Remus was wearing the Face again. It was the one Face that made James shut up and walk on tiptoes around Remus and likewise made Peter uneasy and clumsier than usual. Only Sirius, who grew up with his mother’s frozen countenance, was unimpressed.
Also, he had a secret weapon, something he’s never told anyone else because he liked sharing secrets with Remus, who was the best person to keep secrets with.
It was this: Remus was very ticklish. Scream-like-a-girl, face-turning-a-faint-pink, and breath-coming-in-short-gasps ticklish. Sirius’s favourite spot to tickle Moony was under his feet, the graceful arc of Remus’s instep and the way his toes curled as he tried to keep his Prefect dignity intact. Which was useless, of course, since Sirius was nothing if not persistent.
Sirius looked around the dorm to make sure that they were alone before throwing himself next to Remus on the bed. ‘What’s up, Moony Moony.’
Remus sighed. ‘I’m tired, Sirius.’
‘You’re such an old man, Moony.’ Up close, Sirius could see the dark circles around Remus’s bloodshot eyes. Sirius reached down, fingers whispering against Remus’s ankle.
‘Sirius.’ Remus’s tone was a warning, but then Sirius was brushing the tips of his fingers across Moony’s foot and Moony couldn’t keep back a breathless little shriek, ‘Sirius!’
Sirius grinned. It was the toe-curling that did it, really, the noises that Remus was making, and the tightness at the corner of his lips earlier. Sirius leaned down, tracing the line of Remus’s big toe with his tongue experimentally. Moony’s skin was faintly salty, smelled of soap. Brown-sugar wisps of hair, and toes that seemed perfect for suckling.
‘What are you doing?’
Sirius looked up. ‘Do you mind?’
Remus closed his eyes as Sirius continued sucking on his little toe, shaky rush of breath: ‘No.’
‘Well, good.’