--
Step over the edge too far,
Open my hands that catch your wall,
Nothing to hear but my very own cry,
Far below the rocks and sky.
--
"Sirius-- I already fucking told you--"
"Language Reg! What would mother think?" Sirius gasps as he gets the middle finger. Regulus tucks a piece of hair behind his ear as he continues to crush the chocolate.
"You don't have to crush it that much" Sirius laughs, watching him. Regulus' eyes widen as he drops the sweet treat.
"What? He won't like it?" Regulus shakes his head and mutters quietly. "You're trying to trick me. He likes chocolate."
"No Reg- I'm sure he will. I'm just saying that maybe-“
"I'll start again" He puts the chocolate to one side and avoids his brother's sharp gaze. "He helped me, so I need to help him. If I learned one thing in that wretched house it's that." He stares down at the counter, eyes unfocused, darting around as if looking for something.
"When did you learn that?" Sirius jokes, smiling when he sees Regulus' lips tug upwards. "It's just moony, I promise you if it has chocolate in he won't be fussed about anything else"
"It needs to be perfect." Regulus hardens his gaze. "He helped me. If he didn't show we would be in a very different circumstance right now, Sirius."
"I know that. I'm just saying-"
"He didn't even know you and me were talking again, and he still helped me." The younger boy hesitates before he mumbles out "Even after everything I've done.”
"Don't beat yourself up about all that stuff." Sirius gives Regulus a reassuring smile, even though he couldn't see it. His eyes remained trained on the clean silver surface, making Sirius wonder what was so satisfying about it? He tried to see whatever his brother was seeing, but to him it was just a plain old counter. "All I'm saying is," He starts again, getting a bowl "You see him eat in the great hall. I don't think he cares much for quality"
It's a white lie, Sirius knows. Remus has always eaten whatever's been given to him, but if he's picky about anything it's definitely desserts. Unlike with the rest of his food, when it comes to eating sweets Remus carefully gazes at the food then takes it. Always with care.
But he can't tell Regulus that, he's already having a problem with making the treats 'perfect'.
"..Yeah.." Regulus trails off "Maybe you're right. This'll be my last batch" He nods in determination.
"What do you mean?" Sirius furrows his eyebrows slightly as Regulus' cheeks slightly flush. "How many batches have you done?”
Sirius skeptically watches as the fridge door opens. His eyes widen when he sees 4 trays filled with cookies.
"Regulus!" He scolds, walking up to them and taking one. "That's wasteful" He takes a bite then nods " Mm.. 'Is good" He says through bites.
"I'll give them to Barty." He shrugs, focusing back on the task at hand. "He'll eat them all" He adds on.
"Obviously." Sirius walks back to to the counter and leans on it. "You're going to get dirty doing it like that" He puts his hands on Regulus arm, moving up the sleeve. He does the same to his left arm and Regulus quickly covers. "What are you doing? You hate getting dirty"
"Get off" His eyes were wide and panicked, staring at his arm like it wasn't his own. Something cut off from him, it's own complete thing. "Sirius, please."
"Is it the mark? I know you have it Reg, and it's only us in here." Sirius tries but his brother only holds tighter. "You're being weird."
"Oh I'm being weird?" Regulus raises his eyebrows and tilts his head "Well why don't you just-"
"My ears tingle when someone's talking about me. Must be you two" Barty says, leaning into the fridge whilst shoving cookies in his pocket. Sirius yelps in shock”
"How long have you been here for?!"
"I told you, when my ears tingle.." Barty trails off before shoves two cookies in his mouth and leans on the table. He chews and swallows "Too sweet" He adds before sucking chocolate off his forefinger.
"Weirdo." Sirius shakes his head and looks back at his brother, dismissing Barty completely.
"Sirius, just leave it." Regulus says quietly. Sirius furrows his eyebrows and let's go, narrowing his eyes when he instantly pulls down his sleeves.
"Yeah, okay." Sirius frowns as his brother quickly regains composure”
--
"I made these for you" Regulus watches himself in the mirror then curses. "I'm so stupid" He whispers and rubs his face.
"So the part that you're struggling the most is not the actual hard part, but the execution of-"
"I can't be weird about it!" He grumbles, interrupting Sirius "He can't think I'm weird." Regulus leans on the table and looks at the wrapped up cookies.
"He won't!" Sirius laughs, then notes his brother's serious expression. He puts a hand on his shoulder and says more seriously, "He won't."
"I wouldn't blame him" Regulus picks up the cookies and sighs. "Maybe you should just give them to him. Say you made them.”
"Like he'd ever in a million years believe that" Sirius laughs "Have you ever seen me bake or cook anything ever?"
"No.." Regulus snickers. "You're right, I should just face my fears."
"I never said that" Sirius rolls his eyes "Wait, what do you mean face your fears?" He raises an eyebrow at his brother. "Are you afraid of Remus?!"
"No!" Regulus shakes his head. "It's not that." He looks down and blushes slightly. "It's just.. he's quite.."
"Huh? Quite what?" Sirius leans on the table, trying to piece the puzzle together. Regulus was never good at putting his thoughts into words.
"Hes intimidating." He frowns. "And not because he's a werewolf. He's just.. well, good looking" Sirius' eyes widen.
"Good looking? Do you like Remus?" He feels his heart drop. Quite literally. But quickly picks it up and shoves it back into his chest when he sees Regulus' horrified expression.
"What are you on about?" His eyes widen "I don't even know him!" He gasps, looking genuinely confused.
"Alright, chill out. Just checking" Sirius shrugs.
"And besides, I can't. Not when you're already practically in love with him." Regulus laughs when Sirius shoves him, ignoring the sting he feels on his arm.
"You don't know anything Reg." Sirius sits on the counter. "Nothing at all"
"Yeah okay" Regulus trails off, looking back at his reflection. "Why is there a mirror in here anyway?"
"So stuck up people like you can stare at themselves whilst they cook" Sirius grins, proud at himself. Regulus looks at him smugly before replying,
"So you're calling the elves stuck up?" He puts a hand on his chest "Ouch. Harsh." He says dramatically. Sirius leans his head back and laughs.
"Shut up." He lies on the counter, Regulus scrunches up his nose at him.
"That's fucking gross. People cook on there." He shakes his head and takes his cookies. "Gross."
--
"Remus" Regulus says quietly. Remus jumps and raises his eyebrows.
"Shit- You scared me." He chuckles, closing his book. The boy flushes in embarrassment.
"I'm sorry" He frowns. Remus only smiles and keeps walking, Regulus quickly walks next to him.
"You don't need to apologise" He says after a moment. They walk in silence before Remus turns to him and gives him a funny look. "So what's up?"
"Oh. Nothing." Regulus blinks when Remus frowns at him. "What's..up..with you?"
"Ah, same. Just going to the library." They turn a corner. "Are you going there too?" He asks.
"Um. Yeah." Regulus nods. "Yeah. The library- is where I was going." Remus avoids eye contact. "Hey um.. Lupin? Do you remember what happened the other day?”
"It's Remus. And yeah, I do." He must've noticed Regulus odd behaviour because he stop walking and leans on the wall. "What about it?"
"I just wanted to say thank you" He whispers "For you know.. helping me."
"It was more me teaching them a lesson than helping you, but okay." Remus shrugs when Regulus gives him a nervous look. "Is that all?"
"No." He shakes his head. "I..um.. made you something. To say thank you."
"Oh yeah?" He gets off the wall "What is it?" He tilts his head, intrigued.
"Here" Regulus passes him the package. Remus takes it and looks at it skeptically. He brings it closer and his face lights up.
"Chocolate!" He says happily. "I love chocolate."
"Yeah I know." Regulus coughs when Remus looks at him weirdly "I mean, I didn't know I just..um..assumed? Because everyone likes chocolate. Well, I've never been much of a fan really.."
"You don't like chocolate? That explains a lot" Remus says and Regulus laughs.
"Shut up." He says casually then freezes. "Sorry I-" But Remus only laughs and shakes his head, removing the wrapping paper.
"These are for me?" He doesn't wait for a reply, instead he takes one and bites into it.
"Yeah." Regulus watches him chew "I made them." He smiles slightly then stops. "Do you like them? Are they too sweet?"
"This is great" Remus says when he's done with one, breaking out into a grin. "I think you've made my day Regulus. Or my week. Or my life, because these are the best cookies I've ever had" He takes another one. "Even better than Peter's!" He exclaims, clearly surprised.
"Really?" Regulus smiles. He knows Peter is well known by the Gryffindor's for his baking skills. "You aren't just saying that?"
"I never lie" Remus says simply, then shrugs. "These are really good, thank you. I mean it." Regulus smiles harder.
"Well.. you're welcome!!" He nods and then runs off, leaving Remus to his own devices.