Coiled (Book 1 of 2)

Perfection

After showing me Evan's apartment, Reggie led me a short distance back down the hall and showed me both of our respective guest rooms, located side by side to one another.

Having ended our tour in his room, Reggie turned and smiled at me somewhat shyly.

"What is it?"

"Just thinking ..."

"About?"

"How much we both missed you. How we talked about you every day, talked about how we couldn't wait for this moment. And Evan makes light of it, like the stunt he pulled when you first appeared. But I know you and I both see it. How it means absolutely everything to him, having you here with us."

"I know. And I feel the same. It was so hard, being apart. And I don't want to think about leaving again ..."

And yet

I know I have to.

A week's all we have

For now, at least.

"Something else on your mind?"

"Actually ... yes."

"Tell me?"

What Reggie said next took me completely by surprise. Shifting from one leg to the other, he brought his gaze back to mine, "If anything should ever happen to me, anything at all ... if there comes a time when I decide I need to leave -"

"- Need to leave -"

"- You'd stay with him, yes?"

A sudden sense of fear gripped me.

Because why would he say such a thing?

"What are you -"

"Just promise? Promise me you'd care for him, stick with him. He can be tough, downright impossible even. Believe me, if anyone's seen his destructive side, it's me. But throughout it all, always remember this: he needs us. And if I'm ever not here, he needs you."

"We all need each other."

"That's right."

"Reggie ..."

"Y/N."

"... Is there something you're planning?"

For a few seconds, we just stared at one another. Finally, he shook his head slowly, "It's just a thought that's been on my mind nearly constantly these days given the current state of our world. Given what Evan and I have decided to do, our betrayal in the eyes of our families and friends."

"I ... understand."

"So do you promise? He needs the support. We all do, but he's different."

"I understand. And of course I promise."

Eyes still locked, we took a step towards one another. And when we met, Reggie pulled me along with him onto his bed. A canopied queen, the edge of which we perched on together.

"You have a heart of gold, Regulus Black."

"So do you, Princess."

"I wish - I wish that more people knew the real you."

"Perhaps one day."

Leaning fully forward towards him I exhaled softly, enjoying the feeling of his fingers lightly traced at my wrist. And there, just like that, our lips met for a soft, sweet kiss. And then another, just as sweet. And the next ... decidedly less sweet, more hungry. Guiding ourselves back fully down on his bed, our hands began slowly roaming as our lips found their way back to each other once more. Breaths catching, we'd just begun slowly peeling up each other's shirts when the soft knock came at the door.