Title: "Moniker" or alternatively "True Names Are Earned"

Characters: Sirius, Regulus, Walburga Black, Orion Black

Warnings/Pairings: None. For once in my life.

Summary: Orion Black has been replaced in his youngest son's eyes.

Notes: Recently someone informed me that I appear incapable of writing anything light, fluffy, or cutesy. Challenge accepted. This was for the prompts, "Regulus Black" and "Daddy."

"父…" Regulus Black insisted. He tried desperately to struggle out of his mother's grasp. She was trying to force him into a set of small dress robes.

"What?" she asked curiously, ceasing her efforts for a second. "What did you just say?"

"父!" Regulus yelled again.

"We don't have time for this," Walburga said. "We're to be at the Lestranges' in ten minutes."

"What's going on, Mother?" asked Sirius's voice from behind her. He was leaning in the doorframe to his little brother's room and watching the scene before him with some amusement.

There was his mother, already dressed in her finest with her hair pinned and make-up on, struggling wildly with his six-year-old brother to the point where it ruffled, tangled, and smeared said clothing, hair and make-up. She seemed five minutes away from giving up and dragging Regulus to the party in his underwear.

"Sirius!" she cried gratefully. "Get in here, please."

Sirius entered the room carefully. He was already dressed and ready to go himself, and so he moved slowly.

"Sirius?" Regulus squeaked. His voice was muffled from the robes that were stuck over his head.

"Yes, it's Sirius," Walburga told him, yanking his head free. "He's come to help Mummy get control of you."

"父!" Regulus flung himself at Sirius with no hesitation. Sirius picked him up and nuzzled him close. He would be going to school the next year, and knew he would miss his sibling.

"What have we got here?" Sirius asked. "Oh, Regulus, these robes would look so good on you, you should put them on. Then I can show you off to everyone at the party."

"Okay," Regulus agreed immediately. He let Sirius button him up and tie his shoes with no fussing.

Orion Black had come to collect them all. He looked curiously to Sirius, who was once again holding his brother in his arms.

"What does '父' mean, Sirius?" he asked. "He's been saying it all day, where did he hear it?"

Regulus started to speak but Sirius put a hand over his mouth. "Not sure," he said, smiling. "I think Regulus has been messing with the radios again. You know with enough fiddling, you can get them to pick up broadcasts from Tokyo…"

Sirius Black was lounging on the rug before the fire, lazily flipping through a graphic novel he'd received for his birthday earlier that year. His parents were seated together on the couch, sharing the newspaper. Regulus was standing at the window staring out into the night with his face pressed carefully against the glass. There was just enough brightness from the snow on the ground for him to see a good twenty yards into the distance.

Sirius knew why his brother was so keen on the window view. They were in one of the many Black vacation homes for Christmas and the new year, and so instead of a muddy street full of cars and angry people, Regulus was treated to a view of woods and small wildlife.

Sirius was enjoying having some family time. His parents were normally very absent from his and Regulus's lives, his father especially so.

Everything was quiet until the deer stepped out from the shadow of a yew tree.

Having never seen one before, Regulus took it to be a monster of some kind. He leapt back from the window in terror and immediately fell over.

"What is it, Regulus?" Walburga asked urgently. She and Orion were at Regulus's side in an instant, but Regulus clambered up and scampered away from them.

"Батя!" he cried, hiding behind Sirius and burying his face in the small of his back. Sirius sighed and pulled Regulus back around. He snatched an afghan off an armchair and wrapped his brother up in it.

"What's wrong, Regulus?" Walburga asked again.

Regulus's wide eyes ventured to the window.

"For goodness' sake, Regulus," their father chided. "It's only a deer. There, look, it's gone away, now why don't you come here? You should probably be getting to bed anyway."

Regulus shook his head. "I want to stay with Батя," he declared.

"With what?" Orion asked. "Regulus, I won't tell you again. I want you to go to bed now, it's late, and you're tired." He tried to pry Regulus away from Sirius, but Regulus only retreated further into his blanket and pressed himself closer to his brother.

"Give it up, Orion," Walburga advised as she returned to her seat on the couch. "You'll never get him to budge."

Orion finally relented and sat back down. Cautiously, Regulus's head reemerged from within the many folds of the afghan and stared carefully at his father's retreating figure. Once certain Orion was no longer a problem, Regulus swiveled and leaned up to kiss Sirius on the cheek. Sirius chuckled and ruffled his hair.

"How would you like to go to bed now?" he asked.

"Okay, Батя!" Regulus agreed instantly. "Can I sleep with you?"

"Sure," Sirius carried Regulus from the sitting room. Behind him Orion had a look of shock on his face.

"But…but…" he stammered.

Walburga patted his leg comfortingly.

"Regulus!" Orion screamed down the stairs to the cellar. "Come here this instant."

Regulus had the good sense to stay out of arm's reach of his father. He dashed up the stairs and veered clear of Orion. He shot into the kitchen. Orion followed him hastily.

"Regulus," he continued. "Get over here!" Their chase kept going for a few minutes before Orion managed to corner Regulus against the wall in one of the hallways.

"What have I always told you about going down there alone?"

"Not to," Regulus answered.

"But you just did."

"Uh-huh," Regulus said cheekily.

"There are dangerous things down there, Regulus, you know you are not supposed to be there! Now get over here, you are in a lot of trouble." Kneeling down, he held out his hands and fixed Regulus with a stern look..

Regulus only giggled. He ducked past Orion's outstretched arm and was halfway down the hall again before the man could even straighten himself up.

He ran smack into Sirius, who had ventured into the hallway to see what all the yelling had been about.

"What's going on?" Sirius asked, catching his brother. "Did I hear 'downstairs'? Regulus you weren't in the cellars, were you?"

"Makuakane!" Regulus exlaimed. His whole demeanor changed. Suddenly he was repentant and sullen. "Yes, I was" he offered timidly.

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "You know better than that; it's dangerous down there. You're much too young to go down there alone. You could have been hurt."

Regulus nodded sadly. Behind him, Orion's mouth was hanging open.

"Come with me back to your room," Sirius said "You're in some serious trouble and we need to talk about what's going to happen to you."

Orion would have expected Regulus to struggle or perhaps stick out his tongue, as he always did around him, but instead, Regulus only answered meekly, "Yes, Makuakane…"

"I…it…" Orion trailed off in confusion as Regulus trotted willingly upstairs with his brother.

"I don't get it," Orion muttered irritably.

"Get what?" asked Walburga, looking up briefly from her coffee.

"Our youngest child, he wants nothing to do with me!"

"Well you aren't home very often," conceded Walburga. "Neither of us are, actually."

Sirius appeared in the kitchen quietly, leading Regulus by the hand.

"Well I'm home now!" insisted Orion. "I took time off from everything to spend the week here but all Regulus wants to do is run off with his brother. It isn't right. I'm his father, that should count for something!"

Walburga quirked an eyebrow. "Oh, I think Regulus has eyes only for his father."

"What are you—" Orion was cut off by the sound of Sirius rummaging through one of the cabinets, looking for snacks. He seized a small bag of sweets and opened them carefully. He handed one to Regulus.

Orion swiveled in his chair to watch Regulus and Sirius closely.

"Only one for now," Sirius said sternly. "You can maybe have another after dinner."

Regulus nodded. Then he held his arms out, clearly wanting to be carried.

"All right, now let's go see if we can get you airborne on one of my old brooms, huh?" Sirius picked Regulus up. He walked straight past Orion as if he could not see him. Regulus made no show of noticing his father, either.

"We're going outside, Mum!" Regulus said happily. He waved at her as they walked by.

"Have fun," Walburga smiled.

"We will," Sirius said. "If you're good, maybe I could be persuaded to take your dinner outside, and we can picnic in the yard when we're done flying, Reg."

"Thank you, Daddy!" Regulus exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. He leaned in to kiss Sirius messily on the face.

"That traitorous little brat," Orion glared at the front door as it swung merrily shut behind his sons.

Walburga swirled some extra cream into her coffee and smirked. "It's like you're always saying about the Ministry, Dear. If you can't do your job right, you'll be replaced by someone who can."

no death, no incest, no sex, no depressing-ness.

so there.

signed/Ten

Also:

父 "chichi" A Japanese little-kid word for Daddy

Батя "batya" An informal but respectful Russian word for Dad

"Makuakane" Hawaiian for Father...I think

I didn't use Spanish, French, Portuguese, etc. because those would have been too obvious .