May My Life Be Worth Your Sin
"Lucius! Calm! Down!" Narcissa grunts from the couch trying to sit up by herself. She glares at her distended belly poking it after the baby kicks her bladder for the twentieth time. She rolls her eyes as the baby kicks her again. She watches her husband pacing around their living room, his despair met with a complete unimpressed gaze from her.
"A stranger, Cissa. He's traveling with a complete stranger!" Lucius wheezed shaking his phone aggressively. She rolls her eyes again, not even attempting to stand up.
"Honey, my love, my life, light of my days," She starts patronizingly, his head snaps back at her with a half hearted glare. "Reg is nineteen years old. He can take care of himself. Besides, the guy seems nice enough. Especially if Regulus trusts him enough to let him stick around. You know how he is." She gives him a pointed look.
He sighs letting himself sink beside her in the couch.
"Exactly. I know how he is, that's what I'm worried about." Lucius frowns, eyes far away.
"Look, if you're so concerned about this guy..." She trails off with a knowing look. Lucius glances her way, nose turned up in faint annoyance.
"No."
She snorts. "You still mad at him?" Lucius melts against her hiding his reddened face on her shoulder.
"He's a jerk." He mutters sullenly, Narcissa barely contains her laugh.
"Babe, he's your best friend." She reminds him but Lucius just harrumphs angrily.
"He certainly is not!" Lucius' voice is strangled. "He's practically Regulus' age, I can't be friends with someone his age. That'd be weird."
Narcissa smiles. "Severus is twenty one." Sure reminds him. Lucius' face scrunches up in distaste.
"He's basically a toddler."
"He's an amazing private detective, that's what he is." She mutters picking up the remote and pulling up a movie.
Lucius sighs. Narcissa was right, as always. Severus was excellent at what he did.
It did not surprise Lucius, who had basically taken the kid under his wing in his sixth year while the kid was still on his first year. They guided him, helped him study, protected him from bullies and very often, took him in when his father kicked him out. Their relationship was far from friends, and even farther than mentor/protegee but Lucius has always been too scared of rejection. He'd let himself be whatever Severus wanted him to be. Same as with Regulus.
He really wanted to trust Regulus judgement, but his consciousness would not leave him be. What if that boy was bad news? He was on the other half of the world for fuck's sake. Sure, Regulus was an adult, but his social perception was stunted at best. While sometimes he would not trust someone for ages, being oftentimes aggressive towards them without even realizing, he could also be too trusting sometimes. Just like now.
He glanced at his phone once more, taking in the uncomfortable looking boy in the paused video.
"Hi, Mr. Lucius my ass." He mutters angrily already typing away.
Not so far away. Severus picked up his phone.
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The sun was quickly setting, the orange light merging into the horizon and leaving the road in darkness. Regulus would be fine to keep going, but he could see the exhaustion in James' face. As the next town's welcome sign appeared he tugged the others shirt.
"Let's stop for today." He muttered quietly. James glances at him before nodding and taking the main road to enter the city. They spend a few minutes roaming around until Regulus points at a dimly lit motel. They get out of the car stretching their aching limbs, James sighs in relief as he stretches his arms above his head.
Regulus wants to hit himself as his eyes immediately stare at the patch of skin that's reavealed by the ridden up shirt. He averts his eyes quickly as his phone begins ringing, James' eyes fly open to look for the motel's entrance.
"I'm gonna see if they have rooms available..." James offers a smile already walking.
"Okay." Regulus smiles answering his phone.
"Regulus, so nice to hear from you." He winces at the remark.
"Hi, Pandora." He mutters tiredly rubbing the shame from his frown.
"Evan told me that you're going after your brother." Her pause stretched for a bit too long before Regulus realised she wanted him to comment on it. "And Mr. Malfoy says you're traveling with a stranger."
"Yeah." He answered noncommitantly. She breathed out a displeased sigh. His chest constricted, damn.
"Look, you know I'm here for you. Right? If you need anything-"
Regulus looks to the asphalted parking lot enraged. Why did everybody think he was so incapable to make his own decisions? Why could he never just do things wihtou someone doubting his every move? Regulus knew he was diferent from other people. Fuck, he knew very well how it felt to never fit in.
He was never able to bond with anyone quite well. Apathetic to some. Overwhelming to others. Never enough for anyone.
Not enough of a man to his parents. Not enough of an adult to his friends. Not enough of a family to his brother.
"What do you all expect me to do? I don't understand you. Dad tells me to get out more and make friends. And when I do you all blow up as if I'm a dumb child who's getting kidnapped. I might be inapt or some shit, but I am capable of making my own decisions. So FUCK OFF." He ends up his rant ending the call. He throws the phone inside the car throught the open window and slides down agaisnt the door.
He sits there breathing hard. His eyes unfocused. He takes in the invironment. He watches cars driving by, people walking by the sidewalks. The birds rustling up the leaves of the tree line of the parking lot. He's so unaware of his surroundings he barely hears James walk up to him.
There's concern all over his face as he bends over, his fringe hanging upside down in loose black curls. "Hey, I got us a room each. Wanna get settled in?"
Regulus lets his eyes gaze over James' face. He must read his emotions quite well because the next second James is sitting next to him. Even in the warm evening, James' bodyheat is somewhat comfortable, so he leans on his shoulder soaking up on it while staring at the cloud spotted sky. Away from so much civilization, Regulus is mesmerized by being able to actually see the sky quite so clear even at night.
James' arm is sneaking over his shoulders hesitantly. Regulus leans foward giving him plenty of space. It feels a bit awkward at first. but after a few minutes, Regulus is realxed enough to lean himself on James.
The turmoil of feelings he once felt, fades away by the second. He breathes in deeply, James' perfume washes over him. Sweet and cheerful. He sighs tucking his head on his neck. He feels James' chest stutter with a breath. He bites back a smile.
It's unexpected really. This feelings towards someone so quickly. It's a first for him. It's new, exciting. He lets out a quiet laugh leaning back to look at James who eyes him confused, but with a smile on his lips.
Yeah, Regulus has fallen in love after only two days. He doesn't quite care though.