Falling through the noise
The dim, reverberating hum of the concert hall pulsed beneath Regulus’s feet as he stood backstage, feeling the electric energy that only grew with each person filing in. His bandmates flitted around him in their own pre-show routines, an oddly comforting chaos. Dorcas, ever composed, was hunched over her clipboard, cross-checking every detail to make sure tonight ran smoothly—her presence grounding in its reliability.
Pandora drifted over with a serene smile, offering Regulus a quick squeeze on the shoulder. “You look ready,” she said, her voice calm amid the pre-show buzz. Regulus nodded, though a faint tremor lingered in his hands—a mix of adrenaline and something deeper.
Nearby, Barty and Evan leaned against each other, trading snarky comments to ease the thickening tension. Suddenly, Evan let out a quiet laugh, and Barty responded with a quick kiss, their teasing momentarily giving way to something softer. Regulus couldn’t help the small smile that flickered across his face at the sight, the tension in his chest easing just slightly.
He flexed his fingers, grounding himself. The chords were second nature by now, yet tonight felt different, heavier. Maybe it was the looming figures he’d glimpsed earlier—his parents, seated in the crowd, reminders of the life he’d chosen to leave behind. Just thinking about their faces was enough to make his chest tighten.
The house lights dimmed, casting a hush over the crowd. Regulus peered from behind the curtain, his gaze settling on a group near the front—Sirius, with his arm slung around Remus’s shoulders, and James beside them, grinning. Their presence steadied him, a quiet reassurance in the sea of strangers.
The curtain lifted, stage lights flashed to life, and the first note rang out, dark and resonant, enveloping the audience. Regulus let the music carry him, fingers dancing across the fretboard. For a moment, everything else melted away, even the chill of his parents’ disapproval that had settled into his bones.
Each song poured out like a confession, and the crowd responded, caught up in the emotional storm Regulus and his bandmates created. But a glance at his parents revealed nothing but icy stares, their presence a silent rebuke. The weight of their gaze nearly crushed him, pulling him back to the expectations he’d defied.
As they struck the final note, the crowd’s roar filled the hall. Panting, Regulus took in the sea of faces, finding his friends at the front. Sirius was on his feet, cheering louder than anyone else, and James and Remus joined him, their faces alight with pride.
But even as his bandmates embraced him, congratulating him, he could feel his parents’ cold judgment, a dark shadow that refused to lift. Suddenly, he sensed Sirius beside him, pulling him into a fierce hug.
“You killed it, Reggie!” Sirius grinned, pride shining in his eyes. Remus was right behind him, offering a quiet but warm smile as he rested a hand on Sirius’s back, grounding him in his usual, steady way.
Regulus chuckled, the weight on his chest easing. “It’s not really your type of music, but I’m glad you liked it,” he replied, smiling.
James stepped forward, offering his own grin. “I think I’m starting to get your taste, actually,” he said, his gaze softer than usual, like he could see past Regulus’s walls.
Regulus was about to respond when he noticed his parents standing in the doorway, their faces twisted with disapproval as they watched Sirius with Remus, their son’s arm wrapped around his boyfriend’s waist. The disapproval was palpable, bitter, laced with anger that felt sharper than anything Regulus had expected.
“Regulus.” His father’s voice rang out, slicing through the backstage chatter. The crowd’s cheers faded as silence settled over them all.
Sirius’s expression hardened as he turned to face their parents, eyes narrowing. But Remus was right there, rubbing a calming hand along his back, pressing a soft kiss to his shoulder that seemed to steady him. Regulus could feel the tension building between his friends and his family, like a storm gathering force.
“You’re embarrassing yourself,” his mother muttered, glaring at Sirius and Remus, as though their mere presence was an affront to her. “This… rebellion… is a disgrace to everything we raised you to be.”
Sirius’s eyes flashed with a mixture of anger and pain. “You never cared about who we really are,” he snapped, voice shaking with the weight of years of resentment. “All you cared about was making us fit into your mold. Well, guess what? We’re not you.”
James, who had been silent until now, stepped forward, his gaze fierce. “You don’t get to decide who he is—or who any of us are,” he said, his tone steady, every word a declaration of loyalty to Regulus.
Regulus felt his throat tighten, his vision blurring as he watched his brother stand up for him, for all of them. The weight of his parents’ disdain settled deeper, and he could feel his control slipping, the ache in his chest intensifying.
His mother’s gaze turned icy as she looked at Sirius. “You think this… circus you call a life will last? You’re setting yourself up for failure, just like you did the moment you threw away our family for him.” She nodded toward Remus, who clenched his jaw, every word hitting like a dagger.
Remus’s hand tightened on Sirius’s shoulder, his voice low but steady as he spoke. “You’ve never understood love. Not real love, anyway.” He pressed a soft kiss to Sirius’s forehead, an unspoken promise and defiance all at once.
His father’s face twisted in disgust. “And what would you know about love?” he spat, his voice dripping with contempt.
The words hit Sirius like a physical blow, and before he could stop himself, a tear slipped down his cheek. The sight made Regulus’s heart ache; he’d never seen Sirius cry in front of their parents, never seen him so vulnerable.
That was the breaking point. Remus, never one to lose his composure, let out a shaky breath, pulling Sirius close and whispering words too quiet for anyone else to hear. But the tenderness in his gesture spoke volumes, a shield against the venom their parents had hurled.
Pandora and Evan exchanged worried glances, and before the tension could escalate further, Dorcas stepped forward, her face set in a stern frown. “Alright, that’s enough,” she said firmly, her voice slicing through the argument. “This is Regulus’s night, and none of you have the right to ruin it.”
Her words hung in the air, heavy with finality. Regulus’s mother glared at her, but Dorcas held her ground, unyielding. His parents huffed, turning away, their exit as cold and unforgiving as their judgment.
As the door closed behind them, Regulus felt the weight of it all crash down on him. His vision blurred, tears spilling over as he felt James’s arms around him, steady and warm. He buried his face in James’s shoulder, unable to see, the only thing grounding him the steady beat of his friend’s heart.
Sirius, still shaken, reached out to squeeze Regulus’s hand, a silent promise that he wasn’t alone. Remus kept an arm around him, whispering quiet reassurances, his presence a balm to the raw wounds their parents had reopened.
In the midst of it all, Regulus felt the grief, the anger, and the love of the family he’d chosen, the people who would fight for him no matter the cost. And as his tears finally slowed, he clung to that truth, finding solace in the arms of the ones who truly saw him.