Orbiting

Despite being able to easily fit a trip to the pub into his work schedule, Remus found himself cringing at the thought of going.

After spending the last few nights burying his face into his pillow to breathe in the traces of Sirius that lingered, he was desperate to find a way out. It’s not that he didn’t want to see him, but Sirius was overwhelming, all-consuming, and Remus couldn't escape it. The intense longing and need for control made him nauseous. His efforts to change his library shift were unsuccessful and he felt slightly betrayed by a place he loved so much.

Time was slipping by and his day of independent study had been relatively fruitless for the amount of hours he had spent at his desk. James would be coming home from practice soon and Remus knew he couldn’t be here when he came back. With that thought in mind, he ripped a paper from his notebook with the excuse that the person working at the library tonight had taken ill and they needed him to cover. He set the note on James’ bed and hastily made his exit.

The sky was brimming with hues of pink and orange as the sun began its descent. A light breeze rustled through the trees, carrying with it the scent of pine. He could feel the cool air against his cheeks, which made him feel slightly more steady.

Remus wasn’t keen on the idea of going to the library and he had already told Regulus that he couldn’t go swimming tonight, so he just wandered the grounds trying to think of somewhere to hide out until the others had already left for Three Broomsticks.

Once he had made a full loop of the university, Remus’ feet absentmindedly led him to the astronomy tower. As he ascended, the narrow windows cut into the tower's thick walls offered fleeting glimpses of the darkening sky outside. Each aperture framed a different scene: here, a sliver of fading sunlight; there, the first shimmering stars emerging from the twilight. The play of light and shadow across the worn steps created an ever-shifting pattern beneath his feet.

Halfway up, Remus was forced to pause, his breath coming in short, uneven gasps. He leaned against the cool stone wall, his fingertips tracing the rough texture as he waited for the stabbing sensation in his leg to subside. Remus closed his eyes, focusing on the steady rhythm of his heartbeat as it gradually slowed.

After a moment, he pushed himself off the wall and continued his ascent. The spiral staircase seemed to stretch endlessly upward, each step a small victory against the persistent fire in his muscles. After two more breaks, Remus finally reached the top.

The observatory was empty, its massive telescope pointing silently toward the heavens. He limped towards the vast window that encompassed nearly half the circular room and lowered himself to the floor, gently placing his cane next to himself.

The last vestiges of daylight were fading, giving way to a tapestry of stars. He closed his eyes, allowing the silence of the observatory to envelop him, a welcome reprieve from the thoughts that had been plaguing him all day. As the darkness deepened, Remus found himself idly tracing constellations with his fingertip on the window where his breath had fogged it.

Time seemed to lose meaning as he sat there. Eventually, the faint sound of the door creaking open broke the silence, startling Remus from his reverie. He assumed it was probably another group from astronomy class looking to work on their assignment. But then, a body took the place on the ground next to him. Without looking he already knew who it was.

“What are you doing here?” Sirius asked, knocking his body gently against Remus’.

“Needed to work on my project some more.” He knew Sirius probably wouldn’t believe it, but he hoped that it would be enough to drop the subject.

“Interesting, I don’t see any charts and James was under the distinct impression that you had work at the library tonight.” Sirius paused like he was giving Remus the chance to explain. But when there was no response he continued. “Imagine my surprise when I went to wait with you until your shift ended to find that you weren’t there. In fact, I had quite an enlightening conversation with some lad called Avery. Said something to the effect of ‘I already told Remus five times that I would not trade shifts with him.’ Not sure he’s your biggest fan if I’m being honest, mate.”

“Well, if he’d learn to properly re-shelve the returns then we wouldn’t have a problem,” Remus grumbled.

“And you are so distraught by books being shelved incorrectly that you had to skip out on our plans?” Sirius retorted easily.

“Clearly you haven’t seen the state of the library after he works. Going to need all night to strategize the reorganization that will need to happen.” He nudged Sirius back, a smile threatening to form on his lips.

Sirius let out a deep chuckle, the sound bouncing off the walls of the serene observatory. Remus couldn't help but steal a glance at him, his eye-line drawn to Sirius' strong jawline and the way his Adam's apple bobbed with his laughter. Desire coursed through Remus as he imagined tracing his tongue along that exposed throat, tasting the salty skin, and feeling Sirius' pulse quicken beneath his lips. Before he could act on it, Sirius spoke again.

"Ah yes, the great library crisis of Hogwarts University. I'm sure it will be written about in history books for generations to come."

Remus felt a warmth spread through his chest, despite his best efforts to remain detached. He turned his gaze back to the window, watching as clouds drifted lazily in front of the moon.

“You seem awfully distracted, what's got your attention?” Sirius probed.

“The moon,” Remus whispered in reply.

"It's beautiful," Sirius murmured, his voice low to match Remus’. "Do you ever feel like it might be a bit lonely up there? Just floating in the vast emptiness of space."

“I don’t think so,” Remus said turning his face, eyes flickering down to Sirius’ lips. “It has the stars for company.”

"And what if the stars aren't enough?" Sirius whispered, barely audible above the sound of their breathing. "What if the moon yearns for something more?”

“I don’t think that’s possible.” Remus felt his heart pound, aware of every point where their bodies touched - shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip. He longed to close the infinitesimal gap between them.

Sirius’ breath hitched as he leaned in closer, his hand tentatively reaching up to tangle in the soft curls of Remus' hair. The air between them was charged with anticipation, but before anything could happen, the door swung open and they quickly pulled away from each other. The moment was shattered, replaced by the realization that their private moment had been interrupted.

A group of students shuffled into the room stopping when they saw the two boys sitting on the floor.

“Sorry, didn’t think another group would be utilizing the tower on a Friday night. You lads almost finished? We have some serious work to do on this project.”

Remus felt his body burn with embarrassment as he hurriedly grabbed his cane and struggled to his feet. Sirius was already up, offering a hand to steady him.

“Yeah, just about to head out. Right, Moony?” The nickname rolled off his tongue easily.

Remus nodded, suddenly unable to find his voice as he allowed Sirius to lead the way towards the door. The group of students parted to let them pass.

The journey down was silent, save for the rhythmic tap of Remus' cane against the stone steps. Each sound echoed in the narrow space, punctuating the tension that had settled between them. Remus was busy replaying the moment in the observatory over and over. The warmth of Sirius' body next to his, the gentle tug of fingers in his hair, the electric anticipation that flowed through his veins - it all felt like a dream now, fading with each step they took.

As they reached the base of the tower, Remus was exhausted, his leg felt like pins had been stabbed into his skin.

"I think I'll head back to the dorm," Remus said through labored breaths.

Sirius stepped closer, his presence a warmth in the cool night air. "No, you won't. We're going to the pub, Moony."

Remus opened his mouth to protest, but Sirius continued, "I warned you that I wasn’t going to let you off that easy.”

“Right, well I will have to stop by my room first.” He knew he would need his pain medication if he had any chance of making it across campus and then down the road.

A cheeky smirk spread across Sirius’ face. “What, are you going to change into a different knitted jumper?”

“Hilarious, truly, you are a master of comedy,” Remus said flatly, but the way his lips twitched up gave him away. “It’s on the way anyway.”

They set off across the moonlit grounds, their footsteps crunching softly on the gravel path. As they approached the dormitory, Remus was trying to find a way to take his meds without Sirius noticing.

“Do you need anything from your room? You can go up and we can meet out front.” Remus tried.

“Nope, I’ve got everything I need,” Sirius said as they entered the building.

Remus sighed inwardly, realizing he'd have to be more discreet. Once they reached his door he tried a different approach.

"I'll just be a moment," Remus said, fumbling with his key. "You can wait out here if you'd like."

But Sirius followed him in, collapsing dramatically onto Remus' neatly made bed. "I'm quite comfortable here, thanks."

“Right, I’m just going to go to the restroom.” He shut the door and opened the cabinet. With practiced nonchalance, he palmed two pills from a small bottle, quickly dry-swallowing.

He walked back out into his small living space, grabbing a worn cardigan from his closet. As he slipped it on, he caught Sirius watching him, a softness in his grey eyes that made Remus' insides feel gooey.

“You know, it is a little cold out tonight. Think I could borrow a jumper?” Sirius asked biting his lip.

Remus hesitated for a moment, his eyes darting between Sirius and his closet. The thought of Sirius wearing his clothes sent a thrill through him, but he quickly pushed it aside.

"I suppose," he said, trying to keep his voice neutral. He turned back to the closet, rifling through the neatly folded stacks until he found a soft, navy blue sweater. "This shouldn’t be too big on you."

Sirius stood, reaching for the offered garment. Their fingers brushed as he took it, and Remus felt a jolt of electricity at the contact. He watched, transfixed, as Sirius pulled the sweater over his head. It was definitely too big, the sleeves falling past his wrists and fabric hanging loosely from his body, but somehow it suited him perfectly.

"How do I look?" Sirius asked, a playful grin on his face as he struck an exaggerated pose.

Remus swallowed hard, his eyes tracing the way the oversized sweater draped over Sirius' frame. "It's... It looks good," he managed, his voice sounding strained even to his own ears.

Sirius' grin widened, a knowing glint in his eye. "Just good? I think I look rather dashing if I do say so myself." He ran a hand through his hair, mussing it artfully.

Remus turned away, busying himself with gathering his wallet and keys. "We should get going," he said, desperate to change the subject. "The others will be wondering where we are."

As they made their way out of the dormitory and across the campus grounds, Remus couldn't help but watch Sirius the whole way to the pub. The sight of him in his clothes stirred something deep in his gut.

When they reached the door to Three Broomsticks, Sirius had to wiggle his hand free from where it had been concealed under the jumper to grasp the brass door handle. The pub was alive with energy, the sound of conversations weaving through the air. Remus followed close behind Sirius, his cane tapping softly against the worn floorboards.

Near the back at a large table, they found the familiar faces of James, Lily, and Peter, along with two faces that Remus didn’t recognize. As they settled into the last two open seats, a loud voice came from the other side of the table.

“Remus?!”

He looked at the girl who called his name, realizing that he knew her. She had untidy blonde waves, sharp features, dark eyeliner, and a black choker adorning her neck. She looked completely different from the girl he had encountered on the train platform, yet it was unmistakably her.

“Marlene,” he said eyes a bit wide in surprise. “I didn’t realize it was you when I walked in.”

“Dress a bit differently around my mum. She doesn’t really care for…well my look.” Marlene gestured a hand around her face and clothes as a way of explanation.

“It suits you,” Remus replied in support.

“It’s so nice to see you again!” Marlene beamed at Remus, her dark-lined eyes crinkling at the corners. It was clear that while her appearance had changed, her friendly disposition had not. "I was hoping I'd run into you again. How have your first few weeks been?"

Before Remus could respond, Sirius leaned in, his arm brushing against Remus' as he addressed Marlene. "How do you two know each other?" There was a hint of something possessive in his voice.

"Oh, we met on the train platform," Remus explained, acutely aware of Sirius' proximity. "Marlene’s mum gave me a ride from the station."

"Ah, I see," Sirius replied, his tone carefully neutral.

As the conversation lulled, Lily cleared her throat, drawing attention. "Remus, I don't believe you've met Mary yet, have you?" She gestured to the girl sitting beside her. Mary had shoulder-length curly brown hair that framed her face in loose ringlets, catching the golden light of the pub and giving her an almost ethereal glow. Her eyes were a warm, rich brown, reminding Remus of freshly brewed tea, and her skin was a beautiful deep brown.

“Nice to meet you,” Remus said offering a small wave from across the table.

"Likewise," Mary replied with a wave of her own.

James, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, suddenly leaned forward. "So, Remus, how was your unexpected library shift?" There was a hint of challenge in his voice, and Remus knew he'd been caught out.

Sirius smoothly interjected before Remus could formulate a response, "Oh, it was dreadfully boring, wasn't it, Moony? All those books to re-shelve because some incompetent wanker doesn’t know how to do it properly.

He nodded in agreement, forcing a small smile. "Right, absolutely dreadful. I'll be glad when Avery learns how to properly organize the Dewey Decimal System."

James raised an eyebrow, clearly not entirely convinced, but he let the matter drop. "Well, I'm glad you could join us anyway. Now that you lads are here we can continue discussing what we should do for Sirius' birthday next month."

As the table launched into an animated discussion about various ideas, Remus leaned in close to Sirius’ ear catching the faint scent of his cologne mingling with the familiar smell of his own sweater. “Thank you for covering for me.”

Sirius turned his head slightly, his lips nearly brushing Remus' ear as he whispered back, "Anytime, Moony."

The conversation flowed freely, punctuated by bursts of laughter and the clinking of glasses. While Mary, Marlene, and Lily regaled the table with a story about their disastrous attempt at baking for a charity event, Remus felt like he was floating. The warmth of the pub, the buzz of alcohol and pain meds in his system, and the comforting presence of Sirius beside him all combined to create a hazy, dreamlike state.

He was vaguely aware of the others laughing, of James' arm slung casually around Lily's shoulders, of Peter's eager interjections. But his focus kept returning to Sirius - to the way one strand of hair kept falling in his face, to the rich timbre of his laugh, and the way they kept casually scooting a little closer.

The chatter was dizzying and Remus couldn't quite keep up. He caught snippets of conversation here and there, but mostly he was lost in his thoughts. By the time the group decided to head back to the dorm, he was a bit unsteady on his feet. Wordlessly, Sirius took Remus’ free arm and wrapped it around his shoulder. They managed like that all the way back to Gryffindor Hall. Lily, Marlene, and Mary bid their goodnights before slipping off to the girl’s wing. James and Peter lingered for a moment before peeling away toward the common room for a game of chess. Sirius helped Remus to his room, arm tucked around his waist for support.

"Here we are," Sirius said when they reached room 104. "Can you manage your key?"

Remus nodded, reluctantly disentangling himself from Sirius. He dug in his pocket, located the key, and opened the door. Together, they stepped into the room. Remus turned on the lamp before sitting on his bed. Sirius moved to stand in front of him, a fond look on his face.

"I suppose I should return this," he said, gesturing to the navy blue jumper he was still wearing.

Remus' breath caught in his throat as Sirius reached for the hem of the sweater. With one fluid motion, he pulled it over his head and handed it to Remus.

"Thanks for letting me borrow it, I quite liked it. Might have to knick your clothes more often."

Remus nodded absentmindedly, running through mental images of Sirius in every single one of his jumpers. He knew he should say something, but he was at a loss for words.

Sirius smirked like he could read Remus’ mind, “I’ll let you get some rest. See you soon, Moons.” With that Remus watched him walk out. He removed the layers he was wearing and tugged on the navy blue jumper before turning out the lamp and falling asleep.