and the devil said "hey,"

don’t get it twisted, I love the 80s songs they use, and even find the epic versions wicked. But it just doesn’t follow the vibe of the original show. When they had featured music, it was just that. Featured music. They didn’t alter it to make it more intense. If they needed an intense soundtrack, they had their composers make something to fit.

I just miss it when stranger things was a more intimate story with more emotion than blinding lights and slow mo shots.

ITS FICTION

FICTIONAL CHARACTERS

That being said… I’ve an itch to write a modern/muggle au of the black brothers where the Black family is Mormon. Sirius has left the church and stays with the potters, while Regulus (who is closeted ftm trans) is trying to leave. Basically therapy for me as I write about my own experiences. Reg would know he’s trans, and would be talked about as a boy even if he’s misgendered. Endgame Wolfstar and Sunseeker obviously.

Regulus didn’t ever believe in romance. He’d read books full of it, he’d heard real life stories about it, but none of it seemed real. True love where you would do anything for one person? Not a thing. That helped, Regulus thinks, to not get his hopes up. He wanted to love. But it just couldn’t happen, so why try?

This protection crashed down incredibly hard once his brother, Sirius, and Remus Lupin got together. True love was shoved in his face every time he’d agree to ‘brotherly bonding’. Especially after moving in with Sirius into the Potter’s. And for a few weeks, that’s how Regulus felt. Until: James Fleamont Potter. 

For the past five years of his life, six of you include the year Sirius talked on and on about him, Regulus had ignored the only Potter child. But that summer he moved in. James and Regulus talked in the Potter’s garden, the library, the drawing room, pretty much everywhere. If you asked Regulus when he started falling in love he honestly couldn’t tell you. It just… happened. 

Even after they went back to Hogwarts, they stayed close. The new spot was the Astronomy Tower. They still talked about… anything, pretty much. Quiditch, grades. They talked about deep things, too. James’s perfectionism and Regulus’s family. Usually Regulus stays reserved with such things, but James made him feel open, feel warm.  

One night, Regulus felt brave. He was going to kiss James. No, he wasn’t usually this spontaneous, but he decided he better try. 

They were sitting in the Tower, talking. Just as he’d gathered the right words, James gasped. His hazel eyes glittered and his face broke into a huge grin. 

“I totally forgot! Evans finally agreed to go out with me this weekend! It only took seven years, huh?”  His voice and face made it seem like good news. But Regulus felt like his insides were shriveling. 

The rest of his life felt painful after that. Who knew that one failed thing could ruin everything? Lily and James getting together weirdly affected more than Regulus thought. During holidays, Lily visited. When James moved out, they moved out together. Regulus had to go to their wedding. He never really fell in love. He grew up, focusing on work. He had to watch James live a perfect life. 

Regulus was huddled under his blankets, reading with his wand lighting the page. The main character was being quite boring at the moment, and Regulus was getting antsy. Not an hour ago, he’d been stubbornly ignoring Sirius knocking on his door trying to coax him out of his new room. 

He was grateful the Potters took him in after finally being brave enough to leave Grimmauld, and he knew they’d love to have him down for dinner. But he still couldn’t bring himself to sit at the table. Even after three days of staying here. So every night he’d stay in his room and quickly snatch the plate Sirius would leave him outside the door. 

He stared at the page illuminated in front of him. He was done reading for the night, so he shut the book and sat up in bed. He could distantly hear chatter and laughing from downstairs, but he didn’t let himself dwell on it. Getting up from his bed, he creeps into the hallway. He scampers into the bathroom trying not to make a sound. He knows he won’t be in trouble if they hear him, but Sirius would start bothering him. Sometimes that seems worse. 

After finishing up in the bathroom, he plans to run back into his room, but something stops him. All of a sudden, he’s hit with the warm scent of food. Good food. His mouth already started to water. He followed the smell like it was a trail to a treasure chest. Once he reaches the bottom of the steps, he pauses. His senses finally came back to him. He peaks around the corner into the dining room. Fleamont and Euphemia sit on one side of the table, Sirius and James on the other. The older Potters and his brother pay him no mind, but James glances over to him. Regulus freezes and immediately rushes back to his bedroom. He’s just about to cross into the room when Potter speaks. 

“Reg? Haven’t seen you in a while.” His voice is warm and so, so kind. Regulus stops in the hall and turns. James responds with a smile. “Mum made dinner. You should come down. We all miss you.” James says, a slight blush dusting across his freckled cheeks. Regulus’s own face warms. His chest softens and butterflies start to fly inside him. He feels a weird sensation of euphoria coat his skin. He was close to giving in and following James to the table when he finally snapped out of it.

“…no, thank you.” Regulus steps into his room and slams the door shut. He leans his head against it and blows out a deep breath.

“How much do you love me?” James looks up from his phone at the sudden question. Regulus stands halfway through the doorway to their bedroom. He blinks, waiting for his answer. 

“Enough to catch every star in the sky if you asked. Why?” James sits up a bit straighter. A slight blush paints itself onto Regulus’s face. 

“Well… I may have done something.” A slight prick of worry touches James’s chest. 

“Are you alright?” 

He’s just about to answer when a small squeak comes from where he stands. Regulus freezes and abruptly shuts his mouth. James now understands what’s going on. He smiles and walks over to where his boyfriend stands. 

“Love? What was that?” 

Reg sighs in defeat. He holds the small creature in front of his chest. 

“Before you get mad, she was the last one in the litter and no one was buying her because she’s blind in one eye and she looked so sad. I couldn’t leave her there. I went to the store and bought everything we needed so could we please keep her?” The black kitten lets out another squeak. James gingerly scratches in between its ears. 

“Have you named it yet?”

Regulus blinks. His grey eyes dazzle with happiness as he smiles.