Paint It... Potter?

untitled

A/N
There's a little bit of an eating disorder reference in the end I'll mark it but just a tw for you all if you're sensitive to that.

He fell into the restless sleep that always came to him. Regulus had had trouble sleeping for as long as he could remember. There was always so much darkness. It was all around him. He was floating. He was breathing it in. And the inky black burnt his lungs. He was choking on it. Every breath he took filled his lungs thicker allowing another more shallow breath until he ran out of space.

He jumped awake in a cold sweat that he always did. Regulus tried to act as if his near-death Drowning didn't affect him, but here in these early hours, he let the fear sink down into his bones as the memory haunted him in his dream until he woke more tired than when he had begun.  He grasped the sheets as he noticed the crimson bed hangings, he remembered the night before.

Sirius was sprawled out on the bed next to him. Drool escaping his lips. His curly head in messy knots surrounding his face, Regulus sighed knowing he needed to talk to his brother.

He pushed on his shoulder lightly.

"Sirius wake up." A quiet grunt escaped his lips as he turned pulling a pillow over his head.

"Sirius." He tried again, but his brother seemed to ignore him.

He stopped thinking for a moment, thinking. He pried the pillow out of Sirius's grip, and swung it landing jt square on his older brother's head.

He shot up, a series of curses spewing out of his mouth.

"Why the hell did you do that." Sirius said. Regulus froze holding the pillow over his head. In a fraction of a second, he threw it down again hitting Sirius again.

Sirius lurched forward tackling his brother off of the bed. And rolling around on the floor.

It was a strange comfort to Regulus. Taking him back to the stolen moments of playfulness in his childhood. It brought a rare smile to his face.

"You know," Sirius said sitting up and pulling himself off of his little brother. "Coming here to yell at James wasn't very cool reg"
That's not what I was here to do. Regulus tried to explain but Sirius as always wasn't listening.

I care about him you know, he's my best friend, my brother."

"I'm your brother." Regulus said face paling.

"But you know it's different" Sirius told him trying to justify James's defense.

"Yes because you got to hand-pick that one, you were just stuck with me," Regulus said pulling himself off of the ground, the moment of brotherly affection gone.

Regulus was good with words. He knew which ones to say to hurt the most. Which would g a t him out of a sticky situation. Which words would please who. He worked with words how some worked with oils or charcoal.

"Regulus you know that's not true."Sirius tried pleading. His body seemed to sag with exasperation.

"I don't know. " Regulus informed him petulantly.

"Fucking merlin Regulus. I'm not doing this."Sirius hissed at his younger brother.

"Why not? Do I not fit into your schedule?" Regulus asked his words secretly seething despite the cold manner in which they were spoken. 

"Because it's impossible to get through to you. You're a stubborn prick." Sirius spat back.

"I am not. "Regulus said defensively crossing his arms over his chest." Sirius shook his head and perched himself on the windowsill.