Under the surface
Regulus takes a breath, and another, but air doesn't seem to want to make down to his lungs. He stares up at his reflection in the mirror and someone he doesn't recognize stares back. The only things these two people have in common is the cracked exterior, and the spiral of inconsoladarity seeping out from underneath.
Regulus is brought out of his mental rollercoaster-gone-wrong when his view of the person in the mirror is obstructed by a blonde girl with mismatched beads and small hairclips adorning her braids. She gives him a gentle smile, clearly knowing he was slowly but surely depriving his brain of oxygen.
He softens a little seeing her face. She always seems to know exactly what's going to happen next. She braces her palm against his chest, over his heart, and the other hand stabalizes him with a grip around his bicep.
Regulus finally beathes, well more like gasps for air, his vision sporting black dots that move too fast and a dizzy feeling that makes him want to tip over into her arms. Pandora seems to know this too, as the palm that previously rested on his chest turns to an arm looped around his shoulders. She's taller than him in this position.
Regulus is sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the mirror. Pandora stood between his legs, her arms now wrapped tightly around his shoulders. Regulus' arms remain limp by this sides, but his head is pressed firmly into her braids, that hang by her waist.
She smells of lemon, her overly sweet body wash and incense she was probably using to cleanse the microwave or sacrifice the sofa or whatever she uses it for. Maybe she was inviting dead people, spirits as she calls them, into their house again.
He mentally grimaces at the thought. It was a weird week last time she did that. Shit being moved, when neither of them were home. Regulus forgetting the kitchen light on, but when he returns to switch it off its no longer on. Pandora fast asleep, so it couldn't have been her. Lost socks appearing again, only one at a time, making him think of the multiple times he caught himself glaring at the dryer or pointing accusatory fingers at it in passing.
He takes another breath before slowly pulling himself from her hair. Pandora pulls back a little, her left hand now on his bicep and her right hand brushing his hair out of his face.
"Hi sweet boy" she gently addresses him with one of the many nicknames she has for him. All of them is what a mother would probably call their young child. Perhaps she gets them from the kindergarten she works at.
He smiles a broken smile, as she rubs her thumb over his cheek. "You want me to cancel with Cas and the boys? It's okay if you need a break.." he shakes his head, although he would love nothing more than to get in his bed and never get out. "No it's okay, I'm a grown man, I can't let my feelings take over. I'm behaving like a toddler." Her face softens even more, if that's even possible. "Hey no. You need to stop that. None of that 'emotions are for the weak' bullshit. We can do a different day for you guys to meet Lily" Regulus shakes his head even more. "No no. I want to meet her. We all do. She seems to make you happy and I can pull my shit together for a few hours to meet the person who makes you smile like that. What's the plan again?"
"Well the boys and Cas are coming over, and we'll hang out for an hour or two. Then we're going to a late lunch with Lily and her son. It was going to be just Lils, but her ex husband had an emergency and now she has Harry."
Regulus nods, urging Pandora to continue.
"We'll get back here afterwards, have our usual Friday movie and game night, just with an extra girl and a toddler. Are you sure it's okay though? Lils won't be upset if we cancel. She wanted to cancel at first when she found out she would have Harry, but I told her it was okay. She won't mind if you're not up for it. I'll tell her I don't feel well, so it's not on you." Once again Regulus shakes his head.
"No, it's okay. If she can make a plan, and make it work so can I. Are you taking Luna? So the girl's kid has a friend" Pandora nods "I was thinking about it, you think I should?"
Regulus allows a small smile to fall on his lips. He loves his god daughter. He nods, "Yeah, Lu would love to play with him. She always likes everyone. She can make a friend out of anything." Pandora smiles as the mention of her little girl, or more the sweet words falling from Regulus' mouth, said with noting but pure love and adoration. She nods, confirming she'll bring Luna.
Just as she's about to say something, both their phones ding, with different notification sounds, but clearly the same text. Regulus lifts his phone of the bed, where it was getting lost in the crumpled up sheets. He opens the text.
Barty's funeral guest list
Barty: Ev and I'll be there in 20 unlock the door now or I'll break in through the balcony
Dorcas: yeah I'm omw too 10 mins away
Regulus rolls his eyes at his phone, but gets up to unlock the door, so his friends can let themselves in. His eyes shift to Pandora, who is now on the phone, presumably with Xeno, to hear if she can get Luna.
8 minutes later their front door swings open, hitting the wall with a bang. And Barty's loud voice echos through the front of the house.
"IS THE DORK HERE YET?" he says, louder than he should have, and Regulus can hear Evan telling him to lower his voice.
Barty comes stumbling into the living room, looking around. The door clicks shut before Evan follows in. "Ev she isn't here! We won!" Barty cheers, as if breaking multiple traffic laws just to beat his friend to their other friends house is completely normal behavior.
"I'm glad" Evan replies, clearly used to this behavior, before giving his sister a hug and falling into a short conversation with her. After basic formalities, and a laugh from Pandora Evan greets Regulus with a handshake turned to a hug.
Barty is still proudly announcing his apparent perfection and self proclaimed brilliance, to what seems like, the entire block. The door opens just after Evan greets him, Dorcas stepping into the warmth of the flat.
Barty proceeds to get in her face to gloat about winning her in a competition she wasn't even aware she was apart of. She flicks him on the forehead, which turns his gloating into whine before he's turning to Evan to complain.
Dorcas gives Regulus a little side hug, before helping herself into their kitchen to make herself some tea. Barty, seeing as someone is making hot drinks, starts rummaging through the kitchen cabinets, before finding the hot cocoa and setting it in front of dorcas, claiming she needs to make it since he won. She simply rolls her eyes, before grabbing an extra cup.
Pandora's phone dings, before she announces that she's leaving to get Luna from Xeno's place.
"I'll go get her" Regulus intergects, giving Pandora a look of 'I need a moment, please let me have this'
Pandora immediately agrees, before even seeing the look regulus shoots her. The conversation between his friends continue as he grabs his keys and leaves out the front door.
...
Regulus settles in his car, a 2023 porsche panamera and connects his phone to the Bluetooth. He puts a random Playlist on, that's child friendly, since he promised Pandora to not play inappropriate music if Luna is in the car with him.
Not after Barty "accidentally" taught Luna the word fuck 3 weeks ago. He drives the 15 minute drive to Xeno's house before walking to the door and knocking. Xenophilius opens the door.
"Hey Pandora Luna is-" he stops himself, mid sentence when he sees it is in fact, not Pandora, at the door. Xeno shoots Regulus a warm smile before opening the door wider and inviting him in. "Sorry Reg, didn't see it was you. Luna is just trying to get her shoes on herself, she's not doing a very good job, but she's trying." he shoots Regulus a sheepish, yet apoligetic smile. Regulus simply smiles and shakes his head, saying it's okay "Pandora didn't say if she's sleeping over tonight, Im sending her with her warm coat just in case. I know how much she loves your game nights, and how late they can end. It's no problem if you guys keep her." Xeno says warmly. He's a good dad, Regulus thinks to himself.
"Hey, yeah, she'll probably sleep over. And thanks, we really should get her another coat so she has one at both houses." A second later Luna comes toddling into the room, a single shoe in her hand and a frustrated look on her face. She lights up seeing Regulus and proceeds to drop the shoe, and run straight into his legs. He can't help but notice the bare feet.
"Hello my little moon" he bends down to pick her up, swinging her a little before placing her on his hip "Dada star!" she greets him excitedly. When she figured out (God) father means dad, she started calling him Dada star. He remembers being shocked and looking at Xeno, as to ask if that's okay, but Xeno simply encouraged her with a simple yeah! It's Dada star!
"My crocnile" she gives a deep sigh and shoots the croc on the floor a glare. "I see. Can I help you?" she nods vigorously, and he leans down to pick up the shoe. He sets her on the kitchen counter, popping her foot in the faded purple croc, making sure it's in sport mode so her foot doesn't fall out.
A moment later, Xeno is bringing him the other shoe, grumbling about how he wasn't permitted to help her. After getting Luna's shoes on, Regulus picks her up off the counter and walks back to the entry way. He picks up her fairy backpack off the floor and slings it over his other shoulder.
He greets Xeno as he opens the door for him, walking back to his car, Luna talking his ear off about something he can't quite make out.
Regulus opens the back door, and puts the 2 and a half year old in the car seat he has permanently in his car, buckles her in, before getting in and starting the car.
He turns the music down a little, and adjusts the mirrors so he can see her.
The drive home is uneventful as Luna just keeps talking about how she's excited for the decorating of mama-Christmas. What she means is yule or the winter solstice.
Pandora doesn't celebrate Christmas specifically, so Luna gets Christmas at Xenos house, and yule at his and Pandora place.
Parking the car in his drive way he quickly gets Luna out of the car, as well as her backpack and sets off into the house. His friends waiting, and a long night ahead of them