"I saw a squirrel in your yard," Remus said quickly, hating that nowadays he grasped at anything to start a conversation when once upon another time, Sirius was his favorite person to talk about nothing with.
"Mhmm?" Sirius asked raising an eyebrow and laughing a little, "How's work?"
"Oh...you know," Remus shrugged, "How's...yours?"
"Still don't work, Moons. Not that much has changed in 9 months."
Remus bit his tongue to keep from saying that everything seemingly changed overnight between them. One moment Remus was thinking the couples counseling was working, the next Sirius was at the foot of their bed saying I don’t have it in me to keep trying, Remus. I'm so tired. And maybe Remus was resentful. Because Sirius didn't let anything go.
Sirius remembered the name of the kid who pushed his brother into the mud when he was five years old and for years into Hogwarts played pranks on this unsuspecting Slytherin.
Sirius remembered the ministry officials who had doubted him and weren't going to give him a fair trial after Lily and James had died, never forgiving Dumbledore for standing by idly.
Sirius remembered the coffee shop he went to once that accidentally sweetened Remus's coffee and they never went there again.
Stubborn, opinionated, entitled, relentless, passionate, protective Sirius Black didn't let anything go.
Except for Remus.
-from Fault Lines, chapter 1
