Yes, I neglected this for a bit to write that oneshot, sue me. I also got lazy and left this doc empty for three days. Again, sue me. I owe you nothing. Hehe, obviously I'm in a great mood today.
Sirius and Remus's friendship had fallen into fragile peace, each moving carefully, with awkward laughter and minimum touches, afraid to shatter the slowly growing bond. Sirius was sure that he would be the one to break the carefully kept balance, as reckless as he was, so he enjoyed it for now, and if he missed the casual touches and the easy closeness, well, nobody would know.
Currently, they were lounging in the common room, under the grounds of doing homework, but of course Remus had finished already and Sirius had no intentions of doing it before the last minute. Remus was ranting about some book character or another, Sirius listening fondly and occasionally agreeing with what he said.
"I don't care if he and Thomas never kissed in canon! They were clearly in love but couldn't do anything because they were struggling to survive!"
Sirius rolled his eyes but agreed, "Yes, you're completely right, obviously in love."
"Exactly! If circumstances had been different, Newt and Thomas totally would have been a couple!" Remus through his hands in the air.
"So obvious," Sirius agreed, chuckling, "We should burn anyone who says otherwise at the stake."
"Well, technically the only competition was Teresa, who had a crush on Thomas, and she burned in the movies and got crushed in the books." Remus shrugged, "I could care less."
"Heartless. You're a monster." Sirius said, grinning, but it morphed into a frown when Remus flinched.
Remus couldn't repress a wince at those familiar words. 'You're a monster.'... But Sirius didn't mean it like that, he couldn't, he didn't know what Remus was, right? Because if he did, Remus would be exposed, thrown to the wolves, ironic as the expression was. Nothing would be the same, he'd be put down for endangering children, accused of hunting them purposely, nevermind being a child himself.
Remus blinked startledly as Sirius waved hand in front of his face, "Remyy….. Wake up!"
"Shut it, Sirius, some of us have enough brain cells to think." he grumbled, swatting the hand away.
"Ha ha. You were overthinking, I just know it!" Sirius shook his finger at Remus.
"Shut it, I wasn't. You don't know what I'm thinking."
"But I can guess! And I'm probably right!"
Remus groaned, but he couldn't deny the truth in the statement. He didn't know if he hated or loved the fact that Sirius could always read Remus like a book, as if it came naturally to him. While Remus was perceptive by nature, some called him oblivious, namely, Lily, to human emotions. It wasn't his fault people made no sense! They were all subtle little expressions, tiny signs that Remus never picked up.
That fact made it even more difficult to understand how Sirius could see through him so easily, especially when they'd only met a month or so ago. It struck Remus as odd, more than odd, but he couldn't stop him, and all Remus could do was hope that Sirius wouldn't find out his secret. He just couldn't handle losing someone who was quickly becoming his closest friend.
Sirius was watching him intently, silver eyes fixed on him. Remus blushed at the scrutiny, biting his lip.
Silver eyes darkened momentarily before Sirius blinked, hitching on his usual, cocky grin, "Aw, is Mr. Person With Brain Cells thinking again? You know it's bad for your health."
Remus knew Sirius well enough to know the grin wasn't quite genuine, and was mildly disturbed how often he used it and how realistic it was. Not to mention how effortless it was and how easily people believed it.
"Yes, some people do it, believe it or not. You should try it sometime, but it might be stretching your capabilities." Remus deadpanned.
Sirius pretended to consider it, "Nah, not worth the risk. I think I'll stick with impulsive actions instead."
Remus rolled his eyes, hiding a chuckle, and smacked him over the head lightly. Sirius pretended to cry out in pain, dramatically falling backwards onto the plush couch.
"Oh! The pain, the pain! I may not survive! Hold me tight, Remus, hold me tight while I pass to the other side!"
Remus huffed exasperatedly but played along, hugging him loosely, "Oh, the horror. Do I get your fortune when you die?
"No, of course not, it goes to Snivellus!" Sirius stated, pretending to glare at him, "Here you are, on my death couch, trying to suck money out of my departing soul even when my one true love gets it!"
"Oh, how rude of me, I'm terribly sorry." Remus deadpanned, restraining a laugh.
Sirius tapped his chin contemplatively, then assented, "Fine, you're excused. For now."
"Thank God, I was so worried." Remus said sarcastically.
"Good, you should have been."
Remus was about to say something, most likely sardonic, when Sirius cut him off, suddenly somber.
"Remus, can I ask you something you'll answer honestly?"
Apprehensive, Remus nodded, nervous.
"Where'd you get your scars?"
Remus blinked. Sirius couldn't suspect anything, right? No…, "I-I already told you. A car accident."
Sirius narrowed his eyes disbelievingly but was quiet for a few minutes, thinking. Remus was grateful, but retracted that thought when he spoke softly but seriously, "I will find out eventually. That's not a threat, I'm just telling you."
Remus swallowed dryly, pulling away from where they had become close, starting to hyperventilate. God, there was no denying Sirius was clever, he was definitely capable of deducting Remus's secret, and then it would all unfold. Screaming, threats, accusations, hatred, and cold, cold, silver eyes, boring into him, full of chilling, unbridled revulsion.
He was jerked from his thoughts by a gentle hand cupping his cheek and a soft voice asking him if he was okay. Remus just couldn't lose this, this gentle touch, this unconditional kindness, and that beautiful smile.
When he met Sirius's worried gaze, he answered quietly, "Yeah, I'm fine."
"I don't believe you but I'll leave it be." Sirius said lowly, putting his arm around Remus and pulling him onto his lap. Remus struggled for half a second before relaxing into Sirius's comforting warmth without further protest, exhaustion from the full moon a couple days before weighing down on him and forcing his eyes to shut. His body molded itself into Sirius without his consent, black edges drawing closer and closer.
Right before he fell to the clutches of slumber, Remus could've sworn he felt lips press against his hair. He chalked it up to wishful thinking.
~~~discidium~~~
Sirius groaned as he checked the time. One in the morning. He'd spent all night in the library of all places, researching Remus's random disappearances and scars. He'd noticed Remus vanished once a month. He was so tired but he had to know!
Especially because Remus seemed to be always hurt after his disappearances, and Sirius sensed something deep down, some primal, wild instinct, that told him to protect Remus at all costs. He would draw blood from whatever dared to harm that boy, who did nothing wrong, with his endless supply of kindness and forgiveness.
'I'm going to visit my mum, I'll be back soon, Sirius.'
Sirius stilled as a thought entered his chaotic mind. Not Remus's parents? But maybe…. He'd have to look into it. But for now, it was time for bed.
~~~discidium~~~
Remus was walking quietly through the old corridors, head down, when he was suddenly jerked into an empty classroom. He yelped, panic overwhelming him as he struggled against the firm hold keeping him against a solid chest until he heard a familiar, unbearably obnoxious but warm voice.
"Remy, chill, it's just me."
Remus huffed, and half-heartedly wriggled once more, for his reputation you see, before relaxing. Sirius laughed softly at him, and Remus blushed bright red when he felt lips against the top of his head. He tensed, feeling the warm body surrounding him follow suit, then relaxed, still blushing furiously.
Sirius seemed to take it in stride as well, carrying on and talking about some new piece of gossip, sitting down on a dusty, unused armchair so Remus was in his lap.
Remus, if possible, turned even redder, "What are you doing?"
"I dunno, just felt right, y'know?" Sirius shrugged.
"No, I don't know this!" Remus said, frowning, then felt himself being pulled against Sirius again, cursing his smaller stature.
"Oh, well, you probably are one of those people who think you have to work for anything and luck doesn't exist."
Remus frowned even more, "Well, it doesn't exist! Life doesn't give you anything!" He'd learned that the hard way.
"Coincidences happen for a reason. If something's supposed to happen, it'll happen."
"That makes absolutely no sense! There is no greater being, we have to get everything ourselves. Nothing will be handed to you."
"Ugh, you're so boring! Go with the flow, Remus, go with the flow." Sirius groaned.
"I hate you."
"Mhm."
Remus grumbled something incomprehensible, causing Sirius to laugh and ruffle his hair. Remus pouted slightly without realizing it, blinking slowly.
Sirius saw it and cackled softly, grinning, "You are undeniably cute."
"Shut it." he mumbled, blushing.
"So, we need to talk." Sirius said abruptly. If Remus hadn't been so adjusted to Sirius's constant and fluid topic changes, he would've been taken by surprise.
"About what?"
"Our kiss." he said bluntly, shrugging.
Remus bit his soft, pink lip, giving Sirius a sudden urge to do the very thing that started this conversation again, before brutally shoving it down.
"I-I thought we already did," he said quietly.
"We both know that was just to get James to leave us alone." Sirius snorted dismissively.
Pouting, Remus looked up at him sadly, blinking slowly. Sirius was about to relent and let it go, when he realized that little shit knew exactly what he was doing. Sirius faux slapped Remus, hand just brushing his cheek.
"Hey, don't you pull that on me, you prat. We have to do this."
Remus groaned and let his head fall back, "You're so cruel."
"Says the one with sarcasm like a bloody knife."
"Since when do you compliment me?"
"Since now if you quit avoiding the topic."
"Fine. What is there to talk about?" he said, holding his hands up.
Silence.
"Told you, nothing to talk about." Remus said smugly, smirking up at him, causing Sirius to flick his forehead, shushing him.
"We need to talk about why it happened." Sirius decided firmly, grinning at Remus's disappointed expression.
"Fine." Was Remus's huffed response.
"Well, we've always kinda been aware that I'm attracted to you, because, you know, the whole asking you out thing when we met."
Remus shifted uncomfortably, suddenly unbearably aware of their proximity and the fact that he was on Sirius's lap. A long-fingered hand ran through his hair soothingly, causing Remus to unconsciously lean into it as he spoke, "Yeah, I guess you're right…"
"And you?"
Remus huffed, "You bloody know you're attractive, you smug prat." Sirius was, in fact, smirking.
"That I do. But I didn't think you found me attractive, Remy-dear. What a pleasantly surprising piece of information." Sirius smirked, gripping Remus's chin firmly but gently and tilting it up, studying his expression.
Remus had begun to blush furiously due to Sirius's quite correct deductions, and the scrutiny. Sirius chuckled, ruffling his hair in amusement.
"Hey, I don't exactly mind." Sirius assured him, which did absolutely nothing at all to calm Remus's raging blush.
"Shut up, Black."
"Never. Also, we're going to need to do something about this."
"What can we do, though?" Remus pointed out.
Sirius dismissed it, "Remus, will you answer this next question honestly?"
Apprehensive, Remus slowly nodded, bracing himself.
"If I kissed you right now…" Remus froze as fingers gently traced his lips, softly, reverently, "Would you stop me?"
"I…" Remus didn't respond for a moment, searching for an answer before admitting, "No…"
"May I?"
"Yes."
And with that said, Sirius ducked down and caught Remus's lip in a kiss, pulling him flush against him. Remus's eyes widened minutely but he quickly returned the kiss, surging up to meet him. This was so much better than the last time He felt safe, cared for, and happy.
Sirius smiled softly as he felt Remus meet him, pulling the tawny-haired boy closer. IT was emotional, full of unspoken regrets, apologies, forgiveness, and contentment. It just felt right. Pulling away to breath, nose just brushing Remus's, Sirius laughed softly.
"What's so funny?"
"You have no idea how long I wanted to do this."
"How about a month, because you've only known me for that long." Remus said dryly.
"Shush, nonbeliever, I'd seen you in the halls before then and said 'damn, I want to snog that bloke, he's bloody gorgeous."
Remus blushed furiously, "I would say something similar but your ego doesn't need any more boosting."
Sirius grinned, "Ah, but that means you're thinking it."
"Why do I like you again?"
"Because I'm charming, witty, brilliant, hilarious, fit, stylish, popular not the mention bloody gorgeous."
"Modest too."
"Of course."
There you are! I meant it to be longer, but this seemed like a good ending. I've got a schedule where I write a chapter of A Sirius Glitch, then one of this. So yeah, expect A Sirius Glitch next. Love y'all, and chalk up the reviews.