First Date and The Brother
“Sirius, hurry up! I need the bathroom!” James bangs his fist against the bathroom door. He’s been needing to go for almost 10 minutes and Sirius has been in the COMMUNUAL bathroom for nearly 30 minutes. James has been standing outside the bathroom for almost 5 minutes, every few seconds knocking on the bathroom door, each time getting a faint ‘in a minute’.
“James just use my bathroom.” Remus says. He’s getting fed up with James’ shouting. Remus doesn’t even have enough time to move out the way of the door frame before James is sprinting into the adjoining bathroom, not shutting the bathroom door he’s in such a hurry. “James door!” Remus sighs and walks out his room, shutting the door. “Sirius, are you ready? It’s nearly 3 o’clock?” Remus then knocks on the door. There’s silence for a minute and then the door is pulled open and Sirius is standing the door frame with a smile on his face.
He's wearing a plain black t-shirt and black baggy jeans. He’s also got on a pair of black converses and his curls look neatly done.
“I just need a jacket. I will be two seconds.” Sirius promises. Remus gives a little nod and moves into the lounge, grabbing his jacket from the coat hanger and pulling his cane out from behind. He doesn’t like having it in his room, as the constant reminder of his lupus. Lily was the one who told him he could keep it out by the coat hanger, but even then he likes to keep it hidden despite his friend’s reassurances. He isn’t even sure he wants to bring his cane; he just know he needs to bring his cane and for some reason he hasn’t given it a second thought. “Ok, I’m ready.” Sirius the pops out from no where causing Remus to almost jump out his skin and both to laugh slightly.
“Come on, this place is really good.” Remus insists and grabs Sirius hand and their both out the flat as quick as they can.
They’ve been in the coffee shop for nearly 10 minutes. They have gotten their drinks, Remus ordered a hot chocolate with lots of whipped cream and marshmallows and a millionaire’s shortbread, whilst Sirius ordered a black coffee with lots of sugar and a chocolate muffin. However, neither have said anything since they ordered, neither knows what to say. They tried just after their drinks came but it just ended up them talking over each other and it just became awkward.
“You read French literature?” Sirius questions after a while.
“Yeah. Well, try to. My dad knows French so thought it was a way to connect with him after my mum died.” Remus says and then takes a moment to think about what he says, “Sorry that’s really bleak.” He then adds, sinking into himself slightly.
“No, no, it’s ok. I want to learn about, that includes the bleak stuff.” Sirius reassures him and Remus nods.
“I’m also fluent in Welsh. That was my mum, she would only ever speak Welsh to me, wanted me to be able to read my ancestors works in the way they intended it.” Remus smiles fondly.
“That’s beautiful,” Sirius half coos and both continue on their drinks.
“What about you? Know any other languages?” Remus asks.
“Russian, Italian, Greek, and I can Latin and Spanish.” Sirius answers and Remus just stares back, “What?” Sirius then questions.
“I wasn’t actually expecting you to know that many! What else are you hiding?” Remus asks and Sirius hesitates, “What?”
“I- I can ballroom dance.” Sirius half mumbles and Remus smiles.
“That’s quite cool.” Remus promises.
“It’s not. It’s archaic and I’ve not done it in about 5 years, after a while you just get bored of it.” Sirius says, shrugging at the end and Remus hide his disbelief.
“I can’t believe you grew up learning ballroom dancing. The most amount of dance lessons I got was dancing on my mum’s feet in the lounge. We would move all the furniture in the lounge to one side and she’d put on this Latin music and we’d spend hours just dancing. I think I injured a few times, especially when I got older but she never said anything.” Remus chuckles at the end and Sirius reaches over and grabs Remus’ hand. Both don’t say anything, but they embrace the moment, this silence one of appreciation. The silence is then broken when Sirius’ phone goes off.
Remus watches as Sirius checks the caller ID and he mumbles a quick ‘two seconds’ and answers the phone. He’s speaking in rapid French from the moment he answers the phone. It’s quick that Remus is sure even a native speaker you struggle to keep up with. Sirius then pauses for a long time, his face contorting into an uncomfortable expression before once again speaking rapid French. By the end of the call, Remus doesn’t need to know French to understand that something is wrong, he sound anxious and confused. Sirius doesn’t say anything when he immediately hangs up, he just stares at his phone for a minute.
“W-we need to go.” Sirius answers quietly and Remus nods. Sirius returns their dirty cups and plates to the counter whilst Remus get’s himself ready to go. They quickly get to the flat and when they walk in, James, Lily, and Peter are all stood in the kitchen, talking in a hushed tone.
“Sirius-” Lily starts but Sirius quickly cuts her off.
“Where is he?” Sirius asks.
“L-lounge,” James answers and Sirius bolts into the lounge. Remus looks at the others with a questioning face. James just points into the gap in the kitchen wall that goes through to the dining table and the lounge. Remus peers through. Sirius is crouched down on the floor saying something in what he recons is French and there’s another person. They look almost identical to each other, yet the other looks younger that Sirius, frightened, but younger.
“Who is it?” Remus asks.
“We don’t know. He showed about 10 minutes ago. It was weird Remus. Peter and I were watching TV and James went down to the bins. Suddenly there’s frantic knocking at the door and some shouting in French, it sounded desperate. He kept saying Sirius’ name and Pete went to answer the door and-”
“And he just walked in, kept saying Sirius’ name. We told he would be back soon and then you guys showed up.” Peter finished for Lily and Remus nods. The four of them turn back to watch the two, they look incredibly serious and Remus can tell that the stranger is crying. It’s when Sirius stands up that the four quickly turn around and pretend to talk amongst themselves.
“Anyone need the bathroom?” Sirius asks, all four shake their heads. “Allez prendre une douche. Lavez le sang de vos cheveux.” Sirius then says and the stranger almost sprints by them. Sirius follows and there’s more French and then the shower turns on. When Sirius returns, he walks into the kitchen and moves by everyone and fills up a glass of water, it looks methodical and like he’s moving on auto.
“Sirius?” James questions and Sirius drops the glass, luckily it’s in the sink and the glass doesn’t go anywhere. “Sorry,” James then mumbles and helps Sirius get the glass cleaned up.
“No, no, it’s not your fault. He shows up and I’m that 15-year-old boy again.” Sirius shakes his head, his speech rapid.
“Sirius, who is that?” Lily then asks.
“M-my baby brother. That’s- that’s Regulus.” Sirius says. “I- I don’t- god I really am 15 again. Sorry, sorry. Erm…I don’t know why he’s here- no I do know- it’s complicated- I-” Sirius is cut off by the water stopping and he’s gone again. Remus looks over to his friends who all shrug their shoulders, they’ve all got matching looks of worry plastered on their faces. French is once again going off from the bathroom, this time it’s louder than before and sounds harsher. There’s a moment when it gets really loud and then Sirius’ bedroom slams shut.
It's five minutes before Sirius emerges from his room. His eyes look red and puffy and he’s got a packet of cigarettes in his hand that Remus hasn’t noticed before, he doesn’t even think he’s ever smelt smoke off of Sirius. He’s quickly out the flat.
“He’s got no jacket on. He’s going to freeze.” Lily sighs.
“I-I’ll go.” Remus states, grabbing Sirius’ jacket from the sofa and following him out the front. Remus knows where the smoker’s area is in the complex, he’s been there himself a couple of times. Sirius is standing by the corner and Remus can tell he’s shivering, he’s struggling to light the cigarette. “Here,” Remus says and gently drapes the jacket over the other. “You don’t have to tell me anything, just, I don’t know what to say.” Remus tries but sighs, he doesn’t know what he can say.
“I- I didn’t think I would see him again. My parents threatened me with him. He’s always been the special one. The one that doesn’t do the crazy fucking shit I do. He’s the one that does what he’s told, when he’s told. He follows the rules.” Sirius says. His voice sounds shaky and his eyes are darting around the area. “He’s my brother that I was supposed to protect and I left him. I haven’t even been gone for 3 months and they’ve-” Sirius’ voice hitches, “I can’t even say it but no parent should do that to a child,” Remus nods. He isn’t sure what to do, or how to help him. “Even after all that, he-” Sirius let’s out some sort of laugh, “He still remembered my birthday.” His voice drops and he passes Remus the lighter. Remus can tell it’s some high-end quality and it’s covered in matt black with an engraving on the front: ‘Mon frère, joyeux anniversaire’.
“It’s your birthday?” Remus questions.
“No, no, it was a few weeks ago. The 3rd.” Sirius answers.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Sirius shrugs.
“We don’t do birthdays in our family. Reg and I always have done stuff though.” Sirius gives a half-hearted smile. “I’m gonna go in. You can have one if you want.” Sirius then says and leaves Remus standing alone. Remus watches as Sirius walks back up to their flat. He doesn’t put his jacket on, he actually takes it off and keeps in his arms. Remus thinks he must be freezing, then again he did walk down without a coat on so he isn’t surprised he doesn’t put it on.
Remus looks down to the lighter once again and sighs. Remus needs Sirius to be ok.