All My Cards are Here - Marauders+Wolfstar+Jily

Chapter 3: jealousy games

songs in this chapter:
Circe by Glass Doors
The Bidding by Tally Hall

Their next gig was that Thursday. Remus realized that while James and Sirius organized the music, Peter organized everything behind the scenes. He had set them up gigs every weekend for weeks in advance. He's the one who emailed owners of bars and made a point to set up their social media, even if barely anyone followed it. Peter may not be as vocal about it, but it was clear that he was as dedicated to the band as the rest of them.

The gig was a bit far away so James had offered to drive them all, and unlike every other time, James had insisted on picking up Remus from his apartment. Remus didn't want him to come to his part of town. He didn't have a fancy apartment with bakeries on the corner and a park across the street like James and Sirius had. His neighborhood had drug deals on the corner and the near-constant smell of cigarettes and weed.

Unfortunately for Remus, there just wouldn't be time before when he got off the morning shift and when the gig started for him to be able to go home, change clothes, and get to their flat on time, so being picked up it was.

Remus rushed out the moment James arrived, dropping his bass in the trunk and taking his seat next to Peter. James and Sirius were chewing gum, Peter was not. As they drove, Remus saw his neighborhood through their eyes: boarded-up windows, potholes, the homeless man on the corner. The homeless man was actually quite nice and always wished Remus a good morning, but they didn't know that. They just saw poverty.

The car was silent. Peter kept nervously glancing out the window and then back at Remus. James had a death grip on the wheel, but Sirius was just staring out the window as if it was any other street. He was even humming along to the radio. He silently offered a piece of gum to Remus and then, as an afterthought, offered one to Peter as well.

Once they got on to the main roads, however, the rest of them visibly relaxed. "So, do you think Lily will come tonight?" James asked.

"I told her about it," Remus said, glad to have something else to think about.

"I'm still not over the fact that Remus knew Lily all this time," Sirius said. "Do you have any wise words on how James could finally woo her?"

"Please say something useful," Peter lamented. "We're so tired of this."

"Stop trying," Remus said. "She's too busy seeing you only as a pest that she can't see that you're actually really nice and attractive and talented."

"You really think that will work?" James said.

"Please say yes," Sirius cut in.

"I know, Lily," Remus said, but really he just knew how to get a guy. It was cliche, but playing hard to get had worked for him more times than not.

"Do you know Lily well? You guys were friends as kids, right?" James' voice was trying to sound casual but Remus caught his meaning - he was trying to ask if they had ever dated.

Remus wanted to laugh. If James couldn't pick up that he was gay, then he deserved to be messed with.

"Oh, yeah," Remus said, "We were inseparable. I was absolutely devastated when I had to move... I think some part of me will always love her." Remus looked out the window wistfully to really sell it. Nothing he was saying was technically a lie. "I can't wait to hang out with her again."

"Oh," James said in a way that effectively ended all conversation. He was clearly barely containing a large amount of rage.

Remus quickly texted Lily: I'm trying to convince James that we dated in the past and that we might date in the future. You in?