Regulus Black (mummys_boy) wrote in snark_n_bark, @ 2008-07-07 20:17:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | complete, gaius, regulus |
A Lunch Date
Characters: Regulus, Anubis
Summary: Regulus takes his new companion out to lunch.
Regulus knew he had crossed the fine line that separated those who viewed their pets as pets and those who viewed their pets as members of the family when he decided to take Anubis to a meeting with a client so he could treat Anubis to an outing afterward. The meeting was brief, and his client had been amused to see Regulus walk in with a cat cradled in the crook of his arm; Anubis had been petted and cooed over, which he seemed to enjoy, and once business had taken care of, Regulus had taken him to a park where they could have lunch on a bench under the shade of a tree.
The park was green and blooming with a small man-made pond filled with fish, and there were a few other people milling around or relaxing on the other benches nearby. Regulus had brought a container of fresh fish for Anubis and had packed up some leftovers from dinner the night before for himself. He settled Anubis on his lap and opened the container of fish.
"I thought it might be nice to get some fresh air," he said conversationally, as he picked up a morsel of fish and offering it to Anubis. "As long as you don't take it into your head to run off," he added sternly.
From his comfortable seat on Regulus' lap, Anubis looked up, giving Regulus a gaze of complete feline innocence; he had a good life, and he knew it, so why in the world would he want to run off anywhere? Then he turned his attention to the fish, daintily accepting the tidbit and eating it delicately. Regulus was right, though, about the fresh air; it had been nice to be taken to the meeting with Regulus' client, but being in the park, out in the bright sunshine and fresh air, was absolutely bliss.
Life with Regulus had settled into a comfortable, quiet routine. Regulus talked to him often, sharing details of his life, so that Anubis had gotten to know his adopted owner even better than Gaius had known his friend. Of course, his own end of the conversation was limited to purrs and mews and facial expressions, but it seemed Regulus didn't mind, and sometimes Anubis seemed to forget if he was man or cat, so thoroughly had the two parts of himself become integrated. He was simply Anubis, now, even in his own thoughts; a creature born the day Regulus had rescued him in Hogsmeade, and this life had become the only one he wanted - safe, pleasant, free from pain and doubt, and offering Regulus a companionship he desperately seemed to need.
Licking his whiskers clean of the fish, Anubis looked up at Regulus again and mewed a quiet request for more.
Regulus picked up another bit of fish and held it out with a smile. "Here you go, little one. Never fear. I won't let you go hungry," he said, aware that hand-feeding had sent him a little farther over that line, but he didn't care. He was happy with his new companion, and having another living being to focus his time and attention on filled a void he had been aware of and trying to ignore.
"I'll make sure you have everything you need," he added softly, stroking Anubis with his free hand. "I don't care if anyone thinks I've gone mad or turned into a crazy cat man. You're the best thing that has come into my life in quite some time. I haven't been lonely since you adopted me."
Anubis took the fish, then arched into the stroke of Regulus' hand, feeling a pang of sympathy for Regulus' loneliness. Of course, he understood Regulus better than an ordinary cat ever could, but wasn't that for the best? He turned around to nuzzle Regulus' caressing hand, purring to show Regulus that he, too, enjoyed their relationship. Hadn't Regulus saved him in more than one way in return? Anubis wasn't lonely, either, and so they seemed to be a perfect match.
The nuzzling made Regulus smile wider, and he paused in the feeding to stroke and scratch some more before offering another bite of fish. "It isn't that I haven't wanted a human companion," he said, falling back into the mode of spilling his secrets to a confidante he knew could be trusted to keep his secrets and not judge him. "I was in love once, but it didn't work out, and I'm not interested in casual sex any longer. Being nearly killed by one's own cousin does tend to shift one's priorities a bit," he said dryly. "I do have friends, however. Quite different from the so-called 'friends' from Slytherin House. Severus excepted. He was a good friend to me back then, but the rest... I never quite trusted them. The friends I have now aren't the type to manipulate or exploit anyone." He gave a little snort. "Many of them are former Gryffindors, which I suppose explains much."
Now this was information which Anubis hadn't expected Regulus to talk about, even to a supposedly non-intelligent cat, and he was caught between embarrassment at hearing something he knew Regulus would probably not want anyone to know, and fascination at the insight this offered into his friend's aloofness. Short of suddenly returning to human form then and there, however, and causing Regulus a lot of pain and embarrassment of his own, there was nothing Anubis could do. He had no desire to be human again, anyway, and so in a sense, Regulus' secrets really were completely safe.
The bite of fish disappeared, as had the others, and Anubis continued to purr, offering Regulus a look of feline sympathy. A part of him wondered vaguely about where Regulus classified Gaius-the-man in his categorization of his friends. No doubt, however, that Anubis was closer than Gaius could have ever hoped to be to this very private man.
Regulus broke off three small bites of fish and offered them on his open palm in case Anubis' hunger wasn't being satisfied well enough by one piece at a time. "It's been rather an odd adjustment, getting used to having friends who aren't out to use me in some way or who wouldn't betray me at the drop of a hat if it served their purposes. I like it... although it is still quite difficult to let anyone past a certain point." He paused, musing silently for a moment. "I would like to, but..." He shook his head and shrugged. "I suppose that is my next task to learn. If I cannot have a lover, then I should draw my friends closer."
He paused again. "Well, I could have a lover, I suppose. It's my own pickiness getting in the way, I think. Sometimes, I get the impression Harry wouldn't mind picking up where we left off in Egypt, but that was a one-time event. He's an attractive young man and lovely in bed, but too young for me, and..." He sighed wistfully. "He isn't a Snape. Damn Severus. I think he ruined me for all time," he added with wry amusement.
In the midst of a mouthful of fish, Anubis suddenly choked, jumping off Regulus' lap and onto the ground as he coughed inelegantly, then shook his head, managing to keep from embarrassing himself too much - he hoped. Regulus and Harry? That was a totally unexpected shock, and he wondered wildly what could have possibly led to that unlikely pairing. His thoughts started to stray in the direction of the person Regulus and Harry had had in common in their lives, but then shied violently away from it. That didn't bear thinking about.
Of course, he knew how Regulus had felt about Severus, and he wondered with a vague sort of amusement what Regulus would think if he knew he had a Snape of his own now, albeit not in the way he might have ever envisioned it.
Recovered from his surprise, Anubis blinked and looked up at Regulus with wounded dignity, which seemed the most cat-like thing to do in the circumstances.
Alarmed, Regulus bent and scooped up Anubis, examining him closely. "Did you choke on a bone?" he asked worriedly. "I thought they were all out. Poor little kitty. Here, perhaps some water will help." He scrounged in his bag for a chilled container of water, opened it, and offered it, stroking Anubis soothingly all the while.
The water was soothing to his throat, and Anubis lapped at it gratefully, relaxing a bit under the rhythmic stroking. He supposed he shouldn't have been so surprised, really, that Harry had been attracted to Regulus, enough so to sleep with him. He could vaguely remember Harry being quite solicitous of Regulus' well-being, and casting looks at the older man which were almost flirtatious, but Gaius hadn't thought it really meant anything. Apparently it didn't, at least on Regulus' part, or at least not enough to turn it into an actual relationship. Too bad for Harry, really. Harry could have used the assurance of an older, more experienced man, but secretly, Anubis was rather relieved that it hadn't worked out. He wouldn't be Anubis now if it had, would he? Harry would recognize him at once, and in a strange way, Regulus was his now, and Anubis didn't want to give that up.
Having had his fill of the water, Anubis sat back on Regulus' lap, curling up and looking at Regulus expectantly. He was very curious now about what else Regulus had to say on the subject of relationships.
Regulus put the lid on the container and set it aside, raising one eyebrow as he looked down at Anubis, who seemed to be curious now that the coughing fit had passed, almost as if he were interested in listening to Regulus' ramblings about his love life - or lack thereof.
"Feeling better, I take it?" He stroked Anubis' head gently. "I'll check the rest of the fish when we get home and make certain there aren't any other nasty bones." He unpacked his own lunch, which was a simple fare of fish and chips, and nibbled a chip. "At any rate... I can't imagine you're really interested in my romantic woes, but it does feel strangely good to get it out of my own head for a change." He ate another chip, thinking about the ups and downs of his love life. "It isn't that I'm not attracted to other people," he said at last. "But it seems the only people - men, really - who have attracted me on more than a surface level, who have made me think I could feel something deeper than desire have come from the same family." He sighed again, a more melancholy sound this time. "And they were all destined to be with someone else. Gaius once said he thought there was someone meant for me, but I'm not certain I believe it."
The longing in Regulus' voice made Anubis heart ache, and he purred comfortingly, wanting Regulus to know that there was someone who cared, who believed in him and that there was someone for him, someone destined to ease his loneliness. His own shattered relationship didn't bear thinking about, of course, nor had he ever thought that Regulus had been attracted to him as a man on other than a friendly basis, but a sort of pained what if crossed his mind for a moment before he resolutely pushed it away. Instead he rubbed his cheek against Regulus' chest and purred louder, hoping that it would be enough, for now, to ease the hole in both their hearts.
Winding both arms around Anubis, Regulus held him close and nuzzled the top of his head. "Yes, I have you now, and it's wonderful. Who needs Snapes when I have my own handsome, regal cat to love? Perhaps I'm not meant for a human companion, but that's quite all right as long as I have you."
Deep in his heart, the man inside of Anubis knew that this idyll couldn't last forever, no matter how much he wished it to. Someday, in some far off time that didn't bear thinking about, Regulus would find the love he was searching for, and someday he himself would have to stand on two legs again. But for now the sun was shining, and Regulus was cuddling his companion close, and Anubis was exactly what he wished to be - a cat cherished by his human, the perfect friend and confidante. Two lonely souls were filling a void for each other, and that was a very good thing in his opinion. Someday it would end, but not today.