"It doesn't feel alright"
Regulus clung to James tightly - it was the only thing keeping him from finding a knife and cutting off his own arm; anything would be better than this torture.
"Shh.. Reggie, it's going to be alright.. It'll pass, it always passes.." James cooed softly to Regulus, trying to hide the fear in his eyes for his love.
It doesn't feel alright.
Regulus's arm burned and stung like he had been badly sunburned then had a thousand needles poked into it.
Regulus would have reckoned this hurt worse than the branding; if the branding itself hadn't felt like his arm had been stabbed by a hot metal poker, and the stabber had been twisted over and over again in his flesh, burning it and ripping it - when in reality it was just dark magic magically branding the Dark Lord's symbol onto his flesh.
James stroked Regulus's hair, trying to be soothing as Regulus buried his face in the crook of James's neck; making small whimpering noises that broke James's heart. If Regulus wasn't in so much pain that he just didn't care anymore, he would have been beyond embarrassed to have anyone, no less James, hear him make such pathetic noises.
"Jamie," Regulus practically whined his name - James would have thought it adorable, if Regulus wasn't pleading with him for relief James wished he could, but couldn't give.
James wished he could do more - he would sell his soul if it meant Regulus was happy and safe, but alas, there was nothing more he could do but just hold him close and pray he gets relief soon.
They sat in each others' arms, and they would sit like that however long it would take, even if that meant days, weeks, hell even years. This love was worth it, James wasn't letting go, he loved Regulus too much for that and Regulus needed comfort - Regulus trusted James to give him that.
[Word count: 316]