The Scenic Route

2

Sirius was showering, and two people were fucking. It felt strangely invasive that Remus knew this, but since the B&B's infrastructure had been made of something likely resembling paper mache, Remus could hear everything going on in the rooms adjacent to his. Sirius had paced around his room for twenty minutes or so, then he'd switched the boiler on, and now he was showering. A woman named Marlene had chained someone to a bedpost in the other room.

It had taken a moment for Remus to decide what to do with his time since sleep was clearly out of the question, thankfully a red telephone box caught his eye through the window next to his bed. He doubted Alice would be up at this time, but he was almost positive Grant would be. It was also a comfortable distance from the motel that he was out of ear-shot but would have a spot to run back to in case someone tried to knife him for pocket change.

"..."

"Who's speakin'?"

"It's John, who else would phone you in the dead of night?" Grant only knew Remus by his middle name, there was something about that which Remus loved.

"Oh hi dove, how far did you make it before the storm hit?"

"Not far, had to stop at Dorcas' place for the night, I was just checking in."

"Pretty unlike you, is everythin' alright?"

"...yeah, fine."

"You're the second-worst liar I've met, know that?"

"Oh yeah? Who tops the list?"

"Frank."

Remus barked out a laugh, and he leant against one wall of the phone box, suddenly smiling to himself.

"What's happened?"

"Nothing, honest, just a couple of car troubles."

There was a moment of silence on the other line.

"Need a lift back?"

"No, no, nothing like that, I erm, I just hit something."

"Better not have been a hedgehog, I'll never forgive you."

"Har har very funny."

"Not kidding, they're endangered you know."

"I know, and I didn't hit one."

"That's pretty suspicious behaviour love, not sure I believe you."

"I didn't hit a bloody hedgehog!" Remus laughed down the phone, and he somehow knew Grant was smiling at the other end of the line.

"Was it a pigeon, those things are practically suicidal when it comes to road safety?"

"Hit a bloke. Soddy tyres."

"Fucking hell, John. Was he alright?"

"He seems fine, just a bit shaken I reckon."

"You're not still with him, are you?"

"I just booked him a place to stay for the night, was the least I could do."

"No yeah, that's fair, you alright?"

"I'm alright. Better be heading to bed in all honesty."

"Sounds good, listen try not to become a convicted felon before you get to Scotland, yeah?"

"Sod off, Grant."

"Bye, love."

Once the line went dead, Remus stepped back into the torrential downpour and began jogging back to the safety of his room. He nearly tripped over himself when his eyes found the man's stood under the overhang, he was having a smoke.