𝕄𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕟 𝔽𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤? [ʙᴏᴏᴋ 1]

༄ Regulus༄

Regulus' back burns white as he lays face down on his bedroom floor, the cold wood beneath his bare body seeping into his bones and chilling him. He can't move. Every nerve screams at him.

Just end it.

End it all.

Then Danica's eyes flash in his mind. Her smile. Her laugh echoing in the distance. The feel of her hand in his. It gives him strength. A strength to push himself onto his knees.

He gasps and grunts as he moves, his skin stretching and the cuts opening wider. He sits there for a minute, regaining energy.

Looking around, he sees the leather belt, the golden buckle shining in the evening sun. His father's voice left the air thick and full of hate. The satisfaction as the belt whipped across his back, as he cried out in pain. Then the cursing started. He curled up in a ball as the pain bolted through him. As his father shot red light at him, causing him to thrash about, his body in agony.

He slowly crawls to his bed and climbs onto it, collapsing onto his stomach and burying his face in the pillow. He can't cry though. He has no tears and his face remains dry.

Tonight it will either all be over or the torture will become worse. Slowly he rolls onto his back, biting his lip to stop himself from crying out. He stares up at the ceiling and takes deep breaths, calming himself. It's been the same cycle for a whole week since he's been home: he gets hurt by his father while his mother watches and occasionally shoots a spell at him too; then he's left on the ground writhing in pain. Sometimes it's too much and he falls into blackness, waking up a few hours later, sometimes in the dead of night and all he has is the moonlight to guide him to his bed. Sometimes he wakes up and doesn't move. He just lays there shaking and
sweating.

He closes his eyes. Maybe this time he'll fall asleep and never wake up again. Slowly he drifts into the space between sleep and consciousness.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

He had fallen asleep eventually but he is suddenly woken up by a repetitive knock at his window. He groans as he sits up, rubbing his eyes and carefully swinging his legs over the side of the bed. His feet connect with the cold floor and he shakily puts his weight on them. His legs somehow carry him to his window and he looks out as a stone flys up and hits it. He jumps back in surprise, wincing. He leans back over to the glass and opens the window, swinging it wide and looking down.

Sirius, Danica and Jackson stand below him. Regulus' eyes find Danica's and he feels a sense of calmness run through his body. He watches as Danica swings her leg over her broom and flies up to his window. He reaches out to her, a ghost of a smile on his face.

"Danica," he whispers and pulls her into his room, holding her close against his body.

She looks up at him, her eyes bright and watery and he bends his head to kiss her. Her lips are soft and warm and they comfort him.

Finally, they pull apart.

"I've missed you," she whispers and runs a hand over his chest then round to his back. He steps away from her, not wanting her to feel his wounds. "Reg?" Her eyes are full of worry and she looks slightly hurt that he stepped away. He sighs and slowly turns around to show her and she gasps.

"It's not as bad as it looks," he lies.

"Regulus! Let me clean you up," she says and takes his hand. "Where's the bathroom?"

He lets her care for him and leads her to his bathroom. He watches as she glances around his big room, her mouth open slightly in awe of what he has. He flicks the light on and gets a cloth and passes it to her.