Chapter Text
Remus knew he’d probably be here at some point in his life. He just never thought it’d be this soon.
Remus is being led by some guard who, very clearly, has not showered in, about, seven thousand years. If Remus had to guess. Although, He shouldn’t be one to talk, given his current state. The foul guard shoves him through a hallway that reveals some kind of office, definitely, in better condition than the mold-infested hallway he just came from. Seated at the table in the office is a man with papers and files spread all over the desk. The man has dark hair, and bushy eyebrows, and… is wearing a suit.
Yay. A lawyer. Remus thinks to himself.
The man looks to be in his late thirties to forties and carries this air of sickening enthusiasm and sincerity about him. He looks up at Remus with a misplaced smile and stands to greet him. The guard (finally) takes the handcuffs off Remus and retreats to standing condescendingly heedful by the entrance.
‘’Remus. I'm Malcolm McKinnon. The court's appointed me as your public defender.’’ The man, Malcom, speaks with a slight Bronx accent as he shakes Remus’s hand. Malcom takes his seat again and sighs at Remus’s bored expression. ‘’You could do worse. You okay? They treating you all right?’’
‘’Where's Trey?’’
‘’Ah ...’’ Malcom starts looking over one of his many files ‘’Trey is over 18. Trey stole a car. Trey had a gun in his pocket and three ounces of coke in his jacket. I'm guessing that right now Trey is looking at 3 to 5 years. But Trey's not my concern.’’ He looks back up at Remus ‘’This is your first time in lockup. I would assume you don't plan on coming back. Your grades are ... not great, suspended twice for fighting, truancy a few times ...’’
Remus snorts, still not looking at Malcom.
‘’Look, I can plea this down to a misdemeanor. Petty fine, probation. But know this: stealing a car ‘cause your friend told you to - it’s stupid, and it’s weak. Now those are two things you can't afford to be anymore.’’
Remus laughs sarcastically ‘’Two more things.’’
‘’Do you want to change that? Smart kid like you. You got to have a plan. Some kind of a dream.’’ He folds his hands on the desk.
Remus looks Malcom right in the eyes, leaning forward ‘’Yeah, right. Where I'm from having a dream doesn't make you smart.’’ He reclines back into his chair ‘’Knowing it won't come true, that does.’’
Malcolm gives Remus an understood but lost look ‘’My office will contact you to remind you of the date for your hearing.’’ He concludes with a nod.
‘’I'll remember.’’
Malcolm turns to leave towards the door, pauses, looks back at Remus with a gentle grin, and hands him something he fiddled from his coat. ‘’I'm going to give you my card. If you need something, if things get to be too much, call me.’’
Remus takes the card.
-
At his house, Remus was greeted by his mother already three glasses of burning whiskey in. She pours another as Remus stands across their cramped kitchen watching her. He hadn’t given much thought to what would be waiting for him once he had returned other than a half-assed lecture from his mother and lesser job opportunities. ‘’Certainly, won’t be washing the neighbor’s car anymore.’’ Remus thought to himself, having a go at some inward humor to lighten the current dampened mood surrounding his current situation. His mother had still yet to speak but as slammed her glass down, he found that was soon to change.
‘’Unbelievable! What kinda family I got, huh? What the hell did I do to deserve this family? You want to tell me that?’’
Remus’s Mother was never angry. She had been upset with him, more than she should have, but the fights had always had more of a disappointed undertone than an angry one. Was the disappointment directed towards her son or herself? Remus never knew. One time, Remus got angry. He was eight, furious, and had just gotten his newly found pet June-beetle taken away from him. Ashe was always taking things from the other kids at school, but nothing could’ve prepared for the shock that erupted from him when Ashe threw his beetle on the grass and stomped on it. He lunged at Ashe and they both got sent home with matching bloody lips. His mom tucked him into bed that night after explaining to him why it’s not okay to get angry like that. ‘’Getting angry hurts people, Remus.’’ He thought to himself that maybe his mom should get angry more, it’d be good for her. But Remus’s Mother was never angry. Not when Remus was granted multiple suspensions from school. Not when her ex-boyfriends left her to nurse a broken heart and broken ribs. But now, standing across the room taking in his mother’s demeanor and harsh words, Remus could see his mother was angry. She took another sip. Her arms were shaking as she lifted the glass to her lips. She seemed tired. Maybe Remus should get her to bed. The sun was starting to set, and she had clearly taken too much.
‘’I can't do this anymore, Remus. I can't.’’
‘’I'm sorry, Mom.’’
She spun around and hauled her glass into the sink. He heard it shatter. ‘’I want you out of my house.’’ She spoke faintly to Him. ‘’I want you out!’’ Her tone rose.
‘’Mom, where am I going to go?’’ Remus tried to keep his voice from breaking. Remus tried. But Remus knew.
‘’ Remus, I can’t. Just get out.’’
Remus knew his mother didn’t love him. She didn’t know what love was. She took care of him the best she could cause she had no one else. It never bothered him too badly, knowing this. It was normal. She fed him when they had food, tried to keep him in school, and was never angry with him. When she would tuck him in with a ‘’goodnight’’ Remus thought to himself that maybe his mother finally figured out love. Those thoughts faded quickly after Remus would wake up the next morning to his mother not there. He searched for her in every room and asked around, but He knew. He knew she didn’t forget about Him; she just didn’t care. She returned two weeks later looking hallowed and sickly. He thought to call a hospital but knew better of it what with all the illegals lying around the house. Remus knew there was nothing to do then. He knew there was nothing to do now. It would never change. She would never change.
Remus grabbed his bag and left.
-
It’s not like Remus hadn’t left for periods before. But this time He knew he didn’t want to go back. So, he heads up the street to the nearest pay phone.
‘’Hey, can I crash with you tonight ... all right. Okay. Yeah, no, no, I understand.’’
He makes a number of calls, but no luck. He doesn’t know that many people apparently. Remus is just about to give up when… He pauses, then searches his pockets, pulls out a rumpled business card, and makes another call. He hears the phone ring a couple of times.
‘’Hey.’’