blxckregs:
Regulus listened, his heart tight in his chest. This was his brother. His big brother. This was Sirius, who coaxed him out from under his bed when he’d hidden, scared and frightened. Sirius, who blew on his fingers to stop them from burning when he’d grabbed at something and had his hands smacked. Sirius, who was loud and funny and clever and who drew out smiles from Reg even when he knew his disobedience would only lead to pain. Sirius, who packed his bag and walked out, leaving Regulus to deal with everything on his own. To deal with the fallout.
“This wasn’t them, Sirius! Use your fucking head! Why would they want this? Rodolphus was there, Mulciber was near, they’d never put them at risk. It wasn’t them. They’re going to pay, Sirius, they’re going to suffer for what they’ve done.” He insisted, clenching his jaw. He’d known the voice. He’d held the wand in hand, nearly taken the blame for it all before Mulciber came to his rescue.
He shook his head, “They’re our family, Sirius! Our parents. I can’t abandon them.” He insisted. “You know it’s not–” He shook his head again. He didn’t have to justify himself for staying loyal to the family. He was in the right. It was Sirius who was the traitor, not Regulus. But in truth, there was so much more. It wasn’t as simple as walking out, especially with Sirius gone. Walburga and Orion had tightened their grip on Regulus. Things had changed for him since the day he’d walked out.
“No, I don’t remember Uncle Alphard.” He answered, trying to ignore the part of him that wanted to go with Sirius, the part of him that wanted to solely because he wanted to be with Sirius. He didn’t want to abandon the family, to be disloyal, he just wanted his brother back. “Why should I go with you? Huh? You left me there! You abandoned me! You chose them over me. Do you know what mother did when I–” He stopped, his breath quickening as he turned away, fighting desperately to maintain control.
Reg telling him to use his head was a joke. He knew what he was seeing, he knew it. After all the words they’d used at home and all the things they’d said, he knew for sure that this was what his family was involved in - it was what all of those families were involved in. It was awful and shit and just pure and utter horror that this was what they were doing, but Reg couldn’t keep hiding from it. Sirius knew that at least.
“They’d put everyone at risk if it’s to get what they want.” Sirius replied.
“How do you know realise that? How do you not realise that they’ll stop at bloody nothing to get what they want.” he shook his head.
“You’re kidding yourself if you think this is going to end well.”
Sirius looked at him incredulously, and crossed his arms. He cared more than he would admit for Regulus but his brother was thick. Absolutely, thick. He couldn’t believe that he was apologising for them…again. Sirius couldn’t do it. He just couldn’t do it.
“It’s easier than you think. You just go.”
“They burnt him off the tree when I was ten. You didn’t want to watch, I remember.” Sirius replied quietly.
“He’s good, we could go and stay with him, we don’t have to be apart.” He said. They could still be brothers.
“You don’t get it. They hurt me, I wasn’t standing for it anymore. You fucking punched me.”
“Wait - what, what did she do?”