Arcane (Regulus Black)

fifteen

June 1976 Masquerade Ball

The song ended and the crowd erupted in cheers. I looked around. Sirius still not come to find me. Truthfully, it was not that difficult to find him. He wore the mask of black dog. Alongside, the masks of the rest of his group. You could recognise James's laughter from miles away.

Regulus POV

I watched her dance there, under the moon. I watched the stars, as they glared with her in utter envy I felt the need to envelope her and whisk her away from all this mess; but truthfully, all I would do is bring in more trouble. Then, she saw me, scattering stardust from her eyelashes. She stopped mid-dance, caught in between era. I had found my stolen moment, finished it from the heavens. And ever since I saw her celestial waltz, I returned to a lover of the night. She was my idea of an angel. You chose him.

It was always him.

Yet.

Why was it your eyes often met mine from across the room. As you watched him dance with his friends, in hope that he would whisk you away, you would gravitate towards me, then when I would catch you staring you would jolt back. Why did I catch you staring at me when you thought I would not notice? Why did your gaze follow me whilst you were with him? Always? I had so many questions, but I think they could all be answered with just one. Why you choose him, if you wanted me? your entire life. I had always been the one there for you.

Elizabeth

"He'll come around Lizzy" Lily touched my arm as I anxiously waited for him. He had met me before the ball, and made me promise him a dance as my date. If Sirius was my date... why had he not come to collect me from my room and escorted me?

I watched him laugh with Remus and James. He did not laugh the same as he did with Remus or James or Me. It was different... with Remus especially. Even the way he looked at him. Those stolen glances, hidden stares, smiles. I did not know how I did not realise it until I watched them dance.

I thought Sirius had put the rule on me because he wanted me. Maybe he did. He loved me and I did the same.

But loving someone and being in love with somebody are two different things.
  Sirius loved me. But he was not in love with me. At least in the way that I wanted. Truthfully it hurt. It still hurts.

Just when I was about to step towards them, someone grabbed me by my waist and spun me around. I wanted to scream but I felt so intoxicated by their scent. But this time I did not speak, I watched him as he watched me. He tightened his clasp on my waist and intertwined his hand with mine. As he spun me around, he pulled me closer and placed his hand on my back which send shiver erupt through my body. I felt the music heightened down as my heartbeat grew louder. I wanted to talk about that night but I would not be the first to bring it up.

"It was not a mistake" he said, "that night." Before I could react he spun me around and pulled me closer again.

"Re"

"My turn" he interrupted. I looked around and he took my hand in his and we walked out of the hall. He took me to the tower, under the real stars. "Nobody has been able to make me feel like you do." he said quietly, "you make me feel and I do not like. I hated it. I wanted it to stop." he sighed. "But you were the only one that did not even need to say anything to reassure me that I could fail a thousand times, and have nobody truly present in my life. I'd still be capable of standing here in front of you a changed person, whom I willingly surrender myself to. So take this as a subtle plea, in fact I beg of you Elizabeth, never let go of me again." he looked up at me and I remained in utter goosebumps.

"What do you want Regulus?" I asked him in disbelief.

"I want-" he stooped. Tore his fingers through his hair and cleared his throat. "Never mind what I want."

His voice was quieter now.

"What do you want?" I repeated, as I stepped closer to him, with my hand against my stomach to silence the aching hunger.

"You." He responded, "always you." He murmured and I felt my stomach leap in lust.

"During an argument that we had, in this very tower," I told him, pitch low, "you called me beautiful. And an insufferable ass. A beautiful insufferable ass. I have never forgotten that."

"I should have told you. I wanted to". his eyes were molten, transplant with feeling. "I think you are beautiful, always have been. Nothing can compare, not even the word beautiful itself. You are like art and art is not supposed to look beautiful, it was supposed to make you feel something." he grasped my hands in his, "you Elizabeth have always had a tow on my feelings, no matter how much I tried, you have always had a pull at me feelings."

"Kiss me" I whispered.

He pushed my hair behind my ear as he cupped one side of my face, "the problem is" he said as he leaned, "if I kissed you, I do not think I'd be able to stop"

He smashed his lips on mine. He bought his hand up to cup my cheek and pulled me closer. His lips remained glued on mine, even closer than before as he pulled my face further. I scoot closer to him, allowing my eyes to meet his.

I slowly moved my free hand to the back of his neck, and pulled his face down to be closer to mine. for a moment he leaned his forehead against mine and I watched as his lips part with a small sigh of comfort. his eyes stay on mine.

I fluttered my eyes closed before slowly leaning into his lips and moulding them with my own. this time he was slow and delicate. I wrapped both my hands around the back of his neck as his stayed on my waist.

when I pulled away reluctantly I felt shivers spread across my body. As if he had sucked all of the heat from my body and I could only be warmed by his touch. "Even if I am Gryffindor?" I asked him and his face fell.

"Always" he kissed the top of my head, "it's always been you" he murmured.

When we broke apart, I noticed Sirius and Remus together. Sirius had his arms around Remus's waist with both their hands intertwined. My heart fell at that sight but I understood now.

***
Did i just double update for y'all (fuck yes)