Jegulus - I'll be good

Part Eighteen

TW: Domestic violence
Jegulus really be warming up with each other, it warms my heart ♥

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Regulus couldn't remember the last time he had a peaceful and actually good sleep, without waking up every hour. But this night literally had something heavenly. When he woked up he was very well rested and his brain didn't work like on hold this time. The arms wrapped around him probably were a huge reason why. Usually this contact would make him more uncomfortable, but James was still asleep, so no reason to feel bad. He made himself a bit more comfortable without moving a lot, so he wouldn't wake the Potter up and watched how the room slowly became brighter through the morning coming in. His mind wandered off to the last evening. James' enthusiasm to help him..he couldn't help it, but it made him feel really happy...no, more than that. It filled him with pins and needles, but in a very good way. And it also gave him hope, at least more than he had in the past. He wasn't alone. Alone thinking this sentence let his eyes burn. He had felt so lonely and cut off from everyone the last years - well sure, he chose to be distant - that it was too good to be real. James eagerness to heal his little inuries amused him, when he thought about it. It was sweet. But he didn't want them to disappear so quickly, because it felt kind of rebellious to keep them and he needed that after being submissive to everything his parents wanted from him. "How long are you awake already?", James' sleepy voice filled the room in the next moment and let Reg turn red immediately. What did voices have on them that they sounded so attractive after waking up? Also, the next second he recognised that the older one very clearly would notice that his arms were still wrapped around him and Reg had the urge to free himself immediately. But he didn't do it. "I don't know..a bit. Couldn't sleep anymore, did I wake you up?", he asked quietly, while avoiding eye contact with the Gryffindor for as much as he could. James shouldn't notice the antithetic feelings that were going on in him. The need of having more of this closeness and the ashamed side of him who wanted nothing more than hide it and probably jump off the tower to escape the situation and these feelings. And he was annoyed of himself - why was it okay when nobody was here to see it, in that case James being asleep, but as soon as there was a chance to be caught, it felt like a crime? It wasn't like he had any control over his feelings..."No, you didn't..but my arm is asleep", Prongs answered sounding amused and..did he hear some shyness in his voice? James Potter had a shy fibre in his body? What? Reggie immediately sat up, his face red like a traffic light now and feeling like he held his head over a volcano: "I- sorry. Didn't mean to..sorry." James laughed and sat up too, shaking his arm to wake it up: "Nothing to be sorry for, little Black. I hope you slept well, even though you're awake at an unholy time on a Saturday already."Before the Slytherin could answer, a growling stomach came in between and James ruffled his hair and grabbed his glasses: "Man, I'm starving. We should go downstairs. And I'll catch Sirius, so you two can talk after breakfast.""I..talking to Sirius? Right. I said that I want to do that yesterday", Reg mumbled to himself and folded the blanket. Honestly, he was scared about that part. Sirius had no reason to forgive him, let alone to listen to him. His little high of hope crashed and he felt like someone poured iced water into his stomach. "Don't worry, Regulus. I'm sure Padfoot also wants to have peace between him and you. In the end, you're still brothers", James yawned and stretched himself, before grabbing the two mugs on the table. "Maybe. Thank you", the Slytherin smiled slightly, "you should go downstairs first. We can't be seen together." To say this sounded so ridiculous now. But it still was a fact that it was dangerous for both of them. He already felt terrible for pulling James into his business, but there was no step back now. The headboy knew too much already and wouldn't keep his nose out of his business even if he asked him to. "Yes..right. That really sucks", Prongs huffed and ruffled Regulus' hair, "take care, little Black. See you later." With that he went out of the door and left the Slytherin baffled and with an uncontrolled smile curled up his lips.

Before he headed to the Great Hall, he went into his dorm and took a quick shower and put on some clean and most important, not ripped apart clothes. He stopped to look into the mirror for a second and could understand why James had been so concerned. Not only was his lower lip bursted, but he also had a black eye and his face was swollen on this side. He looked like Sirius did on the regular; but he didn't run around to tell everyone how it happened. That was personal and also his own fault that it came to it. And the reason for it kind of made him a bit proud, still. After his breakdown in the snow he dared to come back to his parents' house as it was closer than Hogwarts and his body was in pain from the cold. Unfortunately his mother caught him in the hallway and she wasn't pleased with the news either - and with the fact that he acted like a crybaby, so she wanted to give him a reason to be upset and remind him that he wasn't allowed to be weak. His first taste of the Cruciatus curse and when he instinctively tried to fight back, she lost it and threw and ashtray at him and the moment of surprise made him unprepared, so it hit his face. But it was between him and her. Nobody else needed to know and he would prefer if James thought he had a stupid muggle fight or something. He shook off his thoughts and left the bathroom.

Regulus took his usual seat on the Slytherin table and poured himself a cup of black coffee, nibbling on a slice of dry toast. He wasn't hungry at all. His stomach felt like it was sealed and he nervously stared at the Gryffindor table, where Sirius sat and seemed to tell a story. Remus next to him only looked up from his newspaper now and then to smile about whatever his brother said and James, seated between him and Lily, seemed a bit zoned out while silently eating breakfast. If he told his friends why he didn't come into their dorm last night? Oh god, that thought made him even more sick and he shoved away his plate and just focused on the coffee instead. "Hey, Black. What happened to your face? Looked into a mirror and got scared?", Mulciber asked amused and a bit mocking and shoved some scrambled eggs into his mouth; half of it fell back on the plate and Regulus pulled a disgusted face. "You're disgusting. Close your mouth while eating", he replied and grabbed the Daily Prophet someone left on the table, so he didn't have to interact with him. But his plan didn't work out. Mulciber yanked the newspaper out of his hands and leaned towards him: "Got your punishment for hanging out with the enemy, huh? Your poor parents. I've had a high opinion about you, but you're just like your brother. Nothing but trash."The Black had a hard time to keep his hands from trembling, as anger built up in him. He didn't mind being insulted, but the attack against Sirius hit him extra hard today and also the proof of how dangerous that all was when it came to James. He took a silent breath and reminded himself to build his walls back up again. "I beg your pardon?", he asked unfazed and raised an eyebrow, "you better shut your mouth, Mulciber and stop spreading lies. It will cost your life sooner or later. If not through someone else's hand, then through mine. Keep your nose out of my business and stop bringing turmoils in a working plan or I'll use you as an experiment for a few nice curses I've learned recently. Don't forget that your family stands under mine. You don't want me to become your undoing, do you?" Regulus looked at him cold and calculating, and it seemed to work. Mulciber shrugged, gave him back the newspaper and finally stayed silent. Relieved Regulus buried his face behind the Prophet, just to have his peace now. The moment he left the hall, a little piece of parchment followed him outside and landed in his hand. Frowning he unfolded it and read the few words on it.

10 minutes, edge of trees. SBIt took him a moment to make sense of it, but once he understood, his heart started to race. Merlin, please let this end good. And not being a trap. Regulus left the hallway and walked through the castle's gate and walked across the grounds, until he reached a certain spot at the border of the Forbidden Forest. A few steps into the forest, he sat down on a tree log and waited.