Old Scars Future Hearts (JILY)

Chapter 16

James was on top the world as he skipped down to breakfast the next morning. It was a Saturday but he was up bright and early, rushing down to grab some breakfast for the beautiful girl in his bed. The smile immediately slipped off his face as he entered the Great Hall. Remus is sat, staring at an empty plate, dark bags ring his bloodshot eyes. Sirius broods next to him, sneaking worried glances over at Remus every so often. His eyes will flick down his body, as if checking for physical wounds, before landing on his face and then looking away with a wince - knowing there is no easy fix for the kind of hurt his friend is going through right know.

"Great job cheering him up guys." James tries to joke as he joins them. Sirius throws his pumpkin juice in James' face and storms out. "Cauldron help me, I can only deal with one of you at once."

"No need to deal with me today James," Remus said with a false cheerfulness. James. James' heart fractured. His best friends never called him by his first name. "I think I'll spend the day at the Shack."

"No you will not!" Sirius was back, Jen and Myer in tow. "We are going on dates with these two ladies and you're going to have a fucking good time."

"He's pretty hot when he's bossy." Jen murmurs.

Myer crosses her arms across her chest. "I didn't agree to a date." Sirius turns to her, all cocky smirk and easy swagger, his arrogant mask slipped in place to hide feelings he didn't want to name.

"Can't you see the man is in desperate need for a woman's touch." Remus cringed, blushing he looked over at James, begging for his help.

"Perhaps a chill day with the lads is a better course of action." James suggested.

"Ladies, a moment please." Sirius drawled, turning and placing his palms flat on the table in-between by Remus, levelling his gaze at James. "He needs a distraction. If he sits with us all day, he'll just be reminded of that night. If he sits next to one of those beautiful ladies he will definitely not be think about that." Sirius waggled his eyebrows suggestively and peered, quite obviously, over his shoulder, checking out Jen's rack. "Or wait, have I misread you all these years Mooney," He leaned his elbow on the table, so that Remus had his full attention, lowering his voice "Should I find someone of the same sex for you?" Remus' blush reached his hairline and he stood up abruptly, flustered. That was all the answer Sirius needed, he was about to grab his hand, dismiss the girls and drag him up to the astronomy tower.

"Jen is fine." Remus said, composing himself. "I'll meet you all by the fountain in an hour." Sirius watched him retreat intently, before carefully slipping his mask back on. James was staring at Sirius, mouth agape, dumbstruck at the what Sirius had just implied.

"That was mean." Myer said and Sirius snapped his eyes to her. She was frowning at him, and the crease between her brows only grew when he shrugged.

"At least he's not thinking about his troubles any more." She just shook her head at him, her lips pressed into a thin line, before leaving the Great Hall.

"Did he really just say I'm fine?" Jen scoffed, turning on her heel and following Myer.

"You can't just out people because you're in a shit mood." James hissed once the girls had left, glancing around to check no-one was in earshot.

"I didn't out anyone." Sirius spat, storming out the Hall, nearly knocking Peter over in his haste. James stared, stunned, and rendered speechless and the space his friends had just stood.

"What's going on?" Peter asked, as he sat opposite James and started piling food onto his plate.

"Genuinely, I have no clue." He continued to stare, at the space where Sirius had just stood, trying to figure out what was going through his best friends head. He was worried about Remus, sure, but they all were. There was something deeper, more intense about the way Sirius watched over Remus. Like it physically pained Sirius to see Remus in any kind of distress. Similar to how James' heart ached whenever Lily shed a tear. Curious. But James didn't really have time to over-analyse that at the moment. "I gotta get some breakfast to Lily but we're all heading into Hogsmede so meet us at Madam Puddifoot's." Peter nodded over a mouthful of pancakes and so James left him, taking every staircase two at a time to get back to the girl in his bed.

An hour later, Sirius approached Remus, who stood staring into the fountain, his fingertips skimming through the frigid water. He paused a few feet away from him, taking in his best friend of seven years. How had they gotten to this point? A point where Sirius hesitated before greeting his best friend. A point where Remus shut down and Sirius didn't know what to day to bring him out. He always knew what to say, he had brought him out of funks like this countless times before.

And the words were there, right on the tip of his tongue. There was so many things Sirius wanted to ask him. So many things he knew he should say. Sorry for being such an asshole being number one.

Remus turned to face him and the words died in his throat. Remus had plastered on a smile that didn't reach his eyes. Sirius hated that smile. It made his skin crawl. That smile told him everything he needed to know about Remus' state of mind today.

They were playing a game today. One where they pretended that they were both completely fine. Where they weren't fucked up in the head. There were no problems or issues burdening their shoulders. No shadows haunting them. No pressures or expectations or anxieties. One where they were both inexplicably excited to be going on a double date with two beautiful girls.

Sirius hated this game. The best part about the friendship the Marauders shared with each other was that it was real. They shared, opened up to each, confessed sins that were better of lest buried. But this - this was so fake. It made Sirius cringe and want to slap his friend to snap him out of it. But there was something off between them.

He knew why.

They both did.

But Remus was determined to pretend like it hadn't happened. So Sirius plastered on his own fake smile and walked over, slapping his hand on Remus' back.

"Ready for a good time friend?"