The slap echoes through the room, silencing everyone.
"I want that shit off of your face."
Sirius bites his tongue as he holds eye contact with his father. The anger tears are welling up in his eyes.
"Go to your room, son," Mrs. Black orders from her spot on the sofa. "And clean that sissy stuff off."
Sirius does as he's told with much detest. When he's in the safety of his boring, white room, he falls on his bed and screams into a pillow. It's not fair. Girls can wear make up to cover up their flaws and highlight their beauty, but guys are ridiculed for even suggesting it. They're stuck with their plain faces.
With a deep sigh, he drags himself to his window so he can sit on the fire escape. There's a moving truck down below that makes him groan.
Someone must be moving into the building across from his, and he knows exactly where they're going to be: the room directly across from his. The only reason he cares so much is because the last family there had a twelve year old son and six year old daughter in that room. He felt like he was on babysitting duty at all times with the little girl constantly trying to jump from hers to Sirius' and the boy jacking off with the curtains open and eyes glued to his computer screen. It was a blessing when they finally moved away. He's had peace for two weeks, and now it's going to be ripped away.
He focus his attention to the window across the way, and sees a boy around his age unpacking. Seems all right, but you can never be too sure. Sirius pulls himself up and jumps across to the boy's fire escape. He knocks on the window and the other drops the box he was holding. With a hand over his heart, he turns to the window. Confused, he walks over and opens it.
"Hello. I'm Sirius."
"Hi? I'm Remus."
"You don't have any kids with you do you?" Sirius peeks his head into the room and looks around.
"No, why?"
"Great. Have a nice day." Sirius spins and hops back to his building.
"Could be worse," Sirius tells himself as he climbs back through his window.
"What could be?"
Sirius frowns at the boy in the doorway. "None of your business, Reg."
"Mother told me to bring this to you." Regulus hands him a plate of food. "You're not allowed to eat with us today."
"Because I look like a fag?" Sirius retorts bitterly.
"Your words, not mine."
"Thanks anyway," Sirius sighs, putting the plate on his bed.
"Can you please just not wear it?"
"Sure, and while I'm at it, I'll just choose not to be gay."
Regulus let's out a puff of annoyance. "Make up and sexualities are two different things."
"They don't think so."
"Why don't you just put it on at school and take it off right before you get home?"
"That's the biggest tween girl thing ever."
"You're going to end up with a busted face."
"Good thing I have make up to cover it up."
"Fine. Do what you want, but just remember I'm why they didn't send you to a correction camp."
"Gee, thanks for making me stay here all summer instead of in a camp full of gay boys sleeping in cabins together and swimming naked in a lake."
Regulus closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. "You're unbelievable."
"Thank you."
~
"Reg, you should really let me do this to your face one day," Sirius says as he contours his face.
"I'll pass." Regulus checks his watch. "Hurry or we'll be late."
"My face is a work of art that needs to be touched up. You can't rush perfection. Damn. Look at those cheekbones."
"I get it, you're self-obsessed, now let's go."
"I'll meet you down there. I still need to get dressed."
Regulus groans and stomps out. "Five minute and I'm leaving!"
Sirius laughs and turns back to his mirror. "Damn, you're fine. I'd fuck you if you weren't me."
"You're ridiculous."
Sirius turns back to the doorway. "Hey, slut."
"Hey, whore," Lily greets. "Get dressed so we can go. Your brother was grumbling the whole way down the stairs."
"He just likes to be at his locker at a certain time so he can catch his crush and say hi."
"Who's that?" Lily asks, pointing through his window.
"Remus. He just moved there yesterday." Sirius glances out the window to see the boy fighting to get on his jeans with one hand and brushing his teeth with the other.
"Hopefully he'll have the decency to shut the blinds when he jacks off," Lily replies before disappearing in Sirius' closet. "I'm dressing you today so we can leave."
"Ugh. Like I need your lesbian style."
"It helps keep the boys away."
"All but James."
Lily throws a shirt and jeans at him. "He's the only boy I need."
"Oh fuck this." Sirius throws the shirt back at her. "I wouldn't even wipe my ass with this."
"You're such a drama queen."
"You know it, bitch."
