Tissues
“Hey Rex wake up!” He sees everyone staring at him.
“Okay why the fuck are you all here?”
“I’m not sure how to tell you this but I lost so I have to do it” Remus says.
“But first you have to promise you will listen and try to stay calm” Dorcas adds.
“You are scaring me, what happens?”
“You know James Potter right?” Remus starts
“Of course I bloody know him”
“Okay bad start. Our band has won a lot of popularity which is so good”
“Why do I feel there is a but here?”
“Let Remus talk oh god” Barty says.
“But we were doing a bit of research on internet to know what people thinks about us and we found why we have so much public”
“Okay? And?”
“I can't, sorry but I can’t” Remus says
“I can continue, I’m sure you remember the song Jolene” Evan talks.
“Yes I remember, we played that one once I didn’t like it so we forgot about it”
“We did but as it seems no everyone did that and now there is a ‘ship’ called jegulus that started because your two minutes interaction after the concert and because of that song”
“Are you trying to say people saw me talking with James decided we made a good couple and they did research until they found a song I made as a teenager while drunk about Lily of pure jealousy?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying” Evan confirms as it wasn’t the most crazy shit in the world.
“That song is about the redhead in the band of the marauders?” Remus asks, poor Remus he needs a lot of context.
“Yes, Lily Jolene Evans, Potter liked her and well I had a crush on him. Jolene was my first song, I was drunk and it shouldn’t have left my room but when we started playing it was a good song, we didn’t have much more we played it like once or twice. ”
“The good thing is they don’t know for certain, nobody knows the middle name of Evans, they know it starts with J and they are making all these crazy theories but we can try to hide it” Dorcas proposes.
“The shitty thing is that they are not crazy theories because it’s true, Rex liked Potter and made a song about Evans, what are we going to do lie about it?” Barty says.
“We are for now doing nothing about it, I have work in twenty minutes, once I’m back we can think about it”
“Rex, if there are rumors about you and The Marauders, quite a famous band, do you think you can go to work without being recognised?” Evan asks
“I work in a shitty bookstore, nobody there is going to be young enough to know who I am”
He goes to work, there is no one, the bookstore is always empty. Today he will be alone all day, it’s raining a lot and nobody wants to go shopping books on a rainy day. He is with the phone searching more about this ‘jegulus’ when the doorbell rings much to his surprise.
“Welcome, how can I help you?” he says without looking up
“We want to talk with you actually” Why is his brother, James Potter, Lily Evans, the blonde one and a random boy in the bookshop where he works?
“Okay, close the store I don’t think nobody is coming anyways” Oh god, the day only started and he already wants it to end.
They do just that and Regulus closes the curtains.
“You know, if the famous Marauders appear at the store I work on, my strategy of not drawing attention won’t work”
“I think your strategy has failed already” The blonde one says.
“Okay what the fuck do you want? I have work to do, you know?” Okay he doesn’t have a shit to do but…
“I don’t know if you know about the new ship” Potter talks
“Do you talk about that every fucking person in internet is with the fucking jegulus because I mean if that’s what you are talking about, I have some idea”
“Okay so you do know” Potter says
“We are here to know what do you think we should do now” The random boy says
“Okay I think my manager should be here for this” Regulus thinks that Dorcas needs to be there, she will know how to manage the situation better.
“You have a manager?” Sirius asks
“Yes Sirius, I have a manager, listen, I can talk with my coworker to change my shift, you can wait here and we go to my flat, your band and mine we can talk about it all of us.”
“That’s a good idea but people won’t notice us?”
“Oh poor you, you are so famous you are recognised everywhere. Believe me where I live no one is sober enough to know who you are”
Regulus opens the store another time he texts Emmeline and starts working, placing the new books in their places, he doesn’t like working with people there watching him.
“So Reggie, you work here huh?”
“Yes, also don’t call me that”
“I just want to know more about you, since when do you sing?” Okay Regulus supposes that he needs to try a bit.
“The band has been playing about three years but at first it was just for fun”
“Okay that’s cool, and who writes the songs?”
“I write the most of them but Barty also make some ones, Evan helps sometimes but his songs are just for us he doesn’t like singing his feelings to the world”
“You write the songs?” Sirius looked … impressed?
“That’s what I said”
“And the ones we listened?” Potter asks
“Brutal is mine, I wrote it when I was seventeen, Stressed out we wrote it the four of us together.”
“That’s cool, and who is that John? Why did he had a mask?”
“What is this an interrogation?”
“Oh no sorry, too many questions”
“I met him at work, we work in the same pub, we started hanging out and our band played in that pub, we still play there, I learned he knew how to play the bass and we convinced him to play with us, he doesn’t want his face to be public so the solution is the mask.”
“Oh okay, wait you working on a pub?”
“Yes Sirius I work in a pub, believe it or not one needs to work for money”
“Oh but you…”
“Hello Regulus, it’s raining a lot huh?” Thanks Emmeline for interrupting the conversation he wanted to avoid.
“Hello Emmeline, yes I don’t think a lot of customers will come today but thank you anyway for taking my shift today”
“It’s okay you did it for me last week”
“Goodbye”
“Bye” She waves an awkward goodbye.
He gestures to the marauders (he still doesn’t know the name of two of them so he will call them that for now) to follow him. They walk in silence under the rain, his flat is near so they won’t be totally wet when they arrive. He opens the door and he goes to the stairs.
“You don’t have an elevator?” Evans asks.
“No we don’t”
They arrive and when he is opening the door he screams to let them know he is here.
“I’m here!”
“Hey Rexie you are here early, didn’t you have to work late today?” Barty pokes his head.
“Hey John, The Marauders are here, put on your mask if you want to” Evan screams once he sees the band in the entrance.
“Rex you should have told us they were coming I would have cleaned up a bit, searched chairs” Dorcas scolds him
“They can sit in the floor I don’t care, I’m going to change clothes” He goes to his room and tries to process, his brother and his band are in his shitty flat okay fuck.
When he comes out to the ‘living room’ they managed to sit everyone in a chair, on the couch there are Barty, Evan and Remus, and there is a space for him next to Remus.
“Okay I introduce myself, my name is Peter Pettigrew and I’m the manager of The Marauders.” Oh so that’s the random boy, the manager, makes sense.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Dorcas Meadowes and I’m the manager of Green Lies or The fugitives, the name is still on a debate”
“I thought we already settled for the first?” Regulus asks
“You are so lucky Rex, all morning working without having to endure Bats constantly arguing” Evan rolls his eyes
“I’m just saying that The fugitives represent us more” Barty defends himself
“Can we go back to our problem? We will talk about that later” Regulus tries to focus
“Okay I guess you all know about the jegulus problem” Pettigrew says
“Yes we do” Remus answers
“I’m sorry but I have a question” Evans talks
“Then ask”
“That song, Jolene what’s really about?, if you don’t want to say that’s okay but I’m really curious”
“It’s not about you if that’s what you are worried about. Jolene is one of my firsts songs, I had a boyfriend who was obsessed with a girl while being with me and you can imagine how that went, I decided to make a song about it to close the circle, Jolene is a random name that fitted well in the song” The biggest lie he ever said but he isn’t going to confess that the rumors are true.
“Oh okay, I’m sorry you had that experience it was probably awful”
“Reggie, you, you like boys?” Sirius looks at him confused.
“Yes? I’m gay” Not the way he wanted to come out to his brother but anyways.
“But, what about our family, do they know about it?”
“I guess they know but I don’t have a way to be sure about it, I left before they found out so”
“You left?”
“You really thought I was with them? Look around you, I live in a shitty flat with four more people. I'm working all day and all night playing with the band. I'm not studying no matter how much I want because I don’t have the money. Come on, do you think if I was with them my life would be like this?”
“You left”
“Yes I did”
“I’m so proud” Nope, not doing that now, he doesn’t have the right to say that.
“Too early for this. Can we just talk about the ship and all that?”
“Yes of course.”
“Let's think about it, for us this is good, we are having a lot of fame and if we play with this well then we can say goodbye to half of our jobs. Rem and Rex could get out of that shitty pub and we can try to dedicate our life to music, that’s what we wanted and this is a big opportunity. Rex?” Dorcas explains
“If I need to pretend falling for Potter I’ll do it, if Potter is here willing to help with that”
“Who is Rem?”The blonde one asks
“John, Rem is our nickname for him” Evan answers, she eyes him suspiciously but says nothing.
“I don’t think this benefices us, it’s more problems for our band and we don’t win nothing about it” Fucking Pettigrew.
“If we help you win fame will you give me another opportunity Reggie?” Sirius looks at him hopefully
“Maybe”
“We can play with this. Prongs and Reggie can flirt, make songs that imply one another. I'll make my paper as the protective brother. You won’t confirm nor deny anything, that way they will want to see more. You win fame, I win having my brother back, what do you think?” Sirius proposes
“Give us a minute to talk about it” Regulus goes to one of the rooms with the others following behind.
“I don’t know if flirting with your crush in a ‘platonic to win fame’ way is a good idea” Barty comments
“I don’t like him”
“If you say so”
“I actually think this is a good opportunity, if Regulus is okay with it” Dorcas says. Remus nods
“Then nothing more to say” Evan says.
They go back to the living room where The Marauders had a chat also.
“Then we have a deal?” Dorcas asks
“Yes we do, but how can we start this?” Potter asks.
“We need to let people know Sirius and I are brothers and I think we should go to each other's concerts, it’s a good way to start.”
“How can we do the brothers' part?” Evans asks
“A collaboration could be good, you manage your own music or do you have a contract with some company?” Dorcas wants to know
“We record our music on our own, it’s more difficult but it gives us some freedom” Sirius explains
“That 's good. Listen I propose you start going to our concerts and we go to yours, people will think it is because of James and Regulus. We don’t tell anyone anything, but we can start recording an album together, when we put it on sale is when we tell people about Sirius and Regulus being brothers, that way that fact will explain about being at each others concerts but not entirely” Dorcas proposes
“And then we play love songs without confirming why, Cas you are a genius”
“Thank you thank you, it’s not every day you have Regulus Black complimenting you”
“When do we start with that album?” The blonde girl asks, really what is her name?
“Do you have to do anything tonight?” Barty asks
“Noup, we are free”
“Okay Rex, bring our energy drinks we will need it” Barty laughs
“But it's almost night, you say we start now?” Evans asks with surprise
“We usually compose for the night and we don’t know about your different schedules but it’s difficult for us to be all together like today” Evan explains
“You can stay over all night, when we are at it we even forget to sleep” Remus says
“Okay, how do we start?” Potter asks
“In your group, who are the ones who make the songs?” Dorcas asks
“All of us work on it”
“Do you have something started to work on it together?” Evan asks, it’s easier if they have somewhere to start.
“I don’t think so, next day we can bring our songs, we weren’t really prepared, honestly I didn’t expected this” Sirius tells them
“That’s okay I’m going to see my notebook, there is a lot to finish, maybe we can use one” Regulus grabs it and goes to show them.
“Here, look if you like something” he usually hates people seeing his unfinished songs but Sirius is his brother, he doesn’t forgive him, and he doesn’t think they are good but they will be, at least he hopes so.
“What does this blue posit mean?”
“You can’t see those ones” They are all about Sirius, about their family, those ones are just there because on the bad days he needs to let it all out.
“Family line?”
“Sirius return that”
“No but what is this?”
“I swear to god if you read that” he is trying to grab his notebook back but his brother is already reading
“Oh” Sirius sits and returns the notebook to Regulus, his eyes tearing a bit.
“Opening wounds huh? I guess mines never closed”
“Do you plan on performing that one?”
“That one is not leaving my room” he says with conviction
“I think that song could help a lot of people and make them feel understood”
“I don’t care, Family line shouldn’t even exist, I hate it I shouldn’t have even written it”
After that they try to work but it is too difficult, they are so different. The morning comes by and they don’t have a single song. Why did they thought this was a good idea? Of course it’s not working.
“John and I have to work in the pub today so we need to be heading in a few minutes, oh, this night we play there is not a concert just something familiar but if you want to come”
“We will be there” Potter affirms.
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“What are you doing with your face tonight?”
“I won’t put the mask, it’s just our pub, and if more people is there I don’t care, I didn’t want to draw much attention to myself and if we do more big performance then I’ll put the mask but I think I’m already in this so they are going to see me at some point anyways”
“Okay”
That shift feels the longer Regulus has made. He is still trying to calm himself. His brother is seeing him play tonight and some part of him wants to impress Sirius.
Barty Evan and Dorcas arrive before it’s actually the time to prepare themselves. The shitty part of today is that once they finish working they are already up the ‘stage’ if you can call it that, so there is no time to rest or something.
“What are we playing today?” Remus asks
“I want to start with Tissues” Regulus says
“Okay, what else?”
“Hayloft, and we will see what else”
“Today is gonna be fun I love that one” Barty grins
“Nobody knew that Barty” Evan jokes and everyone laughs, Barty is just so enthusiastic with everything he does.
“Okay boys time to go to your little stage, people is waiting for you”
The positive part of playing there is that people already knew them and their songs, some girls, Amelia Bones, Emma Vanity and Hestia Jones, listened to them one day and were now always there, every monday and wednesday waiting for them to play their songs. Once they finish, the girls always make sure to let them know how cool they were, Regulus knows that if they have one big concert they will invite them. Emmeline also goes when she can to support them, they are not supper friends because Regulus is distant but Emmeline is a nice girl.
The owner knew Remus and Regulus and liked them and people were happy when they played there.
“Good night, you already know us but I introduce us to the new public because I see new faces here, we are Green Lies, the same annoying ones that are here every monday and wednesday, we will start with Tissues.” He sees The Marauders there, they are at a table close to the stage. A lot of new people are there also, he supposes the performance they did helped them to win some popularity.
Evan starts playing the drums, and Regulus sings
I feel left out
Like a child
Everytime that you’re close
Everytime you walk through the door
I feel let down
Is it fear?
Don’t you feel my heart go
Every time you whisper in my ear?
He moves around and starts to sing in front of Remus who is dancing with his bass. He catches his brother’s eyes for a moment and he sees Sirius looking impressed, but he is not looking at him, sometimes he is but mostly Sirius looks at Remus, well maybe if it’s the first time seeing him it comes as a surprise, Remus is hot, or maybe it’s the scars, who knows.
The public love this song and sing along.
Cause everybody wants to feel love
Everybody wants to be adored
Can’t keep holding my breath, God forbid
You leave me like all the rest did
I’m in love again
And tomorrow I’ll be sad
Barty approaches the drums where Evan is, Evan and Barty have a weird ‘friendship’, Regulus is sure Evan likes Barty and Barty probably also likes Evan but he doesn’t know it so he is stupid. Another part of him knows Barty is scared of commitment and that’s probably why he tries to deny his obvious feelings for his best friend.
The song ends and they start another one immediately. Playing there feels so good, it’s not a job it’s something they do for fun and that makes it better.
Whatever happened to the young young lovers?
One got shot - he pretends to shoot Barty, he puts his fingers simulating a gun straight to Barty’s head and pretends to shoot, they do that everytime, Barty plays along.
and the other got lost in
drugs and punks and blood on the streets
Blood, blood on her knees
Bloody history
Evan sings the ‘yeah’ and he does all the eco in Regulus words. Evan really has a cool voice.
Everyone goes crazy and starts to sing with them
My baby’s got a gun, my baby’s got a gun
My baby’s got a gun I better run
My baby’s got a gun, it goes
Boom boom crack
They sing more songs and once they end everyone is already leaving.
“Thank you so much, remember we are Green Lies and we play here every monday and wednesday”
They come off the stage and start to pack everything.
“So we are definitely Green Lies?”
“Yes Barty we voted stop being annoying for once” Evans says
“Oh darling so mean” Another thing about Barty and Evan, they ‘flirted’ in a ‘no homo’ way, which is funny because Evan is gay and Barty Bisexual but Regulus will let them get there on their own.
“You did amazing” Sirius says
“yeah that was so cool” Evans agrees
“Thank you”
“I have a question”
“Shoot Potter”
“Are you and John boyfriends or something”
“Pftt what?” Remus laughs. And Barty, Evan, and even Dorcas are all just laughing a lot.
“No we are not, why would you think that?” It’s true he kissed Remus once but it was because they were drunk and wanted to kiss someone, he and Remus are very good friends nothing more.
“Sorry to disappoint but I have standards. No offense but dating Regulus? Poor bloke the one who has to do it”
“Well thank you Rem”
“And thinking I dated Rex, what a time” Barty is still laughing
“You did what?” Sirius is now super confused, and all The marauders.
“Well dating Bats was so horrible we literally only lasted a week”
“I’m not proud to say that the only time I have been broken up was Regulus just because he wanted to go to the library and I was just too annoying for wanting to spend time with my boyfriend”
“You broke up with Barty because you wanted to go to the library?” Potter is so fucking confused is kinda amusing
“It wasn’t a serious thing, we thought it was better just friends, Barty is a whore anyways”
“That’s true Barty is a no strings person” They all agree, that’s why probably Evan hasn’t said anything about liking him. That’s a shame, Evan and Barty are good for each other, only if they could see that.