Moony
Lil Riter
.start.
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"Hey you," is the greeting that comes out of Remus' mouth as he touches Sirius' bare shoulder. Sirius doesn't shiver at the touch.

It's dark outside, the waning gibbous of a moon casting a silver glow across the grounds just outside the window. Small things move out there, a couple of cats batting at each other and owls flying in some sort of mating dance. Trees danced in the breeze and stars winked in the skies. Sirius is sitting on the window bench in only the silk pajama pants he wears to sleep, and the silver glow casts dark shadows across his pensive face. Remus almost wonders what happened to his friend to make him so serious.

"C'mon, it is one twenty-three in the morning. We've got class in the morning. Go to bed already." He whispers this because Peter and James are still sleeping, snoring softly and moving slightly in their beds. James' watch ticks, the floorboards creak, and Sirius sighs audibly.

"I can't sleep," he says. "Hasn't that ever happened to you?"

"Of course," Remus replies, joining Sirius on the padded window bench, glancing at his friend (who is scooting over to make a little space for him) before turning out to the grounds again. "I go downstairs and read by the fireplace though. Nights like these make me antsy." He risks a peek up at the moon before looking away.

Sirius looks up too, and grimaces. "Apologies, mate. Forgot about you and the moon."

"It's okay," Remus says, though he's shivering in his thin flannel pajamas. "It's not just the moon."

"Ah," Sirius says without understanding, but not taking it further. "Remus?"

"Hm?"

Sirius massages his temple with two fingers as he watches the owls flying freely. "Have you ever stayed awake thinking of someone? Not just thinking about them, obsessing really. Like, you can't get them off your mind, and you can't eat either, when they're around. And you can't study because the words get mixed up with their names, and you can't fly because you get so distracted that you can't dodge the freaking bludger in the middle of a match. And you can't eat, can't sleep, can't breathe for wanting so much. Is there a word for it?" he asks, looking at his best friend with eyes rimmed from lack of sleep and shining with emotion.

Remus' heart nearly breaks at Sirius' sincerity with pity and jealousy that Sirius can feel something like for someone. "I think it's called love, mate," he says resignedly. Remus looks out the window, finding the school grounds suddenly attractive. He, unlike his friends, can never love normally like that, because if he ever does, his damn curse will be in the way.

"Ah," Sirius says, nodding solemnly. "Love." James' watch ticks, their roommates snore, and the wind stirs up audibly. "Remus?"

"Hm?"

"You haven't answered my question. Have you ever been in love?"

A breath's silence.

"Yes, actually," Remus replies softly.

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.end.