He was a Skater Boy

The evening continued in high spirits as the friends drank and played and gossiped. Sirius and Remus didn’t talk just the two of them again. While Sirius was mad about that, he couldn’t lie that he also felt a tiny bit relieved. Even though he got around when it came to boys, the intimacy he felt with Remus upon the first second of his arrival had been unmatched. Nobody had ever made him feel even remotely close like Remus did. Even now as they were simply sitting next to each other Sirius could feel the tension in his body like a thousand fireflies. Whenever they ‘accidentally’ touched, Sirius thought he might explode. He felt like Icarus: Craving the sun but scared of falling should he get too close. He was testing his limits, sure, it was fun and exciting and his heart definitely approved but he was distinctly aware of the possibility of losing his wings and drowning.

It was scary to feel this connected and attracted to someone. It gave Remus control over him and Sirius had spent most of his life desperately trying to avoid that. Even though it seemed impossible Sirius couldn’t know if Remus maybe didn’t feel the same way about him at all. Maybe he would drop him and leave Sirius and his heart in shambles. James would clean it up, Sirius could trust in that, but he might carry a scar forever. Sirius knew about scars, he knew about pain and he knew how venomous love could turn if it wasn’t taken care of. Love had almost ruined him before.

It was a high risk to get involved with someone Sirius actually liked, someone he had only just met but already represented a potential for love. But the more Sirius thought he should turn away, the more he felt like he was being pulled towards Remus. He was magnetic and Sirius felt the adrenaline whenever Remus’ skin touched his own.

Right at the moment, Remus had apparently decided to throw the accidental innocent touching façade away and instead grabbed right onto Sirius’ thigh under the table. He squeezed it and ran his fingers up and down and Sirius was ready to combust right then and there. His blood may splash on Marlene, who he was currently talking to, but oh, what a way to go. It would also be payback for the rainwater from before.

But to his own surprise Sirius didn’t combust. Marlene was clean and oblivious to Sirius’ almost death. “C’mon, Sirius, you should just come to one practice and then you can still say no.” She said.

Sirius tried his best to get his brain back into the conversation while the hand on his thigh did not stop stroking it. It proved challenging to downright impossible but somehow he managed to frown and focus. “Marls, I’ve told you, you guys could be the coolest band in history; I could fall in love with your bassist as you keep telling me I will,” He felt Remus squeeze his thigh hard at that comment, surely leaving bruises, “and I would still not play with you. I’m done with playing any instrument; I’ve been done for a long time.”

A line appeared between Marlene’s brows and her mouth twitched. “But that was different, Sirius.” She said softly. “It would not be at all like that with us, you know that.”

Sirius turned his head down and clenched his jaw, he really didn’t want to be talking about this.

“They should not be able to ruin this for you. They shouldn’t be able to take making music away from you. Especially not when you are so good at it.”

“Marlene…” Sirius started saying but couldn’t continue. His throat felt dry and he had to bite down on his lips to prevent his eyes from welling up. “It would be too hard.” He finally managed and looked up at her again.

Marlene’s mouth was set in a tight line. “I know, buddy, but I’d be there. And you know what,” Her almond eyes suddenly glistened again in a way that made you feel like they were direct extensions of her brain. “You wouldn’t even have to play the piano. You could pick any instrument, what about guitar? Or the drums? You can choose.”

Sirius furrowed his brows, “But I don’t play another instrument.”

“Eh,” Marlene shrugged and took a sip of beer. “That doesn’t matter, you’d pick it up easily.”

Sirius half-smiled at that. Maybe Marlene was right, maybe he could do it. His parents might have made him detest the piano but maybe they hadn’t ruined making music completely for him. He would have to discuss it with Regulus, and his therapist maybe. “Okay.” He said.

“Okay?” Marlene’s grin could have split her face.

“Okay, I’ll come to a practice and then we’ll see.”

Marlene moved her hands in a little dance, “Great, that’s all I wanted.”

Sirius looked at her with a soft expression. He was so caught up in his own thoughts that he almost jumped as Remus said something. “Where do you guys usually perform?” He directed at Marlene.

She pushed her tongue against her inner cheek and nodded her head slowly. “See, technically we aren’t performing as such yet.” She grinned cheekily as she emphasised the last word. “But we are getting better with every practice and Alastor,” She pointed to the grumpy-looking bartender. “promised that we could play in the pub when we are good enough. And now with Sirius on board that will be quickly done.”

“I’ve not agreed to anything yet!” Sirius was quick to correct.

“Sounds good.” Remus said, ignoring Sirius. “Just let James tell me when and I’ll be there. New bands are always fun to watch and judging from your vibe I’m sure I’ll like your music.”

Marlene beamed and winked at Remus. Sirius almost shot her a death-glare but could control himself in the last minute. “Thanks for the flattery, Remus.” She said and Remus lifted his hands up as if to say ‘of course’. The loss of contact burned on Sirius’ thigh for a second but Remus was quick to put his hand back. “But don’t you think it would be smarter if Sirius gives you his number? That way he can text you directly without it having to go through James.” Marlene said and added in a whisper-tone while pointing at James behind her hand: “He’s not the smartest, he might forget to tell you.”

“Oi,” James cried from a few chairs over, “I heard that!”

Sirius shot Marlene a death-glare after all. He appreciated her wing-womaning at times but sometimes she really had no chill. Remus was snickering next to him.
“That’s not necessary.” Sirius quickly brushed it off at the same time as Remus said, “That’s a great idea.”

Marlene raised her eyebrow at Sirius and smugly nodded at him. “I thought so.” She said and Sirius would have told her off if Remus wouldn’t be sitting next to him.
Remus plonked a phone into his hands and Sirius burst into laughter. “Shut up.” Remus only said.

“I’m sorry but I don’t think I can.” Sirius said between giggles. “Who in this day and age still as a Nokia flip phone? And why is it pink?”

Remus pushed him, half annoyed and half amused. “Smartphones feed on your soul. And my friend Dora gave it to me, hence the colour. She said it would better my aura. Plus I reckon she thinks it’s cute that we have matching phones.”

Sirius had stopped laughing but was smiling lopsidedly at Remus now. Whenever Sirius thought he could not get any cuter, Remus proved him wrong. “Well, tell her thanks from me. Pink is one sexy colour.” Sirius said and was pleased to see the small blush forming on Remus’ cheek. Again, he got cuter.

“What colour is yours then?” Remus asked Sirius while he put his number into Remus’ phone.

“I’m afraid I only have a boring grey soul-feeding iPhone.” Sirius said and handed the phone back. He’d added his contact as Sirius and since he did not have the option of emojis, simply put the texting heart ‘<3’ behind his name.

Remus made a fake noise of disgust. “Alright, disappointing. Well, what’s your phone case look like then?”

Sirius pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it to Remus to examine. The case was clear and adorned by little glittery stars. Below it Sirius had tucked a black-and-white picture of James and him that he’d cut loose from a photobooth strip. James was laughing widely while Sirius poked out his tongue and was leaning against James’ side. Above the picture, there was a red sticker of the outline of Bowie’s face with his famous lightning make-up which Marlene had gifted him. At the bottom of the case, Sirius had put a little piece of paper with Regulus’ elegant scrawl. It said, ‘Me and you.’ After they had run away, Regulus went nonverbal for some time. The only way to communicate with him had been via notes. Once on an especially bad day, Sirius had given him a note saying, ‘I know it all feels so hard right now. But we’ll make it through this together, I promise. It’s me and you, right?’ Regulus had given him his note in response and Sirius knew that despite everything: They would be okay.

Remus let his eyes and fingers wander over the case before looking back at Sirius. “There seems to be something holy about it.” Remus said and it wasn’t a question.

“Yea,” Sirius said feeling a bit breathless. “I guess it’s my form of a relic.”

Remus nodded. “Will you tell me about the note someday?” He had seemingly picked up on the significance it carried for Sirius.

Sirius made an affirmative noise and was about to start recounting – oversharing came naturally to him – when James interrupted him by loudly clapping his hands.

“Well, it’s getting late!” James said after he had gotten their attention. “We should head home, lads. There’s a game tomorrow.”

“But you’re the only one playing, James.” Mary whined and pointed to her almost full wine glass as if to indicate the ridiculousness of leaving now. Sirius checked the time on his phone. It was 1:30am, maybe time to leave after all. Normally, with an attractive guy Sirius would never end a night before they hadn’t at least made out. But Remus wasn’t just any normal guy. Remus was special and since Sirius’ usual romances didn’t make it past two encounters, maybe it was for the best that he tried a new route. And besides, Remus had his number.

“Aren’t you gonna come watch?” James pouted at Mary. “Sirius is trying out!”

“I’m not.” Sirius said.

James shook his head in disproval. “Well you should.” Sirius rolled his eyes while smiling at James’ persistence.

Despite Mary’s complaints the group didn’t take much more convincing to leave their table and start walking to the dorms. While saying their goodbyes, Sirius and Remus’ hug took much longer than the rest. “Text me.” Sirius said and could just make out Remus’ nodding as James pulled him into their room and closed the door.

The second the door was shut, James took Sirius’ arms and pulled him down on the couch in the middle of the room. He was grinning at him like a crazy person, his eyes lit up.

“I knew you were gonna like him! And there you were all jealous before… Ha! How the tables have turned.” He said and let out a string of giggles that reminded Sirius of a child on Christmas morning.

Sirius tried to fight the grin forming on his face but soon couldn’t help it and joined in with the giggling. “Ugh, Jamie, he’s so beautiful. How could you not have told me that he’s so beautiful?”

“I didn’t think it was vital information.” James said, curling into Sirius’ side. For a man so tall, James surely could make himself tiny. “I said I knew you were gonna like him, not that you were gonna want to jump his bones.”

Sirius stopped stroking James’ hair and instead put his hands to work by tickling him. James’ limbs immediately went in all directions and Sirius had to move to not be hit in the face. “That’s a lie, a bold-faced lie!” Sirius cried while James teared up, simultaneously laughing and begging for mercy. “You know my type better than anyone. Tall, brown curls, scrawny and tanned skin? How is that not like every guy I’ve ever fancied? And the freckles?? James, you know how much I love those.”

James had finally escaped Sirius’ grip and was now perched on the armrest of the couch. The noise James made was very affirmative and he sighed loudly. “And the scars.” James said and Sirius could only join in with the sighing.

“God yes, the scars. How hot can a man be?”

James stood up and went into the kitchen. A few seconds later Sirius could hear the tap running and James returned with two glasses of water.

“Well maybe I did have an inkling that you were gonna find him attractive. And maybe I knew he would reciprocate after his reaction to a picture I showed him of you.” James said while handing Sirius a glass.

“You showed him a picture of me?” Sirius exclaimed and put the glass on the couch table, too excited to be drinking something at the moment.

James tutted and put the glass back in Sirius’ hand. “Drink up, Pads. And of course I did. Don’t you show pictures of me to new people you meet? I thought we were best friends.” The last sentence had a dramatic quality due to the whiny tone James spoke it in.

“Seeing as you’re my lock screen and in my phone case I assume people are gonna take your glorious form in regardless.” James nodded and seemed half-satisfied with that answer. “But back to my question,” Sirius continued. “If you knew we were gonna hit it off, why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I didn’t think you would have wanted to hear how gorgeous he was since you were already jealous enough as it was.” James said and had the audacity to wink at him.

“Point taken.” Sirius grumbled and finally took a tiny sip of water. “But I was not jealous!” He quickly added after realising what he had just indirectly admitted.

“Sure, you weren’t.” James said and Sirius hit him with a couch pillow. Seconds later they were engaged in a pillow fight that seriously endangered the water glasses. Hair ruffled and pink skinned, Sirius found himself pinned under James’ weight. Maybe he should try out for the football team as James was begging him to do. Then he could finally beat James at a pillow fight again.

James plonked himself back on the couch after Sirius had accepted defeat. “Lily was a vision today too, don’t you think?” He said wistfully.

“Oh yea,” Sirius said also sitting back up again. “She looked gorgeous. When are you finally gonna ask her out, mate?”

“You mean again?” James said and rightened his glasses which were sitting skewed on his nose. “I kinda feel like I’ve used up all my attempts in high school.”

Sirius looked at him incredulously, for someone so smart James sure could act like an incredible himbo sometimes. “That was ages ago, so much as changed since then: She’s seen behind your ego, you’re less of a twat and we are all friends now.”

“I don’t know, Pads, I don’t want to risk messing with our group.”

Sirius shrugged. “The way your heart is literally beating out of your chest and you start moaning whenever you look at her makes it very obvious you like her, Prongs. I don’t think the group would mind if you and her got together. Would save us all the second-hand embarrassment if you ask me.”

James let out a shriek of outrage. “I do not moan!!” James’ eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared at Sirius. “And you don’t get to talk about embarrassment when you were practically drooling over Lupin tonight.”

Sirius wanted to defend himself but James’ overplayed expression made him cackle and then he couldn’t stop. James quickly joined him and they were falling to the floor in a big pile of limbs and laughter.

“Maybe we both act like losers when it comes to hot people.” Sirius said from his space on the floor.

“It seems that way.” Came James’ voice from behind the couch. Sirius had no idea how he’d gotten there. And then they were both laughing again.