KNOWING ME KNOWING YOU ⇒ jegulus one shots

WHY REGULUS BLACK IS NO LONGER A SEEKER

"C'mon, Reg, he's your brother, you have to go to his bloody wedding,"

"I don't have a babysitter," Regulus replies dryly, glancing boredly at his cousin as she stands in his cosy, rather small, kitchen. She's standing in the kitchen while he sulks in the living room. Andy had arrived not long after that bloody invitation had. "I don't even know why he's bothering getting married, at this stage,"

Andromeda shakes her head, sighing heavily as she throws her hands up. "You're being ridiculous. And very, very childish! He's invited you-"

"So? I didn't ask for an invitation," Regulus grumbles from his place on his sofa. "I haven't spoken to Sirius in three years, he shouldn't even be getting married at fucking eighteen, he's barely out of school-"

"Well, you shouldn't have been having a baby at sixteen, but I guess neither of you have ever been functional!" Andromeda scoffs. "Ted can babysit for you and you and I will go to the wedding and wish Sirius the very best and then we'll come home and eat leftover cake and it'll be good for you and him,"

Regulus shakes his head, glancing at his carpet for a split second. "I'm not going," He retorts, firmly. "I'm not leaving Max for a night,"

"You've never left Max alone for the night-"

"Exactly!"

"Reg, it'll be good for you and him to spend some time apart. He's almost one and you haven't barely had time to yourself since then. You dropped out of school, for fuck sake,"

Regulus sighs. "Andy, please, just leave it. I can't go....I....I just can't. I'm sure Sirius only sent the invitation to be brotherly," He wrinkles his nose. "He doesn't want me to go, he just probably feels like he had to send one-" Regulus pauses. "Hey...how did Sirius know where I lived?" He raises an eyebrow, accusingly at Andromeda.

Andromeda bites her lip. "He asked me for your address. He...Reggie, he wants you to be there," She says softly. "I think you should go. You can have a few drinks, have a nice night. Love," Her face softens. "You've had it so rough. A baby all by yourself at sixteen, dropped out and raising him at seventeen. You live alone! It's time to start being yourself again, honey,"

"I'm not myself, Andy. I can never be myself again. I...I have a baby," Regulus mumbles. "And...and he means more to me than being myself,"

"But what will it mean to him if he ever realizes you put your education, your life, on hold for him? He would want you to be better and get back out there and explain why you just dropped off the face of the earth months ago," Andromeda smiles softly. "He would want you to be happy, Reg. Max would want his mummy to be happy and not holed up at home,"

Regulus thinks long and hard. "I don't want to see Sirius' friends..." He trails. Andromeda doesn't know the truth. Nobody does. Nobody knows where Max got that unruly head of dark hair from. "I...I'm not fond of them,"

"Well, we'll just dose you with champagne until you can at least tolerate them, silly,"

That is Regulus' fear. How can he drink around James and not tell him he fathered a child?

The day arrives quicker than it should have. Regulus is exhausted when he wakes up, especially when he realizes that today is the day his brother is to be married. He hauls himself out of bed and tracks down the short hallway to Max's room.

When he opens the door and flickers on the light, Max is already waiting for him, clinging onto the bars of his crib with a gummy grin on his face. Regulus smiles.

"Hi, darling, good morning," Regulus greets gently. "Did you sleep well, eh?" He gathers his son into his arms in a little bundle. He's not sure if he's any good at this, at being a parent, a mother, a provider; but he's damn well trying.