The truth was, Remus had never been good at saying no, especially when it came to Lily. She was kind, brilliant, and undeniably beautiful—everything James had once raved about before he began sneaking glances at Regulus. When their world turned upside down last year, and James's attention shifted entirely to Regulus, Lily had clung to Remus like a lifeline. He couldn’t blame her—her heartbreak was palpable, and he had been the unfortunate bystander who’d offered her a shoulder to cry on. What began as awkward comfort quickly turned into awkward dates, and before he knew it, he was her boyfriend. Or, well, the placeholder for one.

But Lily wasn’t who Remus was thinking about as he pressed Sirius against the cold stone wall of the castle corridor, his lips warm and urgent against the other boy’s. Sirius tasted like rebellion and smelled incredible, and as their breath intermingled, Remus knew this was where he truly belonged.

“Moony,” Sirius murmured against his lips, fingers tangling in the curls at the nape of Remus’s neck. A low chuckle escaped Remus as he whispered, “Hold on tighter,” his hands gripping Sirius’s thighs as he hoisted him higher, the boy’s legs tightening around his waist. Somewhere far away, the sound of Lily’s voice echoed faintly, her questions about his whereabouts falling on deaf ears. Remus could only smile against Sirius’s lips.