Written for:

OT3 Challenge - Kiss

Fairytales - Write about someone taking the place of another person, having bad intentions. (word) exchange

(Lily being a part of the triad instead of Sirius, with her intentions to break James and Remus up, so she can have James for herself.)

Olympics - Coxed Eight - (word) (dialogue) "You're all I need. You're more important than chocolate cake to me." Character used: James

Bad Movie Tuesday- Age of Dragons: "I think you hurt his feelings."

Emotion Challenge - Worried

The Wrong Person

James and Remus watched as Sirius headed into the airport. He turned, waving at his friends with a wide grin.

James had meant to ask him. He had meant to give Sirius something to consider whilst out there, but all Sirius could talk about was all the men he would meet. Sirius was certain that the English accent would have the American men flocking.

Though it wouldn't be the accent, James knew. It would be Sirius. The man was like a magnet. His bright smile, his stormy eyes… well, everything about him would easily draw others to him. It seemed unfair to leave Sirius with the suggestion when Sirius clearly wanted freedom to meet men as he wished.

Instead, James and Remus said goodbye to Sirius for an entire year, not letting him know about their feelings for him. Not asking him if he wanted to be with them. both of them, together.

...oOo...

James knew they had to let go. A year of waiting, and Sirius was now saying 'just a bit longer'. Though James and Remus worked fine as a pair, there was always the feeling that something was missing. Both James and Remus knew that they had enough love for one more person. That one more person would complete what they had, rather than destroy it.

And when James bumped into Lily Evans, his crush from at school, well, that's when he and Remus agreed on the next person to add to the relationship.

...oOo...

The initial chat about the triad seemed successful. Lily had always gotten on well with Remus in school, and towards the end, had flirted with James. Though James had already fallen in love with Remus and had eyes for no-one else. She had kissed them both on the cheek after dinner, leaving the pair to talk.

James looked at Remus expectantly.

"We've never had a female in our triad before," Remus began, thinking hard.

"Is that a problem? I know we both prefer men, but we've never ruled out a woman. Though we can keep looking if you'd prefer?"

Remus smiled softly. "Well, I had my heart set on Benjy, but he was overwhelmed. I think you have your heart set on Lily, so we should give her a chance."

"Are you sure?" James checked.

"I am." Remus took James' hand, placing a kiss to his palm. "Let's quickly clear up and go to bed?"

"Or we could clear up in the morning?" James took in the unimpressed expression on Remus' face. "Or we could clear up now."

...oOo...

Remus watched as Lily flicked her hair at James. He had tried with her, wanting it to work.

But Lily hadn't even bothered to try. Remus would have put it down to her being nervous about the—as some would say—strange relationship, had she not clicked so easily with James. He wondered if James preferred Lily's attentions as James certainly wasn't paying any attention to anything apart from her.

Maybe I should just leave the two of them alone?

Remus had to admit he was worried what would happen between the pair if he left, so he remained in his chair, his gut twisting at the sight of James and Lily happy together, as though he wasn't even there.

...oOo...

James was thrilled. It had been two months and Lily was fitting in perfectly. They had agreed three months as a trial to make sure they were all happy, but they all seemed to be.

Though Remus had been a bit quiet. He denied it when James had asked.

James had put it down to nerves.

Remus was working that night (having seemed to be given more and more hours these days) and James had decided to ask Lily out to dinner, deciding to get something to take home for Remus.

But with Lily paying him her undivided attention, Remus' meal slipped his mind. He brought Lily back to the flat, where Remus was shoving a container in the microwave.

James stared guiltily. "Remus, I'm sorry, I was going to bring you back something."

"I'm sure you were," Remus replied, not turning around.

"Rem? Is something the matter? Come and sit with me, talk to me."

"Nothing is—"

"I don't believe you. There's something the matter and I'm not going to stop until you tell me!" James pushed.

Remus let out a loud sigh. He pressed the cancel button on the microwave, before turning and leaving the room.

"Just give me a minute," James said to Lily.

"Don't be too long," she replied, her lips curved into a smile. She leaned in, pressing her lips against the corner of his mouth.

James stared for a moment, before turning and following Remus.

Remus wouldn't say a word to him that night. James ended up sending Lily home in a cab.

When Remus had fallen asleep, James went to wash, finally wiping away the lipstick on his face.

...oOo...

James didn't know how to cheer Remus up. Remus still denied that something was wrong, but he was clearly upset. Even bringing Lily around him didn't make a difference. Surely if Remus allowed Lily to be as affectionate as she was with him, it would make him happy. Right?

It wasn't until Remus opened the door on a familiar face, that the smile appeared. He flung his arms around Sirius, clinging to him. "It's about time."

James came over, throwing his arms around the pair of them. "It's not been the same here without you," he claimed. "Come in!"

Sirius grinned, kicking his shoes off by the door and setting his bags down. "Anything to report?"

He walked into the living room, his gaze falling on Lily as she lounged on the sofa. "Yeah, me!"

"Evans!" Sirius walked over, giving her a loose hug, before pulling away. "It's been a while."

"Yeah, we're seeing her now," James explained. Sirius glanced between the pair for a moment. His gaze moved from where James sat in the spot next to Lily, and Remus perched on the armchair at the other end of the room, looking completely rejected and out of place.

"You're seeing her?" Sirius checked.

"Me and Remus. She's joining the triad."

Lily grinned triumphantly at Sirius, and he turned around to Remus. "Get your cardigan on, it's a bit chilly. Let's do something, yeah?" Remus moved from the chair, quickly leaving the room.

"And as for you," Sirius hissed, his eyes on James, "I think you hurt his feelings."

"What?"

"I thought you gave more of a shit about Remus," Sirius continued. "Can't you see that this is making him miserable."

"This? What do you mean? He's happy?"

"Yeah. Happy sitting over there whilst Lily crowds you for herself. She's not the sharing type."

"I'm sorry, but who do you think you are getting involved in my relationship?" Lily asked snidely. "We're very happy without your interference."

"You and James are very happy," Sirius retorted. "James, you're lucky Remus is still here. If you want to keep him, you'll get rid of the Harpy."

"She's not done anything wrong?" James replied. "Remus is happy!"

"Ask yourself how much time Lily has spent with you when it's the three of you together. I thought this triad thing was supposed to be about finding the perfect person for the both of you, not the perfect person for you, James."

He walked out of the room. "Come on Moonpie, let's go out on the town!"

James stared after them. Remus would have said if he was unhappy, right?

"Lily?" he began, once the door shut. "Do you love me?"

"Of course I do," she said, taking his hand and pulling him to the sofa. As he sat down, she straddled his lap.

"And Remus?"

She hesitated. "Remus has always been like a friend to me."

"So, you never saw him as anything more."

"I thought it would work. I can share him with you."

James frowned. "So you never wanted to be with both of us, just me?"

Lily giggled. "Well, you get him and you get me. Surely that works for you?"

James shook his head. "Get off me," he growled. "I thought you understood. Both of us or none of us. Remus comes first, Lily. If he's not happy, I'm not happy."

"But James, I thought… I thought you loved me too."

"Not as much as I love Remus. I would never choose you over him. Get out and don't come back. I can't believe I was so blind!"

...oOo…

"It was supposed to be you," Remus slurred, leaning against something for support. He wasn't sure what. It may have been Sirius, or perhaps a wall.

"What should have been me?" Sirius asked, pulling up Uber on his phone and ordering a cab.

"Triad. We wanted you—I wanted you—to be the third. Better than /her/. She's trying to take James away from me."

"Why haven't you said something to James?"

"He'd probably be happier with her." Remus laughed hollowly. "Pretty girl to have beautiful kids with. I know his parents like me, but we all know Dorea and Charlus really want a grandchild of their own. I thought I'd give him time with Lily, and he'd be able to decide which one of us he wanted."

"Well fuck him if he chooses her over you. She's nothing compared to you, Remus. I agreed to work in America for the year because it was too hard being around you both. I wanted what you had, because you and James are perfect - made for each other. I… I even hinted that I wanted to join you all, but neither of you approached me. That's why I left. I wanted to get over you."

Sirius turned his face as lips touched his skin, allowing them to land on his cheek. "Let's go back to see about James, shall we?"

"If Lily's there, I don't want to be there."

"If Lily's there, you can stay at mine," Sirius promised.

...oOo…

Sirius walked in first, his gaze falling on James. "She still here?"

James shook his head. "I told her to leave," he replied, miserably.

"Remus seems under the impression that you and Lily make a better couple than you and him. I suggest you correct him."

He moved aside as Remus stumbled into the flat, looking around. "She's gone!" Remus announced, relieved.

"Remus! I'm so sorry," James said, jumping up from the sofa. "I'm sorry I didn't realise how unhappy you were. If I knew… well, I would have told her to leave ages ago. I would never choose someone over 're all I need. You're more important than chocolate cake to me!"

Sirius carefully watched the exchange.

"It's okay," Remus mumbled. "I think I'll just go to bed."

"Can I join you?" James asked softly, taking his hand.

"Goodnight," Sirius murmured, deciding it was time to leave. "I'll—"

"No. I want you to come too," Remus said, looking at Sirius. He turned back to James. "He's the third. Sirius wants to be and I can't see it being anyone else."

"Should we at least spend the night talking about Lily, before—"

Remus tightened his grip on Sirius' hand. "I need him."

Sirius looked at James, who nodded. "Can you grab him some pyjamas, Love?"

Remus headed down the hall and James turned his full attention to Sirius."Has Remus drunk a lot?"

"Three beers," Sirius replied, shaking his head. "He's a complete lightweight."

James chuckled. "Thank you for turning up when you did. I can't imagine the damage to the relationship had I not noticed."

"Did it hurt, telling her to leave?"

James sighed, glancing up the hall for a moment to make sure Remus wasn't there. "It did. The third is supposed to fit in perfectly with us, and Lily did… but just with me. I was blind, I was falling for her and just assumed that she clicked with Remus just as well. I was falling in love with her, but it was nothing to how I feel about Remus."

They both turned as Remus leaned out of the room, a pair of stripy pyjamas in hand. "I can sneak out once he's asleep?" Sirius suggested.

James leaned in, his lips pressing against Sirius' for just a moment. "No. We should have waited longer for you to return, or told you before you left. Stay. Spend the night and we'll talk in the morning if you want…"

"I do," Sirius quickly agreed. "More than anything. I told Remus that I left because I thought you both didn't want me. But to find out you do… I'm not going to miss my chance. I'm mad about you both.

James took Sirius' hand and led him to the bedroom. Sirius froze as he watched Remus pull on his pyjamas, before James began to pull his own clothes off. Hazel and amber eyes turned to him, and Sirius fumbled with his belt, eager to get into the bed with the others.

Remus crawled into the middle of the bed, James laying at one side. Sirius nervously settled on his other side.

He had left space between him and Remus, but Remus quickly shuffled backwards so that they were cuddled together. James shifted closer too.

Sirius wrapped his arm over Remus, resting it on James' hip.

He had travelled around the world, but this was the only place he had ever wanted to be.