Chapter 1
Regulus never wanted to go to this stupid concert, but his brother was performing his first sold out show and had basically puppy eyed him into going. Of course it was never as simple as just showing up. Sirius had dug through his closet to find something “fitting for the venue” for Regulus to wear.
Sighing, he pushes open the door leading to the venue. Immediately his eyes were drawn to the flashing lights of The Black Dog. Of course this is where his brother would perform. It was empty but once everyone arrived it would be packed with bodies, shining under the strobe lights.
The lights in the bar had already been dimmed, making it hard to see where the dressing rooms were, and the flashing colored lights didn’t make it any easier to see. Sirius had made him promise to come see him before the show, and breaking that promise would mean Regulus would never hear the end of it from his brother. He steps over wires and cables, all plugged into the various amps and switches that his brother had artfully placed.
“Hey, careful for the-“
Something hits Regulus’s ankle and sends him sprawling onto the sticky bar floor, pain shooting through his foot.
“-tripod.”
Glaring, Regulus looks up, only to see a hand outstretched to help him. Begrudgingly, he takes it, pulling himself off the floor and finds himself face to face with the prettiest brown eyes. The kind of brown that looks like melted honey when the sun hits them just right. Regulus feels his cheeks warm up at the thought.
“Sorry about that, I should have warned you earlier. I’m James, the videographer for the show.” He says, sticking his hand out with a grin.
“Next time keep your things out of people’s way,” Regulus says, pointedly ignoring James’s attempt at a handshake.
A loud chorus of voices echoed through the bar as Sirius threw the door of the dressing room open.
He and his bandmates had a flair for the dramatics, each of them sparkling under the multicolored lights. Catching Regulus’s eye, Sirius practically sprints over, pulling him into a hug.
“So glad you could make it, first sold out show, can you believe it!” Sirius’s grin lights up his face as he gestures to the stage in front of him.
Regulus rolls his eyes fondly, earning him a punch in the shoulder.
“Come on Reggie, be more energetic, it’s your big brothers debut!”
“Whatever you say, and don’t call me that, I hate it,” Regulus says, glaring at his brother, who couldn’t be less bothered by said glare.
“Oh come on, have you met the film kid who’s recording my show?”
“No and I don’t really want-“
“OI PRONGS, COME HERE AND MEET MY BROTHER!”
Regulus should have known not to come to this show. James bounds over, messing with his headset.
“Regulus, this is James, our resident film student. Prongs, this is my little brother Reggie!” Sirius says with a grin, putting his hands on Regulus’s shoulders, turning him to face James.
“Nice to finally get your name Reggie.”
“Regulus, my name is Regulus.” He says curtly.
He never had liked that nickname, but something about the way James said it made his stomach do flips. He quickly pushed that feeling down, he knew how feelings like that ended.
“Well then, Regulus, what happened to your hand?” James grabs his hand, gesturing to a splotch of purple.
“It’s paint, I had a class today.” He says, rubbing at the paint on his skin.
“Ah, I should have known you were an artist, you have that look to you,” James says with a grin.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“FIVE MINUTES UNTIL DOORS OPEN, SO DO YOUR JOB PRONGS,” shouts Sirius through the closed dressing room door.
“I better go, but I’ll see you later?” James says, tilting his head and looking very much like a golden retriever.
Regulus waves him away, feigning annoyance and turning towards the dressing room. He pauses for a moment, turning back to look at James, messing with his camera and muttering to himself. He smiles, then quickly shakes his head and puts every thought about that boy far far away.
Opening the dressing room door, he’s greeted by the smell of hairspray and the sound of his brother’s laugh. Sirius was always happiest when he was at a show.
Their parents would hate to see their two heirs in a place like this and that thought alone makes Regulus grin fiercely. Walburga and Orion Black had one goal in life: take away every joy that Regulus and Sirius might feel.
It dawns on him that this is likely the reason Sirius chose this venue in the first place, to make their parents roll over in their graves.
Sirius bounds over, practically vibrating out of his skin.
“One minute until doors open, Jesus I’m so nervous, what if I mess up, what if I fall in front of-“
“Sirius, breathe, you’re going to do fine.”
Sirius takes a deep breath and hugs Regulus tight.
“You’re right, you’re right! I’m going to absolutely kill it tonight.” Sirius says, clapping Regulus on the shoulder before opening the door to the side of the stage.
“Everybody make some noise for The Marauders!”
Cheers echo through the venue as regulus heads to the audience to watch his brother perform.
• • •
Maybe Regulus did want to go to this concert after all. Drink in hand, he pushes his way back to the front of the stage to watch his brother perform their last song of the night.
“Thank you for coming everyone! We have some very special people in the audience tonight,” Sirius says with a smile, making eye contact with Regulus.
“The song we’re about to perform is something a little…different than our normal music, but I hope you still enjoy.”
The audience cheers when Sirius picks up an acoustic guitar propped up on a chair and begins to tune it.
As he starts playing, Regulus immediately recognizes the song Sirius was playing.
“Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arrive.”
Regulus meets Sirius’s eyes as he strums, emotions stuck in his throat. The melody brings him back to his childhood, hiding under the covers with his brothers cd collection listening to The Beatles over and over until his mother would come in screaming at him to go to sleep.
As Sirius finishes the song, the audience erupts in cheers.
“Thank you all for coming! Have a good night and get home safe!” Sirius shouts into the mic as he walks off stage.
Regulus fights against the sea of people leaving the bar, catching a few elbows to the ribs as he pushes past to get backstage.
When he finally pushes the door open, Regulus finds his brother sitting on the vanity talking to Remus, the bassist of The Marauders. Sirius catches his eye and Regulus wiggles his eyebrows, earning him a glare. Sirius told Regulus in confidence years ago that he fancied Remus, but refused to tell him because he though it would ruin the band.
“Is your ankle feeling any better,” a warm voice says from behind him.
Regulus spins around, finding James standing just inches away from him, beaming.
“I think I’ll manage,” he says, the words threatening to get caught in his throat.
His nose is practically pressed against James, making him feel dizzy and warm. Never has anyone made him feel this way. He pushes the feelings down again, turning back to his brother as James picks up his phone and turns to answer a call.
“So, is everyone heading home now? It seems too late for drinks” Regulus asks the room.
“Yeah I think I’ve had enough,” Peter giggles. The bands drummer stumbles a little as he walks, likely three or four drinks in.
James walks back in, tucking his phone into his pocket and grabbing his jacket.
“Alright Pete, let’s get you home. Bye everyone, great work today!”
Everyone choroused their goodbyes and headed their separate ways. Regulus spent the quiet drive home trying to forget the honey eyes burned into his memory.