Title: The Things They Share

Author name: Sky

Author email: sky at laloi dot net

Category: Unrequited love.

Keywords: James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, love, quidditch, broomsticks

Pairing: Almost James Potter/Sirius Black, implied Sirius Black/Remus Lupin

Rating: G

Spoilers: None.

Summary: There was one thing that no one knew about James Potter.

DISCLAIMER: Not mine, and I'm not making any money. If I was, there would be a lot more manga on my shelves, and posters on my wall. Also, I would have locked these poor boys in my closet for my own personal pleasure.

WARNING: This contains SLASH. If you flame me for it, I'll set a Norwegian Ridgeback on you.

Author's Note: Making you all wait for more Blaise/Draco. I love to torture you. XD Anyway, I'm a firm believer in SB/JP. So here's a fic featuring them. Enjoy.

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There was one thing about James Potter that no one knew, and no one would ever guess. They wouldn't know because he wouldn't tell anyone, and they would never guess because... well, he wouldn't let them. Friendships hinged on it. His friendship with Sirius and with Remus, and perhaps even with Peter could all be in jeopardy if he let anyone know.

He was in love with Sirius Black.

---

There were little things that James had forced himself long ago not to pay attention to; the way Sirius twirled his quill in his fingers so deftly, the way Sirius walked while deep in thought (probably about the next prank he would pull), the way Sirius' hair fell over his face when he bent over the parchment (it was the map, not homework, or course). The list went on and on. But James didn't notice those things anymore.

Instead James watched him when he could, admired him when that was something everyone did. He did it while Sirius was on a broom.

Both of them were brilliant fliers. Everyone said so. Even McGonagall said so, when she wasn't putting them in detention. But James still watched him when he could. He had this look. This one he always had when he flew. James knew that look. He hated it and loved it at the same time.

It was a look of absolute bliss. And it was the same look that James occasionally caught a glimpse of when Sirius was with Remus.

---

"Hey, mate! There's a quidditch game tomorrow! Let's practice!"

James looked up from his history homework. He should say no. He should tell Sirius that he had to finish his history homework, and then he had to do the potions. He should remind Sirius that he had a charms essay to finish.

"Alright, just let me get my broom."

It always went something like that. It didn't take much to convince James. Because there were some things that he shared with Sirius that he didn't want to give up.

"Oi! Moony! Come watch us practice!"

James glanced at Remus as he came down the stairs holding his broom. The other boy was lost in a book. James had to hope that Remus would decline, that he would say no, that he would leave Sirius to James this once, because Remus had him all the time.

"I'll pass."

James glanced at Sirius and then then grinned. "Are we gonna practice then? We gotta beat Ravenclaw, so that we can--"

"Beat Slytherin in the championship. I know. I said that like, an hour ago."

The two of them bolted out of the door.

---

Flying was easy. Even Moony could do it, when persuaded. It was the technique that was something James and Sirius worked on, perfected. It was something they loved, one of the only things they truly shared.

And when the moves became routine enough that James could do them in his sleep, that was when he started thinking about other things. Other things like how yesterday when he'd gone to the library, there had been Sirius and Remus, bent over the same book, Sirius' arm over Remus' shoulders, their heads almost touching. James had left. Other things like how the day before that James had watched Sirius watch Remus for ten minutes during history (both of them were too bored to pay attention in that class, though Remus was busy scribbling notes.) Other things like how the week before Sirius and Remus had vanished for lunch.

But James forced himself not to pay attention to these things anymore. James wasn't willing to give up the things he shared with Sirius -- the quidditch, the love of pranks, the friendship -- for anything less.

And it would have been less. He knew that.