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—RIGEL IMMEDIATELY TENSED WHEN A NOW TWO-YEAR-OLD GIRL RUSHED OVER TO HIM AND HUGGED HIS LEG. Tom tried hiding his amusement. Sirius and Remus walked into the living room where Tom had apparated himself and Rigel to, both of them grinning at the two.
"Rigel, meet your new sister— Cierra Lily Black." Sirius said.
"... You named her Black Lily Black?" Tom deadpanned.
"Sirius' idea definitely." mumbled Rigel.
"Well— yes." Sirius' grin only grew.
Remus rolled his eyes fondly.
Rigel, however, still didn't move a muscle, looking at the two year old. "When is it going to let my leg go?"
"Ri— she's not an it—!"
"Soon." Sirius cut his husband off. "She was just excited to meet her new brother."
"Right. Brother." Rigel nodded, the word feeling unfamiliar on his tongue.
He tried not to let his awe show when the toddler looked up, showing off her light brown eyes and jet black hair.
Remus chuckled. "You should know by now that we won't judge you if you adore her."
"I don't adore her!" Rigel immediately denied, earning a knowing look from Tom, who flopped onto the couch. "Can it leave me?"
"Cierra, darling, nap time." Remus said, walking over and putting his pouting daughter on his hip.
••
Rigel woke up the next day and looked at his alarm clock.
He sighed when he realized it was only 7 A.M.
He stood up, took a shower, and got changed into grey ripped jeans, a black hoodie, and black sneakers.
He took one glance at his messy hair, rolling his eyes at the messiness, and walked out of his room.
••
Rigel was eating breakfast with Tom in silence, who was reading the daily prophet, while Sirius and Remus were still asleep.
The Black heir tensed and almost pulled his wand out when he felt two arms on his legs, but stopped halfway as he realized who it was.
Two wide brown eyes filled with admiration and joy looked up at him.
Rigel blinked.
"Hewwo!"
"You can talk?" Rigel asked blankly.
"She's 2, Rigel, not a newborn." Tom pointed out, not looking up from the daily prophet.
Remus walked in at that moment, trying to stop his laughter when his son looked at him in desperation.
"Remy, I think it's trying to bond. Get it off me."
Tom's lips quirked upwards, while Remus laughed openly.
"Ri, give her a chance." Remus said, getting his daughter off of his son and putting her on his hip. "You're hungry, aren't you, darling?"
Cierra nodded, snuggling into Remus. "Hungwy, dada!"
Rigel stood up immediately and walked out of the kitchen, not wanting to be there any longer.
••
"Ri," Sirius shook his head sadly. "maybe you should give your sister a chance."
Rigel, not looking up from the letter he was writing to Draco, said, "What have I done wrong?"
Sirius sighed, sitting in front of him and holding his son's hands.
Rigel finally looked at him with his cold green eyes, but didn't pull his hands away.
"... Where did my affectionate, trouble-making, spirited son go?" Sirius whispered, noticing the coldness in his son's eyes, his own eyes tearing up.
It was the first time Rigel had seen Sirius with tears in his eyes, so naturally, it brought tears to his own eyes, making his coldness disappear— and all of his emotions that he had been trying to hide, appear.
"He grew up."
"But he grew up so quickly." Sirius shook his head, putting a hand on his son's cheek softly. "You've been like this for years, Rigel. Heck, I think the last time I've seen you laugh wholeheartedly was when I got you that toy broom on your first birthday."
"...I'm sorry." Rigel looked down, trying to fight his tears. "I don't know where he went."
Sirius sighed. "Ri, if you're not happy in this family—"
"No!" Rigel immediately cut him off, looking appalled. "I am happy with the family I have! It's just that I can't stop myself from thinking what would've happened if my real parents didn't die. I remind everybody of them both, and if it weren't for my looks, everyone would've probably called me 'James'. Heck, even you and Remus forget that I'm.. me.. sometimes, and not James or Lily... Everyone knows who they were and how they were, yet I'm the only one who doesn't."
After a few seconds of silence, Sirius snapped out of his shock. "Ri, I had no idea you felt this way... I'm so sorry—"
"It's not your fault." Rigel immediately cut him off, unknowingly leaning into Sirius' touch when he put his hand on his cheek again.
Sirius smiled sadly, kissing his forehead and pulling him into a hug. Rigel stilled for a few seconds, then slowly started to hug back.
He hadn't had a hug in... years.
••
"Right." Rigel mumbled, getting used to the leg-hugs he got from his... sister... by now. "I'm supposed to pick you up, aren't I?"
The looked he got from the toddler gave him the answer.
Rigel sighed, rolled his eyes, and put his sister on his hip. "I don't know if I'm doing this right. Am I doing this right?" He asked the girl.
The two year old's smile was so huge that Rigel felt his lip twitch. She nodded and put her head on his chest.
Remus and Sirius gaped when their son walked in with their daughter on his hip.
"Not. A. Word." glared Rigel.
"Word." Tom grinned, earning a glare from the boy.
