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The front door opened.
"Oh, hey." Regulus Black greeted, sporting a jovial grin as one hand clutched at his side; which seeped ungodly masses of blood. He trotted forward a few steps, before stopping in the center of the living room, which was empty aside from her. His fiancée.
A few drops of blood hit the startlingly white carpet as Regulus' breathing grew more strained. Then, before she could say a word, he crumpled to the ground. His bruised body landed with a pained grunt, his fall only softened by the rug.
Her head snapped over to him as she heard him fall. "Regulus!" She exclaimed as she ran over, lifting his head softly. "What the hell happened!?"
His blood strained fingers gripped on tightly to her forearm, as if he were clinging to life itself. The sight of her face seemed to provide him with momentary relief, as his breathing slowed down; now a steady inhale and exhale. The skin around his lips were cracked and dry, cracked and bloodstained. His hand seemed to loosen. "Nothing." He rasped, his eyes slowly closing as if he were struggling to see. "It's nothing..."
"Nothing, my arse." She muttered under her breath as she reached out for her wand. It came in handy that she was preparing to become a healer, especially when he would randomly arrive home soaked in his own blood from time to time. She started to mutter spell after spell under her breath that started to heal his various wounds.
The wounds on his body slowly began to mend as she casted the spells, his breathing becoming gradually easier. Her proximity, her one hand on his forehead, her healing him, all served as a comfort to him.
His eyes slowly reopened, his hand slipping from her arm, his fingers now brushing against her cheek. A faint weak smile played at his lips. "Always prepared for everything, aren't you?"
"Got to be with you." She whispered before placing his head higher up in her lap. "I don't even know why I'm surprised at this point."
"That's fair." Regulus chuckled softly, allowing her to prop his head. The way her thighs cradled his head and his body was so comfortable that he was nearly tempted to fall asleep then and there. But he looked up at her, he couldn't resist one of his cheeky remarks. "Always knew you had a nurturing nature. That's why I love you." He joked, nudging her thigh playfully.
She shook her head as she let out a few deep breaths, the adrenaline was slowly leaving her body and all she wanted to do in that moment was cry. She stared at the ceiling for a few moments before speaking up again. "What kind of trouble did you get yourself into this time?"
He sighed, shifting his body slightly, his face looking up at her as she stared at the ceiling. Despite her soft and gentle tone, the underlying worry and concern was obvious to him, and he wondered how many times they have had this conversation. "It isn't important." He insisted, his hand finding its way to her thigh, squeezing it. "You know me, always getting myself into trouble."
She let out a small huff but let it slide anyways. "Let's get you cleaned up." She spoke before helping him sit up in his place. She got to her feet before wrapping his arm over her shoulders to get him to stand. "A pain. That's exactly what you are."
He laughed, his arm tightening around her shoulder, his body seemed to fall into hers. "That's a compliment, coming from you." He teased, his free hand gripping her hip, his eyes wandering down before settling on her lips. "It seems like I'll need a nurse twenty-four-seven, then." He added, his head tipping slightly to the side to rest on her shoulder. When he spoke again, his voice was more hushed and soft. "You know I would do the same for you."
She managed to get him to the nearest bathroom, making him take a seat on the toilet. Slowly but surely, she got him undressed to just his boxers. Her eyes overlooked his body in search of any wounds she might have missed. Satisfied, she turned on the shower before returning to his side. "You owe me a new carpet, you know."
"I know." Regulus chuckled quietly as he leaned against the shower wall, looking down at his own body, and realizing how ridiculous he must have looked. His hands rubbed against the various scars, bruises, cuts, and scrapes which littered his torso. His legs were equally as wounded from various fights and injuries. The sight made him skin, and his skin crawl. When his eyes met hers, one arm rose slowly and placed itself upon her cheek, as if he was searching for comfort. "You've got your hands full, dealing with me."
"That's the understatement of the year." She spoke quietly. She took her time to clean him up, moving the washcloth carefully over every mark on his body.
It was strange how her touch felt calming, it almost seemed to ease his nerves and pains. The way she gently washed him — and tended to the deep wounds — felt like she knew him more than he knew himself.
When she was close to finishing, Regulus could feel his limbs heavy with exhaustion, his eyelids slowly fluttering. And without thinking, he did something he never usually did — he leaned into her; pressing his body into hers, his face pressing against her cheek.
"Shh." She started. "I'm almost finished, and then we'll get you to bed, yeah?"
"Bed.." He let the word roll off his tongue in a long drawl, slowly nodding his head as his eyes remained closed, the exhaustion weighing him down. "That sounds like heaven.."
