Two weeks and four of PB&J's shows later, Remus finally felt that Mark's attempts to woo him were sufficient. Sometimes when Mark got a big head about just how far he'd managed to progress his relationship with Remus, Remus wanted to knock him down a few pegs and remind him that they only ever went out together because Remus was obsessed with watching Sirius on stage. Though, given the at best, strained relationship between Mark and Sirius, Remus knew that he could only push that button if he was ready for nuclear war. Which he wasn't.
He was very glad, however, that Sirius had come around and decided to join them at the show they'd decided on. It was the other band Mark managed, Feminist Manifesto. Convincing Sirius to come along was made easier by the fact that he was really good friends with Lily Evans, the lead singer; the fact that he seemed to find great pleasure in glaring at Remus at all times; and that he liked to rub it in James' face that, try as he might, James could not convince Lily that he just wasn't interested.
The band was good, a little more punkish than PB&J and Lily certainly gave Sirius a run for his money in the 'I'm too cool for you' department.
Remus wasn't exactly sure how it all happened, but somewhere between the bassist, Marlene, taking over for one song and her sickly sweet voice singing girls by girl in red before very publicly making out with Dorcas, the band's drummer, and the seemingly endless flow of drinks provided by Mark, Remus was properly sloppy and shit-faced.
He didn't usually get like this, in fact he'd maybe only been this hammered twice before in his entire life. But there was something so intense about the way Sirius was watching him that Remus couldn't keep track of how many glasses Mark put in his hands and once he was holding a cup, he felt inclined to drink it, just because that's what you do when you're at a bar and someone's gaze is burning through you.
He'd hardly even spoken to Sirius; maybe 10 sentences total since they'd met, but Sirius was always somewhere close by, often eavesdropping on conversations. In fact, Remus was sure that Sirius had overheard him begging Regulus to not let him go home with Mark no matter how drunk he got and how adamant he got that going home with the other man was a good idea. If Sirius hadn't snorted a laugh and downed his drink immediately after Remus had said that, Remus would have thought Sirius' attention had been elsewhere.
To be completely fair, it wasn't Remus' fault that Feminist Manifesto played a lot of Taylor Swift covers, or that all of Taylor Swift's songs were absolute fucking bangers. Six songs into their set and Remus found himself unable to leave the little area in front of the stage where he was dancing and likely making a fool of himself. Each time Mark came over and brought him a refill, he got a little handsier, and Remus was almost certain that he'd be going home with the man, though he wouldn't remember anything in the morning.
It was nearing the end of the night and Remus couldn't tell up from down, but drunk as he was, Remus had enough were-with-all to try to shake Mark off when he began grinding up behind him and he attempted to give Remus a horrendous hickey. Remus likely could have withstood the grinding for long enough until he could escape to the bathroom, but the way Mark was marking his neck didn't feel like a love bite at all, it actually really hurt.
"Ouch," he elbowed Mark, "Mark stop it, that hurts."
Mark slung his head to Remus' other shoulder and rested his chin there, "then, let's get out of here."
"I shouldn't. Reg will help me home."
"Your friend left," Mark snaked his hands down around Remus's waist and held tightly to his hips. "Come on, let's go. I'm your ride home and you're in no state to manage yourself. Come back to mine."
Panic rushed over Remus instantly. Regulus had left him here. That didn't sound right. Remus tried to remember if Regulus had been drinking a lot too but as he tried to focus his thoughts, his head pounded and the room began to spin.
"Rem, he told you he didn't feel well and you told him he should go. He had about as much as you did to drink," Mark pressed his chin down further to kiss Remus' neck.
"No, Regulus wouldn't-"
Mark cut him off with a laugh, "he did, and I should know, I was the delivery boy for the both of you."
"Did he go by himself, oh gods."
"Rem," Mark spun him around so they were face to face, "Peter and James are taking him back to Pete's place. He's in good hands." He leaned down and kissed Remus roughly, so much so that Remus' face hurt from where he was holding his cheeks and mashing their mouths together. "And now we can go back to my hotel room and keep this fun going."
"Stop it, Mark, I want to go home and see Reg."
"Regulus isn't at your place!" Mark snapped, irritated, before taking a softer tone, "come on, baby. How much fun have we had tonight?" he paused to see Remus frowning, and leaned in to kiss it away, "and how much more we can have. I'm gonna take really good care of you, I promise."
Remus shook his head, "I want Reg," he was adamant.
Mark's hands went from his face to his wrists and he began to drag Remus away from the stage and towards the exit, "do you fucking listen," he grumbled over his shoulder as he forcefully dragged Remus away.
"Mark, stop it! That really hurts." Remus tried to yank his wrists from Mark's hurtful grip, but Mark wouldn't budge. He frantically scanned the blurry room to find Regulus or James or Peter or anyone. He had a sudden urge to find Sirius and dread filled him as he searched and searched and Sirius wasn't there.
He was still struggling against Mark as they stepped outside. Remus wasn't sure if it was the booze or his current predicament, but he felt extremely nauseous as he stepped into the smokey air outside of the bar. When Mark stopped walking but gripped his wrists even harder, Remus looked up to see what Mark was stopped by.
Leaning against the wall with one knee bent and his foot propped against the painted brick stood Sirius. He was smoking and returning Mark's very disappointed glare.
"I thought you left," Mark said harshly.
Sirius smiled, "you're more worried about that than this?" he flicked his cigarette towards Mark's white sneakers, causing Mark to step back quickly and bump right into Remus who in turn spun towards the street and vomited.
"Christ, Remus," Mark sounded disappointed, "almost got my shoes, fuck."
Remus was still bent over the curb with his hands on his knees; at least his spontaneous vomiting had convinced Mark to let him go.
Mark shook his shoulder, "you done? I have mouthwash at home."
"Don't wanna," Remus lifted his head, but it was too fast; he stumbled backwards only to be caught and steadied by Sirius. On instinct, Remus was leaning backwards into him as if that would halt Mark's insistence on taking him home.
"Come on, Remus. You're making a scene," Mark insisted as he stuck his hand out for Remus, though he didn't dare grab him again while he was standing right infront of Sirius.
"Don't wanna, Mark."
He huffed and tapped his foot, "who do you think is going to put up with you right now. I'm taking you home and that's that."
Remus shook his head, no and tried to sink even further into Sirius' protection. Sirius dropped his cigarette and stepped around Remus to snuff it out with his shoe, effectively placing himself between Remus and Mark, and Remus could finally breathe again. "He doesn't want to go with you, Mark. Just leave him the fuck alone."
"You his babysitter?"
"Regulus asked me to get him home safely, I don't want to disappoint my little brother."
"Your little brother was smashed out of his mind when he left, I don't even think he remembered that Remus was here with him."
Sirius suddenly turned his back to Mark and started ushering Remus down the sidewalk in front of him. Mark was yelling at them, but Remus couldn't understand any of the words.
"Sirius-" Remus tried to stop and turn around.
"Keep walking, Re. Come on, please don't fight me on this." Sirius trudged on despite Remus' best efforts.
"My house is the other way," Remus pleaded, "I don't want to go home with you." New tears threatened to spill over the dried streaks from when he was vomiting; would no one listen and just take him home where he was safe?
"Okay, okay," Sirius conceded quickly, "I'm not trying to do anything here; we'll cut back after we get a few blocks down. Just trust me, please?"
Remus nodded, and then barely kept down the next wave of drinks threatening to emerge.
"Okay," Sirius sighed and the warm exhale tickled the sweaty skin on Remus' neck; he shivered. "You okay?"
"Just take me to my house, please Sirius."
"I am," he grabbed Remus' shoulders and spun him to the right and down a cross street.
"Don't grab me!" Remus jumped in the opposite direction and nearly into the street; Sirius caught his hand at the last minute.
"Remus," he huffed, "what will make this easier? Walking next to me? Calling a cab?"
Remus couldn't look him in the face "fine, let me walk next to you," he mumbled as he fell in stride with Sirius, though without Sirius behind him, Remus felt vulnerable from the back. Sirius must have noticed him stealing glances over his shoulder because he offered his hand to hold, which Remus took happily.
They continued in companionable silence as Remus directed them home. By the time they arrived back at Remus' apartment, Remus was a little more sober and less on edge.
"You gonna be okay?" Sirius asked him after Remus finally managed to unlock the door.
Remus went around turning on all of the lights and stumbling a few times.
"Remus?" Sirius drew Remus' attention back to him. "Is there someone you can call to hang out with you while you sober up?"
"Reg?" Remus watched Sirius' ambivalence turn into a frown as he stepped through the door and shut it behind him, "Regulus is at Peter's house, he drank a lot tonight, too."
Remus shook his head, no; Regulus had not had that much to drink. "He didn't."
"Remus-"
"I was with him all night, I would know!"
Sirius sighed, "you are so drunk, honey."
Remus pouted.
"So no one else could come here and take care of you?"
He shook his head again.
"Fine, tell me what you want and I'll help you sober up."
Remus eyed him warily. "You can stay, but just sit on the couch."
"Okay, and that will help you, how? At least let me get you a glass of water."
"I can take care of myself!" Remus stomped into the kitchen and threw open the cabinet door that was hiding the glasses. He pulled a glass out and set it down roughly on the counter before plucking the Brita from the fridge and filling the cup with cold water. As he was walking back to the living room where Sirius was still standing, he stubbed his toe and dropped the glass on the hardwood. It immediately shattered and glass and water went everywhere. Remus felt his lip trembling before he had a chance to control it; he sobbed and lost just a bit of dignity.
Sirius was at his side in a flash, guiding him around the mess and to the couch. "It's okay, Remus," Sirius tried to soothe him, "just water- we can clean up water easily."
Remus shook his head again, it wasn't just water. "They're," he sobbed more and hiccuped, "they're my-my vin-" he cried more and Sirius held his hands and studied him gently; he was rubbing small circles over the back of his hand. "My vintage set of Cora rainbow drinking glasses," he whimpered as he pulled his hands from Sirius' so he could bury his face in them.
"Honey," Sirius scooted closer and rubbed his hand across Remus' shoulders now, "it's okay, I get that they were important to you, but it can be replaced okay?"
Remus hesitated for a moment longer before nodding.
"Okay, come on, let's get you to bed, huh?" He stood and pulled Remus up after him and allowed Remus to pull him to his bedroom. It was quite the strenuous process, but Sirius somehow managed to get Remus out of the tight jeans and t-shirt he was wearing and into the first pair of sweatpants he could find. He tried for a new shirt too, but Remus was sweating profusely and adamant that he would simply pass away if Sirius forced him to put a shirt on.
As Sirius was heading back to the kitchen to take care of the glassware casualty, Remus sat up in bed; Sirius' hand lingered on the light switch.
"See you in the morning?" Remus already sounded sleepy and half confused.
That had answered his question of if he wanted to stay. "Sure, good night Remus."
Remus woke the next morning with a killer headache. He rolled over and thank whatever god existed that drunk Remus had remembered to put out a glass of water and two ibuprofens. Well at least he was glad until he remembered that drunk Remus had actually not done that- he'd shattered a cherished piece of glassware and cried about it to Sirius.
He wasn't sure if it was his hangover headache now or the realization of how last night ended, but Remus felt like his head truly might explode. He sat up carefully and winced as his stomach rumbled. He wasn't sure if it was a hungry rumble or that kind that precedes him spending an hour on the toilet. As he walked into the kitchen, he seemed to land on hungry rumble when he smelled whatever Sirius was cooking.
"Hi," he gave a pathetically shy wave to Sirius who was stirring around soon to be scrambled eggs in a frying pan; he wasn't even looking in Remus' direction.
"Sleep well?" Sirius still didn't turn to look at him.
"I think so," Remus looked at the clock on the microwave and stilled. It was 11 in the morning. "Oh, Sirius I'm sorry if you have somewhere to be you should go. I didn't mean to keep you at all."
"It's fine."
Remus sighed as he settled into a seat at the island bar; he studied his hands for lack of anything better to do and saw the faint bruising on his wrists. "Oh shit," he put his head down, resting it on his folded arms, "what did we do last night?" He wasn't sore there so he didn't think anything had really happened, but he needed to be sure.
Sirius turned to him finally with the pan in one hand and two plates in the other. "We came back here and you went right to bed. What you did before that is the reason you have those bruises." He nodded to where Remus was holding his left wrist.
"Well, what did I do?" Two could play the game of icy disinterest.
"Ask Mark."
Remus paled, "please tell me Mark and I didn't-"
"No," Sirius practically sneered, "you didn't sleep with him but you came pretty goddamn close."
"Ugh, no yelling- hangover."
Sirius flipped some eggs on to both plates and passed one to Remus who eyed it suspiciously. "Turkey sausage, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes."
CW: Calorie counting/restrictive eating
Remus stuck his fork into the yellow pile on his plate and lifted it towards his mouth. "Cheese?"
"Yeah, forgot to mention it- sorry." Sirius had already begun tucking into his breakfast.
"How much?"
Sirius shrugged.
"How many eggs did you use?"
"Four."
Remus was keeping a calorie total in his head, "two sausage patties?"
"Three." Sirius was halfway through his portion and Remus almost ready to offer his own to the cook.
"The cheese, like half the bag? A handful?"
Sirius sighed and dropped his fork onto his almost clean plate, "a handful, Remus. I'm sorry that I didn't ask permission first, I just thought it would be nice to wake up to a nice breakfast."
"It's not th- it's fine, yes, thank you." Remus took a small bite and savored the saltiness as he ate it; he looked over to Sirius who nodded and gave him a soft smile. He managed to eat half the plate before offering the remainder to Sirius.
"You sure, Re. You should keep it and eat it when you're hungry later. There is literally next to nothing in your fridge."
"You have it," he insisted, "they're only good fresh."
Sirius hesitated just a moment before accepting the plate. Remus stood and began washing the dishes. "Has Regulus talked to you yet today?"
"No," Remus said over his shoulder, "you?"
"Mhmm, he said he got really messed up and ended up passing out on Peter's couch. Good thing Pete was there because I don't think he would have managed to get here even with their help, and James is still in a hotel."
"You could have taken him."
"Rightttt... and left you to fend Mark off alone."
"I didn't need to fend Mark off."
"So you weren't actually terrified that he'd managed to almost take you home with him."
"No, Sirius, geez. I don't know what happened between you and Mark but you really have it out for him."
Sirius finished the rest of Remus' breakfast in silence before he stood to leave, "well, you're obviously capable of fending for yourself now, so I'm going to leave. Regulus should be back in a couple of hours."
Remus turned from the sink just in time to see Sirius tug his second shoe on. "Thanks Sirius, I owe you- and I'll see you at a show sometime."
"Don't bother," Sirius threw over his shoulder before he pulled the door shut.
Don't bother owing him or don't bother going to another show?