Problems and misunderstandings
Sirius had a problem, a major problem. The past two weeks he hasn’t received as much attention from Moony as he would have liked. Remus still talked to him, thank god, and let Sirius sit next to him in the common room. Apart from that not much.
He had received only two kisses this week, two! No cuddling before going to bed or in the morning before heading to the great hall for breakfast.
Either Remus stayed up late reading those stupid school books of his and when Sirius had told him he was about to go to sleep, the only thing he had gotten as an answer was something like: “Okay Pads, good night”. If he was lucky, a kiss on his forehead when Remus finished reading and was heading to sleep himself. Or he went to bed early in the night, so by the time he and James had gotten back to the dorm Remus’ beds curtains were already closed.
And it was driving Sirius completely mad! He didn’t know what was wrong with his Moony, wasn’t he interested anymore? Or had Sirius done something to piss him off? But still in that situation he definitely would have heard from it, many times.
To solve his problem he had decided to talk with James about his problem, because together they would definitely come up with something, right?
Sirius stormed into the dorm. “James mate!”, he screamed before he had even opened the door fully. James almost fell off the bed, when his friend bursted into the room.
“Merlin Pads, are you trying to scare the shit out of me?” James asked, his glasses hanging low on his nose.
“Stop being so dramatic, I need your help”, he said and climbed to sit next to James on his bed.
“Well I’m always glad to help so what do you have?” James asked the same time he saved his parchment before Sirius sat on top of it.
“It’s Moony, he hates me”, Sirius said dramatically and threw himself on the bed.
“And I’m the dramatic here”, James murmured and got a bad look from Sirius. “Pads, why would he hate you? He doesn’t hate you! Why do you think that?”
“He’s been acting weird the past week”
“Like what?”
“Well you know, he just did school things all the time!”
“I don’t know, sounds like a normal Moony to me”
“No, but like he didn’t, you know give me that much attention than he usually does and shit like that. Like I don’t know If I have done something”, Sirius said and got up from laying down on the bed and started walking around the room.
“But he would have told you if you did something. Hell he would have made it very clear to you”, James pointed out and looked at his friend who was now laying on Remus bed, face pressed to one of the pillows.
“I know! That’s why it’s so weird. And that’s why I need your help. What should I do?”, Sirius mumbled and turned around leaning on his elbows.
“Well what do you usually do when he’s mad at you?”
“Depends. Usually I just suck him off and act all sweet. But that only works when he’s just annoyed with me”, Sirius straight up said. He didn’t have a filter with things, not when he was talking with James. He and James shared a lot of things with each other, basically everything. So why not that too.
“I probably didn’t have to know that”
“You were the one asking”
“Well what about when he's really angry”, Sirius was about to open his mouth but James cut him off. “Something that doesn’t include sex”
Sirius closed his mouth and looked like he was really thinking about it. “Well that’s the thing! When he’s angry he acts like it and then I know I have done something. And he will tell me about it and I apologise. But he isn’t angry now, or if he is then it’s something really bad. He’s torturing me!”
James bit the inside of his lip and tried to come up with something. He knows Sirius, and part of this is just him being dramatic. But when he thinks about it Moony had really only been studying the past weeks. In fact he hasn't talked with him much this week. Only a couple of times every now and then.
“Okay we have to come up with something”
“That’s sounds more like you Prongs”
-
The first thing they decided to try was Sirius simply talking with Remus, to see if the other boy acts normal. James had said that it would be the easiest way to know if he was mad, but was just trying to cover it.
First try happened the next morning, at the great hall. When Sirius got there all the other Marauders were already sitting by the Gryffindor's table eating breakfast. They have left an empty seat for Sirius next to Remus. Sirius happily sat down next to him and smiled at Lily who sat across from him, looking at him questioningly. Just because they all know Sirius was usually a grumpy person in the morning.
“Good morning everyone!” He looked at all his friends, but focused his eyes on Remus who turned to look at him and smiled. “Hi Pads, slept well?”
He scanned Remus' face. He looked tired, more than normally. The bags under his eyes were darker than usually, and that worried Sirius. He clearly didn’t sleep enough.
“Pretty well yes, would have slept better if you would have been next to me, just saying”, he said hinting. Remus looked down at his plate and shook his head, still smiling so Sirius took that as a success.
“Well sorry about that”
“I was thinking”, he looked at James who just nodded his head. “Would you like to go to the library with me after eating?”
Remus looked up to Lily before he turned to look at Sirius. “You okay Sirius? You never go to the library voluntarily”
“Maybe, but I could go with you?”, he tried to say without sounding too suspicious.
“Well sorry Pads, but I already promised to study with Evans. Me and Lily also have a class in thirty minutes”, he seemed to be sorry and patted Sirius’ thigh before getting up. “You ready Lily?”
“Yeah, let’s go”, she kissed James on his cheek and got up too.
“See you guys at lunch?” Remus asked. They all just nodded.
“Oh Moony, could you maybe help me with some homework later?” Peter asked, his mouth full of food.
“Sure thing. Maybe in the evening? I’m a bit busy today”, he said, glanced at Sirius and then took off with Lily.
-
“Yeah that didn’t work”, Sirius whined and collapsed on one of the common room sofas. The room was empty except for a couple second year students that were chatting quietly near the fireplace.
“He doesn’t like me anymore. I even tried to hint with the sleeping thing, but no nothing”
James slapped Sirius’ shin for him to lift his legs so he could sit down on the sofa too. “He is allowed to sleep in his own bed, you know that Pads. But yeah the plan didn’t really work”
“Clearly. He’s avoiding me, Prongs. He can spend time with Lily and even help Pete with his homework, but not go to the library with me”, he ran a hand through his hair and laid his legs on James’ lap.
“He did say he’s busy today. And have you asked him if he could help you with your homework?”
“Well no, but shouldn’t he ask if I need help? He’s my boyfriend after all”, Sirius wondered out loud, his hands wiggling in the air in way James was sure he was about to hit himself on the face.
“You can’t assume him to do things, Pads. He can’t read your mind”
“He should”
James took a deep breath. “Hey wait, I have an idea! What if we hung a mistletoe somewhere and make you and Moony walk under it. Then we could see if he’s all hesitates to, you know to kiss you”
Sirius sat up the same time his face lit up. “That’s a great idea, but also kinda heartbreaking if he doesn’t kiss me”, he thought about it for a second. “Okay let’s do it, but somewhere a bit private or he may not do it. You know how Moony is with things like that”
“Yeah of course”
-
They had hung a mistletoe outside of the door of their dorm. Everything was set up. Sirius would have to get Remus to go to their dorm with him and then there’s the mistletoe for everyone’s surprise.
Sirius thought the plan was great, but making it work could be harder.
He walked to the common room, looking around for Moony. And there, sitting by the table was the brown haired boy, writing something to the parchment that was laid in front of him.
Sirius walked up to him and sat down to the empty seat next to him. James was sitting in one of the common room armchairs, looking at the pair.
Remus didn’t react to Sirius sitting next to him. He got closer and laid his head on Remus' shoulder.
“Hi moons”, he said quietly and looked down on what Remus was doing. Homework of course.
“Hey Sirius”, Remus replied and pressed his nose to Sirius's hair that smelled like his own shampoo. It made Remus smile, but Sirius didn’t see that.
“What’s up?”
“Nothing, or I mean could you maybe come to our dorm for a second?” Sirius asked and raised his head from Remus’ shoulder.
“Pads I’m kinda busy right now with this”, he nodded toward the parchment with his head.
“Please Rem it won’t take long I promise”, Sirius begged
Remus seemed to think about it, before he pushed his chair further from the table. “Fine, what do you even need me for?”
Sirius tried to come up with something fast. “Um there’s this book, yeah book, so it’s”, Remus looked at him confused as they walked up the stairs. “I can’t reach it and you’re taller than me so maybe you could get it for me?”
“Oh sure, you could have just told me- what’s that?”
Sirius looked up too and tried to seem as surprised as possible, as if the whole reason for them coming here wasn’t for the thing hanging from the ceiling.
“It’s a mistletoe Remus”, said a voice behind them. They both turned around to see James standing in the stairs smirking. “Never seen one before Moony?”
Sirius flashed panicked eyes to James before looking up to Remus. “No I have seen one, but why is it there? It’s April”
“I don’t know, but I for certain know what you’re supposed to do now”, James said very calmly and crossed his arms, waiting for the two boys to do something.
“What are you guys doing?” Remus asked, but tilted his head and kissed Sirius’ lips. The kiss was short, but sweet and still made Sirius’ heart beat a bit faster.
“Now the book, where is it?” Remus asked, acting very casual, while Sirius was shocked. For no reason at all, because they have kissed many times before. The lack of kisses lately made Sirius sure that Remus wasn’t going to kiss him now either.
“Um, you know what James can help me with it, right?” Sirius said and nodded his head towards their dorm so James would move from the stairs and save him before Remus realises what’s going on.
“Thank you Moony, for the kiss I guess. Yeah for that we have to go now”, he said and dragged James inside the dorm before closing the door leaving confused Remus standing on the stairs.
“He kissed me James”, Sirius almost screamed and spun around in the room.
“Why are you so surprised, of course he did. He is your boyfriend, you know?” James said, shaking his head smiling. By now he was sure that all this Remus hating Sirius was just inside Sirius' head. He was sure Remus wouldn’t kiss people he hated, that wouldn’t make sense. Neither did him hating Sirius.
“Mate I think you should just talk with him”, James finally succeeded. “He for sure won’t bite you and that is also the easiest way for you to know what’s up”
“But what if he bites?” James rolled his eyes. “Okay I will talk to him, tomorrow”
James shook his head, and opened the door. “No I feel like now is better”
Sirius stood in the middle of the room for a while as if thinking was talking with Moony really worth it.
“Go on Pads”
He breathed heavily and marched out of the room. “Fine!”
He wandered back to the common room and slowly walked over to the same boy who was still doing the same homework as before he came and interrupted.
Before he could open his mouth Remus talked. “What is it now Sirius? I really need to get this paper done for tomorrow”
Sirius looked down, hands behind his back. He felt ashamed, because he clearly was interrupting Remus with his stupid things. Remus didn’t hate him right? Maybe he was just tired of him, but didn’t want to say it. He didn’t want to hurt his feelings. Maybe he was being too needy, Sirius thought. Remus just needed some alone time for himself, and this was his way of showing it.
“Nothing I just, you know what, forget it”, he was about to turn around and probably go somewhere alone. Maybe outside, throw some rocks to the lake or something else that made him feel better. Because he for sure wasn’t going to cry about this, no.
The Black’s don’t cry.
Then hand took a hold of his wrist before he could leave. “No wait Pads I’m sorry. You want to talk? That’s what you want?”
“Yeah”, Sirius said quietly, still looking down. “We can do that, the paper can wait, everything can wait, okay?”
Remus took a hold of his hand and led them once more up the stairs. At the front of their dorm he kissed Sirius' hand. Sirius looked up confused. “Can’t go past mistletoe without a kiss right?” Remus said, trying to make Sirius smile. He managed to do that.
He didn’t for sure hate him.
Remus sat them both down on his bed, and turned to the side to look at Sirius. Bumping their knees together. It was quiet for a while before Remus decided to talk.
“I’m sorry Sirius. I just now realise how much I have ignored you the past two weeks. I promise I didn’t do it on purpose”
Sirius raised his head up looking at Remus for the first time since they sat down on the bed. “So you don’t hate me? Or think that I’m too needy?”
Remus looked confused and shook his head. “No, of course not. I could never hate you, or think you’re too needy either. I love it that you want to be close to me. And that’s why I’ve been a terrible boyfriend, because I have completely ignored you and your needs”
“My needs?” Sirius asked. He didn’t think he had any needs, well except maybe a couple of one’s that didn’t make sense in this situation.
“Yeah, like that you like to be held before falling to sleep and showing affection in bigger and smaller ways, like holding hands, kisses and well sex”
“Oh yeah”, Sirius said when he realised that he really did need those things, if he could choose many times a week. “But that doesn’t make me needy?” he asked, sounding like a toddler to himself.
“No, of course not Siri. I need those things too, but I have been too focused on school the past weeks. You know the NEWTs are coming up in a month and I really want to prepare for them. But that’s not an excuse”
“No it’s okay I get it. Maybe I should too?” laughed. “Oh merlin, I thought that you were mad at me at first. I even talked with James about it.”
“Well you know I would have told you if I was upset”, Remus said and rested his own forehead on Sirius' forehead. “I know, that’s what I said too”
Then Remus kissed him, and the kiss was so eager and so passionate it made Sirius' toes curl. And he kissed as eagerly back, trying to put all the emotions he felt on to it. Then Remus broke the kiss off.
“That’s what the mistletoe was? You were trying to see if I was mad, huh?”
Sirius' face grew red, and Remus reached to stroke his cheek with his thumb.
“Oh you’re such an idiot”, Remus said and wrapped his arms around him. He pulled them both down to lay on the bed, facing each other. He kissed his nose that made it pucker up, just the way Remus liked. “But you know what? You’re my idiot so it’s totally okay”
“Yeah I’m yours”, Sirius said smiling as he burrowed his head to Remus' chest. “And you’re mine right?”
“All the way baby, all the way”