When Sirius had suggested that they take shelter from the torrential rain in a cave, it had seemed like a good idea. None of them had anticipated a bunch of rocks crashing down and separating them from James who had been right behind them a moment before.
When James had established that they were alright he shouted that he’d be back soon with help. Sirius turned on his phone light and shone it towards Remus, and was shocked at how pale he looked. “Are you ok?”
“Not a fan of being trapped in a cave, as it turns out.” Remus sat on a fairly flat rock formation. “Probably seen too many documentaries.”
“Ah, Nutty Putty?” Sirius sat down next to him, putting his phone on a rock so the light permeated some of the darkness. “I’m not planning on trying to squeeze through a tiny gap in the rock, are you?”
“Nah, I know you’re right, but if that pile of rocks fell, what’s to stop the whole cave from falling in?” Remus inhaled sharply as Sirius interlaced their fingers and squeezed his hand.
“It’s very unlikely, and worrying about it isn’t going to help anything.” He said, surprisingly sagely.
Remus nodded, “You’re right. Yeah. Ok. Ok, well you’re going to have to keep talking to distract me.”
“Alright, but the next time you tell me to shut up, I’m going to remind you that you begged me to talk.”
“I did not beg.” Remus laughed.
“Maybe you should,” Sirius said in a low voice, and Remus stopped laughing. “I mean, uh..” He cursed himself for momentarily fumbling the restraint that he’d held around his friend since they were sixteen, and he couldn't even blame alcohol this time. “What do you want to talk about?”
“How was your date the other night?” Remus asked, “With whats-his-name, from school.”
“Edgar?” Sirius thought for a moment, “Eh, It was alright.”
“Only alright?”
“Was he always so boring?” Sirius cringed as he said it. “He’s a paralegal and he just kept talking about work, and like, good for you for doing something that you love mate, but I just really don’t care about people’s shitty divorces.”
“When I went out with him, it was fantasy football. I don’t know which sounds worse.”
“You went out with him?” Sirius spluttered. “When?”
“About a year ago.” He shrugged, “Didn’t I tell you?”
“You definitely did not tell me.” Sirius looked aghast. “I don’t want to be dating your castoffs! Anyone else I should know about?”
“It was one date. Hardly a castoff.” Remus paused, “Ok, people you know? Uh, Davey Gudgeon, Fabian Prewett, Benjy Fenwick. Hmmm, Emmeline, and Kingsley. I think that’s it. Oh, Ludo Bagman!”
“How did I not know about this?” Sirius muttered, “We live together!”
“Do you tell me about everyone you go out with?” Remus looked surprised.
“Well, yeah.” Sirius shrugged, “I thought that’s what we did. I didn’t realise you were holding out on me.”
“No, I just didn’t know that you’d want to know.” Remus looked down at their joined hands. “You used to tell me every time you so much as kissed someone and it—” He pressed his lips together. “I didn’t like it, so I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to be a hypocrite.”
“It made you uncomfortable?” Sirius’ face fell.
“Not uncomfortable.” He muttered.
“Then, what?”
"Do we have to have this conversation when we’re literally stuck in a fucking cave?” Remus looked at him and sighed, “I was jealous.”
Sirius’ mouth opened but just as he was about to say something, the light went out. It took less than a second before Sirius launched himself at Remus and then they were kissing. Remus grasped the front of Sirius’ shirt, willing him even closer, before losing a hand in Sirius’ thick hair. Sirius clutched the back of his neck as they broke apart, panting. He rested his forehead against Remus’.
“You never said.” He whispered, against Remus’ mouth.
“You never said.” He countered, pressing his lips to Sirius’ softly. “I thought it was just me.”
“Same, I mean, Moons, it’s been years.” He stroked his cheek delicately, “Since school.”
“Year ten,” Remus smiled. “You picked up an acoustic guitar for once and— Oh god, I’m such a cliché.”
“Year eleven. Prom. You showed up with Caradoc, and I felt like I was going to lose my mind.” He pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “You left with Caradoc, and I’m pretty sure I did.”
Remus ran his fingers through Sirius’ hair, “What a pair of idiots.” He closed the small distance between them again and hoped that James and the rescue team would take their time.