Eccentricities

Sirius opened the door when Regulus didn't respond right away, taking a deep breath as he did so, unsure of what to expect, and yet—

He stood in the doorway, looking at his younger brother standing at the foot of the bed, his right arm holding onto his left arm, which hung limp at his side. He had removed his jacket and shirt, leaving him in his undershirt, as Regulus looked at the various items he spread across the bed.

Sirius stepped closer, noticing that Regulus pulled a few of his wizard robes out that he now looked at while worrying his lip, for reasons Sirius didn't understand, but then—

"So you do have a wand?" Sirius said, looking at the items, including the open black bag, noticing a strange object he couldn't put his finger on. He turned to look at Regulus, sighing. "What's gotten into you?"

"Huh? Oh," Regulus said. He turned to look at Sirius, the corner of his mouth twitching. "I, kind of, forgot how complicated wizard robes can be."

Sirius frowned. "Wait? That's why you're taking so long?" He looked at the robes, sighing. "It's not that complicated, unless you're being your typical perfectionist Pureblood self and can't choose which looks best on you, right?"

Regulus sighed, tilting his head. "Really?"

"Well, what else could it be?" Sirius asked, letting out a laugh. "How hard can getting changed be?"

"Muggle clothes are so much easier to wear," Regulus said. "Should have just asked for some of those to be packed in there along with my wand."

Sirius stared, then looked at the wand Regulus left on the bed. "Hold on? You didn't have your wand on you? You had your..." He paused. "You let a Muggle handle your wand?"

"You of all people," Regulus muttered, his fingers tightening around his right arm, while his left hand—

Sirius noticed the fingers of Regulus' left hand move slightly. His mouth twisted slightly. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Wait?" Regulus gave him a confused look. "I'm not telling you something?"

"What's up with the hand?" Sirius asked, nodding his head at Regulus' hand. "You're left-handed." Regulus glanced down, his fingers moving. "I remember that much."

"Ambidextrous," Regulus muttered, the fingers of his right hand tapping his arm.

"Huh?" Sirius said. "What does that have to do with..." He looked at Regulus' other hand. "Your left. I've not seen you move your left arm, have I?"

"Well, no," Regulus said, reaching his right hand up to rub his neck. "It's fine. Really."

"Fine?" Sirius said, mouth pressed together. "After I went all in on you, acting like you lost nothing..."

"I didn't," Regulus said, the corner of his mouth twisting into a smile. "You saw me living my life."

"Your arm, though." Sirius shook his head. "That's been since you disappeared, right?"

"Well..." Regulus frowned, then sighed. "I said it's fine. I didn't lose anything, right?" His eyes closed, his body tensing. "You did, and I'm sorry that you did."

"Except it's not," Sirius said. He watched Regulus look away from him, letting out a deep breath. His fingers tightened around his arm. "Oh, come on Reg. This..."

A knock came at the door, resulting in Regulus stiffening. "Ah. It's—"

"Come in," Sirius said.

"Don't..." Regulus started saying, only to stop as the door opened. He looked away, blinking, letting out a deep breath upon seeing the person who entered. He swallowed nervously, the knuckles of his right hand turning white as he gripped his left arm tighter.

"Can I be of help here?"

"Oh, I don't know," Sirius said. "You think he'll be more forthcoming with you, Orion?"

His father sighed, shaking his head. "Sirius. What did I say about being patient with him?"

"That..." Sirius stiffened, then looked at his brother.

"Can I ask what the two of you are up to?" Orion asked. Regulus shrugged his shoulders, swallowing again. "It looks like you're trying to pick out wizard robes, Regulus?"

"He said something about it being complicated," Sirius said, rubbing the back of his neck, his eyes narrowed in irritation.

"Complicated. Not comp..." Regulus started saying, his head turning, only for his eyes to widen upon seeing Orion. He swallowed, but more importantly—

Sirius saw the emotions washing over his younger brother upon seeing their father. He sighed. "I told you. Don't lump him in with me, Regulus." He glanced away. "Orion asked me to look for you. Years ago."

"I don't..." Regulus took a deep breath, looking at the bed, then gritted his teeth in frustration and closed his mouth. He looked away, a pained expression still on his face.

Sirius turned, looking at his father. "Thanks. Things got even more awkward."

Regulus' eyes blinked. "Wait. Sirius. Don't. I mean, well..."

"Regulus?" Orion said.

"Sorry," Regulus muttered.

"You know what's important?"

"What?" Sirius asked, letting out a sigh, finding himself exasperated.

Orion glared at him, then smiled at Regulus. "You were safe, right? And you've been happy these last few years?"

"What?" Regulus startled. His head tilted.

Orion came in further, his cane clicking against the wooden floor. "Now, let's see if I can help with your predicament."

"I, well..." Regulus muttered, looking at the items on the bed.

"I don't even know what the predicament is," Sirius muttered. "So, how can you help?"

Orion nodded his head at the bed. "That's a rather interesting Muggle device, Regulus? What is it?"

"Ah," Regulus said. "You mean the myoelectric orthoses?"

"The what?" Sirius asked. "Electricity?" He shook his head, letting out a sigh. "Regulus. You know magic interferes with..."

"Oh. No." Regulus shook his head. "Myoelectric, Sirius."

"And the difference is?" Sirius asked.

"Ah, yes. Well," Regulus took a deep breath. "How to explain that? The muscles in our body work by sending electric signals."

"Bloody Merlin, Regulus!" Sirius' eyes widened. "Our bodies don't produce electricity!"

Regulus pressed his lips together, looking frustrated. "They do."

Sirius took a deep breath. "I forgot. Bloody Merlin, did I forget how he could talk nonsense like this?" He shook his head. "I don't want to argue about this, Reg."

"It's magic," Regulus said, making Sirius stiffen, looking at his younger brother in surprise. And then he stiffened, watching the rather manic expression appear on Regulus' face. "The way our bodies work."

"Okay," Sirius said. "You're insane."

"'M not," Regulus said, suddenly grinning ear to ear as he became suddenly enthused. "Magic, I theorize, is itself a form of electricity, but by that—"

"Regulus," Sirius sighed, crossing his arms.

"Every living thing has a life force, an electricity of sorts," Regulus said. Then, he tilted his head. "I'm not explaining this very well, am I?"

"If you mean I don't understand a word you're saying?" Sirius let out another deep breath. "I don't." Regulus kept blabbing about magic something-something electricity something-something myoelectric something-something that he didn't understand while Sirius staredorthos, but finally, "Orion?"

"Ah," their father said.

"And I don't think he understood either, Regulus," Sirius said, folding his arms across his chest.

Regulus' eyes blinked, then his mouth opened and closed. He looked away, the hurt returning as well as a level of frustration that Sirius felt mirrored his own. Orion sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at the Muggle device that Sirius still found quite strange. "That device? I didn't understand much, but if what I did understand is correct, you utilize your magic and this device to move your left arm?"

"I..." Regulus said, looking at his father, the hurt look fading for a look of surprise. "Yes."

Sirius stared, then, "Wait? Why weren't you using it already?"

Regulus took a deep breath. "Well, on top of the fact my use of magic instead of just myoelectric signals created by the muscles in my arm is a statistical anomaly?"

"Regulus!" Sirius threw up his arms.

"Ah, it's tiring? And I kind of need help putting it on?" Regulus said, worrying his bottom lip slightly before taking a deep breath. He let go of his arm and motioned to the wizard clothes. "And wizard robes? They're going to be a pain in the neck with our without the device."

"That..." Sirius stared.

Regulus held up his right hand. "Sorry. It's fine. Really."

"But it's not," Sirius thought. "To say you didn't lose something? Your hand, and not to mention the way James and Lily were with you? That's not something that happens if you weren't close to them, so what is going on?" He took a deep breath. "It's not. It's..."

"I offered to lend a hand, did I not?" Orion said.

"I..." Regulus swallowed, glancing away. "That. Uh..." He then nervously said. "Aren't you mad at me?"

"Mad at you?" Orion let out a sigh. "I'm your father. If I'm to be mad at anyone regarding what happened, it's myself." He then turned to look at Sirius. "Or your brother."

"Hey."

"Please. Don't fight, you two," Regulus said. "Please?" He swallowed.

"You said you need help?" Sirius asked.

"Well, it's awkward enough having to ask," Regulus said. "But I'll be more useful to you with the brace." He reached his hand up. "But, I think it will be less awkward if Papa helps, Sirius."

"Yeah," Sirius said, eyes blinking. "That's okay, Regulus. I get it. Really. I do."