[DISCONTINUED] I Know The End, Regulus Black

𝐎𝟐𝟖. Got A Sense I'd Been Betrayed

cw. mentions of past torture. betrayal :(. murder.

December 25th 1978

"This. You need to wear this." Charlotte stands in some Muggle clothing store with Regulus. He is extremely uncomfortable in everything coloured she's tried forcing on him. "You can't possibly hate this too!"

"It's... bright." Regulus grimaces.

"It's for Christmas, you sour, sour man."

"Lovely, I thought we were just going out for dinner and then I'll be on my way to my parents and you'll be with your mother." Regulus is not seeing a well-ending scenario if Charlotte has different plans in mind.

The blonde in question rolls her eyes and puts the light green sweater back, much to his relief. She's gotten a lot of looks from people in Muggle London, but Regulus notices she doesn't really care. "Okay, so a soft green isn't alright, a light green isn't alright, they don't have anything in black that is suited for a dinner meeting my mother, so how about we go with a dark green?"

"Hang on, hang on. Love, I'm not meeting your mother this soon. I thought we agreed on not meeting any parents until we've managed to come up with a plan to convince mine you're a proper suitor for me?"

"No, we agreed I wouldn't meet your parents any time soon. Sweetheart, you've been to my house before. Maybe not in a way that my parents knew you were there, but you were." She gives him a pointed look, that has him frown. He isn't ready for this. He's not prepared for what will happen. "My mum isn't big on etiquette, so eat like a beast for all I care. She's been wanting to meet you... I think. Her handwriting isn't what it used to be since..."

Charlotte's lip wobbles, and Regulus embraces her. Since he attacked. Since Bellatrix forced him to attack. No, he cannot blame this all on his cousin. Even if it is much more appealing than admitting to what he's done. It means owning up to his own actions. He can't tell Charlotte now, can he? Not in the middle of a Muggle store, with people gawking at them as if they don't belong together. It's fine, they're Muggles, they don't understand the connection he and Charlotte share.

What's not fine is being trapped to go meet Charlotte's mother as Charlotte's boyfriend. Oh, he doesn't doubt that he'll leave as the ex-boyfriend. He can't back out now saying he already has plans, because that'd be lying even more. Who will she turn to in this betrayal? He hopes not Sirius, who has been proving himself time and time again as the better man. Perhaps this betrayal is what she needs to be pushed back to her friends, the ones she'll need the most.

Charlotte smiles at him, and he smiles back. "It's gonna be great, sweetheart. She's a people's person, she loves everyone." Her hands go through his curls, before she lets go of him entirely. If there's anyone that can see right through him... "But you're wearing colour. I don't take no dark and broody types at the dinner table, go pick something. No black, I mean it, Regulus."