Words hurt.
Sirius simply forgot it was his birthday, it didn't mean much to him he's never really celebrated it. Mother says that it's pointless. He didn't like celebrating it anyways. James didn't forget, Remus didn't, Peter didn't, and Regulus especially didn't forget.
Little did Sirius know, James, Remus, and Peter were decorating the dorm for a surprise party and invited every Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. James also decided to invite Regulus, wish he would've known.
...
Regulus got the invitation. He read it many times. Then discarded it. And then made the big mistake of telling Barty fucking Crouch.
Which meant, Regulus was going to the party, and Barty was tagging along just for the alcohol and drama. If Regulus could only ever sigh that is what he would do. This wasn't going to turn out good and Regulus knew it.
...
Sirius had been up at the Astronomy tower for the last 2 hours now, it wasn't past curfew so he was fine but he was tired. Heading down to the dorms it was quiet to, unusually quiet. This couldn't be good.
Sirius opened the door to the common room being pitch black. "Prongs are you trying to scare me again because it won't work-" Sirius had started to say, before getting very much surprised when like 60 fucking people jumped up and said fucking 'Surprise!' when he turned on the lights. He didn't even know 60 fucking people.
He just wanted some quiet.
Sirius really hated birthdays."Prongs! How did you even find out it was my birthday today, I did not tell you." Sirius said as he pulled James to the side. "Uh because of him" James said motioning to the person behind Sirius. Sirius turned around and froze.
He didn't know there would be a party let alone Regulus, his little brother, who hates parties, here.
"Reggie-" He started to say, before promptly getting cut off. "Regulus. It's Regulus" Regulus said. Sharp narrow eyes staring at Sirius, he definitely did not want to be here.
Sirius didn't appreciate his attitude but at least he was talking to him. "Regulus, I didn't think you'd be here, seeing as you haven't spoken to me since you came to Hogwarts." Sirius said.
Merlin did he just want some quiet.
"Why would I talk to you. Your a Gryffindor, I'm a Slytherin. You don't like Slytherins." Regulus said, very neutral and not showing anything on his face. Typical.
"I don't like Snape and his minion's." Sirius corrected. "And we're brothers no matter what house either of us are in." Sirius said.
Regulus's eyes narrowed more. "I'm not related to a filthy blood traitor, happy fucking birthday." He said, cold as ice and left.
Sirius' heart broke for the first time, a piece of him died inside then.
'I'm not related to a filthy blood traitor.'
Sirius would never forget that sentence uttered from his brothers mouth.
"Call off the party. I want everyone out" Sirius muttered loud enough James could hear, and grabbed a bottle of firewhiskey, storming up the stairs to the dorm.
He just wanted some quiet.
...
"Padfoot-" James tried to call after him but it was to late. He sighed and closed his eyes, Merlin he wished he knew.
He shut the music off and ushered everyone who wasn't a Gryffindor out and went up to the stairs, he felt terrible, he just ruined Sirius' birthday.
He stepped inside the door, closing the door behind him before hesitantly moving over to the edge of Sirius bed. "Padfoot?" James said softly, looking down at Sirius curled up on his bed.
"Why did you invite him Prongs" Sirius muttered, causing James to tense up before sitting at the foot of Sirius' bed. "I thought you might like to see him" James said quietly, feeling guilty enough as it is.
"Well I didn't, and that was stupid of you when you know he hates my fucking guts right now" Sirius snapped, sitting up to look at James. James fidgeted with his shirt, "Look I know-" James started, "Do you Prongs? Do you know? Your an only child, you don't have any siblings. How would you know?" Sirius cut him off.
James winced, okay maybe he didn't have any siblings but that hurt a little. "Your my brother" James said quietly. He didn't get to see how that pained Sirius so much more.
"Right sorry for snapping" Sirius said with a sigh after a moment. "I'm just tired" Sirius said. James smiled a little, "I do get that, I'm sorry to. Why don't you get some sleep," James said and stood up.
"Yeah....yeah, good night Prongs." Sirius said, when James walked away, Sirius closed the curtains around his bed. But not to go to sleep, no he cracked that bottle of firewhiskey open and drank himself to sleep.
All he wanted was quietness.
...
It hurt Regulus to say such things to his brother, his twin star, the only person who's ever protected him, the person who's cared for him before he was even born.
'I'm not related to a filthy blood traitor.'
Merlin did he regret saying that. It hurt to say that, but what hurt more was that Regulus couldn't even see a reaction in Sirius expression. He was the reason Sirius shut down.
Seeing Sirius shut down was surreal to Regulus, it didn't actually quite feel real. His brother had to resort to shutting himself down, he didn't understand it till he turned 11. He understands now.
He did what he could to learn to read his brother, but he could never understand or figure him out. It was sad.
Regulus hid himself away in the empty library, praying no one enters. That prayer falls on deaf ears as he heard footsteps stop in front of him to look up to see the one and only Remus Lupin, Sirius' friend. Merlin he couldn't catch a break tonight.
"Sirius shut down the party, well made James shut it down." Was all Remus said, though it surprised Regulus he didn't show it. Why would Sirius' shut down the party when he loved to party.
"Why" Regulus responded with. "I don't know, he went to bed right after you left, though I doubt he went to bed right away, I saw him take a bottle of firewhiskey up with him" Remus said absentmindedly.
Well at least Sirius was getting fucking drunk and probably forgetting that Regulus even spoke to him. It may have made Regulus a bit bitter. "Good for him." He muttered.
Remus was silent for a moment before speaking up. "Do you hate him that much." He said, he didn't sound angry, just disheartened.
It made Regulus freeze, of course he didn't hate him. "No, I don't hate him" Regulus said quietly. "But he's the one who was sorted into Gryffindor, it's not my fault he strayed away from the family." Regulus said. "Your family abuses him and you." Remus said sharply. Regulus tensed up, "I don't know what your talking about." He said coldly.
"I see the way he is when summers over, I see the way he limps and winces and won't really talk to us." Remus said, starting to sound irritated. Regulus would not have this conversation, how could Sirius be so stupid.
"I don't know what your talking about." Regulus said again, more firmly before leaving. He didn't want to have to think about it, he didn't have to see it, his brother was invincible.
Right?