Andromeda: But I have to ask you a question.

Andromeda: And it's strictly out of necessity, jsyk

The month of August was shaping up to be an absolute shitshow. In the wake of her lingering argument with Narcissa, the nagging reminder of the mysterious e-mail, and the general sense of apprehension that crept after her like a looming shadow she had resorted to her usual strategy: focusing on her work as a distraction. And for the most part it had worked, enough to lull her into a false sense of security that she could, in fact, successfully avoid her problems. Knowing that her sister was likely still angry with her, she’d evaded texting her about Fashion Week no matter how quickly it was approaching with the thought that she’d sort out how to deal with it over time. Perhaps the next day, she’d reasoned, she’d wake up and instantly know how to dodge walking in the House of Black’s show while simultaneously mending bitter feelings between sisters.

Needless to say, a jarring morning phonecall from the police department had all but replaced the petty drama of Fashion Week.

Given that Andromeda had barely set foot in the police department at all (much less succumbed to questioning), the train ride over felt long as she wracked her brain about Regulus’ doings. Truth be told, she’d lost touch with her youngest cousin just as much as she’d started to drift from anyone else. There was something about him, of course, that’d always reminded her terribly of Sirius (no matter how much Reg might have adamantly denied as much) and thus left her harboring a soft spot for him even as they’d grown. And she couldn’t imagine what sort of pressure Reg must’ve been under particularly in the wake of Sirius’ absence, a sentiment she’d extended only once a week after Sirius had moved in with James and never breached again after it’d bled into a somewhat heated argument. Their relationship had dwindled down to civil conversations on the rare occasion that their paths crossed and text messages exchanged on their birthdays. She’d always wondered if Regulus knew she kept in close contact with her brother and it’d left her younger cousin resentful.