“Oh sorry.” Remus responds. The tapping- he hadn’t even noticed he was doing.

The other part though, had him rolling his eyes. Confident that all of his secrets were once against squashed down, he turns to Sirius and chucks one of James’ socks at him.

“Did you retain anything?” he asks, skeptical.

< up on his heavily beating heart or flushed face.

“Well. ‘Think that’s enough of that for today.” He says. “M’surprised you didn’t fall asleep.”

Remus makes a solid hour before his voice starts to go hoarse and he can no longer ignore Sirius’ body pressed to his.

He loudly clears his throat, snapping the book shut with one hand and using the excuse of putting the book away gently to pull away from Sirius before the other boy can pick >

< and Mrs. Potter. Or maybe James got it from Mrs Potter? Who the fuck knows.

He shakes his head and concentrates on reading through the book. When he’s not flipping to the next page, his fingers tap idly on Sirius’ shoulder; a habit he’s subconsciously picked up when reading.

He bites back his instinctive need to bicker with Sirius. Honestly, he doesn’t even think they bicker that often. James is just such a mom about it.

Or he suspects. Not like he actually has a mom to compare. But when he does think of what a mom would be like, it’s a weird combination of James >

< of the first page and beginning to read.

It’s all stuff they’ll learn in the next few months of classes, but hey, better to get ahead right?

“Oof! Y’big mutt.” Remus grunts. He doesn’t actually mind, though. He tugs his arm out from between their bodies and wraps it around Sirius, to better hold the book of course.

“Arright, just warning you now, if you fall asleep on me I’m kicking you off.” He warns before sliding his mylar on top >

< since you lot became animagi.” He hopes that reassures Sirius. Hopes for his smile back.

He gives him his own tentative smile.

< comfort. He liked it, though he’d never admit it out loud.

“You know I can’t help it, Pads.” Remus replies finally. A soft sigh escapes his lips. “Believe me, I’m not hurting myself on purpose. I’d much rather not go through all this at all, if I’m honest. But… Well, it’s gotten loads better >

Remus doesn’t reply right away. He takes a drag from his cigarette, holding the smoke in his lungs until he properly felt the burn before exhaling. He also looks up at the sky, the back of his head hitting the bark of the tree trunk they were leaning on.

Sirius’ weight on his shoulder was a warm >

And how could Remus say no? Especially when Sirius had read to him when they were younger, before he could properly read. Still, he let out an over exaggerated sigh, pulling out a book; ah, transfiguration.

“Fine. Settle in, then.” He orders as he flips to a page.

“You know, I bet if you bothered to pick up a book for studying once in a while, you might have all outstandings.”Remus remarked. Still, he was so incredibly soft for whatever Sirius needed, and thus closed the book with a snap and turned his full attention to him.

“And you wouldn’t dare smack me.”

“The sweet release of death tempts me all the time.” Remus replied, not looking up from his book. He’s just getting to the good part in /A Guide to Goblin Finance/.

“Go punch something.”

“Technically, you see me all the time.” He says it in jest, playfully knocking his shoulder against Sirius’.

“And please don’t. I like hearing you.”

“Wolf hearing and all that shit.” Remus reminds him with a short laugh. It’s cold in the early morning and as he hands the lit cigarette to Sirius, he shuffles further into his sweater.

“Why did you follow me, anyways?” He asked curiously.

“I know you’re there, Pads.” Remus calls out. Spending years with his friends, Remus has always been acutely aware of their presence.

He exhales the smoke and turns to give his friend a soft smile. “You wanna sit?”

< sharp smoke.

At this time of day, the forest is quiet and Remus relishes in it.

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✩ writer tag #Jiji

✩ Writer is 30+ y.o.

✩ mdni

✩ can be descriptive/literate

✩ RL often becomes busy so I might not be on all the time.