#friendship fluff
a short series of asexual sirius & aroace remus. fluff packet with attempt at plot. the story starts at spring of third year. pls pls lmk if you think something isn’t right.
As clichéd a characterisation as this might sound, it shall not be denied that Sirius Black was a social being. Sirius wasn’t like Remus, who honest to Merlin did not give a royal fuck about ‘other people’. And to Sirius, it was as admirable as unfathomable.
No, because Sirius instinctively reached for other people, flourished in their company. He bathed in the warmth of companionship and held them as close as they would let him— or as close as he could let himself. Blame it on his affection-less upbringing or what you will, he was constantly seeking, probing; looking for attention, reaction; standing out, acting out, not that there’s any acting involved.
Because damn it, he drank in the way he could build a reputation, win a crowd, intuit all the tiny ways to interact with another. He thrived in other people.
So it is with surprised glee that Sirius welcomed when that pretty fifth year girl— Amelia, her name was— marched up to him in the common room and demanded a date with him, on his first ever Hogsmeade weekend. (He got Orion to sign his permission slip, when he’d been just more than slightly on the side of inebriated, since Walburga clearly would never have.) They’d quickly agreed to meet for lunch in the village, and he pressed himself to play it cool, matching flirt for flirt, wink for wink.
When she smiled one last time and turned away with a flourish, Sirius looked back to see all three of his friends staring at him.
James and Peter were gaping like a fish, and Remus was giving him a funny little look, lips pressed together like he was holding in a laugh.
He opened his mouth to ask Remus what he’s on about, but James beat him to it.
“Mate!”
“I can’t just believe that just happened!” Peter joined him.
“You just got asked out!”
“I mean, of course Sirius was going to be the first to fall out of us.”
“Moony, what do you mean fall? This is brilliant! We’ve got to get you all set up— what do you think you should bring?”
“You could buy her flowers? Or maybe chocolate?”
“On the first date? Seems a bit much doesn’t it?”
“Hmm. But you still could. Get something from Honeydukes on the way, it’s perfect.”
“Oh yea. I could do that.”
“I still can’t believe that just happened.” Peter shook his head, “how did you get so lucky?”
“This is historic,” James said with finality, “we need to do something tonight to celebrate. To commemorate.”
“You’re so dumb. All of you.”
-
When the Hogsmeade day arrived, however, the boys, Sirius included, were all too excited for their own adventures around the village to leave much thoughts for Sirius’ event. They spent the morning roaming the cobbled streets under warm sunshine, stuffing themselves with candies and chocolates, contemplating buying out at least half of Zonko’s.
Around noon, Remus said suddenly, “Haven’t you got to go, Sirius?”
“What? What do you mean?” Sirius creased his brows, puzzled.
“Your date with Amelia?”
“Oh! Right yeh. I have that.”
Peter gasped, turning around abruptly and grabbing Sirius’ arm. “You’ve got to hurry! Can’t be late— or maybe you can. Maybe you should try to be exactly three minutes late.”
“Oh my gosh. I can’t believe we almost forgot!”
“What do you mean we, James, it’s Sirius’ date.”
“Romantic affair of the brother is an affair of the family.” He moved forward to straighten Sirius’ robes, “we’ve got some chocolate, haven’t we? Moony?”
“Nu-uh. No way I’m handing over.” Remus shook his head vigorously, then grabbed a bunch of marigolds from the side of the path. “Here, just take these.”
“Aren’t these actually poisonous?” Peter grimaced.
“Oh they’ll be fine,” Remus rolled his eyes, but tore a side from the chocolates’ paper bag to wrap around the bright yellow bunch, “here.”
“Thanks,” Sirius said. He took out the bunch of Zonko trinkets from his pocket to look for a hairband, to tie the flower bunch at the roots.
“Oh!” James lunged at him, “Give those here! You can’t bring dungbombs to a date!”
Sirius protested as James moved to empty the contents of his pockets. “Merlin! Stop fussing, you’re such a mum!” he laughed.
“Also, we’re walking you there.” Peter said firmly, James nodded.
“Can’t let a brother walk alone into battle.”
“You guys are so ridiculous. Remus, Help me out?”
Remus, who Sirius had the feeling was finding this whole thing very funny indeed, tilted his head just so and looked at him all faux solemnly. “Oh, you know, what they said.”
Sirius groaned. “You three are the worst.”
And he was not at all surprised to see three identical shit-eating grins glowing back at him.
-
“Got yourself an entourage?” Amelia said, smiling as she pushed from the wall outside Madam Puddifoot’s.
“Oh, yeah,” Sirius chuckled, amazed to find himself actually nervous, “Just my friends, don’t worry about them. They’re a bunch of idiots.”
It then occurred to him that this sounded rather like something Remus would say.
He made a face towards them, praying that they’d now go away and leave him alone. Leave they did, though not without excessive thumbs up and exaggerated winks.
Amelia chuckled. “They’re cute.”
“Yeah sure.” Sirius sighed exasperatedly.
“Well, let’s go in then.”
“After you.”
-
The date was alright. They ordered food and talked. And the conversation was interesting enough that Sirius could forget about the density of frills that looked like they were out to choke him. But anyway, he liked to think they hit it off rather well. Sirius told anecdotes about his family and those stupid pureblood circles, which often seemed to be a crowd favourite. When he mentioned Remus and his David Bowie obsession, she’d lit up, and went on such a splurge about muggle music and bands and playing the guitar. He could just imagine Remus finding her insanely cool.
As their empty plates got cleared and they were sipping away on (awfully sweet) vanilla tea, Amelia lowered her chin, and looked at him meaningfully through her lashes. And Sirius realised what was about to happen.
She leaned forward, and gave him a peck on the lips— just a peck. Drawing back, she laughed at his slightly stunned kind of smile, then reached forward again, this time with both hands cupping his neck and cheek, and kissed him full on the mouth.
The kiss itself was neither here nor there. But Sirius felt excited nonetheless. He’d kissed a girl. Wow.
Okay.
He probably should figure out how to properly return a kiss, but Amelia didn’t seem too bothered. As she finally drew back, she smiled so brightly at him, which he could only return.
They left Madam Puddifoot’s shortly after that. And she chuckled when Sirius held open the door for her.
“Does this mean you want to be my girlfriend now?” Sirius asked suddenly, a bit worried.
Amelia laughed again. She was cool like that. Though it did get on Sirius’ nerves a bit.
“No, not really. I just wanted to get to know you. I really like you, Sirius, but nah. Doesn’t have to mean I want to be your girlfriend.”
“Oh good. I mean—” He internally gave himself a smack, “yeah, alright. That’s fine.”
“Yeah. Well, thank you for the date, Sirius. We should go out again some day. See you around?”
“Oh yeah, sounds good. And no problem— see you.”
-
Sirius caught up with the boys as they were strolling leisurely back up towards the castle, the late afternoon sun goldening their skin.
“Sirius! There you are!”
“How was the date!”
Sirius shrugged, “Good.”
“What did you guys do?”
“Normal date stuff. We ate and talked a lot.” He said, feeling particularly powerful as he scanned his friends’ eager faces, “We had vanilla tea.”
Remus grimaced right on cue. Sirius grinned to himself. Remus hated vanilla.
“Oh also, she kissed me.”
“Oh my god!” James shouted and Peter gasped loudly, right in the middle of the street, “no way! Pads! What the hell! How was it?”
“A bit wet,” he said dismissively, thoroughly enjoying his friends’ antics.
“Well that sounds just delightful.” Remus said, with a smile that betrayed his wording and tone. What a classic Remus.
“But it was still good.” Sirius said quickly.
“I reckon you’ll just get better at it, though.”
“For sure, I’ll be the best.”
“Ah. My man. Can’t believe you get to have all the practice now.”
“We’re never going to catch up.”
“When the time comes, will you teach me a few tricks for Evans?”
“James. Ew.”
-
Sirius went out with Amelia again a couple of times, and they snogged a bit at the end every time. Sirius thought it was rather neat, as he got to know his way around all those usual dating spots, and he was soon feeling rather versed in the ins and outs of going on dates. He, as James said, did also get to practise the whole kissing thing as well. Amelia was obviously quite good at it, but Sirius thought he must be getting better. And in any case, he didn’t think Amelia minded, the way she smiled at him, flushed and breathless every time.
However, he still kept wondering why she’d ask him out in the first place, and every time he asked, she’d laugh and shake her head.
“Come on, Sirius, I’ve told you. It’s just ‘cause I liked you, that’s all.”
“…And how did you even decide that? Do you just look around the hall at boys and decide you like them?”
“Sure,” She shrugged, sounding a little puzzled, “don’t everyone?”
-
After that, Sirius started looking. For the signs. And sure enough, he’s caught at least a couple of girls ‘making eyes’ at him. Apparently, his name was running hot through the lines of gossip, ever since the word had spread that he was going out with a fifth year.
Sirius felt a little thrill run through him at the thought. He could play this game alright.
-
