It's two o'clock in the morning when Sirius wakes to a pounding on his front door.
Remus groans in bed beside him, throwing a pillow over his head--which becomes a unanimous vote against Sirius that it is in fact him that will be getting the door.
The night has been dramatic enough as it is, a storm throwing out the power for most of the evening and the clashing of thunder and lighting overhead being frequent enough that Albernathy the third--James' cat--has been hiding under the bed.
"Alright, alright I'm coming!" Sirius shouts when another round of banging begins.
He swings open the door, ready to give an earful to whoever it is--most likely James, forgetting his key for the 20th time, but all the words get stuck in his throat at the sight of his little brother standing there, dripping onto their welcome mat.
"I need a place to stay," Regulus blurts out before Sirius can even begin to think of words.
Sirius drags his eyes from Regulus' slightly frantic expression, his curly hair dripping onto his jacket--which is way too posh for two am--and finally to the backpack he's carrying swung over one shoulder.
"Pads," comes a drowsy voice behind him, "who's at the--Reggie?"
Sirius glances over his shoulder to see James in the hall behind him, glasses on, no shirt, and wearing his spider-man pyjama pants.
"Can I get a towel?" Regulus asks, far too polite for someone shaking like a leaf.
"Yes," Sirius stutters out, somehow far too loud. "I--yes. Prongs?"
"Going."
Sirius steps out of the way, letting Regulus into the apartment. They regard each other silently for a second.
"May I...take your coat?" Sirius asks, cringing inwardly at the casualness.
But Regulus huffs a laugh, "only if you have one I can borrow."
"I do." Sirius tries, meeting Regulus' eye. "Have one you can borrow."
Regulus' expression is too open for Sirius' taste. He barely knows the boy--man now, standing in front of them.
"Regulus--" he starts, but he's interrupted by James returning with some clothes and a towel.
"I think these should fit," James shoves them into Regulus' arms, "bathroom is at the end of the hall. Feel free to use any of the products there. Sirius' fancy shampoos especially."
"Thank you," Regulus quietly toes off his shoes and pads down to the bathroom, closing the door behind him. A moment later Sirius hears the shower turn on.
"This is not how I saw my night going," Sirius pinches the bridge of his nose.
"What do you think happened?" James asks, fiddling with one of the drawstrings to his pants, "I mean--do you think your parents..."
"I have no idea," Sirius sighs, running a hand through his hair. "He's staying, either way."
"Of course," James says seriously. "He's always been welcome here."
"It's been three years," Sirius bites his lip. "A lot can change in three years."
James looks down the hall, and for once in his life, Sirius has no idea how to read his expression. But then James turns back to him, hand gripping Sirius' shoulder tight. "And some things don't ever change."
Sirius hovers outside in the hallway while Regulus changes. James had hesitated before returning to bed, but Sirius insisted that he needed to talk to his brother alone.
Disastrous scenarios are running through his head as he waits. Regulus wouldn't see him lightly. When Sirius left for university, things had become...distant between them. Regulus chose to stay closer to home, attending a university their parents wanted him to go to. Sirius had been...displeased about it. Didn't understand. He still doesn't.
Eventually their communication tapered off into nothing. There was no fight, no harsh words exchanged. They were just different.
But Regulus still chose here to flee to.
Sirius is thrown out of his thoughts by the bathroom door opening. Regulus is changed into one of James' plain red t-shirts and a pair of sweatpants that were obviously from Sirius' cupboard.
"How did you even get here," Sirius finds himself blurting out.
It's the wrong thing to say, made apparent by Regulus' obvious flinch.
"Bus."
"A bus from Paris to London."
"A couple busses," Regulus shrugs. "And a faerie."
"You could have called me, I would have--I don't know, gotten you a flight."
"I didn't think you would..." Regulus frowns, staring at the floor. "It would be harder for you to turn me away if I showed up."
"And what the fuck makes you think I would have turned you away." It comes out harsh, but Sirius doesn't care. How could Regulus ever think that he's capable of doing it. After all he put up with in that house for him. "Did she hurt you," he continues, keeping his voice level and firm. "Because Regulus, I swear to god, I will--"
"It's fine," Regulus snaps, finally showing some of the fight Sirius knows is in him. "I just--I needed to get out of that house." He sounds so small when he says it, tears fight their way up, stinging the back of his eyes. He'd rather die than cry right now.
"Well," Sirius tries to form a smile instead, "that I understand."
Regulus nods, a tentative expression on his face.
"Have you eaten?" Sirius asks, trying to break some of whatever-the-fuck-it-is existing between them.
Regulus shakes his head and Sirius leads them into the kitchen. Opening the fridge he wishes he'd gone shopping when Remus asked. "James' mum dropped off a lasagne a few days ago, I think there's some left..." he says over his shoulder. "I tried to make muffins yesterday, and we all know how that--" he cuts himself off because when he looks over to Regulus, he's curled up on the couch, head on one of their throw pillows, fast asleep.
Sirius sighs and closes the fridge. He'll make pancakes in the morning for them. Instead, he wanders down the hall to the linen cupboard and pulls out a spare blanket. A deep green one that despite being ten years old is still as soft as the day he bought it.
Unceremoniously he covers Regulus' sleeping form and checks the thermostat to make sure it would be warm enough throughout the night.
He reaches for the light switch in the hall, taking one last look at his sleeping brother. "You idiot," he murmurs under his breath--it comes out more fond than he intended, and switches off the light.
When Regulus wakes up its the sound to a coffee maker grinding beans and hissed cursing.
He sits up to see a very anxious James Potter about to pull the plug to the coffee machine right out of the wall.
“It already woke me, we might as well have coffee,” he croaks, his voice still slurry from sleep.
“Sorry,” James scratches the back of his neck. “I hadn’t seen you until I turned it on.”
“It’s fine, James.”
James looks at him with soft eyes and a smile that pulls at something deep in Regulus’ chest. “I missed you saying my name.”
Oh.
Suddenly Regulus can’t stop the ragged breath that’s been clawing up from the bottom of his lungs. James’ eyes immediately widen and he puts the coffee mug in his hands down and rushes to the side of the couch. His hands hover in the air like he wants to hold on, do something, but Regulus can’t help but flinch away.
“I’m sorry,” James’ voice goes soft and pleading. “I shouldn’t have—I’m sorry.”
“I just—“ Regulus tries to get control back against this wild lurching thing. “I didn’t think you would be here.”
“Oh.” To his credit, James tries hard to hide the hurt. He always does when Regulus’ words bite. But he’s never been very good at hiding anything on that damn face of his.
“I didn’t know you and Sirius—“
“Lived together?” A watery smile replaces the damage Regulus dealt him.
“I don’t know why, I only knew his address because of you.”
James breathes out a laugh, “yeah. And—I mean, just so you know, Sirius isn’t exactly…aware of us talking.”
“Talking,” Regulus sounds out the word, some of the tightness is starting to leave his chest. “You sending me messages and me not responding doesn’t constitute talking.”
“Well, apparently it was useful,” James grins, some of his old cheer making it back into his voice.
“Why did you?” Regulus asks, unable to help his curiosity. “Keep texting me, I mean.”
“I didn’t want to let you go,” James shrugs, standing back up. “C’mon, coffee’ll be ready soon.”
Regulus trails behind him to the kitchen, finally taking in the apartment in the morning light. The walls are a light tan colour, complimenting the deeper brown of the countertops and cabinets. One accent wall along the stove is a deep red. A window on the side wall fills the whole area up with light. In the window is a glass sun catcher shaped like, well, the sun. Regulus recognizes it instantly.
“I can’t believe you kept that thing,” Regulus murmurs, fingertips grazing the small figurine, making it sway and casting a rainbow throughout the kitchen.
“It’s a nice memory.” He can hear the smile in James’ voice, but he doesn’t look at him.
A moment later the coffee machine beeps.
****
Sirius doesn’t remember the events of the night before until he stumbles into the kitchen to see James and Regulus talking quietly over a cup of coffee.
“Coffee’s ready,” James holds out a mug to him.
“Thanks,” Sirius takes it, going over to the coffee pot and filling it up to the brim. Something tells him he’s going to need it to get through today. Talking with his brother has never been his strong suit.
They drink in mostly silence, James talks about his job, which he has the day off from today. He’s a fire fighter, meaning he’s got lots of stories. Sirius has heard all of them before, but Regulus seems entranced. Good. It’s the first time since Regulus walked in through the door that he didn’t look utterly shattered.
Suddenly Sirius’ phone rings. An unknown number. He ignores it, switching the sound off, but Regulus’ gaze flicks to the sound. “Telemarketers,” he waves it off.
The phone rings again.
“Don’t answer it,” Regulus says, voice distant.
“Regulus,” Sirius starts cautiously. “Did you give our mother my phone number.”
“No,” he scoffs, “do you really think she can’t find it all on out own?”
“Right. Second question, why is she using it.”
“Because I ran away,” he says simply. Like it’s the easiest thing in the world to admit. Sirius’ jaw drops anyways.
“You ran away,” he echos back. He glances to James, who’s face goes from a smile to blank when he catches Sirius watching. “You…”
“Yes, Sirius I ran away.”
“Why?”
“Really?” He narrows his eyes, “do you have to ask.”
“I mean—they’re terrible, but you—Reg, you insisted you had to stay for uni.”
“Yes, well, as of three months ago, I graduated.”
“Congrats,” James murmurs, holding out his hand for a fist bump. Regulus ignores it.
“I—what?”
“Okay,” James intervenes, putting a hand over Sirius’ to ground him. “Why don’t you start at the beginning.”
“The good thing about University is that the records are very secure.”
“And that matters because?” Sirius asks, James gives him a glance that obviously means shut up, but Sirius ignores him. Mostly.
“It means I could switch majors without telling anyone.”
“You’re not a business major?”
“I was, for three months.”
“And then?”
Regulus just glares at him.
“So,” James moves the conversation along. “I’m guessing graduation ceremony happened, and your parents found out.”
“That they did,” Regulus hums, taking a long drink from his coffee.
“But that was three months ago,” Sirius argues. “What—“
“The point is,” Regulus cuts him off firmly, levelling him with a cutting look. “They’re looking for me.”
“Shit,” Sirius curses as his phone lights up again with an incoming call.
“You don’t think they’d like, file a missing persons report or anything do you?” James questions them both.
“I don’t know,” Regulus admits, “they didn’t with Sirius.”
“But they also knew where I was,” Sirius reminds him. “Either way, you’re legally an adult. They can’t drag you back there. They won’t.” He tries to say it with as much conviction as possible. Regulus nods minutely in return.
“I’m starving,” Sirius grins, trying to push down the unease in his bones. “Pancakes anyone?”
James and Regulus both perk up at the thought, and Sirius moves to start them.
“Did someone say pancakes?” Comes a tired voice from the hallway. Sirius turns to see Remus shuffling in, a big yawn on his face, which quickly morphs to confusion when he spots Regulus.
“Reg? What are you doing here?” Regulus opens his mouth to speak but Remus holds out a hand. “Coffee first, actually.”