one.
When his older brother ran away without saying goodbye to him, Regulus felt like his entire world was collapsing. Why didn't Sirius say goodbye? Why didn't he ask Regulus if he wanted to go with him?
As soon as Sirius left, life lost color. All the joy he managed to obtain in that painful house came from his older brother. The brother who raised him, the brother who protected him from his parents' punishments, the brother who knew that Regulus was trans before he himself did.
At 15 years old, Regulus felt that his world had ended. He spent a year dead in live, barely remembering that time of his adolescence, but everything changed the moment Pandora Rosier appeared. He doesn't really remember how Pandora became so important to him, only how he met her.
Regulus was incredibly lucky to have Kreacher, who while being not the kindest and most adorable human being in the world, used to have a sweet side only for young master Regulus as he used to call him despite his protests to eliminate the Titles.
The butler Kreacher did many things for the great and ancient Black family, but he specifically had the duty of knowing where the heir was located 24 hours a day, which brings us back to how Pandora Rosier and Regulus Black met.
He had asked Kreacher if he could please let him be alone in that beautiful park before being taken back to his 'home'.
With a "Only for one hour, Young Master. Only because the Lords have things to attend today" from his only ally in that great house, Regulus was taken by his driver to the place that probably saved his life.
He clearly remembers the strange tranquility he felt —although he didn't show it in his body language— upon arriving at the beautiful place. Every time he passed through this park on his way home, he looked longingly from the window of the luxurious family car at the beautiful landscape, imagining what it would be like to draw the trees, the central fountain, and the people who lived so normally. He sat on a bench and took out his drawing notebook from his backpack.
And so, as if nothing had happened, as if her existence was destined to be at his side, a beautiful girl sat next to him, looking at him with curiosity.
Regulus stopped drawing to look at his unexpected companion and although normally any human being who deigned to approach would be chased away by him with acid words and cold glances, this specific person made his gaze soften in an instant.
"My name is Pandora Rosier and I think you are a beautiful boy" She spoke, smiling at him effortlessly.
The boy looked at himself, seeing the dress —black, luckily— that his mother forced him to wear because a lady must dress well, his beautiful, long wavy hair that his mother loved to comb as if it were of a doll and looked back at the girl in front of him.
Years later, he would ask Pandora how she noticed it and she would responded that from the moment she saw him, she just knew.
"Regulus Black" He looked the girl up and down, noticing her necklaces with spiritual stones, her braided blonde hair perfectly filled with accessories, her extravagant clothes, and her bracelet with the colors of the lesbian flag. Why would a person who looked as alive as her approach him?
As she arrived, Pandora Rosier slipped into his life silently, as if they were both destined to be by each other's side.
Along with her came her twin, Evan Rosier.
And so, Sirius's absence was not forgotten, but it stopped hurting a little.
Over time, the twins became the most important part of his life, the only thing that kept him sane. He still remembers how happy Kreacher was to find out that his young master had made friends as good as the twins.
Pandora was the one who convinced him to leave that house the moment he turned 18, sell his valuable things and just leave on his birthday, ran away and start a new life away from his domineering mother. Regulus immediately agreed, knowing that if he didn't leave he would be condemned to live forever under his family's expectations, he would be condemned to live as Hadara Black for the rest of his life.
When his 18th birthday rolled around, unfortunately the first person to greet him was his mother —Sirius was always the first— but he wasn't going to let that ruin the exciting day.
"Hadara" Regulus looked up from his last breakfast in that house upon hearing the name by which he was known by his family. "Happy 18th, I hope you have a wonderful day, my little girl." Despite the sweet words, his mother's tone of voice was icy and emotionless. "Your father and I are going out today, we'll be back just in time for your birthday party."
"I understand, Mother." His mother's hand caressed his cheek and made him lift his head. Under Walburga's gaze, Regulus felt like a small porcelain doll, made only to satisfy his selfish mother's desires.
"Look me in the eyes when I talk to you, Hadara"
"I'm sorry, Mother." His voice trembled slightly, causing the older woman to click her tongue in disgust, probably mentally comparing him to his brother.
As Walburga Black left the room, he let out a sigh. Tomorrow he wouldn't have to look at that unpleasant woman's face again.
The day passed with torturous slowness, making Regulus, a person who was constantly in control of his body, anxiously bounce his leg helplessly.
The night arrived and Regulus sat on his bed waiting for his best friend to knock on his window. All the things he would need stored in a suitcase, he was willing to abandon absolutely everything that day, he was willing to abandon Hadara in that room.
His door was knocked, and terror consumed his body, scared that his Mother had decided to stop by his room instead of continuing to talk with all those important families who were in the salon to celebrate his birthday. It was only when Kreacher opened the door that he remembered that his mother would never deign to knock on his door before entering.
“Young master…” The older man bowed his head slightly, handing him a piece of paper with a phone number on it. "I hope that when you are happy, you can call me."
The old man gave him a soft smile that Regulus didn't know he could do before leaving his room as quickly and unexpectedly as he arrived, leaving his personal number on a piece of paper.
Regulus Black truly laughed after years as he ran down the sidewalk, with Pandora holding his hand and Evan waiting in a car at the end of the street.
Now that he was free, he could understand his older brother, Regulus hoped from the bottom of his heart that Sirius felt just as free wherever he was