La lune
The world was on fire, it was a roaring inferno burning everywhere and Remus couldn’t do anything to stop it. That's the first thing he realizes when he wakes up. The intense stabbing pain in his torso and the pounding ache plaguing his head was the second. It felt like he just went ten rounds with a dragon and he definitely lost.
He felt hands on him, hands covered in latex gloves right at the pulse point on his neck. He jerked away causing searing pain to course throughout his torso.
“Easy, easy. You don’t want to pop your stitches.” The voice said.
“Who are you, where am I?” He couldn't keep the panic out of his voice.
“It’s alright, are you going to listen this time or am I going to have to sedate you?” He could hear him put his hands on his hips.
“Where am I?” Remus asked.
“You’re in my apartment.” The voice replied.
“Who are you?”
“I’m the lucky bloke who pulled your lanky ass out of the dumpster.” Lanky ? Who the fuck is this man?
His side has a puncture wound of some sort, probably from the fight in the alley. The tang of blood is so strong in his nostrils it’s clouding his senses. The slice was from a switchblade based on the size of the cut. Feeling for his mask he took in an involuntary gasp when he realized it was missing. His ribs ached and ground together where they were cracked, making an awful noise that made his teeth ache. He probably broke them when he was thrown against a table and broke it. Or maybe it was the wall. He’s not really sure. But the man had definitely seen Remus's face. Shit.
“You’ve seen my face.” Remus groaned.
“Yup, handsome one at that but your outfit sucks ass. Like who designed it, I just want to talk.”
“Great! I got stuck with a smartass, look it’s a work in progress.”
“Oh so you made it? Awe, how cute.”
“Fuck off, I’m leaving.” Remus rolled his eyes.
“I can’t let you do that, you’ve got like at least three cracked ribs that I can tell, four cuts I had to stitch together, and a stab wound in your side and I can’t tell if you’ve got serious internal bleeding or not because you wouldn’t let me call an ambulance. That’s just the stuff I know about too and I’d really like it if you didn’t bleed out on my couch. It’s leather and I just got it last week.”
“Yeah, well let me just get out of your hair then, wouldn't want to ruin your new couch.” When Remus moved to get up he screamed in agony. Sirius’ playfulness immediately ceased and he reached for him. Remus could tell he was worried by the spike in heart rate and the sharp intake of breath he took.
“I really wouldn’t try to move too much, you'll hurt yourself worse. Your eyes are also unresponsive to light which means you’re either blind or I’m about to plan a funeral for a guy I don’t even know the name of.”
“Am I supposed to pick one?” Remus said, trying desperately to bring back his playful smirk. Remus didn’t even know his name and yet he desperately needed him to not be worried.
“I don’t suppose I get to know why a blind masked man ended up beaten to hell and bleeding out in my dumpster, do I?”
“The less you know about me the better.” Remus explained.
“Yes, because the quote unquote bad guys are after you.” Remus could tell he made air quotes with his hands.
“I just don’t want to see you hurt.” Remus responded.
“Well you won’t have to worry about the seeing part, plus I’m a big boy I can take care of myself.” There was a moment of silence, of pure shock, then Remus laughed and he realized he hadn’t genuinely laughed like this in a while. His stitches were burning and tugging at his skin but he didn’t care. When he stopped laughing he could tell the man was staring at him with a slight grin on his lips. “Well, I know I’m hilarious but I didn’t think it was that funny.”
“I think it was mainly just shock that someone actually said that to me. You know most people walk around my blindness like I’m made of glass. I hate it.”
“Well it’s a part of you, why should I treat one part of you differently when it’s clear you’re capable of not breaking? Well to a certain extent you are actively bleeding and bruised to hell.” And Remus had never heard someone explain it better than a man he just met. It was him and it wasn’t. It didn’t define him but it would always be a part of him.
“Thank you.” Remus said sincerely.
“You can make it up to me by not dying on my night off.” He said as he stood and tapped his shoulder.
“You a doctor?” Remus asked curious as to why he has so much knowledge about medicine.
“Something like that.”
“So a nurse then.” He concluded.
“Yeah, my mum was one and I guess I followed in her footsteps a bit.” He could hear the tenderness in his voice and how his body relaxed.
“What’s your name?” He needed to know, needed to thank him properly.
“Why, you planning on coming back?” He laughed then sighed. “It’s Sirius, I don’t suppose I get to know yours?” Remus paused wanting desperately to tell him who he was, but knowing it would only bring Sirius pain. “Didn’t think so. I guess I’ll just have to make up something to call you then.” Sirius paused and sucked in a breath. Remus heard his breath pass through his lips, and Remus hated he couldn’t see his lips and how they formed around the sharp inhale. “Moony.” He said softly.
“Moony? Why Moony?” Remus asked, confused.
“The tattoo on your ribs, it’s a crescent moon with stars around it. It just seemed fitting.” Oh. Remus had forgotten about that small bit of ink he got on his ribs in honor of his mother. Remus reached out and grabbed his hand from where he was standing over him.
“Thank you Sirius.” Remus said.
“Rest, I’ll make sure you’re stable then we’ll figure something else out for later.” He said as he was walking away, hands still touching until he was out of reach. His hands were still gloved but he swears he could feel his touch. Burning hot, electric, like grabbing a live wire. All the energy without the pain. He drifted off thinking of how his hands tingle still.
…
Lily Evans was awoken by a call at 3:47 in the morning and let’s just say she was not happy about it. The sound of her ringtone was grating against her brain. Like a metal fork against a glass plate. She rolled over and turned it off not wanting or caring why she was being called. If it was important they’ll call again. They called again, groaning she picked up her phone.
“What?!” Her voice was still gravelly from sleep.
“Lils there’s been an incident with your client Miss McDonald.” Kingsley said on the other end.
“What happened King!?” His tone of voice immediately woke her up like four shots of espresso straight into her veins would.
“It might be best if you got down here, it’s bad.”
“Alright, let me put on pants then I'm on my way.”
“Of course you don’t have pants on, what did I expect?” His voice was exasperated.
“It’s almost four in the morning, sorry if wearing pants isn’t at the top of my list of priorities.” She said while ruffling through her closet looking for something comfortable to wear.
“What happens if your building catches on fire in the middle of the night? What will you do then?” He asked, egging her on.
“I guess my neighbors will finally get the chance to look at my rockin ass.” She said as she swished her hips.
“Well, get that rockin ass down here asap.”
“Alright talk to you in a bit.”
“Bye Lils.” The line went dead.
She grabs her purse and keys and runs out of her apartment shoving her feet into her shoes and trying not to faceplant. Dialing Remus as she’s running down the four flights of stairs because her elevator is slow and shit and quite frankly scares the hell out of her every time. The grinding noise really sets her teeth on edge and never uses it if she can help it. The line rings and rings with no answer. “Shit!” She tries again with no answer. “Fucking Lupin!” She shoves her phone in her pants pocket and pushed out of her building.
When she makes it to the street she’s out of breath. Hands on her knees trying to soothe the burn in her lungs. “Damn… I really need to… stop smoking, TAXI!” She yells, hailing a taxi. The rain that she didn’t know was falling started soaking through her jacket. The car came to a stop and she practically jumped in.
“Where to?” The driver said in an accent that suggested he was from somewhere south. He was a nice looking man with a round face and a dark mustache. The hair on his head seemed to be receding and he smelled of tobacco. Not the burnt cigarette smell that burns your nose and makes your eyes water but the smell of fresh tobacco, it smelled almost sweet.
“The precinct.” Lily answered.
“You getting a friend out of trouble or something?” He asked, his voice a soothing sound. His accent was long and drawn out like he was taking his time saying things. It felt warm to her, like her momma's hug, like her dads laugh, like home. A sense of nostalgia washed over her and for the first time in a long time she missed the hills she grew up in.
“Something like that.” She answered and he drove off.
The ride there went by in a blur. The rain pelted the window in a comforting rhythm. Rain has always been a form of solace for her. The repetitive soothing sound of it hitting a window, the way the sky turns a deep grey. It always makes her feel. She doesn’t know what or how to describe it but she just feels and that’s enough.
The taxi stopped in front of the station, she paid and thanked him before she got out of the car. Rushing up the stairs into the station she ran face first into Kingsley’s back, falling to her ass.
“Oomph!”
“Watch where you’re going Evans.” He said playfully as he held out his hand to help her up.
“You know my eyesight is shit.”
“Then why don’t you wear your damn glasses like you’re supposed to?” He said as he tried to poke her in the ribs. She slapped his hand before he could even get close, having years of practice. He hissed and rubbed his stinging hand. He scowled and she stuck out her tongue.
She knew what he was doing. He did this every time there was a stressful situation. He always tried to lighten the mood for her. Lily met Kingsley when they were kids. They grew up together in a little nowhere town on the Kentucky and Tennessee border. They graduated together on a Friday night and they left for New York that next Monday. Both of them went the law route in college except he became a cop and she became a lawyer. Both wanting to use their position as a way to do good and help the helpless.
“I know, I just never wear them so I forget I need them.” She says.
“Tell that to the migraines you get.” He chastised.
“Shut your whore mouth and leave me be.” She joked and he feigned outrage.
“How dare you insult a lady’s virtue!” He said with his hand clutching imaginary pearls at his neck like an old lady in a Baptist church would.
“King, you haven’t been a lady since at least 11th grade.” She put her hands on her hips and gave him a knowing look.
“Lies and slander. You know nothing.”
“Oh really? So you didn’t sleep with Gilderoy then?” She jabbed and he cringed. She brought up his worst ex because she knew she’d get that reaction.
“Worst idea you’ve ever had. I still have to change my number every so often, the wack job won’t leave me alone.” He groaned.
“I don’t know, me sleeping with Rita is pretty high on that list too. Also I seem to distinctly remember you having a crush on him.”
“I did not, you lying bitch. Does Rita still write about her flame haired lover in her gossip blog?” He said in a mocking voice.
“I don’t even want to know, every time I try to read that shit it gives me a headache.” She pinched the bridge of her nose already regretting the decision to come here.
“Well maybe if you wore your-“ he stopped mid sentence when she slapped the back of his head like a disapproving mother.
“King, if you finish that sentence I will punch you in the throat.”
“Alright, alright, but don’t come complaining to me again when your head hurts so bad you can’t see straight.”
“You know me King, I never see straight.”
“Ha ha very witty. Speaking of that, you here to see Miss McDonald or what?” The mood instantly shifted as she remembered why she was here.
“Right yeah, tell me what happened.”
“We’re not entirely sure what happened, Miss McDonald isn’t exactly speaking.”
“Why isn’t she speaking? Did something happen to her?”
“Sort of. When I found her she was covered in blood and screaming for help. A guard was in her cell with his eyes scratched out. I was the one who found them.”
“Jesus Christ. What the fuck! You’re alright yeah? And she hasn’t said anything about what’s happened?”
“Yeah I’m fine and no, the guard is still unconscious so we can’t ask him. The only thing she’s said is for me to get you, Lily.”
“Fuck. Did you check the cameras? See if those caught what happened? Wait, did she say just me?” Why did she want just her and not both of them? Remus was the one who convinced her to help. She originally didn’t think she was capable of being helped but after a conversation with Remus she came around. It also didn’t help that she was extremely beautiful and made Lily's stomach do flips.
“Yeah she just kept saying get Lily and that’s the first thing we did. Somehow the cameras were disabled and the cell doors unlocked remotely.”
“Shit, take me to her.”
“She’s in pretty rough shape ar-“
“Do it Kingsley.” Lily interrupted.
“Alright Lils.” He sighed, walking her back to the interrogation rooms.