CANNONBALL ⇒ jegulus

THIRTY TWO

The bright yellow door of Andromeda's brownstone home opens to reveal her bright smiling face and her bouncing brown curl. Her hair is curled tightly, her long, dangling emerald earrings peeking out from within her mane of hair. "Hi, love! Come in, I've just made lunch. We're going to eat on the patio, sound nice?"

Regulus smiles as he follows his cousin to her kitchen. "Hiya, Andy. Sounds lovely," He answers.

"Now, I don't know if you've started to have those funny little cravings, but I've made some chicken salad and we have lemonade and some cake-"

Regulus waves the older woman off, shaking his head. "Andy, I'm sure it's fine, more than fine. Thanks for asking me over, I've missed you," He offers her a soft smile. It's true. Andromeda feels like home, ergo, Regulus gets homesick for her more often than not.

Andromeda kisses his cheek before leading him to her patio chairs, placing a few dishes onto the glass patio table. "I've missed you too, my darling. Now, let's tuck in and you can tell me all about your wee little lad," Regulus looks at her perplexed, so Andromeda continues. "Sirius mentioned the baby's a boy,"

Regulus blinks. "Sirius told you that?"

"Oh! Shit, sorry, I'm not sure if he wanted you to know he'd spill the beans. You know what he's like. God, I didn't even think that it wasn't his news to spill," Andromeda smikes sympathetically. "I'm sorry, honey,"

Regulus shakes his head. He chuckles softly. "Don't worry about it. I'm happy to have such an extroverted brother, that way I don't have to make my introverted self tell people things. Sirius comes in handy," He smiles.

Regulus watches as Andromeda pours him a glass of lemonade. The glass is stacked high with ice cubes and Regulus begins to wonder how there is any room left for the liquid.

"Well, congratulations, darling. A baby boy, that's wonderful. He's going to be so gorgeous," Andromeda tells him with a gentle, graceful smile. "You'll be brilliant," She assures him confidently.

"He's started to kick a little bit, feels a bit weird, got a ltrke fright when he first did it, but it's cool, y'know?" Regulus picks up a little triangle sandwich because triangle sandwiches are very Andromeda Tonks, and Regulus wouldn't want them any other shape, if he's being honest.

Andromeda's eyes light up. "Ah, really? That's lovely, feels funny, doesn't it? Dora used to proper murder me," She chuckles. "She would kick at all hours, no matter the time," Andromeda smiles sweetly, her expression reflective and blissful. "God, I can't believe how grown up she's gotten. You expecting really makes me think of my own pregnancy," She hums.

Regulus is sure Andromeda was much more elegent and graceful at twenty two weeks than he is.

Regulus snorts around a mouthful of sandwich before swallowing. "Yeah, your immensely and meticulously planned pregnancy with your wonderfully doting husband; mines been the complete opposite," He chuckles.

"James is doting! He's the poster boy for doting, silly!" Andromeda insists around a scoff. "That boy's crazy about you,"

It's Regulus' turn to scoff. "Eh?" He shrugs. "So what if he is? Not like I care either ways," He whips. "I'm having a baby, I don't have time to play house with somebody. It wouldn't be right," He shakes his head. "Besides, I don't think we could manage it. James is.....well, he's James and I'm Regulus," He says bluntly. "We couldn't coexist.....at least not peacefully,"

Andromeda rolls her eyes while mumbling, "You and your bloody high and mighty vocabulary will be the death of us all," She chirps. "You just need to talk to him. James is just a person, like the two of us, he isn't some godly being, he's easygoing. You'll be fine,"