the cadence of part time poets

Chapter 75: Slow Ride

Me and you and you and me,
No matter how they toss the dice, it had to be;
The only one for me is you, and you for me,
So happy together;
I can't see me lovin' nobody but you,
For all my life;
When you're with me, baby the skies'll be blue,
For all my life...

- "Happy Together" The Turtles, 1967

They had to be more careful at school than they'd been over summer. There were more people around to catch them, and few were strangers. Someone was bound to notice if they were constantly sitting with their legs pressed up against one another ankle to hip, or eyeing each other suggestively from across the room when they were supposed to be concentrating on class work. Luckily, Sirius had always been a flirt, so they did get away with some things in public.

"C'mon, Moony, take it!" Sirius crooned, mumbling around the baby carrot he was dangling in front of his face with his lips. Remus pushed him away by the cheek, but stole the carrot and snapped it in two with his teeth, making Sirius purse that perfect mouth wryly and look away.

He was glad they'd talked. More than glad, even—Moony was over the moon. Since making up Sirius had been as bright and sunny as ever, back to teasing his friends with fervent pleasure. Remus wasn't really sure where they were going to end up, but as long as it was somewhere together, he was content. And he liked this Sirius—he liked the Remus he could be with this Sirius. Even if it had him missing summertime, unable to wake up and witness the way the morning sun dusted across his dark eyelashes.

"James said he's glad you're out of that 'funk'," Sirius told him, the first time they'd stolen away to the astronomy room together. "He told me yesterday in class. Asked if I knew anything about it."

Unable to deny his 'funk', Remus hesitated in the dark. "And so did you...?"

"I told him it was something to do with your London friends, but that I didn't know what. He pretty much let it rest after that."

Well, it wasn't entirely un-true. He still wasn't sure what to make of Lee, and then there was the kiss with Tomny—which was totally over and done with, as far as Remus was concerned.

"He's been more curious lately," Remus said. "Yesterday he wouldn't leave me alone at lunch. I think he's noticed how much time we're spending together."

"He'll get used to it," Sirius reassured him. "Keep telling him we have detention or something."

"And how long do you figure that'll work?"

"Long enough to come up with a better excuse." Sirius turned toward him, smoothly sliding one leg across Remus' thighs until he was straddling his waist. "You're making a liar out of me, Lupin."

"And you've already made a thief out of me," Remus said, leaning in. "I'd say that makes us even."

"Hmm... Sounds like we're a bad influence on each other." Sirius pressed his lips against the corner of his jaw. As he did, Remus reached down and took Sirius' wrist, pulling him closer until they were entirely chest to chest, lips moving against one another in slow, thoughtful movements.

"Mhm," he murmured around Sirius' tongue, "the worst."

Remus would've been lying if he said it hadn't taken them a bit to warm up to one another again, but once they were over the shy coddling and nervous reassurance, they'd thrown themselves at each other like they had that very first night on the Underground. In front of others they had to be careful—coy—but any chance they had alone was a free-for-all. They tried to keep it out of the dorm room, but the afternoons James had practice and Peter was busy with club activities were just too tempting.