They lay in bed, noses almost touching, toes mingling.
"I love you," Sirius breathed.
Remus said nothing. His mind was elsewhere.
Sirius sensed this. "Are you alright?"
Remus's instinct was to nod. Instead, he saw his opening, shook his head.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Sirius asked too carefully.
Remus sighed and covered his eyes with his hand.
"Did they, then?"
Remus said nothing.
Sirius asked, "Did they rape you?"
Remus begged himself not to remember, but the sensations came flooding back. He was shaking. There were no tears, just a latent vibrato of fear. Then Remus found himself being hugged to Sirius's warm chest.
"I let them take you," Sirius whispered.
"I'm not proud of the fact that I was captured by Death Eaters," Remus remarked through chattering teeth, "but I have some blame in it." Remus sat up and took Sirius's hand. He kissed it gently. "Promise me," he bade Sirius, "not to leave. To stay."
Sirius looked affronted. "I wouldn't leave you because they-"
"I don't mean that," Remus shook his head. "I mean, revenge. You'll leave and I'll be left here to... remember."
Sirius opened and closed his mouth, then simply uttered, "I promise."