Amidst the Springtime Sky

Drops of water beat down against the tiled ground. The hot against cold resulted in billows of steam.

The hot water burned against his skin causing it to turn bright red in irritation.

His knees pulled tightly to his chest as his arms wrapped around his legs keeping them close.

He couldn't bring himself to move from his position- even if his skin itched and his fingers began pruning.

He couldn't cry. He felt a multitude of emotions and yet noting at all. His head swirled as did the water as it fell through the holes in the drain.

He stared at the same spot against the wall, unsure if he'd been blinking or not.

His eyes fell shut. The exhaustion jabbed against his eyes like thumbs, pressing into his sockets.

"Reg? I think you should get out now..."

The voice floated through his head like fresh honey. It was sophisticated in a way that wasn't snobby- casual in a way that wasn't careless.

He could almost feel the ghost of touch against his shoulder.

'Five more minutes' he wanted to mutter, but when his eyes opened he knew he'd been alone.

Regulus's demons weren't demons at all. He was tormented by the people he'd failed.

Regulus didn't see horrific monsters like most- because he was the monster.

He wished he could sit in the shower forever. The water against his skin washing away all his problems.

Here he could pretend there was no war. He could pretend that people weren't dying. He could pretend that the world was still.

This was his fear speaking. The voice in the back of his head that told him that what he was about to do would kill him.

Regulus was never as sure about anything in his life as he was about that- he was walking aimlessly towards his death.

He didn't want to die, but he was ready to do so. To bring an end to the raging war.

He breathed out shakily, detaching his aching arms and pushed himself off from the tiled ground.

His limbs cracked as he stretched them. His hand grasped the nozzle twisting slightly as the water ceased.

He slid the glass door open walking out into the steam filled room. The condensation ran down the mirror like streams of tears.

Moisture hung in the air as single drips of water plopped to the ground almost rhythmically.

Regulus slipped the coffee colored towel off the metal holder before bringing it to his hair, ruffling it as its moisture soaked into the cotton.

He stopped in front of the mirror as he dragged the towel down from his head and wrapped it around his waist.

He swiped the fog from the mirror with the back of his hand allowing for a small chunk of mirror to clear.

He saw the dark bags under his eyes. The way his damp hair stuck unruly all over. His skin a paler shade then it'd once been- almost sickly.

He wasn't sure if it mattered anymore, most did not look good when staring into the face of death itself.

He turned heading the short distance towards the door, gripping its metal knob before pushing it open.

The chill air of his bedroom brushed against his skin sending shivers down his spin.

He removed the towel from his waist tossing it lazily onto his silk bedding.