the aftermath.
Regulus climbed the stairs of the astronomy tower slightly out of breath. If Barty wasn't here he simply had no idea where else he would go. Regulus would be lying if he said he wasn't slightly pissed off with Barty, he had a potions essay due and instead of working on it with Pandora like he planned he was looking for Barty to try and stop him from doing anything stupid. He walked up the final steps to the vision of a pale faced barty stood completely motionless, eyes glazed over but looking directly at him. Watching Barty, his anger towards the boy began to increase. Barty had caused the problem and now he was sulking up in the freezing cold,sure he understood Barty most of the time but sometimes he really couldn’t help but see him as a ridiculously overgrown toddler. Sulking and having tantrums that others have to fix constantly.
‘Bartimius.’
‘Reg….’
‘No- what the fuck are you doing up here.it’s freezing fucking cold. You’ll get sick. And You should be apologising to Evan. I don't know what you're playing at.Your just making yourself feel worse staying up here. ’ Regulus spat, his annoyance practically bursting out of him
Bartys only reaction was a simple nod of the head, his face remaining practically stoic.
‘Get yourself together Barty- you know full well you were the one in the wrong in the situation so stop acting like a brat and get to the apologising so you two can go back to be disgustingly in love ’
Regulus’ annoyance was fizzling out as he watched Barty remain motionless, not a single emotion being betrayed, the glassy look in his eyes still evidently there.
‘He doesn’t love me. ’
‘The fuck he doesn’t . He literally walked Into the dorm after your argument and looked at your bed .. as if somehow you would be there already. Your being stupid just go apologise before we both end up sick from the cold’
Barty looked at Regulus like he was speaking a foreign language. Sure,he knew he overreacted but Evan said some really shitty stuff. It wasn’t his job to fix all their problems. And so what if Evan looked over at his bed .. he was probably checking that he wasn’t there. Dear Merlin he hated it when everyone acted like it was all his fault . Evan should be the one apologising to him. He felt some sort of satisfaction for the conclusion he had come to. It wasn’t his fault. He wasn’t unlovable. Evan was just a massive insensitive dick and it was all his fault.
Regulus watched as Bartys eyes seemed to unglaze and for a moment he felt some relief but after a moment he noticed what had changed and he was not pleased with the dark sparkle that seemed to replace it .
‘Piss off Regulus.’
‘Barty…’
‘I said piss off Black.’ Barty turned back towards the edge of the tower and went to stare at the sky, his new revelations making him feel calm, collected and in control.
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Regulus wasn't sure what to do. On one hand he was really fucking cold and just wanted to go back and finish his homework, on the other, well Barty was acting odd. But he didn't seem upset, more .. disconnected to the situation. Angry. It was extremely out of character. Maybe Pandora would know what to do.
Yes, pandora.
He nodded his head to himself pleased with the conclusion he had reached. Pandora would know what to do.
He walked back down the stairs, heading towards the library hoping to catch Pandora in there with her girlfriend Lily evans. He liked Lily, she was smart and seemed to make Pandora happy. The pair were sitting pouring over old tombs, heads touching and hands clearly interlocked beneath the table.
‘Dora. we have a problem’ Regulus says, placing himself opposite the couple.
‘Barty and Evan right? We heard their argument from in here’ Lily said rolling her eyes as if it was obvious.
‘Yes but no- it's complicated. There's something wrong with Barty.” Regulus replies sharply, disliking the tone Lily took when talking about his friends. Yes they were idiots but they were his idiot friends and only he and Dorcas had the right to sound exasperated.
‘They’ll figure it out’ Pandora chimes in in her soft melodic voice, she paired it with a reassuring smile before pressing some soft kisses to Lily’s knuckles.
Regulus could feel his frustration fizzling out at the soft gesture. Even if Lily was completely out of line he supposed he could let her off this once for Pandora's sake. Repeating Pandora's words like a mantra he walks straight out of the library back to his dorm resolving to allow the pair to ‘figure it out’,
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Evan was lying awake. He often found himself unable to sleep but this time he couldn't go seek comfort from his boyfriend because. well . he no longer had one. He didn't feel guilty about the breakup, he knew he wasn't in the wrong but he missed his boyfriend's warmth and the glimmer of mischief in his eyes. He could apologise and drag Barty back to his bed. But he had a feeling it wouldn't go down the way he so desperately wished it would. He wondered where Barty went. Somewhere cool with open space. Barty hated feeling stuck and he strangely always ran hot. The quidditch fields..No. too obvious. Barty looked like he wanted to be alone .. so it had to be the astronomy tower.
He sat up grabbing a blanket and his wand walking out of his dorm. He was going to find his idiot boyfrie- ex-boyfriend and drag him back before he got a fucking cold.
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Barty stood staring still. His nose a bright pink from the cold air blowing through the tower. He wasn't sure what to do with his new found control over his emotions. He could go hex some first years. That always made him feel good. Watching them go from smiling to crying was hilarious. It was always better with Evan though.. He was less likely to get caught because Evan noticed when the teachers arrived to sort it out. He could go to the kitchens but he wasn't really hungry. Running through all the other options he came to the conclusion that he would just have to stay here