miscommunication and models

♬

The phone call with Marlene had been one of few words, really he had just told her where to meet him and then hung up. Now he was waiting in her parking garage, looking through his phone while waiting for Marlene to come down. He had... He had thought of... It was a good...

Ok, he had a shitty plan, what's the point of lying about it?

He didn't even exactly know what it was, what he was asking for of Marlene, All he knew is Jamie had told him to make it look real, and he didn't want to think about what might happen if he couldn't.

He could hear footsteps coming closer, and turned to see Marlene who waved.

“For god sake, Remus.” She said when she reached him, bringing him into a hug, “This better be something important, you gave me a heart attack with that text.”

“Sorry about that,” He stepped away from the hug, leaning on his car. “I had just gotten out of.. a meeting with Jamie, and I really didn't want to talk and drive.” He needed that time to get his thoughts in order, which had clearly worked.

 As if.

“A meeting?” Marlene asked, wrapping her cardigan around her, “About what?”.

“Tour and interview dates mostly, promoting the new album and us.” Remus shrugged, and Marlene nodded her head slowly.

“So that's what the freakout is about?” Marlene asked, “You really need to relax about this, Remus. I’m not too bothered if those photos get out, my management does. To be honest.. I'm considering firing them, I’m so sick of this.”

Remus raised his eyebrow at her, biting the inside of his lip to hide a smile.

“Not you! I mean the whole..” Remus let himself smile, “You're a dick. I just meant I want people to know I’m gay. It's not like it's a secret, and I want to be myself. What good has hiding ever done?”

Remus wish he had her confidence, she seemed so sure of her decision but Remus knew that hiding had gotten him a career, a family… How could he just give that up? What if it ruined it all?

“Hey, it would give you a breakup album, wouldn't it?” Marlene elbowed him.

“Yeah.” Remus nudged her, “When do you think you’ll do it? Jamies going to be pissed.”

“Fuck what Jamie thinks.” Marlene nodded, “I was thinking after the albums were released?”

Remus just nodded, he just hoped it wouldn't give Marlene bad publicity. 

“Remus I don't mean to get in your business but I have to ask,” Marlene appeared hesitant, “why do you even have Jamie as your manager?”

“What do you mean?” 

Why did he have Jamie as a manager? Well, he had always had him as their manager. He had been there almost as long as they had, he had been the first to see potential in them, the first to get them gigs. He had made the marauders the name they were, so why wouldn't he have Jamie?

“Don't you think he's just a bit off?”

“No, he's just Jamie. He's nice, people just have a hard time getting used to that.” 

“He doesn't seem very genuine.”

“Well, he is. He's been here since day one, Marls. He cares about us, not just the money and that shit.”

“Really? Then why are you in this relationship, Remus?”

He didn't have an answer for that. He had done it because Jamie asked him to, he had done it because he was afraid.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and when he fished it out he saw James in the band group chat inviting them out for coffee, he texted back asking what shop before turning back to Marlene.

“I have to go, James wants to hang out.”

Marlene frowned at him, “Ok. I need to get back upstairs anyways, Dorcas is-.” she cut herself off, going slackjawed for a moment. “Dorcas is expecting a call from me.”

Remus just smiled, “Mhm.. Sure.”

“She is!”

“Yep, I bet she is.”

“Don't say it like that Remus Lupin.”

“OK, Marlene.”

“Just a call!”

“Sure!”

☼★

They had settled on a quaint coffee shop a bit out of the way of their usual haunts, but it was guaranteed to be almost empty. James and Sirius had gotten there first, and thought about waiting in the car but decided against it. James had asked the driver to be back in about two hours, and then they were left alone.

The cafe was nicely decorated. Tile floors and light green walls, plants and paintings were strewn about. There were three people around waiting off to the side for their orders. There were two employees behind the counter, both young. One was sitting on a stool by the counter, resting their head on their hand while scrolling through their phone and blowing a gum bubble with a bored look. The other was fixing the drinks and talking to the one sitting, her brown ponytail swinging as she laughed.

Neither had noticed the boys at first, not until they had been right in front of them. The one sitting on the stool greeted them, barely casting a look while the other one had gone quiet. 

“Welcome to Mimi’s cafe, your money, my time-” the bored one, looked up then, giving them a weird look, she stopped chewing their gum.

“Nathifa- I’m sorry. That's not our slogan, uhm. What, uh... Can I help you?” The one with the ponytail asked, giving her coworker a harsh look, but they continued to stare.

“Yeah, uhm.. Could I get a caramel macchiato, please? And he’ll have a mocha latte with no foam.”

The one with the ponytail gave them a strained smile as she kicked the stool Nathifa was sitting on, who wrote down the orders quickly on a pad of paper and handed it off. 

“£6.25, please,” Nathifa asked.

As James paid he watched the other girl hand off two drinks to the other customer.

“Don't you need our names?”

“We know your names.” Nathifa seemed t catch why what she said was super creepy because she quickly spoke up, “I mean who doesn't? I just mean, its uhm. We don't need your names.”

James nodded, smiling as he and Sirius made their way to the other side of the counter, but they heard Nathifa mumble “I’m quitting.” before they got out of earshot.

☼❀

Later, when Peter and Remus joined them they left. It had nothing to do with the fact that the store had cleared out and it was only the four of them or the fact that the two people working kept looking their way, or the fact that the one chewing gum, Natihfa, had sat her head down on the counter and mumbled about ‘quitting’ an excessive amount.

Before they left though, James did order a Vanille Latte. He had someone to meet.

(lily) on your way?

james it typing…

☾❀

(james) moony.

(james) its been long enough

(james) she really likes me i think!

(james) tell her im not your boyfriend

(remus) mate

(remus) she has to know

(remus) i mean she just has too

(james) WELL IDK IF SHES JUST TRICKING ME BUT SHE SAYS SHE WONT HELP ME BE ‘UNFAITHFUL’.

(remus) she has to be fucking with you

(james) REMUS

(remus) ok ok

☾❀

(remus) lily

(remus) you and i both know james isnt my boyfriend

(lily) you two broke up?

(lily) that is just heart breaking, but adding a third can be difficult on relationships

(lily) hows marlene taking it?

(remus) .. james is right your believable 

(remus) but you're not daft

(lily) fine but it was fun after the initial panic

(lily) he got me a coffee today :)

(lily) and he watched Gilmore Girls with me

(lily) hes so lovely

(remus) I know, that's just james.

(remus) go tell him all that, yeah?

(lily) take that advice for yourself, mhm?

(remus) what?

(lily) bye love :)

♔☺

(unknown number) peter pettigrew??

(peter) no?

(unknown number) its marlene
(unknown number) remus’ friend??

(peter) how do I know

(unknown number) you went out for coffee today, and james felt bad because he embarrassed one of the workers.

peter changed unknown number’s name to marlene

(peter) ok then.
(peter) whats up :)

(marlene) so im going to say this in the nicest way
(marlene) your managers sketch as fuck
(marlene) and i think you might be the only one who could really be able to see that
(marlene) james never suspects the worst from people he knows, sirius and remus are the same when it comes to the self loathing part
(marlene) atleast thats what ive noticed

(peter) oh jamie?
(peter) yeah i know.

(marlene) and your still working under him?

(peter) he hasnt fucked us over yet
(peter) and he doesnt exactly like me either
(peter) theres a reason I dont get as many interviews and its not because my instrument.

(marlene) so we're in agreement?

(peter) i think we are

(marlene) operation: fucking fire jamie is a go.

♬

☾

Remus hated interviews. Hated them. He never would do one again. 

It had been fine, James, Sirius, and Peter all answering their questions with ease and then the focus had been switched to Remus. 

More specifically Remus and Marlene.

He was sure he made a fool of himself, answering the questions with the grace of a baby giraffe. He couldn't wait to hear what Jamie was going to say about the disaster. His day had only gone downhill from there.

“Moony!”

The boys had taken two separate cars to the event, since Peter and Remus lived closest to each other they had carpooled while James and Sirius did. Sirius had caught him only about 17 steps away from his car, and all Remus wanted was to get home.

“Sirius, I’m really sorry but I have to get going.”

“Moony-”

“I’ll text you when I get home?” He asked turning back around. Maybe ignoring Sirius wasn't the best strategy for ‘not fucking him up but it was the easiest.

“Remus,” Sirius called, and he turned back and his heart constricted for a moment. Sirius just looked.. sad. “Why are you ignoring me?” he asked in a voice too quiet, so quiet he could hardly believe it belonged to Sirius.

“I'm not.”

“Yes, you are. At the coffee shop, you barely looked at me, during the interview you sat with Pete. You haven't called me in days. What.. Did I do something?”

No.. No, he hadn't done a thing, and he was trying to keep it that way. He just wanted to protect him but in doing that he somehow hurt him. How was Remus already fucking this up?

“I'm sorry.. You didn't do anything. I'm just tired, Sirius.”

“Are you getting sick? James still has some leftover soup from Mum if you-”

“No.” He said firmly, “I just.. I’m sorry.”

Sirius just smiled confused at him, “Did someone else do something?”

“I'm going home, Sirius. I’ll call you, ok?”

And Sirius, being Sirius just smiled at him and nodded.

“Ok.”

Why did he have to be so lovely?

☼★

brothers

(sirius) james.
(sirius) moonys acting weird

(james) i think hes just stressed out

(sirius) about the album?

(james) maybe, he mentioned something about Marlene wanting to switch management too so it could be that

(sirius) have you ever thought about doing that?

(james) what?

(sirius) switching management

(james) no not really, we’ve always had the same manager

(sirius) yeah and who said for us not to come out?

(james) did someone say something to you?

(sirius) no just thinking.
(sirius) jamies always been there for us but
(sirius) hes done some things i dont like, james.
(sirius) i mean pete got into a shit ton of trouble when he had his flag as his personal pfp

(james) maybe we should have a meeting and talk about us
(james) just us four, like old times.

(sirius) maybe
(sirius) im sorry

(james) don't be sorry
(james) if it bothers you were going to talk about it, yeah?
(james) want to come to my room?

(sirius) yeah.

☼★

08:28 AM

(sirius) omw to that meeting with Jamie about my song

(james) have fun! ily

(sirius) <3

☼★

10:51 AM

(sirius) james
(sirius) I'm not supposed to say anything
(sirius) but uhm
(sirius) fuck i thought this wouldn't be weird to tell you
(sirius) jamies trying to get me to sign a solo contract

(james) wait what?

(sirius) he wants me to split from the band.