Little Lifts 2.
For Kore's request on the Drabble Request Thread.
Jumping
Remus Lupin
"Go on Remus, jump!"
The shout sounded much more distant than it should have been, as the voice's owner was standing only a few feet away from him. Remus stood at the top, on the edge, leaning over to stare down at the bushel of greenery at the base of the minuscule cliff. James grinned at him from behind, miming as if to push him over the rim, to which Sirius hooted with laughter at down below, his hands on his hips a few yards from the cushion of plants. The scratches on his arms indicated that he had already made the leap himself, and was waiting impatiently for his friend to follow after. Peter stood far back and far away from the brim, staring up at the other two on the top with wide eyes.
"You don't have to do it Remus," he said quietly, fidgeting with his fingers. James turned and narrowed his eyes at him.
"Only because you don't want to be the only one who doesn't try," he retorted. Peter looked down at his feet, blushing slightly. Remus smiled at him, his fair hair blowing across his face in the breeze at his elevated height, and turned back to the drop.
He didn't have to jump. But he wanted to.
Sucking in a long breath, he bent his legs, drew his arms back, and sprung off the ground, soaring forward. The drop wasn't steep, but in those few seconds that he was plunging towards the ground, his heart flew up inside him and pounded in his head, and his fingers cut sharply through the wind and he felt so out of control and alive that he didn't even fear the ground an inch beneath him.
He landed with a crunch, squashing scraping leaves underneath him, as well as one of his ankles. He cried out, because the pain felt alive too, and Sirius bounded over to him.
"Okay?" he asked, gripping Remus's arm and yanking him up. The weight rose off his foot, and he felt a little better, even though it was twisted and a small twinge of pain shot through his nerves whenever he stood on it. He hobbled a few metres with Sirius, and then turned around to look back up at the hill.
"Your turn, James!"
"Ready or not, here I come…!"