Chapter 22
"I don't know how to do this, Jem. Lupin gave us a goal but no steps." Green eyes watched him from the bed, curls hiding part of his face, "And we have to go later so I don't-"
"Come here." Regulus abandoned his spot on the couch for Jem opening his arms and pulling Reg onto the bed. "You're scaring me and yourself." He inhaled, breathing in the mix of Reg's own soaps and Jem's cologne, plus the underlining scent of pine that seemed to hint at him since he'd been turned. Or maybe Regulus was only now noticing it. There was an underlining layer of something...contentment? Calm? He couldn't quit- "Stop thinking and just breathe. You're gonna cause yourself to hyperventilate." Regulus cuddled in closed to the werewolf who welcomed him, pulling the blankets up.
"Fuck I was supposed to give you a tonic-"
"It can wait. You need to calm down." Regulus held onto the shirt, breathing in and curling up. "It's okay. We're gonna figure it out."
- - -
"All three of you need showers." The three Death Eaters looked at Jem sitting on the couch. "Go on."
"Shower sounds good." Barty mumbled grabbing Evan's hand and towing him off towards the dorms. "See you in the morning Wolfy."
"Goodnight boys."
"Hey Jem."
"You reek of sadness."
"Long night."
"I can tell." Jem sat down his tea cup and offered a hand to Regulus, "Let's get you cleaned up."
"You stayed up." Reg murmured laying his hand in Jem's.
"I had to make sure you three came back in one piece." He sounded so patient and Reg smiled as they walked towards the prefect dorm, and then into the attached bathroom. "I'm gonna go get-"
"No, no, no," Reg grabbed Jem's arm and then cupped his face. "Don't leave."
"Okay, take it easy little love." Regulus leaned back on the counter using his hands to keep him up and letting his head fall back. "Arms up." Reg let one of his arms be moved and settled his hand on Jem's shoulder before the process happened with the other and he pulled the shirt off. "There you go." A soft kiss was pressed to his shoulder. "Let me turn on the water," Reg nodded letting go of his arms. He heard the water start, then there was Jem, a soft kiss to his cheek. "You okay?"
Regulus nodded, "Yeah, I'm okay."
"You don't sound okay."
"I just...don't leave."
"I'm not going anywhere."
"Greyback knew, Jem. He knew."
"It's okay. Hey," warm hands led his face up, meeting his eyes, "it'll be just fine. Trust me." Reg nodded slowly. "It'll be fine. "
"Can you kiss me? Can you...can -"
"Yes little love, all you have to do is ask." Regulus melted into the kiss feeling the soft lips against his own, the hands still holding his face, the piecing that grazed his lips.
"Don't leave me alone."
"Okay, not a problem. But you need to let go of me so I can take off my clothes too," Reg nodded and hesitantly dropped his hands from Jem's shoulders, he shrugged out of his sweater setting it down on the counter and then slipped off the rest of his clothes before Reg pulled him back to him. "Am I going to have to carry you into the shower?"
"Yes." Jem laughed but didn't falter, picking him up and Regulus clung to him even tighter when he was walked under the warm water.
"You wanna talk about it?"
"Not really." Jem just nodded and Regulus slowly lowered his feet onto the tile still holding onto Jem. He had Jem a few steps in front of him and it shielded him mostly from the water letting him just lean on the werewolf who soothed his shaking and gradually worked the water through his hair. "I guess I didn't realize how much you were protecting us at those meetings." Jem didn't say anything just turned them and continued working his fingers through Reg's hair grabbing one of the soaps after a few moments. "He's so awful, Jem, we have to get out."
"I know little love. I've also been doing some research. I think we could do it. What we were talking about with the Horcrux."
"You found one?"
"I think I might've. We could do it Reg. We could get out. For real."
"For real?"
"Yeah love, we'd be okay. We'd be out."
"Could we do it?"
"I think so." Regulus lifted his head up when Jem's hands framed his face, tilting it up and running his thumbs over his cheek bones, "I think there's a chance we could do this, Reg. You want out, lets get out. Why wait for the end of the year? Why push it when we don't have to? We could be okay."
"I'm scared, Jem. I'm really scared."
"I know. I am too, but what if we could do it? What if we could get out and be okay? Is it worth being scared for a little bit?"
Regulus laid his head against Jem's chest for a minute, watching that Lion hide its fangs and perk its ears at the wizard's sudden proximity. "If we can do, like really do it and it works. Then yes. As soon as possible yes. But I am so scared we're gonna get caught Jem. I don't want to lose you because we rushed something like this."
"Then we take more time. We figure it out. And we do it right, but we do it, soon."
"Yes, soon."
"For now, little love, let's get you cleaned up and into bed."