Changes and Comparisons
Characters: Severus, Remus, Cymbeline, Regulus Summary: Regulus runs into part of the Snape clan, with unexpected results
"What do you think of this one, Princess?"
Remus held up a shiny black leather collar dotted with sparkling rhinestones, one of perhaps a hundred different ones the Diagon Alley petshop had on display. He passed it over to Cymbeline for her critical examination, while Cyanide, the eventual owner of whichever one she picked, remained clutched carefully in her arms. Fortunately the kitten seemed to have bonded well with Cymbeline and showed no sign of wanting to jump down and run off, for which he was quite grateful. Cyanide still regarded him warily, sensing the wolf, and Remus was certain that if the little fuzzball did run off, it would only scare her if he had to give chase.
Taking a step closer to Severus, Remus grinned wickedly, eyes sparkling with mischief. "If that one doesn't meet with her approval, I know a certain tall, dark, and snarky Slytherin whom it would suit very well indeed," he murmured for Severus' ears alone. "Although if you'd like, I'd get you one with diamonds instead."
Severus raised one eyebrow and peered haughtily down at Remus. "I should think if anyone is going to wear a collar, it ought to be you," he replied quietly. "Although if you insist on getting one for me, there had better be diamonds."
Oblivious to her parents' exchange, Cymbeline scrutinized the collar carefully and held it against Cyanide's fur to see how it looked. She liked the contrast of the black leather against Cyanide's white fur, and there were enough rhinestones to satisfy her desire for sparkle, and so she nodded, beaming up at her parents.
"I like this one!" she said.
"There are others to choose from." Severus directed her attention to the display of collars. "Perhaps you should look at some more before making a final decision."
"Okay." Cymbeline nodded agreeably and began perusing the rest of the collars, the black leather one still clutched in one hand.
Remus chuckled at Severus' comment, and his smooth redirection of Cymbeline's attention. "I already have a collar, remember?" he asked, trailing one finger down Severus' arm. "Maybe I ought to put it on to jog your memory, eh? But I could have yours made to match mine... adding the sparklies, of course. We certainly know where Cymbeline gets her penchant for gems, don't we?"
Severus had forgotten the collar, but the reminder piqued his interest - and his libido. "Yes," he purred softly. "I think I need a visual reminder. Perhaps later tonight." He glanced over at Cymbeline, who was eying the most sparkley collars on the display. "Hmph. I have to wonder if letting Winslow rest on your stomach so much while you were pregnant was a good idea. I think he rubbed off, not me."
"I'd much prefer you rubbing off on me," Remus shot back smartly, his own desire stirring at the tone of Severus' voice. He was enjoying this outing more than he expected to when he and Severus had given in to Cymbeline's pleas that Cyanide had to have a new collar because she was outgrowing her old one so quickly. He hadn't really minded, of course - he and Severus tried to give all three of the children their individual attention as often as they could, and this seemed a perfect opportunity to take Cymbeline out for a jaunt, just the three of them. But the pet store was giving him some wicked ideas, and he winked at Severus as he fingered a dangling leash that matched the collar in Cymbeline's hand.
It wasn't difficult to divine the direction of Remus' thoughts, and Severus smirked as he plucked the leash off the display and ran it slowly between his long fingers, stroking the supple leather. If Remus wanted to play and tease, then Severus would oblige.
Regulus entered the pet shop and called out a cheerful greeting to the owner, who knew him quite well by now. He'd been in so often since taking in Anubis that most of the staff knew him by face if not by name, and they knew he wouldn't leave without something new for his furry companion. He stopped in his tracks at the sight of familiar faces, surprised to see Severus and Remus standing by a display of collars with their heads together. Once, a sight like that might have given him a pang, but now it didn't bother him... Well, except for a little wistfulness that he hadn't found someone of his own whom he could trust and love as Severus had found.
"Hello," he said, smiling as he moved towards them. "Fancy meeting you here. Are you shopping for the... what is it? A criffler?"
"Winslow," Severus said. "No, we aren't here for him." He gestured to Cymbeline and Cyanide. "The cat needed a new collar."
Remus smiled pleasantly at Regulus. "Hullo, there," he said quietly. His animosity toward the other man had faded a great deal after Regulus had brought Cymbeline home the time she had run away. There had been a time he wouldn't have trusted Regulus anywhere near his children despite how Regulus had once felt about Severus, but all that seemed to have changed. And after Sirius' death and the reading of his will, Remus was willing to accept Regulus on at least cordial terms. "She dotes on that kitten so much I think Severus may even one day forgive Gaius for giving it to her. At least until the next time she sheds white fur on his black robes!"
Severus grumbled at the mention of white fur. Sure enough, that damned cat seemed to be drawn to him like a moth to a flame, rubbing against his legs and leaving his trousers coated with white hairs every chance she got. Fortunately for the continued health and long life of the cat, he knew an excellent fur-removal charm.
Regulus chuckled, amused by Severus' obvious disgruntlement and also pleased that Lupin seemed to have softened towards him of late. He doubted they would ever be friends, but cordiality was far better than wondering if he might get his throat ripped out.
"Reg'lus!" Cymbeline darted over, happy to see her friend. She held up Cyanide, smiling proudly. "I have a kitty! See? Isn't she pretty?"
"She's very pretty," Regulus replied, reaching out to scratch the kitten's ears. "What is her name?"
"Cyanide."
Regulus glanced at Severus and Lupin questioningly, but he offered no comment on the choice of name, although he thought it was more proof that Cymbeline was very much her papa's daughter. "I have a new kitty, too," he said instead. "Although mine is black."
"A black cat for a Black?" Severus gave an amused snort. "How fitting. I didn't think you were the type to have a pet, though."
"I was chosen," Regulus replied dryly.
Remus couldn't help but laugh quietly at Regulus' telling look over the name of Cymbeline's cat, although he, too, was surprised to hear that Regulus had a cat of his own. "Sometimes it happens that way - Winslow sort of adopted Severus, too," he said, nudging Severus playfully. "So what have you named your cat? Hopefully not something like Nightshade!"
"No, nothing quite so dire," Regulus replied, smiling. "I named him Anubis. We met when I rescued him from a much bigger dog, and he decided to follow me home. I seem to have been turning into a devoted cat slave ever since."
"Has he got a pretty collar?" Cymbeline asked, cuddling Cyanide to her chest as she gazed up at Regulus.
"He does, yes." Regulus nodded. "I gave him an antique necklace I bought in Cairo to wear."
Cymbeline's eyes widened at that, and Severus elbowed Regulus sharply.
"Don't give her any ideas," Severus groused. "She already has quite an affinity for shiny, sparkly things, and I am not giving up any of my jewelry to a cat."
Regulus laughed and tried to look apologetic. "Sorry." He looked down at Cymbeline again. "I could see if I have anything suitable for a white kitty."
"Really?" Cymbeline would have clapped her hands, but she didn't want to drop Cyanide; her delight at the prospect was clear to read on her face, however. "Thank you!"
"Uh oh... you're in for it now!" Remus warned Regulus, although his lips were twitching as he tried not to burst out laughing. "She's not going to forget that, so be prepared to be quizzed relentlessly until you do!" If Regulus thought a cat was demanding, he'd not yet run up against a determined Cymbeline.
"I'll be certain not to forget," Regulus promised, making a mental note to look for something suitable in his antique jewelry collection as soon as he got home.
The talk of black cats reminded Severus of something he'd meant to write to Regulus about, but now that they were face-to-face, he could go ahead and ask. "Changing the subject for a moment, but I don't suppose you have heard from Gaius lately, have you?" he asked. "Serenus and I haven't heard from him since he went to Germany, but we thought perhaps he wanted a break from family. He considers you a friend, however, and I thought perhaps he might have been in touch."
"No..." Regulus frowned slightly and shook his head. He'd been so wrapped up in Anubis, he'd forgotten how long it had been since Gaius had left. "No, I'm sorry, but I haven't heard anything from him. The last time I spoke to him was before he left."
Remus knew that Severus and Serenus had been worried about their younger brother, and he stepped closer, slipping an arm around Severus' waist. Severus wasn't the kind to show his concern in public, but Remus wanted his mate to know he was there to support him. "I'm sure he'll turn up when he's ready," he said, smiling reassuringly. "He came so far to find his family, he's not about to give it up now, no matter how much he's hurting." He looked at Regulus. "Would you mind letting us know if he does contact you? Or let Serenus know, if that's more convenient."
Severus slid his arm around Remus' shoulders in return, grateful for the silent offer of support; he had been worried about Gaius' prolonged disappearance, especially since neither he nor Serenus knew exactly where Gaius was from, so Severus couldn't go there and haul him back home where he belonged as he had done Serenus.
"Of course." Regulus nodded, feeling a little worried about Gaius himself. "Did he tell you where he was going or when he would be back? Is he overdue?"
"He just said he was going back to Germany to visit the people who helped his mother raise him, right?" Remus said, looking at Severus for acknowledgment, since he'd not spoken to Gaius directly, although Serenus and Severus both had told him about the conversation. "I suppose we could send an inquiry to Durmstrang - they'd definitely know where he was from, since he was not only a professor but a student there as well. If he doesn't come back soon, perhaps we can pursue that route."
"He said he would be gone a couple of weeks, perhaps as long as a month," Severus said. "But I didn't think he would simply go away and not contact any of us the entire time." He glanced at Remus with approval. "Contacting Durmstrang would be a good place to start if need be."
"I hope it doesn't come to that," Regulus said. "Have you tried writing to him?"
Remus looked at Severus, then sighed. "Yes, Serenus did, but the owl came back. But there could be any number of reasons for that - he could be in an untraceable place, or maybe he's not accepting any communications for a little while." Personally he would be surprised if Gaius would be so selfish even in his grief, so he was leaning toward Gaius hiding out somewhere to do his mourning in private. "We could try again, of course. But he's not really been gone so long yet... and he did promise to come back."
"Did he? Good." Regulus nodded, satisfied. If Gaius promised to come back, Regulus trusted him to keep his word. "Then I'm certain he will show up any day now."
"I suppose it hasn't been that long," Severus agreed grudgingly. "It feels like a long time, however."
Regulus gave him a look that blended sympathy and envy; he wished he and Sirius had reached the point of being close like Severus and his brothers... or at least to the point of not being as prone to misunderstanding one another.
"It does - the children miss him, too," Remus said, watching as Cymbeline chattered away to her kitten about the merits of the various items on display, far more interested in the opinion of her furry companion than the conversation between the adults. Then he turned his gaze back to Regulus, all the talk of Gaius and their worry for him recalling the fact that not only had Remus lost a friend, but Regulus had lost his only sibling. While Regulus and Sirius hadn't been very close, Remus knew they had been working on closing that gap, and now no one would ever know if they could have put it all behind them at last.
"I want to offer my condolences on Sirius' death," he said suddenly, but his tone and eyes were sincere. "He was about as close as I ever had to a brother, too. I know that he was pleased that you both were moving beyond the past."
Regulus was surprised by the sudden shift of topic, and his expression turned somber. "Thank you," he said. "I was pleased as well. I only wish we had got further along." He mustered a half-smile. "It's better than him dying again still hating me, however."
Severus listened and wisely said nothing, knowing both of them felt far more for Black than he did and letting them console each other.
"Yes... I imagine we all have some regrets, losing him suddenly like that, but..." Remus sighed and shook his head. "I suppose it is a very forceful reminder to cherish what we have and not waste time on things that simply don't matter. There's too much in life that does matter, and I'd rather spend my time on those. So in a way, Sirius gave all of us a double gift - our magic, and a greater appreciation for life."
"Very true." Regulus nodded, surprised and amused to find himself agreeing with Lupin. "I am trying to make a few changes myself. Keeping in better touch with friends, for instance." He smiled wryly. "Adopting a cat wasn't part of my plan, but it seemed I had little choice in the matter, and I don't regret it. Having Anubis around has been a surprisingly good thing."
"Pets can offer comfort and companionship," Severus said, remembering how much Winslow had helped him when Remus had been kidnapped. He had felt less alone, and even though Winslow couldn't talk, it had helped Severus just to have another living being in the house.
"I'll remind you of that the next time Winslow steals one of your pieces of jewelry," Remus said, chuckling fondly as he patted Severus' hip. "Speaking of which... we should collect the Princess and head home for dinner." He paused for a moment, then turned to Regulus once more. "Would you care to join us? It's not fancy, and the children can certainly make it a circus sometimes, but you're welcome to come if you'd like. I know that Severus would enjoy having you, wouldn't you, love? Friendships need time and attention to flourish." Sirius had taught him that, too, but he didn't see the need to mention it. He just didn't want Severus to end up with the same regrets he did over not holding his friends as close as he could.
"Yes, I would like that," Severus said casually, giving Remus a grateful little squeeze. He never thought Remus would reach the point of accepting Regulus in their home, much less inviting him, and he was pleased by the change; it relieved the residual guilt he felt over pursuing a friendship he knew Remus didn't like.
Regulus tried not to boggle, but he wasn't certain how successful he was at it. Saying he was shocked that Lupin had extended the invitation was a massive understatement, and it was a testament to how much things really had changed. "Yes, I would like that," he said. "I lived at Haven's Loft for a while with two Animagi and a werewolf. I think I can handle the circus." And it was a far better option than returning home and eating alone except for Anubis. He would just have to make up for his absence with some fresh fish.
"Excellent." Remus smiled, secretly amused that he'd managed to stun the normally unflappable Regulus. "Come on, Princess," he called out for Cymbeline, then hoisted her, kitten and all, up on his shoulders. "We'll go pay for this while Regulus gets whatever it was he came for, all right? Meet you outside in a few minutes?"
"Yes, all right," Regulus agreed, composing himself now that the shock had worn off. "I won't be long." With that, he turned and headed down a different aisle to collect his supplies.
Severus bent and brushed a kiss to Remus' cheek. "Thank you," he murmured.
Remus leaned into the kiss, then turned his head to nuzzle his nose against Severus' cheek. "You're welcome. It seemed to be the right thing to do. He's your friend, and friends matter. If you can put up with me spending time with Harry, I can certainly be civil to Regulus."
"I can endure Potter," Severus replied, sliding his hand down Remus' back to pat his arse briefly. "I appreciate your willingness to endure Regulus."
"It's not just endurance," Remus admitted, giving a slight shrug. "He's actually decent. Not that I think we'll be confidantes or anything, but... well, people change, right? He has, so I can, too. Not just for your sake, either. There is no need for us to be enemies, is there? We're on the same side. I think it's time I grew up a bit. I have you, so I really have everything I need."
Severus couldn't help but be warmed by Remus' words, and he nuzzled Remus in return. "Soppy wolf," he murmured. He reached up and tugged on Cymbeline's braid as she rolled her eyes and sighed over her parents' exchange. "Shall we take care of business, then? Before we bore our daughter to tears."
Remus laughed, bouncing a bit so that Cymbeline squealed from her high perch. "Yes, let's. I must admit I'm a bit curious to see how our little zoo stacks up against that of Haven's Loft." He winked at Severus. "Somehow I have the feeling that no number of Animagi or werewolves could possibly prepare Regulus for the onslaught of three little Snapes!"
"We'll call it a learning experience," Severus said, an evil smirk curving his lips as he steered Remus toward the till, the leash still in his hand. He hadn't forgotten about the collar, and he intended to see Remus in it as soon as they were alone and the children were in bed.