Les Débuts (The Beginning)
The Greeks have spread their reign across many countries, claiming any land they can touch with the soles of their sandals and maiming any kingdom that dare stand in their way.
Regulus likes the parties they throw. Sirius likes the wine they make.
Greeks throw fantastical parties, bright bonfires, singing Nymphs and dancing fairies. The Lyre might be the best thing ever invented, according to Regulus.
Regulus is the youngest brother, from the Ancient and Noble house of μαύρα (Black), and he's always harbored a fascination with all things human, every strange thing they invent, every war they wage and new way to love they invent he immerses himself in knowledge about until he's an expert. The only thing keeping him as passing for a human are the fangs and lack of heart or blood in his body.
Sirius doesn't much care for human invention, though he loves his brother dearly, and has vowed to give Regulus the childhood Sirius never got. This means taking the 3,000-year-old boy, just a baby really, down to the coast to see the Greeks dance and sway. Sirius has always been a ladies man though, and he gets distracted by a pretty δαίμονας (Daemon) very quickly, running off and leaving Regulus by the flames.
The younger boy doesn't even register Sirius leaving, too busy staring wide eyed at the beautiful man with tan skin who dances around the burning wood like he relates to the way it burns with energy. His muscles ripple and shift with every movement, dark hair falling in waves around his olive skin, the white of his toga a stark contrast and the golden ropes rival the gold of his jewelry.
Regulus thinks he could stare slack jawed at this man who resembles the Sun for the rest of his immortal life and never be bored.
A puff of breath leaves his parted lips and like it carries across worlds, the man turns and catches Regulus's eye, soft brown meeting cold grey in a clash. Regulus feels as though the world has just bloomed in color, as if he'd been blind and can finally see.
Regulus doesn't notice the Sun has moved until he's standing in front of him in all his glory. Regulus wonders if he reaches out to touch, will it burn?
"Hello." The Sun whispers, licking his lips and leaning close. "I've felt your eyes on my skin like cold water droplets since you arrived. Dance with me."
"I don't know how." Regulus responds, too busy losing himself in the depths of the Suns warm eyes to keep his cool. "And you're so graceful, you dance with the flames of the fire and embody the heat of the Sun. You shine brighter than any star, any jewel I've ever laid my eyes on. If there were such a thing to shine brighter than the Sun, I would compare you to it, but I fear that still wouldn't do you justice."
The man blinks at him and his lips part on a gasp. Regulus wants to lean forward and bite those lips, he wants to watch red spill from between those soft mounds and lick it up, swallow down the burning liquid of the Sun. Wants to lay underneath this man and burn.
"I don't want to dance anymore." The Sun says, moving closer and leaning to whisper in a pale ear. "Let me take you to my bed. Let me show you the heat I burn with, let me paint you in the morning."
The Sun reaches up to touch the pad of his pointer finger to Regulus's lips, parting them to run a finger over a fang.
"Let me feed you the depths of my body."
Regulus doesn't know how the hell he's supposed to say no to that.
So, he doesn't. He reaches up and pulls the Sun around so their lips meet, and the whole world explodes. Every sound Regulus already though to be beautiful suddenly sounds godly, the salty smell of the beach pushed out of his senses to fill with the salty smell of sweat and cedar from dancing by the fire. Soft lips move around his own and Regulus has only done this twice before but nothing has ever felt as important as this. No kiss could ever rival the burn of the Sun.
Regulus gets pulled away from the fire, the dancing, the wine and led past a door to be surrounded by red and white stone walls. They barely get the door shut before Regulus is sprawled across the rug at the hearth, the Sun hovers above him the same way it hangs in the sky.
"You are more beautiful than words can convey." The Sun whispers, gently sliding his fingers up from Regulus's pale chest to the tips of his hair, sliding waves of black strands behind a pale ear.
"Words are simply not enough." Regulus agrees, not talking about himself at all.
The Sun captures his mouth again, running his tongue along the lines of razor-sharp fangs, tangling tan hands into dark curls. Regulus runs his hands over the smooth chest, loves that the Greeks prefer to stay hairless below the neck, loves the sculpted muscles from years of hard work he finds under the coarse white fabric, revels in the way it slides off his shoulders.
"My name is James." The Greek boy whispers into Regulus's mouth. "I want you to scream my name like a prayer, desperate to be answered."
James holds Regulus's chin firmly until the pale boy nods and James moves all at once.
Regulus has never felt real pleasure in his life, he decides, if this is what it's supposed to feel like. When James allows Regulus to drink from him it's like pouring warm nectar straight down his throat. Regulus won't ever take another lover, if it means having James by his side. This explosion of feeling builds Regulus to crescendo more times than he can count, stringing his mind and making his body so sore he's sure he'll never walk again. His body, heart, mind and soul fill with James. The Sun burns it's brand into Regulus's very being and the younger boy decides there is no life, Immortal or not, without James.
They lie together until golden strands of light pour through the windows, James tracing patterns into Regulus's pale ribs, Regulus whispering stories into the younger mans hair.
"I have to go." Regulus says, though it pains him, he's left Sirius to wonder where he's gone for more hours than allowed.
"Must you?" James props himself up to stare into grey eyes. "I don't want to be without you. My life is short, I want to spend every second by your side."
Regulus's breath is taken away again, and he can't help but pull James' face down, crashing their lips together, tasting himself and day-old wine. Nothing has ever tasted so sweet.
"I must. I'm sorry, my Sun. I cannot stay." Regulus shifts out from under James and pulls his robes around himself.
"Wait." James stands, nude and it takes Regulus a lot of willpower to not be distracted as James grabs his hand gently. "Will I see you again?"
"Oh my Sun, my James," Regulus smiles and cups James's cheek, running his thumb over the small mole under his eye. "Nothing could ever keep me from coming back to you."
"Then I wish to know your name." James smiles, Regulus can feel that smile warm him from the inside. "I want to know the name of the man I am to see forever in my dreams."
"Regulus." The shorter boy whispers, far too entranced still by the way James looks at him, trapped in that warm gaze.
"Regulus." James says, his name sounds so beautiful when spilling out of those bitten lips. "I shall name a star after you, Regulus, and I shall look to it every night when I think of you."
Regulus laughs, having no doubt this man in front of him is sincere, the Greeks have been on an Astronomy kick lately, Regulus can't wait to see which one get's named after him. Sirius has already claimed the brightest star after spending a night with young Galileo.
"One could fall so quickly in love with you, James. I really must go. I will come find you in a fortnight. Please wait for me." Regulus stands on his toes to press a kiss into James's cheek and dart out of the house, running across the courtyard bustling with people and up the hill to an olive tree, hoping to spot Sirius so he can recount all the events with great pride.
The next few months, Regulus and James meet in secret. Mortals and Immortals aren't ever supposed to spend more than one night with each other, it's driven Immortals to madness, watching their lovers slip into old age.
Regulus's parents had forbidden it in the family after Uncle Alfred had found a way to kill himself, following his Mermaid love into the afterlife. Regulus thought it was beautiful, to love someone so deeply, to have them so buried into your soul that you find a way through the impossible to be with them. When he told James the story, his beautiful Sun just smiled and said 'if it were roles reversed, I would follow you to the depths of hell, for nowhere could be anything less than paradise with you by my side.' and Regulus had swooned so hard his robes fell off and James had ravished him right there under the stars.
Regulus does not think of James dying. He can't stand it, anytime a stray thought creeps into his mind it's squashed under the metaphorical boot that lives in his mind squashes it firmly. Regulus will simply find a way to follow him when the time comes.
Regulus tells only one person, his brother. Sirius only demands to meet James, and promptly falls in love once he does. Sirius feels philia, the friendship love for James. It's amusing, to watch how well they click together, immediately bonding over their love for Regulus and then their love for all things chaotic and stupid. Regulus is content to watch from the side lines and draw James's profile as the two idiots run around and splash in the ocean.
The night that ruined everything came unexpectedly. Regulus had his normal rendezvous with James under the stars, James had a star named after him officially and told him the story of the lion.
"I put you at its heart, because mine cannot beat without you." James had said against Regulus's burning skin, then had held his jaw, forcing him to stare at the star as pleasure takes over his body.
James has always loved to make Regulus feel everything on a wide spectrum, always bringing the smaller boy pleasure before allowing it for himself. Regulus thinks the devotion with which James tends to him is the most beautiful thing to ever exist.
James traces the Leo constellation into Regulus's ribs when they've decided to take a break. Regulus runs his hands through James's hair and hums an ancient song, one that has already been forgotten by the Mortals.
When the bushes rustle Regulus doesn't even look up, expecting it to be a small rodent or another Mortal walking around.
"He's there, see? Laying with a human." A raspy voice says from above as a shadow falls over them.
Regulus looks up, quickly turning so his body shields James from whatever harm could come. Sirius is gripped by his hair and kneeling at his mothers feet, half conscious and swaying.
The head wizard of this time, Voldemort, stands to his mothers right. Voldemort is a dark leader, a Wizard who has got as far as he has off curses rather than spells, fear than genuine support. He believes all Mortals should be wiped from the Earth, that Immortals were here first, and Mortals have soiled the planet. He was one of the first to forbid relationships between Mortals and the forever living.
"I had to dig in this one's mind quite hard for it." Voldemort says in that raspy voice and Regulus bares his fangs as he gestures his wand to Sirius, then pointing it at Where Regulus is protecting James's head with his hands.
"Do not point that at my Sun, if you bring an ounce of harm to him, I will tear your throat from your body and swallow it whole." Regulus growls, tightening his hold on James, shivering when warm hands trail up his side.
"Regulus!" Walburga screeches, her black hair flowing wildly in the sea breeze. "You will not-"
"Shut up, Mother." Regulus snaps, not bothering to give her a moment of his time, not when James's very life is in danger.
"Regulus." Voldemort rasps, clinging to his wand. He was once a very handsome man, olive skin and wavy brown hair, pretty enough to rival Aphrodite, Regulus remembers. Now he's a snake of a man, his nose has been twisted in, leaving only slits, his skin has had all life sucked out of it in his attempt to live longer with magic, it has rotted his soul and eaten at his body. "You're misguided. Step away from the mortal."
"No." Regulus says, shifting up and pushing James behind him, not caring that he's laid bare, this is Greece, most everyone walks around in the nude. "I will not allow you to hurt him."
"Why not, dear boy?" Voldemort has been close with his family for the past two hundred years, far longer than Humans can normally live for if Regulus is correct. "Surely you haven't gone and fallen for him?"
"I am not ashamed." Regulus says.
"I'm sure you aren't." Voldemort replies, shifts his wand. "Unfortunately, I also know that this madness runs in your family. I always thought Sirius here would betray us like this, I had higher hopes for you."
Regulus just glares into unnaturally green eyes and seethes. James holds Regulus's waist gently from behind and keeps his face hidden while Regulus thinks. If Voldemort has been digging through Sirius's head then he already knows the manic love Regulus feels for James. The all-consuming obsession that Regulus drowns in when it comes to James. Voldemort should be trying to kill James, he should be fighting right now. Walburga shouldn't be grinning; she should be burning with rage. Why does Sirius keep looking past them, towards the sea?
Where is Regulus's father?
Just as he's starting to piece it together, he feels cold air replace where James's warmth kept him sane. Regulus watches Voldemort wave his wand and feels robes wrap around his skin, wrapping too tight and restraining him to the ground.
James is covered with his usual white robes and forced to his knees by Orion in front of Voldemort, who puts his wand under James's chin.
Regulus yanks at the robes wrapped around his wrists, writhes against the sand.
"No!!" Regulus growls, thrashing harder as Voldemort leans close to James. "Get away from him!"
"Shut up, Regulus." Walburga snaps at him, and Regulus shuts his mouth. Not because his mother told him to but because James opens his mouth to speak.
"You think killing me will rid him of our love?" James asks, chin jut out in defiance. Regulus wants to scream at him not to taunt, but James has always looked so beautiful when he believes in something, even more so when it's Regulus he believes in. "You are a fool. Regulus will love me past death, and into the next life where your cold hands cannot touch our warmth." James laughs, even as the white wand stabs deeper into his throat. "You are the biggest fool I have ever met! If Regulus burns with even one tenth of the μανία (Mania) that I burn with for him, then nothing will keep us apart. Not you, not any distance, not even death."
Regulus feels himself falling in love all over again, it feels the same as that first night two years ago watching James dance around the fire on this same beach. The love Regulus feels hasn't dulled or dimmed once, and every new thing about James has stoked the flames until Regulus is sure he burns with the Sun.
"Oh I know." Voldemort says, a sick grin on his face and Regulus's heart drops to the pits of his stomach.
"No." He whispers.
"That's why you won't stay dead." Voldemort decrees, the tip of his wand glowing a fiery green into James's throat. "The only way for him to ever see you is to wait through the centuries as you reincarnate from each life, never remembering who he is, or what he means to you." James's eyes go wide, and his jaw slackens, Regulus can barely see through the tears piling in his eyes as he thrashes in the sand. "You will meet him on the night of your twenty fifth birthday each reincarnation, only to fall hopelessly in love with him and be consumed by his love for you."
Walburga's eyebrows furrow and she fists Sirius's hair harder.
"Lord Voldemort that is not-"
"Shut it, Wally." Orion grits through fanged teeth and glares at her, she falls silent.
"Then, you will start to remember him, and all the lives before. Once your memories have been restored you will have three days with each other, because I am a merciful man, before you will die a gruesome death, each one, Regulus will be present and conscious to watch. Starting with this one." Voldemort waves his wand, and a green flash settles over Greece, a brand burning itself into James's collarbone in the same moment Orion shoves a knife through James's back, the blade poking through the other side of his strong abdomen before it's being pulled out and James is falling to the side, staining the beach in his normally beautiful red.
An animal screams, longer than Regulus has ever heard a scream go for, and it's only when his throat starts to swell and sobs fall from his mouth that he realizes it wasn't an animal, it was him and James isn't breathing.
The robes loosen around Regulus's wrists and he crawls to James's lifeless body, cradling a limp head of dark curls to his chest.
"No, no, no." Regulus sobs, pushing James's hair away from his face, warm brown eyes are shut, Regulus is not to see them again for centuries. "Not my Sun, please my love, my world will freeze without you."
Regulus lets his body wrack and jerk with his pain, lets his forehead meet James's, lets the tears spill from his cheeks to his lovers without interference. Screams his throat hoarse, every time he stops to catch his breath the reality of James being gone settles deeper into his bones and the screams start again.
He doesn't pay mind to anything else around him, not when Voldemort point his wand at Regulus, or when a brand burns itself into his shoulder blade. Regulus simply cannot see nor feel anything but James.
Regulus holds his Sun and weeps until there's nothing left to hold but bone, hold him still until the bone crumbles under his touch. Weeps as his brother replaces the weight in his arms, allows himself to be held for the first time in a short time compared to their lifespan, but it's felt like forever to Regulus, when cold hands clasp behind his back.
"Oh, my little brother." Sirius whispers in his ear. "Your love knows no bounds, your heart aches from the discovery of it. I've waited for there to be nothing left to carry with you, to make the journey easier. We must flee, I have fought as many Mortals as I can, they think of you a wailing Siren, a curse put on this town."
Regulus clutches Sirius's robes close, letting his tears drip onto the curve of pale collar bones.
"I cannot feel my legs, for he was who I walked to. I cannot carry myself from his resting place willingly, I will not leave his side by my own choice." Regulus says, his voice hoarse with the aftereffects of screams that have haunted the beach day and night for months.
James was Regulus's everything, his every reason for continuing in this Immortal life. To lose him once hurts more than Regulus has ever known, Regulus thinks he could not survive a second time watching James crumble in his arms, let alone spending forever getting him back just to see him brutally ripped away again.
"My little brother," Sirius says gently. "There is no side to stay by, he's gone to dust. He lives in the sand of this beach now, small star. Come, you must eat, I've allowed you to starve for six months. I have someone you can drain, you'll kill them."
Sirius lifts Regulus and drags him to the twitching man on the sand, Sirius holds the back of Regulus's head cradled against his chest, one leg on either side of his younger brother as he brings a dark wrist to pale lips.
"Eat." Sirius commands, slicing the wrist to with his fingernail to allow for the smell to draft into Regulus's nose.
As soon as the Vampire catches a whiff he's lunging for it, sinking fangs into the soft skin of the human's wrist and drawing gulp after gulp of warm blood, draining the human of life. Regulus has never felt so hungry before.
Regulus had called James the Sun and then flown too close. Just like Icarus his wings had burned, the wax has melted, and he plummets to the sea to drown in his own misery, to choke on his sorrow. This time, Icarus pulls the sun with and together they fall into a burning spiral of boiling water and melted wax.