Unconventional
Sirius found his brother sipping tea in the kitchen with Kreacher sat on the table beside him. It was disgustingly strange to see the mangy old house elf calmly sipping his own steaming mug of tea, and Sirius couldn’t contain his laughter. Not that he tried anyway.
Kreacher took his time climbing down from the table and scampering away, muttering to himself or Sirius (Sirius rarely could tell which), and Regulus was glaring.
“That was rude. We were having a nice time.”
“And I never told him to leave.”
Regulus kept giving him the evil eye but Sirius knew he’d won that particular little fight. He grinned at Regulus and poured his own tea; there was no way he’d be drinking Kreature’s leftovers.
“Remus says fuck off and James thinks it’s an absolute miracle that you’re becoming social.” Sirius said gleefully, still enjoying the wonderful feeling of a day of letters. He’d already written a response to Remus and was planning to send all three of them off that night after he’d written the other two.
“I’m glad I bring your friends so much entertainment. What did I ever do to Lupin?”
Sirius was quite torn between the natural desire to be a prat to his only sibling and not actually wanting Regulus to feel worse than he already did. “Read my mail. It was more of a general fuck off, to the whole family you know. I just didn’t think the parents would appreciate it as much.”
“I’m glad you’ve learned some self preservation.” Regulus snarked. “And I asked what I did to him, not to you.” He was smirking and it definifely wasn’t a good look on him.
Luckily, Sirius was far more experienced at teasing Regulus than the other way around. He’d had nearly three years of practice, after all, before baby Reg could even form a somewhat coherant sentence. “Now that you’ve befriended little Xenophilius, I thought you’d finally understand the idea of not wanting your friends to be unhappy.”
Regulus opened his mouth immediately, likely to respond to the jibe, before he simply stared at Sirius in disbelief. It made Sirius incredibly giddy to know he’d shocked him.
“I have absolutely no idea who you’re talking about.” Regulus muttered, taking what was definitely an unnecesarily long sip of tea.
“Oh but you do!” Sirius laughed. “Don’t be shy Reg, Remus told me it must be him. I’m proud of you, as I’ve said. It was definitely time you expanded your circle to have someone more than just Kreacher. Even if Xenophilius is a fucking atrocious name.”
“It’s not. And Lupin is a bloody traitor for telling you.”
“Why, have you all been best friends without me knowing?”
“He and Xeno get along.”
Sirius cackled at the nickname, and Regulus slapped him across the shoulder. It wasn’t hard, Regulus had never been very violent, but it was on an unfortunately painful spot (skinless at the moment; Sirius wished he’d gone his whole life without knowing there was a hex for that), and Sirius couldn’t manage to hide his flinch. Damn reflexes.
Regulus immediately drew his hand back and stared mournfully at Sirius. “Can I see it?” He asked quietly.
Sirius shook his head. The last thing he needed was for Regulus to feel even guiliter. “It’s fine, just a bit sore today, and you’ve evidently gotten stronger Reg.”
“I wish I could-”
“You can’t heal it. I get it Regulus; it doesn’t bother me.”
Regulus sighed. “Well I’m still sorry. I asked them about going outside again too, so you could have some time away, but I don’t really have anything left to bargain with.”
Bargain with? Sirius hadn’t known his brother had been bargaining in the first place. He’d assumed it was all just part of the reward for being a good son.
“What did you give them the first time? I wouldn’t have gone if I’d known.”
“Why do you think I didn’t tell you? It was neccesary Sirius, don’t be stupid.”
“Was it bad?”
“It depends who you ask.” Regulus laughed, but he didn’t look very joyful.
“Jesus Christ, I’m asking you.”
Regulus shrugged. “It’s not the worst; I’m engaged.”
Sirius gaped for much longer than he knew he could. “What the fuck?!” was all he could eventually say.
“I won’t actually be married until I’m of age of course. I’m just supposed to court her for a bit now I suppose. I’m sure I’ll be told what needs to be done.” Regulus smiled at Sirius, but it certainly didn’t make Sirius feel any better.
“Who?”
“The Nott’s youngest.”
“That nasty little girl? Reg she’s-” Sirius spluttered before Regulus cut him off.
“She’s fine Sirius, and my age I’ll have you know. She’s a perfectly acceptable match for me. It’s a little unorthodox to have me engaged before you are, but I think Mother and Father wanted to make sure I’m all set up if you keep ruining your chances with everyone they bring for you.”
“Reg, I promise I’ve been trying.” Sirius had never thought his inability to court obnoxious Pureblood girls would turn out to be a real problem, but it was certainly seeming like it now.
“I know you have been. It’s not your fault you’re an imbecile.” Regulus was smirking again, and Sirius had certainly never loved his brother more.
“So you’re really fine with it?” He asked.
“I have to be, so I am. I just… There’s someone I still need to tell. I’ve been putting it off.” Regulus had stopped looking at Sirius and all the traces of joking were gone from his voice.
“Holy mother of fucking toads Reg, aren’t you just brimming with suprises today? Has little Regulus Black really found himself a girlfriend as well as a friend?” It was a bloody strange day, but Sirius was fully embracing it. He doubted he and Regulus would talk much after September, and if they did it certainly wouldn’t be the same, and that was incredibly depressing somehow. He’d act like a real brother while he could. The closest example Sirius really had was James, and he was always obnoxiously interested in Sirius’ romantic life.
“Have I told you how very thick you are?” Regulus sounded almost dissapointed, and Sirius certainly didn’t think he deserved that.
“So that’s a no?” He grumbled.
Regulus rolled his eyes. “No Sirius, I don’t have a girlfriend, unless you count Angelica Nott now, but she’s my fiancee.” He said it sharper than Sirius expected but went almost immediately from looking somewhat angry to more…sad? All of Regulus’ emotions were so barely visible that Sirius could rarely tell the difference between them. He’d been getting better at it over the summer though, he liked to think, and it seemed like Regulus was simply getting better at having emotions anyway.
“Then who do you need to tell? Because part of me is really, really hoping you have to be the one to tell Angelica. “ Sirius said, trying to lighten the strange, heavy mood.
Reglus smiled a little. “Thank Merlin, no, she already knows. I just haven’t told Xeno yet, and I’m not sure he’ll be very pleased.”
Sirius nodded, thinking of how slightly jealous he was every time his friends spent time with other people. He wanted his friends to have plenty of friends, obviously, but he just couldn’t help it when James was fawning over Lily for too long (or spending his summer with strangers), or McGonnegall was kind to another student, or Remus left him for five minutes. He felt a bit for Regulus’ weird new friend.
“Just tell him you love him more than the damn Nott spawn, and he should be ok.” He suggested, very proud of himself for having such wonderful brotherly advice to offer.
Regulus though, far from seeming grateful (as he should be) was eyeing him suspiciously. “What exactly did Lupin tell you?”
Sirius blinked at him. Regulus was fucking weird today. Even weirder than usual, and how was that possible? “What?”
“I don’t know…” Regulus muttered. “Most people would think that telling your friends you love them more than your betrothed is a little strange.”
Rude. “Well then go whinge to ‘most people’ instead. That’s just what James tells me when he has new friends, so it doesn’t bother me.” Sirius snapped.
Regulus burst out laughing louder than Sirius had ever heard him laugh before.
Sirius really wanted to hate him.