Mastermind

Youth

Warnings: Regulus + Sirius conversation Round III and all the warnings that needs - child abuse, injuries, the stairs

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And if you're still breathing, you're the lucky ones
'Cause most of us are heaving through corrupted lungs
Setting fire to our insides for fun
Collecting names of the lovers that went wrong
Youth by Daughter

Thursday the next week, Regulus and Remus are sitting in the library with their writing project, waiting for their respective Quidditch players.

They are discussing something about Salino's youth, when Sirius drops into the chair at the head of the table. Regulus and Remus sit across from each other. Sirius leans over and kisses Remus' cheek.

"Hey, Handsome. Where did you leave James?"
"Got held up by some youngsters again." He turns to Regulus, "I'm supposed to tell you to meet him in about thirty minutes. He said, you knew where." Sirius turns back to Remus, "Can you believe this? I'm used as messenger now. I'm arranging my brother's hook ups. This feels dirty."

"You're dramatic," Remus says lovingly.

"I'm entitled to my drama. The one who has to arrange hook ups between his brother by blood and brother by choice is entitled to drama."

Regulus kicks Sirius under the table. Brother by choice. Fuck you.

Sirius grins merely. He looks at his fingernails. "Moony, look at this. My nail polish is all chipped off again. I need a spell to make it last longer."

Remus hums, pulls a small black bottle out of one of his pockets and pushes it over to Sirius. Sirius takes the bottle of nail polish and grins.

"Oh, Moon of my life, you're the best boyfriend in the world," he leans over and kisses his boyfriend.

Remus smiles and watches Sirius opening the bottle and applying the nail polish.

Regulus clears his throat. Remus looks up. "Right, sorry, where were we?"

"Salino's childhood home," Regulus says and looks back to his brother and the nail polish, then to Remus again, "What do you think what kind of nonsensical things Cäraton and Salino would carry in their pockets for each other?"

Remus smiles and ruffles through his own pockets. "Well, I always have hair ties on me for him. Bobby pins for him or Lily, too. Sirius always pulls a chocolate bar from somewhere when he wants something from me. Those kinds of things, I suppose."

Regulus hums. "Salino is a very caring person. He'd do stuff like that, too, wouldn't he?"

"Would be cute at any rate. We should definitely include it. What kind of things would he have for Cäraton, though?"

"I don't know... a rag so he can clean his daggers, maybe- Hey!" Regulus looks down at his hand. Sirius, having run out of fingers to paint on his own hands, has applied the nail polish on Regulus' pinkie.

Sirius smirks. "Looks good on you."

"Take it off."

"No. And better hold still or you will smudge it everywhere over your notes and your book," he leans over to Remus and attacks his nails now. "Anyway, your topic is boring. What is way more interesting: Who fell first? And who fell harder?"

Remus groans. "No, please, we have discussed that at length. Hours and hours and Regulus won't accept that he is wrong."

"I'm not wrong. You are wrong."

Remus looks at him. "Salino is very caring and very emotional, while Cäraton is always cool and collected – of course Salino fell harder."

"No. Cäraton has barely loved anyone or anything before, nor has he felt love. So, when Salino gives it to him, because he fell first, he eats that shit right up. He falls harder."