Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter. This is one of three stories for my first bingo line fill for the monthly Froday challenge for May 2022. This is also a prequel story to Not Our World one of my ONC stories for 2022. Note -Not Our World (the ONC story) will be posted here once ONC is done.

Not Our World: Cute Little Button

Sirius was bored.

No, Sirius didn't want to be there , seeing the spawn of Lucifer and that-woman-he-dare-not-name.

Particularly after telling Regulus precisely that in those exact words, only to be on the receiving end of one of Regulus' silent glares.

Regulus, who'd not uttered a single word since he'd taken guardianship of his younger brother, that haunted look in his younger brother's eyes making the silence even creepier. It was a silent glare to tell him that the wording was inappropriate, although Sirius would like to think that Regulus indeed shared his sentiments regarding the visit.

That was until—

They'd been standing there, waiting with Lucius Malfoy for Narcissa to bring in the spawn of evil, with Regulus staring off into space with his hands tucked behind his back like a proper Pureblood he was expected to be while looking just as bored as Sirius was when Narcissa came in. "Here he is."

It was like magic, watching Regulus turn his head. The younger Black's eyes lit up with excitement at seeing the idgit in Narcissa's arms. And in that exact moment, Regulus let his hands drop and brought them upfront with the fingers of his hands opening and closing much as Regulus did when they were very young, a habit their mother broke him of, or perhaps Walburga Black broke Regulus.

It was honestly worth seeing the look of shock on Lucius' face as Regulus let out a sound of utter excitement that was definitely inappropriate for a Pureblood. "A baby!"

"Um. Yes. I told as much," Sirius said. And then it registered that Regulus had, in fact, said something. That he had, in fact, broken that strange vow of silence in the exact moment that haunted look in his eyes shattered, and all because of a baby. It was at that moment he saw Regulus hurry over, doing that very thing he always did when he was younger, while Narcissa looked on in bemusement at Regulus' actions.

When Regulus arrived in front of Narcissa, there was another sound of excitement from him as well as him continuing those movements of utter excitement as he looked down at the spawn—

"He's adorable!" Regulus said.

"Okay. I do have to admit that is true."

"As cute as a button!"

Narcissa continued to smile at the antics of the youngest Black. "Would you like to hold him, Reggie?"

"Can I?" Regulus looked at Narcissa as if she were pulling his leg. "Can I really?"

"Of course, you can. Hold out your arms," Narcissa said.

And Sirius was amused, seeing Narcissa actually act like a mother, something he didn't remember their own ever doing as she instructed Regulus on how to hold the tiny infant, which Regulus instantly snuggled in close as he practically cooed over the small thing. And then—

"He smells nice."

"Regulus!" Sirius blurted out, suddenly realizing there was a substantial cost to Regulus, now opening his mouth. A part of him said, "Regulus would have always said something strange like that," while a part of him thought, "But mother broke him of that habit. Of saying strange things. So he simply—well, he didn't talk, so…"

"But he does smell like sunshine, Sirius!" Regulus protested before turning to their cousin. "Do all babies smell like sunshine, Cissy? Did I?"

Lucius had placed a palm to his forehead, holding his drink steady while saying nothing of the embarrassment of one of Cissy's relatives asking if babies smelled like sunshine as his wife contemplated Regulus' question. Sirius didn't have to think much about that question. "I guess Death Eaters like eating babies because they smell like sunshine?"

"Sirius Orion Black!" Narcissa said, which made the little tyke now held in his brother's arms stir as Regulus tried shushing the babe to stay calm. She then smirked. "Well, most babies smell like sunshine, Regulus, if you were anything to go on growing up." Which made Regulus smile at her as Narcissa continued to throw that evil smirk at Sirius. "That one, however, smelled like poop most of the time."

"Narcissa!" Lucius blurted out as Sirius' jaw dropped.

"He deserved it, but in case you've not noticed, Lucius, we are not in polite company, so there is no need to mince words around the black sheep of the Black family."

"Sheep are fluffy," Regulus said, still preoccupied with the baby in his arms. "I want one."

"Oh no, you don't!" Sirius blurted out. He knew better than Regulus what that meant, yet it suddenly struck him that nobody had ever bothered having the birds and the bees conversation with his younger brother. Like, ever.

"Don't do what? Have a baby? What's wrong…"

"Narcissa! Could you help me? Please!"

"You'd have to marry," Narcissa said. "Are you interested in marrying, Reggie?"

The smile on Regulus' face left, and he sat down in one of the chairs. He kept himself focused on the baby, smiling with it reached for his finger. "Marriage?"

Lucius sighed. "Are there any girls you're interested in, Regulus?"

Regulus remained silent, his mouth forming a line as if he didn't want to answer that question.

Sirius sucked in his breath. "Don't tell me there's a guy?"

Which, of course, led to glares from both Lucius and Narcissa. Regulus looked at him in surprise. "A guy? Why?"

"Why indeed?" Narcissa said. "Don't put ideas into his head."

"It's because you didn't answer Lucifer's question," Sirius said, using the nickname for Narcissa's husband that he knew she wouldn't like.

It resulted in her slapping him on the back of his head. "I told you not to put ideas into Regulus' head, did I not?"

Lucius took a deep breath. "Regulus, are there any girls who your mother would consider to be proper marriage candidates that you're interested in?"

Regulus frowned, tickling the baby's cheek. "No." He followed up by saying, "They're all mean."

"What do you mean…" Narcissa drew in her breath.

"They don't like me. Not until…"

"Not until what?" Sirius asked.

"Until you defected." It was an odd thing to say, but then Regulus followed up. "I've always known I was different. So I guess I won't ever have one of my own."

"Well, not quite," Lucius stated. "I mean…"

Sirius glared at him, daring him to say that their mother could simply decide who they married. "I'm legal guardian, not her. I've veto over…"

"Lucius means—what he means is that we want you to be Draco's godfather," Narcissa said.

"Godfather?" Regulus asked, looking at his cousin.

"Which means you get to spoil Draco without any of the hard part of being a parent, alright?" Narcissa said. She was now over by the chair, leaning over her cousin. "Does that sound nice to you?"

"It means I get to spend time with Draco?" Regulus said. "And get to hold him as well?"

"Careful. They're trying to trick us into coming over more often."

"You're the one who doesn't want to come over, Sirius," Regulus said.

"And as godfather, you'd have an excuse to pop in whenever you want," Narcissa said.

"Hold it! You know she'll throw a fit if I let him out of my sight!"

"I guess you'll just have to come with then?" Narcissa said, glaring.

"Or we can simply just not tell Walburga," Lucius said. "And hope it never comes up in conversation."

"You can't lie to mother, can you, Lu-lu?

"Please don't call me that heir Black," Lucius said.

"Don't call me heir Black."

"So?" Narcissa asked as Sirius rolled his eyes, knowing he'd be dragged into seeing Narcissa's baby as he had the feeling Regulus was right about Lucius being able to lie.

"And if she knew he was applying for work where I couldn't follow him, she'd throw a fit—so, I'm going to give my permissions just to spite her if he does manage to get hired somewhere."

"So what?" Regulus asked, having already forgotten what Narcissa asked of him.

"Be Draco's godfather?"

"And get to love on him lots and lots?" Regulus said while Lucius sighed.

"Of course! My adorable cousin loving on my adorable child? You think I'd have it any other way?"

"Okay."

Sirius sighed. " I 'm not sure Regulus has any business—wait a second! " Sirius felt his mouth twitch. " If I 'm Regulus' legal guardian, then that means if something happens to Lucifer and she-is-a-bitch, I'll have to take care of their spawn? Thanks a lot, Regulus! You really have no clue what you agreed to! "