handgun

There was a little garden gnome near the staircase to the porch. Regulus has definitely been here before. He can’t seem to remember when but he remembers the gnome. So with James wrist in his hand, he goes to the door and rings the bell.

And at the door was…”Dromeda?” Regulus asked, truly bewildered.

“Regulus?!” Andromeda replied even more bewildered.

“Andy!” James came up to the door and hugged Dromeda. Wait—what?

“You two know each other?!” Regulus asked because there is no way Sirius has made his friends meet any of his family. Are Potter and Sirius that close?

“Reg, it’s..so good to see you. You are alive…your parents speak of you as if you’re dead and buried…” Dromeda said with sadness in her eyes.

“I- Dromeda? You’re not with Cygnus and Druella? Bella?”

“You lot aren’t the only ones who can run, you know.”

“No I just…you left Cissa there?”

Andromeda stiffenned . “Not everything is black and white Regulus.”

“I’m sorry but family reunion can wait–Sirius? Andy…Sirius? Where is he?” James asked frantically.

Pathetic. One would think Potter is in love with Sirius with the way he’s acting. This thought made Regulus very uneasy. Regulus was looking at James, jaw clenched and brows furrowed. He wanted to reavh out to smoothen his expression, to-

“He’s here.” Andromeda replied.

…And the bell inside Regulus’ mind rang. Nope. What is he doing here. He turned to James, “Right then, there’s your best friend. I’m gonna leave now, keep him safe, yeah? Goodbye.” Regulus turned around at lightning speed when he felt someone grab his arm. Fully expecting James, he turned back but only to be greeted with everything he has ever wanted.

The second half of his soul. Everything good that resided within him. His heart, his soul, his weakness and his strength. His everything since the day he was born. His brother.

“Don’t leave.” Sirius said. His voice was deeper but just as soft as it was when he sung him lullabies. His hair was longer, but his eyes were the same eyes that looked at Regulus like he was the whole world. He had tattoos. He was wearing a leather jacket. He was real.

“Not so great when someone else does it, is it?” Regulus replied with gritted teeth.

“Yeah..no. We’re not dealing with this here.” Said a tall, very handsome man with caramel hair. Very handsome. He was wearing baggy denims and a Bowie tshirt. In another lifetime, Regulus would want to be his friend. The man told Sirius to go inside to James, “Regulus, I’m Remus.”

“And I don’t care.”

“Yes you do. Come in.”

“Who the fuck even are you?”

“I’m Sirius’ boyfriend.”

Regulus stared. This is Moony? “Really? The crippling mommy issues attracted you? Or the dysfunctional family rebel runaway façade?”

Remus’s face hardened. He took a step forward and glared at Regulus. “If you so much as say One Thing to hurt Sirius more than you already have, I will make sure you regret it.”

Regulus gulped. On the back of his mind he thought that Remus is very hot but no one had to know that.

“I think that’s enough Moony.” James said appearing out of nowhere from behind and putting a hand on Remus’s shoulder.

Remus huffed.

“Hey Reg, come on yeah? You need to tell him what you did.” James said softly. So softly that Regulus wanted to collapse in James’ arms and cry for three hours.

Regulus remained silent and went inside.

-

“I’m not a bad person for escaping abuse Reggie, you can’t make me feel so.” Sirius said.

They were all in the living room. Regulus and James were in the corner and Sirius and Remus were on the opposite side. Andromeda was making tea. They had started talking or fighting- whatever.

“I’m not saying you are! Sirius you… I was all alone. All I had was you there.”

Sirius closed his eyes. Remus put his arm around his shoulder. “You could’ve come. You should’ve! You are the one who betrayed me, not the other way around!”

“Me?! Oh you’ve got some nerve. You don’t even know half of what happened. Do you know how cruel they became after you left Sirius? Will you be able to look at yourself in the mirror if I tell you what they did to me after you left?”

Sirius flinched. Hard. His tone lowered, “What did they do?”

“They had to make sure I didn’t run away too. They…” Regulus shaked his head, “I don’t blame you for it…I don’t. They could’ve hit me a thousand times if it meant that you’re free.” He exhaled, “But you never came back. I waited. Everyday.”

A tear drop escaped Sirius’ eyes. Regulus was crying too but he couldn’t feel anything.

“I don’t..I couldn’t…”

“You at least had a life to run to, Sirius. You had your school mates, you had dreams and ambitions.” Regulus sobbed. “All I had was you. You were my only friend and my only family. I loved nothing but you.”

Sirius was sobbing too. “I’m not going to apologize Reggie.”

“I don’t want you to! I am not saying this to make you feel guilt! I’m saying this so you could…” so you could love me again, “So you could understand why I’ve done what I’ve done.”

They had not talked about the present scenario at all. Regulus knew James was looking at him. It was comforting.

“I’m in trouble, Reg.” Sirius sighed, “This is not the best time to start being my brother again.”

“I’m well aware.”

“You’re not.”

“You started working for the Order a year after you escaped just like James’ parents did, you trained under the guy with the eye thing, you were a trainee for three years until you officially became a spy. You’ve been leading your division since five years and your last project in Australia was a success, contrary to the Sweden mission… that was a bust. And well, you probably did steal the drugs from United Healthcare but you must have some fucked up righteous reason to do so. Lucius wanted you dead. You ran away because you definitely did not tell the Order what you were doing. So what were you doing, you absolute idiot?”

Stunned silence. Sirius’ eyes were widened comically and even Remus looked taken aback. So what? Regulus kept tabs on his brother. Big deal.

Sirius shaked his head and asked “Lucius wants me dead?”

“Well, um, he did but then I killed him.”

And if Regulus thought they were surprised before, they were absolutely flabbergasted now. Why is everyone making something so big out of this? Can’t a man kill a billionaire as a hobby nowadays?

“What the fuck.” said Remus. “You’re insane!” he started laughing. Not what Regulus was expecting, but he’ll take it.

“Moony!” Sirius whined.

“Come on Sirius, he just killed a man for you, that has to be the coolest way to re-enter someone’s life.”

Regulus liked Remus.

Sirius looked down and Regulus could almost see the small smile on his face. “Are you clinically insane, Reg?”

“Only a little bit, you see, I only kill bad people.”

“People?! Plural?”

“Oh I’m an assassin.”

“…What the fuck?”

“Not all of us escape home, find good people and hot boyfriends.” Regulus scoffed.

Remus smirked.

“Anyway.” James said. His voice is so deep. “It’s my turn now. What the fuck Padfoot?”

Oh Sirius looked so guilty. It was amazing.

“James…”

“No because do you know how worried Mum is?”

Sirius looked broken down now. “No…I..” Sirius was…scared? “I couldn’t put you in trouble. They are drugging children. They are training them.”

“Who is?” Regulus asked.

“Tom Riddle. And his army. That includes our lovely parents by the way” Sirius winced, “They want to rule over the people. Everyone. They think only the rich aristocracy- or the “pure bloods”- who have fame and fortune should hold positions of power. Rest everyone should be subjugated. It’s fucking archaic and oppressive. They’ve already started attacking people in the government, and they have their men running for the vacant seats. All over the world.”

Regulus nodded, “I know Tom Riddle. Killed a man for him once.”

“Reggie, he’s a fucking demon. Why would you do that?”

“I didn’t know, alright? He paid in millions. I was nineteen years old, Sirius.”

This seemed to shut him up.

“None of this fucking justifies what you did to me Pads. You could’ve told me, I would be right beside you. I always am. You can’t hide stuff from me! We’re basically the same person for fucks sake!” James almost screamed. He looked angry. Regulus had never seen James angry. It was… unsettling in a way that made Regulus want to rip him apart. So he stared at James.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry” Sirius got up and hugged James. What the shit? Remus should have a problem with this. So he looked at Remus.

Remus shrugged and said “You get used to it.”

No. Regulus didn’t want to. So he swatted Sirius’ arm. “Ow! Reg!”

“Go back!” Regulus hissed.

James was staring at him now. Yes, good. All his attention should be on Regulus. Sirius went to the kitchen and returned with Andromeda and tea.

“So Reg, what do you do?” Andromeda asked.

“Um.”

“No I heard the assassination part, but like.. who do you work for?”

“Nobody really. I don’t like anyone controlling me. It’s only hot in the bedroom, right James?” Regulus flashed him an innocent smile. James choked on his tea.

Sirius rolled his eyes. “Gross.”

Regulus continued, “Anyway, my friends and I are pretty well known in the…industry. So I work privately, earn enough to live comfortably and save luxuriously.”

“Good for you, cousin. Who knew baby black would have a thirst for murder”

Regulus chuckled.

“So if Lucius is dead, isn’t the number one suspect right now Sirius?” Remus asked looking up from his phone on which he had been frantically researching.

“No,” Regulus said, “I made sure of it. There was police everywhere looking for Sirius and Sirius only, plus everyone thinks he’s a drug dealer, shooting in public isn’t really his thing. He is not a suspect, believe it or not, Lucy had a long list of enemies.”

“You’re smart baby Black.” Remus replied back.

-
Sirius and Regulus had been talking for hours. It was night already. It did not feel like it’s been ten years. It was sad to think they wasted all those years of their lives. They could’ve been brothers all this time. That being said, Regulus is still so mad at Sirius, and Sirius still won’t look Regulus in the eye. So baby steps.

“So, how did you and Remus meet?” Regulus asked.

“Oh we both work, or worked, in the Order. He was my partner since the beginning and well,” Sirius looked at Remus who was in the balcony with James, “he’s my moon. He’s the smartest person I know. The kindest, though he’d never believe it. Sometimes I find him writing down quotes of the book hes reading on the whiteboard so that I can read them too. Sometimes he would go on a walk and bring me a star shaped flower saying it reminds him of me. When I left, the first two years were pretty rough. He made me want to live.”

Regulus smiled. “I’m glad Sirius, I really am.” Glad would be an understatement. If there is one thing that Sirius Black deserves, it’s love.

“You’re not allowed to fall in love though, you’re much too young.” said Sirius, stupidly.

“Two years younger than you, mind you.” Regulus shaked his head, “though I don’t…think I can love. It’s never crossed my mind. It’s just something I don’t quite feel. Infatuation? sure. I’ve had plenty one night stands, but the real stuff, I’m not made for that and that’s okay.”

James and Remus enter the living room again and settled down next to Sirius and Regulus.

This made Sirius look at him. He was analysing Regulus, looking for something in his eyes. “Please don’t tell me about your sex life. You’re my baby brother.”

“He’s old enough Sirius don’t be a prude.” said Remus. Oh Regulus liked Remus a lot.

“Not old enough to have one night stands!”

“Sirius, what do we do next? I’m not leaving you here, you know? You better have a plan.” James said. He was rather quiet the whole night. Regulus could tell it was unusual because Remus kept asking James if he was okay.

“Prongs…”

“No Sirius.”

“We’ll discuss everything tomorrow, yeah? Let today be the day I reunite with my brother and not murder someone.”

“We’re staying over then. I’m not leaving you.”

“Don’t you have to go to the Academy tomorrow?”

“I’ve already told Lily I won’t be there for the practice.”

Who is Lily? But more importantly, “Practice?” Regulus asked, very disgustingly curious.

“Quidditch. I’m in an academy.” James replied dismissively.

Sirius rolled his eyes and said, “Oh please! More like being personally trained for the international team!”

“What?!” Regulus can’t breathe. He never cared for sports but James Potter…in a stadium. Running, sweating…

“It’s hardly anything.” James replied.

This was apparently very startling because Sirius turned and held James by his shoulders, “What happened James?”

James wanted to reply, “I-“

“James.”

“I quit, Sirius.” James replied, so quietly.

“Why did you do that Prongs? You love Quidditch.” Sirius asked, looking genuinely hurt.

“The Order…”

Regulus was annoyed. “What Order?! What has the Order ever done for you people that makes you so very loyal to them? Moody is out there telling people Sirius ran away. Nobody cares for you there. Why the fuck did you quit James?”

“You don’t know anything about the Order, Reg. My parents worked there, it protects people, it’s good, but you wouldn’t know anything about being good, would you?” James spit out angrily.

This asshole. “You should know by now that I know everything. You’re just living your lives being someone else’s pawn and disguising it as being righteous!”

This definitely struck a nerve because James was taking deep breaths. Good, be mad. “I did what I had to do. This is not the first time I’m hearing of Tom Riddle. Mum and dad told me the same thing. I know something bad is going down and I want to help.” He turned to look at Sirius, “and I’m here to help you, first and foremost, always you.”

Regulus huffed.

“Do you have a problem with me, Black?” James asked Regulus furiously.

“I have a list, do you have sixty hours so we can go through everything?” Regulus smiled at him, oh so innocently.

“Okay what the fuck? You two cannot possibly know each other well enough to hate each other!”

“I know enough.” James and Regulus reply simultaneously.

Regulus didn’t understand James. Why is he such a good person? Why is he so kind? What makes him unkind? How does he care so deeply? Regulus can’t deny his infatuation with the boy, he was arguably the sexiest man he had ever met but that’s where it stopped. Apart from that, James is probably just a hollow person who pretends to be all sunshine and rainbows.

Regulus gets up and asks Andromeda for a spare room.

“Good night brother.” he says and goes to his room. He could feel Sirius smile. He smiled too until he thought about James Potter and his stupid smile. It has to be fake right? No one can actually smile that much. Or that brightly. Thinking about James’ smile Regulus finally fell asleep.