Remus sits on the tattered bed, waiting for his friends, tightly gripping the mattress as he focuses on slowing his breathing. He would never admit it to anyone, but he is absolutely terrified every full moon. Of both the transformation itself and the idea he might hurt someone.
He looks up as the door seemingly opens by itself, and Sirius removes the invisibility cloak.
Remus furrows his brow as he notices a missing rat, “Where's Pete?”
“He forgot to do that Transfiguration essay due tomorrow, so I convinced him you'll understand if he's not here. In fact, you'd probably rather he focuses on his studies. I hope that's okay.”
“Yeah, ‘course it is. His education is much more important. So, it's just us tonight?” Remus asks. James had a detention tonight, and they all agreed it would be too risky to ask for it to be rescheduled. It's not like he's got somewhere else to be during the night of a full moon. At least, he's not supposed to anyways.
“Looks like it,” Sirius shrugs, sitting next to Remus. He can't help but feel like their two friends orchestrated this. It all seems too…convenient. Especially since they have been trying to get them together for months. According to James, he can cut the sexual tension between them with a knife. And Peter claims the way he looks at Sirius like a lovesick puppy makes him want to gouge his eyes out with his quill. Which Remus definitely does not do, and he is definitely not doing that right now either.
“You okay, Moons?” Sirius asks. “Don't bother answering that, stupid question. Is there anything I can do to make this any easier for you?”
Remus takes a deep breath; he might as well go along with his friends’ ruse. If this fails, he can just blame it on the moon. “Can you- can you just hold me please?”
“Are you sure? You usually hate people being close to you near the full.”
Remus nods, “Yeah. I- I feel safe when you're close.”
Sirius smiles softly before he scoots over slightly, and places his arm around Remus’ shoulder. Remus sighs and rests his head on top of his friend's.
“Moony,” Sirius murmurs.
“Mmh.”
“Do you think we've been set up?”
“Oh, absolutely.”
“And that doesn't bother you?”
Remus looks Sirius in the eyes, “Don't worry, I'm going kill them both. But that's a tomorrow problem.”
They stare at each other, as if trying to memorise every inch of the face they are looking at. Remus could get lost in those eyes, the colour of the sky as rain clouds just start to form. The perfect mix of blue and grey.
Sirius smirks, and beneath the butterflies in his stomach, Remus can tell that he has just had an idea. A likely terrible idea. “Absolutely not,” he shuts him down immediately.
“You don't even know what I was gonna say.”
“I don't need to; I know you and your stupid ideas that more often than not end in complete disaster.”
“You need more faith in me, Moony,” Sirius replies. “Why don't we- and hear me out- why don't we just pretend that it worked?”
“You mean pretend we're…together?”
“Yeah, and that would buy us more time to come up with a plan to get back at them,” he explains.
“Why would you want to pretend that? It's not like you're even into guys.”
“Really?” Sirius says, as if it isn't obvious. “Why do you think they set this up? It's because I like-” He pauses, about to say something else. “I like guys.”
And suddenly, it clicks. Maybe Remus isn't the only one sneaking longing glances. “You mean you like a guy, singular.”
Sirius’ face turns a beautiful shade of crimson as he looks away from Remus, and moves his head, barely recognisable as a nod.
Remus sighs, “I- I hate to agree with those two idiots, but maybe we're the idiots.”
Sirius looks back up at him, “What do you mean?”
“I mean, they wouldn't go to all this trouble if they didn't know that we both-” He gestures between the two of them, hoping Sirius understands what he is trying to convey so he doesn't have to say it out loud.
“If we both what?” He asks.
Remus inhales, this time it's him who looks away, “If we both like each other.”
Sirius reaches out and gently turns his face to look at him. He smiles, and there's a glint in his eyes, almost like…hope. “Do you like me, Remus?”
“Do you like me?” Remus counters.
“I asked you first.”
“I asked you second.”
“Damn, you're right,” Sirius chuckles. “We are idiots.”
“I'm only an idiot when it comes to you,” Remus says without thinking.
“Ha!” Sirius exclaims. “If that doesn't prove you fancy me, then nothing would.”
Remus rolls his eyes, trying to ignore the pit in his stomach at the idea of anyone knowing his feelings, let alone Sirius. “You answer me now then. Do you fancy me?”
“Yes,” Sirius replies instantly, before he loses his nerve.
“I- what?”
“I fancy you, Moony. And I think you fancy me too. So…”
“So…” Remus echoes.
Sirius inches his face towards Remus, so close Remus can feel his breath. He realises that Sirius is waiting for him to completely close the gap. He grabs the back of Sirius’ neck and pulls him in, their lips brushing softly against each other. Feeling Sirius so close to him, kissing him, is just…right. This is how it's supposed to be.
They pull apart, panting. “That was…” Remus starts.
“Perfect,” Sirius finishes, beaming.
Remus locks eyes with Sirius. “No regrets?”
“None.”
Sirius’ smile is contagious, and Remus’ lips curl upwards. “What does this mean? For us.”
“It means that I would like to ask you to the Three Broomsticks during the next Hogsmeade weekend. Just us.”
“You asking me on a date?”
“Only if you want me to.”
Remus kisses him again, heat pooling in his stomach as Sirius throws a leg over Remus’, straddling him.
“I take it that's a yes,” Sirius breathes.
“Of course it's a yes. I wouldn’t want to go on a date with anyone other than you.”
Sirius surges forward, initiating the kiss between them for the first time. Remus tugs at his bottom lip, eliciting the most beautiful moan he has ever heard. He's entranced by Sirius, by the kiss. The world melts away until it's just the two of them.
But all that is ripped away as Remus lets out a painful groan, having completely forgotten why they are even here in the first place.
“Remus, what's wrong?” Sirius’ voice dripped with concern.
“Sirius, I- turn into Padfoot. Now,” Remus instructs.
Sirius places a gentle kiss to his nose before getting off his lap and turning into Padfoot just as Remus’ transformation starts. The memory of their kisses and their planned date helps ease the pain slightly, he can't wait until this night is over, so he can hold Sirius, and kiss him until they are gasping for air. Who knew their friends’ coincidental absences was exactly the nudge they needed to finally get their shit together.