Birth of a Legend
Chapter IV: Twisted Humor
Remus had managed to keep avoiding the rest of the group for almost two weeks before they finally managed to corner him and stop him from running away. Wormtail had been on the lookout for the Prefect. Padfoot had been lying in wait to keep the other from running off and Prongs had been hiding in the room so he couldn't run off somewhere else in the dorm. Once they knew Moony was on his way, they sprang their trap and cornered him.
The two weeks had begun to wear all three of the boys down. Wormtail had become worn down because Moony wasn't around to temper down their great leaders. Prongs was stressed because he was beginning to realize there was a key place for Moony in their group and it was so strange when he wasn't there. Among them all Padfoot had become the worst. He was wound tight and nervous, wanting to be able to spend time with someone he considered his best friend. He had planned to rib Remus about being gay, but he certainly hadn't disliked the other man for it. Yet with Remus avoiding them, he was beginning to realize it was a lot more serious than he expected.
For as serious was this seemed to be for Moony, Padfoot had seriously had enough. Once the werewolf was cornered, Sirius let lose, pinning the other man against the wall so he couldn't move. "You attempt to run away this time, I'm going to stop you and I'm more than certain you won't like it one bit," the animagus growled, watching the other closely. Remus realized he couldn't move, shifting nervously from foot to foot while keeping his eyes down cast. It seemed to the Prefect to be the only thing he could do.
"Why are you running away from us, Moony?" Prongs asked, standing close by incase he had to stop his hot-tempered friend from doing something he'd regret.
"I'm not running," Remus remarked, his voice low.
"Bullocks, Moony! You're bloody well trying to flee right now. You've been avoiding all of us since that stupid announcement by your fellow Prefect in the baths two weeks ago," Sirius snarled, getting right into Moony's face. The movement caused James to reach out, as if to hold back the dark haired mage in case he moved that bit closer.
"He's right, Moony. You've turned and gone the other way more than once. No matter if it was Padfoot, Wormtail, or I," James commented softly.
"Do you… hate us now?" Wormtail asked his voice almost too soft to be heard. "Do you fear we hate you for something that is a part of yourself?"
Remus swallowed thickly, wanting to hide himself from the others. Of course he was afraid. That was just how he felt. He didn't want to see his friends treat him differently because he preferred men. He most certainly didn't want to hear they found him disgusting for his preference. "I don't hate you, any of you. I just… didn't want to hear your disgust in what I like."
"We don't dislike you for being gay, Moony. I will admit I dislike you for being rather dense in how to deal with us learning. Come on now! You're a bloody werewolf and you think the fact you're gay is really going to make us hate you where that didn't? Really?" Sirius questioned, sighing heavily. The wizard just shifted and hugged the scarred man, watching him. "Now… stop being a prat and rejoin the group, Remus. We want you in the group, as our friend. You need to see and believe that, for all of us, but most especially yourself."
James smiled softly, moving to place an arm on the shoulder closest to him, meeting Remus' gaze steadily when the other looked up at the touch. "Honestly, Remus, we don't care. So what if you prefer a guy to a woman. Many wizards swing both ways. Seeing as being with women are a bit… harder for you, especially with a secret most would want you killed for, I can completely understand your choice. Although I was curious," James paused a moment and looked at Sirius before his grin widened and he returned his attention to Remus. "Which one of us would you date, if you could? Sirius or me?" he asked.
Remus shifted from Sirius' arms, which he found he rather enjoyed, and looked at James. "I… didn't just hear those words," he remarked, staring at his friend.
Sirius didn't let him get away. Instead, he moved so he was standing behind Remus, his arms around his shoulders so that the werewolf couldn't just up and run off. "Yeah, Moony, you did. We want to know who you'd pick between us."
"You two… are insane… why didn't you add Peter to that question? Isn't that being rude?" Remus asked, attempting to get them to change the subject, at least to stop trying to get him to choose between the two of them.
"What? Come on now Moony, don't drag me into it!" Peter exclaimed, honestly not wanting to be stuck in the middle of the argument and most certainly not wanting to know. Though there was a large part of him that was bothered by the admission from Remus about liking guys.
"Yeah, Moony, don't drag Wormtail into it," James commented, grinning as he continued to watch the uncomfortable look on Remus' face. For all the times Remus had caused them to stop and behave, it was good to have the other uncomfortable for a bit.
Sirius laughed, his breath brushing over Remus' ear as he shook his head. "Come now, Moony. Stop stalling. You need to answer the question. Especially since James and I have a rather large bet going and I'd like to collect my winnings."
James rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "Who said you're winning the pot, Padfoot. Remus hasn't said he'd date you, you know. It could just as well end badly for you as it could for me. It's a perfectly decent fifty-fifty chance going on here."
Remus closed his eyes, attempting to get himself under control. It wasn't an easy achievement, seeing as having the one he would willingly date hanging all over him, breathing over his throat, was merely adding to things, making it difficult to focus. "Come on now, you two. I find this highly inappropriate talk for us. Just because you know I prefer a man doesn't mean I would choose either of you."
James laughed, lightly reaching out to hit Sirius in the shoulder. "Ha, see, I told you there was that possibility as well. Guess we're not manly enough to catch Moony's eye," he commented, moving to face Wormtail. "Bloody hell, you were right in the bet, Wormtail. Come on… I'll pay you that galleon I owe you." With that, James moved away from the werewolf and animagus and dragged his rat-like friend toward their room.
Alone with Sirius, Remus felt himself begin to heat up. The other was still hanging on him and just watching him, as if he was waiting for Remus to say something. The Prefect had no clue what it was he wanted to hear though. Mostly because the other was an enigma and he never really understood just what it was Sirius could be thinking. That mind was dangerous and while Remus was book smart… he could never assume to know what the other was about to say or do. "Padfoot," he whispered, his voice softly, almost questioning.
"Why did you lie, Remus?" Sirius asked, letting the other know he was being serious by calling him by his actual name, rather than the nickname that they all used.
Remus started, his pulse picking up even more. "What do you mean?" he asked, licking his lips.
Sirius reached out and caught his wrist his one hand, his strong fingers pressing to his pulse point, feeling the pulse of the werewolf beating in a rather swift pace. Faster than what should be normal. "You're heartbeat is racing and you're breathing is a bit swift. You're flushed but I know it isn't because you're ill. The whole time we talked, you were fine… until I began leaning on you. I've seen these kinds of reactions before, Rem… and do you know from where?" Sirius asked, his eyes serious, instead of teasing, showing just how much he really wanted an answer.
"I… I have no clue where you've seen these kinds of things before Sirius… and I can't say I care," Remus whispered, hoping his cool words would make the other let go. Yet that didn't seem to be the case. Instead, it only succeeded in making Sirius smirk widely.
"Why in the very women I seduce that try to play hard to get. Those that want people to think one way when the truth is another. James was near you earlier… but there was no reaction to him from you. It only happened when you were near me." He paused and let his wrist go, bringing his hand up to trail it over Remus' cheek. "So why not stop lying to everyone and admit what I already know."
Remus frowned, finding the more and more Sirius continued to talk the more he was beginning to become upset by the other man. "And what am I supposed to admit to?" he asked, his hazel gaze darkening as he watched the fathomless gray gaze light up in his mirth. Honestly, when he kept his mouth shut, he was truly stunning to look at. Yet when the man opened his mouth, it would always shatter the pretty picture he'd created with his looks.
"Why, the fact that you are falling for me Moony, of course," Sirius remarked with a smirk, teasing his friend with a soft laugh.
Remus, on the other hand, had frozen in place, stiffening from his place in Sirius' arms. "Sirius," Remus whispered his voice tense as he attempted to move away from him. This time, the man let him go, if only because the whispering of his name gave the other pause. Remus shifted, moving to look the other in the eye for a moment, before shaking his head.
Sirius watched his friend for a full minute, the serious expression and sad look to his eyes and suddenly all the teasing and the reactions of his friend came crashing down around him. "Rem… you really are…" Sirius trailed off, unable to put into words what his mind had just figured out. The truth was hitting the man harder than he'd ever expected. Most especially since he'd never really expected to have another man come to like him. It hit harder as he realized it was his best friend who had come to have feelings for him.
Remus swallowed, the flush on his cheeks having faded as he saw the look on his friends face. He knew having a crush on Sirius was a bad idea. Knowing the other had learned of his crush and was seeing the reaction it had brought out in Sirius Remus was beginning to wish they had never learned of his preference in the first place. "Just drop it, Sirius," Remus remarked, his voice low.
Sirius looked down, biting his lower lip. "I can't." He sighed, shaking his head. "Look, I'm honored Rem but honestly… I don't feel the same. You know me… I love my women. I have a plan for each year I'm here, you remember it. You found it once a couple years ago."
Remus remembered that list and while it hurt that he knew the other didn't return his feelings, he had expected to hear such words. Remus smiled a bit sadly and shook his head. "Yes, your plan to kiss every female in Hogwarts before graduation. I seem to recall that you left out those who come in after our first year, but that was to expected when you started from the seventh years and began moving downward in the years."
Sirius laughed, even though he didn't feel the joy he once did at knowing Remus was amused by his antics. He'd hurt his friend and it was bothering him for reasons he couldn't understand. Sure, Remus would be hurt, since his feelings weren't return, but was there a reason for Sirius to feel bad for not returning the feelings? He was a ladies man. James and he often fought over whom the most was wanted in the school. So why was one rejection that was doomed to occur occupying his mind now, when they were talking about anything but the rejection? Hell, Remus had seemed to willingly move from his rejection to other subjects and Sirius was still trapped in the knowledge he'd first learned. What in the bloody hell was wrong with him? "Exactly," Sirius commented, smirking suddenly, hiding his thoughts and discomfort behind his grin. "So we're all right then? No problems or anything?"
Remus sighed, shaking his head. "No problems. In fact, forget it ever happened, Padfoot," the werewolf commented, turning as he heard Peter cry out that James was cheating him at a round of wizard's chess, bring another sigh to the prefect's lips. "Now what are they up to? I swear, I feel like the mother of you three instead of your friend some days," he muttered, before turning to head on up to their rooms to check on his other friends. Sirius remained behind, watching Remus go.
It was hard to see the man who had been his friend being in love with him when he managed to hide it so well. Had that entire moment just happened or had Sirius just been imagining it and the truth had been as Remus had first told him. That he didn't prefer either of them. It was quite possible Remus was merely trying to pull once over on him and he just couldn't see it for how well the other was playing his prank. Walking into the room after his friends, he could see James laughing and waving his hands animatedly, as if explaining what had happened while Remus was out of the room. Peter was pouting on his side of the table, muttering about unfair rules and advantages being taken when James knew Peter was still learning the game. Remus seemed to sigh once more, crossing his arms across his chest. There was a brief glance in his direction, where Sirius didn't fail to see the pain that seemed to spark in his friends eyes, before he turned back to the two in question and began lecturing the both of them.
No, it wasn't a joke. It wasn't a pretense or even a prank. There had been an obvious feeling for him in the sad gaze and Remus was suffering heartbreak from it. Yet it seemed he wanted to bury it deep so that no one could notice. He didn't want his friends to worry over him, since they already had more than enough to worry about in regards to him as it was. Sirius was certain that was exactly how the werewolf looked at it. They had been friends for five years, after all. How could they not know the ins and outs of one another? Well, that was something Sirius was going to work on. He'd help Remus get over him and see him smile genuinely again. That was what any good friend would do, after all. Yes, he'd find Remus a boyfriend and then everything could go back to normal. Walking over to the rest of their little group he moved to take James side as Remus and Peter continued to argue with James. A plan was forming and he had every intention of getting help with it. He just needed to figure out how to keep it a secret from the main person it regarded until it was time.
Author's Note: Well, another chapter, another step closer to the end of the tale. Of course, I don't know just where I want to end it. I'm thinking with Lily and James' wedding… with a hint of foreshadowing of the things to come in their lives. If you want the next chapters sooner rather than later… keep letting me know you like it. I don't ask for much… just acknowledgement that it's still going in a way you all prefer. I've got up to six done now with seven in the works… so review and let me know it's good. Thank you all for your support!