Summary: "He says you're leaving him." Sirius/Remus. James/Lily.
Notes: for barefootboys autumn 2007 prompt #3
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, any of its characters, including and especially Sirius, Remus, James, and Lily, or any of its settings.
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12:00 (Accusation)
The soft rain of the afternoon has turned heavy and drowning, three echoes of thunder beyond the window. They have flickering candles lit, illuminating nothing but shadows. In the kitchen, James pushes Sirius back against the countertop and grips the collars of his shirt.
"Well, you know I'd love to Prongs but you are married and I'm—" he starts to say, with his cruel twist of smile.
"Shut up," James snarls back at him. "You're always such a prick. I said I trusted you. Why—"
"Because you will be safer with Peter. I'm—I'm the obvious choice, okay? So—stop—"
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12:04 (Confession)
Remus tries to watch the lashes of rain on the red leaves outside, but all he can see is his own gaunt reflection in the glass. Lily is behind him, candlelight playing off her eyes.
"He says you're leaving him," she says, finally. He won't look at her. Her voice is very soft, quiet and unsure, which is so unlike Lily, that he has to close his eyes.
"Is that true?" she asks.
"I'm afraid it is."
He opens his eyes again just as a flash of lightning hits. In another room, Harry starts to cry, and Lily disappears, and Remus slides down to the floor and covers his ears.
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12:12 (Ending)
Remus is walking up and Sirius walking down when they hit against each other on the stairs. The nights are getting cooler now, two weeks into October, and at night when they sleep in their too-small bed they can hear the wind breaking down the glass. But now the space is cramped and Remus feels too hot and Sirius feels too stuffy and the look of a trapped animal is coming into his eyes.
Remus wants to touch him. Grab him, hold him.
He can't.
Sirius pushes past him—their shoulders hit—when Remus turns around all he sees is the twisting black of the descending stair.