Chapter 2
“Look Remus I said I'm sorry, look it was just a prank ok? A stupid prank and-” Sirius paused for a second and sighed before continuing, “I am sorry ok? Will you please just talk to me?”
Remus didn't reply. He had decided before he even made it out of the meeting room that he would not give Sirius the satisfaction, he felt like just an hour earlier Sirius had treasured his silence whilst he complained but now Remus could tell that Sirius was finding the silence unbearable. Upon realising he would not be receiving a response, Sirius sighed and leaned back into the leather seats of the taxi they were in.
Sirius had driven them to work that morning but Remus had nonetheless called a taxi for himself hoping that Sirius would be forced to drive the car back home alone. This way he would have space to think away from Sirius’ endless blabbering. But when Sirius made his way into the taxi with him, Remus did not have the energy to argue with him, besides, something told him that Sirius would be paying today and if there was an opportunity for Remus to save money he would. Normally he would feel at least a shred of embarrassment but not today. He wouldn't let himself be embarrassed anymore. If someone offered to pay for something for him he would accept it gratefully instead of believing he was being pitied. He forced down his guilt and gave a sour glance to Sirius before looking back out of the window. They weren't far from home. But Remus did not feel like walking back through their front door.
‘Right’ Remus remembered. This isn't their home. It Sirius’ . Remus had a premonition that that house would never feel like a home again.
As Remus had expected, Sirius paid the driver.
He had left a pretty good tip as well, Remus noticed . Sirius did that a lot, for someone who regularly complained about his minimum wage job he often had a lot of spare money. This was the UK, for goodness sake, not the US. This habit, which seemed like a kindness, suddenly bothered Remus more than he had ever expected it could.
‘Minimum wage hellhole my ass’ Remus thought, Sirius didn't have to deal with medical payments on top of his job, he had never had to choose between putting his heating on in the middle of January or eating that day. Hell, Remus couldn’t even afford to finish uni because of his medical bills and here he was watching Sirius giving out money like some fucking tooth fairy.
They made their way back to their apartment and Sirius pulled out his house keys (with an obnoxiously large pom pom attached, a feature Remus had always despised as they would never fit in regular pockets) in an attempt to let them in. Maybe it was the nerves of his boyfriend finally standing up for himself for the first time but Sirius could not open the door. Taking out all his frustration on the action, Remus snatched the keys from Sirius’ fumbling hands and unlocked the door, throwing it open and storming in. He discarded the keys on the kitchen counter without even glancing at his ‘boyfriend’ once.
“Look please Moony, i just want to talk-”
Sirius was cut off as Remus froze and started to turn to face him. He then began to walk towards him with anger clear on his face.
,“Look, I have had it UP TO HERE WITH YOUR FUCKING BULLSHIT OKAY SIRIUS I CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE- i just can’t.”
Despite his best effort Remus couldn't stop his shoulders from shaking. Tears brimmed in his eyes.
It took him a moment to realise that Sirius looked scared. Remus hadn't noticed until now. Even through clouds of anger, Remus was suddenly overcome with guilt. How could he have been so careless? He had known all about Sirius’ upbringing and knew shouting often caused him to relive moments of his accursed childhood. As he shrunk back trying to control his tears Sirius expression shifted from one of dread and softened into one of concern.
“Moony, mon lune-” Sirius knelt down to try to cup Remus’ face with his hand to comfort him, however the gesture was pointless as his hands were still shaking and were doing anything but comforting him.
“Don't bother.” Remus said as he got up and walked towards the front door, batting his boyfriends-. no. That's not right. He could never call Sirius his boyfriend again, boyfriends don’t embarrass their partners in front of their peers and boyfriends should have some regard for the well being of their partner- batting this stranger's hand away,
“Wait, where are you going?” Sirius said, voice strained as if desperately trying to reach someone who was fading away right before him.
“I'm leaving, Sirius, it's over, I can’t do this anymore,” hesitation hovered in the last words, “I’m sorry.”
And before Sirius could reply the front door had slammed in his face. Sirius stood there in the dark. He was so used to the full moon's glow that he hadn't noticed it was waning until the new moon had arrived and darkness flooded the streets.
‘Fuck’ he thought, he didn't know where Remus could go, his only family was in Wales and he had never mentioned any school friends that lived locally, and its not like he could afford to stay in a hotel long term. ‘Fuck’ he thought again. It was the only word he could muster. He sank to the floor of his empty apartment. ‘fuck’.
Remus rushed through the corridor as fast as he could. He knew rushing out was stupid. He had nowhere to go. But he truly couldn't bear it anymore. Where was he even heading? He wasn't sure. Before he could fully think it through he dialed one of three numbers saved in his phone and waited as it rang . This was his only hope at a place to stay. The person on the other end picked up on the third ring,
“Hello? Remus, are you okay? It's late, are you in trouble? Is this work related? if it's work related i'm sure it can wait until tomorrow-”
“I need your help, please,” Remus cut her off, voice breaking as he felt tears begin to roll down his cheeks.
The other person seemed to understand.within half an hour Minerva Mcgonagall arrived in her wife's mini,
“Oh Remus, darling,” she said, as her deceptively comforting arms wrapped around his much taller frame.
“Thanks Minnie,” was all he could bring himself to say in response, and even that was through tears. Within the hour Remus found himself in her house, at the kitchen table with a cup of tea and a biscuit in hand.
Sirius had never made him tea.