Descend - Wolfstar + Marauders

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Running away from home had been the best decision Sirius had ever made.

He didn’t regret it, not for a second. His awful house, his awful family, and every awful thing associated with his heritage could burn in hell for all he cared.

When he’d shown up at James’ doorstep and been greeted by his parents with hugs and hot cocoa, he’d know for certain that he’d done the right thing. It wasn’t until he saw Regulus again for the first time at school that he even really started to question it.

He had no regrets leaving his parents behind, of course, but his little brother wasn’t them. They’d been quite close once upon a time, before years and years of being pitted against each other drove a wedge between them. Regulus always had to be the good little boy for mummy and daddy.

Still, the first time they ran into each other at school, seeing his brother turn away as if he wasn’t even there. He hadn’t really expected it. It may have been naive, but there was some part of him that thought maybe, just maybe, Regulus would ask to come with him. Instead he’d just turned to his smug little friends and walked away.

Maybe Sirius would have done the same if he’d been left alone to the mercy of his parents.

Remus had been gone for two weeks when he got the word about his brother. It was another full week by the time he finally came home. That gave Sirius a full week between showing up on Lyall Lupin’s doorstep and discovering his partner had been lying to him for months, and actually being able to confront Remus for the truth.

A whole week to stew in it as he waited for his lovers return from who knows where.

Sirius heard a familiar cracking sound outside the front door. A moment later the sound of the door being unlocked.

As he sat at the table, he felt a strange sense of calm. No, not calm. More of an absence of feeling. Just the day before his insides had been tearing themselves open. Fear, anger, grief all tumbling over each other trying to get out. Today, there was nothing.

Remus entered the flat. Sirius noticed the dark circles under his eyes. There was an angry red scar still healing near the base of his neck. The last transformation must have been a rough one.

“Remus, come sit down. We need to talk.”

Remus jumped at the sound of his voice. His whole body seemed to be spring loaded, wound tight. He looked at Sirius cautiously and approached, pulling up a chair opposite him at the table.

“Is everything alright, Pads?” he asked with a shaky voice.

It had been… a difficult few weeks. He was desperate to get some rest, but Sirius’ demeanor was making him very nervous.

“Regulus is dead.”

Cold, to the point. Why sugar coat it, figured Sirius? A fact is a fact.

“I- Sirius are you-” Remus reached out instinctively to take Sirius’ hand. “Fuck. I don’t know what to say.”

“Nothing to say,” Sirius declared, pulling his hand from Remus’ reach, much to the man’s surprise.

“Are you… when did this happen?” asked Remus, unsure of where to go from there.

“Don’t know exactly. Far as I know he tried to back out of the shit he was in some time in the last month and got killed for his effort. He always was weak.”

Remus was shocked at the ice in his partners voice. He hadn’t spoken to his brother in years, but Remus knew he still had some affection for him. That some part of him had always held out hope he would come around.