Ink in Paper - Regulus Black

Chapter Twenty-Two

I'm back and I'm struggling with work and school, so I'm sorry about that. But here's Regulus realising a few things about his new life:

Luna couldn't understand why she was so nervous. She had talked to Evan and Barty before, and yet her hands trembled a bit as they sat beside her and Pandora near the Black Lake during that empty period between classes.

"Now that it's official and signed, allow us to present ourselves. I'm Evan Rosier, your best friend's brother and the best friend to your boy," Evan said with a rare smile as he threw himself on the grass. "And this is Bartho –"

"Barty. I'm Barty," the boy said, cutting his friend off before his full name could be said. "Just Barty."

Luna smiled at tat.

"Alright, just 'Barty'. Don't worry about it," she said, dismissing his nervousness.

Regulus, who had been walking further away from his friends, finally caught up to them. He smiled at the girls, but didn't greet anyone out loud, merely sitting beside Evan and smiling again at Luna.

"Already annoying your sister, Evan?" Regulus mocked.

"More like annoying your partner, Reggie," Evan teased back.

The boy's eyes narrowed as he turned to his friend.

"Don't," he warned.

"What?" Evan pretended not to understand.

Barty winced a bit, never liking to annoy Regulus more the completely necessary or when he was in a good mood. Even while joking, Regulus could easily change moods and become extremely problematic.

"Don't call me that," Regulus said.

"It's just a nickname, Regulus. Evan has one, too," Pandora said, intervening.

Evan's eyes widened, turning to his sister with considering paler skin.

"Panda, don't –" he started.

"Do tell!" Regulus said over Evan, pushing him before he could get any closer to his own sister.

"My cousins would call him 'Evvy' wen he was younger, but he would cry every time," Pandora admitted. "Everybody still called me Panda, so there's nothing surprising there."

"EVVY!" Regulus almost screamed, celebrating.

Luna ended up laughing at his excitement. It was rare to see Regulus so youthful and genuine in his happiness, uncontrolled in his joy. He looked his age, carefree – he looked almost entirely haunting in his beauty, almost entirely too much like Sirius. In a hurry, she looked away, all happiness in her chest disappearing; it was an odd sense of shame that took over, one that she didn't want to express.

Regulus was his own person, and it was criminal to compare him to a brother that he didn't even like. It felt simply sacrilegious; like comparing a cat to a dog, or a lamb to a wolf. Luna had force herself to stop her thoughts.

"Alright, alright!" Evan was saying, pushing Regulus off him forcefully. "Listen, Barty and I came here to introduce ourselves to Miss Luna Lupin here."

"I know you two already, though," Luna answered, shaking her head.

Regulus smirked.

"Not officially, you do not," Evan said, pushing himself by his elbows to sit up again. "You're not just my sister's friend, you are Regulus' courtship partner. It's our duty to present ourselves to you as potential helpers throughout the relationship; ruse or not."