Flirting, Football and Food.
Reina and Pandora found themselves sitting quietly at their usual spot in the bustling cafeteria during lunch, the noise of chattering students and clattering trays surrounding them. Reina’s tray had barely anything on it—just a simple apple, which she hadn’t touched since sitting down. Pandora, in her usual carefree way, was nibbling on a sandwich and scribbling dreamy doodles in her notebook.
Reina sat quietly, fiddling with the hem of her sweater. Social situations like this always made her feel a little out of place, a little awkward. Even with Pandora beside her, it was hard to shake the feeling that she didn’t quite fit in with everyone else. Maybe it was the way she always second-guessed her words, or how she could never quite figure out what to do with her hands during conversations. She sighed inwardly, trying to ignore the nervous fluttering in her stomach.
“Hey, you.”
Reina looked up, startled, as James Potter plopped down across from her and Pandora, his usual confident grin lighting up his face. He wore his red football jersey, the sleeves pushed up to reveal tanned forearms. His hazel eyes sparkled mischievously, as if he found everything about life amusing. He always had that effect, making people feel like they were in on some inside joke.
“James,” Pandora greeted in her soft voice, barely looking up from her notebook.
James leaned forward, elbows resting on the table, and his gaze shifted to Reina. “What’s up, Reina? Looking a bit shy today.”
She blushed, feeling her cheeks heat up. “Oh, nothing. Just… thinking.”
James smirked, clearly amused. “Thinking about how awesome it would be if you joined the cheerleading team?”
Reina blinked, caught off guard by the question. She wasn’t used to someone like James paying this much attention to her. His effortless charm, his teasing—it always threw her off balance. She found it hard to keep up, and it made her feel even more socially awkward.
Pandora, still doodling, glanced up with a small smile. “I may have mentioned to James that you were considering it.”
James’s grin widened, and he leaned in closer. “Well, I, for one, think it’d be fantastic. You, a cheerleader? The football team would have something to cheer about all season long.” He winked at her and she could feel blood rush to her cheeks in a mix of flustered and embarrassed energy.
Reina rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop the small smile from creeping onto her face. “I doubt I’d be that good at it. I’ve never really done anything like that before.”
“Doesn’t matter,” James said, waving a hand dismissively. “You’ve got all the qualities of a great cheerleader. You’re confident, smart, and you’d look great in red. Plus, if you’re cheering from the sidelines, I’d have extra motivation to score the winning goal.”
Reina’s face heated up even more, and she quickly looked away, fidgeting with the apple on her tray. “I’m not that confident,” she muttered, barely loud enough for him to hear.
James raised an eyebrow, his expression softening just a bit. “You don’t give yourself enough credit, youknow that?”
She shrugged, feeling more awkward by the second. It was hard for her to take compliments, especially from someone as confident as James. He seemed so sure of himself all the time, so comfortable in his own skin. Meanwhile, she could barely bring herself to look him in the eye without feeling self-conscious.
Still, as much as his attention made her feel nervous, it also made her feel… noticed. In a way that wasn’t unpleasant.
James’s gaze flicked to the apple still sitting untouched on her tray, and he frowned slightly, though he didn’t comment. Instead, he kept the conversation light, as though he hadn’t noticed her uneaten lunch or the fact that she hadn’t had much of anything all day.
“Seriously, though,” he continued, his voice a little softer now. “You’d be great on the cheer squad. And if you do join, I’ll make sure to dedicate every goal to you. Front row seats, too. What do you say?”
Reina chuckled softly, appreciating his attempt to make her feel better. “I’ll think about it.”
“That’s all I ask,” James said with a wink, leaning back in his chair. He glanced at Pandora, who was still quietly sketching. “Pandora, you’re joining too, right?”
Pandora shrugged, her expression as distant as always. “If Reina does, I will.”
James grinned again, clearly pleased. “Perfect. I’m telling you, this is going to be great. Just picture it—you two, decked out in red, cheering me on as I lead the team to victory.”
James looked at Reina and his smile grew even cheekier as he spoke again. "Plus Reins, I have a feeling you'd look good in red.
Reina couldn’t help but smile at his enthusiasm, but her mind kept drifting back to the apple sitting on her tray. She knew James had noticed that she wasn’t eating, just like Sirius always noticed. The thought made her stomach churn with unease.
He’s going to ask about it, she thought nervously. He’s going to say something. Then she'd have to come up with some awful excuse or pretend to be ill.
But James didn’t. He kept the conversation flowing, light and easy, distracting her with his jokes and flirtatious comments. He made her feel at ease, even if just for a little while. She was grateful that he didn’t press her on it, didn’t point out what was already weighing heavily on her mind.
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^
In the dim, quiet corridors of Hogwarts High, Sirius Black was pressed up against the cool stone wall, his arms wrapped around Remus Lupin. Their lips met in a slow, lingering kiss, one that made Sirius feel like he could escape from everything—if only for a moment.
Sirius let out a sound of contentment that had a cocky Remus smirking.
Remus, his golden-brown eyes filled with warmth, kissed him back just as deeply. He always had a calming presence, something that made Sirius feel grounded when the weight of the world became too much. But even now, as they stood together in the quiet corridor, Remus could sense that something was on Sirius’s mind.
Pulling back slightly, Remus brushed a stray lock of hair from Sirius’s face, his fingers gentle. “You’ve been quiet,” he said softly, his voice full of concern. “Is it about Reina?”
Sirius hesitated, his jaw tightening. He hated talking about his feelings, especially when it came to Reina. Their relationship had always been complicated, and after everything that had happened between them, it was hard to open up. But Remus had a way of making him feel safe, like he didn’t have to keep everything bottled up all the time.
“Yeah,” Sirius finally admitted, leaning back against the wall, his hands still resting on Remus’s waist. “She’s… struggling again.”
Remus nodded, staying quiet and giving Sirius the space he needed to talk.
“I saw her at lunch,” Sirius continued, his voice low. “She barely touched her food. It’s happening again, Moony. The same thing that happened a few years ago, before… before she was hospitalized. I don’t know how to help her.”
Remus’s heart ached for him, for Reina, for everything they were going through. He knew how much Sirius cared about his sister, even if they had their differences. But Remus also knew that Sirius wasn’t the type to talk about his feelings easily. It took a lot for him to admit when he was worried.
“Have you tried talking to her?” Remus asked gently, his fingers tracing soothing patterns on Sirius’s arm, his advice as wise as ever.
Sirius shook his head. “I’ve tried, but she doesn’t want to open up. And I get it. I haven’t exactly been the best brother lately, but… I’m scared, Remus. What if she falls back into the same pattern? What if I can’t help her?”
Remus pulled him closer, wrapping his arms around Sirius in a comforting embrace. “You’re doing your best, Pads. Just being there for her means more than you know. And you’ve got me—and the rest of the guys—to help, okay? You’re not in this alone.”
Sirius let out a shaky breath, resting his forehead against Remus’s shoulder. “I just… I don’t want to lose her. Not again.”
“You won’t,” Remus whispered, pressing a kiss to Sirius’s temple. “We’ll figure it out. Together.”
And for the first time in days, Sirius felt a little lighter, knowing that Remus was there to help him carry the weight of it all.
Sirius may not have Reina anymore but he'd always have Remus.