Author: Mosh
Fandom: Harry Potter

Title: Caught Up
Pairing: Sirius/Regulus
Rating: R
Summary: A bittersweet parting.
Disclaimer: These boys belong to J.K Rowling. No money being made, no copyright or trademark infringement intended.
A/N: This was a gift for Toni, and although it was supposed to turn out porny, it actually became more of an angst piece. :O With thanks to Lizardspots for looking over it! 430 words.

Note: You may not archive, re-post, or alter any of my stories without my permission. Please contact me first. Thanks!

Regulus has a mural of sore red welts down his back from where he had been punished. Like a cross-stitch pattern, they paint his humiliation deep into his skin.

"I can't do this... I didn't realise, I-"

He doesn't know where to go to ease the pain. Every door is closed to him now. Severus won't look at him. Severus - his friend - hadn't been able to look at him even when Regulus had reached out to him in desperation, his fingers slipping through the hem of Severus's soft black robe as the belt struck for the eighth time - crack! - across his shoulders.

"I can't kill, not for anyone, that's not why I'm here..."

 

Of all the soothing healing charms and potions that fuse his broken flesh back together, nothing compares to the light touch of Sirius's lips. Nothing. It starts like it always does: Sirius is talking to him, telling him he's a foolish prick, but he's not really listening - he's heard it all before, many times. Then Sirius is leaning closer and it seems only natural to meet him in the middle, like they used to when they were boys; scared boys in a creaking house with a fighting mother and father in the next room.

 

His mark burns him in the morning, his arm a pulsing fire. When he looks he notices that the small veins surrounding his tattoo are black beneath his skin, poisoned. It's terrifying how he cannot remove it or run away from it, how the charmed-ink is in his blood.

Sirius stirs beside him. "If you go back to them I won't take you in again, no matter what they do to you," he says, his eyes still closed and face pressed against his pillow.

The mattress springs creak as Regulus rises. It's all very well and good for Sirius to say that, but things aren't that simple. You can't just say no to the Dark Lord.

"I'm not kidding."

Regulus pulls on his clothes, purpling lines still healing on his back. There are also red bruise-like spots on his hips from where Sirius had held him tightly the night before, pulling Regulus backwards as he thrust forwards. Part of Regulus doesn't want those to disappear.

"Reg."

The tattoo has its own voice, sharp and echoing. It screams in his head, warning him not to disobey. As he Apparates he sees Sirius's eyes open and they're hard and angry, any remnant of pity for him gone from the dark irises.

He hasn't time to say he's sorry, but he hears Sirius's muttered "Idiot" before he's whisked away to the meeting.

~Fin~