CANNONBALL ⇒ jegulus

FORTY

AUTHOR'S NOTE
You guys are gonna HATE me.

Regulus doesn't even attempt to engage with James for the next week. He goes about his life, his belly slowly getting bigger as he does so. He meets Andy for brunch, Narcissa joins them. It's nice.

Ergo, Regulus tries not to even think about James, not to give the elder man the benefit of crossing through Regulus' mind. And, as fate should have it, James doesn't enter Regulus' thoughts, not even once.

Regulus had somehow managed to leave James as some form of avoidable unedited draft in the back of his mind, while he focuses on writing. Writing to sprog, more particularly. His letters boldly consist of rather dramatic annoyances over how his tea won't meet his preferred temperature, how he's always craving bread, or grapes, or yogurt. Regulus details how big his bump seems to have gotten, how big his son seems to have gotten.

And so this is how it goes.

Regulus is curled up on his sofa, writing and scribbling to himself as music plays lowly on the nearby radio. Some David Bowie song hums it's rhythm and Regulus is at ease, this is simplicity. He rubs a palm over his bump.

Regulus briefly feels his baby roll beneath his skin. Manon seems to jolt curiously at the sensation, apparently still not quite used to the little baby inside of her owner.

"You alright in there, bub?" Regulus hums softly, his voice casual and gentle. "Hungry?"

He doesn't even wait for a reply, Regulus slowly eases himself into a standing position and makes for the kitchen, leaving his journal behind him.

Regulus begins preparing a bowl of grapes when his phone rings loudly. Sighing and reluctantly abandoning his grapes, Regulus picks up his phone. "Hello?" He greets.

"Reg! It's been ages," Sirius' voice sings from the other end.

Regulus smiles habitually at the sound of his brother's voice, a comforting voice he has not heard for so long. Regulus briefly ponders if James had detailed their argument to the rest of the group. He ended up concluding that he must have if nobody has called in so long. But then again, Regulus hasn't been very reachable lately either.

"Hey, Sirius," Regulus grins. "How're you doing? How's everything with the band?"

"Great! We're flying it," Sirius pauses. "How are you?"

"You're being weird...." Regulus trails.

Sirius hums softly. "I...I just don't want things to be weird between you and James-"

"Sirius-"

Sirius intercepts his younger brother quickly. "I think you guys should just work it all out, like you always do regardless. It's like your kink, fight and then make up and then repeat the cycle!"

"Sirius, James left here. I didn't kick him out or whatever. We had an argument, a big one, and then he just left. He didn't give us a chance to resolve it. So now he can deal with that," Regulus is aware he sounds childish and petty but he doesn't care. He never has.

"Alright, alright. Look, m'stayin' out of this one, alright? Just tell me you're okay, yeah? Baby's good? Baby brother is good?"

Regulus rolls his eyes. "I'm fine, Sirius. We both are," He slowly pats his bump. "Getting proper massive, y'know," He comments.

Sirius snorts from the other end. "I'll believe it when I see it,"

Chuckling, Regulus says, "How's Remus? And Pete?" He asks. "Mary too, she's always got my love," He adds.