The Marauders: Year Three | #Wattys2016

Of Biceps and Birthdays

Of Biceps and Birthdays

That evening, Remus sat on the couch, reading his History of Magic text alone. He'd been supposed to study with Lily, but she'd run off to go see Snape somewhere in the castle after, which she'd told him in a breathless sort of tone. "I thought you and Severus weren't getting along?" Remus asked, disappointed because he'd been looking forward to studying with Lily.

"Not getting along with Severus?" Lily laughed, "How could I not get along with him? One look into those eyes of his..." she sighed dreamily.

Remus raised his eyebrow, "Since when are you so infatuated with him?"

"Are you the only one allowed to have a crush on a boy, then?" Lily snapped lowly.

Remus had looked at her, hurt she'd use it against him like that, and shook his head, "Just go. I'll study on my own, then." So she'd gone, and he'd sank down into the couch, his face flushed, and tried to push Lily's oddness out of his mind.

Sirius came down the stairs then, and, spotting Remus on the couch, he went over and flung himself down so that his legs were up on the back of the cushions at an angle and his head was on Remus's lap. He grinned up at Remus, angling himself so he was pressed close to his mate, looking up at him under the bottom edge of the book he was reading. Sirius grinned up at him and opened a catalog he had been carrying.

Remus felt a lump rise up in his throat. Sirius's hair flopped over his legs and the weight of his head was pressing against his thigh. He felt hot and cold all at once. He cleared his throat, desperately trying to rid the pressure that was building up, and his voice came out a bit squeakier than usual. "What're you reading there?" he asked, looking at the catalog.

"Weights," Sirius explained. "For exercise." He flapped the catalog at Remus. There were pictures of guys with big upper arms and chiseled abs all over the page, holding up dumbbells and hand-weights, wincing with the effort of it. Sirius explained, "I want to work up my biceps, for quidditch. The better my upper arm strength is, the harder I'll be able to hit the bludger!"

Remus looked Sirius over. He was wearing a tank top and a pair of red sweatpants, his dirty socks only half on one foot, dangling over the back of the couch. "I think your arms are brilliant the way they are," he said.

Sirius laughed, "Oh Moony," he said. He turned the catalog back to face him, "They're scrawny."

"They're not," Remus said, "Mine are scrawny. You've got... I dunno, you've got muscles under there..." he blushed.

Sirius snorted. "Way down under there. Under all the pointless excess flesh." He studied the page of the catalog a moment. "See, lookie here, is set is specially designed for beaters looking to improve upper arm strength. They're shaped like bludgers!" He held the page up for Remus to see again. "I need these. If only I had the money."

"What do you need?" James asked, appearing suddenly and sitting down on the other side of Sirius on the couch. Sirius turned the catalog to James, who laughed. "You were serious about that?"

"Well look, these ones are specially made just for beaters," Sirius said, and he turned the catalog back to face himself.

Peter came downstairs next and he sat on the floor in front of Sirius where his feet ought to be. "What's made specially for beaters?" he asked, settling down.

"These weights," Sirius answered and he turned the catalog to Peter next.

Peter stared at it, and then, as though he were allergic to exercise, he asked, "Anyone want a licorice wand?" he reached in his pocket and pulled out a couple, holding them up to offer them around.