Over the following weeks, things remained a little awkward between the friends, but as there were no more incidents involving spit being swapped, both Remus and Sirius had started to relax around each other. They even managed to be alone in the dorm together a couple of times without one of them finding an imaginary excuse to bolt.
True, Remus had to leave the room for a few minutes when Sirius appeared in the dorm in just a towel, the brunette notoriously forgetful about taking clean clothes into the bathroom with him.
And Sirius did turn a strange colour when he bumped into Remus coming out of the bathroom late one night - sending them both tumbling to the floor in a tangle of bare limbs and mumbled apologies.
And it was difficult to explain away the fact that the usually affectionate duo were suddenly avoiding physical contact with each other but in general, James and Peter accepted that they’d had a slight misunderstanding about something neither Remus or Sirius could really even remember and that they’d apologised and, as an obliviously accurate Peter put it, ‘kissed and made up’.
Just over four weeks after that first drunken kiss, Remus was playing chess with Peter in their dorm room, trying to settle the restless wolf inside him. His transformation was the following night and his body had been aching relentlessly all day. He made his move quickly then rolled his shoulders to try and loosen them as Peter contemplated the board.
‘Hurting, Moony?’
Remus jumped a little when he heard the soft voice, turning to see Sirius watching him from his bed where he‘d been thumbing through the latest Quidditch Monthly. The brunette had been unusually quiet, and Remus had forgotten he was there.
‘I’m alright, Pads. Just a bit sore.’ He turned back to the board in time to see Peter’s queen smash his piece to smithereens.
He groaned as he looked up at Peter. ‘I guess that’s game over.’
He smiled and shook hands with a grinning Peter then stood up with a little moan. ‘I’m going to have a shower…try and work some of these kinks out.’
‘Always said you were a kinky bugger, Moony.’
Remus heard Sirius’ comment and his chuckle, and flipped him the bird before locking himself in the bathroom.
~*~*~
When he returned, the lazy atmosphere of the room had changed, becoming energised, with an underlying current of excitement. James had returned from his latest attempt to woo the lovely Miss Evans and was in the centre of Remus’ bed with Sirius and Peter almost bouncing next to him.
Remus frowned disapprovingly at his no longer perfectly made up bed. ‘Why do you always sit on my bed?’
All three boys looked over and grinned iridescently at him. Peter ignored the question, instead heralding an upcoming announcement.
‘James has news and gossip.’
Remus put his shower kit on his side table and sat down next to Peter, an expectant look on his face.
‘Prongs?’
‘Lily agreed to go out with me.’
Remus’ eyebrows shot up and his mouth fell open in shock. Sirius laughed at his dumbfounded expression.
‘Yeah, that was pretty much our reaction as well.’
Remus shook his head, sure his hearing was wonky. ‘She said yes?’
James looked affronted at his obvious disbelief. ‘Why does that come as such a big surprise?’
Remus was incredulous. ‘Perhaps because the most interest she’s ever shown in you as an actual person has been to enquire if you were raised by wolves?’
