The Marauders

It had been another week since Remus had seen either James or Sirius, but now he was seeing them together on the stage of the nightclub the previous band had broke up in.

When Remus and Jack walked in, it took him a moment to realize it was James and Sirius. Peter was there too, as well as someone else playing bass. They were playing well, much better than last time, but Remus wished they were bad.

There was a table of girls sitting giggling every time James would sing to them, but he had no one else to sing to anyway. Remus rolled his eyes.

He hoped that since Remus' and Jack's table was on the other side of the of the dark room that the boys wouldn't see him, but nevertheless, James eyes lingered on him and Jack and hit Sirius, nodding his head towards the table. They stared for a second, adjusting their eyes, and then Sirius waved.

Remus pretended he didn't see him. He wanted to leave already, but Jack was still off with him after what happened. Since then, Jack either ignored him or the complete opposite every day and night.

Fenrir came last night. He either didn't know or care that Jack had slept with someone else and just wanted to touch base. Remus and Jack had to put on their best couple-like attitude. He asked about Lucius, and he wanted Remus to suck him off.

Of course, neither could disobey him. But when Fenrir left, Remus knew Jack was breaking down in the bathroom. It took him about half an hour before he came out and finally helped Remus get up and get cleaned.

The while time he apologized and kissed Remus' head.

Jack was more relaxed now, after last night was over he could breathe. He most likely taking Remus out tonight to have a change of scenery. To apologize.

"Remus, you know I'm sorry about everything that's happened."

Remus just smiled weakly and continued to watch the crowd around him.

"I'm going to get another drink."

But Jack was already half drunk. He'll pass out tonight and Remus will have a night of peace.

As he turned round again, he saw the stage empty, only Peter staring at him in fear. He didn't realize the music had stopped, perhaps he was so focused on the loud chatter. Remus looked around him for Sirius, until suddenly out of no where he was being smuggled out of his seat and lifted outside.

James was carrying him in bridal style; "WHAT ARE YOU-?"

"Shh!" Sirius was in front of them.

He was carried outside and put down really carefully, but still managed to stumble and he jumped away from the over-familiar boys. James put his hands out as if to steady him if he was going to fall.

"What are you doing?" Remus gaped at them both, he took a second glance at Sirius when he saw his eyeliner. It brought his eyes out in a whole different way. He really suited it, the whole punk rock style. He was wearing a black denim jacket with no sleeves and black ripped jeans. Remus thought his heart fluttered a little.

"What are YOU doing?" James asked. "He's a bad guy! You need to be careful. Why are you going back to him after what happened last week?"

"I'm sorry-" Remus was baffled. "WHO are you? Who made you Queen and started telling everyone what to do with their lives? I don't even know your name, you don't know mine."

"Oh, i know your name, Remus. Sirius-" James was harshly nudged in the ribs by Sirius and shut up.

"We wanted to know if you'd like to sit backstage?" Sirius asked sweetly.

"What? Who do you think you are?" Remus was so beyond this bullshit. "What do you actually want from me?"

Sirius and James looked at each other.

"I know something you want, Remus. You want to get that tattoo removed, well, i can do that-"

"I told you, i don't have that money-"

"-For free."

Remus didn't understand. He looked between the two mischievous boys skeptically. "For what in return."

"You come play bass for us." Sirius said.

"Until we find someone else." James added.

Remus was confused, and he needed to get back inside to look after Jack. Sirius was staring at him so intently, he had to keep the contact but he worried Jack would be looking for him now.

"He'll be fine," Sirius started.

"We sent Jennifer in there to look after your douche-bag boyfriend." James ended.

Remus saw James and Sirius meet only last week and it's like they've known each other forever. Like they're brothers. Remus couldn't tell if it made him jealous or freaked out. He wanted a relationship like that, he decided.

He really wanted that tattoo removed. If Remus could get it away it'd be like he was gone from the gang. The pack, as Fenrir liked to call it. It would be the first steps in escaping for good.

"How do you know i can play?"

"I saw you looking at it." Sirius spoke alone now. He stepped forward, in the dark night, and stopped until he was right in front if Remus.

"So, i looked at it? Maybe i was thinking about chucking it over the top of your head?"

Sirius reached a hand to Remus mouth and enclosed a hand over it. "You seem like a little goodie-two-shoes but you have a foul mouth on you. And you talk too much."

With Sirius' touch on his lips he didn't dare move. He wasn't afraid, he was intrigued. Remus didn't know why Sirius kept showing up in his life, he wasn't angry about it but he wasn't about to face the repercussions of Fenrir or Jack. "Will you stop being a doormat and come watch us play?" Sirius looked at Remus like no one else had before. He had the hunger in his eyes that Remus understood. It was a hunger to stay alive. Remus would feel that but get instantly shot down and feel dumb to it all again.

Remus' eyes narrowed on Sirius'. Sirius, somehow, wanted to feel alive. Remus wanted that too. He nodded and followed Sirius through the side door.

"Until you find someone else?" Remus asked as they walked.

"We don't wanna freak you out, man. We just thought you could-" James clapped a hand on Remus' back, making him flinch. James lightly apologized and gave Remus a scared look as in; 'what have you been through.'

Remus didn't know how he felt about James, he looked too attractive to be true but he also seemed harmless. He set down a chair that watched Sirius and James without Remus being seen by anyone else. He was backstage with the equipment and as James and Sirius climbed onto the stage he listened to how the bar cheered.

Both put on their guitars, James started the song off with a riff and Sirius soon joined in and then he started singing.

They were having fun, laughing, and dancing about the stage like maniacs.

Remus couldn't help but smile.

He caught Sirius' eye, and they lingered just for a moment before Sirius looked down at his guitar. Looking back up, he mouthed; 'watch me'. Remus was standing up by the time the song was finished and he was clapping along with the rest of the bar.

When Sirius and James looked back, Remus held back a smile but nodded at them to confirm he would play with them.

He wanted to feel alive like that. He wanted to find that laughter.

James cheered at Remus and began the next song, but Sirius stared at him as he left through the side door and back outside.

By the time Monday came, Remus knew to meet them in that practice room where they had first met a week before.

He picked up the bass and began to play.