I see you
"Come in. What’s your name, your highness?”
Remus' eyes snapped up instinctively as the Prince addressed him with a royal title. He did not deserve any of that, did he? The Prince was beautiful, graceful. And kind?
Quickly, Remus averted his eyes as he caught himself almost staring. "Remus Lupin" his voice was hoarse, he had barely used it the past days and even before then, no one really talked to him much.
“Remus as in the Roman myth? Your name means wolf moon. That’s quite funny.”
Remus could not keep the smile from sneaking onto his face.
Yes, my father is the King of Rome" He explained, softly. He desperately hoped the prince didn't mind him. The last thing he wanted was to be a burden to him, anyone really.
It was a little awkward, Remus just stood at the closed door, too timid to look up at the Prince, to insecure to move. He had never been at another court and back in Rome, people had barely acknowledged him even when they came to visit.
“I have heard that Rome has beautiful landmarks, is that true? I do quite a lot of reading in my spare time.”
The prince got up, pacing along the room. It kind of made Remus nervous.
“You can come in and sit if you’d like.”
Remus hesitated, but did exactly that. He looked in the prince's general direction, still not really at him, but at least he did not feel like he was in any immediate danger at the moment.
"We do have some interesting builds I think, but they only really look nice. Like the colloseum" Remus explained.
He hated it. Making people and animals fight until they died and being forced to watch it, being told that one day, he too would be sent there, nothing more than an animal for slaughter. In a way, he was glad to be away.
“I’ve read about the colloseum. It seems unnecessarily cruel to put people and animals in that situation, even if they were a criminal. My apologies if you don’t agree. I don’t go out much.”
Something inside Remus settled, hearing him speak like that. Most people seemed to enjoy the suffering of beings, but Regulus' disgust was honest.
"I- I do agree. It is not especially.. pleasant" Remus nodded. It felt strange. The prince seemed to trust him? He surely had to know of his condition, after all everyone else did now.
"I have heard a lot about France by the travelers we have passing through our court" Remus reciprocated the interest in the country. He barely knew anything, most things he knew were of culinary nature. But it was polite.
“Yes, France is a beautiful country. I’m afraid you’ve had more experience with it than me. I only know the responsibilities that will be passed down to me. I haven’t seen my people in a few years now.”
Remus could only related to it. The only times he had been allowed out were for publicity's sake. Not a single person in Rome knew of his condition, spare for those working in the court. And they would take it to their grave - or die. He had been deemed unsafe to be around humans, the knowledge on his condition too sparse in Rome.
And it was horrible, hearing stories upon stories with no possibility to live them for yourself, he knew it. And Regulus had much more responsibilities on his shoulders.
"Maybe one day they will allow you out, maybe with someone else." he tested, finally looking up, not directly into Regulus' eyes - he couldn't do that, with anyone - but at him. Mischief sparkled behind his eyes, me message clear. 'I would help you to get out of her for once'
Remus heard a quiet noise, almost a giggle from the prince and he really couldn't help but smile. The atmosphere was much lighter than he had expected.
"Ahem, that would be quite lovely" Regulus' face has the same neutral expression on it again, it was a little disappointing to Remus, but he had no time to think about that sentiment.
Do you know why my mother sent you to my quarters? I know that I am to help find an antidote for your lycanthropy. I’m sorry you have to deal with my mother and father, they’re cruel.”
So he really knows, at least one part. Did no one tell him why he was here? Well it would not help to lie.
I have been told to stay close, like personal servant so that I-"
Remus trailed of as he watched the prince take of the jewelry and pieces he now saw clearly as silver, something that in the worst case he had burned himself on dangerously. The prince had just put down the only thing possibly protecting him from a werewolf.
His own parents had worn silver around him and here this foreign prince was, trusting him. It was to be regarded as an immense token of trust and it confused Remus for a moment as he watched the prince, his eyes then pinning on the silver on the table.
-------
Regulus had his back turned to Remus as he fumbled with the many pieces of silver his mother had made him wear. She was a horrible person and as long as he could, he would avoid wearing any of it around Remus.
As he worked on it, his thoughts wrapped around Remus. He was quiet, but that was okay, Regulus was too. The clothes on his body, despite being supposed to fit, hung too loosely from his body. He seemed sickly, of course he was. That was why he was here after all.
Still, behind all the shy facade and the scared demeanor, Regulus could clearly see Remus' mischevious eyes, that sparkle in them. He had seen them before, on his brother. That sparkle had brought them into trouble countless times, but it had been worth it every single one of them.
Regulus spun back around, facing Remus with a smile.
"My apologies, I would have taken my silver off sooner if I had known of your arrival. It's inhumane to make a person, much less a guest, so uncomfortable."
He sat back down in front of Remus.
"Anyways, a personal servant? That is ridiculous. You are a prince, not any less than I am. Just because you have a curse that turns you into half a wolf on full moon does not make you less of a human being with dignity."
He smiled at Remus, however the knock on his door cut the two of them of. He had to get to his history lessons, that was right.
Remus followed behind as the guard brought him to the classroom, staying at the door, watching, listening. It must have to be so boring to him, poor him.
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Remus accompanied Regulus to his lesson, listen to it with great interest. Yet every time he looked over, the prince looked bored out of his mind. Well, with access to so many book it was only understandable, he thought.
When they got back to his room, Regulus immediatly sat down with an annoyed sigh.
“What did you think of the lesson? Boring, right? I have to deal with that every other day because my schedule alternates.”
"I thought it was interesting, I really enjoy learning things, no matter what they are" Remus pushed himself to sit down with Regulus. He noticed the nervousness, he usually noticed everything. It came with the circumstances of his upbringing.
His hair fell in his face again and he tried to brush it away but gave up with a quiet groan. He really had learned to accept it, his hair was simply impossible to tame.
"We’ll I’m glad one of us finds it interesting,” Regulus huffed a laugh. “Do you want a hair clasp?”
Remus looked up "Oh? No thank you, It won't help much anyways. My hair is worse than a dogs fur" Remus chuckled slightly.
How had they gotten so comfortable so quickly?
With this comfort, a question came up, one he should probably ask.
"How...How would you want me to address you?"
"Oh, Regulus is fine.” he smiled.
"...Regulus" Remus nodded with a smile, the name rolling over his tounge. It felt so comfortable, so trusted. Something was special between them, sweet. Maybe it was because their circumstances had made them both outcasts, so now they bonded over that. It was a very plausible explanation and one that Remus chose to believe for now.
“Would you like me to call you anything? I know I have called you Remus but that was presumptuous of me, I apologize.” Regulus said in a quick panic.
Oh no, Remus works just fine" he nodded, comfortable with his name being used so far. Maybe, just maybe, he had found a better place for himself here. He certainly wished for it to be true.
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A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. “Well, that would be the dinner bell. I do hope they brought you food.” Regulus remarks as he got up to grab his tray. It wasn’t anything big, he was more excited about the tea in the kettle than the food. But he did notice there was only one plate. I’ll share, he decides. He doesn’t eat much anyway.
“Thank you, Dulcet.” he says while shutting the door. “Here is dinner, it’s fancy but I promise it’s not that great. Our family chef is only here because he’s the son of a family friend, not that he’s a good cook.”
Despite that, Regulus happily noted that Remus appeared to be enjoying the food.
Regulus suddenly got nervous that he had just come off as a rich prick.
“Uh, if you like it I can send regards to the chef.” he awkwardly said. Way to make a good impression.
At that, Remus looked up, stuttering a little. Regulus felt himself smiling,
“It’s okay if you’d rather I didn’t. I’m glad you’re enjoying it; I didn’t mean to make it sound like it’s wrong for you to do so.” Regulus had hardly touched his food, he was too busy watching Remus.
Regulus was glad Remus was eating, seeing how the clothes he wears hang off of him
"I pretty much cooked for myself back in Rome" Regulus heard Remus say suddenly.
Regulus was flabbergasted. He’d never set foot in the kitchen and Kreacher used to ask him for what he wanted to eat before food started getting taken away from him, but he had never learned to cook.
“May I ask why?” Regulus asked just as quietly.
"Oh sure. It was just a way I could be certain I would recieve food that day, if I made it myself. No one cared." Remus shrugged, putting his fork and knife down as if he had just said the most normal thing a person could say. Regulus was slowly starting to understand that for Remus, the life as a prince had been a compeltely different experience.
He was horrified, yet he understood as there had been instances when he had been younger where he would’ve went without eating if not for Sirius and Kreacher.
“I’m sorry that they treated you like that in Rome to the point that it’s normal for you.”
Remus looked a little confused at that, so Regulus continued.
“Yes, I don’t know much about stable family dynamics, but I do know it’s not normal for them to truly not care about anything their child does. My parents only cared about me after my brother ran away, but they’ve never seen me as a son. I’m a replacement to them so I sort of understand.” Regulus said, tired.
He knew what he knew about stable family from books he’s read, not from his own parents. Which was why if he’d ever a parent in his lifetime, he wanted to be nothing like his.
However that thought was interrupted when Remus spoke up.
"They don't see you, Regulus. They only see what they want to see of themselves in you"
It took Regulus a moment to process the words. It made perfect sense. Of course his parents never saw him. How had he deluded himself into thinking they cared? Maybe he just craved their affection since Sirius had been gone and Kreacher followed not long after. It was pathetic.
“Yes, that makes sense.” he exhaled.
"I do" came a whisper from Remus and Regulus could see his cheeks flush as he tried to hide his face. It was such a quiet whisper, that Regulus was sure it had not been meant to be heard. But Regulus heard him alright.
The room was very silent afterwards, only the sounds of an owl outside and his and Remus’s breathing. The two words Remus had spoken shouldn’t have this much effect on Regulus, but they did. Remus had only known him for less than a day and here he is saying he sees him. He is being more gentle and understanding than most in his family ever were.
Was it a lie? No, Remus seemed too honest for it to be a lie. Regulus didn’t even known why he opened up to Remus so much, he was just easy to talk to and he wanted Remus to feel safe. Wondering if he should acknowledge it or not, Regulus whispers back,
“Thank you,” he paused, speaking even quieter, “I see you too.”