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[theshabbiestofmen]

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[theshabbiestofmen]

I mean she called me all manner of names, beginning with animalistic and working downward, so I'm fairly certain we're broken up.

[doggedly]

Yeah, but-- that was her mask. Right? That was her mask, that wasn't--

[This has nothing to do with James and the problem that is currently eating away at Sirius' guts, but it's something else to focus on, even if only for a minute.]

You can't have lost her just because of her sodding mask, all right. Have you talked to her since then?

[theshabbiestofmen]

No. I haven't. Because the mask amplifies what you already feel, Sirius.

[doggedly]

How the hell d'you know that?

[And before Remus can answer, he starts in:] You don't, that's what you think, but you don't know what the hell they do, not really. Or d'you really think I think I'm better than you?

[theshabbiestofmen]

No, but--

[You're different, lies unspoken between them. Sirius doesn't think that, but Sirius has proved that over five years. Raven is . . . well, she's been perfect before this, but it was only a matter of time. Surely no one could find lycanthropy attractive.]

I don't know.

[doggedly]

[He nods, but continues, doggedly:] You haven't even talked with her since it happened, right. So you have to at least talk to her before you assume it's all gone to shit. Because that's not something you just-- write off.

[theshabbiestofmen]

[He nods weakly.]

Not tonight, at least. Tomorrow I'll talk to her.

[doggedly]

Yeah. All right.

[So-- that's sorted, at least. For now. Tomorrow, he'll talk to Remus about it tomorrow, and they'll work it out, and--

He glares at the floor anew. James.]

What did James say when you told him.

[theshabbiestofmen]

He was upset. He went on and on about us not trusting him, about how we were keeping secrets.

[doggedly]

It wasn't a secret. We were just-- Merlin, we were trying to help him-- did you tell him that? Did you tell him about all of it, or did Evans?

[If anyone, he expects it from Evans--oh, she wouldn't want the bit about the marriage getting to James, but... she'd tell him otherwise, right? Even though they'd agreed not to. That was her style. It's not a thought or an accusation that makes much sense, not really, but with no one else to blame--]

[theshabbiestofmen]

Of course I told him that-- and I told him all of it. I did, because he asked, because Harry told him he was his son and I didn't want to tell him to wait until you came back from god only knew where--

[doggedly]

I was off with Merlin, I wasn't going to end up--

[But who could have said that? He swallows, hard, rubbing a hand over his mouth.]

He knows all of it? All of it, even what-- happens, to him?

[theshabbiestofmen]

All of it, Sirius. About you and me and Lily and Peter. He knows just about everything, and what he doesn't know I simply forgot to say.

[doggedly]

[He's quiet a moment--and then, abruptly, he sinks down, his elbows on his knees, his hands gripping at his neck and his head bowed. The silence goes on for a minute--and then he sighs, shaky.]

All right.

[theshabbiestofmen]

[He stares over at Sirius, hollow-eyed, uncertain.]

I'm sorry.

[doggedly]

Don't be.

[He rubs hard at his neck with one hand.]

It's not as if you did anything. Right?

[theshabbiestofmen]

Yeah.

[A beat. He sighs and moves, sitting next to Sirius.]

I do wish Harry hadn't . . . I don't know. Run into him, I suppose, and it's not fair to blame him. But I wish James had been kept in the dark for a while longer.

[doggedly]

[He raises his head a little, smiling thinly over at Remus.]

Oh, well, that's babies for you, mate. They always complicate things.

[theshabbiestofmen]

[He huffs out a laugh.]

We can't call him a baby, you know. Not if he's older than us.

[doggedly]

Yeah? What year was he born?

[theshabbiestofmen]

Hardly matters. I'm still not calling him a baby.

[doggedly]

Well, I'm going to, you might as well. And you're going to look pretty mental when you're the only one not calling him a baby.

[theshabbiestofmen]

Lily will back me up. That's one benefit to having her here; I've got allies.

[doggedly]

She won't. She owes me.

[theshabbiestofmen]

For what!