Black Rose [Regulus Black]

"Hello there, future sister-in-law!" Sirius' voice rang out through her apartment and she flinched in surprise, shutting the door behind her as she eyed the dark-haired man sprawled on her couch. One of her books was propped up against his knee, and a tin of biscuits lay beside his left hand. "I brought you biscuits."

"Sirius, don't you have something better to do than to stalk people and break into their apartments?"

"No," he said cheerfully, beaming at her. "Besides, you're not just a person. You're my si-"

"Finish that sentence," she threatened. "And I will hang you upside down by the ceiling and beat you senseless."

He opened his mouth, probably to say something witty, but then shut it when he saw her deadpan expression. "Er... my... best friend?"

"Again, we've met about four times in our entire lives."

"Friendship has no duration, nor an expiry date."

"Unless you die," she muttered gloomily, her mood about as light as a thundercloud.

"But people can be friends in the afterlife too, unless one is in Heaven and the other is in Hell."

"Sirius, if there is an afterlife, I'm pretty sure we're both going to end up in Hell."

"Then we shall sin together!" he cheered, and then winced. "That came out wrong."

"You think?"

"I don't, actually, it makes things easier."

"That makes much more sense, considering that you broke into my house after judging me over a five-minute interaction."

He scowled. "That was one time. One time!"

"And you've broken into my house twice now," she commented snidely. "And stolen from me too."

"First of all, it's an interaction between two best friends, a surprise visit if you want to call it. Second, it was Peter that stole your food, not me. Blame it on him."

"Did you just throw your friend under the bus?" she snickered.

"No," he snapped. "Anyways, did you ask Regulus about the dinner?"

Her face fell at the mention of Regulus, who she hadn't spoken to since the fiasco that had happened last night. "No, something came up."

"Let me guess. My mother overheard, tossed a hissy fit, and then attempted to come at you with a pitchfork?"

She collapsed onto the couch, taking the biscuit he offered her. She would have found it funny if she wasn't so drained. Who would've thought that she'd be sitting in her house and sharing biscuits with Sirius Black, of all people? In fact, six months ago, she hadn't known a Sirius Black or a Regulus Black. She hadn't known that her family was alive or that there was a whole new world out there which she was a part of. It was insane, it was straight out of a crazy movie.

"That was very specific. Does your mother have a pitchfork?" she asked, concerned.

"No, but she does have a wooden stick."

There was an unspoken rule hanging in the air between them, that interrogating excessively into the other's past wasn't acceptable unless the other person was fine delving into it. It wasn't a rule either of them minded, because they still had their boundaries and weren't fully comfortable with each other just yet.

However, Alessandra still wanted to ask him about it, to prod at him, because now that he had mentioned it, she was getting increasingly worried about Regulus. She'd seen the extent of his injuries just once, and it was bad, so how often did he have to deal with it? Even if she was just a little upset that he hadn't told her this essential piece of information, she was even more uneasy that he could be facing physical harm while she was peacefully having a chocolate biscuit and she'd have no clue.

She exhaled softly, trying not to think too much about it. She had no idea what to do, she couldn't help him unless he finally broke free from his mother's chains.

"Apparently," she began, deciding to voice her frustration regarding the past night's events. "Regulus is betrothed."

His jaw dropped. "No fucking way. You're joking."

She shook her head, cramming another chocolate biscuit into her mouth and savoring the sweet taste that seemed to temporarily quell the bitter feeling in her mouth. "He's been betrothed the entire time, and I've had no idea."

"Shit, Alessandra, I'm so sorry," he whispered sympathetically.

She waved him off. "It's fine, it wasn't you. I found out a few days ago, from Cressida Greengrass, who he's engaged to. And then last night, his mother broke the news to me, probably expecting a full-scale meltdown from me."

"I'm assuming you didn't give her the satisfaction?"

She shook her head, thinking of the sour look of annoyance that had perched itself on Walburga's face for the entirety of the dinner last night. "Nope. So, to rub it in further, she 'invited' me to dinner with them, because I was in the house when they'd arrived. It was awkward, to say the least."

She spoke quietly, dully, like the energy had been drained out of her, which it had. It was just getting too much to handle, and she didn't think that liking someone that way would be such a big headache, but apparently Regulus Black had a way of making something so mundane so complicated. It wasn't his fault, really, it was just his circumstances that were so complicated.

"And you said yes."

"I'm tired of her, honestly. I just...words can not describe how angry I feel around her. It's like- like this, it's like a tidal wave or a volcano within me that just erupts whenever I'm around, and it just makes me so mad, I can't do this anymore, I feel like I'm just turning into this bitter, vindictive person-" Her nails dug into the skin of her palms, and she took a deep breath. "It's like whenever I go to that house, I feel this heavy darkness clogging my mind and influencing me. And I absolutely hate who I'm becoming, because I'm constantly wishing that she'd just die and spare me all this trouble."

She let out a deep breath, feeling no better than he had before but still relieved that she'd let it all out. Sirius awkwardly rubbed circles on her back with the hand that wasn't smeared with the chocolate from the biscuits. "If it helps... she'll probably die in five years."

"That's too far away."

He hesitated, not sure what to say. He fully understood what she was going through, having gone through those bouts of panic himself at one point, but didn't know how to help her. Helping her relied on helping get Regulus out of there, and Regulus was a stubborn bastard who would continue to defend their mother till her last breath. He pitied her, because she seemed to genuinely care for Regulus but was stuck between leaving him in that hellhole and prioritizing her own wellbeing. "Have you ever... considered... talking to him? I feel like he'd listen if you tried to explain it to him, because he does care about you, Alessandra, I can see it."

"No, I know he does, but I just-"

"You wish it was more."

"No."

"I know a liar when I see one."

"What's the point of wishing for something I can't have?"

"Have you ever considered that maybe... he wishes for it too?"

"No," she huffed. "I literally have no idea what is going on or what to do, and it's driving me mad."

"You could just tell him," he offered.

"What, and face the humiliation of being rejected?" she scoffed.

"Fine, then kiss him."

"I can't do that, what if he just pushes me away?"

"Then shag him."

"Sirius!"

"What?" he shrugged at her incredulous expression. "It's good advice, nobody can resist a shag."

"You're awful at this."

"I know," he grinned proudly. "Just remember to-"

"I will kill you-"

"I was telling you to remember to ask Regulus to come for dinner tonight, I'll send an owl along with the card."

"I'll try," she mumbled, preparing herself for that headache. "Also, card? What card?"

"It's a gold card," he beamed. "It sparkles."

"O- okay?" She watched him swagger around her room and fiddle with the few decorations on the walls. There was a word to describe him, one she couldn't quite put her finger on. Jaunty, flamboyant... kind of even random. He was weird but in one of those ways that you'd find annoying until you got to know him. She'd almost grown fond of him at that point.

"Oh, and, remember to use protection!"

"Oh, good grief," she mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

⚜

Green eyes locked with grey ones across the mahogany table, their depths swirling with a complex tangle of emotions that Regulus couldn't unravel.

"Sorry about my mother," he murmured, trying to dissolve the charged silence, but the tension in the room remained thick and heavy, suffocating him like a sturdy rope.

"I- um... I didn't think it was important..." he tried again, hoping to elicit some response from her. It could be scathing, it could be sad, it could be furious, but he just wanted something, so he wouldn't have to see that same stony, disappointed expression his father constantly used to wear.

"You didn't think it important enough to tell me you were engaged this entire time," she replied, her voice holding obvious undertones of disappointment. "After defending me from your mother, showing me your secret room, and even sleeping overnight at my place, after all that, you didn't deem it important enough?"

Her voice was so quiet yet so deafening, filling his ears in the most painful way possible. "I just didn't get the chance to bring it up."

"Even though we've seen each other a million times in the last three months?"

This felt like a condemnation. It was like a court trial, and he was losing on all fronts. He could practically hear the invisible jury whispering profanities and accusations in his ears.

"Yes."

Her eyes narrowed to the point that they looked slit-like and he couldn't see the green in them anymore, just pools of darkness threatening to escape and submerge him whole. Maybe he was being a bit dramatic, maybe just a little, but he was scared shitless.

"Okay."

He blinked, caught off guard. He'd expected her to go on a disappointed tirade, to cry or maybe even scream at him. What he did not expect was that simple response.

"Okay?" he repeated, watching her gracefully get to her feet.

"Yeah," she shrugged. "It's okay. I get it. You don't have to tell me anything, we've only been friends for three months, even though we've confided in each other a lot. I get it, you don't trust me, and that's fine."

That made him feel worse.

He hung his head as he mirrored her actions, getting up and following her as she bustled about her house to clean imaginary specks of dust off the shelves.

"I'm sorry," he huffed. "I just didn't know how to bring it up! I was going to tell you eventually."

"When you got married?"

A crimson hue covered his cheeks and he paused. Originally, that was the plan, but he was obviously not going to tell her that now. "Tell me what I can do to make this right."

"Come with me for dinner with your brother and his friends."

He stilled and cocked his head, trying to understand whether he'd actually misheard her. Upon confirming that she said what he originally thought he said, realisation dawned upon him and now it was his turn to narrow his eyes. "Are you trying to... emotionally blackmail me into attending a dinner party with those buffoons?"

"Is it working?"

He didn't reply, instead shaking his head slowly as he mulled over everything that had happened. "You are such a Slytherin. I can't believe I thought you could be a Hufflepuff."

A grin spread over her face. "Is that a yes?"

He bit the inside of his cheek, knowing that he'd give in now that he'd seen Alessandra smiling at him adoringly and batting her eyelashes. He never thought she had a conniving bone in her body, but she clearly knew a fair amount about the art of manipulation.

"Fine," he groaned, reminding Alessandra of a stubborn child who refused to eat his veggies.

Reggie's veggies.

Her lips twitched up at that.

⚜

Alessandra discreetly watched Regulus out of the corner of her eye as he took shaky breaths and ran his palms down his shirt to smooth out invisible wrinkles. She felt slightly bad because she was forcing him to attend dinner with his estranged brother, but thought that it'd be better for him in the long run. From what she could tell (excluding the first impression, of course), Sirius was a good guy and was exactly what Regulus needed to be saved from his own family. She didn't want to be a hero or anything like that, she was just extremely concerned about Regulus at that point, because he had way too many dangerous circumstances surrounding him and would eventually run out of luck.

"You ready?" she asked, trying not to make it blatantly obvious that she was shamelessly staring at him.

"No," he grumbled. "Do we have to?"

"Yes," she replied, and the guilt intensified. She knew this wasn't because she fancied him but because she genuinely cared for him, but it still worried that despite her intentions she was coming off as controlling. "Just this once, please."

He huffed and gestured for her to walk before him. Before she entered the restaurant, however, she felt his long fingers wrap around her arm and tug her backwards, right in front of him.

"Just so you know, if we die, I'll haunt you in the afterlife."

"Even after you lied to me about something as important as your marital status, even though we'd established a close relationship?" She honest-to-God pouted, and Regulus Black then realised that he'd only barely scraped the surface when it came to Alessandra Rosier, because she was such a sly witch it was almost amusing.

"Oh, fuck you," he snapped with no real heat behind his voice.

"Now, Regulus, that's not very sanitary considering we're at a restaurant."

Now it was his turn to stare at her with astonishment, and the apples of his cheeks turned a light pink, leaving him to wonder why he was blushing and why there were... things... jumping in his stomach.

And why had his brain turned so foggy?

He did not like it.

He did not like any of this.

He wanted to run away.

Before he could even move one step back from the entrance, Alessandra yanked him forward by the wrist. "No," she warned him. "We are going to hear them out, I'm sure they weren't as bad as they seemed that day."

He stared at her. "Alessandra, they broke into your house."

"I know, I know, but Sirius seems almost decent now, you know? I think this will be good, it'll be a great chance for you to... you know, reconcile."

He ignored the latter part of her statement. "Since when did you start talking to him?"

"Since he started to come by occasionally, just for little chats," she replied, not understanding why he looked so... enraged. She had vivid flashbacks back to when Walburga Black flew into one of her frenzies, and felt a little terrified. No, terrified wasn't the word, she mostly just felt creeped out. It was partly because he looked like a ghost with his inky-black hair and contrasting pale grey eyes which looked like they were staring into her soul.

"Do you fancy him?" he demanded, and her eyes widened.

"No!" she exclaimed. "How did you jump to that conclusion?"

"I... I don't know, it was just a hunch."

"Well, I don't fancy him," she muttered, annoyance rising up in her because he somehow managed to assume that she fancied Sirius, but still couldn't realise that it was him she liked. Was she not making it obvious enough? How was she supposed to go about this? She couldn't just tell him how she felt, that would be too humiliating and emotional and brain-melting. "Let's just go inside."

He watched her with narrowed eyes as she strolled into the restaurant. She'd reacted so explosively that he wondered if there was any truth behind his claims. What if she'd gotten off on a technicality, and she didn't just fancy his brother but was instead dating him?

Maybe, just maybe, he could be overthinking it, but he was probably right.

⚜

Six people were gathered around a table, having a strange staredown.

Actually, it was three of them in a staredown while the other three awkwardly watched.

Alessandra's eyes flickered between the two brothers, trying to gauge their reactions because their faces were stonier than statues. Sirius was eying Alessandra and Regulus discreetly (or so he thought), trying to understand what their dynamic was. Regulus' glare held the most hatred as his narrowed eyes darted between Alessandra and Sirius, his mind working overtime and jumping to conclusions.

"So," Peter broke the thick silence. "Shall we order?"

All of their gazes snapped towards him and he shrank back into his seat.

Sirius cleared his throat and smiled placatingly. "Yes. But before that, we have something to say. We are sorry."

Regulus was not impressed.

The man with scars on his face jumped in, sensing Regulus' displeasure. "What we mean is that we are sorry for breaking into your house and making assumptions about you without knowing you. We know it was wrong and childish of us and that we shouldn't have done it."

"So, food now?"

The three men glared at the fourth one, effectively silencing him.

"Forget Peter. He's just a very hungry person," the bespectacled man jumped in.

"I know that, because he stole my food."

"And, he's very sorry. I'm Remus, by the way."

Regulus finally lost it. "Oh, come off it. He's already scanning the menu and Potter is probably planning his next prank. You don't take any of this seriously-"

"-but I am Si-"

"Shut up, Sirius," Regulus took a deep breath. "We know you're just trying to kiss up to us now, because we could get you in trouble. We want nothing to do with you."

"Alessandra doesn't seem to mind my presence much," Sirius argued. "Why don't we ask her, then?"

Now it was her turn to make herself as tiny as possible, because Regulus was watching her expectantly. She settled for drinking the glass of water slowly, using the glass to hide her face from the rest of them even though it was transparent.

Unfortunately for her, there was only so long a glass of water could last for, and when she'd put the glass down, they were all still staring at her.

"Well?" Regulus prompted.

"I...it's... I just really don't know what to say."

"Look," began the boy she assumed was Potter. "We are all on the same side now, so we might as well be-"

"You told them?!" Alessandra exclaimed, now starting to feel just as angry as Reg was.

"Told us what?" Peter squeaked, beady eyes squinted.

Sirius winced. "You weren't there that time Wormtail, my bad."

"You were not supposed to tell anyone, not even your friends!" she yelled. "What part of that did you not understand? Do you not understand that if too many people find out, your own brother will be as good as dead? What is wrong with you?"

"What did you expect, Alessandra?" Regulus laughed coldly. "Of course he would sell out his own brother to his precious friends. He has no regard for his own flesh and blood, not as long as his darling cronies are around."

"Why don't you shut the fuck up?" Sirius snapped. "Stop projecting your problems onto this situation-"

"Perhaps you should take your own advice and shut the fuck up, you have no right to be angry. It's my life that could be at stake because of your own stupidity."

"It's a bloody war, everyone's life is at stake. It just so happens that you were living a very cushioned life as a Death Eater."

Alessandra shut her eyes as the volume of the bickering rose. This was such a disaster, she couldn't believe that she'd actually advocated for Sirius. Reg's life could be in danger at that very moment, Death Eaters could be on their way to kill him, and it could be her fault because it was her idea to tell Sirius and try and help the brothers reconcile.

"-don't even know what your problem is, because I trust them, and that should be good-"

"Alright, that's enough," she sighed and rose to her feet. "Reg, let's go."

Peter opened his mouth and Alessandra silenced him with a deadly glare.

"Where are you going?" Remus asked. "Let's just talk it out-"

"I'd rather not stay back and hear the infinite reasons why you think I'm a Death Eater."

Sirius opened his mouth to argue, but Alessandra cut him off. "Don't even think of blaming this on us. It was going decently until you revealed something that wasn't supposed to be told to anyone."

Sirius clenched his jaw stubbornly. "I trust them."

"Wait, what are we even talking about?" Peter spoke up, his eyebrows furrowed. "I'm confused."

"You had one job," Reg spoke quietly, sounding more sad than angry. "One job. It wasn't even that hard, how hard would it be to keep your mouth shut?"

"I trust them."

"That's not good enough for us."

"And why the bloody fuck not? Of course nothing is good enough for you, you sound just like Father right now."

That was the final blow, and Reg stood up and turned around to leave, with Alessandra close behind him. The moment they were out the restaurant doors, he rounded on her. "What made you think this was a good idea?"

"I'm sorry! I thought it was a good chance for you to get close again because you're brothers, and he seemed somewhat nice... God, I'm so sorry, Reg."

His eyes softened by just a fraction but he still turned away from her, storming past the chattering groups of people who were walking into the restaurant.

"Where are you going?" she asked, running behind him but he was too fast for her.

"Away," he breathed out heavily, slowing down as he approached a relatively empty street. "I just want to be alone."

"Okay," she said quietly, knowing that he needed time to process. "Be careful."

"Do you want me to apparate you back to your house or can you get there by yourself?"

"It's close enough, I'll go there by myself."

In reality, she just didn't want him to see her cry. She wanted to go back home and collapse into her bed after the horrible night she'd had. She'd been foolish enough to believe that there was a good chance that the brothers would be on proper speaking terms again so that Reg would have a family member who treated him like he was a person and not an object.

⚜