"Sirius…what…"

Realising there was no use hiding anymore, Remus opened the door, revealing himself completely as he stepped into the room.

Sirius was sat cross legged in the middle of his bed, a messy piece of parchment set in front of him. His guitar was rested across his lap, the pick fallen uselessly on the bed near his shaking hand.

The completely silent room seemed to echo the angry, desperate words Sirius had spat out moments before, shattering Sirius Black's infamous walls. There would be no going back after this; it demanded an explanation.

The lyrics had made Remus realise although Sirius knew basically everything about him, he knew next to nothing about the boy in front of him.

The Sirius he thought he knew was charming, an easy grin always set in place. He flirted with everyone, even teachers, and was desperately obsessive about his fringe. Set with a dangerous streak and a tinge of pain from his home life, Sirius Black pulled off masterpieces to amuse himself and everyone else, conspired with James for four years on how to get Lily Evans to agree to a date, and he was always there, for everyone. He never needed anyone; he was a rock.

No, this boy was not Sirius Black. Because Sirius Black would never be sat on his bed, looking lonely and miserable, a tremble in his lip which made him look like a four year old child after they'd been scolded, refusing to meet Remus' eyes.

Sirius Black was indestructible.

Right?

"Wa-was all of that true?" Remus murmured, taking a tentative step forward.

Sirius' eyes were fixed to the floor, and it didn't take an idiot to realise his defences had been slammed up. He was completely frozen, his guitar a barrier between them that had just revealed his darkest secrets, and his arms were curled protectively around it.

"Sirius, we need to talk about this…" Remus started.

"No. We don't." Sirius answered back shortly, his voice cold and clipped. "There's nothing to talk about."

"Oh no, clearly! I didn't just hear you recount the tale of how you were beaten and abused, and then assaulted by your own mother!" Remus exclaimed, his voice a pitch higher than usual.

Sirius flinched a little at his words, and Remus sighed in desperation, running both hands through his golden hair.

He had no idea how to do this, because he'd never had to before. It was always the other way around.

And now Sirius needed him, and all he could do was stare blankly at the stiff boy in front of him, because he had no fucking clue what to say.

"Does anyone else know?"

Remus' voice sounded too loud in the silent room, and he winced a little bit at the sharp tone.

Sirius shook his head after a minute, as though he had debated the matter.

"I-I don't know what to say." Remus admitted, his tone lower now, softer.

Sirius seemed to relax a small amount at that.

"Me either." he murmured, his voice small.

Remus took another few steps forward, carefully taking a seat on Sirius' bed, and joining him in staring at the ground.

They were both reeling from the revelation, minds blank with shock and confusion.

Remus was chewing his lip, a nervous habit of his. Sirius' was cracking his knuckles, but he wasn't doing that now, he was just clutching onto his guitar, motionless.

"Do you want a hug?" Remus asked.

Sirius dropped his guitar on the floor with a clatter, and began to laugh, a high-pitched hysterical laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. And after a minute, Remus joined in, until it didn't feel forced anymore, until they were really, really laughing, tears streaming down their faces, Remus holding his stomach and Sirius leant forward, snorts erupting from his lips.

Remus ended up hiccuping, only making Sirius laugh harder, until he couldn't hold himself upright anymore and he fell into a heap on the floor, bringing Remus with him.

Five minutes later and they finally recovered, lying there with their legs tangled and gazing up at the white ceiling.

"I can't believe we just had a laughing fit." Remus sighed, and Sirius giggled.

"Sometimes it's all just so shit, the best thing is to laugh. The only thing, in fact." he murmured.

"That was deep." Remus commented, after a pause, and Sirius kicked him in the shin.

"Ow?" Remus complained, reaching down to rub his throbbing leg as Sirius began laughing once again.

"Sorry." he smirked.

"Yeah, whatever. But Sirius…" Remus started, pausing as the grin melted off Sirius' face.

"I know, I know. The talking thing." he sighed, untangling their legs and climbing up off the floor, holding out a hand to help Remus up.

They both sat down on Sirius' bed once again, and Sirius lay back, Remus turning to face his upturned features.

"Home life hasn't been that great, as you probably got. My mother has some really messed up views on society, and we don't always see eye to eye. Well, ever, as a matter of fact. So, yeah, she has this idea, that maybe she can beat me into submission or something, I don't know. I'm not gonna lie to you, I don't exactly help myself."

Sirius' voice trailed off at that, and he began to crack his knuckles, afraid to gauge Remus' reaction.

"And your dad?" he asked softly, leaning in a little closer to Sirius.

"Oh, he fully supports her. At lot of the time they just ignore me, when I'm home. Lock me in my room, make me miss meals, stuff like that. And then other times…well, you know." he admitted awkwardly. "I mean, it's not ideal, but it could be worse. I guess. I spend most of my time here anyway."

"Padfoot, you need to get out of that house." Remus murmured, and Sirius sat up, meeting Remus' eyes.

"It's only two more summers Moony, and then I'm free. I can hold out until then." he said firmly.

Remus sighed.

"Please, at least talk to James about all this. You need to tell him, and Peter too. Stuff like this…you can't keep it in. If you won't let us help, at least talk to us about it." he pleaded, and Sirius stuck out his hand.

"Deal." he agreed, and Remus smiled mildly, taking Sirius' hand and shaking it.

Sirius then grabbed Remus' robes and yanked him down next to him, so that they were both lay the wrong way round on the bed, once more staring silently up at the hangings, and Sirius closed his eyes.

After a minute, Sirius cracked one eye open.

"Didn't we have class?" he wondered, and Remus shot up.

"Oh Merlin, we are so late! Sirius, get up!" he exclaimed, and pulled Sirius up too.