Flowers At The Door

NYC, 4

Was Sirius avoiding Remus? Well, no. And try as he might, Remus couldn't justify saying that Sirius was deliberately ignoring him because truthfully, Sirius was acting no different than he ever had before. He certainly wasn't acting like Remus got absolutely plastered and Sirius took care of him and made him breakfast the morning after. And yes, Remus was hurt by that fact.

He decided that Sirius' cryptic exit from his apartment would not serve to stop him from going to PB&J's shows. Especially because he'd been to so many that the bar was starting to feel comfortable and Regulus always wanted to go and Mark was still there and wooing him.

Mark slid into the booth next to Remus, slipped his arm across Remus's shoulder and pulled him closer. "Having fun, Rem?"

Remus nodded and sipped from the little red straw in his glass. "Did you bring me a water?" He looked over to Mark who was grinning now.

"A water?" Mark chuckled, "you don't want a water. Come on, it's Friday night, you deserve to let go a little."

Remus frowned, but he was quickly distracted by Sirius returning to the stage for their next song. This was one of Remus' favorites for the sheer fact that Sirius sounded a little unhinged while signing it. Remus had looked up the original song after hearing it for the first time at a show. Sirius' rendition was gravely and desperate in a way that moved everyone who heard it. And maybe Remus more than anyone else.

I've got this strange little feeling comin' over me
Ooh, baby I'm fine, but I still can't see
It was just my love and emotion
Ooh, thought true by devotion

So watch me collide
With your tears in the sky
I can still see the sun, but I'm restless
So lay down your hands, and lay down your gun

I'm getting washed by a wave that's coming over me
Getting crushed in tides of salted sea
You got lost in blue, I see darkish green
Oh, these colors mix for your potion

Sirius was strumming on his guitar and singing very closely into the mic. He had been glancing around the crowd, but never at Remus until now when he met his adoring gaze and held it as he finished the song.

So watch me collide with tears in the sky
With your tears in the sky
Through your golden eyes
I can still see the sun, but I'm restless
So lay down your hands, and lay down your gun

So watch me collide with tears in the sky
With your tears in the sky
Through your golden eyes
I can still see the sun, but I'm restless
So lay down your hands, and lay down your gun

So watch me collide with tears in the sky
With your tears in the sky
Through your golden eyes
I can still see the sun, but I'm restless
So lay down your hands, and lay down your gun

Sirius cleared his throat when the song ended and Remus knew better to let himself believe that he was emotional on his account.

"That was Swim Season's Collide, and, ugh I hope you all liked it." He took a long drink from a bottle of water as James strummed the bass softly; Sirius capped the bottle and joined James on the guitar before starting their next song.

Mark had backed off since the night Sirius had taken Remus home. Remus wasn't sure if it was something he did or if Sirius had gotten in the way, but Mark was avoiding him anytime they were in the company of others. Any time he managed to catch Remus at the bar or waiting for the restroom or an Uber when Reg decided to follow someone home, he made up for lost time. The first time Mark did this, it struck Remus that they'd had their first kiss when he was almost too drunk to remember it. Actually, he didn't remember it, but Mark gladly told him how he barely fended off Remus' desire to kiss him. How they were nearing obscenity in the club, but as they were leaving the bar to go home, Sirius grabbed Remus and took him away. Remus had a hazy memory of Sirius grabbing him by the shoulders, so it made sense.