Freaks (Marauders Era)

Chapter 23

The day started normal enough for everyone. The birds were chirping, it wasn't supposed to snow until late into the afternoon, and Remus had finally stopped complaining about it being too warm to wear sweaters comfortably. Even when it wasn't.

Sirius had chosen to set aside Remus' card for the time being after reading it's shocking contents, instead focusing on something he found far more important at the moment.

"So, James. You never told me about your date the other day." He said with a smirk.

"Oh, that? It wasn't really that interesting." James said, desperately hoping that Sirius would drop it.

"Come on! You haven't even told me who it was with."

James crossed his arms and turned away from the Black brother across from him. "I am under no obligation to tell you anything about my love life."

Peter sighed and put his face in his hands. He knew that it would have to come out eventually, and James was being painfully awkward about it. He even debated on telling Sirius then and there. But didn't want to earn the wrath of his fellow Marauders for betraying James' trust.

"Please!" Sirius said, eyes wide.

"Fine. It was with your-" he mumbled the rest under his breath.

"My what?" Sirius asked, more suspicious and and slowly inching back in their seat.

James sighed and decided to get it

over with. "Your brother, okay?"

Sirius was, definitively, not expecting that response. They blinked a couple of times, trying to process everything.

"My brother, as in, Regulus Black?" He wasn't quite sure how to react to this, Regulus and James we're always in two separate parts of his life, something he could control, then they go and tear down the carefully crafted wall between the family bullshit and his friends.

"Yes, Regulus."

"How long has this been going on?"

That was a difficult question. They'd only been officially dating for a few months, but there was a very long and drawn out song and dance to their relationship before that, though neither answer would be great.

James decided on the one that hurt the least. "Around three months now."

Though knowing Sirius, he immediately started to turn his head and braced for the verbal smackdown.

Sirius honestly didn't know how to respond. Peter was stunned that James even admitted to anything, and Remus was overall very confused by the whole situation.

"James. I feel immediately disgusted. But I'm going to get up from this table. I am going to walk out of this room, and we will talk about this later with Regulus."

James nodded as Sirius very quietly got up, walked away from the table and into the hallway, and slammed the doors behind them.

The other three marauders sat in silence, not entirely sure what to do. Though the rest of the room went back to their conversations after Sirius' dramatic exit, the groups section of the table was quiet and contemplative.

Remus cut through the painfully awkward silence. "I think I should go after him."

Peter gained a confused look, "Are you kidding me? That's asking for a death sentence. They've barely forgiven you for the last stunt you pulled and you'd probably be on the other end of a blind rage!"