Runaway love | Jegulus

Chapter 12

This chapter is also sad I'm so sorry. Isla

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"You okay Regulus?" Crouch leaned on the post at the end of Regulus's bed, looking at the tragic display before him. Regulus was curled in the foetal position in his bed, he hadn't spoken in days and he was barely moving.

Three weeks had passed since Regulus's conversation with James and neither of the boys were taking it well. Regulus barely existed outside of his bed, he struck up a deal with the kitchen elves that he would collect his food and eat it in his dorm, he attended lessons and returned to his bed as soon as he could. He never left the room unless he had to, spending his days laying on his mattress, staring at the ceiling. James had, however, gone in the opposite direction. He had organised at least two quidditch practices a day for the Gryffindor team. Marlene and Sirius were seriously considering murdering him if he continued to wake them up at 5am to go flying. James avoided sitting still, avoided silences. If he sat still, he would think about Regulus, and he couldn't do that or else he'd become consumed by the sadness he felt. By keeping busy, he was keeping himself distracted, but, after three weeks, it was becoming more and more difficult to push the feelings away. At night, both boys would lay in their beds and think the same things, about how they'd messed it all up, about how much they missed each other, about how they would get through the summer living together. Neither of them did anything about it though. James couldn't get past the complete finality in Regulus's voice when he'd said they were finished. Regulus couldn't move past his fear.

Sirius was at a loss. James and Regulus would not tell anyone why they weren't talking and why Regulus wasn't spending time with them anymore. Sirius had begged James to tell him so that he could fix it, but James had just sighed deeply and told him it wasn't Sirius's problem to fix. After a few days of sympathy for the new awkwardness surrounding Regulus, Sirius became angry.

"I finally get my brother back and you've done something to make him hate us!" Sirius pelted objects at James as he spoke.

"I didn't do anything." James shouted back, catching a Potions book inches from his face.

"Everything was fine and then YOU did something. Did you mention our parents? Did you insult him? What did you do?" Sirius was furious on the outside and desperate on the inside. He'd just got Regulus back and now James had done something to push him away again and his heart could not bear it.

"Regulus doesn't hate you." James said calmly, stepping towards Sirius. When they were close enough that he could feel Sirius's breath, James pulled him into a tight hug. Whispering into his ear "Regulus doesn't hate you." Again, and again until the message had sunk in.

"Come on Regulus! I don't know what happened between you and the Gryffindors..." Regulus snapped his head up to look at Crouch, his sudden movement made him jump slightly. Regulus's eyes were red and surrounded by the darkness that came with not sleeping. "You've got us now Regulus, we're your friends too. You don't have to speak to them or tell us what happened, but you have to leave this bed. Come on, lets go to the Hall for dinner." Crouch continued tentatively. Regulus flopped back onto his pillow, covering his face with his arms, sighing deeply. He didn't want to go to the hall because he knew the Marauder's would be there, but he didn't want to lose his friends in Slytherin too. He moved his arms away from his face and looked at Crouch.

"Give me ten minutes to get showered?" Regulus gave him a tight smile.

"Yeah, I wasn't going to say anything, but you smell shit mate." Crouch laughed.

Regulus rolled his eyes, laughing slightly, and pushed himself off of the bed. His bones felt old, they ached with every move he made, but he pushed on into the bathroom. The heat from the shower softened his muscles, dulling the ache he felt. He carefully untangled the knots in his hair until he could run his fingers through without getting caught. When he was satisfied that he was done he stepped out of the shower, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror as he got dressed. He was shocked at his reflection. His face was so pale, his cheeks hollow, his eyes dark and tired. He looked small, but what was worse, was that he felt small. He felt like a child, sulking and being sad for stupid reasons. After everything Regulus had been through, he would not let this destroy him, he would continue on as he always did.