Green Light

Rats and Paint

another chapter woop wooop woooooooooooop
In this chapter I bring up Remus' suffering with derealisation, it's something he's had since his mother left, and I have to note it will be brought up throughout the story, not his detailed thoughts, but mostly how he deals with it and what helps!

Content Warning :
Derealisation
Swearing
Mentions of dying/death
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Two races had been raided by the police, both within three weeks of each-other, and yet no one is questioning the staff, or crowd. Remus thought this was quite stupid, it's obvious that someone had been feeding back information to the feds, but still nothing was done. And who was he to berate the clear excess of stupidity his superiors held in their alcohol swarmed heads.

Because of the recent events that had followed yesterday, work was cancelled and he had bagged himself a day alone. "Rats are colour blind? Really?" The boy beside him was focused intently on the current documentary they were watching about rodents, stuffing handfuls of salty sweet popcorn into his mouth.

Did Remus say alone? By alone he meant him and peter, who was practically glued to his side outside of work. Not that he minded, not at all, in-fact he was relieved that Peter was someone he could meet with outside of the races, he felt more real that way.

Remus often suffered with the thoughts that plagued his mind when he was isolated, he struggled to pick out what was happening and what was made-up. Sometimes he didn't really believe he was here. His mother leaving played a big factor with this, most likely being the whole reason on it's own. But he managed.

"Makes sense. Why would they need to see colours?" He retorted, swatting his hand away from the bag so he himself could reach in. If he had a say in it, he probably would of had Sirius in Peters place, but he had been impossible to contact since yesterday. Most likely due to the cops thirst for one of the Black brothers to be in cuffs.

"I don't know, what if it helps them?" Peter had asked, finally fixing his gaze onto Remus, as if he knew why rats couldn't see colours, which he doesn't. But he refuses to admit that, he's not in the mood to explain to the boy why he's not a rat expert, he's far too tired and relaxed.

"Just watch the bloody show, mate." The packet of popcorn had been emptied greedily by the both of them, and all Remus had to distract himself with now was the provoking squeaks and scuttles coming from the speaker and flooding the room that was just as empty as the day he moved in.

Peter crossed one leg over his knee lazily and continued to look at him, "It'd be far better if we could understand what they were saying to each-other," There was a long pause, with Remus blinking  slowly at him, and the murmur of the tv in the background. "What? Come on, what if they were planning to kill us all? We don't understand their language." He stated confidently, snatching his eyes back to the programme.

"Because they're rats."

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Sirius was a mountain of stress, to say the least. He hasn't slept since yesterday and he couldn't get Remus out of his head. He had eyes on him throughout the lead up to the race, but as soon as the police arrived he had set off, leaving Remus in a cloud of dust and terror.

He hasn't heard word of his arrest, but he hasn't heard word from him at all, Sirius had left his phone in the locker room of the track building before the race. There wasn't anyway he could get in touch with him, he hasn't had much time to memorise his number, although Sirius had been trying profusely since Remus gifted it to him.

Knowing him, he probably ran as soon as the officers stepped out the car, but he couldn't guarantee that they didn't catch up to him. "I wouldn't worry, have you seen how bloody long his legs are?" Mary pointed out, her hand flinging wildly, with Sirius just about missing the shots of blue paint hurling towards him. He points questioningly at her, his eyebrows furrowing, "How do you know how long his legs are?"

The girl tutted, spinning back to the canvas, her brush following along the deep sea blue waves that crashed against jagged rocks, "I can't count how many times I've seen you pull out your phone to drool over the photos you take of him," With every stroke, she adds to the depth of the image, the foam of the ocean spreading across the width, "You must be crazy with that phone of yours gone, how on earth will you stalk your prince charming now?"

Sirius latched his gaze from the painting, glaring at Mary angrily, "I do not stalk him, at-least I don't—well— I don't paint people!" He grapples desperately for a come-back, failing miserably once he sees the laugh that the girl stifles. He sighs and let's his head fall onto his palm, going right back to the safe place that was Remus. "Is this what dying feels like?" He asks, staring at the paint stained floor.

Mary humours his whining, and places a serious expression over her face, "I wouldn't imagine so Sirius, when you're actually dying, I assure you that you'll know then." Sirius glares at her for a second time, and shoots back childishly, "Well maybe when you're dying I'll ask you."

She makes a show of sticking her fingers in her mouth and fake gagging, "Why would I ever want you near me when I'm dying, dickhead?" She retorts, dipping the brush into the white paint, "Because I'm your favourite person to ever walk this god forsaken earth," He taps the counter smugly, while Mary scoffs loudly, "And no doubt I'm not yours, Mr "Remus is the one for me!"

Sirius laughs at her face, her stance is strong and her face displayed with an unwavering stubbornness, he points at her with his ringed pinkie, "You're my favourite woman,"

She turns her face to the canvas, side glancing him with a playful smile, "I better be, Black."

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Peter + Remus IS LITERALLY MY FAVOURITE THING, the way remus is so unbothered and peter is just chatting to him constantly😭
AND MARY AND SIRIUS MY BELOVEDS, they both hate a eachother in a loving way, so adorable ☺️✨