A/N: This was not the story to procrastinate on when I have deadline :P I've never written the Marauders before so I really hope this is alright haha :) Basically this is a load of banter-y fluff.

Enjoy!

Written for: Last Man Standing comp rnd 1 [Marauders Era]; Disney comp [John and Michael Darling - The Marauders]; HP Chapter comp [OoTP - The Second War Begins - Friendship]; Birthday comp [March - characters - James I]; Pairing Diversity Bootcamp [James/Lily - nerves]

First Date Nerves

The Marauders (Friendship)

"Well, that's my studying done," Sirius, lying on his bed with his feet crossed against the slope of the wall, said decisively. He slammed his textbook shut and threw it carelessly across the room, not so much as lifting his head when it flew straight out of the open window.

"Sirius!" Remus gasped in horror, shedding the blanket of notes that had been strewn across his lap and running over to the window.

"Ow – what the hell?" a female voice shrieked from below.

"Sorry!" Remus yelled back sheepishly even though it hadn't been his fault. He closed the window and walked back over to his bed, stooping over to gather up his notes and scattering them across his duvet.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

"You know, for saying you didn't mean to do that," Peter looked up from his own book. "That was a bloody good shot."

"How can you be so sure that was an accident?" Sirius winked. He folded his arms behind his shaggy head of hair and looked up at the ceiling. "And by the way, Moony,"

"Yes?" Remus asked wearily.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

"May I say how kind it was of you to get my textbook back for me," Sirius said dryly.

"Well as you implied you'd been planning to do that all along, I'd have good faith that you'd already have a plan of action about retrieving the book," Remus looked up and smirked.

"Ooooh," Sirius chorused mockingly. "Isn't somebody a grumpy wolf today? What's up Remus, is it –"

"Don't say it," Remus warned.

"Why?" Sirius asked innocently. "I was only wondering if it was your time of the month."

He and Peter erupted with laugher whilst Remus made a show of sighing in annoyance, though; he couldn't help but crack a small smile all the same.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The laughter died down after a few seconds, and a minute of silence passed before Sirius sighed dramatically and proclaimed, "I'm bored!"

"Me, too," Peter moaned.

"I can't speak for Peter," Remus said. "But you, Sirius, certainly wouldn't be bored if you'd studied for more than five minutes before throwing your book out of the bloody window."

"Oops," Sirius grinned, shrugging his shoulders. "But come on, let's do something! It's Saturday for Godric's sake!"

TAP. TAP. TAP.

"Merlin's pants, James, are you trying to learn Morse Code or something?" Remus asked in exasperation as the sound of quill tapping against parchment became too loud to ignore.

"Mm?" James looked at him vacantly. "What code? Oh, are we coming up with code names for things now? Great," he clapped his hands and rubbed his palms together thoughtfully. "Hmm let's see, I vote…" he clucked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and allowed his hazel eyes to wander over the ceiling for a while before speaking again. "I vote we call Dungbombs 'apples' from now on. I mean, who's gonna get suspicious if I just innocently say I'm nipping into the Charms room to put a lovely apple on the teacher's desk-"

"James!" Remus brought him out of his daze. "Not that kind of code. I was talking about Morse Code: you know, the Muggle means of communication."

James' expression remained blank.

"The thing we've just been revising in Muggle Studies…" Remus said leadingly, gesturing with his hand in the vain hope he'd jog James' memory. His expression was still blank.

The tawny-haired boy peered at the open textbook on James' lap. "The bloody thing that you've supposedly been reading about for the last five minutes?"

James lifted the book to his face and scrutinized the words hard; as if it was the first time he was reading them. Eventually recognition dawned on him. "Oh – that. I'm with you now."

"Are you really?" Peter asked.

"No, but don't tell Moony that," James smirked in a stage whisper. "I don't have time for his lectures."

Sirius perked up at this comment. "Oh? Do you have a cunning prank planned out? Perhaps one that involves 'apples'," he winked exaggeratedly.

James chuckled. "No, actually. But we could always do that when I get back." He smirked.

"Back?"

"From where?"

"I've got a date," James' grin grew wider.

"Ooooh," all three other boys chorused together. "Who with?"

"Guess," James said, lounging back in his chair.

"That Emma girl in Hufflepuff?" Peter asked.

"McKinnon?" offered Remus.

"Mitzy!" Sirius shouted.

James cocked a brow and laughed. He pointed to each of his friends individually. "Wrong, wrong, and Mitzy's a bloody House-Elf, Padfoot."

Sirius shrugged, "It's possible."

"But wrong… on so many levels," James shuddered. "Actually, it's Lily."

"Evans?" Remus' eyes widened.

"The girl who swore she'd sooner drop out of Hogwarts than go on a date with you?"

James shrugged. "What can I say, I guess sharing the Head's dorm with me has worn her down a little."

"Or you Imperiused her," Peter's laugh soon turned uncomfortable. "Wait. You didn't Imperius her, did you?"

"'Course not," James said. He smiled to himself then, unable to contain his happiness that Lily had finally agreed - of her own accord - to go out with him. He didn't even care if she was doing it just to get him to leave her alone; she was going and that's what mattered.

James' smile faded when his eyes met Sirius', who was now sat on his bed with his hands clasped together and his elbows resting on his thighs.

"James," he said seriously. "My good friend; my partner in crime; my most favourite deer; can I be honest with you?"

"Er, sure," James said, running a hand through his messy hair.

Sirius leaned even further forwards towards him. "Now, I mean this in the kindest way possible, and I believe I speak for all of us when I say that…" he paused. "You're going to mess this up. Let me do it instead."

"Me? Mess up a date? Ha!" James scoffed as he tried to cover up his true reaction, and nonchalantly ran a hand through his messy hair. He knew they were right deep down. He'd never been this nervous about a date before, and then he started to feel nervous because he was feeling nervous.

Dammit, Evans… he thought.

"And what do you mean 'let me do it instead'?" he asked Sirius, feeling the need to maintain his confident façade. "I'm just as smooth with the ladies as you, Padfoot."

"Ah," Sirius held up a finger. "But being yourself: I.E. – a cocky tosser, isn't going to work on Lily, is it?"

"In fact that's the reason why you've failed to get a date with her until now," Remus added.

"So how on earth are you going to get through this without my help?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah, because you're so sensitive around girls, aren't you Sirius?" Remus snorted.

"Excuse me, but are you daring to question my pulling abilities?"

"Based on that fiasco with the textbook just now, then yes, I am," Remus smirked.

"Why?" Sirius' eyes bulged in horror and he whipped around to face Remus. "Was the girl fit?"

"I don't know!" Remus cried. "I only saw the top of her head."

"You can tell a lot from the top of a girl's head, you know," Sirius said.

"Besides the colour of her hair, what else is there to know?" Peter piped up, eyes gleaming with interest.

"Oh Peter," Sirius tsk'ed sadly. "So much to learn; so little time."

"Hello!" James said, waving his arms and gesturing to himself. "Actual girl-related problems, over here."

"Alright, alright," Sirius turned again. "Honestly you always have to be the centre of attention, don't you?"

"Of course," James grinned. "So are you going to help or what?"

"Oh," Sirius matched his smile. "So you've finally seen the light have you?"

"No," James replied. "But this way I can just blame you if this date ends with Lily hexing me in the balls."

"And," Sirius dragged the word out, as if he was fishing for a compliment.

"And," James mimicked his tone. "I've been waiting for this moment for so long that I can't afford to screw it up."

"In other words, you want me to go with you."

"Moral support would be nice," James sighed. "But you're going to have to go in your Animagus form."

"Ah, an undercover job," Sirius stroked his chin. "Intriguing."

"Er, James…" Remus intervened cautiously as he cocooned himself in notes again. "Is Sirius really the best man for the job if you're not wanting to act like, to quote him, a cocky tosser?"

"He's got a point," Peter chuckled. "You'd want someone more reserved like Remus, surely!"

James pursed his lips in thought for a moment before shaking his head. "He's got exams to worry about."

"Yes," Remus said. "And evidently I'm the only one of us who's bothering to revise."

"And what am I doing then, painting my bloody toenails?" Peter exclaimed sarcastically, wildly gesturing to the books and notes that surrounded him.

A pregnant pause filled the room. "What?" the chubby boy blushed.

"Do you paint your toenails, Wormtail?" Sirius asked on behalf of everyone.

"Of course not!"

"You know, I think we're going to have to check during the night," James smirked.

"And if he hasn't painted his nails-," Sirius said.

"-We'll do it for him!" He and James said together.

"Come on guys," Peter moaned. "Is that really necessary?"

"Yes," James and Sirius said, before the former blinked behind his glasses and looked at Remus. "Sorry what were we talking about before this?"

"I was asking why you think Sirius is the best choice to act as your wingman on this date. And you said because I have exams to worry about – which I do," Remus said. His words were muffled somewhat as he was holding his quill between his teeth, but James still heard.

James clicked his fingers in recollection. "Ah, yes! What's more, you heard Sirius: he's bored being stuck in here." A smirk formed on James' face. "Gotta take your dog for walkies, right?"

"At least twice a day," Sirius laughed.

"Hmm," Remus said. "Well at least with him gone I can get some work done."

"Aw," Sirius turned to him and grinned. "You know you'll miss me, Remus."

He chuckled. "Just be a good dog for James, all right?"

In response, Sirius sat up on his knees, held up his hands like dog's paws and stuck out his tongue whilst making panting noises. He then rose, and clapped Remus on the back before barrelling towards the door.

"I've never seen him move so bloody fast," Peter laughed.

"Me neither," James said. "But I guess that's my cue to face the music."

"Good luck," Remus smiled.

"Honestly," James turned to the others as he reached the door. "At this point I'm more nervous about whatever Sirius'll say or do than the actual date."

"You'll be fine," Peter assured him.

James shot him a lop-sided grin. It was really strange how five minutes of nonsensical conversation with his friends practically erased whatever nerves he'd initially had about his date with Lily, without them even trying.

"You know what? I reckon you're right."

"Don't mess it up!" Remus called after him when he left. "Merlin knows after so many years of you pining after Lily we all want you two to be together as much as you do."

"Here, here," Peter laughed.

James' head re-appeared in the doorway. "I won't," he said with a small wink before disappearing from sight again. He really meant those words. For his friends as much as for himself, he wasn't going to let Lily slip through his fingers.

A/N: As always, thank you for reading :D