Mastermind
When Veronica leaves the apartment a fourteen year old Elia raises her eyebrows at her dad.
"Do you even like her?"
Sirius looks away, Elia grins knowing she's right. "Guess that's a no"
Sirius gives her a 'don't you dare' look and Elia giggles throwing her lolly stick away. "She's nice, but I just, no we would never work"
Sirius sighs lying back on the sofa. "Anyways, you going up to dad tomorrow?"
Elia sits next to him and turns on the tv. "Why are you thinking of dad now?"
Sirius groans, this kid. "I'm thinking of you, and sometimes when I think of you I have to think of your dad"
Elia sighs dragging it out earning a light slap on the head from Sirius. The conversation ends and they catch up on the latest season of Greys Anatomy.
——
"I'm sorry, I just can't do this"
Elia can barely hear her stressed fathers voice over the screams from Veronica. "You never even fucking cared about me!"
Sirius shakes his head, he cares about her so much, just platonically. Elia hears someting smash and the apartment goes quiet.
"You're going to leave before I call the police"
Elia dares to peak out of her room, and can see their shadows. She sees Veronica clutch her handbag before storming out, slamming the door.
She rushes out and hugs her dad who was on the floor gently picking up a broken plate and glass. "Dad, it's okay I've got it"
She notices the dark bruise on Sirius' cheek as he tries to hide it with his hand. She doesn't know what to say.
Sirius steps back, his hands were shaking too much to be dealing with glass. He stands in shock of the situation watching Elia carefully tidy it up, oh how they raised such a perfect daughter.
"It wasn't your fault"
Sirius looks up and shakes his head noticing how obvious it was that he cried. He wiped the tears and put on a smile.
"Oh don't worry, she's gone now"
Elia wasn't a small child anymore, she could see how much this affected Sirius. They sit on the sofa, Elia in Sirius' arms.
The next day Sirius drops Elia off, giving her a hug and a quick wave and smile to Remus before driving off. He's happy him and Remus are still on good terms.
——
"Can I bring something up without it being weird?"
Remus slowly looks up from his book, and takes his reading glasses off looking at Elia on the sofa. "Sure, what's up?"
Elia hesitates. "Something happened at Dads last night, and I'm not sure if he's okay"
Remus frowns and closes his book completely. "Sirius met a girl Veronica, he wanted to be friends I think, she wanted to get in bed with him"
Remus gives her a look, she rolls her eyes. "Big fight, she was screaming, dad was trying to keep it down cause I was in my room. She smashes things and when she leaves Dad had a big bruise on his cheek"
Remus was mostly in shock, and felt almost guilty for not being there. How could anyone do that to Sirius?
"God, okay, thank you for telling me" She nods slowly and watches as Remus puts his book back and leaves the room.
Remus' first instinct was to message Sirius, but he didn't know how to approach the topic without Sirius feeling attacked, or mad at Elia for sharing it.
He hears his phone buzzing, ah Sirius.
"Hi, Sirius, what's up?" Remus asks, confused, they never called.
"Well, hah funny story, I'm at the hospital and Elia might have to stay at yours a bit longer"
Remus' mouth drops. "What? Of course that's fine, are you okay?"
Hearing that, Elia appeared in the kitchen, listening to their conversation. "Not really, someone smashed glass in my arm and apparently it's pretty fucking deep, but I'll be fine!"
Remus shakes his head in disbelief. Sirius always was quite optimistic. "Shit, do you have anyone with you? I can bring Elia around?"
The line went silent for a moment. "I would actually like that, I'll be waiting here for awhile"
Remus smiles and nods his head, "yeah okay, be there as soon as possible"
They say a quick bye and hang up, Elia stood there confused. "Was that Dad?"
"Yes, at the hospital, I'm assuming it's this Veronica girl you were talking about. Come on shoes on"
In surprise Elia rushes to get her shoes and coat on as they rush out the door to the car. The drive isn't long and they were there in a matter of minutes.
They give Sirius' name and are led up to a room, they are let in and Sirius was sat in the bed on his phone with the other hand.
Elia gasps and runs over to her dad, Remus stays a bit back. "Was it her?"
He nods slowly, and Elia hugs him. Sirius looks over her shoulder and his eyes were fixed on Remus'.
"Yeah she came after she knew you were gone and took another glass smashed it into my arm, then took another for good measure"
Elia's mouth drops. "I'm so sorry"
Sirius smiles sadly. "It's fine now, they just need to take some blood tests and check for infections, all we need to do now is buy more glasses"
Elia can't help but smile and nods. "Yeah, we'll go to Ikea next weekend"
Elia sits on the sofa and pats on it to signal Remus could sit there too, instead of standing against the wall.
"I can go if you want.. there are a few chairs out there"
Sirius shakes his head and nods to the sofa. "It's fine, sofa's a lot more comfortable anyways"
Remus smiles and sits next to Elia. "I'm really sorry about what happened, and I do hope you find someone who will treat you right" like me.
Sirius shakes his head. "Eh, I saw her as a friend, she saw me as a potential boyfriend"
Remus shrugs. "Friends still need to treat you right"
Elia can sense the tension, and felt like they were both holding back things they wanted to say. "Imma go take a piss, get some food and take a round around the hospital, I'll knock before I come in"
Remus and Sirius can't help but let out a small laugh. "Have fun kiddo"
The door shuts and they sit in silence. They haven't been alone in a room, for a damn long time.
"How's the tattoo parlour?"
Sirius smiles, "Yeah! Yeah it's going well, what about the bookshop?"
Remus smiles sadly, "I'm surprised you don't know, I gave the ownership to Lily, I'm working as a teacher now"
Sirius gasps, slightly surprised. "Well if it's what you wanted to do I'm glad, you did always dream of becoming a teacher"
"Yeah, it was"
Sirius smiles and they sit in silence with their thoughts. "Uhm, Elia's okay right? I wasn't a pretty sight that night"
Remus frowns, thinking. "She was concerned and upset but more for you, she didn't seem scared"
Sirius nods slowly, and they once again sit in silence, but more comfortable silence. Sirius just wishes they could have worked out.
"If you don't mind me asking how's the lupus?"
Remus clears his throat and gets more comfortable in his seat. "It's a bit worse, muscle pain and rashes but it's, it's not too bad"
That made Sirius sad, he could tell it wasn't really alright. "You do have enough for the medication? I remember it getting pricey"
Remus puts on a smile, Sirius saw right through it. "Yeah, it's not a problem"
Sirius nods, making a mental note to give Remus some money, it's not like he was struggling with money.
A knock on the door startles Remus, and moves further away from Sirius, they werent close, but they were closer since Elia had left.
"I hope I'm not interrupting" She says wiggling her eyebrows.
With his good hand Sirius politely flips her off. "Fuck you"
Remus gasps, "I wonder where she's learnt all this then?"
Sirius and Elia laugh. "Wonder where?"
——
"I want you and Dad to come to my birthday dinner, don't want to choose who I'm spending the day with"
Sirius nods writing things down on a note. "Mhm, yep, have fun"
Elia puts her hands on her hips and waits til Sirius looks up. "Right sorry, what did you say?"
Elia rolls her eyes. "Birthday dinner, you and Dad there"
Sirius, actually paying attention this time. "Okay, yeah, if you organise it"
Elia groans. "Fine"
A week later, Sirius meets Remus and Elia at Elia's favorite restaurant, a quite modern place with a speciality in pastas.
"Hi my birthday girl, can't believe you're fifteen, isn't that crazy"
Elia laughs in the hug and tries to reach for the bag behind Sirius' back. "Nope, after dinner"
She groans playfully before leading them all to a table for three. "Thank you for both coming"
Remus smiles and leans over to squeeze her hand. "Course, why wouldn't we?"
Hm why wouldn't they?
The dinner goes smoothly, until Elia leaves for the bathroom. "Want another drink?" Sirius offers, as he calls for a waiter.
"No, no I'm fine thanks"
Sirius frowns and looks down at Remus' empty glass. "Hi yes, another three cokes? Two with wiskey please"
The waitress smiles. "Of course, just a moment"
Sirius leans back in his chair, quite proud of himself. "How do you know I'm able to pay for that now?" Remus asks raising an eyebrow.
Sirius laughs, "who said you were paying?"
Remus was about to bicker back but Elia came back smiling. "Can I open my gift please?" Sirius smiles and reaches down for a bag with three gifts in.
The first one, was a gorgeous Tiffany necklace, the one she had been wanting for ages. "No, fucking way"
Sirius laughs and accepts her side hug from their chairs. He reaches into the bag, saving the best for last.
The next was a book set, three special editions she had been dying for. She holds the next gift, bigger than the first, smaller than the last.
"Wait, this one is from both me and your father"
Remus' eyes open in shock, death staring Sirius. He definitely did not contribute in this gift, he didn't even know what Sirius had gotten Elia.
Elia opens it slowly, but the second the wrapping was just slightly off you could tell what it was. A new Iphone in the lavender color.
She sits still, in shock, eyes looking from Remus and Sirius. "You didn't"
"We did, yours was getting a bit old"
Elia grins and hugs Remus first, since he was closer and then gives an equally big hug for Sirius.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She squeals in excitement.
They stay for another hour until Sirius asks for the bill. "Should we split it?" Remus asks, trying to be discreet, failing miserably.
Sirius wafts an arm, Remus not knowing quite what to say. The bill comes over and Sirius grabs it before Remus even processed it was there.
Elia watches in amusement as her parents bicker over the bill like children. "I'll send you the money"
"Remus don't it's fine, I would send it back"
"Dad let.. Dad pay, but can we watch a movie tonight?"
Remus and Sirius look at Elia, then to eachother. "Uh, which of us?" They hadn't discussed who was having Elia tonight.
"Both of you, duh?"
Sirius opens his mouth, then letting it close before opening again. "If I say no, will you say I have to because it's your birthday?"
"Yes" She says without hesitation.
Sirius nods his head, of course she would. "Okay, well I'm in with it"
Sirius looks over at Remus, he had no choice. "Yes me too"
"Yay!" Elia says grinning, and Sirius couldn't tell if it was for the movie or that they were spending time again as a family.
"Well we can at mine? I have an extra room" Sirius says, it was already 10pm, so the other Remus would be sleeping there, they agree.
A half hour later they find themselves in Sirius' living room, with Elia sat between them with popcorn.
She picks avatar, the longest film for what reason again?
She ends up falling asleep halfway through and Sirius and Remus don't really know what to do.
"Should we carry her to her room or would that be weird?"
Remus laughs and shrugs. "We can lay her on the sofa with a blanket on"
Sirius grins, Remus always had the better ideas.
They stand up gently and lay Elia down with a pillow under head, Sirius drapes a blanket over her.
"There we go, do you want something to eat or drink? I'm personally not tired at all"
Remus hesitates before nodding. "Yeah, thanks, I'm good with whatever"
Sirius smiles and leads him to his kitchen and a small table for four, he made some hot chocolate.
"You didn't have to do that, you know" Sirius frowns, what did he do again?
"The phone"
Ah yes the phone. "I felt like it"
Remus laughs not believing him. "First you pay for my very expensive lupus medications, then the dinner tonight and you're telling Elia I bought her a phone!"
Sirius stands with his back towards Remus, not quite knowing what to do. "I just wanted to be nice"
Remus groans, he didn't want Sirius to be paying everything for him. "You were and thank you, but I don't want you to be paying everything for me, I get that you have money"
Sirius frowns, this wasn't going where he hoped it would. Finally turning around to Remus with the hot chocolate.
"Okay I understand, it makes sense"
Remus nods slowly as the hot chocolate was placed in front of him, Sirius sat opposite him.
"Is this weird?"
Sirius looks up. "Hm? What's weird?"
Remus laughs slightly. "Us, this, we're divorced we're not meant to be doing this, we are having hot chocolate without Elia, for no reason"
Sirius shrugs. "What if I set it up?"
Remus almost chokes on his hot chocolate. "What?!"
"Not Veronica! But like... everything after that"
Remus was kind of frozen in shock, Sirius had planned this?
"Does... Elia know?"
Sirius nods straight away. "Oh yeah, she did all the work, leaving us alone at the hospital and dinner, making us both come back here for a movie falling asleep during the movie"
Remus raises his eyebrows, he's not even mad. "I bet she's gone to her room, don't think she was actually sleeping"
Remus smirks, he likes this, and stands up to peek behind the door, sure enough, sofa was empty.
"What do you say to us trying again? Slowly, we'll take it slowly!"
Remus smiles behind his hot chocolate. "Sure, okay"
It was probably the two drinks of alcohol that made him say yes.
"What's the first step then?"
Sirius smirks. "Is it too late to tell you I don't have a guest room?"