Russian roulette is not the same without a gun

[looneyloopy.livejournal.com]

*Electricity is a funny thing. It can do so much, and yet it's so very easy to disrupt. Such are the woes of the proprietors of Maurice's, an upscale café that tries to look more edgy than fancy, and fails. It can't quite shake the air of snobbery infecting the area, the taint of We-Have-Too-Much-Money. Maybe it's the silk ascots; maybe it's the disproportionate number of Italian shoes. At any rate, no one thinks to notice the young man slipping out of the alley next to the building, in his new wingtips and old waistcoat, his button-down a bit rumpled and his trousers mended here and there. By the time anyone notices the breaker box on the back wall sparking and smoking, he's vanished into the crowds.

He takes the long way 'round back through some side-streets, timing it so that he walks up to Maurice's - again - about five minutes after he's agreed to meet Amrita there. Perfectly late, perfectly nonchalant, as he strolls up to the café, pretending to be unaware of the frustrated owners and the 'closed for maintenance' sign now hanging on the door.*

Comments

[dapperdeath.livejournal.com]

I think I remember being rather hard on you and your friends. I do hope there's no hard feelings now.

*It's innocent enough, but the hidden meaning is clear enough to anyone who lived it: You'd do well to remember how I used to put your friends in their place every chance I got.*

In fact, why don't you come out to dinner with us? We can catch up. We were planning on heading out just after I got home, but I shouldn't want to cut your visit short just on my account.

[cellarandmoon.livejournal.com]

Yes!

*It's a wonderful idea: Evan can finally see how clever and kind Remus is and he'll understand, and there's the added bonus of showing Evan off, besides. They'll be fine for dinner--her dress is on the plain side and he's got a waistcoat on and that's close enough, and he is Remus and delightful and no one could possibly mind him. She fixes him with all the considerable power of her most plaintive expression.*

Please? Remus, you must.

[looneyloopy.livejournal.com]

*It is marginally less horrifying than the wank folder, but only just. What was supposed to have been a quick poke around the flat is spiraling out into what could be actually and seriously dangerous - dinner out means too many opportunities for Rosier to get him alone, too many chances for a quick curse and a hidden corpse, and every rational fiber of Remus's being is screaming that this is a terrible idea.

And it is. He knows it is. Except that backing out now, when Rosier's just laid down that thinly-veiled power play threat, would be potentially riskier. He's obviously got this time blocked off for Amrita; he can't plead a prior engagement. His "wife" is ostensibly Muggle; they all know she wouldn't be welcome company, so he can't put it off on her. Short of looking like he's running, there isn't a back door out of this - and he can't look like he's running without looking like he has a reason to run. The all saw the crime scene photographs of what happened to the McKinnons; obviously the Death Eaters figured out that they were in the Order. That isn't a hand Remus is willing to tip so easily.

Thinking that Sirius is going to absolutely pitch a fit over this, he feigns a quick, self-conscious scrub to his hair and a rather uneasy smile, but his acquiescence is a given already. He just hopes it's enough to cover the dread in the pit of his stomach that has nothing to do with shyness.*

Ah - really, I would hate to be a third wheel....

[dapperdeath.livejournal.com]

Don't be ridiculous. My wife's friends are my friends, and I'd love to get to know you better.

Sweetheart, did you have a place in mind? I had thought La Parisienne might be nice.

[cellarandmoon.livejournal.com]

I'm not dressed for La Parisienne.

*And neither is Remus, which is what she's really thinking of--still, it's elegantly done on Amrita's part. She appears only the spoiled wife briefly acting the brat.*

And I'm not changing.

Let's go to Trois-Echelles.

[looneyloopy.livejournal.com]

*Remus has been to none of these places, so Amrita's intervention reads as exactly what it's meant to. To him they all mean one thing: a sharp class distinction that he will always be on the wrong side of, and a reminder of such. Trois-Echelles, La Parisienne - either way he'd rather be at home with take-out and Sirius, but of course can't say so. Instead he just lets them figure it out and sips his tea, hating himself for feeling out of depth over stupid restaurants.*

[dapperdeath.livejournal.com]

Perfect. Well, I see no reason to delay. Are you both ready to leave, or would you like a moment to freshen up?

[looneyloopy.livejournal.com]

*It's a good opportunity, but Remus checks himself - he needs to contact Sirius just in case, but not here. He isn't sending a Patronus from this flat, not after all the spellwork that was on that cadenza. No telling what it'd come up against.*

Well. If you insist - of course, thank you. I'm ready when you are.