patience.
Title: Patience.
Author: juliandarling
Rating: NC-17
Prompt Set: 50.4
Prompt: 01. Patience.
Word Count: 181.
Summary: Regulus remembers when his brother taught him to tie his shoes.


Regulus remembers vividly. He is four, and Mother can't be bothered to teach him how to tie his shoes.

“Sirius,” she snaps testily, pointing to Regulus with a long, blood coloured fingernail. “Teach your brother how to tie his goddamn shoes.”

She sweeps out, robes dragging across the waxed floor. She is beautiful even though they have no money now. Regulus doesn't know where she gets the money for pretty things, but Father doesn't like it. He always frowns now.

Sirius sits next to Regulus on the stairs.

“It's easy,” Sirius says. Regulus gives him a sceptical look.

Sirius laughs, a soft bell-like sound. Laughter is not encouraged in the house, unless they are in the cloister of their bedrooms. Laughter is not dignified. Especially not Sirius' laughter. Sirius laughs like it hurts. Regulus likes it when they laugh like that.

“Rabbit ears,” he demonstrates deftly. “Around the ears and through the hole.” He pulls the laces into a neat bow.

Regulus deliberately messes up, again and again, just to keep Sirius on the stairs next to him.