Remus knew he'd scare you off. He always managed to, whether it was his fault or not. Three weeks ago, he had told you he was a werewolf—something far beyond his comfort zone. But you were in a relationship, and it seemed only fair that you knew why he became so irritable with everyone, including you and his friends, the week before the full moon. It had taken days of pacing between study sessions and prank planning to finally gather the courage to share his secret. And now? He hadn't seen you for three days since leaving the infirmary. He knew you struggled with comforting people and facing others' pain, but your absence still caught him off guard—a painful surprise he should have anticipated. To make matters worse, he now had a fresh scar stretching from the small of his back up to his right side. It ached persistently, and despite Madam Pomfrey's potions, he knew it always would.

The open window was letting the rain in, carrying that scent of petrichor he loved. He was reading his 'Care of Magical Creatures' textbook, trying to catch up on the material he'd missed during his stay in the infirmary. Though Lily had provided her notes from the missed lessons, losing himself in the book seemed like a better distraction. Then he heard the Marauders' dormitory door open—first the soft click of the turning doorknob, then the familiar creak of old hinges, and finally your presence. His gaze flickered to you before returning to his book. He couldn't tell whether he felt shame or resentment.

"How are you feeling?" you asked quietly, closing the door and stepping into the dorm.

His gaze remained fixed on his book—he didn't know how to navigate this conversation. He never would. "Every inch of me is full of pain."

"You should’ve come over sooner," he muttered, not realizing he'd spoken the thought aloud.