Reunite
Sirius had heard the door open, and they really hoped it was Regulus. Sirius ran out of their bed, down the hall and froze. Is that Narcissa? It couldn't be Narcissa. Sirius and Narcissa have always been close, but Regulus was always Narcissa's favorite, not by much though from what Sirius can tell because Narcissa always treated the brothers the same for the most part. Sirius has always loved Andromeda the most, but they've always loved all their cousins, though Bellatrix is sometimes a bit much. Sirius actually remembers this time they were hanging out with Narcissa; they were thinking of the best way to help Regulus transition. "Maybe we just pretend Regulus's hair has always been that short, like gaslighting your parents" Sirius remembers Narcissa saying. Sirius had scoffed. "Good luck with that, and what about the binder part?" Sirius can't remember much after that, but they do remember what had happened after Regulus had transitioned. Sirius had taken the blame, though Narcissa tried Sirius wouldn't let her get hurt for this, it was Sirius's little brother, and they would rather have stayed in that house then let Narcissa get hurt.
Sirius was frozen to the floor. They hadn't seen Narcissa since Narcissa's last year at school because Sirius had run away. Sirius didn't know if they were going to cry or scream or smile, they were just frozen. Narcissa looked at Sirius and Sirius knew exactly what they were going to do, they were going to cry. Sirius doesn't know why they were going to cry, maybe it was because they finally know Narcissa is safe, maybe it's because they missed Narcissa, maybe it's because they are an emotional mess whatever the reason is it's happening. Narcissa immediately hugged Sirius and Sirius hugged back. Sirius buried their face in Narcissa's shoulder and cried, Sirius knows everyone is in the living room, actually that's a lie Remus is still in their bedroom. Narcissa rubbed Sirius's back and started quietly singing a song Andromeda had made that always calmed Sirius and Regulus down. Their cousins were good at that, calming people down.
Sirius was imagining that they were nine again. It was Sirius's birthday, the Black family didn't really celebrate birthdays but Regulus, Narcissa, Andromeda and Bellatrix had all gotten Sirius a present every single year. Walburga, Orion, Cygnus and Druella had all found out and Cygnus and Druella had locked Narcissa, Andromeda and Bellatrix in their rooms, and Regulus was locked in his room. Sirius was sitting on their bed and started crying, they didn't even care about the presents, yeah, the presents were nice, but the real present was Narcissa, Andromeda, Bellatrix and Regulus with Sirius on their birthday, the real present was hearing their cousins and brother laugh, the real present was knowing their family wasn't getting hexed two doors down. Sirius remembers their door opening that horrible birthday and thought it was Walburga and Orion but instead it was Regulus, followed by Narcissa, Andromeda and Bellatrix. "How did you guys get out?" Sirius wiped away the tears that was falling down their own face. "Let's just say, my fist hurts" Bellatrix had said, and they all sat down by Sirius, quietly laughing and talking and being kids.
After Sirius had calmed down, they whispered to Narcissa. "How did you guys get out?"
Sirius felt Narcissa smile against the top of their head. "Let's just say, my fist hurts"
Sirius smiled and hugged Narcissa tighter. Sirius felt another pair of arms join the hug, Sirius turned their head and saw Regulus. "Don't say anything" Regulus said and buried his face in Sirius's shoulder. Sirius smiled and wrapped their other arm around Regulus, all they needed was Andromeda and Bellatrix, but Bella would never come back to them, she fully submitted herself to Voldemort, Andy would definitely come though.
After a couple of minutes, they all pulled out of the hug. "Okay I want you two to introduce me to everyone, all of your friends" Narcissa said, looking between Sirius and Regulus.
Regulus shrugged. "Okay, after I have to tell you the plan but there's no rush" Regulus turned around and walked to the living with Narcissa following behind him.
Remus was sitting on the couch and Sirius walked over to him and sat down by him cuddling up into him. Remus wrapped an arm around Sirius and pulled them closer, Sirius buried their face in Remus's chest and wrapped their arms around Remus's waist. "Are you okay stars? You were crying"
Sirius nodded. "I just... Didn't know how much I missed my cousins"
Remus nodded. Sirius looked up when he heard heels clicking on the floor coming closer, it was Narcissa. "So, what's your name?" She was addressing Remus and had a weird mix of firm and gentle in her voice.
Remus smiled and said. "Remus Lupin"
Narcissa nodded and smiled. "Narcissa Black"
"Going by Black again?" Remus asked with a genuine curiosity to his tone. Knowing Narcissa she might not take that question well.
"Yes, I am" She nodded. "Okay you're going to stand up"
Remus looked at her then looked down at Sirius. "Calm down moony, she isn't going to kill you" Sirius said sarcastically and climbed off Remus and back onto the floor, they reached a hand out to help Remus up. Remus took Sirius's hand and stood up. Sirius wrapped an arm around Remus's waist to help him stand and Remus draped an arm over Sirius's shoulder.
Narcissa looked at them and smiled. "Okay, Remus you're going to make me a promise"
"You aren't doing an unbreakable vow Narcissa, I won't let you do that" Sirius said warningly.
"I'm not, calm down" She looked at Remus. "You're going to promise me you will take care of Sirius; you're going to promise that when no one else can take care of them you will. Can you promise me that?"
Remus nodded. "I mean, it's hard to walk if I don't have my cane, but yes, I will try my best"
"No, you're not going to try, you're going to do" Narcissa crossed her arms.
"Like I said, it's hard to walk but I will try my best. And for the record Sirius is stubborn and doesn't accept help unless they need to. You knew Sirius for the first part of their life and I have known them for the second part of it. I may not know much about Sirius's childhood but that's because they have chosen not to tell me, and that is fine. Me and Sirius are both trying and that's the most you can ask for. So, if my best isn't good enough then you should've stayed" Sirius is pretty sure they have never been so attracted to Remus before. Sirius knows Narcissa's plan with this question, she asks it to every boy Sirius has ever dated. No one has ever responded correctly, but Remus did.
Narcissa smiled. "Good job, you have my blessing"
Remus's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Sorry?"
"I make every boy Sirius has dated tell me they promise to take care of Sirius, and none of them have answered the way you just did. You're bold Remus, and I can respect that. You know what you're capable of and what you're not, you know how Sirius acts, and you know they don't like accepting help, you know to respect boundaries, and I can tell you know how to break through them when it's important. You have my blessing to date my cousin" Narcissa smiled, waiting for a response.
The funny thing is, Narcissa can see through people she's always been able to. Regulus is the same way. They both know how to break peoples walls down and look through them as if they're glass, and they both know how to use their knowledge for what's best for themselves, or the people they care about. Narcissa had just looked through Remus, directly through him and she had just met him, okay maybe that's a lie, they had seen each other before at school Sirius knows that, but Sirius also knows that Remus and Narcissa had never spoken before. "Thank you, thank you for your blessing" Remus looked as if he had seen a ghost, but he also looks in awe and like he has a new respect for Narcissa.
Narcissa nodded and went to go find Regulus. Remus and Sirius sat back down on the couch and Sirius smiled at Remus. "How the fuck did your cousin know all of that?"
"Think about it, Regulus does the same thing, where do you think he got it from?" Sirius's smile turned to a smirk.
Remus nodded. "I get it now"
Sirius laughed and kissed Remus's nose. Sirius pulled back and stared at Remus, who stared back. After a few moments of staring at each other Sirius whispered. "Hi"
"Hi" Remus smiled, and it was obvious he was fighting a laugh.
"Your smiles pretty"
"So is yours" Remus reached up and tucked a piece of hair behind Sirius's ear. Sirius felt their face go hot, they knew they were blushing, and they didn't care.
Sirius bumped noses with Remus because someone had thrown a pillow at Sirius's head. Sirius turned around to see who did it. "Get a room" Regulus said with a smirk.
Sirius shook their head and immediately got up and chased Regulus around the flat. Regulus is fast, very fast and Sirius, well Sirius isn't fast, but they can be, if they try really hard. Sirius does catch up to Regulus and tackles him to the ground. Regulus yelped as he hit the floor and tried to kick Sirius away, Sirius used their leg to pin down Regulus's ankles and was holding both of Regulus's wrists. Regulus lifted his head up to try and bite Sirius, but Sirius dodged, Regulus has tried to bite Sirius all his life and has succeeded multiple times. Sirius rolled off Regulus and they both busted out laughing, Regulus hit Sirius's arm and Sirius hit back. Sirius wishes things could stay like that forever, and it could be like this forever, if there wasn't a war and if Sirius hadn't left Regulus. Sirius regrets leaving Regulus, but Sirius did everything they could to bring Regulus with them and he wouldn't go, so was it really Sirius's fault? Yes, said the voice in their head.