"Do you think this one is any good, Padfoot?
"Well, he should be better than that barber's clerk Malfoy boy," the man's companion replied, making Remus uncomfortable with his intense gaze.
The original man snorted from on his horse, "Anyone would be better than him. That's not a particularly high standard."
Remus sighed, hoping that they had gotten bored of him already and would simply let him go. That often happened when they changed subject. These two men, Padfoot and Prongs as they called themselves for some unknown reason, were a pair of trouble-making tricksters. He had been warned away from them, and had been successful for this long.
"This one looks promising though," Padfoot said.
Remus felt panic rise within him. He just wanted them to leave him alone, why couldn't they just find something more interesting? They never spoke to random people
Suddenly Remus wished Lily would walk by. He was absolutely sure she would distract these two enough for him to leave. Then he could wear different coloured boxes on his head to ensure they never stopped him again. Remus nodded at the plan. It seemed like promising plan.
"James? Sirius? What are you two troubling Remus for?" the voice of the stern Minerva floated over to them. Minerva had a reputation of a stern personality and near perfect aim. There weren't many people who dared go against her.
Remus noted with interest that the two paled slightly at the voice.
"Uh, nothing. Nothing. We were just getting to know a resident we hadn't noticed before," James called sheepishly. "We'd best be going then, Padfoot. See you around, Remus."
Remus sincerely did not want to meet those two again. That 'Padfoot' had been staring at him really creepily the entire interaction.
The avoidance technique, a different one from the boxes because Remus realised how silly that plan had been, lasted only a week. Although that was probably because the 'technique' was hiding in his house and not leaving the entire week and he had run out of food.
It really didn't help that the store was on the other half of the town. Remus had actually been rather proud that he had managed to get to the store without being spotted. He had taken side routes and every route other than the main road, so he had taken him much longer than expected to get there.
On the way back, though, Remus had spotted drawn guns, the one thing that he couldn't resist was the possibility of watching a duel. Remus loved those.
He hadn't realised who exactly was duelling who, and had been caught almost immediately
By the creepy one.
Uh, Padfoot, that was.
Remus should have known. They were the only ones who taunted other people into a duel under the pretence of being no match for them. It was usually the other was around.
The man wasn't on his horse today, rather he was smirking at Remus in an extremely awkward manner only making matters worse by walking through the crowd of people towards him.
Remus wished that a stray bullet would hit him as everyone's gazes switched momentarily to him.
"We meet again, Remus," Padfoot said with a glint in his eye.
"Yes," Remus muttered, embarrassed at the whispers that were spreading like fire on hay.
"I'd like you to join us at the tavern in an hour," Padfoot said with a grin.
Remus whimpered.
Written for the Game of Life Challenge: Remus/Sirius; match; and boxes
Written for Rubik's Cube Challenge: Western!AU