Showstopper

The soft ring of Pandora's phone floats through her flat, she places a bookmark into her book before getting up from her spot on the floor next to the open patio door and heads into the living room where she last remembers placing it. She follows the sound and finds the phone, the name blaring across the screen is Evan. Instantly she picks up and answers, her voice is soft and musical as she says, "Hello brother, how are you?"

In the background of the call before Evan even speaks, she can hear a soft melody of a song that she definitely hasn't heard yet and then she hears her twin sigh slightly before he answers "Honestly, been better. I'm with Reg. He uh he's having a hard go right now. Could you come to his flat, I'm struggling to get him to say much of anything. Barty and I had gotten a few sentences out of him but not many and I just, well I think he needs you..."

His voice seems a little unsure, as if Pandora as ever not come when Evan needed help, nor Regulus. Evan may be her twin, but Reg, Barty, and Dorcas were just as much family in her eyes. Then again, the last few months she hasn't been around as often, and the boys have possibly noticed that she's been hiding something. Which honestly had been driving her a bit crazy, she hates lying to them, but it wasn't hers to tell. And if she gave a brief explanation, it wouldn't have satisfied them, and if Pandora is honest with herself, it wouldn't be good enough for her. When she finally told them about Lily, well she wanted it to be all of the truth not just some half assed truth. But Lily, well growing up the way she had... It made sense to Pandora why she wasn't ready to be open, to admit to the world that she was in fact gay. It also didn't help that Lily was an extremely well-known artist, she had so many fans and who knows how well they might take the news. Or at least that's what Lily had told Pandora.

Pandora was not only a stylist for the Slytherin Skittles, but the manager of her twin's band. And being the manager made it so that she kept up to date on everything, not just her band's work or the legality of everything, but she kept up to date on social media. She saw the way that the internet had taken to Sirius Black and Remus Lupin coming out. How the world had taken to the fact that two of their favorite band members in The Marauders band were dating. Of course there was hate, but the overwhelming love they had received overtook the hate by miles. In Pandora's eyes that seemed like a good thing, something that Lily should take into consideration, not that Pandora would ever make her feel pressured to come out. But it did make things hard for Pandora.

So, in all actuality Pandora understood the hesitance in Evan's voice at the request, but it still bothered her a bit if she acknowledged her own feelings. Eventually she realized she hadn't responded to her twin, and she frowned slightly at herself for that before responding "Of course Ev, I'll be over in like twenty minutes." After her reply Evan let out a relieved sigh and said a soft goodbye. Pandora placed her phone into her pants back pocket before heading out of the living room and into her bedroom to grab her tote bag. Once she had her bag in hand, she grabbed her keys and headed out to her white jeep to begin the ride over to Reg's flat.

She turned on the radio and the first song to immediately started playing was one of Lily's songs, the wave of emotions that hit Pandora was like a freight train, the very first one being absolute rage, and then a hollowing sadness. Of course she understood Lily's point of view about coming out publicly that wasn't even the issue. The issue was the fucking photos that had spread. Lily didn't even deny that she was seeing James, not that James had made a public post either. It seemed as if the two were ignoring the rumors, which just caused more people to begin to believe the rumors. And that alone hurt, because Lily didn't seem to understand why Pandora was so upset with the whole thing. When they had their conversation Lily just sat there acting as if there was nothing she could do, when really, she could have told everyone that James and she weren't dating. She didn't even have to tell everyone that she was gay, she just had to fucking tell everyone she wasn't with James.

Pandora wasn't sure if it was all about the coming out anymore, because logically you'd want your partner to feel comfortable and content, yet Lily doesn't seem to be taking Pandora's feelings into consideration at all. It's as if all she cares about in this moment is making sure no one finds out that she's a lesbian. Which is just fucking crazy, because if Lily truly cared as much as she claimed she did then she would at least understand why Pandora was so upset. Being open wasn't something Pandora would ever try and push someone into, but allowing for everyone around the world to believe that Lily was taken by James Potter? Seemed so inconsiderate and insensitive to Panda.

Her thoughts continue to swirl around the lovers latest spat as she drives, she switches the radio to a different station in order to hopefully clear her mind up a bit as she drives. The ride feels so much shorter than it was because of how lost in thought she was, in this moment she feels more alone then she has been in a while. She doesn't have anyone that she can talk to without outing Lily, without breaking the already wavering trust that the lovers had. She was doing everything in her power to give Lily the benefit of the doubt especially with the way Lily had been raised, but it just seemed to get harder the longer she waits for Lily to deny the claims online. It seems as if Lily had no plans to do that, maybe she felt comforted by the fact that if everyone thought she was with a man than no one would notice the fact that she was very obviously a lesbian. It was truly one of the first things Pandora had clocked into.

As Pandora pulls up to Regulus' flat, she shakes her head slightly to clear all of the negative thoughts and doubts that had been clouding her mind for the last twenty minutes. The moment she feels even slightly better she gets out of the car and grabs her tote bag before heading up the stairs and towards Reg's flat. She pulls her spare key out before clicking it into the bolt to unlock the flat. It still makes her smile softly as the memories that comes flowing through her mind, the night that Reg had given each of the twins a key to his flat because he deemed them to be the two people he could trust about anyone else to keep the keys safe and to never use them unless completely necessary.

Pandora slowly and gracefully pushed the door open and walks into the flat, her footsteps muted as they always were. She looks into the kitchen as she passes, unsure of where the boys were. She proceeds further into the flat, she skipped straight passed the bedroom and any other as she moved towards the library, she had a feeling she'd find them there. As she walked through the doorframe of the library her eyes instantly fell upon Evan who was kneeling next to Regulus' favorite chair, within the chair Reg was curled up tightly. She moved into the room and towards her twin and best friend as she said softly "Hello boys, may I join you?"

At the sound of her voice Reggie's head snaps up and towards her, his tear-stained face caused her heart to clench painfully. What the hell had happened, and who was she going to have to murder? It was one thing for her to feel pain, but it was completely different for one of her loved ones to feel pain. It wasn't allowed, not to her, these boys were her whole life. They came before anyone else, no matter how close she was to them, these boys were hers. And anyone to harm them would have to deal with her. She pushes any thoughts of her own problems to the back of her mind for now, giving Regulus her undivided attention. She moves forward without a verbal response, typically she'd wait but there was no reason in this moment because it was clear as day on his face that Regulus needed her, and she would do anything she could to help him.

She moves reaches him quickly and holds her hand out to him as she says, "Who do I have to kill?" Both boys look at her the way they always do when it's clear that someone has raised protective instincts. Regulus however uncurls enough to reach out and grab her hand in a strong hold. But before Reg can even respond Evan is speaking up.

"Barty is at least a good forty-five minutes ahead of you at the moment, not sure what you'll have left to deal with Dora." his voice is slightly joking but with an underlining seriousness that has Pandora tilting her head slightly. Knowing how her mind works Evan smirks before saying "Seriously Barty's on it, you're need here. But I'm like eighty percent sure that Barty won't actually kill him, possibly harm or mame? Not as unlikely." This causes Pandora to smile slightly as she nods and softly rubs the back of Regulus' hand.

"Back to the question at hand, who did it? What did they do? And what can I do to make it better?" Pandora says to Regulus as she sits down on the arm of the chair still holding his hand while rubbing constant soothing circles into the back of his hand. It takes a few moments before Regulus begins to speak; his voice is tight with the strain of his emotions.

"I- it's a long explanation and I just well, I don't know how to start to explain." Regulus says while looking up at Pandora. Pandora gives him a soft reassuring smile to try and help him relax, so that he feels more comfortable. She doesn't want to push him, but she wants him to know that no matter what she'll understand. She softly rubs his hand as she waits for him to continue, she knows that sometimes he can retreat into his thoughts if he gets too overwhelmed and right now that wouldn't help him in anyway. While Evan moves slightly in order to be closer to Regulus as his own way of showing support silently.

The three of them sit there for a few moments as Regulus gathers his thoughts in a way that would take the least amount of talking but would tell Pandora everything she needed to know. Eventually he begins to speak, his voice just as tight as before but a slight bit scratcher as if he is forcing himself to speak "I have been seeing James for some time now, secretly. But then those photos of Lily Evans and James came out, and well neither of them denied it online, he didn't reach out to try and explain. Nothing. So, I wrote All The Things I Hate About You. I uh, well I sent a link to him after we published it right? And I told him "This is dedicated to you." And well, he tried to call and text, but it was so clear to me that he was cheating... So, I ignored him, and well this morning he sent me their new song." Regulus pauses to breathe, everything he'd said so far had come tumbling out of his mouth in a speed that he'd never used before even when he was talking about things that excited him. Which he was prone to do, he watched Pandora's features as he spoke.

Pandora sat there listening and the moment the information connected her own emotions began to run wild, she wasn't upset with Reggie for keeping it a secret seeing as she was also keeping her relationship a secret. But she was disgusted, how could two grown adults allow their significant others to be affected so harshly without a second thought, without reassurance? Pandora stared at Regulus as she tried to calm her mind, for Lily to allow her to be hurt was infuriating and upsetting but she could handle this. But for Reg to feel this way, that was unacceptable. As she went to voice her thoughts Regulus cut her off with the rest of his explanation.

"It well, it's about me. But how much he loves me, that I am someone he thinks his parents would love... He didn't explain the photos but the song... He loves me Panda, he sounds so fucking broken though, and I did that. Me. I hurt him, just as I always knew I would, how do I even..." Regulus stops speaking as he tries to figure out what to say next. Anger sparks in Pandora so strongly but this time it isn't aimed at Lily, nor is it truly at James. It's at the self-doubt and the trauma that causes Regulus to even think that this is his fault. Regulus has always believed that he will be the downfall of all things good in his life because of his shitty parents. And she knows she should allow herself to be this angry, but Reg is one of the best fucking people she knows. Yet no matter how many times she reminds him of this or tries to tell him... he just doesn't listen not truly because he doesn't believe in any of the things she has to say.

"Okay? But that isn't on you. You are beating yourself up, yet he hasn't even explained why he wasn't reaching out after the photos were posted, nor has he denied anything publicly. All he has done is written a song claiming he loves you. Where is the explanation Reg?" Pandora says as softly as she can, yet she pauses. She knows that Lily is a lesbian, so she knows they aren't dating, yet for some reason neither of them have denied it yet. She lets her thoughts wonder for a moment as she contemplates telling the two of them what she knows. She'd be outing Lily, and betrayer her partner. Yet if she doesn't tell Regulus then she's not being his friend, she's allowing him to feel as if it's his fault. But something isn't adding up, and honestly, she's not sure what to do. If she was Regulus she'd want to know and she'd feel betrayed if she wasn't told, however if she was Lily she would feel just as betrayed. Plus, the boys will definitely have a bunch of questions, why the fuck did this have to be so hard? Her thoughts are dragging her down causing her to feel as if she's drowning under them, but if she really thinks about it neither of the boys would ever tell anyone else. With that in mind she takes a deep breath and continues "I'm just saying, this doesn't make sense. Not fully, and well what I'm about to say is going to make this even more confusing... But I've been secretly seeing Lily Evans. She's not out so I need you both to keep this under lock. She would never forgive me for outing her, but I can't sit here and let you suffer even more if I don't tell you. So... they aren't dating, never have been. Lily is like a straight lesbian... there is no way she'd be dating Potter. But it makes me wonder why Potter hasn't denied it, I know that Lily isn't because well she isn't ready to come out yet."

While Pandora had been explaining she could hear Evan suck in a deep breath, clearly shocked but Regulus had gone completely still. Pandora herself freezes; did she make the wrong decision? Was Regulus upset with her, did he hate her? It felts like forever before either of the boys even seemed to blink, her nerves were shot because she could have just made things for Regulus ten times worse and that is the complete opposite of what she had been trying to do by coming clean to them. Eventually Regulus begins to speak, his voice uneven and it was clear that he was feeling so much in that moment "I- I honestly don't know what to say. I'm not mad, I did the same thing with James. I kept it a secret, so I'd be a fucking hypocrite to be mad at you for that Dora. Don't think I'm angry with you, I'm just more confused now than I was before. Because why would they not deny the claims of a relationship if they're both in relationships? If each part is gay, then what's the point in letting the internet continue to believe that they could be a couple? It makes no sense, and well now with James' song, well the world will know he's gay. It talks about a man he loves, the man he loves. I-"

Regulus stops talking as his mind runs through a million different reasons that this could be happening. Pandora squeezes his hand softly as her mind runs in circles just like his. The only one to speak now is Evan as he says softly "I think that this all could be a misunderstanding of sorts, well on James' side maybe. Maybe not, and you won't know unless you talk to him Reg. And I'm well I'm not say you have to because if you really don't want to no one will force you to. But I think it could help make this whole situation understood. As for you Dora, well I'm gonna kick her ass if she continues to hurt you. I know what you've told us, I know she's not out yet, but I can see the pain you are in. And as your twin, I refuse to just sit here. Either you talk to her, and she apologizes and explains where her fucking head is, or I'm showing up at her studio and I'm tearing her a new one. I will be worse than Barty is about to be with James, no one and I mean no one fucking hurts you whether it's on purpose or not." his voice is sharp yet comforting and Pandora knows he means well, it makes her heart feel as light as a feather and for the troubles that have been running circles in her mind to slow allowing her to feel like she can breathe fully for the first time in over a week now. She gives him a soft smile as she nods with small tears in her eyes.

"Thank you Ev, I know. I'll talk to her soon. Don't do anything to irrational right away okay?" Pandora says in response as she continues to rub softly on Reg's hand. Evan leans into her side in silent agreement, the way they have always done as kids.

"I'll talk to him... soon. Just not right now, I need to make sure I'm okay, or at least kind of okay before I have that conversation with James." Regulus says quietly, so quietly the twins almost didn't hear them. With Regulus' response the three of them curls closer to each other, the Rosier Twins fully sat on the floor next to Regulus' chair while Reg had begun to lean slightly off the chair. The three friends so close that they look like a small mess of limbs as they sit in silence, the only sound to float through the apartment is their mixed breathing and The Marauders newest song playing, long forgotten.