"Dark Mark"
Regulus stood in the middle of the room, his arm in agonizing pain, while his family praised him and their lord, and all Regulus could think about is how he betrayed James.
The Dark Mark shown brightly against the contrast of Regulus's pale skin; it made Regulus want to be sick, but he couldn't help but think of all that this mark stood for and be the tiniest of bits proud.
Then he though about James.
About what James going to say when he saw.
All the proudness and hints of happiness disappeared when he thought about how James was going to hate him for this.
His one love, the man who gave him so much joy and light in this hell, his sun - was going to hate him; for something he had no choice in.
Just as Bellatrix was about to tell him some more bullshit and give him more undeserved praise, Regulus left the room, not saying another word, and locks himself in his room.
Sirius had long fled this house, so he couldn't even go to them about this.
The one person who was ever nice to him, had left.
. . .
James walked to his front door, hearing someone ring the doorbell and thinking it was post.
He opened it, and stopped dead in his tracks as he saw who it was.
It was not the postman.
"Hey, Jamie... Uh.. May I come in..?"
James doesn't hesitate a moment to wrap Regulus in a tight hug.
"Oh my god, Reggie, oh my god- of course you can come in, you know you are always welcome. Oh my gods, I can't believe its you.."
"'Always welcome'.. Doubtful, once I tell you what I've become," Regulus thought to himself bitterly, but says nothing of the sort and forces the bitterness out of his words.
"Thanks, James.."
James basically drags Regulus inside after hugging him so tightly.
"Mum, Dad, Pads! Reggie is here!!" James called into the quiet house.
Fleamont and Euphemia Potter came into the room, but not before Sirius ran into the room and jaw dropped once she saw his brother again.
"Reg..?" Sirius's voice cracks as he steps out to see Regulus, not quite sure if this is even real, or if she was just dreaming.
"Hi Sirius."
The two hesitate a moment before hugging each other; it was probably the first time Sirius was able to hug Regulus since they were very little.
"Hello, Regulus, I hope you know you are welcome to stay as long as you want to," Effie says after Sirius and Regulus are done hugging; Sirius's eyes are red from trying not to cry (and failing).
"Thank you," Regulus says gratefully to James's parents, but somewhere inside him he knew that this generosity would be all but a memory once they found the mark on his arm, that was still burning from the recent inking.
"James could we talk for a minute, alone?" Regulus asks James in an undertone so only he could hear.
"Yeah, sure, come on, I'll show you to your room."
James takes Regulus's hand as they walk up the stairs, leaving the others behind.
James makes a mental note of how cold Regulus's hands were compared to last time he was able to hold them.
They both walk into the spare guest room, and Regulus closes the door behind the both of them.
"So what did you want to talk about?"
Regulus takes a deep breath before speaking.
"Jamie, I want you to know that I love you-"
"I love you too, Reggie!"
"I haven't finished.."
James's face falls, and he looks at Regulus curiously who continues to speak.
"I love you, and I really hope you do too, and I really want you to know that I had no choice.." Regulus says, his voice getting quieter but he keeps his eyes on James's as he reluctantly rolls up his sleeve.
His arm was red from irritation from the mark; the Dark Mark plastered black ink over his forearm.
"I am so sorry, Jamie-"
James says nothing, just stares in shock and horror at the Dark Mark on his lover's skin, while Regulus was willing himself not to let any tears slip.
James reaches out after a few moments to grasp Regulus's arm, his thumb just barely grazing over the black ink.
"I still love you Reggie. I just.. I just don't know what we are going to do now."
[Word count: 704]