the band

that damn chain

Celeste rolled over as the sun shone through the curtains of the air bnb just to come face to face with Regulus. She rubbed her eyes. Still there. She flicked his forehead. He fluttered his eyes open.

"What?" He asked rubbing his eyes. She stared at him again.

"Are you really here?" She asked. He laughed before wincing and squeezing his eyes back shut.

"I'd hope so, otherwise I've died trying to keep up with you in a bar." She chuckled and pushed his head away. He rolled so he was laying flat on his back. Celeste watching him as he threw his head back to stretch, arms above his head and legs stretching to the end of her bed. He grabbed his phone and started to mindlessly scroll.

"You're staring." He told her. The sleep in his voice became more prominent and she was all but melting. She pushed her hair out of her face.

"So what?"

"So nothing, I was simply stating a fact." She rolled her eyes and grabbed her own phone and began to scroll. Celeste continued to sneak glances over at him. The whole time they sat in silence he played with the chain that hung around his neck. She smirked at the distant memory of it hanging in her face in a hotel room. She bit her tongue.

"If you keep doing that I'm going to have no choice but to crawl across this bed and violently make out with you." She told him. He smiled.

"Do what?"

"That damn chain." He pulled it out from under his shirt, it was just long enough to be hidden under his collar. A gold ring hung at the end of it.

"This one?" He asked cockily. She rolled her eyes.

"Yes." He reached behind him and undid the clasp. Her breath caught at he reached around her and clasped it around her neck. His face was mere inches from hers. He grinned at her.

"There, now you won't be forced to violently make out with me." He said, it was barely above a whisper. She rolled her eyes and crashed her lips onto his. Her hands tangled in the ends of his hair, pulling him closer. They both pulled back after a moment. She pressed her forehead to his.

"Oh would you look at that," She giggled. "I still will."

🎸🎸🎸

"Thank you for welcoming us back to the stage so kindly Sacramento." Celeste said as the crowd cheered. She laughed as she looked over to Sirius.

"We've got one song left for you tonight." The crowd booed. Sirius put up his hands in defense.

"Alright, alright, but hey you guys voted for this one so you'll be quite happy to hear it." Peter explained. The crowd cheered. Celeste grabbed the microphone and sat on the edge of the stage.

"This is I didn't change my number." She spoke softly. The crowd erupted as the boys played the opening chords.

"I didn't change my number, I only changed who I replied to. Lily said I should be nicer, but not to you." Celeste sang. She grabbed a boys hand in the front row who reached for her.

"I love a 'you mad at me?' text, shoulda guessed that you would think I was upset." Sirius sang while Celeste walked over to him. She leaned on his shoulder.

"You're obsessed." They sang together as the crowd screamed it back to them.

"Don't take it out on me, I'm outta sympathy for you, maybe you should leave before I get too mean." She sang as she pranced around the stage. She stopped next to James. "I didn't change my number, I only changed who I believed in. You were easy on the eyes, but looks can be deceiving."

"I gotta work, I go to work, you don't deserve to feel so hurt. You got a lot of fucking nerve, I don't deserve, so." Her and Sirius sang together. They both counted on their fingers as they rattled off reasons.

"Don't take it out on me, I'm out of sympathy for you. Maybe you should leave before I get too mean." Sirius sang. Celeste stood on the drum set with Remus.

"And take it out on you," She held the microphone out for the crowd.

"And your best friend too!" They screamed. She smiled.

"I should've left when Rem said you were bad news." She finished before dancing around the stage all over again. The fans erupted as the boys continued to play the outro.

"We are the Marauders! Thank you so much for coming! We love you!" Celeste yelled as the boys gathered with her to bow.

"Goodnight!" They all yelled before they ran off. Lia threw her arms around Celeste.

"You killed it!" She said. Celeste smiled.

"Lily? Can I do something?" Lily looked between Lia and Celeste. She nodded. Celeste grabbed Lia's hand and pulled her on stage. The lights came back. The crowd stopped and screamed. Celeste smiled at her sister.

"Hey!" Celeste said with a giggle as the crowd settled. "This is my sister Cornelia. We've never shared the stage together, and I thought while I have her here we could do that tonight. Just for you. Whatd'ya think?" The boys slowly filed back onto the stage behind them as the crowd screamed.

"What song do you want ladies?" Peter asked. Lia smiled.

"How about Cornelia Street?" She asked. The crowd screamed. The song had been leaked way back when, but Celeste never put it out. She smiled at the crowd.

"You think so?" Celeste asked. The crowd got louder. "Alright, alright, Cornelia Street it is. One night only in Sacramento." The boys played the opening chords while Celeste leaned on her sisters shoulder. The two sang through the song with the help of the crowd before Celeste handed Lia the microphone and stepped back.

"I packed my bags, left Cornelia Street before you ever knew I was gone. But then you called showed your hand." Lia sang holding onto Celeste's hand. She passed her the microphone.

"I turn around before I hit the tunnel, sat on the roof you and I." Celeste sang. Lia pulled her under her arm.

"I hope I never lose you, hope it never ends. I'd never walk Cornelia Street again. You sing!" They said together. The crowd erupted with the rest of the lyrics, occasionally joined by Celeste and Lia as the song came to a close.

"I rent a place on Cornelia Street, I say casually in the car."