A/N: This has been sitting around on my computer for a while. Oneshot. Slash. Sirius/Remus. MWPP.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Anything you recognize from the fandom is the creation of the brilliant mind of JKR.

Crush

When the Marauders were sent to detention, they were never put in the same room. The Professors had learned long ago that putting all four together was a disaster. The Marauders had actually managed to blow up the entire Charms corridor in their first year trying to get out of detention, so the professors decided to put James with Remus in one room, and Peter and Sirius in another. It was smarter, sure, but they had overlooked the fact that Peter would do anything Sirius told him to, and that James had a knack for persuading Remus to get into more trouble than he would normally. After a flooded classroom in which Peter fell and relieved a nasty gash to the head (putting him in the infirmary for a full week,) and a rather disgusting incident that James called a "horned toad fight," the Professors decided to switch them around. They didn't even try to put James and Sirius together, so Remus had taken detention with Sirius since first year at least twice a week, and James was forced to spend his punishments in the company of Peter.

"This sucks," Remus scowled. They had handed Slughorn fake wands and, having finished cleaning the dungeon by magic, lay on the cold stone floor bored out of their minds. "Why did James have to forget the mirror?"

"Because he's a git," Sirius said.

Remus frowned. "You've been saying that with malice more than usual lately."

"So?"

"What in Merlin's name did he do to you? You've been downright weird for the last two weeks. It was all after the last moon. He's not still mad you skipped out that night, is he?"

"No."

"Sirius, you have.." Remus sat up halfway to look at the clock on the desk, "Four hours and thirty-eight minutes, I will get it out of you."

Sirius shook his head.

"Sirius-"

"Nope."

"I know everything about you, Pads," Remus said, turning over onto his stomach on the freezing stone. "What's the big deal? It's not like Pete and I won't find out eventually."

"No, you won't."

"Pads, please?"

"No."

"Sir-"

"No."

But Remus persisted.

For the next hour and twenty-two minutes, to be exact, he persisted.

"Look, is it really that bad?"

Sirius nodded.

"And you can't tell me because you think it's too bad it'll make me think you're a horrible person or something?"

"Yeah. It will," Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Did you Avada Kedevra someone?"

"Moony," Sirius groaned, and lying on the floor, he put his arms over his head, covering his ears like a dog does with his paws.

"Is it something illegal? Like it usually stops you."

"No."

"Pads! You've done horrible things before and I've forgiven you, what's different about this time?"

"It just...is!"

"I forgave you for telling Snape, Pads. What's worse than that?" Remus asked in what he hadn't really meant to be so loud a scream.

Sirius froze. It was an unspoken agreement that neither of them brought that up. Last year's "tension" as James euphemized, was just. not. mentioned.

Sirius lifted his head, looking up. Remus was on his feet, red in the face. His eyes were dark. "Moony...I'm so sorry..."

Remus took a deep breath, dropping back to the floor. Sirius suddenly transformed into his animagus form, and the dog walked up to Remus to nuzzle his armpit, wagging his tail.

"Come on, Pads."

Sirius laid down and turned back into his human form, sighing. "You might not talk to me again."

"It won't be that bad."

Sirius shook his head. "I'll be different. It'll change how you think of me, and if you don't want to share a dorm anymore, I'll understand."

"Pads, you share a room with a werewolf! What's worse than that?"

"A fag?"

Remus gave him an odd look, laughing. "Sirius, just tell me."

He growled. "I just did."

And before Remus could process what he said, Sirius transformed again and bounded across the room to sit under the desk.

"Sirius, come back."

The dog didn't move.

"Pads..." Remus went over to Slughorn's desk and leaned over the other side where the dog was curled up in a ball. "So, you're gay? That's the big secret?"

Padfoot whimpered, but Remus laughed. "You honestly thought I'd care?"

The animal's head cocked sideways, his dark eyes rising to meet Remus'.

It took another ten minutes, but Remus managed to coax Sirius out from under the desk, although he wouldn't transform. "So," Remus scratched the dog behind the ears, "James found out you're gay, and he didn't take it well?"

Sirius realized he would have to answer, and reluctantly returned to his normal, two-legged form. "I'm not really gay," Sirius said. "I still like girls too!"

"How did James find out?"

"Um...well he found me in the corridor doing his prefects rounds."

Remus raised an eyebrow. "With who?"

Sirius coughed.

"Who?" Remus persisted.

"Malcolm West," he muttered.

"Him? But he's..."

"A Slytherin, I know."

"That's probably the main reason James has a problem with him, you know. He's not bad, really! I wouldn't announce it, but to hang out with he's cool."

"James will get over it," Remus said, but his friend just snorted. "He will. He's just pissed right now because of Lily."

"Yeah..." Sirius laughed. "I don't know..."

There was a moment of peaceful silence before Remus laughed. "Malcolm West..."

"Shut up!" Sirius scowled, but he cracked a smile too. "I'm through with him, anyways. You might be interested to know why, actually."

"Yeah? Why?"

Sirius grinned. "He has a crush on you."