Chapter 4

"Remus! Could you -" James stopped short at the sight of his friend. "Whoa, mate... What happened to you?" He asked.

"I'm gay." Remus said flatly, furiously wiping the tears from his cheeks.

"You're..." James frowned, but Remus was already shoving past him before he could finish his sentence. "Gay?" He questioned, staring at the spot Remus had stood, the only answer he received was the sound of Peter throwing up into his bucket yet again.

"Remus!" Sirius exclaimed, barreling into the house.

"What the fuck did you do?" James exclaimed, taking in Sirius' crazed appearance.

"I... Uh, I..." Sirius stumbled for words, trying to get past James who was blocking the way.

"You what?" He insisted.

"I kissed him!" Sirius yelled.

There was dead silence.

"You kissed Remus?" James asked slowly.

"I was trying to prove he was gay!"

"By kissing him? Mate you know how that sounds right?" James asked incredulously.

"I..." Sirius faltered, that thought having never occurred to him. "Oh." He said lamely.

"Oh. You're a right fucking twat." James muttered and shoved him towards Peter. "Make sure he doesn't throw up a lung." He ordered before taking the stairs two at a time.

"Moony?" James called softly, knocking on Remus' door.

"Go away." Remus sniffled as he continued shoving his belongings into his trunk.

"Moons... What are you doing?" James questioned, watching his friend pack with a frown.

"Leaving." Remus mumbled. "I doubt you lot want to stay here with a fag-"

"Don't. Don't you fucking use that word, Remus." James said firmly, taking hold of Remus' wrists.

"But it's what I am!" He wailed, "a fucking queer werewolf!" He exclaimed before breaking down into sobs.

James pulled Remus into a fierce hug and held onto him tightly, "Remus... Hey, look at me." He murmured and Remus shook his head and hid his face in James' neck.

James sighed, "Rem I don't give a fuck if you fancy blokes over birds." He said honestly.

Remus' sobs quieted slightly and he peered up at him. "You... Don't?" He breathed.

James laughed, "fuck no... More for me that way." He grinned and Remus smiled back slightly.

"I don't... Understand... Or see the uh, attraction..." James confessed. "But, that doesn't mean I think of you differently. You're still my best mate. You'll always be my best mate, Moony. Through thick and fucking thin, remember?" He whispered.

Remus let out another broken sob and nodded, wrapping his arms tightly around his neck.

James held onto him and stroked his back soothingly. "Calm down Remmy... I have chocolate?" He bribed, shoving the trunk of the bed and sat Remus down. "Hang on, I'll get tissues." James said and ran off.

He came back a minute later with a box of tissues and a slab of chocolate and handed them to Remus, who had managed to stop crying and was now just sniffling.

James sat down across from him and watched as he wiped his tears and nibbled on the chocolate. "So... When did you realise?" He asked softly.

Remus looked up at him, "that I was gay?"

James nodded.

Remus smiled slightly and looked down, "I was eight."

"Eight? Bloody hell..." James said, leaning back. "How did you know?"

"It's a long story..." Remus sighed.

James grinned, "mate we have all summer."

Remus smiled at that and pushed the hair out of his face. "Well... Okay." He sighed and took a deep breath; "we had a gardener called Mr Barns. And Mr Barns was great, he was there every week and he did a brilliant job, but he was pretty old and one day he got sick. But instead of just not pitching up, he sent his son Timothy instead." He explained. "Timothy was sixteen at the time, and gods I thought he was the prettiest human being alive." Remus smiled shyly. "He had blonde hair that was always pushed back off his face, and these great blue eyes and long eyelashes... Anyway." He laughed, "I was beyond shy, I mean, I had these bloody scars all over my face, so I always used to hide around the garden and just watch him work. One day, he spotted me, and instead of chasing me off, he called me over and asked if I wanted to help him plant the cherry tree. I agreed, and together we planted it and I really don't think I've ever had that much fun with some." Remus smiled, "he was working at our house for the rest of the year, since his father had passed away... But the next spring, he called me outside and picked a cherry blossom and handed it to me, and told me to give it to the prettiest girl I knew.

It was his last day, and I wouldn't see him again as he was going off to study. So of course I just nodded and ran off, but later, as my dad was getting ready to take him home, I ran out after him and he stopped and he looked at me, and I held out the cherry blossom and I told him that I thought he was far prettier than any girl in the world. And he grinned, a proper grin and he tucked the flower behind his ear and kissed my cheek." Remus said and looked down, still smiling. "He told me I was the cutest kid, and then he leaned in close and said he hopes my boyfriend would treat me right one day. And then he left." Remus finished and looked up, "that kind of did it for me I think."

James blinked furiously and cleared his throat, "that was..."

"Lame?"

"The sweetest fucking story I have ever heard." He laughed and pulled Remus into a tight hug.

Remus laughed, blushing and wrapped his arms back around James. "Thank-you, James. For everything.

James grinned and pulled back, ruffling his hair. "Anything for the cutest little queer werewolf in the world!" He cooed.

Suppose he deserved that punch in the gut.