The Prettiest Star
Regulus woke up to the sweet smell of cinnamon flooding his room. He tossed around in his bed trying to shake his own curiosity but it got the better of him, like it always did, and he got up. He put on the sweater that he tossed onto a chair before going to sleep the night before. Walking out of his room the smell got infinitely stronger now mixing with something else that he hadn't smelled in years but was still familiar to him.
He walked down the winding steps and found it much easier to find the kitchen this time around, only going down the wrong hallway once. When he walked into the kitchen the smells hit him like an unforgiving punch to the face. The warmth in the kitchen wasn't exactly that of the oven or the stove but it was the kind that James radiated at all times. He assumed Dorcas was making her earth shattering pancakes again but when he walked in he was surprised to see someone else there. A stout woman stood tiptoed over the stove to a pot in the back section of the stove. Her golden brown bangs slowly starting to fall out of the ponytail she had in the back of her head.
"Hello?" Regulus spoke cautiously
The woman looked in his direction seemingly startled and nearly dropping the spoon she had in her hand "Hello dear," she stood up straight and wiped her hands on the apron tied around her waist. She observed Regulus for a second before a light seemed to have clicked in her head "Oh you must be Regulus"
"Yes I am" Regulus was still very confused as to who this woman was "Who are you?"
"Oh right, I'm Euphemia James' mom" Euphemia smiled at him and Regulus wondered how he didn't realise exactly who this woman was. The smile was almost just as bright as James' and it made Regulus feel just as happy and warm. She waved Regulus over as she mixed a pot on the bottom right of the stove. Regulus couldn't tell you why he walked over but there was something about this woman that made Regulus want to trust her and tell her everyone that had ever hurt him. "Do you know how to cook?" She asked moving over to the countertop to mix something else.
His parents had tried to get him to learn since 'it's the woman's job to cook for her husband' but he had refused and allowed the cooks they had hired to cook without teaching him "Uh no my parents always had a cook hired."
"That's an important life skill I can't believe nobody taught you" She scoffed and muttered something in another language Regulus couldn't understand but it sounded pretty angry "Come, come I'll teach you."
Regulus looked at her for a second considering what she had said and wondering whether or not to accept her offer "Well come on I'm not going to bite" Regulus smiled and walked over and Euphemia held out a spoon she had been mixing with. The two laughed and talked as she showed him little tricks that she used when she would cook. SHe taught him how to flip a pancake, how to scramble eggs, and the right spices to add to the right dishes. Regulus wasn't sure he had ever felt this safe with an adult before but if it was anyone he was glad it was Euphemia.
"Hey you two," a gravelly spoke behind them and Regulus whipped around quickly "What are you guys doing?" James asked stepping a little closer to the two.
"Good morning darling, we're making breakfast. Regulus was telling me that no one ever taught him to cook and I could use the help." Euphemia walked over to her son giving him a hug and a kiss on the forehead despite the fact that James was nearly a foot taller than her.
"Oh ok, do you guys still need help?"
"I think we're done but you can go grab everyone else dear. Take Regulus with you it'll go faster that way."
James nodded and motioned for Regulus to follow him. They walked up the stairs in silence side by side. "uh," they said at the same time.
"Sorry" Regulus said "What were you gonna say?"
"Uhm just did you sleep well?"
"Yeah I did thanks"
"Would you want to go to that movie tonight? They're playing it at 4"
"Um you know what i-" before Regulus could finish Sirius came bounding out of his room
"Hey Reggie, James" he was talking faster than normal and sounded nervous "What are you guys doing?"
"Just getting everyone for breakfast" Regulus said sounding suspicious
"Oh Effie cooked then? Marvelous! I'll grab everyone don't you two worry."
James and Regulus shared a look before looking back at Regulus and James speaking up "No mate don't worry you head on down and I'll get Remus from the guest room"
"NO" Sirius screamed "I mean uh I'll get Remus don't worry. Actually he might not even be in the guest room because you know he's an early riser"
James looked at Sirius like he was insane "I've never seen Remus wake up of his own volition before noon."
"Whaaaaaaaaat?"
Regulus slipped past them and knocked on the guest room door "Remus? Breakfast." He didn't get an answer so he cracked the door to see that there was nobody in there and the bed was perfectly made.
"Where's Remus?" Regulus asked
Sirius froze and Remus walked out,
of Sirius' room
"Siri?" Remus came out and rubbed his eyes. Sirius froze and stiffened up, his eyes going wide. When Remus opened his eyes he had almost the exact same expression. "Uh- I- Um- Wel-"
James and Reglus' eyes and smiles spread wide before they both burst out laughing. James was clutching his stomach and nearly falling down the stairs with laughter. Regulus was covering his mouth trying not to laugh too hard as Remus and Sirius were turning identical shades of red. In between laughs Regulus was able to spit something out "So" another laugh he couldn't hold back "I assume you told him how you feel?" That was the breaking point, James doubled over howling with laughter.
The laughter had worn off a few minutes after but James was still giggling as he went to wake up Peter and Dorcas. They had all sat down at the table one after another, James and someone Regulus didn't recognize. Lily had woken up from James and Regulus' laughing so she had helped Euphemia set the table. The man who walked in with James sat next to Regulus "Hi, you must be Regulus, I'm Fleamont James' dad."
Fleamont looked nothing like his son, almost the exact opposite in fact. Fleamont had fawny beige skin and hazel eyes. "Hi, yes I'm Regulus," after their short interaction that had been riddled with a strange awkwardness was over Regulus got up and walked to the kitchen to see if Euphemia needed anything.
"Ah Regulus" Euphemia exclaimed upon seeing him "take to this table will you" she handed him a large plate with french toast stacked on it. He took the plate smoothly and came back to see if she needed anything else. She did, and she handed him a large bowl with a bunch of fruit.
Regulus grabbed it and made it out to the small hallway between the table and kitchen before it suddenly slipped out of his hands. He froze, remembering the few times that he had broken a dish when he lived with his parents. The yelling and hitting came back to him and he started to sweat, he couldn't breathe as he tried to pick everything up before realizing it was pointless. His vision started to blur with tears as all the memories flooded back to him
He faintly heard the sound of footsteps padding down the hallway. He heard someone talk but couldn't hear what they said. He breathed a little heavier when he realised it was a woman's voice. "I'm sorry" he whispered willing his voice not to crack "I'm sorry it was an accident" he sobbed loud and unforgiving and when he felt arms around him he convulsed pushing them away and curling in on himself further. "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry" he repeated like a mantra slowly rocking himself back and forth and scratching at his forearms that were wrapped around his legs. The footsteps padded toward the door and Regulus was terrified of looking up. The door opened once, then again and two sets of footsteps walked in tandem. Another set of arms went around him and he had the same reaction.
"I said I was sorry," he sounded more like a small child than himself "please stop" he whispered not sure what he was talking about.
"Reggie" that was the first voice he had heard "Reggie it's me" it was his brother "Reggie, you're not there anymore, it's ok you're safe" Reggie looked up and looked around the tears still flooding his eyes but no longer obstructing his vision. Sirius was on his right and Euphemia was on his left.
"Regulus" Euphemia spoke and Regulus heard her this time "you're not in trouble, it's ok it was an accident"
Regulus started to calm down a little more at that and he wasn't sure when he had gotten into this position but when he was ok to get up and he had stopped crying he noticed that he was nuzzled into his brothers shirt. Sirius was holding him close and Euphemia had left to the dinner table. Sirius was rocking softly and whispering small things to him "It's ok" "you're safe now" "they're not here" "nobody here is going to hurt you" . When Regulus got up he pushed against Sirius' chest and saw that the glass had already been picked up along with all the fruit that had spilled.
"Thank you" was all he said as he got up "and I'm sorry I didn't mean t-"
"Don't ever apologize for having a panic attack it's normal and perfectly understandable"
Regulus' lips turned up just slightly "How long was- I mean like how long was i-"
"Like 45 minutes. Everyone's finished with breakfast already, do you want to eat?"
"Yea sure"
The two brothers sat down next to each other and ate the reheated breakfast together. Regulus couldn't remember the last time he had just sat with his brother like this. He wasn't complaining though and he never wanted it to go away. After they finished breakfast Sirius picked up their plates and stuck them in the dishwasher that had been left open. "I think everyone's gonna watch a movie do you want to go watch with them?"
"Yea why not"
They walked into the living room and Regulus was grateful to have Sirius guiding him because he absolutely would've gotten lost had he not been. When they got to the living room nobody was watching a movie but they were all just talking. Sirius ran in taking what seemed like a designated spot in between Remus and James,
"Hey mate where'd you go?" James asked interrupting the conversation he was having with his parents
"Reggie needed me" Sirius said giving James a look that said 'I'll tell you later' Regulus didn't mind, he knew how important James was to Sirius.
"James" Fleamont said
"Right sorry"
"it's your 18th birthday people are expecting you to have a ball, do you want one?"
"Yea I don't see why not" James shrugged "And we could celebrate Regulus getting here!"
Regulus looked at James confused 'Why would they need to celebrate him being here?'
"Ok that sounds good" Euphemia spoke up
"When do you think we should do it, dear?" Fleamont asked placing a kiss to her temple
"James?" she responded
"oh uhm, I guess the day of my birthday would be fine"
"Ok, I think that gives us enough time to plan, don't you think Monty?" she asked smiling softly
He nodded at his wife looking completely enraptured with her smile. They all talked like that on the couch, and Regulus doesn't think he's ever been this happy. He had always been trapped in the house with his parents and the only breath of air he ever got was Sirius, so when Sirius left he had been subjected to the darkness of his parents expectations. Now though he knew that he was safe, he knew that he was allowed to be happy, and he saw everything in screaming color. With every breath he took he couldn't help but think that he would cherish these people for everything they'd done for him. He had barely spoken since he had gotten there and in his spot on the floor at the edge of the couch he rested his head and dozed off fully and completely comfortable.
He didn't wake up until he felt strong arms wrapped around and carrying him. He stirred just a tad and nuzzled into the person. He giggled and Regulus immediately knew who it was. His sleep-riddled mind didn't have the same logic as his normal mind so he stayed nuzzled into James' chest and when James placed him on his bed Regulus wouldn't let go. James unlinked Regulus' arms and walked out, stopping for a second before closing the door "good night Regulus, sleep well"