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The room of requirement was Remus and Regulus’s safe space. The pair would spend hours in there, reading, studying, talking, sometimes they would even just lay on one of the sofas together and wouldn’t say a word, simply enjoying one another's presence. The boys had arranged to meet there at seven o’clock the first night back from the summer holidays. Remus arrived on time and expected Regulus to already be there as he was often early, however he was not there and did not show up for another fifteen minutes.
“Sorry I’m late.” Regulus said in usual cool tone.
“No worries, Reg.” Remus responded, though he wondered why Regulus was late, “How are you?”
“Fine.”
Remus watched Regulus with suspicion. Noticed his slight limp, most likely from an injury caused by his mother, how he went to sit in an armchair the opposite side from Remus, even though he’d left space for Regulus to sit next to him on the sofa. Remus also picked up on the redness in his eyes. Crying was very unlike Regulus, he would refuse to cry for anything or anyone.
“Bullshit.”
“Excuse me?”
“Why are you late?”
Regulus froze, Remus had caught him. Regulus kept his eyes trained on the book he had pulled out of his bag, not quite sure what to say. They sat in silence as Remus waited for an answer. When he got none, he sighed, all he wanted was to check on his friend, his best friend for that matter.
“Would you come sit next to me? I feel like I’m having to shout across to you.”
Remus picked up on Regulus’s hesitation and ran through all the possibilities of what was wrong in his head. Eventually Regulus did go sit next to him but he looked uncomfortable when he did. Remus studied him again, he’d definitely been crying but he was also avoiding all eye contact with Remus, or even looking in his direction.
“Okay, what the fuck is going on with you?”
“W-what do you mean? Nothings going on with me.”
“Yeah and I’m the king of England. Spill.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes you do. You’ve quite clearly been crying and it’s like you’re avoiding me.”
Regulus froze again before hurriedly shoving his book back in his back and standing up, “I’m going to go…”
“No you’re not.” Remus said, pulling Regulus back to the sofa, “What’s wrong Reg?”
“Nothing.”
“Regulus, please, I just want to help you. Why were you late?”
Regulus stayed silent for a moment, once again avoiding Remus’s gaze. He picked at his skin, fidgeting nervously. He sighed and glanced at Remus for less than a second. Though it was only a short glance, Regulus saw the genuine concern in his eyes.
“I saw Sirius in the hallway…” Regulus mumbled, after a few more seconds of silence.
“I don’t understand, can you explain a bit more?” Remus asked, his voice softening. He knew talking about Sirius was one of Regulus’s least favourite things and he clearly had been reluctant to say anything to start with.
“He escaped over summer to James’s house, though I’m sure that you already knew that. I saw Sirius in the halls and well… panicked.”
“Panicked? Why did you panic?”
“It…” Regulus paused, taking a deep breath, “hurts… that he got out, that I’m still stuck there, that he gets to be happy… that he left me. So when I saw him… everything just… came back to me. All of our arguments, everything from when we were kids, all of it. I hid in the bathroom for about twenty five minutes, then came to meet you.”
Remus sighs as Regulus finishes talking. Sirius had told him what happened the night he escaped, how he’d wanted to take Regulus with him but knew it wasn’t possible but how he couldn’t stay in that house any longer. Remus pulled Regulus closer to him, the smaller boy giving into his own emotions and wrapping his arms around Remus, the quiet sounds of his sobs, muffled against Remus’s chest.
“Why have you been trying to avoid me?” Remus asked whilst gently rubbing Regulus’s back.
“You’re dating Sirius…” Regulus starts, his voice shaky.
“And I remind you of him?”
Regulus nods and Remus holds him a bit tighter. They stay in the embrace for a while, a wet patch on Remus shirt where Regulus’s had been crying against him, though Remus didn’t mind at all, all he wanted was to be able to care for his best friend.
“I miss him…” Regulus whispered as he attempted to wipe away some tears.
“I know you do. He misses you too.”