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Tweak says, "I love the library."

_withoutacause (_withoutacause) wrote in the_recruitment,
@ 2012-03-11 15:05:00

Entry tags:

! 03/1977, ! thread, char: regulus black, char: sirius black

Who: Sirius and Regulus
What: A long overdue talk
When: Sunday afternoon
Where: The lake
Rating: PG
Status: Incomplete

Sirius was extremely nervous about talking to Reg, even though he knew it was the right thing to do. He'd said somethings to his brother in his altered state, and just because "Other Sirius" had said them didn't make them any less true. He'd been neglecting the kid, and it was time he started making up for it. Hell, just the fact that Reg was willing to meet him here had to mean something. Maybe they could go back to being, well, probably not best friends, but at least brothers. They could at least be brother again.

He honestly wasn't sure what he was going to say to the kid, but he knew it was his job to start this conversation. He was older, he was the one Reg used to look up to. He owed to to both of them to at least try.

He leaned against his favorite beech tree by the lake and waited for the kid to show up, hoping he wasn't going to change his mind.

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blackest_reg
2012-03-11 10:37 pm UTC (link)

Regulus certainly hadn't changed his mind, although he did make his brother wait a bit. Didn't want to seem over-eager, after all. He'd considered leaving his wand behind as a sign of trust, but at the last minute had grabbed it just to be safe. If he walked unarmed into a Gryffindor hex, Regulus would never hear the end of it.

There was a small part of him that dearly wanted for them to be the way they were before Sirius had gone off to school. This meeting both terrified and thrilled him at the same time.

It was oddly comforting to see his brother's form at the edge of the lake, knowing he was waiting for him. "Sirius," he called out to let the other boy know he was approaching.

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	_withoutacause 2012-03-11 10:45 pm UTC (link)
	Sirius turned at the sound of his name, and grinned as his brother came walking up. "Reg!" He waved the younger boy over. "I almost thought you weren't going to come." He rubbed his hand across the back of his neck, trying not to seem as awkward as he felt. "How are you?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	blackest_reg 2012-03-11 10:57 pm UTC (link)
	Regulus regarded his brother carefully. He was still wary, afraid that his brother had lured him out just to harass him. He paused a moment, then closed the gap between them so that they stood closer than they had been in years. "I'm well," he said with a bit of a shrug. "And you?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	_withoutacause 2012-03-11 11:15 pm UTC (link)
	Sirius felt his grin widen as the kid stepped closer. This was good! They could make this work. "Fine. You know me, same old same old." He leaned against the tree, trying too look casual. "Look, I think you and me should start again." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	blackest_reg 2012-03-11 11:23 pm UTC (link)
	He wanted to say that no, he didn't know him anymore, but Sirius didn't give him that opening. "Start again?" Regulus repeated. How could they start again? Regulus wasn't sure he trusted his brother. "How do you suggest we do that?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	_withoutacause 2012-03-12 04:54 am UTC (link)
	Sirius shrugged, a little embarrassed. He honestly didn't think that far ahead. "I don't know. Look, I'm not say it'll be easy, but I don't want us to be at odds all the time! We're brothers Reg, and that has to mean something." Besides, something dark is happening around here, and I don't want us to end up on different sides. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

blackest_reg
2012-03-12 01:42 pm UTC (link)

Regulus felt himself pouting a bit, and tried to hide it. He'd never stopped considering them brothers. He'd always been waiting for the moment his brother would something to him. Hey, Reg! he'd imagined. I've been a jerk, but I missed you. I'm sorry I hurt you by ignoring you for all these years.

But of course, it would never go like that.

"How do I know you won't aban-" he stopped himself, not wanting to sound whiney. He was afraid if he used the wrong word choice, Sirius would use it against him, and make him the laughing stock of the school. "How do I know you won't forget me the minute your Gryffindor friends say jump."

That was always the way of things. Regulus felt like he'd been reaching out to his brother for six and a half years, but Sirius had only ever seen James Potter and Remus Lupin. And maybe that little fat one, Peter, but not as much.

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_withoutacause
2012-03-13 05:04 pm UTC (link)

Sirius gave Regulus an incredulous look. What was he on about? He was the one who all but disowned him after he got sorted into Gryffindor.

"How do I know you won't turn your back on me the moment Mummy Dearest says boo?"

He ran a hand through his hair, he really hadn't come here to fight.

"Look, Reg, if we're going to try this we should at least attempt to trust each other, yeah?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	blackest_reg 2012-03-14 07:00 am UTC (link)
	"I never turned my back on you," he said, sternly. To him, it was true. Sirius had been the one who had turned away. Regulus had written, but Sirius had never written back. He watched his brother carefully. He wanted to trust him... but six years of feeling betrayed had left him utterly scarred. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	_withoutacause 2012-03-14 07:11 am UTC (link)
	Sirius ran a hand through his hair, already starting to get frustrated. "We're not going to get anywhere like this. Who turned who's back, whatever, forget about it. It happened, we've lived with it, now do you want to try to get past it or not? I'm trying here Reg, but if you're not going to even attempt to trust me then forget it." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	blackest_reg 2012-03-14 07:50 am UTC (link)
	Regulus frowned, then took a deep, deep breath. "Fine," he sighed. "How do we fix it?" He wondered if it would really work... if Sirius would actually try to be his brother, or if these were just more false words of fluff because he was fighting with James or something like that. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

_withoutacause
2012-03-15 06:28 am UTC (link)

Sirius smiled sheepishly.

"I don't know. I didn't plan that far ahead." He took a step forward, then carefully laid a hand on his little brothers arm. "Maybe we could just, I don't know, take it one day at a time? Talk to each other, like real human people? I know a way into the kitchen, we could eat sometimes. Catch up. I want to know what's going on in your life."

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blackest_reg
2012-03-15 06:41 am UTC (link)

Regulus's whole body tensed when his brother stepped forward and reached for him, having thought his brother was going to strike him. Did he really mistrust his brother that much? Or was it residual from the scoldings he'd received from their mother?

But when he realized his brother was only going to touch his arm -softly at that- he relaxed, at least a little. He was quiet for a long moment, his eyes searching Sirius's face for... something. He wasn't sure what. And he had no idea what to say.

After a moment's more time, what came out was only, "Okay."

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	_withoutacause 2012-03-15 06:47 am UTC (link)
	Sirius grinned, then pulled Regulus into a tight hug. "It'll be good, you'll see." He patted his back, then pulled away, still smiling. "We can make this work." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

blackest_reg
2012-03-15 06:54 am UTC (link)

The hug really caught Regulus off-guard, and for a moment he could just picture himself: Sirius hugging him, and him with his arms awkwardly sticking out behind Sirius's back. As the shock started to wear off, Regulus, too, patted at his brother's back, though much gentler.

"I hope so," he agreed when pulling back. Regulus scratched at the back of his neck. He looked around at the lake. "What should we do now?"

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	_withoutacause 2012-03-17 06:53 am UTC (link)
	Sirius shrugged, letting his brother go but keeping a hand on his shoulder. "Dunno, dinner? I don't know about you, but I'm bloody starving. You could tell me all about the exciting life you've been leading since I was liberated." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	blackest_reg 2012-03-17 07:23 am UTC (link)
	"Hasn't been that exciting," he insisted. "You know, lots of yelling and high expectations. The usual." Dinner? In the castle? Now that would spark some rumors. The last thing he needed was Rita Skeeter on his case about his brother. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

_withoutacause
2012-03-20 04:21 pm UTC (link)

Sirius wanted to press a little harder, to find out for sure whether Reg was involved in some of the terrible things that had been happening around the school. But their truce was still very fragile, and he didn't want to push the kid away. Better to wait, to get his trust back, before really digging. And if he was in trouble, Sirius was more than ready to get him out of it.

"Life with Mummy was always so fun." He noticed that Reg didn't take him up on dinner, so he let it slide. "I'm heading up to the Hall, but I get it if you're not ready to come with me. We'll keep in touch though, yeah?"

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	blackest_reg 2012-03-20 05:13 pm UTC (link)
	Regulus opened his mouth to say that he wanted to go, then stopped and lowered his gaze. "Alright," he nodded. He sort of doubted that his brother would actually keep in touch, but he could hope that it would be true. (Reply to this) (Parent)