yellow (remus lupin.)

fifty.

FIFTY.

"Aren't you meant to be on holiday?"

Anastasia stood behind the front door, peering suspiciously at the loved up couple and their young son on the doorstep. Halfway through an order meeting slash dinner she had been pulled out by the furious knocking on the door of Grimmauld Place, already on tenterhooks as to who it could be.

The surprise guests revealed themselves to be a flustered looking Cara Fitch, her sleeping son in his pram, and her boyfriend — a word that left both of them feel fourteen years old and with a bitter taste in their mouths — who had all the joie de vivre on life stamped on his face of a moody teenager who had just been grounded.

"Stass you make every day feel like a holiday." Cara attempted to woo her dubious best friend with a flutter of her fake lashes and a tilt of her head, but it was to no avail. "Besides, there's only so much York has to offer. Now let us in, it's baking out here and you don't want your godson cooking to death do you?"

Manoeuvring the pram over the threshold with her cheap enthusiasm, Cara didn't even give Stassie the opportunity to say yes or no. All Remus could offer the blonde was a raised corner of his mouth and a knowing widen of his eyes, the one they used to communicate when their mutual love was being a pain in the arse. Stass caught Remus by a belt loop at the last second, pulling him into a quiet corner as she slammed the door.

"Why are you back so early?" She mumbled below her breath.

It wasn't that she wasn't pleased to see them, it was without a doubt that she utterly adored all three family members and hadn't seen them for almost a month. Yet, she knew that there was something eating away at them, Remus in particular. The holiday in the North had intended to give them some time away from their past few months, just time to be a couple in love with their child. Of course however, nothing was ever destined to be perfect for them.

With a distressed sigh, he contemplated whether to tell her the truth or not. If he didn't, he would be left with more bottled up emotions than he could take, but if he did then he would no doubt cause a row.

"Don't give me that look you simpering twat Remus Lupin." She swatted him across the arm before relaxing her tension as she realised he was not perhaps in a good place. "What happened?"

"She just — " He took a deep breath, his gaze fixed off into the distance before focusing on the woman stood before him. " — she's not herself. She says she's over...it, but that's all she talks about. We're fighting over everything, it's a wonder we haven't split up."

"What?" The corners of Stass's eyes crinkled in confusion. The last time she had seen the pair together, they were leaning on each other for support but now appeared to be pushing each other away. "Why?"

Commotion erupted from the kitchen, indicating the irresistibly adorable site of Leo had been imposed upon the order meeting after Cara had vanished down the hallway with him.

"You tell me." He shrugged, defeated of all purpose. "I think she needs help. Help beyond her friends and family."

"Are you okay though? It sounds cruel, but you were closer to him than she ever was."

For a split second, it seemed as though she had cracked him. His eyes glistened a little more than usual as he swallowed the large lump residing in his throat.

"I've lost people in my life before and I'll lose them again." He declared calmly.

"That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt."

"Wallowing in pain won't bring them back, will it?" With a raised eyebrow and a deep sigh, Remus was trying desperately to quash the conversation.

God knows he had tried to get Cara to open up, but she had a tongue forged of fire. Whenever her emotions were questioned even slightly, she would snap, leaving those around her - which of course on a family holiday, was just Remus and Leo - too terrified to bring things up.