Midnight Flight

Midnight Flight

Remus eyed the broomstick warily. "I'm still not sure about this," he confessed.

"Don't worry, darling," James chuckled, and pecked him on the cheek. "I won't let the bad broomstick hurt you."

Remus glared angrily at him. "I'm not afraid of the broomstick, you daft," he huffed. "I'm afraid of falling from it!"

"Okay, okay," the dark-haired boy said soothingly. "I was just teasing, love. And I won't let you fall, I promise."

"I still don't know about it." The werewolf looked still doubtful, but sighed then and said, "If I don't get over with it, you'll all just tease me for the rest of my life. So, let's just get it done, it's getting late."

James glanced at the quickly darkening sky. "You're right. Come on, I'll set this ready." He settled his broomstick carefully just on the right level for Remus to climb on it. "Now, come here."

Remus walked to him. "Are you sure it is safe?" he asked yet again.

"Absolutely," the bespectacled boy replied. "Come on, Remus, I fly on it every day. And you're never worried about me!"

"What's because you're not in danger. You were practically born on a broomstick," Remus pointed out. "But all broomstick in the world have a personal grudge against me."

"Not this one," James promised, grinning. "This one practically loves you." Then he said, with a much softer tone, "Come on now, Moony. You know I would never let anything bad happen to you."

"I know." Remus swallowed, then took a step nearer, now standing right next to the broomstick.

"Now, put one of your legs over it," James instructed his boyfriend. "Don't worry, it won't fly away with you. I'm holding it from this end, you see? Just get sitting on it."

Taking a deep breath, Remus did as he was told. He grasped tightly on the broomstick, his knuckles white.

James sat behind the other boy, with the ease of having done it uncountable times. He then carefully brought his arms around Remus, taking a grip on the broomstick just in front of the small hands.

"Remus," he said softly, "do you trust me?"

"Absolutely," Remus replied immediately, without hesitating a moment.

"Then relax," James advised gently. "I promise you'll like this."

Remus managed a chuckle despite his fear and nervousness. "How do I recall having this conversation with you before?" he teased.

James grinned mischievously. "Well, you did like it, didn't you? So relax, love. You'll be fine." Remus didn't reply, but James felt the tension lessening in the small body that was pressed against his chest. Satisfied with this, he kicked on the ground, bouncing them into air.

He heard Remus gasping in shock, and immediately wrapped one arm around the smaller brunet's waist, securing him. "Don't worry," he whispered into Remus's ear. "I won't fly too high or fast. We'll stay near the ground."

"Okay," Remus muttered back, sounding still quite tense.

James started flying slowly in large circles above the Quidditch pitch. He felt the rest of tension leaving Remus's body little by little, although he could sense that his lover wasn't still really relaxed.

"Hey, don't worry, love," he said as they'd flown for quite some time. It was dark already, and Remus still didn't seem to enjoy the flight. "Nothing will happen to you, Remus. You won't fall. Just relax."

*

Of course Remus wouldn't have admitted it, but he was slowly beginning to enjoy this. Not the flying itself, no, he felt terrified at the thought of having so much empty air beneath him. No, what was making him feel good was James's strong arms securing him, James's warm chest against his back, James's gentle words soothing him.

He had a bit of fear for flying in his human part, true, but mostly it was because of the wolf. Wolves preferred being on the ground; they always felt insecure in the air. He knew that James only meant well when he was trying to help Remus over his fear, but it really did very little good to him. If anything, the wolf was roaming more freely in him now, as its distress made it stronger.

He felt a slight pull in his mind, and couldn't help but glance upwards. The three-quarters full moon looked down at him, and he couldn't help but shudder.

James, of course, noticed this. "It's the moon, isn't it?" he asked softly. "It's pulling you."

"It is," Remus confessed. "It seems to be so near now, in the air. Like I could just reach out and grasp on it."

"Believe me," James said, "if I could take the moon from the sky, I'd do it. For you I'd do anything in my power, Remus."

Remus smiled faintly. "I know that," he said quietly.

The stars were twinkling above them. A slight night breeze, cold despite the warm June night, made him feel cold, sneaking through his robes to his skin.

"You're cold," James observed. "Do you want to go inside?"

Remus felt relieved at this escape route being opened to him. "Yes, I'd like that," he said softly. He would never tell James that no matter what the other boy did, he'd always dislike flying. James loved flying so much, why would Remus lessen that delight by telling him that he could never deliberately mount a broomstick?

The lowered slowly to the ground. Remus was relieved to slide off the broomstick. As soon as his feet met the solid ground again, the wolf calmed down, retreating to the background of his mind.

He turned towards James, catching the other boy watching him intently. "What it is?" he asked, wondering.

"You didn't like it," James said calmly. "Flying. Don't you dare to try and lie to me, Remus. You still feared, even though you knew I was holding you. You never feared other high places, though. Why flying?"

Remus bit his lip. There was really no point in lying. "The wolf," he said softly, his eyes fixed on the ground. "It keeps being distressed whenever I'm off the ground. It simply doesn't stand flying."

"Oh, poor Remus," James sighed. "Why didn't you tell me? I would never have forced you up there if you had."

Remus shook his head, unable to find the words. How could he ever explain his motives to James?

Fortunately, James understood him even without words, like he always did. Letting the broomstick fall to the ground, the taller boy drew him into a warm embrace, one which Remus returned.

For a moment, they just stood there, holding each other close.