2
Barty spent a very long time thinking. He usually didn't think much. Odd. He was smart, he just didn't apply himself, or so he'd been told. But he just went and threw that away, like everything else in his goddamn life. Oh well.
Oh fucking well.
Regulus had come over last night. Cheered Barty up. Played Mario Kart with him. More like destroyed him at it. He was now asleep on the pull out couch. Didn't trust Barty to be alone. Reasonable. But now Regulus was asleep, and Barty was alone. With his thoughts. That's scarier, to Barty. Oh well.
Oh fucking well.
Doesn't matter now.
Pandora lightly dragged her fingers through Felix's hair. Felix was 8. Felix was asleep, resting his head on Pandora's lap. They were outside the hospital rooms where their parents were. Pandora didn't care about them. She was only there for Felix. Where was Evan? Pandora didn't care much if her parents never left that hospital room alive. She was only there for Felix.
It was a car crash. Mr. Rosier was drunk, screaming at his wife in the passenger seat, not noticing he'd swerved into the wrong lane. There was a large truck and.... Well. Felix had been asleep in the backseat, fortunately he wasn't hurt much, just a broken arm and a bloody nose.
Pandora had to keep reminding herself he was okay. She cared so much about Felix, he was her brother, he was only 8, she was supposed to protect him, to keep something like this from happening. She didn't care about her parents, they'd hurt her and Evan and Felix enough, the marks and scars and sad faces were proof enough. Pandora kept dragging her fingers through Felix's hair. To calm her him down. She grabbed her phone from her purse beside her, unlocked it, then started rapid-fire testing Evan.
Panda 🐼🐼🐼: Ev
Panda 🐼🐼🐼: Evan where are u
Panda 🐼🐼🐼: get to the hispotap Panda
Panda 🐼🐼🐼: hospital*
Pandora sighed and shut off her phone. She'll wait. She always did.
Regulus stepped into his apartment. He wasn't even fully unpacked yet. Shit. He should do that. Regulus had spent the night at Barty's, trying to cheer him up. What? He wasn't always a cold exterior and a stony face. He could be nice. Sometimes. Rarely.
He slammed the door, trudging to the kitchen just to find an asleep James Potter sitting at his kitchen counter. Huh. Regulus cautiously stepped forwards, then poked him. "James? Jamie? J-"
"'m tryinf to sleep baby.." James mumbled, his voice muffled by his arms where his face was resting.
What.
The.
Hell.
Baby? Baby? Did James just- baby? What was even happening. Regulus didn't know James that well. I mean, yes, yeah, yeah, he sure did, but they weren't- No. Yes. It sounded so good, and Regulus wanted so bad, but this was James. God. "James." Regulus said sternly, shaking his shoulder. "Wake up."
"Nooooooo...." James mumbled, grabbing Regulus's hand.
"How did you even get in my h- apartment?" Regulus asked, trying to pry his hand away from James's, but the older boy was much stronger, and gave up. He put his free hand on his hip. "Did you pick the lock?"
" Mm... Sirius 'ave me a key... " James mumbled into his arm. "Reggggiiiiieeee, I'm fucking tired, baby..." James whined, still half asleep.
"Stop calling me that. Do not call me Reggie. Why are you calling me 'baby'? Are you high? Are you-" Regulus started, cut off by James standing up, letting go of Regulus's hand, and moving around. Was he... Making coffee? "-drunk?" Regulus finished.
"I don't get drunk." James said, scoffing playfully. He really was making coffee. What the fuck was happening.
"Yes you do." Regulus whispered. " Whatever. I'm going to- this is my house! I don't have to explain anything to you. " Regulus snapped, turning and walking away to the washroom. He needed to shower and think.
He heard James laugh that sweet honey laugh, and Regulus knew he was shaking his head.
Stupid Potter.
Evan bolted into the hospital. He ran at least 4 red lights to get here. He was happy to have something to do other than wallow and sulk about... What happened with Barty, but not happy about what him to go to the hospital might mean.
Evan approached the front desk. "Hi, I'm here for the-"
"Rosiers are room 308 and 309. 3rd floor." The front desk woman said. "You're a son, correct? Or some sort of family. You look just like them. Spitting image." She continued. "Anyway, there's a girl up there too."
" I- alright, thank you. " Evan said, darting towards the elevator.
When he reached the 3rd floor, he walked slowly towards the rooms. Evan saw Pandora, asleep, with a young boy, who was laying down, Felix's head resting in her lap, also sleeping. Felix had a cast on his arm, there was dried blood from his nose to mouth, and tear stains on his face. Evan slowly approached, and sat down beside Pandora. He exhaled.
" They're gone. " Pandora said, mumbling tiredly. She also had tear stains, Evan noticed, as she dropped her head onto his shoulder. "They're finally gone."
Evan nodded, wrapping his arm around Pandora's shoulders. He didn't feel remorse. Or guilt. Or any negative emotion at all, odd, he probably should have, his parents were dead, but he didn't.
He felt free.