Studying in front of the fire is where Remus usually found himself on weekdays. He enjoyed the calm, warm environment, but he also loved how the fire illuminated the textbook pages. Don't get him wrong, Remus wasn't a book worm he just cared a lot about getting All his O.W.L.S this year. So before he would go out and about with the other marauders, he would make sure to sit by the fire and get all his work done. No matter how much Sirius teased him about it.
Tonight was no different, Remus collected all the textbooks he would need and headed down to the common room. Except once he got down there he was met with a worried looking peter and screaming James and Sirius. He couldn't tell exactly what they were fighting about until he heard Lily Evans name.
"You spend more time with Lily Evans than you do with us James!" Sirius said in a loud, but hurt tone.
"Because I like her you twat! Usually when you like someone you tell them or make a move!" James words obviously meant something else to Sirius, because his eyes squinted and a growl left the back of his throat.
"Whatever, I'm going out." Sirius said after composing himself. Then without skipping a beat he left the common room.
'Drama queen' Remus thought to himself with a small smile.
"I'm going out too," James huffed while shoving his arms in his jacket, "you guys coming with?"
Peter nodded, also grabbing his jacket, while Remus simply held up his book and said nothing. And with that Remus was left alone in the empty, but warm common room, studying the ins and outs of transfiguration. It stayed like this, quiet and serene for a long time. That was until A very drunk Sirius came waltzing into the common room a couple of hours later. His hair was a tied up mess and he cradled a bottle of fire whiskey as if it was a baby. Remus shook his head but went back to his textbooks.
James and Sirius would fight every so often, they were brothers after all, but Sirius always solved the problem by blowing off steam. Whether blowing off steam meant hexing unsuspecting trees in the forbidden forest or downing 7 shots of fire whiskey at the leaky cauldron, was none of Remus's business.
He no doubt had a crush on Sirius and had had one for a while and cared about him a lot, but one thing everyone knew about Sirius was that you couldn't ever tell him what to do. Remus was no exception to that. He never told Sirius how to handle things, unless he was asked. Remus always helped Him, but every once and a while Sirius would come to him for relationship advice and Remus would refuse. One because he himself had never dated and two he liked Sirius, he wasn't about to help him hook up with someone else.
He knew that Sirius was at least bi sexual because he once caught him snogging a Ravenclaw 6th year. It definitely hurt Remus but it also excited him because at least he knew that Sirius swung both ways. Not that Remus was his type though, but that was besides the point.
Sirius quickly spotted Remus and stumbled over to him. His breath reeked of alcohol.
"Hi Moony!" Sirius drunkenly smiled.
Remus kept his head down, a smile split across his face that Sirius couldn't see.
"Moony, I'm drunk. I'm angry and I'm drunk," Sirius sighed but continued, "James is so thick, always hanging around Evans. I'm his bloody brother! A fellow marauder! Honestly, you'd think Cupid had him by the balls."
A laugh erupted from Remus at the ridiculousness of Sirius's accusation. Remus finally looked up at Sirius, who was sitting with his head upside down and feet straight up in a chair.
"Who are you to talk Pads? You fancy a new person every week and go off with them." Remus vouched for James and maybe himself too.
"I've only ever fancied one person moony and I only run off with them when the rest of you are busy! Doesn't mean I fancy those people." Sirius stated matter of factly.
"Oh Merlins beard, who's the unlucky git that has your affections?" Remus joked.
Instead of answering like Remus desperately wanted him to, Sirius strolled over closer to him and sat down. They sat in silence for a little while. Remus's cheeks flushed as he listened to Sirius's shallow breathing. Sirius let his eyes fall shut and he leaned back on his palms.
"I see why you enjoy it here moony. It's warm. I'm not quite sure how you don't fall asleep though." Sirius whispered as if talking loudly would disturb Remus.
Remus gave a breathy laugh that caused Sirius's eye brows to raise in question, but he made no comment.
"So if you only have ever fancied one person, how come you're never out with them?" Remus asked quietly.
"Im out with them plenty Moony. Why do you want to know?" Sirius waited for no answer knowing he was teasing Remus, but he studied the way Remus's jaw tightened ever so slightly. "Jealous is a good look on you."
"I certainly am not jealous!" Remus yelled back quickly.
Sirius raised his hands in mock defense. Remus almost forgot that Sirius was drunk, because between drunk and sober Sirius there wasn't really a difference. Both were just as secretive and cocky. Remus loved it though, it was everything he wasn't. He was drawn to Sirius like a moth to a flame.
After a while of sitting in pure silence Sirius spoke up.
"Moony have you ever been in love?"
Remus blushed furiously. Although he was certain Sirius was only asking so that when James got back, he would have more than his own opinion to argue, but it still choked him up because Remus certainly loved Sirius. How could he not? He got to see the real Sirius, the good and the bad.
"I don't know Pads. Why?"
"Asking for a friend." Sirius quipped.
"You are thick Sirius. Just forgive James, he's just a poor stag in love, of course he's going to do silly things. We all know he's got a life outside of our group." Remus reasoned.
"Aren't you tired of being right all the time?" Although it sounded malicious, Remus could here Sirius's playful tone through his smirk.
Remus rolled his eyes just as James walked through the common room portrait. Remus face Sirius a look as if to say 'remember what I said.' Sirius gave a short irritated nod.
"James, Remus opened my eyes, you know how he is," Remus elbowed Sirius, "I shouldn't be so jealous. I'm happy Evans has finally taken an interest in you. For a while there I thought she adored me and you know I could never break Marauder code." Sirius said dramatically.
"I knew you'd come around Pads, thank you. And I take it you finally told Remus you're desperately in love with him." James said inquisitively.
If Remus had been drinking something it'd would've been spit all over the common room after hearing that.
"WHAT!?" Remus yelled at the same time Sirius shouted 'NO!'
Both boys stared at each other for a minute, Remus was trying to get a glimpse of Sirius's expression, but to no avail, he couldn't read it.
"Thanks mate." Sirius growled and bolted up the dorm room stairs in his animagus form.
James stood shocked. His mouth hung open indicating he was at a loss for words. He wouldn't ever intentionally try and hurt Padfoot, every one knew that.
"I'm so sorry Remus. Something just seemed different between you. I read the situation wrong. I'm so sorry."
"It's fine James, butI'm not the one you should apologize to," Remus motioned up into the dorm, "but give him tonight. I'll go talk to him."
James hung his head but nodded. It was better if Remus went and told Sirius that he felt the same way. Then Sirius would strut down in the morning, wrap an arm around James and pretend that this was all his plan all along. Like Remus said he had a flare for the dramatic.
Remus cautiously climbed the steps to their dorm. If anyone thought Sirius was a drama queen while normal, they had no idea how much worse it was while an animagi. Sure enough laying with his tail sticking out from under the bed was Padfoot.
"Correct my if wrong, but I thought cats were supposed to be the pretentious, pouty one?"
A low growl erupted from under the bed. Padfoot slowly crawled his way back out from underneath then transformed back to Sirius once out. Except he didn't look like normal Sirius, his eyes were red rimmed and puffy, but also held a look Remus had yet to see on him. Remorse.
"Look Remus I get it if you're grossed out, freaked out, or whatever! I can't help it! You're just absolutely perfect, oh my god. I didn't want you to find out this way, because let's be honest this is way less flashy than I had ever imagined. But still if you decide to stop hanging out with us because of me, please don't. You still need James and Peters help, you can't go back to full moons alone. I won't even hang around. Remus I'm so sorry."
The shock hit Remus so fast. Never in the 4 years of knowing Sirius, had he ever seen him so worked up, so embarrassed. He didn't even sound like Sirius, he sounded lost.
Although everything about Sirius's reaction was fascinating to Remus, it also scared him. Sirius looked as if he was about to break. So Remus did what any rational wizard or muggle would do.
He kissed him. He grabbed him by the front of his robes and kissed him. It lasted only a brief second and Sirius still had a lingering of dog breath, but it was perfect. Sirius's eyes remained blown wide open. Every thought in his head revolved around the taller boys lips.
"Remus I-" Sirius started but was quickly cut off.
"Let me guess, this was your plan all along?" Remus rolled his eyes as he spoke.
Sirius let out a loud laugh and kissed Remus again.
"No not at all, but I'll gladly take credit for it! Don't want James' ego inflating anymore than it has, do we?"