"Give it back you little fucker!"
Sirius disappeared over the back of the couch and a moment later there was a loud thump as he hit the floor, knocking the wind out of his lungs. The niffler went scooting under the sofa and across the room, skittering up into the book shelves. In his mouth he clutched Sirius's silver lighter.
"BLAST!" Sirius grunted, pushing himself up from the floor as Remus and Bradley stood in shock in the doorway of the kitchen. The niffler was to the top of the shelves now, crouching, peering down and panting as she watched Sirius struggle to get up. She bit on the edge of the lighter and when her teeth made no indentation in the surface, she shook it and banged it against the edge of the shelf. "Stop that, you little shite!" Sirius said, and he walked over and stretched, trying to reach the niffler. He was a good six inches off, even on tip-toes. "MOONY... A HAND?"
Remus walked across the room, stretched up his arm, stood on his tiptoes and gave a bit of a hop, his hand just catching the niffler 'round the scruff. The niffler kicked and spun about as she hung from Remus's fist. She quickly shoved the lighter into her pouch, then looked up to stare into Remus's eyes with an innocent expression that looked more guilty than not.
Remus held out his other palm and cleared his throat.
Reluctantly, the niffler reached into her pouch, fished about, then removed a shiny penny. She held it up hopefully.
"No," Remus replied.
She paused, then shoved the penny away and reached in again, digging, and came up with a key.
"No..." Remus sighed.
The niffler stared at him, bill twitching, then put the key back and finally withdrew the lighter. She dropped it into Remus's waiting hand, then crossed her niffler arms in disgust and looked away.
Remus sighed, then handed the cigarette lighter out to Sirius. "Here you are, Padfoot."
Sirius took the lighter and frowned at it, wiping it on his pyjama bottoms with a look of disgust. "What's you bring her here for?" he asked. He looked at Bradley. "And what is this? Bring home kids from work week or something?"
"What?"
"James brought kids home this week, too."
"What kids?"
"Oliver Kent and like seventeen other kids from his orphanage. They all went to Jasper Odair's house," Sirius said.
"Oliver Kent? What?" Remus looked utterly confused.
"Uh-uh," Sirius said, shaking his head. "You first."
"Excuuuuse me?" sang Bradley from the doorway.
Remus and Sirius both turned about. The niffler, who was still dangling from Remus's fist, also turned her attention to Bradley.
"Where's the potty?"
"Down the hall, third to the right," Siris answered.
"Thanks." Bradley disappeared down the hall.
Sirius turned back to Remus. "Well? And actually start from the start. James said you were in New York? How --? Why? I was --" he paused. Then, "Why'd you go so far away?"
"Mr. Scamander took me into his case for the full moon change, and to keep me safe from..." Remus started, he paused, the weight coming back from all the anxiety he'd felt following Sirius's arrest and the news from Peter that the Ministry was after him. His hands shook. "I was with Newt since you nearly got me exposed to the Ministry!" Remus reminded Sirius, "Newt coming to get me was the only reason I didn't get caught and have to be registered!"
Sirius hung his head. "I'm sorry."
It was probably the quickest, most sincere apology that Remus had ever seen Sirius make and it stopped him in his tracks. He stared at his husband for several long beats and Sirius didn't move or speak, he just stood there, clearly truly feeling his apology and the weight of what happened and Remus was speechless.
Just then, there was a frantic knock on the door.
Sirius looked at Remus, then back at the door.
Remus hung back. "James said he took care of it?" His eyes were wide.
"He did..." Sirius went over to the door, peered through, then said, "What the hell?" and opened it up.
Marlene McKinnon spilled into the living room, talking a mile a minute, "Sirius you're home, excellent, glad you're not behind bars anymore you bloody idiot, did I tell you you're a bleeding idiot? I'll bet you looked right awful in the stripes. Did you sing Jailhouse Rock? If you didn't have a big musical number with the other inmates I'll be positively disappointed in you. Hey mind if I borrow a record for a bit? A little Janis Joplin? I swear I'll pop it back, not that you don't owe me a proper stolen good, as you've still got my camera! Just saying!"
I a whirlwind of energy, she'd gone right to Sirius's box of records, plucked the one she wanted up out of the well organized bin, waved it, and continued, without hardly a breath, "Here we are, this is all I've wanted. Hello Remus. Alright, I'm off, back tomorrow with the record. Promise. Much love. Mwah-mwah," That was her blowing kisses as she backed out, clutching the Janis Joplin record to her chest. "Chiao Bella!" And she was gone, the door slammed shut behind her.
Remus stared, dumbfounded at the door.
Sirius grinned, though.
"What the --"
"She's going to get Em back," Sirius said.
"What?" Remus looked at Sirius.
Sirius turned to Remus, "She's totally going for it with Emma."
"How do you know?"
"The record she took was Kozmic Blues."
Emmaline Vance lay in bed in her junk flat, asleep, her face tear stained, and hugging onto a pillow. She'd left the pub shortly after seeing Marlene and that bloke go off downstairs, feeling sick and lonely. Once there, she'd eaten a good deal of ice cream standing at the kitchen counter, and although she'd tried to distract herself, everything had reminded her of Marlene, and she went to bed feeling horrible.
She'd wanted to take back the coward comment the moment she'd seen Marlene's face. It wasn't like Emma was that much braver than Marlene, no matter how she cut things. She didn't have a bunch of family to come out to - only her dad - which she'd already known he was an ally to the queer community because her uncle was married to a fashion designer in Paris and her father had been the best man at his very, very posh, very, very gay wedding not three years ago. It didn't take bravery coming out to her father the way it would coming out to Marlene's.
Emma's heart was simply broken.
Suddenly, she woke from her sleep, certain she'd heard something. She sat up, holding the blankets 'round her bare chest, and stared at the closed bedroom door, listening.
There was definitely someone in the living room.
Her heart raced.
Emma rolled out of bed, hurrying to grab her silky bathrobe from the chair and pulling it 'round her shoulders, cinching the waist and tying it off hurriedly. She fleetingly thought how horrible it would be to die in such a silky, sheer bit of lingerie as this and wondered if she had time to put on proper pyjamas before attempting to face the burglar, but realized what an idiot move that would be, and quickly grabbed for her wand and headed for the door.
She was about to step out, her hand on the knob, when she heard the music start.
She pulled open the door, confused, and stepped into the living room.
The whole room was lit by candles and flooded with the sound of the music rising up from the record player on the shelf. In the middle of it all was Marlene, staring at the door of the room with wide eyes, still in her date night outfit, though her hair was slightly less perfect than it had been when Em had seen her at the bar, having wilted from the evening, and she was visibly shaking with nervousness.
Emma stared at her, clutching the chest of her robe closed.
"Marly?"
"Em. Hey." Marlene's voice trembled.
From the record player came Janis Joplin's strong-willed voice.
Maybe, oh if I could pray...and I try dear...
You might come back home... home to me...
Maybe - whoa... if I could ever hold your little hand...
Oooh you might understand...
Maybe... maybe... maybe... maybe... yeah
Maybe... maybe... maybe... maube... maybe dear...
I guess I might've done something wrong
Honey I'd be glad to admit it
Ooh, come on home - home to me....
Marlene crossed the room, shaky on her heels, and walked up to Emma so they were only inches apart, staring into each other's eyes.
"Em, I --"
"No, wait, Marly. I'm sorry. You're anything but a coward and I'm sorry I said it. I didn't mean it."
"I've been one, though, I've been one and especially since we broke off I have because I've been too scared to come back to you and just --"
"No no! You're not a coward, it's just so much harder --"
"I'm sorry, Em."
"No, I'm sorry, Mar."
"Please forgive me?"
"Only if you forgive me?"
"You're my Princess, Emma. You're my Princess and I - I want our happily ever after."
Emma's eyes sprang with tears. "You're mine, too, Marlene. You've always been my hero, and - and I love you so much."
Marlene stepped closer and wrapped her arms around Emma, pulling her in closer. She was so soft and she smelled so good, like tropical cherry blossoms, the mixture of her coconut shampoo and her perfume, and Marlene realized how bloody much she'd missed the scent and the feel of her skin. Emma wrapped her arms around Marlene's shoulders and held on tight, her heart fluttering as Marlene's hands came up to her face, cupping her cheeks, and their lips touched.
The flavor Marlene's lip gloss filled Emma's senses and the sensation of Marlene's nose brushing her cheek... Emma nipped Marlene's lower lip - it was so plump and perfect, and she'd always loved the feeling of it and Marlene gasped as her hands slid down Emma's neck to her shoulders and 'round her body, pulling her even closer as their mouths danced with familiarity...
Maybe, dear, oh maybe, maybe maybe
Let me help you show me how...yeah
Honey, maybe... maybe... maybe... maybe...
A shout echoed through the hallway, panicked and high pitched, and crying followed - loud and terrified crying.
Jasper Odair tripped through the dark so fast - banging into the wall with uneven, still half-asleep gait, and practically falling into the room where the shouting was coming from.
Michael sat in his bed, sobbing, and Jasper made it to his side, still half disoriented, the moon through the windows the only light. He sank onto the bed next to the boy, pulling the poor kid's fame against him. Michael melted into Jasper, gasping and shaking, tears pouring over his face.
"She's gonna kill us, she's gonna kill us," Michael begged, sobbing. "She's gonna kill us."
Jasper shook his head, "Shhh, shhh. It's alright... shhh."
Michael's tears were wet against Jasper's neck. "Don't let her kill us, please."
"She can't hurt you anymore," Jasper replied. "You're safe now, Michael. I promise, you're safe. There isn't a single thing that I'm going to let hurt you." He held the boy so, so tight, rocking him gently. "I promise."
The boy's hands clung onto Jasper's shoulders desperately.
Meg stood in the doorway, watching, her heart clenched with love for the pair of them. She'd never been more in love with Jasper Odair in her life.
"I can't believe Newt had a heart attack," Sirius said, his voice trembling. "You lot must've been so scared."
Remus nodded. "And he had a muggle procedure done."
"A fucking dragon in the chest," Sirius shook his head, "I've never heard a more Newt Scamandery thing in my entire bleedin' life."
"I know," Remus laughed, "It couldn't have been anything normal or it wouldn't have been Newt."
Sirius laughed sadly, "Wonder if a muggle surgery could remove the dementor from my chest."
The words were so sad, yet spoken so lightly.
Remus reached out and lay his palm on Sirius's chest.
They were in bed.
It was late, Bradley was tucked into bed in the suitcase, the niffler in her pen to keep her contained for the night. Peter had come home and they'd all had dinner and Remus had told Sirius and Peter about the trip to New York and all about Bethesda and the flat in Brooklyn and how he wished they could see it. Peter had marveled over the idea of the bigness of New York and Bradley had gushed about Wolverine and Peter excitedly looked at the comics with Bradley until bedtime.
Now it was just Remus and Sirius awake, talking out their more personal thoughts on the long weekend they'd spent apart. Sirius told Remus about the cell at the Ministry, about Harry Underhill, and Jasper Odair's visit. Remus told Sirius about Newt's dragon and why the suitcase full of creatures was now in their living room, and Sirius was excited that they would get to help Mr. Scamander in his recovery. They both owed Mr. Scamander a good deal, after all, and what better way to repay him than to care for the creatures he held most dear?
Remus's hand lay on Sirius's chest now, and he gently stroked the small scar there, his hand trembling over the puckered skin, and he closed his eyes, tracing a circle with his finger. "Wild thing," he whispered, "I love you."
Sirius smiled, a bit sadly. "Even when I do stupid things?"
"Even then."
Sirius laughed.
Remus bent down and kissed the spot on Sirius's chest, which sent a tremble through Sirius's body. "I'm glad you're not in jail anymore."
"Oh bloody hell, me too. I never want to go back again."
Remus's mouth was still pressed to the spot on Sirius's chest. His eyes travelled up to meet Sirius's. "Thank you for defending werewolves... for defending me... even if it was wildly insane, uncalled for, out of turn, overdramatic --"
"Are you thanking me or scolding me?"
"Yes."
Sirius laughed. Then, "I'd defend you to my last breath, Remus. I'd die if it meant saving you."
"I know you would," Remus whispered. "And I'd do the same for you."
Sirius nodded.
"You know - I was - I was looking at the warrant..." Remus murmured, "And the warrant says that you're wanted for being in possession of a beast... that I'm your werewolf..."
Sirius frowned, "The Ministry is incredibly fucked up, Moony, you can't let the words they push about define you, you can't --"
"Sirius," Remus interrupted.
Sirius's eyes met Remus's.
They were burning chocolate.
Sirius felt a smile hitch the corner of his mouth, realizing what Remus was getting at. Remus pushed up onto his hands so that he was leaning over Sirius, their chests even, bodies aligned... Sirius could feel Remus pressed against him and he stared up at Remus, eyes sparkling. "Do you reckon I've figured out how to tame you?" Sirius asked, teasing.
"Tame me?" Remus laughed. He shook his head. "You think I'm tamed?"
"Aren't you?" Sirius challenged, grinning.
"Not even a little bit," Remus answered, and he descended onto Sirius, keen to show him just how untamed of a werewolf he could be.