The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix - Part Two

My Favorite Shirt

Sirius pulled out his cigarettes and shook one from the pack. He held it up and Marlene took it, "But only one puff so you needn't bother light a second one," she said before he could take another one out. He slid the pack away and took out his lighter, flicking it to life and the cigarette lit brightly. She put it in her mouth and took a long inhale, then blew the smoke out in a long trail between them before handing it back to him.

He took it and bit it between his teeth as he put away his lighter and slung his arm 'round her shoulder. They continued walking on. They were silent for a long time while Sirius smoked the cigarette and they'd done nearly a full walk 'round the perimeter of the park.

"Do you really want the shirt back?" she asked quietly.

"No. It has girl germs all over it," Sirius said. "Gross."

"I sleep with it on almost every night."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Double gross," he said. But he looked at her with a bit of amusement in his eyes.

"I stole it when you broke up with me."

"Tell you what. You keep the girl-cootie infested Deep Purple t-shirt and I'll keep your Polyroid."

"You weren't going to give the Polaroid back anyway," Marlene said.

"And you weren't going to give the t-shirt back," Sirius answered, "So I believe that makes us even."

"I suppose."

"Done deal, then."

Marlene rested her head against his shoulder. They were nearly back 'round to the entrance to the park they'd come in through. Marlene came to a stop again, and Sirius put out the cigarette. 

 "Sirius?" 

"Darling?"

"Thank you for being here for me."

"What else are ex-boyfriends-turned-gay for?" Sirius asked.

"Well you're very good at it," Marlene replied.

Sirius stared into her eyes. "I like being able to be there for the people I love."

Marlene's eyes searched his for a long moment. Then, without any warning, she leaned forward and pressed her mouth to his.

The shock took a second to register and Sirius stepped back quickly, bringing his hands up in a stop motion. He stared at her in surprise. 

"I - " Marlene flushed. "Fuck." She turned away. 

Sirius stood there, hands still up, unsure what to say or do.

"I'm sorry," Marlene said. "I - I don't know why I did that."

Sirius's eyebrows were up, silent still.

"I really don't know why I did that," Marlene repeated. She was pacing in a tight circle. "Fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck."

Sirius looked away, lowering one arm and absently wiping his mouth with the other, staring off into the park, back along the path they'd travelled. She kept swearing and pacing, and when he finally turned back to look at her, he realized she was crying. "Hey," he said, reaching out and stopping her circling. She looked up at him, lip trembling. He stared into her eyes. "If I'd been straight back then... if I was straight now... Marlene, you're the closest thing I've ever come to loving a woman like that. I mean that. But... darling..." he shook his head. "This --" he waved his hand between the two of them, "-- this never worked. You and I never worked."

Marlene flushed. "I know."

"I love my husband more than life and death, and the sun,  and the moon, and the entire collection of the stars all combined." He paused, then added, "And you - even though you've had a row and you're hurt right now, you love Em and she loves you."