Regulus Black (mummys_boy) wrote in snark_n_bark, @ 2008-09-04 11:36:00 |
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Entry tags: | complete, etienne, regulus, serafino, serenus, tybalt |
I've poured it on and I've poured it out, part 2
Characters: Regulus, Tybalt, Serenus, Etienne, Serafino
Summary: Regulus' decision to open up leads to an unexpected relocation. Continued from here.
"You're right. I could." Regulus headed to the parlor and sank down onto the sofa with a sigh, reclining against the plump cushions. "This isn't how I expected the discussion to go. I thought I would be talking more about my nightmares than my social life. Frankly, I'm far more interested in finding a way to stop waking up screaming in the middle of the night than I am in finding a way to rekindle my interest in shagging. I have tried sleeping draughts, but I am aware that is a temporary fix, not a long-term solution."
Tybalt filled their glasses and passed Regulus his, before sinking down on the sofa beside him, flushing at bit at the mild rebuke. "Sorry, I guess I rather co-opted things, but you know they're related - the nightmares and the lack of interest in sex. They're both symptoms of you not having healed. Not just Bellatrix, but Sirius and Anubis as well. I suspect since you haven't completely gotten over what happened to you at your cousin's hands, you've not healed from your other pains, either, since they tend to build on each other." He gave Regulus a sympathetic look. "Have the nightmares gotten worse recently? Has the stress of opening the shop made them better, or worse?"
"They got worse after Sirius left," Regulus replied, sipping his wine and letting it warm him. "They had receded somewhat prior to that. I had them, but not nearly as often, only once every two or three months. But after losing him, they started occurring more frequently again. Not every night, but two or three times per week, at least." He lifted one hand and scrubbed his face wearily. "I am not certain if opening the shop has contributed significantly, but the dreams have not yet begun to recede. I still have them at the same frequency."
Tybalt nodded, not surprised by that. "I think that's a pretty clear indication that you've not deal completely with Sirius' death," he said slowly. "The thing to do is to figure out why, or at least what part of it is still bothering you. Is it that you feel abandoned, or feel as if something were taken from you? Or regrets about what did or didn't happen between the two of you?"
Regulus took a moment to consider his response before replying. "I do not feel abandoned on a conscious level," he said at last. "I was not expecting what happened any more than anyone else was, and I regret that it was necessary, but what Sirius did was not surprising in and of itself. He handled the situation in a way that was entirely typical of his nature, and I do not fault him for it or feel angry about it." He paused and sipped his wine. "I miss him, of course, but what I feel most about his death-" he continued, using a word he rarely used in relation to Sirius, "-is regret. I regret we did not have more time. I regret what could have been."
He glanced down, words bubbling up, revealing things he hadn't expected. "I wish I was not alone. I have no more immediate family left, and I am the last Black of my line. There is no chance for me to have the sort of family closeness and connections that the Snapes have, and I envy them. Serenus and Gaius found their brothers and became close despite the complications. I was not so fortunate." He paused again, and this time, his words were barely audible. "The worst thing, however, is that I sometimes wonder if we would have ever been very close even if he had lived. I would like to think so, but..." He shrugged and shook his head. "I cannot be certain."
Tybalt thought about that. "I can understand how you must feel, to an extent, because my family is also very, very small and I always craved a large one. But you know, marrying into a large family has given me that, so if what you are suffering from is a loss of connection, it can be rectified. I don't even mean sex, I mean forging those connections you feel you lack. You are welcome at our house any time; Serenus is a big believer in a village being a family. That's what he grew up with, having no blood relations except his mum, but a whole clan by extension." He smiled. "You would be most welcome in the Snape clan, Uncle Regulus."
Regulus chuckled at that, shaking his head at the image of himself being an 'Uncle Regulus'. "Thank you," he said. "I appreciate the offer. I have been..." He paused, considering his words. "Somewhat uncertain about my standing. Severus seemed reluctant to rebuild our relationship at first, and there was Lupin's antagonism. That has abated somewhat, but I am still treading cautiously there. I have not spent a great deal of time with Serenus. Gaius is, ironically enough, the one I have spent the most time with and gotten to know." He swirled his wine briefly and took another sip. "I do spent time with Harry and Faelan, you know. Harry more than Faelan, really, but I do have that as a social outlet."
"You don't need a social outlet, you need a family." Tybalt said the words firmly, an idea crystallizing in his mind, one he had no doubt Serenus would approve of. "In fact, I think I know just the thing. Can you delay the opening of your shop for a few days? I think what would help is for you to come back to Azoth House with me and stay for a while. Immerse yourself in the family experience. Forge the connections you feel you lack. I can say for a fact that Serenus would love it, and perhaps you can take the time to talk to Severus and clear up any doubts about where you stand, although I'm already certain of that. Severus would never have taken the time to approach you if he didn't care, and he wouldn't have done it without Remus' full support. But you need to know that on an emotional level, not just an intellectual one, and I think a few days being overrun by children and pets and being stuffed with food by Serenus would go a long way toward healing what's broken."
Regulus went still, his eyes widening in surprise at the invitation. The last thing he had expected was to be invited to stay with Tybalt and Serenus, and he wasn't certain how to respond at first. He had to admit, despite the fact that he had spent most of his life living alone, he had enjoyed the time he'd spent at Haven's Loft despite the unfortunate circumstances, and living with other people hadn't proved bothersome, not even to someone as private as he considered himself to be.
It was unorthodox, but perhaps the idea had merit, and he nodded hesitantly. "Only if you are certain it will not be an unwelcome intrusion," he said. "As I said, I do not know Serenus very well, and we do have a rocky past."
Tybalt waved a hand. "He's all over that, I assure you. The alchemical ritual healed him of any lingering problems with regard to it. If there is one thing that Serenus loves, it's taking care of people, and that's why Azoth House is so big. I promised him a houseful of children, family, and friends, and he's going to have it. He's never happier than when he has people to feed and fuss over, and believe me, it can go a long way toward curing even the most longstanding pain. You would be welcome for as long as you want to stay; a week, a month, ten years, whatever. So long as you can deal with things being rather like Paddington Station from time to time, I think you'll like it."
Regulus gnawed on his bottom lip for a moment, and then he nodded again. "Very well. It certainly couldn't hurt, and I am willing to try anything that might help. When did you have in mind?"
With a grin, Tybalt rose to his feet. "No time like the present, don't you think? Why don't you grab enough stuff for a few days, and I'll clear the table and clean up. Then we can Floo right home, and probably be in time for dessert."
Regulus stood as well, feeling a little apprehensive, but he was willing to give anything a try at this point. "All right," he said. "I will only be a few moments."
With that, he turned and headed into the bedroom to pack a few necessities for himself and Sekhmet, more than a little bemused at this unexpected turn of events.
As Regulus disappeared, Tybalt moved to the table, drawing his wand and carefully levitating the dishes and leftover food to the kitchen. He made short work of storing the food and cleaning the dishes, even taking time to wipe the counters, leaving everything pristine. Then he returned to the parlor to wait, smiling to himself, more pleased by the moment with his plan. Serenus was a wonderful healing person, and if a few days at Azoth House didn't help Regulus with his problems, then perhaps nothing really could.
It didn't take Regulus long to gather his things, and Sekhmet followed and watched with interest, seeming to realize there was a change in the air. Regulus packed one small bag, not wanting to assume he would need more; after all, the new arrangement might not work out, and he might be back home within a day or two, but he could always return home to fetch anything he needed. With his bag in one hand, he gathered upSekhmet with his free arm and returned to the parlor.
"I am ready," he said, noting how pleased with himself Tybalt appeared.
"Great! Everything's cleaned up, too. Shall we go?" Tybalt moved to the Floo, tossing in a pinch of powder and then disappearing in a flash of green. He stepped out of the hearth at Azoth House, calling out for Serenus before turning and waiting for Regulus to arrive.
Drawing in a deep, bracing breath, Regulus took a pinch of powder and stepped into the green flames, following behind Tybalt to Azoth House. Sekhmet leaped out of his arms as soon as they arrived and shook herself, and then she peered around at her new surroundings with the air of a queen gazing at her new realm. Regulus waited on the hearth rug, wanting to make certain Serenus was all right with the situation before he took the liberty of settling in.
"Welcome," Tybalt said, stooping to pet Sekhmet for a moment, making sure she was all right with the location change. Then he straightened, looking around. "Huh, Serenus must not have heard me, but I bet he's in the kitchen. Come on - we'll go find him instead."
He gestured for Regulus to follow, making his way toward the back of the house. "Serenus? Boys? Has anyone left us any dessert?"
Serenus was in the kitchen, standing guard while the boys ate their chocolate cake to make sure no icing was flung onto the walls and that Wooster didn't snuffle up every single crumb that fell on the floor. Engrossed in his task, he didn't hear Tybalt at first, but once Tybalt drew nearer and the summons grew louder, he pushed back his chair and rose, moving to greet Tybalt with a smile and a kiss.
"We might have a tiny piece of chocolate cake," he said, teasing. "If not, I can probably scrape a bit of icing off the boys' faces so you can get a taste." He spotted Regulus standing a short distance behind Tybalt, and he glanced back and forth between them, his eyebrows climbing. "Hello, Regulus," he said, looking at Regulus with growing curiosity. "Are you here for dessert too?"
Tybalt returned the kiss with a smacking one of his own, then grinned at Serenus. "Actually, he's here to stay for a few days. Desperate times, desperate measures and all that. I tried snogging him to prove that he wasn't as emotionally dead as he thought, but it didn't work, so I figure if he can hold out against your fussing and coddling, he truly is in a bad way."
Serenus' eyebrows rose higher at that, and rather than abate, his curiosity flared; he couldn't wait to get Tybalt alone and drag all the details out of him. The comment about Tybalt kissing Regulus didn't bother him; he knew Tybalt's heart was in his hands alone, and he wasn't threatened by a simple kiss.
"Well, in that case, why don't you get him some cake and make sure the boys haven't demolished the kitchen, and I'll make up a room for Regulus," he suggested, giving Tybalt's arse a little pat as he moved around him and approached Regulus. "Here, give me your luggage, and I'll take it upstairs for you."
Regulus hadn't expected Tybalt to hide the kiss from his partner, but he hadn't expected Tybalt to announce it in such a casual manner or for Serenus to take it in stride so easily. It spoke of an easy trust that was completely foreign to Regulus; he couldn't even imagine a relationship that allowed for one partner to kiss someone else and the other partner to be accepting of it.
"You... don't mind that he kissed me?" he asked uncertainly as he handed over his luggage, wanting to make sure he wasn't going to be hexed to oblivion in the middle of the night.
Taking Regulus' bag, Serenus glanced at him, surprised by the question. "No, I don't mind," he replied mildly, offering a reassuring smile. "If Tybalt kissed you, then he must have thought it was necessary for some reason. I'm sure he'll tell me why, and in the meantime, I get to imagine what it looked like, which will have pleasant repercussions for him later."
"Told you," Tybalt said to Regulus, smiling at Serenus, knowing his husband had a knack for saying exactly the right thing and meaning it, too. "Come on, we might as well start the immersion now. There's nothing like chocolate covered twins to show you exactly what family life is like."
Moving into the kitchen, Tybalt paused to kiss each twin on a grubby cheek, coming away with smears of chocolate on his own face but not minding in the slightest. Wooster ran around his feet, yapping joyously, and Tybalt retrieved two dishtowels, dampening them under the faucet as the boys continued their busy demolition of their dessert. "I'll even give you the easy one," Tybalt said, pointing at Serafino. "Top down, and don't worry about the dried bits. They'll be getting a bath anyway."
Chuckling, Serenus left them to the task and headed upstairs to select one of the guest rooms for Regulus; the bed needed to be made, and he wanted to make certain everything was tidy before taking Regulus up. Certainly this was an unusual turn of events, but he didn't mind; if it helped, he was happy to open their home to Regulus for a while.
Meanwhile, Regulus stopped for a moment to take in the sight that met his eyes. Immersion indeed! Sekhmet sat at his feet and regarded the little yapping creature with disdain, obviously ready to smack it if necessary to show who was in control just as she had the creature that had attempted to steal her earrings.
"Er..." Regulus accepted the wet dish towel and eyed the little boy - Serafino - that Tybalt had indicated dubiously. "Does cake magically expand when it touches children's skin? This looks like a great deal of cake."
"You would be absolutely amazed at how dirty children can get," Tybalt replied, swiping at Etienne's forehead and ears and earning a junior version of the Glare of Messy Death in return. "If you put them in a totally clean room, without so much as a speck of dust, within five minutes, they'll be grimy. I figure it's an innate magical ability or something."
Serafino turned to look up at Regulus, grinning widely and holding out a smooshed handful of crumbs toward him. "Share?" he asked, then puckered up his lips. "Want kiss!"
Regulus' eyes widened at that, and he forced himself not to take an involuntary step back. He had wanted connections, after all, and this was part of the immersion process, despite the recoiling of his tidy soul at the prospect ofsmushy cake crumbs touching him. He swiped the dishcloth all over Serafino's face and then cleaned his hands thoroughly before bending over and giving Serafino the requested kiss. A few more swipes - and a surreptitious cleaning charm - and Serafino was clean, and then Regulus straightened and regarded his handiwork with satisfaction.
"There. Mostly clean for now," he said, glancing at Tybalt for confirmation.
"Great job!" Tybalt nodded in approval, while he attempted to clean off a far less cooperative Etienne. He noted that Regulus had indeed given Serafino a kiss, and he smiled, thinking that perhaps his cuddlesome son might be able to help Regulus heal.
After a bit of a struggle and a few indignant squawks, Etienne was also clean and looked as grumpy as Serafino looked happy. To spare Regulus any more chocolate, he scooped up Etienne and then Serafino, not minding the smudges of icing that transferred from their clothing to his. "Bath, then story time , I think, unless Serenus has other plans. Are you still in the mood for cake after that, or did you absorb enough through osmosis to cure your sweet tooth?"
"No cake for me, thank you," Regulus replied. He was mellowed by the wine he had drunk, but he wasn't terribly hungry, still preoccupied by the emotional ups and downs of the conversation and reeling from the turns it had taken.
Just then, Serenus returned to the kitchen, smiling warmly at them both, and he went to take one of the twins from Tybalt to help share the load. "Your room is ready," he said, looking at Regulus. "Third door on the left on the second floor. The loo is two doors down. If you'd like to settle in, we can handle bath and story time and catch up with you in the parlor later. I have a feeling I have an interesting story in store myself tonight."
Tybalt willingly relinquished Etienne, who clung to Serenus and turned to eye Tybalt as though he were some sort of monster, still resenting the face wiping. "I'm sure you need a small break after that, Regulus, but you should know you handled it like a trooper. If you'd like to look around and let Sekhmet settle in, this won't take very long. Then tomorrow night, maybe it'll be your turn to tell a story."
Regulus had no experience in telling stories to anyone, much less small children, but he supposed he could give it a try. It was part of family life, after all, and this kind of family - close, laughing, loving - was so far beyond his experience as to be a novelty.
"Perhaps so," he said, inclining his head. "I will see you later, then." He paused, then added, "Good luck."
Chuckling, Serenus nodded and headed back to the stairs, rubbing Etienne's back soothingly. "Thank you. We do need it sometimes." He glanced back at Tybalt. "Coming?" he asked. With any luck, he would get part of the story while they bathed the twins.
"With you, love," Tybalt said, then gave Regulus a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, you'll survive. I promise." With that, he followed Serenus up the stairs, more than willing to share with Serenus just how things had gone, and what he thought they might need to do to help Regulus heal at last.