"What is it, Prongs?" Remus asked as he continued reading his book which he got earlier from the library for their exam the following day. "You've lost something?"
"No," James replied.
"Then what is it, Prongs? Tell us," Peter shrugged. By this time they were in front of the Fat Lady's portrait. Remus muttered some word so that the door opened and the boys let themselves in.
"Padfoot," James whispered.
"Well, what about him?" Remus said as he let himself drop on the couch of the Gryffindor common room. "Is there something that may concern us about him?"
"Not really," James said in a monotone as he joined the werewolf in his seat. "But he spends a lot of time at night without our company."
"Probably he's just busy with his girls," Peter suggested, grinning.
"You're just being paranoid, Prongs," Remus said not looking up from his book. James sighed then placed his hands over his head, resting on his stomach and feet on the table. He never got so much worried about his comrades like this before. He felt butterflies in his stomach. But what if Remus was right? Was he just being paranoid?
A few moments later other students came in, almost each of them especially the girls, greeted Peter, even though he was asleep, the reading Remus, and the worried James.
"What's happening to you?!" Lily's angry voice was audible from the Fat Lady's portrait. This made the reading Remus and the worried James almost jump to their seat. Soon, Lily appeared and a familiar boy with her – Sirius.
"I told you I wasn't doing anything wrong," Sirius explained, brushing a hand on his black messy hair.
"What happened, Lily?" James reacted looking at Lily then at Sirius. "Sirius?"
"You played a prank again, didn't you?" Remus tried to confirmed but no answer was heard. Remus decided to put down his book. Everything was starting to get serious now.
"Ask him yourself," Lily shook her head.
"Stop acting like a mother, Lily," Sirius said as he sat on a chair, massaging his forehead. "Stay out of this."
"What? Sirius, who did you – " James said, eyes wide.
"Just your favorite playmate, Severus," Lily answered quickly. With that, Lily Evans left for the girls' dormitory at the right staircase.
"I lost control," Black admitted.
"Why?" Remus asked. "What happened?"
"Did Snape… you know," James asked with a low voice. "Well, did he return the affection?"
"I'm irresistible," Black replied, managing to put a small smile. Honestly, he was more happy than sad of what this came out to be. "Everyone, even the hated ones, likes me."
"You're being stupid, Padfoot," Remus spitted out.
"I'm sorry," Black replied. "I'll be going."
"I have to get some sleep," Sirius rose from his seat, placing both hands on his pocket then headed for the boys' dormitory on the opposite side of the staircase in which Lily went. "See 'ya later, Prongs, Moony, Wormtail."
The sun shone perfectly on a Monday morning. The day started fine, as if normal. Not to mention what Sirius did last night, everything was perfect.
"Good morning, Prongs," Black greeted as he sat beside James Potter at their Transfiguration class.
"Where's the good in 'good morning', Padfoot?" James answered. "You just finished screwing up with Severus. What's that all about? And you didn't tell us."
"It was just a lark, Prongs," Sirius said as he watched James put out his book on transfiguration.
"I don't get your point," James exclaimed, looking him straight in his grey fathomless eyes.
"Wait…" Sirius said. "Are you jealous?"
"Concerned, Padfoot. I'm concerned, not jealous."
Sirius let out a laugh bark. "I don't see that kind of concern from Moony or Wormtail," he said teasingly as he brushed his hand on James's cheek. Immediately, James shoved his hand away.
"Don't worry, James, I know where my true loyalty lies. And I know yours, too."
While in the class, all that Sirius did was to watch and study James as he read through his book and listened to McGonagall's lectures. James became conscious, but he avoided the dog's seductive look at him.
"Hey Padfoot," Peter greeted as Sirius came in from the door of the great hall. It was already lunch time and the marauders, including Lily, sat together.
"Where's Prongs?" Sirius asked, noticing that one of them was missing as he sat between Remus and Lily.
"He said he'll be skipping lunch today," Remus answered as he took a sip from his pumpkin juice. "He said he was going to study for Herbology."
"I don't remember about Professor Sprout saying there would be an exam today," Lily wondered.
"Yeah," Peter said. "Prongs is probably imagining things."
"I'm not hungry either," Sirius declared. "And I still have to put these books back on our dorm."
"Yeah, sure. Accompany him, will you?" Peter said. Remus and Lily nodded in agreement. And so, Sirius left the great hall for James.
James was in the common room, holding up his quill over a parchment trying to write or scribble something but just couldn't do it. The thoughts were blurring his mind.
Am I jealous? James thought. No, no, I'm not. I can't. he's my friend, he's…
His thoughts were swept away when he felt a pair of soothing hands from his back on his shoulders. He turned to look at it and those hands belonged to the very person he was thinking of – Sirius.
"What are you writing about, Prongs?" Sirius said as he leant over James's shoulders to peak on the paper, catching James' scent which easily filled his nose.
"Huh?" James said, slowly turning to face Sirius. Now his face was an inch away from Sirius's. Sirius grinned then let go of the other boy and sat beside him.
"That's not Herbology in your mind right?" the dog said as he held James's face to look at him, his hazel eyes behind his glasses now wet with tears. "Was it me you're thinking of?"
James tried to remove Sirius's hands but he was a lot stronger than him. The black-haired boy's face was closing in. James' heart was racing at the moment, not knowing what to do or how to react. Sirius and he had always been close, laughing and playing pranks together but this was spontaneous and unexpected.
Lightly and gently, Sirius pressed his lips on his friend's. James was shocked but partly relaxed. This was his first kiss and he was surprised it came from a boy, particularly Sirius. Sirius started to push James to lie down on the couch but at first James was hesitant. However, he gave in. Sirius placed and guided James' back to slowly fall down the couch. The kiss lasted for another few minutes before Sirius broke it, panting and sweating like James. He was still on top of James, on his knees and faces a few inches away from each other.
"What the fuck are you doing, Padfoot?"
"What do you think I'm doing?"
"I don't understand."
"I know you like this too… I know you have feelings for me, too."
"Shut up," James whispered, avoiding his eyes. "Get off me."
But instead of getting off, Sirius plunged in for another kiss. He grabbed both the black haired boy's hands and held them above his head. This time it was more forceful. He pushed harder into the kiss; his tongue trying to penetrate into the James's who tried to whimper.
No sooner, James gave in and returned Sirius's kisses. He permitted the other boy's tongue inside his, so that their tongues were entangled together. Sirius's other hand traveled on James's shirt, unbuttoning it. Now James was almost half naked with his bare pale chest revealed to the seductive young man in front of him, overpowering him.
Without any notice of refusal, James suddenly pushed Sirius away, at least a few inches away. They were both panting and sweating.
"No, we can't," James said in between his gasps.
"Why not?" Sirius replied. "Tell me."
"Tell you what?" James was in shock. "Sirius, for one thing, we are both boys!"
"And?"
"And what?" James said, almost to a shout.
"Nobody cares," Sirius replied. "Nobody cares for me."
"I do," James said, now his tone was solemn. "Moony does, Wormtail does. Lily does."
"Then show me that you care for me," Sirius uttered.