the_debt_of_time

"So what're the plans?" she asked again.
"Andromeda invited us all over," Sirius told her. "I thought it would be nice to be
around family is all."
Mia sighed in understanding, and she did not even need to see the look on Remus's
face to know why he had refused to attend. Though she did turn her gaze in his direction
and was met with his wide stare, lips set in a tight line of frustration, and a look on his face
that was pleading for her to get him out of the arrangement. Suddenly Remus's mention of
a "play date" was painfully, ironically accurate.
"I don't know what his fucking problem is," Sirius snapped. "All I said was, 'Let's
go to my cousin's,' and the bloody git just lost his fucking mind."
"Don't talk like I'm not standing right here," Remus snarled. "Just because I don't
want to go to your cousin's house isn't some slight against you, Pads."
"What the fuck else are you gonna do, mate?" Sirius fumed. "Sit around and feel
sorry for yourself?"
"Whatever the hell I want!" Remus yelled. "Just... Fuck. Can't you just leave it?"
"Remus, will you excuse us?" Mia asked, interrupting the verbal sparring match that
neither man was clever enough to make interesting with their tempers so heated. Remus
nodded brusquely before grabbing his winter cloak and vanishing out the door, presumably
not to return until the following morning. Mia felt sad to know that her best friend would
likely bring in the New Year with a pint down at the Leaky Cauldron, alone.
"I don't know what his fucking problem is," Sirius grumbled as the door slammed
shut. "Arsehole."
"Love." She kissed him. "I know you're just trying to look out for him, but maybe
it would be hard for him to be around us and family. It's one thing to spend the holiday
with us and Jamie and Lily, but just the three of us and your family? It might just be a harsh
reminder that he has no family of his own."
Sirius was obviously offended at the suggestion. "We're his family. My family is his
family."
She smiled at his declaration, knowing that Sirius had no idea how spot on his
statement really was. "I know that, but even if that's not his problem, it's also New Years.
When the clock strikes midnight, what will you and I be doing?"
Sirius nodded in sudden understanding. "Shagging."