James and Pete had gone back inside almost an hour ago, but Sirius had insisted on keeping the bonfire lit for a while longer. As he was adding more wood to the fire, Remus had to admire the way the glow made his features even more pronounced and lovely. He lounged back on his elbows on the blanket they’d set by the fire.
“You could help if you wanted.” Sirius huffed.
“I could, you’re right.” He didn’t move. “Can’t admire the view from over there, though, can I?”
Sirius was glad that he could blame the violent shade of pink rushing to his cheeks on the heat from the fire. He was happy to flirt with anyone, ask Professor McGonagall, and thrived on people flirting with him, except Remus. When Remus flirted with him, he got flustered. Back in May, the day before the full moon, Remus had simply leaned into him, brought his mouth right next to Sirius’ ear and in a low voice said, ‘You’re such an idiot’. Sirius couldn’t explain why that had done things to him, and he certainly wasn’t about to talk to James or Pete about it. Something about the affection and intimacy with which he’d said it, perhaps. Sirius had dreams about it fairly often.
“You won't be able to see me at all if the fire goes out.”
“You’ve got it under control. I believe in you.”
Remus’ lopsided smile made Sirius’ chest hurt. Maybe he should have called it a night when the others went to bed, but there was something magical about sitting outside with Remus at night. Whether it was sneaking out to the lake or the forest at school, or in The Potters’ garden over the summer, it was always serene and Sirius, with the best intentions, always came away a little more enamoured by his best friend. The moon loomed large in the sky. Tomorrow was the full moon, and Remus would be going back home to be locked in the cellar of his childhood home. It made Sirius livid to think about, but he also knew that Hope and Lyall had little choice if Remus was to remain unregistered.
“You’ve gone quiet on me, Pads,” Remus murmured. “You alright?”
“Just thinking,” Sirius said, poking the fire and smiling as the logs started to catch. “Do you particularly enjoy watching me get flustered?”
“Flustered?” Remus’ left eyebrow twitched. “Can’t say I’d noticed. Would you say that you’re flustered now?”
“Fuck off,” Sirius grumbled as he settled next to Remus on the blanket. “You’re worse before the moon.”
“Worse?” Remus chuckled. “Good to know that your scoring of my flirting goes from bad to... less bad?”
“So, you admit that you’re flirting?” Sirius’ heart was doing something bizarre in his chest and he couldn’t quite bring himself to look at Remus.
“I’ve absolutely been flirting, Pads.” Remus leaned close to him, and Sirius had to suppress a shiver as he felt his lips brushing his ear. “And you love it.”
Sirius groaned as Remus’ lips moved to the sensitive spot just behind his jaw and when he felt a rumble of laughter in Remus’ chest, he turned his head and caught Remus’ lips with his own. "You have no idea," He kissed Remus again, "what you do to me, Moons.". He felt Remus smile into their kiss and pulled him closer by his shirt. He let Remus push him gently backwards so that he could hover his lips over Sirius’, their faces so close.
“Fuck, you’re gorgeous.” Remus breathed in that same tone that he’d told Sirius he was an idiot months ago. Sirius grabbed his shirt again and pulled him down to kiss him.