(MADDIE) Sulking

[Sirius Orion Black]

Sirius listened quietly to the crickets outside of Grimmauld Square, staring at the door that led into the house. He had activated the seal that kept the house unnoticable by muggles, but he was reluctant to go inside. Instead, he stood on the walkway, listening to the silent night around him. This is stupid.

He set his jaw and balled his fists up stubbornly, but still made no move. He tried to remember if Maddie was home tonight- he didn't think so- and it was that thought that made him finally go up the short set of stairs that led into the huge house. The house was just as silent as outside, and he shut the door, sighing. His children were probably asleep- which was regrettable, but not hard to believe as it was three in the morning- and Maddie was supposed to be at work. At least, he thought so- it was hard to think with the amount of Firewhiskey he had consumed while hiding out all day in the pub. He went into the parlor and kicked off his boots, slumping in his favorite chair. He lit the fire with his wand and closed his eyes. Sleep would feel good right now.

[Madison Renée Black]

I swear to Merlin, if it's going to be another night alone.. Taking the more direct route of getting home - the Floo Network was more convenient when Apparating into a square of Muggles wasn't desirable - Madison arrived in the larger kitchen fireplace of 12 Grimmauld Place and brushed the small traces of soot off of her robe sleeves. Two long days of tracking had worn thin on her already frayed nerves, and she rummaged around until she found a bottle of butterbeer that was easily chilled. Letting out a breath, she sat down at the table for a moment to get her bearings and listen to the nightly sounds. It didn't seem as if anyone else was up, something she was growing accustomed to.

For one reason or another, she left the kitchen and started down the hallway - pointedly ignoring all the questionable relics and 'decorations' the house boasted. Butterbeer half empty, she downed the rest of it and tossed the bottle into the wastebin when she checked the sitting room, then proceeded through the other rooms. Wards and protective spells or not, it was becoming second nature for her to check almost every room in the house before trying to go to sleep.

Coming to the parlor last, she noticed the fire and her eyes narrowed. Drawing her wand out, she squinted and tried to see if there was anyone lurking - there was no telling. Slipping further in, she looked around every recess and shadow - before she saw Sirius sitting in 'his' chair. "Well, well. Call me surprised." She remarked rather loudly and pointedly, doubting that he was asleep. His breath rate was too light for that.

[Sirius Orion Black]

Sirius raised a single eyelid, letting out a sigh when he recognized the voice as Maddie's. Well, they would have to get past this sooner or later. It was just unfortunate that it would have to be sooner.

Sirius shut his eye again, wishing there was still firewhiskey in the house. If there was, it was very well hidden, because he had drank the entire house store in the past week. "Evening, Maddie." He said stiffly, settling down in his chair. He definitely didn't have the wits to fight with her tonight, but now there was no avoiding it, apparently.

[Madison Renée Black]

"Evening." She replied calmly, apparently unruffled by his less-than-pleased demeanor. Putting her wand away as there was no one to hex - the idea to do so to him was tempting, but usually turned out too messy - she walked to the couch and sat down, folding her hands on her knees. Why it had come to this point was something she still wasn't exactly clear on, but much longer of this avoidance game and she would leave. Not the relationship, but the house. She hated dancing around things.

"Look, I'm tired of dancing around." Keeping that same unaffected demeanor for the time being, she sat back and relaxed her stiff stance only fractionally. "We need to talk, and it needs to be now."

[Sirius Orion Black]

"Demanding things of me now?" He asked caustically, not bothering to open his eyes. Couldn't she just leave him alone and let him sulk? Why did everything have to be taken care of precisely when it bothered her? What about when stuff bothered him? Wasn't that really what this was about, after all?

"I'm tired, Madison." He said pointedly, his fingers clenching the leather of the chair a little harder than necessary. He had been avoiding her, yes, but mainly because of all the people in Sirius' life, Maddie was the only one that he couldn't just blow up at. Sure, she'd give it back to him if he did, but he'd feel horribly bad afterwards. With James, or Cora, or hell, even Remus, Sirius could bite their heads off and then deal with whatever they had to throw back, their relationship perfectly fine after everyone got it out of their system. With Maddie, he couldn't do that. So instead, he avoided her- hiding when she was at home, and sleeping off his drunken stupor in one of the guest bedrooms. When he felt like he could move past the issue on his own, he'd go back to his normal happy-go-lucky self.

[Madison Renée Black]

"Think of it however you have to." Tone biting and with a hint of an acid edge, Madison couldn't help but let it slip. He was being his usual asinine self, and this time around, it had already worn very thin. Her nerves were beyond the frayed point, and dealing with this at home on the top of the stress of work was growing close enough to make her snap.

"Fine, since you seem more interested in drinking yourself silly then sleeping it off, we can just sweep this under the rug." Again, she had to force herself not to add. If she didn't blow up soon, it would be a miracle. "Hope you're not having too hard of a time finding your firewhiskey." There should have been an edge to that, but there wasn't. It was just said as if she was..exhausted by the whole thing.

[Sirius Orion Black]

"So you did take it!" That got Sirius' attention sure enough, and he gave his wife a dirty look. "What in Merlin's name is so important that we have to discuss it now, Maddie? What on earth do you want this time?" Sirius' voice had a very dark edge to it that sounded sort of like a growl.

"Why can't you ever just let things be?"

[Madison Renée Black]

"What in the name of the devil has gotten into you lately, Sirius Black?" Ignoring the questions for now, she leaned foward to fix narrowed eyes on Sirius' face. The fact that she was using his proper name and not one of the nicknames was a sign of just how irritated she really was.

"Every time I come home late, you either aren't here or are dead drunk and trying to sleep it off. Every time when I have to work overtime. It's getting past the coincidental stage and bordering on insane!" Letting out a breath, she clenched her hands into fists for a moment, then slowly let her hands relax again. "That and if you aren't here, the kids are being left alone. The twins can take care of themselves, but I don't trust them with Astrid. Why do you keep doing this?"

[Sirius Orion Black]

"I'm the one that's insane?" Sirius barked a laugh, shaking his head. "That's really rich, coming from you."

Sirius cocked his head to the side, meeting her stare accusingly. "The problem here isn't me, Madison. What I do when you're not home is none of your concern. As for the kids, Astrid isn't a baby anymore. If she needs something, she knows where to get it. Everything at home is fine."

He rose to hid feet and went to stand in front of the fire. "Besides, I'm home when they are. Just not when you are."

[Madison Renée Black]

"Oh, so you're avoiding me, that's just it. Isn't it?" Mouth twisting into the mockery of a bitter smile, she looked to the opposite side of the room and away from him, eyes flinty and devoid of emotion. "And you're obviously not going to tell me why. Maybe I should just make it easier on you, let you take care of the kids as you seem so skilled at. I'm obviously not doing my real job properly."

Letting out a breath that she didn't want to hold anymore, she rose from the couch and walked around behind it with one smooth motion, flicking a passive glance towards the fireplace - and the one standing in front of it. "I'll learn one day to stop expecting straight answers."

[Sirius Orion Black]

"Wow, so brilliant is my wife." Sirius said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. She was making him angry, and the alcohol wasn't helping him hold his temper. Not that he was that good at it sober, but still. "Though apparently not a genius, as it's rather damn obvious why to everyone that spends five minutes in this house. Then again, you never do, do you?"

"Maybe you should." He said, narrowing his eyes dangerously. If he had been in his dog form, his hackles definitely would have been raised. "I'm not convinced they even know what you look like anymore."

[Madison Renée Black]

"Save the sarcasm or shove it, I don't care which!" Temper now at an apex, it hit her what this whole damned situation was about - and it made her stomach knot up. That wasn't something she would own up to, especially when she could barely see straight from extreme annoyance and frustration. She didn't even care about the echoes in the house that would undoubtedly come from yelling. It wouldn't be the first time this had happened, and definitely wouldn't be the last.

Releasing a breath that came out more as a growl, she clenched her hands into fists and folded them behind her back. She wasn't yet angry enough to make it physical, but just another good push.. "So once again, I'm the one entirely at fault. I see." Smile sardonic, she didn't even bother with a glare. I seem to recall asking you back when I finished my training if you had a problem with the damn job, and you didn't! Now that I'm pulling longer shifts and not around every minute of every day, you hate it?"

[Sirius Orion Black]

Sirius growled right back, just as irritated. Something in the back of his mind vaguely wondered if the kids could hear them fighting, but it was gone as quickly as it came. "I didn't mind it then, Madison! I didn't mind you having a job outside of the house when you remembered you even have a house!"

He shook his head, looking disgusted and hurt at the same time. Sirius, having been neglected by his family, had always been an attention whore when it came to the people he loved. That's why James had always been his best friend- they both craved attention, and they both gave it to each other. With Madison, it was obviously a different kind of attention he wanted, but it was attention nonetheless. With her in the Order and taking extra hours at work, Sirius was feeling particularly forgotten. As a result, he was going to hurt her the same way she did him- by completely avoiding her.

[Madison Renée Black]

How hard was it for a normal person to say what was bothering them, rather than having to wait for a blow-up and hear it that way? Madison didn't bother with pursuing that thought, as Sirius - and their relationship dynamic - was far from normal. "Sirius.." she sighed and tried to figure out just how to continue, former vehemence forgotten.

"I've been taking extra hours because the department is so overrun. This isn't my first choice, and I'm not trying to hurt you or the kids by doing it!" She didn't even bother raising her voice, and it barely was above a whisper. With the adrenaline that usually fueled these type of arguments waning, she was again starting to feel just how exhausted she was. Something had to give soon and she knew it, or she'd end up in St. Mungo's because of a breakdown. Several of her co-workers had already fallen foul of that, along with all those that were getting injured on a regular basis.

"Merlin, I don't want to keep doing this.."

[Sirius Orion Black]

Sirius ran a hand through his hair, his own anger fading and being replaced by weary sadness. He didn't like fighting with Maddie, and he did know it wasn't her fault, but at the same time, he couldn't live like this. He couldn't stand not seeing his wife, and he knew that even though the kids didn't say it, they needed her more, too. "Can't you guys recruit more people? Hell, Cora would make a good auror- steal her. Steal Lily. Anything."