Regulus had always repelled the light. He had realized very young that he was its antithesis: Regulus and light, joy, were simply not meant to coexist. Which is why, when Sirius left, taking a part of Regulus with him, he wasn't really surprised; it had always been bound to happen. A star as bright as Sirius could never survive in the black hole of their family. For the same reason, when he first met James, he had immediately known the boy would eventually leave. Regulus was playing with fire; he had always known just how much the sun could burn. He knew the risks, he played the game, and lost it. It was for the same reason, once again, that he welcomed the darkness when it engulfed him in that cave; Regulus Black was never meant to exist in the light, no, that spot was always his brother's. It was simply Regulus' destiny to be pulled into the darkness. At least, he thought –looking up at the little light he could still see– he would leave the world a little brighter than he had found it.