[Something in his chest feels hot, and his throat feels thick and even when he swallows, it feels clogged, as if he's trying to swallow something down--
But when he reaches for his mask, there's a spike of something more vile, like swallowing tar, and Sirius chokes and retches on it, curling forward--his hands hit the floor, hard, stinging jolts of pain through his arms--he sucks in a breath, and forces his hand up, taking hold of the mask and tearing it, tearing, it's like tearing off a scab in one go, but worse, the same mingled pain and satisfaction--
And then he's free of it, it's crumpled in his hand like a loose flap of skin, and he stares at Remus, horrified, and the silence between them feels heavy, like a third person in the room.]
[action]
But when he reaches for his mask, there's a spike of something more vile, like swallowing tar, and Sirius chokes and retches on it, curling forward--his hands hit the floor, hard, stinging jolts of pain through his arms--he sucks in a breath, and forces his hand up, taking hold of the mask and tearing it, tearing, it's like tearing off a scab in one go, but worse, the same mingled pain and satisfaction--
And then he's free of it, it's crumpled in his hand like a loose flap of skin, and he stares at Remus, horrified, and the silence between them feels heavy, like a third person in the room.]