You are my happy.
He hadn't meant to say it. He'd been half-asleep. Unfair of James really, being all sentimental around him in that state.
You are my happy.
He hadn't meant to say it. He had meant it though. In retrospect, that was the real problem. He needed to end this. He knew that. The Mark on his arm a ticking clock. He just couldn't quite make himself let go. He'd never had something like this before—something that was good. Something that was his. So he just kept digging a hole he wasn't sure he was ever going to be able to get himself out of.
"Oi! Earth to Black?"
Regulus blinks as Evan shoves his hand in his face, flapping it around as he tries to get his attention.
"You're intolerable," Regulus slaps the hand away, earning him a grin.
"I love it when you talk dirty to me."
"Gross," Barty is leaning against the wall, his arms and ankles crossed in a way that Regulus knows he thinks is intimidating but is very much the opposite.
"Aw, don't be jealous Barty," Evan leans close to him making kissing noises, causing a look of utter revulsion to contort Barty's face. He shoves Evan away.
"Merlin, cut that out. People are going to think you're a fucking queer."
Regulus doesn't react. He never does. Staring dully out at the hallway as kids mill about on their lunch break.
Evan rolls his eyes. "I doubt it. Besides, if I WAS queer I'd aim a little higher than you. I do have standards you know."
"Since when?" Regulus asks dryly.
"Oi!" Evan tries to kick him but Regulus smoothly steps out of the way, the corners of his mouth flicking up.
"I'm serious," Barty goes on, straight faced. He's been more of a buzzkill recently. Regulus reckons it's because his dad got another promotion. "You think the Dark L—"
"Jesus Barty," Regulus cuts him off, eyes bouncing up and down the corridor, making sure no one is paying attention. "A little subtlety please?"
Barty's cheeks flush, his scowl growing. "He's not going to want a bunch of poofs in his order is he?"
Well, Reg thinks flatly, bit late for that.
"I'm pretty sure he has more important things to worry about than who you're shagging," Evan claps Barty on the back. "But it's cute that you think he cares."
Barty shrugs him off. "You haven't heard anything have you?" he says to Regulus.
"Heard anything?"
"Y'know, from him, from the others. Anything they want us to do?" Sometimes, the thing on Regulus's forearm squirms, wriggling under his skin like a real snake. Other times it burns. That's about the extent to which he's "heard" from Voldemort.
"No," he says flatly. "Why would I have?"
Barty lets out a frustrated sigh, turning so that his back presses into the wall. "Fuck, I don't know. We're here, we could be useful, get information or something," he kicks at the ground. "I'm just so bored."
"Merlin me too," Evan runs a hand down his face. "Who the fuck cares about Ruins when there's a war that's about to kick off."
"I swear if we're stuck here when it does," Barty goes on, looking murderous.
Regulus isn't sure he'd mind honestly. Easier that way. No hard decisions to make, no danger, just; "Oh there was a Wizarding war? I must have missed it, I was in Arithmancy." Somehow he can't quite believe it'll happen like that.
