Remus didn’t mean to flirt.
Truly, he hadn’t. Professor Collins had just asked him to stay back after the seminar to talk about an upcoming research assistant position, and he’d been nothing but professional. Well, mostly, professional. There might have been some laughing. Some lingering eye contact. Some smiling, the kind that made the corner of Collins' mouth twitch like he was trying not to push things further.
It wasn’t until later, back in their shared dorm, just after dinner, that he noticed Regulus was being weird.
He was curled up on Remus’ bed (again), flipping through a book he very obviously wasn’t reading. His jaw tight. His responses clipped. He didn’t even look up when Remus walked in.
“You okay?” Remus asked, tugging off his jumper.
“…Right.” Remus wandered toward his desk, already suspicious.
“You and Professor Collins seemed awfully cozy today, didn't take you for the type to fall for the stereotype of the smart and handsome older professors, and seriously Remus, blonde? .” Regulus said suddenly, the words as sharp as the snap of a trap.
“In the corridor.” Regulus looked up now, eyes narrow. “You were smiling. Laughing like he had told you the funniest joke in the world. Blushing, I think.”
“Oh, you were, everyone saw that. Practically swooning.”
Remus raised an eyebrow. “Wait. Are you- are you jealous?”
Regulus scoffed. “Don’t flatter yourself.”
Then Remus grinned, slow, knowing, absolutely insufferable.
“Oh my god,” he said. “You are.”
Regulus snapped the book shut. “I don’t care who you flirt with.”
“Sure. And I’m not regretting every life decision that led me to share a room with a walking Victorian romance novel heroine.”
Remus laughed, delighted now, crossing the room until he was standing right in front of Regulus, who refused to look up at him.
“You’re adorable when you’re sulking.”
Remus leaned down, one hand braced on the mattress beside him. Their faces were very close now.
“You know,” he murmured, “if you wanted my attention, you could’ve just asked.”
Regulus’ eyes flicked to his, guarded and burning. “I didn’t say I wanted it.”
“No,” Remus said, smile curling wickedly, “but you’re really bad at pretending you don’t.”
Regulus stared at him for a moment.
Then, finally, finally, his mouth twitched into a smirk. “Shut up, Lupin.”
Remus straightened, heart pounding and stupidly pleased. “Make me, Black.”
And if Regulus yanked him back down by the collar and kissed him breathless for hours like horny teenagers, well. Remus would count that as something that was a long time coming, and he had Professor Collins to thank for speeding that process.
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