Love Stories

Crush

Another version of Inferius

"Sorry," said Annabelle, helping Regulus pick up the books he'd dropped, "I didn't mean to, Black, I'm sorry," she repeated, cheeks fanning pink in humiliation, "I just didn't see you coming, and- What's happened?"

His eyes were downcast, and he stood brushing off his uniform after storming away from a rather intense encounter with his brother he was finding it difficult to keep his emotions down,

"Nothing, I was just run into by a muggle born," he said trying to be venomous but failing miserably,

She stood up, passing him the last of his books, "You know I cry three maybe five times a day around here, it's nothing to be ashamed of," she said, "Keep half the black lake alive, with my deep well of inconsolable tears," she added, prompting a smile to tug at his lips,

"That was an over share, Aelin," said Regulus, and she shrugged,

"It made you feel better, so I see it as a win," she said, smiling at him, there was a moment of silence between the pair, "You have very pretty eyes,"

"What?" He said, caught extremely off guard, a blush threatening to rise to his face,

"Your eyes," she said, "I just- I thought you ought to know. Very, um, beautiful. I'm not hitting on you or anything, I just- I'm stating facts, you know like in astronomy when you see a pretty star and you say that's a pretty star," she rambled nervously, and he found a smile climbing his face,

"Works on multiple levels," he said, and she smiled letting out a sigh of relief,

"Right, because Regulus," said Annabelle, smiling and nodding, "I'm actually doing my astronomy project on the constellation it's a part of," she was blushing, and averting her eyes,

"I've always found it rather boring," said Regulus, glancing at her reddened cheeks,

"At least it's not a dog. Honestly your brother is a piece of work." Said Annabelle with a huff, "Every time I try to be a good studeAnt he pops up and tells me how to live my life, he's an annoying little shite who ought to be taken down a peg or two," she said with a huff,

"I could help you," said Regulus after a beat of silence, "With your project I mean," he said, averting his eyes and scratching the back of his neck,

He just, he felt calm right now, and he could do with a bit more of that,

"Unless you don't need help-"

"No, I could always do with some help, I've been trying to turned my marks around in fourth year, and apparently now I have potential?"

"The astronomy tower-"

"I, I don't really like heights," she rambled,

"The black lake then to draw it, and then the library," said Regulus, and she nodded happily, "Can I ask why you were running down the hallway?"

"Oh, wow, you see Gryffindor has this thing where people are either super chill or so annoying and there really is no in between, and my two friends are going through a breakup and they like to keep me around and I hate the comflict- You get the point," she said, shaking her head slightly,

Regulus nodded, "So, eight then?" He asked, "At the Black Lake?"

"Yeah, I always liked it there," she said as they begun to walk slowly in the same direction, she sort of smelt like the ocean, "Never really know what's going on beneath the surface,"

"That doesn't scare you but heights do?" He asked, his books tucked under his arm, he didn't mind much who he was talking to,

Just she seemed like a nice (and pretty) alternative to sulking alone,