Crashing Concert
Regulus was pacing.
He thought fresh air would help, but he doesn't feel much better out here than he did inside and to any passerby on the street he surly looked insane- or like a little boy anxious for his concert- whatever, he wont focus on that right now. He needs to relax.
Be calm Regulus, your life isn't ending, it's just one song! But he's never been this nervous before, and his collar digs into his neck, buttoned all the way up with a tie that's suffocating him. His blazer is too warm, these pants are far too tight and god is it supposed to be this hot in the middle of fall?
Soft symphonies leak out of the theater behind him. He couldn't think in there, the band was too loud, the people so soulless, treating him like a commodity, and something in his gut told him something was wrong, so at his young, vulnerable age of 12 years old, Regulus Arcturus Black decided to run away. Although it turns out he cant will himself to go further than right outside the front door, so now he's just pacing, waiting for.. something. There's too many things he could do, or should do, so many steps to take to get back in there and perform his little heart out for a bunch of people that don't even really care, that he's decided he's just going to stay right here, and not move an inch.
That is, until the door slams open, making him actually jump. Dang. These things are mostly glass, who in their right mind would go throwing one open like that?
A downright frantic looking Sirius rushes out, searching for him, probably. His short black hair is mostly tamed, slicked back in a way that's very unusual for him but with one dumb curl sticking out in the middle, and he's wearing the same concert blacks as Regulus. When he spots him, his shoulders slacken "There you are!" he practically yells, suddenly grabbing Regulus and dragging him back towards the music. "We go on in 10 you absolute dickhead, how dare you disappear on me!" Sirius sort of whisper yells, while tugging Regulus along through the box office and into the house.
Rows and rows of proper looking people watch as a lifeless band performs, it's his school's orchestra, they're perfect. Never missing a note. He knows most of the kids up there actually, mostly rich brats forced into playing, like himself he supposes, but for some reason watching them makes Regulus feels sick all over again.
Sirius pulls him along, weaving through the aisles swiftly trying to avoid blocking any stingy concert goers precious vision for too long. Regulus's eyes are locked on the stage. All those people crammed in a tight space under bright lights in a pitch black room, he feels uncomfortable for them. He doesn't hear when Sirius cusses under his breath and starts tugging at the locked door. "Dammit." he says as he quietly fumbles with the handle, trying to get the attention of someone backstage. Regulus pays him no real mind, rather, looking over every member of the orchestra. Scanning the strings section, he furrows his brows, they're missing a bassist... Wait, where's Casey?
"Finally" Sirius hisses and he's dragging Regulus again, through the alcove, into the wings. "Where's Casey?" "Dunno." Sirius dismisses. So helpful. Regulus glances through heavy black curtains at the orchestra on stage, scanning for brown hair, tan skin, a big smile and skilled fingers strumming a double bass. He jerks when a violin is shoved into his arms by a stagehand, he moves to the side to get a better view of the stage before another girl is stepping in front of him and fixing his collar and his hair and- ugh he cant see.
Regulus feels more and more nauseous as the seconds tick by. Backstage is suffocating, and his friend isn't where he ought to be. Regulus hates when things aren't how they're supposed to be. The lights reflect off of the brass instruments on stage, little golden stars, blinding him. Everything is blurry, he wipes his eyes.
"Places, Reg." Sirius whispers into his ear as he pushes him along. But Regulus is still searching. He looks through the wings, scanning every little crowd and he still can't find the bassist. There's so many people, and then there's clapping and then the band is clearing off and then Sirius gives Regulus a quick tug, and before he knows it, he's walking on stage.
The lights blind him immediately, he almost blocks the light with his arm, but he knows his family is watching and wants to avoid the slap on the wrist. Sirius sits at the the looming concert grand piano, and Regulus keeps walking, taking his spot center stage. In front of the music stands and the empty seats where the orchestra had just been, everyone can see him. His stomach flips violently as he looks towards the house. He can hardly see 10 feet ahead of him under the lights, and yet he still tries to find that familiar face in the audience, Casey's his best friend, after all. His only friend really, other than Sirius that is, and Regulus isn't sure if older brothers even count.
He spots his mother first, then his father, both sitting beside a dignified looking man with platinum hair who Regulus is almost positive has joined them for dinner once or twice. He can't remember his name, and doesn't quite care to, so he keeps looking.
But Casey is no where to be found, and he feels a pit form in his stomach. Why does he feel so betrayed? It's just a stupid concert.
But he feels watery, his eyes threatening to do something incredibly embarrassing, and he's struggling to breathe as if his very ribs are caving in on him, he's overwhelmed. He's scared. Regulus doesn't hear when Sirius presses the first few keys of their duet. His thoughts are deafening, his breathing coming out more rapid, everyone's staring.
Casey hasn't ever missed a concert before.
Casey hasn't ever missed Regulus perform before.
The world sounds fuzzy, his head is stuffed full of cotton, the lights are so bright, and the silence of this stupid theatre is so so loud. He feels a sad little sound come out of his throat- god he's going to cry.
But it isn't silent, he realizes. Sirius just played a chord, albeit significantly louder than he's supposed to, but the sudden and loud bang of the keys get's Regulus's attention. Sirius is staring at him.
Get in ready position you idiot.
Regulus sniffles, wiping his face with his arm quickly as he props his violin up. Forcing air into his lungs while listening to Sirius play, trying to figure out where in the song he even is. By some miracle Regulus joins on cue, though that's about the only thing he does right.
It has the be the worst take he's ever done, his timing is off, his movements sloppy at best, and the song gets worse and worse as they go on. Halfway through he realizes he's trembling, and in an effort to stop his hand shaking, he stops playing entirely, bow going stiff, slowly lowering his instrument all together as his arms go slack.
Sirius glances up at him, shocked, eyes darting around the room quickly, before he seemingly trips over his own fingers and plays some atrocious notes himself. Throwing his hands up in the air dramatically he exclaims "Oh man! that was simply horrid!" He projects to the whole theater, suddenly getting up from the piano bench, and rushing across stage to grab Regulus's arm. He drags him off stage, making loud quips to the audience. "Piano really isn't my thing, huh Reggie?" he asks with confidence as they hurry to the wings.
When they're back stage Sirius doesn't stop moving, he pulls Regulus all the way through an abandoned green room, and out the back door of the theatre. Now standing in an alley way that's dim from the setting sun, Regulus feels small and like his legs are going to give out on him any second now.
Sirius puts his hands on his shoulders. "Reg. hey, Reg look at me." Regulus looks up through his lashes, only realizing he's crying when Sirius's face is nothing but a big blur. "You didn't do anything wrong okay? Here-" He takes his hand and presses it against Regulus's sternum. "Deep breaths, like we practiced, in.. and out.. in.. and-" "Sirius Orion Black!" their Mother's voice shrieks from the green room, and Regulus flinches violently, chest still heaving. "Nonono- its okay. Reg it's okay." He looks around frantically. "Just- just stay here, I'll be right back, okay? I'm gonna talk to her and then come right back-" and he's gone.
Without Sirius there to ground him, Regulus just sobs, he can't focus- He can't think. He doesn't even remember why it hurts, It just hurts. His body shakes, and he clutches tighter onto the violin, another sob wracks through him, and everything is blurry- and so loud- He throws the instrument as hard as he can.
It clamors against the wall of the building opposite him, making an awful sound. He leans back against the theater, rough brick scraping his back as he sinks to the floor. Sobs overcoming him.
When Sirius returns the sun has fully set, and Regulus's tears have subsided. His big brother puts a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Hey Reg. It's time to go home, okay?" He says softly offering a hand. Regulus takes it and is pulled to his feet. They walk out the alley and onto the main road. It takes him a while to notice the busted violin in Sirius's gentle grasp, and even longer, the bright red mark dusting his cheek bone.
And Regulus was really dumb enough to think,
maybe this is the worst part, maybe tomorrow will be a better day.
Casey Hartley is missing.
There was no trace of him leaving. No letters he left behind, nor any precious items he took with him. His room was untouched. School was the same, band was the same. The only thing that wasn't there was the boy himself.
At first Regulus had thought his parents pulled him out of school and took him somewhere else, they had a history of doing that. Casey was a "problem kid", been suspended a few times, expelled once. He told Regulus they always thought the solution was a fresh start, and that's why he'd been to so many schools. Regulus couldn't figure out how he was a problem kid though. Casey didn't have a mean bone in his body, he loved so outwardly that Regulus even found it jarring when they first met, how could someone care that much? It wasn't until a week after the concert when Regulus was pulled out of class that he realized Casey's parents in fact hadn't taken him out of school, they were looking for him too.
Nothing really felt the same after that. Regulus missed Casey. Everything about him. He missed his loud, his obnoxious. He missed his music. He was so full of life he lifted up the whole school. When he left, the world went black, and every beautiful thing became just another thing.
He took all of Regulus's light with him, too.
Regulus thinks it left a hole in its place. A dark little void in the pit of his stomach.
At nighttime, it would move up his throat and settle behind his eyes, and as he stared into it, all he could do was wonder
What took Casey?
And what if it comes for me too?
6 Years Later,
Beauford University
Regulus personally thought the worst thing life had ever done to anyone ever, was roommates.
Only 2 hours in on move in day, and he's already been locked out of his own goddamn dorm.
He bangs on the door again "Crouch! Open the- Ugh- Open the door!" Regulus hisses while shaking the handle furiously. Suddenly it opens, and Regulus tumbles a little. Bartemius Crouch Junior (which he just found out was important), an asshole with awful green hair, and far too many piercings for any 18 year old, opens the door slyly, "and what do you have to say for yourself Black?" he asks with a smirk, enunciating the k in his last name, Regulus's brow twitches and any composure he gained in the 30 seconds after being shoved out of his own room was gone. "Fuck. You." and the door slams in his face yet again. No, brilliant, awesome, really. He, very gently, bashes his fist into the door. To no avail.
Regulus lets out a groan, great. Just splendid, really. Now he has to bother brother dearest who's just been waiting for an opportunity to trap Regulus in a room and shake the past 3 years out of him. Regulus thinks if Sirius wanted that information so badly he should've just been there. But no.
Begrudgingly he pulls out his phone, and clicks on Sirius's contact. Considering he always has Sirius muted these days, the 72 missed messages aren't much of a shocker. He kinda just ignores them and types up a quick message.
Locked out. evil roommate. hope you have a couch.
He gives one more spare glance to the door before letting out a sigh of frustration and fumbling with the campus map to find Sirius's dorm. Sirius didn't bother to tell him what the actual name of the building was, rather, he went "the one with the lions!" well of course there isn't a single lion on this map, drawing or name mention. Well, that's that, time to give up. No hope, clearly. Regulus is doomed for the streets.
After a moment of genuine consideration he decides he doesn't want to spend his first night on a park bench (or yielding to his prat of a roommate), so he wanders out of Salazar house. Time to find lions, hooray.
It's a beautiful campus really, warm brick buildings featuring classy architecture, as well as gorgeous well kept flowers and tamed grass everywhere the eye could see. He takes in a light breath, felling the slight breeze on his skin. Maybe sleeping on a park bench wouldn't be that bad.
It doesn't take long to find the house with the lions, in fact it's just down the street from Salazar house. Regulus looks up at it. Godrick. That's not even hard to type out. Damn you Sirius.
The best way to describe Godrick house is gushy. Its warm, like, hot, like, who has a fire going in 80 degree weather? Lunatics, these ones. Everyone who been in a 10 foot radius of him since walking through the door has greeted him. And there's an atrocious amount of couches, rugs, and blankets all over the common room. The kitchenette also looks "well loved", There's plants all over and mugs upon mugs like someone's shitty Pinterest board, and the walls throughout the common room are covered floor to ceiling in either book shelves, or Renaissance esc oil paintings, really its overwhelming, or at least Regulus is overwhelmed.
So he rushes up the stairs, and starts searching for the right door. "202, 204, 206, 20.... wow." Sirius's dorm, room 208, has a whiteboard plastered to the front of it with the words "Padfoot and Moony" written in neon orange, of all colors. As well as little red and yellow banners strung up on it and a random looking assortment of stickers plastered across the whole door. That can't be allowed.
Wait what on earth is a padfoot?
He doesn't have time to dwell on that thought because suddenly two boys are rushing up the stairs and loudly barreling down the hall towards him. "Pete I swear to god-" "-It's not my fault! She took it out of my bag!" "I can't believe you lost my-" Regulus backs into the door to make room for them to pass, but they don't walk any further, rather stopping right in front of him and actually just staring. The shorter blonde one blinks like there's something on Regulus's face, and the taller boy tilts his head with a weird smile. Regulus looks them up and down, the blonde guy doesn't look like a real threat, his voice was all squeaky anyways but he's getting far too close for comfort. The tall one is a little more concerning, he's got a massive scar across his face, however, the grandpa sweater he's wearing almost makes him look entirely un-intimidating. Kickable, perhaps?
"Am I-" In your way, Regulus was gonna say, but the short blonde boy leans in horribly close to his face and cuts him off "Oh my god!" "Mhm." the other one agrees. Both leaning in even closer like he's some kind of exhibit, downright cornering him with his back to Sirius's door. "That's uncanny," "Oh yeah totally." "It's almost scary." "seriously." "haha, good one."
"Wormtail, Moony? Are you terrorizing another poor freshman?" A familiar voice cuts through the air, and Regulus feels an unwanted wave of emotions crash over him. Both boys look over, the short one perks up and scarface suddenly smiles very fondly. But Regulus is shoving past them, pushing to get a clear view, and there's... He looks different, his hair is long now, down to his chest, but still curling in that telltale Black family way. He has a few piercings now, dressed in clothes Wallburga would absolutely despise, but its surly and undeniably-
"Sirius." Regulus says quietly, and his brother immediately perks up at the sight of him.
"Hey Reg."