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"Pads." Remus says desperately.
Sirius hasn't gotten out of his room in ages and Remus can't exactly blame him why.
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TRAGEDY STRIKES: BLACK FAMILY HEIR DIES IN CAR ACCIDENT
The political world mourns as President Black’s youngest son is pronounced dead at 18
London, UK — Regulus Arcturus Black, only son of President Orion Black and the heir to the Black family legacy, was confirmed dead earlier this morning in what authorities are calling a “tragic accident.”
The incident occurred late last night just outside of Oxfordshire. Official reports state that Regulus’ vehicle veered off a rural road and collided with a tree. Emergency responders arrived swiftly but pronounced him dead at the scene. He was just 18 years old.
Police have not confirmed whether foul play is suspected, but sources say that security footage along the road is “inconclusive,” and the crash site has been sealed for further investigation. No passengers were found in the car.
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At 16, Sirius Black ran away home to live with the Potters and it was no secret that the Black's disowned him. The Potters had no issue taking Sirius in.
No one knew but Sirius practically begged Regulus to come with him, but Regulus turned his head around and walked to his study leaving Sirius into no choice leaving him in their own hell hole.
From time to time, during their school years, Sirius would try to convince Regulus—but Regulus would turn his head away from him and acted like he was a nobody.
Of course it hurt Sirius, hell, it felt like literally hell—thus the marauders always there ready to make him forget his troubles.
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"Pads." Remus says demanding but in a low tone.
"Leave me alone James. M'not hungry." He murmurs, barely hiding the tremble in his voice.
"It's me, Remus."
"Look if James sent you tell him to shove off alright?!" Sirius snaps, he opens the door slightly—"Just drop it." his tone sharper than usual.
"He didn't. I just wanted to be with you."
"If you don't wanna talk—I'll talk about my morning shift to you instead. Yeh'?" Remus pleads.
"Fine, but don't except I'll have the energy to respond." Remus then gives a small smile satisfied with the response .
They settled into the window nook, legs tucked beneath them as they watched the world outside in quiet. The silence lingered, almost gentle—until Remus shifted slightly and spoke.
"So I was at work, then this guy comes in—in clothes like broadfall pants, suspenders, and a wide-brimmed hat—pretty sure he was Amish yeh'? Though he had this weird thing on his right eye...
I asked him what he'd like and he said; 'Gud mornin', zurr. Jus' lookin' for some peppermint sticks an' a bottle o' root beer.'—and that made me think, what kind of stuff Amish people aren't allowed to consume? So I wanted to make small talk with the bloke and told him 'You're like the calmest person I've seen all day' then he goes 'The world do stay quieter, when you don't go carryin' it 'round in yurr' pocket, see.'
I stood frozen on the counter as he puts his peppermint in his pocket and leaves. That hit me like lightning because well—" He sighs debating himself to say it or not before continuing "...I immediately thought of you."
Sirius glanced at him, then quickly looked away, sorrow heavy in his eyes. He looked like he was on the verge of breaking. They sat in silence for a while, the quiet stretching thin between them—until finally, Sirius exhaled shakily and began to speak.
Sirius stared at the floor, voice rough.
"It pains me. Physically, mentally, emotionally—everything. The guilt is eating me alive, Moony. I… I wish I could’ve talked to him one last time."
He swallowed hard, fingers digging into the fabric of his trousers.
"I know that shit wasn’t an accident. They bullied Reg into things he never wanted to be a part of—and I wasn’t there. I was supposed to be his brother. I should’ve protected him. But I—" His voice cracked. "My selfishness made me leave. I left him." He paused, breathing shakily.
"I don’t want my last memory of him to be in a casket."
Remus leaned closer, voice steady but gentle.
"Pads… it wasn’t your fault. It’s your excuse of a parents’ fault. I don’t even know why people like that get to be parents in the first place—while others, the ones who’d actually love a child, can’t even have one."
He sighed, then added firmly
"You seriously believe Reg died for no reason? Sirius, your brother was brilliant. Cunningly clever in the quietest ways. He didn’t die for nothing. Whatever it was… it meant something. I know it did."
His tone softened again.
"It's not the end, Pads. The casket isn't about death—its about honoring who they were, even if the world only noticed too late."
Silence.
"Hey, no one’s going to force you to go to the funeral—but consider it please? For Reg. I'll stop pushing if you really aren't ready." He adds quickly.
For a moment—their eyes locked. There were no more words left to say. Then Sirius moved.
He folded forward into Remus’s arms, like the weight had finally become too much to bear alone. His body shook as he pressed his face into Remus’s shoulder, breath hitching, hands clutching the fabric of his jumper like it was the only thing keeping him grounded.
Remus held him—tight, steady, unwavering.
One arm around his back, the other cradling the back of his head. He didn’t speak. He didn’t need to.
For the first time in days, maybe weeks, something in him loosened.
Not because everything was okay—but because they were here. And Sirius, despite everything, wasn’t alone.
Remus closed his eyes and breathed him in, grounding them both in that shared silence.
A quiet comfort—and finally, relief.
“You don’t have to carry this alone, Pads. Not anymore.”
He whispered to the stars and to his star, barely audible.
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Remus was halfway through another dull morning shift at the convenience store, he peeled the coins off the counter—fingers recoiling from their sugar-glazed surface. A kid lives around the neighborhood with bright blue hair (“You could spot him a mile off, thanks to that hair alone.” -store owner) usually buying a bunch of sweets that could break a fully grown adult's teeth—let alone a child.
Ding !
He wiped his hands on his apron and pulled his phones out, expecting maybe a weather update or a calendar reminder. Instead a message from... Prongs? He opened it immediately thinking it's an emergency since the group doesn't usually texts each other if it's during the time of job shifts.
[Message from Prongs my not so bff (?!?)]
9:32 Hey, Moons.
9:32 Just wanted to say thank you ;)
9:33 He came over tonight after everything. Didn't say much, just curled up on the couch with a blanket and a biscuit and actually slept. Like real sleep, the kind where you're not half-curled in defense. Haven’t seen him like that in weeks. :(
9:33 It’s the first time the tension in the house didn’t feel like we were all waiting for a bomb to go off. :p
9:34 None of this is his fault. We all know that. I just wish he knew it too.
9:35 Anyways, lily was thinking movie night!! I'm out to get snacks later, want anything specific? :D
Remus smiled quietly at the screen, shooting off a quick respond to the text as warmth blooming beneath his ribs as he slipped the phone back into his pocket.
The shop still smelled like stale coffee and floor cleaner—but now, somehow, the day felt a little less dull.