A/N: I'm so sorry it took so long. I've had a pretty rough time with two long migraine attacks in succession. But now we're back on schedule, posting every Thursday as usual.

And thank you for your well wishes! It was very much appreciated :) As are your reviews as always.

Chapter 9 – Cats Are Better than People

Mr. and Mrs. Black insisted on a family breakfast the morning after the party to talk about what had happened.

"Your mother and I have decided to give you the car, Sirius," said Orion, "because you saved the situation very cleverly. But we are being generous because you could have done a better job of controlling your brother in the first place. We hope you will make a bigger effort next time."

Sirius lit up in a smile and almost couldn't hide his excitement. "Thank you, Father," he said and tried to act as if it was no big deal.

"As for you," said Mr. Black and turned to Regulus. "We are sending you to see a therapist. This has gone on long enough and this time you will make an effort and do as the therapist tells you!"

"Fine," said Regulus. There was no need to argue. He knew that after what had happened the night before, the consequences could have been worse. Besides - he was just going to refuse to cooperate with the therapist.

"Good," said Mr. Black and started eating. "That's settled then."

o0o0o

Sirius told the others about the drama at the party as they went for a joyride the next day. "So they're sending him off to another shrink," he finished, taking a sharp turn, making Remus grab on to the seat with both hands.

"That might be a good idea," said Remus, thinking of Regulus wellbeing. "But I reckon he's not too pleased about it?"

"It's not going to make a difference," said Sirius. "He's just going shut her off like he's done with the other therapists he's been forced to see. He doesn't want help."

When they came home to the Black residence they sat down in front of the computer and started browsing the internet for cars, since Sirius had been promised a new one for keeping the Regulus situation under control.

Regulus was nowhere to be seen when they came back, but he quickly discovered that they were home. He walked quietly to Sirius' room where he found the door open and the boys leaning forward, preoccupied with the computer screen. He stayed just outside the room, not interested in talking to James and Peter; but Remus was sitting a bit further back and his eyes weren't glued to the screen like the others' were. Evidently he didn't find cars as exciting as they did. Regulus stood waiting until Remus noticed him standing there. He lit up in a smile when spotting him. Regulus returned a tentative smile, shuffling his feet. Then he turned and walked slowly away, hoped that Remus would follow him.

Remus got up from his seat and told the others that he would be back in a bit. Sirius just gave him a wave, his eyes not leaving the screen.

Remus closed the door behind him and smiled at Regulus. "Hi. You look well. I'm sorry I didn't bring my large sketchbook so I can't make that picture of Kreacher I promised now, unless you want a normal A4 piece?" He scratched his neck and smiled nervously.

"Oh, that's okay. It doesn't have to be now." There was an awkward silence and then Regulus said, "Do you want to taste Mrs. Harris' caramel fudge I talked about? I asked her to make some, in case you came by..."

"I'd love to," beamed Remus. "I could use something sweet. My blood sugar's a bit low."

Regulus headed for his room, where he kept the fudge. He unlocked the door but hesitated in the doorway, eying Remus doubtingly. He very rarely allowed people into his room. "Is all your clothes clean?"

Remus looked down himself to make sure and then nodded. "Yes I put on clean clothes this morning and I have only been in Sirius' car and then here. I haven't even talked to Padfoot."

"Could you disinfect your hands? Just so if you touch anything you won't contaminate it. Although… I'd prefer if you don't touch anything, unless you have to."

"Of course," said Remus and found a small container in his pocket and rubbed his hands quickly.

"If you take your shoes off as well you can come in."

"You have a very nice room," said Remus as he walked inside. It was quite large, although not as large as Sirius'. It had a neat look about it, not one misplaced book on the shelves, everything standing in a straight line and the bed neatly done. On the bed, lay Kreacher, rolled into a ball sleeping peacefully. Had Remus not been told not to touch him, he would have loved to go over at pet him.

Regulus opened a drawer in his desk and took out the biscuit tin Mrs. Harris had given him. He held the tin out for Remus to take a piece.

"Thank you," smiled Remus. He unwrapped the sweet and took a bite. He closed his eyes as he let the taste sink in. "You were right – they are really good," he nodded and put the rest in his mouth.

Regulus found his eyes drawn to Remus' lips as he chewed the piece slowly, and something in his stomach tickled. He knew what these feelings meant; he wasn't in denial. He had known he was gay for a couple of years. When watching movies he had never found any of the actresses remotely attractive but the actors were another story. And there was no other explanation for how he sometimes fantasised about boys touching him - an idea that in itself was completely bizarre to him. But they were fantasies. He doubted very much that he would ever want to be touched in real life.

Remus looked over at Regulus and noticed him looking back. He sent him a smile, wondering what he was thinking. "Thank you for letting me taste one," he finally said. "And for letting me see your room."

"No problem," said Regulus. He tried to look at something other than Remus' face. He fiddled with a loose thread on his sleeve, not knowing what to say. He wasn't used to being social like this, one-on-one. And not at all wanting to be social with someone. Usually he would do the best he could to ignore people, or insult them hoping it would make them go away.

Remus smiled and looked around the room. It was nice to be alone with Regulus even though he didn't say much. Just being with him made Remus feel warm inside. "Is it okay if I sit down somewhere?" he said. He was feeling a little awkward standing in the middle of the room but perhaps Regulus didn't want him to stay too long. "Unless you want me to go back to the others again? Because it's okay if you do."

"Oh - yeah, you can sit. Of course," said Regulus, pointing to a chair and sat down on the bed himself. Kreacher immediately jumped onto his lap and curled up.

"That cat really loves you," said Remus, studying the cat for details. "It will be easy to draw you both because he will sit with you all the time."

"You don't have to draw me. Just Kreacher, although he's sitting in my lap. "But... can I keep the picture? If you make it big I could hang it on the wall, and I don't want a picture of myself hanging in my room."

"Of course you can keep it. I would be honoured," Remus smiled and studied the boy. He was so good looking, and really nice when you got him one-on-one. From the first time Remus had laid eyes on him he had been enthralled by him. Everyone had said he should forget it; yet here he was, sitting in Regulus' room as if it was just another normal thing.

Regulus ran a hand over his cat a couple of times. "Everybody says Kreacher is very ugly. I think he's sort of handsome. In his own way."

Remus looked at the scrawny animal with its thin fur, bat ears and crooked nose, and 'handsome' was not the word that popped into his head. In fact, it was probably the ugliest cat he had ever seen. "I think he's very special. I've never seen a cat like him before. Where did you get him?"

"I found him in the shed in the back garden when I was five or six. He was tiny and skin-and-bones. Mother wanted to take him to the vet and kill him, but I made a big scene and she gave in. Sort of the same thing that happened with Sirius' dog a few years later. I think they tolerate the animals only because it gives them an excuse not to feel guilty about being away so much."

"I see," said Remus. "I always wanted a pet but my mother says no. Too many germs, she says. How come you called him Kreacher?"

"I don't know. Because he was like a little creature, I suppose. It just suits him. And my parents hated the name, so that was just a bonus."

Remus laughed.

"Cats are very clean animals, you know," Regulus continued. "Not like dogs who roll in faeces and eat rotten things. Cats will always smell their food carefully and if it isn't fresh that will not eat it."

"Really? Maybe my mother would let me get a cat if I told her that. Or perhaps you could tell her?" suggested Remus. "You know more about cats than I do."

"Oh. I don't know..." said Regulus, shifting in his seat, feeling uncomfortable thinking about having to socialise with Remus' parents.

"Oh, I'm sorry for suggesting that," said Remus quickly, feeling stupid. "You don't have to. That was stupid. But I'll ask my mum if I can get a cat. And tell her what you said. I would really love to have a cat."

Regulus nodded slowly. "Cats are better than people, anyway."

Remus watched the cat on Regulus' lap and then looked up at the boy. "I'm sure you feel better with him than most people, yeah?" he asked a little hesitantly. "I mean… you really don't like people that much, do you?"

"No," said Regulus, looking at Kreacher. "Why should I? They don't like me, either."

Remus bit his lip and tried to build up some courage. "I like you. I mean..."

Regulus hid a smile and shrugged. "Well... you're alright. I mean, you're nicer than most people. You don't care that I'm the way I am."

"I like the way you are," said Remus. "I just wonder if you don't get lonely with so little human contact? I know I feel lonely when people shy away from me because they're afraid I'll catch something from them." He leaned a little forward, resting his arms on his knees.

Regulus swallowed. "No, I'm not lonely. I wish people would leave me alone. They don't get that I just want to be left alone. If I were in your shoes it would be the only good thing about the disease. That people keep a distance. And I would have a reason they would actually respect. Not that I want your illness or anything. That's not what I meant." He shivered by the thought of how much invasive contact Remus would have to be subjected to by doctors and nurses.

"Well, I just thought…" started Remus but then stopped talking. Did Regulus really enjoy being on his own all the time? "I just thought that maybe you would enjoy spending some time with someone. But if you don't like me being here you just have to tell me. I enjoy your company very much but I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

"N-no, it's okay. You can stay if you want. I don't mind. You're all right, because you're not pushy," said Regulus, suddenly afraid that Remus would leave.

"Well, I'd like to stay," said Remus, smiled softly and leaned back in his seat to get more comfortable.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" asked Regulus after a small silence.

"Me? No," said Remus, suddenly nervous. Should he tell Regulus that he was gay? "I'm... well. I'm gay and I just haven't been lucky enough to find someone I liked and who wanted to go out with me too."

"Oh," said Regulus, surprised. "Oh. I see. So you fancy Sirius, do you?"

Remus looked at him a little surprised. "What? No! I don't know why everyone thinks that I do. Sure he's good looking and all, but he's my friend and I don't fancy him."

"It's just that most birds fancy him. Because he's so handsome and charming."

"No denying that," said Remus. "But I don't fancy him. I like the more quiet type of bloke. Not pushy like Sirius tends to be."

"I can understand that. I wouldn't like a bloke to come on to me like that, either. Pushy. If he weren't my brother I probably wouldn't like him at all. But I'm used to him, and he mostly treats me with respect. Only because I'm his brother and he feels he has to, I'm sure. He's stuck with me. You don't choose your family, do you?"

"I think he cares a lot about you, Regulus," said Remus in a serious voice. "He always sticks up for you, although I guess being the way he is, he can't help himself pushing your buttons once in a while. I haven't known Sirius for very long but that's the impression I have gotten. I think he feels bad for you because no one understands you, and he certainly doesn't dislike you!"

"Yeah? Well…. If it weren't for him I would be doomed in this house. My parents certainly do not like me. If you could turn your children in at the pound like you can with pets they would have done that a long time ago."

Remus felt a sting to the heart when he heard Regulus say this. Of course he already knew that the parents were horrible - Sirius had told him plenty of times - but he wished he could do something so they wouldn't be so mean to Regulus.

Regulus had run out of things to say and he was getting rather uneasy. Still, something in him didn't want Remus to leave. He liked him. A lot. And he was gay. Quite a coincidence.

Remus could see that Regulus was not comfortable anymore. He was shifting in his seat and rubbing his hands nervously. "I should probably get back to the others," he smiled. "They'll be wondering where I am. But it was really nice to talking to you and to see your room."

"Okay," said Regulus, both relieved and disappointed.

"Hey, mate, where've you been? Did you really go to Regulus' room?" asked Peter when Remus came back. "I heard voices from in there when I went to the loo. I thought that maybe he was just talking to himself – you know, being a nutter and all – but you were gone as well, so I thought you might be in there?"

Remus nodded with a wide smile on his lips. "Yes I did. He isn't as bad as you think," he said and sat down on Sirius' bed.

Sirius turned in his seat. "Not bad? Regulus usually throws a fit when someone as much as brushes against his doorframe! He must really like you."

"He never lets people into his room," said James. "Except Sirius once in a while."

"Is it really that special?" asked Remus.

All three boys nodded.

"I bet he fancies you," said James. "There's no other explanation. Other than him having had a brain haemorrhage or something."

"You really think so? I mean that he fancies me?" Remus asked, feeling his stomach doing a flip.

"Could be," said Sirius. "I guess my little brother could be gay after all."

"Well, even if you do manage to score him you gotta prepare yourself to die an old maid," said James.

o0o0o

Regulus didn't see Remus the next couple of days. Sirius said he was away visiting some family during the weekend. Regulus had the strange experience of actually looking forward to going back to school Monday. Because Remus would be there. It was rather scary, the way Regulus had not been able to think of anything else since he had last seen him, not even to concentrate on his books or his piano.

"What's up with you?" asked Sirius as they both sat in the family library. Sirius was looking through his homework but noticed that Regulus had not flipped a page in his book for a good twenty minutes.

"Nothing. Just thinking..." Seeing Sirius eying him suspiciously, Regulus quickly changed the subject. "Did you decide on that car yet?"

"No," sighed Sirius, leaning back in his chair. "The ones I really like cost more than Mum and Dad are willing to pay. I'm thinking about maybe getting a second-hand Porsche… since a new one costs an arm and a leg."

"I'm surprised you aren't getting a motorcycle. You love doing headless, dangerous things."

Sirius looked at his brother in surprise. "Huh… I hadn't considered that actually…"

"Well, forget about it, then. I'm not interested in losing the only brother I have," said Regulus, regretting that he had given Sirius the idea.

"Aww, so you do care," smiled Sirius and rested his chin on his hand. "Don't worry 'bout me. I always land on my feet."

"Of course I care," snapped Regulus, smacking his book shut, giving up on getting any more reading done. Maybe he should go for a run instead. "Did I ever give you the impression that I don't care? Just because I don't like you when you're being a twat."

"I know…" said Sirius. He tilted his head. "How come you let Remus into your room? I've never seen you invite anyone in there other than me and Mrs. Harris."

Regulus averted his eyes. "We were just talking about Kreacher and he happened to be in my room. Remus likes him and doesn't think he's ugly."

"I'm sure he doesn't," grinned Sirius. "He likes Padfoot too, you know, so Kreacher isn't all that special."

"Yes, he is!" snapped Regulus. "He told me he thought Kreacher was very special. And he's going to draw him."

"I hope you keep that picture in your room. I don't want to look at that cat more than I have to."

"Well, he doesn't want to look at you either!" said Regulus and got up. Kreacher was an extremely touchy subject.

"Okay, okay. Sorry I mentioned it," said Sirius, not wanting to get on Regulus' bad side right now. He was really interested in knowing what he thought of Remus. "It's brilliant that Remus wants to draw Kreacher. I know how much he means to you. But honestly, why did you let Remus into your room? I'm curious about it. And he was in there for about half an hour. I don't remember when I was last allowed to be in there for that long."

"Like I said - he wanted to study Kreacher and Kreacher wanted to be in my room," said Regulus, knowing it was a bit far-fetched.

"I see… So it's not that you maybe like him a little bit?" Sirius said with a smirk on his face.

"What do you mean like?" said Regulus. "I wasn't worried, because he's polite and he didn't touch any of my things apart from the chair he was sitting in"

"Well I've just never seen you being this nice to anyone before," said Sirius, the smirk still on his face. "But it's good to see you interact with someone for a change."

"Well, it was nice chatting with you. Now I will go for a run," said Regulus.

A/N: To see Zayhad's illustration to the chapter go to deviantart dot com and look up Zayhad. She has a folder in her gallery with the story's name on it.