, or long and romantic. It was nothing Remus had felt before. Bloody hot, and a little desperate. But he was reciprocating without a second thought.
For a few blissful seconds, all he could taste was firewhiskey and smoke. Little bastard snagged his fags . Sirius had slightly parted his lips, and turned his head to the side. Their mouths moved together clumsily but so, so perfectly.
Sirius pulled away, and the world slowly faded back into focus. It felt like the kiss had stuffed cotton into Remus’s ears, watching Sirius wipe his mouth on the back of his hand helped bring him back to reality.
Best friends , he reminded himself. Nothing more, nothing less. He’s probably done this many times with many boys. No big deal.
At the same time, do best friends usually kiss like THAT?!
Their friends' cheers and questions were overwhelming, on top of the fact that Remus was now up. He prompt stood up, muttering about having to use the loo, but grabbing his fags off his bed before disappearing into the other room.