The Event of the Summer
Marlene is cackling, her head thrown back and legs spread across Dorcas’s lap. Lynyrd Skynyrd is blaring out of the radio and James is covered head to toe in baking flour. Poppy has been trying to teach James her muffin recipe for the past hour, but it turns out the man is hopeless at baking.
It’s been just a few hours since they had sent the campers home for a three-day visit to their families and the staff is gathered in their bunk house. Pete, Arthur, and Molly are sprawled across the floor engrossed in a puzzle. Lily and Minnie have their heads together over the schedule for the coming weeks. Pete is dozing in the armchair, which leaves Remus and Sirius on the couch to watch James’s train wreck in the kitchen.
Remus is trying very hard to not think about his proximity to Sirius, but the tension between them is growing hard to bear. Ever since the counselor hunt he’s been finding it harder and harder to be anywhere around Sirius without wanting to rip the other man's clothes off. Being in charge of a bunch of eight-year-olds has been the perfect distraction, but now Remus doesn’t even have that. All that’s left is his own self-control and the three inches of space between their thighs on the couch.
He’s quite frustrated by the whole situation. Any of his resolve to hate Sirius is long gone, but he has the sickening feeling that his feelings aren’t returned. He doesn’t even know if Sirius likes men. But as James finally pops his muffins in the oven Sirius moves his leg ever so slightly so his knee is now pressing firmly into Remus’s thigh. Remus’s whole body stiffens and he tries very hard not to look at the man next to him.
“You good?” Sirius asks quietly.
“Yes?” Remus does not sound as casual as he wants to.
“Are you sure?” Sirius has a wicked smirk on his face.
“Very,” Remus grimaces.
“Good,” Sirius drops his hand to Remus’s thigh and squeezes gently. His hand lingers there for a second too long and Remus thinks he might throw up. Sirius’s face softens and Remus really can’t look away from his silver-blue eyes.
The moment is interrupted by and squeal from Molly who has apparently located a very pivotal puzzle piece. Sirius’s hand leaves Remus’s leg, but their thighs stay touching. Lily is very pointedly looking at Remus. She raises he eyebrows suggestively and Remus can’t even try to deny whatever she’s trying to communicate. Because objectively, he knows that whatever just happened was something a little past friendship. He sighs and rubs a hand along his jaw. Sirius has thankfully been distracted by Dorcas and Marlene who are telling some ridiculous story.
“So what’s this concert we're going to tonight?” James has successfully cleansed himself of flour and plops down next to Lily. Remus doesn’t miss the way his friend looks at James.
“They’re probably the worst cover band you’ll ever see,” Dorcas says.
“It’s truly the event of the summer out here in bumfuck nowhere,” Remus adds.
“Truly,” Pete, who has woken from his nap, agrees.
“If you get really drunk, they do start to sound okay,” Molly muses.
The sun is setting the rusty old camp van pulls up to the small outdoor concert venue in town. Rowdy music is already blaring across the lawn and the crowd is a sea of cowboy hats and flannel. Pete had put the notion of a Canadian suit into James’s head and unfortunately, he took to the idea. He’s dressed in head-to-toe denim and as he follows Lily to the bar she pretends not to know him.
“Is that man carrying a gun?” Sirius asks, his eyes wide. He’s wearing a black silk shirt and slim jeans, he looks ridiculously out of place. Remus rips his eye away from Sirius’s obscenely loose collar and follows the other man’s line of sight.
Remus spots an older man wandering away with a beer in each hand. “Probably,” he shrugs.
“No you all behave yourselves,” Minerva says gravely, but there's a twinkle in her eye and she’s already holding a drink.
“Of course Minnie,” Remus nods.
“We’ll be perfect angels,” Sirius adds and kisses the older woman’s cheek.
“Oh get away,” She shoves him off but smiles. The way Sirius interacts with Minnie, or with any of the others conveys a sense of security. He fits into Camp Illvermorny’s band of misfits a little too well, and Remus’s heart twinges a little bit when he watches Sirius pinky promise Minnie that he’ll behave.
A roar from the crown signals the entrance of the band. With Lily already lost in the crowd and Dorcas off with Marlene, Remus has no choice but to follow Sirius as he pushes towards the stage. For such a small town the crowd is large and rowdy. Remus is forced to sling an arm around Sirius's waist for fear of losing each other. He feels a spark of electricity run through him at the contact but focuses on navigating the crush of people.
Eventually, they come to a stop just a few feet from the stage. A terrible Eagles rendition is blaring from the speakers and Remus notices a moment too late that his arm is still wrapped around Sirius. Sirius’s eyes travel to the point of contact and an undecipherable look crosses his face.
Remus quickly drops his arm back to his side. “Sorry, um I just didn’t want-”
“Don’t apologize,” Sirius brushes it off and smiles. The stage lights are reflecting in his eyes and his shirt is unbuttoned to expose his chest. He’s singing along to the lyrics and swaying his hips to the beat. Remus takes a deep breath and wishes he had bought a drink, or three. Pete thankfully grants this wish twenty minutes later as he shows up with beers in hand. Remus downs his in seconds.
By 10:30 Remus is pleasantly drunk, and Sirius’s hands have been brushing against Remus’s waist. He convinces himself it's unintentional, just the crush of the crowd pushing them together. Sirius is laughing and telling some joke that Remus can’t understand when a pretty blonde girl pushes through the crowd towards them. She nearly knocks Pete’s drink out of his hand and doesn’t give Remus a second look.
“Hi,” She smiles and runs her hands along Sirius’s loose collar. She flutters her eyelashes and Remus wants to smack her. A sober voice in the back of his head tells him that is not a rational reaction.
“Hey,” Sirius smiles back at her. Now Remus wants to smack him, but he again resists the urge.
“Can I buy you a drink?” She’s taken to twirling a piece of Sirius’s hair between her fingers.
“Um,” Sirius mumbles. He somehow makes the single syllable sound sexy.
“Oh come on,” The girl laughs.
Sirius’s eyes find Remus’s. “Remus, I-” But he is cut off as the girl drags him away, Remus feels a pit open in his stomach as he watches them go.
Pete groans, “How am I supposed to get a girl walking around with these damn European bastards?”
Remus pats his friend on the shoulder and sighs, “I need another drink,” he mutters and wanders off toward the bar.
“Wait, Remus!” Pete calls out. “Remus . . .”
Thankfully Sirius and the blonde are already gone from the bar when Remus reaches it. He orders a whiskey and then a beer. He searches the crowd for Dorcas or Lily. Neither are anywhere to be found so he floats to the back of the crowd and leans against the fence. As the night goes on Remus tries very hard not to think about where Sirius and the blonde might be, but unfortunately, the only thing he can see are those silver-blue eyes and dark tattoos. He must be looking worse for wear because Poppy finds him and makes him promise to switch to Sprite. When he’s finally free of her clutches the band is just starting their final encore. He considers heading back to the van early when all of a sudden Sirius is in front of him, looking just as painfully beautiful as before.
“Remus, I’ve been looking for you,” He says. All casual smiles and friendly eyes.
“What happened to the girl?” Remus spits out before he can think better of it. Sirius’s face drops and Remus feels only the smallest bit of regret.
“I left her at the bar with her friends, I’m not- I-” Sirius sighs and wrings his hands. Crickets are chirping in the woods behind them, and fireflies float around the two men.
“What?” Remus feels like he’s in over his head all of a sudden.
“She’s not my type if you know what I mean,” Sirius ducks his head slightly and runs a hand through his hair.
“Oh,” Remus says.
“Oh,” Sirius agrees.
“Sorry, It’s none of my business,” Remus feels a bit stupid now. He drops his head and wishes he hadn’t had so much to drink. When he looks back up Sirius is standing much closer and there’s the slightest hint of a smirk on his lips.
“Were you jealous, Remus?” His voice is soft and teasing.
‘Um,” Remus can’t seem to form a sentence. Sirius’s eyes are soft and wanting, his lips are parted ever so slightly. Remus gets the sense he may have misjudged this whole situation. He tries again, “I just- um. Fuck- I.”
Sirius kisses him then. His hand reaches up to Remus’s jaw and he tastes like whiskey. Sirius kisses like the world might be ending, like his life depends on it and Remus is drowning in the feeling. After weeks of dancing around each other, every interaction has led to this. Slender fingers tangle in soft black hair, and hips press together.
They break apart as the band plays their final solo, Sirius is grinning. Remus brushes a strand of hair out of the other man's face and ducks back down for another kiss. He needs to be sure this is real.
“Maybe I was a bit jealous,” Remus admits when the break apart once more. Sirius just throws his head back and laughs, sweat is dripping down his neck and his tattoos are stark against his pale skin. Remus can still taste him on his lips and he doesn’t know how he’s going to survive this.