A/N — Written for Hogwarts Assignment 6, Healer Studies, Task 4.
Massive thank you to Amber for betaing!
Warnings: Neurodivergent character, domestic disturbance, implied parental neglect
They're arguing again, though Regulus doesn't know what about. He can't hear them. His fingers are clamped over his ears and he's humming as loudly as he can, curled up under his bed with his eyes screwed tightly shut.
"Regs?" Sirius calls, slowly pushing open the door to Regulus' bedroom, and Regulus stops humming. It used to be their bedroom, but Sirius had moved out of the nursery just last week, and it still feels far too big for just Regulus.
"Regulus?" Sirius calls again. Regulus almost responds before he remembers that he cannot hear anything. His fingers are in his ears. He cracks open an eye, meeting his brothers where he is crouched on the floor and peering under Regulus' bed.
Regulus sniffs loudly, starting at his brother with wide eyes. But he doesn't dare take his hands from his ears. It's the only thing protecting him from all the shouting now.
Sirius opens his mouth wide in exaggerated movements, first pointing at Regulus and then walking his fingers along the floor. Come out. Then he opens his arms wide, raising his eyebrows at his brother. I'm here.
It is all the encouragement Regulus needs, and he squirms his way out from underneath his bed and into his older brother's arms.
"You're getting snot all over me," Sirius says, and a reluctant giggle slips past Regulus' lips.
There's a loud crash from downstairs, the shouting getting louder and louder. Regulus grips the front of Sirius' shirt tighter between his small fingers.
"Tell you what," Sirius says, resting his chin atop Regulus head, his words vibrating in the ear Regulus has pressed to his chest, "why don't we have an adventure?"
Regulus does not like adventures. Adventures are loud, messy things, and Regulus has had enough experience with those in his short lifetime to know that they are not for him. But before Regulus can shake his head, Sirius adds, "Just the two of us, outside."
It's quieter outside.
Regulus nods slowly, rising unsteadily to his feet and waiting for Sirius to take his hand. But Sirius doesn't.
"All good adventurers need shoes," he says instead, grabbing a pair from Regulus' closet and slipping them onto his brother's feet, tying the laces in firm double knots. Regulus doesn't know how to tie laces.
"And a coat," Sirius says, wrapping a jacket about Regulus' shoulders. When Regulus makes no move to slip his arms into the sleeves, Sirius does that for him too.
"And a bag to keep all the treasure we find in!" Regulus giggles again as Sirius tickles his ribs, squirming away from his brother.
"Kreacher!" Sirius keeps his tone quiet, but Regulus' hands are already inching back up towards his ears by the time the House-elf appears.
The House-elf, held in a deep bow with his nose practically touching the floor, waits for acknowledgement. But Sirius is busy wrapping a long, green scarf around Regulus' ears. He opens his lips wide again, over exaggerating the words he's mouthing. Is that better? Regulus nods.
"Kreacher!" Sirius turns to the House-elf, but the sound is okay now because Regulus' ears are covered. He can't hear anything. "Some sandwiches and bottles of pumpkin juice for our secret adventure!"
The House-elf reappears mere moments later with far more sandwiches and drinks than just the two of them could possibly need, but Sirius packs it all into one of the bags. Into the other, he stuffs a pillow and enough blankets that the bag is bursting at the seams.
"You'll carry this one, yeah?" Sirius asks as he slips the straps over Regulus' shoulders, taking the heavier bag for himself. "And you can hold your special pillow." Regulus clutches it to his chest, breathing in the familiar scent. He'd thought Sirius had forgotten, but he should have known better.
Sirius has always taken care of Regulus, for longer than he can remember.
.oOo.
Regulus clings firmly to Sirius' hand; his palm is too sweaty, but if he lets go he'll get lost. He has to hold his brother's hand when they're out.
"C'mon," Sirius says, pulling Regulus along behind him.
The field is surprisingly empty for it being such a nice spring day, but then it is already past seven o'clock and most children are no longer playing outside. Sirius finds them a nice spot underneath the shade of a large willow tree by the river, and they sit down.
Regulus keeps his pillow clutched safely in his lap as Sirius removes both of their backpacks, pulling a blanket from Regulus' and laying it down on the grass.
"I thought we could camp out for the night," Sirius says, handing Regulus a sandwich without checking what lurks beneath the brown paper. Cheese, Regulus discovers, and squishes the sandwich up into a little ball before Sirius can stop him.
"No," Sirius says firmly enough that if it weren't for the scarf covering his ears Regulus would be very upset. "If we don't like something, we give it back," Sirius says slowly.
Regulus looks away, mouth set in a stubborn line. His scarf is covering his ears. He can't hear anything.
Sirius sighs and hands him another sandwich. "You like ham," he says. Regulus does like ham.
He takes a large bite, tipping his head back and chewing with his mouth open. Sirius always tells him he shouldn't eat like this, that it's not good manners, but Regulus thinks food tastes better this way.
"Have a drink, too," Sirius says, twisting the cap off a bottle and handing it to Regulus, but not before moving Regulus' pillow out of the way of any potential spills.
.oOo.
They lie on their backs, staring up at the sky through the gaps in the trees branches. Sirius points out constellations in the sky, naming stars their father has taught him in one of his more nurturing moods. Regulus doesn't know the names of any stars.
"And that one's Regulus, see?" Regulus does not see.
He points at himself, frowning, bristling even more at Sirius' laugh. "Yes, you're Regulus," Sirius says, "but you're named after that star right there."
Regulus shakes his head, pointing at himself once more. I'm right here.
"I know you are," Sirius says, pulling Regulus closer to his side. "You're one of the brightest stars in the sky," he adds, which is silly because Regulus is not in the sky. They've just established that. But Sirius seems to have already moved on.
Regulus tunes out his words — which he cannot hear anyway, because his ears are covered — allowing them to fade into a dull murmur as he drops off to sleep. Safe in his brother's arms.