Only a fool for you

Peter Pettigrew was screwed. He was so so screwed for two main reasons.

1. It seemed that it only took spending time with the Slytherin couple for two hours, for Peters stupid feeling to come back ten fold

2. Remus Lupin knew his secret and from the dirty looks he was giving Barty through the dinner and the knowing looks he's giving Peter now. Remus had no intention of keeping quiet

Peter's biggest problem though was that he couldn't really find it in himself to care all that much. Well about the first problem (even though he was sure in a couple hours he would be freaking out about that too), he most definitely cared about the second one. He knew that it would end badly if his friends ever found out the identity of the mysterious guy who broke Peter's heart’. See, a common misconception about his friends was that they didn't actually care about Peter, but they did. A little too much sometimes if you asked him. If people could hear the things that James ‘the sun’ Potter and Sirius 'Indifferent’ Black called the people that crossed Peter, what they called Barty, they would be worried about the ear full Peter was gonna get too.

So that is how Peter ended up trying to stall when everyone decided they were through for the day (which Remus saw right through), he tried to say that he wanted to go to the library to study for a bit (which Remus also shut down), and he desperately tried to get the girls to stay and hang out longer (which James ruined by shooing them away, who even told him).

Now? Now, Peter is awkwardly sitting on his bed trying to ignore the glares that are coming from Remus. He shoulda know that Moony wasn't gonna let this go.

“Alright if you're not gonna talk about it I will. Barty Crouch?!” Peter winced as Remus pulled up a chair right in front of Peter's bed with the other two not far behind. This is an intervention. Peter felt the urge to throw up and if he did it would be straight on Remus. Interventions were reserved for ‘very serious’ talks that the group needed to have. Well that's what they said but it was really just a way for three of the marauders to bully the one into spilling their secrets. Peter is proud to say that he has never had to be subject to one.

Well till now.

“Hold on, what's this about Crouch?” James obviously did not understand what was going on and therefore was not very invested in this conversation. He was absently twirling his wand between his fingers.

“Oh, just that Crouch is that guy from Peter's class last year.” Alright so we're doing this. Peter let out a strangled sigh.

“What” Peter could actually feel his blood run cold as he watched James abruptly stop twirling his wand and instead clutching it with his whole hand.

“Wait, so Crouch is the jerk that played with your feelings last year?” Sirius was looking at him with the expression that Peter knew very well, it was his 'I'm gonna do something stupid’ face. Gods Peter needed to defuse this situation.

“W-what? Moony! He may be a guy from my class last year, but he's not the guy.” Peter knew that none of them believed his lie purely off of the way that they all rolled their eyes. Cmon they must've planned that.

“Really? Cause both him and his boyfriend seemed to be all over you today. As if you're some carnival game they wanted to win.” Is that what they were doing today? They were playing games with him. Peter felt another wave of nausea come on by this one is much worse, because Peter felt stupid. He felt so stupid because he let this happen again. He has been so starved for someone to notice him that the first blokes that give him the slightest bit of attention he just lets his heart open up to them. And the worst part is that Peter actually for a second thought that they liked him.

“Please don't cry Wormy, it's okay.” Was he crying? He didn't think so. Maybe he was who knew, all he knew is that he was stupid but he would rather die than let this turn into a bigger thing than it had to be. I mean they didn't even really do anything wrong, they just had a bloody conversation with him for a couple of hours. Sure it was a couple of the best hours that Peter has had in a long time and yes sometimes they looked at him with this look that made Peter feel like the most brilliant guy in the world but that wasn't their fault. They didn't know that Peter was so vulnerable.

“Oh I'll kill him.”

“N-no” Peter had to clear his voice in order to talk clearly and push down all the emotion that threatened to slip into his voice. Maybe he was crying. “No you won't, James, because he is Regulus’ best friend and it's not that big of a deal. I liked the guy, he was just being friendly, I miss read the situation, and then he got into a relationship. It's fine.” 

“Friendly my ass, he was flirting with you today! Gods if I had known-”

“You would've done nothing Sirius. You would have been polite to him because this relationship you guys are trying to build with Regulus is more important than some last year drama.” It's more important than me. He didn't say it but he felt it. He knew that they would both do anything to keep whatever good thing that is happening with the younger black going even if it meant not caring about him. They've forgotten about you for far less, is what a tiny voice in the back of his head keeps repeating. 

“You're okay?” James wasn't sitting in his chair anymore, instead he was right in front of Peter looking into his eyes to see if he was lying. Too bad Peter had gotten exceptionally good at hiding his true feelings.

“Yes mum. I am fine. I can be friends with Barty.” Peter smacked away the hands that were about to be cupping his face.

“Screw that.” Sirius shoved James out of the way so that he was now standing right infront of Peter. “You stay away from him Pete. I don't like how he and that boyfriend of his look at you.”

“How do they look at me?” He knew that it wasn't the right thing to say but sue him. He needed to know how those two blokes looked at him. There was a shared groan with the three Gryffindors before Remus was suddenly up and pushing Sirius to get to Peter.

“Please tell me that you do not like Crouch anymore.” Well crap

“Umm-”

“What the hell Peter!” Now James is back in his face “the guys a tool!”

“You were just saying how you liked him on the walk here!” Peter threw his hands up in an exasperated fashion as he watched James scowl deeper at him.

“Yeah well that was before I learned the whole truth.” 

“You're an idiot.”

“I am not!”

“Yes you are.”

“No im not”

“Alright enough!” Remus forcefully pushed James out of the way but instead of coming up in Peter's face again, he sat back in his chair.

Great so we're not done.

“So you still like Barty. Even though he has a boyfriend?” Remus was back to that stupid calculating look and Peter knew that there was no way to hide the blush that appeared on his cheeks. Might as well tell them.

“Ummm w-well I” Peter took a deep breath before saying “ilikeevantoo” 

“What!” They all three stood up in unison 

Gods he's never going to be able to leave this room

<3—--------------—----------------------—---------<3

Peter did end up being able to leave his room but only because it was dinner time and James promised Regulus that they'd meet up. So begrudgingly Peter was allowed up from his bed and walked with his friends down the tower. Though he felt a lot like a prisoner with Remus on his left, Sirius on his right, and James in front. They never walked like this, usually Peter would be the one trailing behind. He appreciated them though because he knew that it wasn't just them being overprotective little shits but also comforting him cause they knew that having that conversation wasn't easy.

Though Peter didn't need the comfort, he was fine. He could get over these stupid feelings for these stupid Slytherin, no problem.

He would've found it a little funny how quickly the universe proved him wrong if it had happened to anyone else. Because just as the marauders got to the main level so did the Slytherins. Peter absolutely despised the back flip Peter's heart did when he saw Evan and Barty. But could you blame him, they are just so bloody hot.

Peter did however find it very funny how instantly James’ demeanor changed once he saw Regulus. The sorry sap skipped toward his boyfriend like a little kid to a candy shop. Peter thought that it was adorably amusing. It even brought a small smile to his face. A smile that was soon forgotten along with everything else as he locked eyes with Barty. Barty stared at him like the world could come burning to a crisp around them and he wouldn't care. All he would care about is looking at Peter. 

Peter had never been looked at like that, like he was the most important thing in the room. He had gotten a taste of it last year when he and Barty were having their back and forth but this look was different. It's like that other look had been let off its restraints and lit on bloody fire.

Peter couldn't look at him anymore because he felt like he would just combust so he wrenched his eyes from fire to be engulfed in ice. 

Evans' stare is very different from Barty's even though the fundamentals were the same. They were both looking at him with emotions that Peter didn't want to name. But where Barty’s stare made Peter feel like he was instantly burning as if a fire was set directly on his heart, Evans felt more like the cold slowly spreading through his body until he couldn't take it. 

They're both so extreme, I might just die. Peter thought to himself before that annoying little voice in his head taunted. But you wouldn't mind, would you?

Peter however got saved from his death by fire and ice by an arm slinging around his shoulder. He looked over to see Sirius smirking down at him. The older black thought that it was hilarious that he was now taller than Peter because they had been competing against each other since 4th year to not be the shortest in the group. A race that Peter had lost this summer because of Sirius’ stupid random growth spurt. (Sirius liked to joke that it was a side effect of actually being fed properly.)

“Cmon wormy, we gotta get you breakfast.” Peter tried really hard to keep his face blank and not flinch at the words. He opened his mouth to speak before promptly getting cut off. “No, none of this 'I'm not hungry’ bull crap. You need to eat.” It was a little embarrassing for Peter how much Sirius caring for him meant.

“Oh alright.” Peter dramatically rolled his eyes before pushing Sirius off him playfully. Sirius was about to retaliate before something caught his attention in James and Regulus’ conversation. 

“Mornin Petey.” Peter thought that he might have gotten whiplash from how fast he whipped his head to see Barty and Evan standing at his side expectantly.

You're not supposed to be talking to them.

“Hey guys” 

Being civil isn't going to kill me

“Oh cmon love, that all we get?” Barty was using that stupid playful voice that he would use to get Peter to blush last year. It should've pissed him off even just a little bit that Barty thinks that he could just do what he did last year and dangle the idea of Barty actually liking Peter back in front of him. It should've angered him but it didn't, it only sent a bone tingling feeling throughout his body.

Gods you're weak

“S-sorry.” Peter turned a little bit so that he was now fully facing the couple. It didn't escape Peter's notice that Barty smiled wider and had a glint in his eye that Peter just couldn't name.

“There we go, my god you're beautiful.” Evan said it a little breathlessly, like he was in awe but Peter's feelings really are out of whack today because that should've filled him with a warm feeling. It shouldn't have filled him with this immense feeling of dread, like someone poured bile down his throat. 

It was a compliment for goodness sake

But it didn't feel like one. It didn't feel like one because Peter knew that he was lying. No one saw Peter liked that, no one cared enough to look at Peter and see past his stomach that just seems to keep growing no matter how many meals he skips and his embarrassing lack of height. Especially not Evan freaking Rosier. It was cruel what they were doing to him. 

As if you're some carnival game

Peter is gonna be sick.

“You guys are real jerks, you know that.” Crap he's gonna cry again. In front of his friends and in front of them. His voice is shaky and his eyes are starting to water and Peter Pettigrew didn't think it was possible to hate himself anymore than he already did but in this moment he did.

“Pete? Peter? Baby, what's wrong.” He was jerked quite suddenly back to reality by the sound of Barty and Evans' voices. Then he felt the hands that were on his face, the thumb rubbing comfortingly on his cheek. He also felt immense relief that no tears actually fell down his cheeks. Suddenly that dread that he was feeling was replaced again with that nice warm feeling.

“The hell do you think you're doing Crouch.” The hand was ripped from his face and the hole in his stomach was back.

“None of your damn business, Lupin” Barty straightened before yanking his hand away from Remus.

This is bad. This is so bad!

“Gods Lupin, we were just having a bloody conversation” Evan pulled Barty closer to him almost like he was making sure he didn't do something stupid.

“Yeah well you can take that conversation and shove it straight up your-” Peter did the only thing that he could possibly think of in this horrible situation. He slapped a hand over Sirius’ mouth before pushing him backwards and into Remus.

“Despite what you both think. I can take care of myself. I don't need you two to be my bloody saviors! I can be friendly.” He knows he looks absolutely ridiculous right now seeing as he is whisper shout at his best friends so that the two blokes behind him can't hear but he doesn't care. “And Sirius you can lick my hand all you want but your spit doesn't bother me.” Sirius huffed before relaxing into Remus.

“Now we are going to go to breakfast before Barty and Sirius get in a fight.”  Remus laughed before putting his hands on Sirius’ shoulders and directing him away from where Barty is sticking his tongue out and flipping him off.

“Peter-”

“Just leave me alone okay Evan.” Peter made sure to dodge the hands trying to grab at him before pushing James out with him.

“Alright so operation ‘keep the devil twins away from my sweet petey was a bust on the first day” Sirius huffed from where he was suspiciously still hidden under Remus’ arm.

“Operation what”

“Yeah Sirius I thought we decided on ‘sneaky mouse’” James made sure to squat as he said the sneaky part.

“That's the stupidest name ever” Sirius once again huffed before it was replaced with a yelp as James pushed him.

“Yeah well at least mine isn't a whole paragraph.” James smiled smugly before Sirius tackled him to the ground.

“You're both idiots, I can take care of myself. I am not a damsel in distress.” Peter crossed his arms to look unamused but that was quickly washed away when an arm swung up and pulled him to the ground with them. 

Peter knew he couldn't run from these confusing feelings that were swirling around his heart because of the two Slytherins but wrestling in the middle of the hallway with his idiot friends is a good enough distraction for now.