What You Can't See
Brother of a Mess

"I don't get it."

"Hello to you as well, Reggie," Sirius said, watching his younger brother walk into his flat, noting he could see him. In contrast, usually, Regulus' presence tended to go unnoticed until he almost accidentally sat on the young wizard. "Your spellwork isn't failing today as well, is it?"

The response Sirius got was Regulus looking at him wide-eyed, horrified, as if—

And then his younger brother plopped onto the couch, face first, for once actually acting like a teenager rather than a prim and proper young Pureblood, letting out a groan of frustration as the young wizard shoved his fingers in his black locks while Sirius frowned. " What now? Did I say something wrong? "

Regulus turned his head. "Did you have to bring up my spellwork, Siri?"

"Yes, well, I can see you very clearly, so what happened?" Sirius asked.

"A Muggle sat on me."

A laugh escaped because Sirius found what his younger brother had just said to be the most hilarious thing in the world. "A Muggle sat on you?"

Regulus turned his head, still lying on the couch face first, a frown on his face. "It's not funny!"

"Yes, it is," Sirius said. "And that's what you get for casting invisibility spells while riding Muggle transit! Muggles are bound to sit on you." He moved over, drink in hand. "Sit up."

Regulus sighed and sat up so Sirius could sit on the couch. "It really isn't funny."

"Yes, Reggie, it is," Sirius said. "I mean, your plan wasn't foolproof."

"Actually, it should have been," Regulus said, holding his book back to his chest. Sirius frowned, not sure what to think now that he noticed Regulus clutching the worn-out bag, yet he was confident the book bag was the same one their parents got Regulus when he first started school.

So he pointed. "Hey. Your book bag. Why haven't they bought you a new one?"

Regulus looked down at his bag. "Why? You retrieved it so they didn't have to?"

"I mean, why are you still lugging that worn-out thing around?" Sirius said. "You know they'd get you a new one if they asked."

Regulus' eyes widened, focused on the bag, before saying, "Don't change the subject. And for your information, I'd be pissed if they replaced my bag. I like this one a lot. It's familiar."

"It's familiar," Sirius sighed, mentally wondering what he'd missed regarding the way Regulus thought simply because he'd chosen to ignore his brother while they were both attending Hogwarts. "Yes, well," Sirius thought, "Definitely didn't think this idiot here would join the Death Eaters because he believes they're the route to world peace, did I?"

"Yes," Regulus said. "And my plan was foolproof. Only that one girl saw."

Sirius frowned. "No. I'm quite sure that Muggle girl didn't see you if she sat on you. Kind of like how I sat on you when you snuck into my apartment using magic before I gave you a key."

"I didn't use magic. I waited for you to show and followed you in."

"Alright," Sirius said, letting out a deep sigh. "Now that's creepy."

"Well, pardon me for being a creepy younger brother," Regulus muttered, his chin resting on his bag. "I get you don't like me. I don't know why I took papa upon coming to see you."

"Because I think you know I'm quite the shit head and when I say those awful things to you that I do, that I don't mean them," Sirius said, only to get a confused look from his younger brother. "Or not. But come on. Going around creeping out Muggles like that, Reggie? Not good."

Regulus took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he sat up straight. "Alright, let me clarify."

"What is there to clarify?"

"The fact I happened to, I don't know," Regulus said. "I wouldn't have gotten sat on if that Muggle girl's friend hadn't seen me and sat beside me, thus resulting in her moving to sit by her friend and thus on me."

"I—what?" Sirius frowned. "By this girl's friend, are we talking about the girl who saw you the other day? The one who accidentally kissed you? She saw you despite the spells you used."

"Yes. That's the one," Regulus said. "And she saw me."

"Then she's not a Muggle," Sirius said.

"No, she's a Muggle," Regulus said. "Actually, I think her grandfather is a squib."

This was said without batting an eye. Sirius let out a deep breath, finding himself becoming nervous. "Wait? You actually had a conversation with his girl?"

"Well, yes," Regulus said. "She asked me if magic was real because of the stories her grandfather told her growing up."

"In front of her friend."

"No. After she got off the bus to talk to me, before walking to wherever she was going to catch up with her friend," Regulus said.

"Regulus, shouldn't you be more concerned about this?" Sirius said.

"This wouldn't happen to do with Olivia's friend asking if I'll date her. A date with Olivia, I mean," Regulus said, not batting an eye. His head tilted, but the look on his face indicated the young wizard was in deep concentration.

"Bloody Merlin," Sirius said. "You said no, right?"

Regulus was startled, turning to look at his brother. "Why do you ask?"

Sirius stared back, taking in the look of confusion, yet there was something else. "Hey. Regulus, what does this Muggle girl who can see you look like?"

And then came the flushed cheeks, the tip of his younger brother's ears turning read.

"Bloody Merlin," Sirius sighed, having his worry confirmed.

"Why? Why do you want to know that?" Regulus asked, then muttered. "Straight brown hair. Comes down to around her shoulders. And brown eyes, possibly a hazel brown. She was….."

"Do you think she's pretty?"

Regulus stared, his face flushing redder. "I am not introducing you to her."

"Why?"

"Because," Regulus started saying. He stopped, the confusion returning to his face as he looked away. And as much as Sirius wanted to yell at his younger brother for taking such a long time trying to figure out what he was thinking, he waited. "I'm not sure." He turned his head. "Maybe it has to do with your interest in scantly dressed Muggle girls on the beach and me not trusting you when it comes to girls because of that?"

Sirius let out a sigh. "You're talking about my posters of bikini models back in my old room?"

"If that's what they're called. They made me uncomfortable coming into you're room, you know," Regulus said, his cheeks flushing. "I, um." And then something unexpected came out of his younger brother's mouth. "I don't think she'd be to your liking."

Sirius noted the look of relief. "So, the way you're acting makes me think for a moment there you were getting jealous, at least until you came to this idea that you don't think she'd be my type."

"Type?"

"You know. Girls with a super shapely figure," Sirius said. Regulus stared. He let out a sigh. "And you don't understand a word I just said, did you?"

"No, I didn't. And what's this about me being jealous?" Regulus frowned, tilting his head to think.

"So, did you notice that all those girls have a similar body type?" Sirius said, shaking his head, definitely not wanting to have this kind of conversation with his younger brother. "Well, it's your fault for hanging posters of girls dressed in scant bikinis in your room. It might be going in a less awkward direction otherwise."

"Body type?"

Sirius sighed. "How to explain this?" He took a deep breath. "You know. A concise person is one body type, and a really tall person is another. But they can also be heavy-set and super thin. Those are body types, so…."

"She's not!" Regulus said, his facial features blushing. "And yes, I noticed there was a similarity in what you call body type!"

Sirius pointed his fingers. "Please tell me you didn't just imagine that Muggle girl in a bikini, Reg?"

"And whose fault is that!" Regulus blurted out. His eyes closed, shaking his head as he did so. "I need to apologize to her for doing that."

"You what?" Sirius said. "Hell no."

"Why not!" Regulus said, his face still flushed. "It was rude!"

"I don't care how much of a crush you have on this Muggle girl, Reggie; you're not telling her that," Sirius said. "And you'd have better said no to this date!"

"What? Why?" Regulus asked. He felt his mouth twitch. "Does this have to do with her being a Muggle, and our family won't approve?"

"Bloody Merlin!" Sirius said. "You're a bloody and a Death Eater! You've absolutely no business dating a Muggle girl."

"Why?"

Sirius let out a curse before saying. "I can't believe I have to explain this to you. The Death Eaters kill Muggles, Reggie."

"No. They don't," Regulus said, shaking his head. "I'll ask papa."

"No!" Sirius said. "Are you crazy?"

"He's fine with me coming to see you."

"Yes, well, that is that, and this is this!" Sirius said. "He definitely would disapprove of you dating a Muggle, you bloody idiot. You can't say anything. And you can't go on a date with her."

"But I already said yes," Regulus said.

"You what!" Sirius hissed. "Why the bloody Merlin would you do that?"

"I don't know," Regulus said. "I guess I blurted out a yes because it's the polite thing to do when someone asks you on a date. Or at least, I think it is because I honestly have no clue."

"Regulus!" Sirius said. "You blurted out yes to going on a date with this girl because you've got a bloody crush on her!"

"No, I don't," Regulus said. "I don't even know what that feels like."

"Regulus!" Sirius said, reaching a hand up to cover his eyes. He took a deep breath. "You can't go on a date with this Muggle girl, but it's best that you don't see her again."

"But," Regulus frowned. "Sirius, how will I see you if I don't take the bus."

Sirius took a deep breath. "You don't."

"No," Regulus shook his head. "Papa said I could come."

"Regulus, you can't send me messages to Apparate you to my place. No matter how much the old man is covering for you and me, he won't be able to cover that. And he definitely won't approve," Sirius said. "Look. I'll order food for us, and we'll eat, but then I'm taking you home, but it's time this nonsense of yours stops."

"But," Regulus looked at the ground.

"Regulus, I'm saying no because I love you, and I don't want to see you get hurt. I'm also the adult here," Sirius closed his eyes. "Bloody Merlin, I never thought I'd ever hear myself saying that, but please listen to me."

"Yes, sir," Regulus said.

Sirius swallowed, hating hearing his younger brother say those words and having to distance himself, something he'd never thought he'd be upset with doing.