23 Dec: Somebody to Die For: Regulus

[Regulus Black]

"Wouldn't want it any other way," he grinned, more than glad for the forward momentum Wyn provided them. That she was the greatest match he could hope for was only exemplified by this night, her competitive spirit one of the things he loved most about her...perhaps seconded only by her ability to be as beautiful as she was while snorting through her own laughter. Truly unbelievable, his Wyn. Regulus's cocky grin softened as she spoke of their child, her emphasis that they would be a Black doing something strange to his insides - too many emotions had been already wrung through him tonight, certainly, to allow for any more sentimentality about their future spawn - but he was compelled to agree, regardless. "Cassiopeia...I like it. And as any child of ours will have the royal treatment, it suits perfectly." 

He was brought back to their shared moments in the Quidditch locker room, the way she pulled up her hair and pretended not to appreciate his stretches - really, Reg should have figured out he had feelings for her years ago, he'd been pulling that sh*t around her as long as he could remember - and he did honestly wonder which of them would come out on top here. But knowing them, getting into the flow of something active could reinvigorate even the darkest day, and so no matter what they had recently faced, this was anyone's game. "Excuse me, pardon." He leaned over to place his hand on the V closest to her, hair falling over his eyes, and let out a laugh as she tossed the spinner away.

"Of course we can. You're not just marrying me for my looks, though I couldn't fault you if you were." Regulus revealed his wand with as much showmanship as possible given his precarious position. Even though he'd hardly been feeling like his usual clever self today, surely he could manage this for her. Sampling from a spell he'd used to animate a toy for Lydia's cat last spring - the dreadful thing had grown exceedingly needy and had to be constantly entertained, not exactly the most welcome addition when there were exams to study for - he cast a charm that would, if all went according to plan, jolt the spinner to life multiple times a minute. "Now we've just got to keep up," he grinned, sliding his left foot out to an E after the arrow settled.

[Bronwyn Nott]

When they had made this plan to convince their parents to pair them up, Bronwyn hadn’t been sure it would work. Her father had always let her date who she wanted, but after things didn’t work out with Ethan he had told her he was taking matters into his own hands. She was forever going to be thankful to the Black family and Regulus. More than likely her father would have made an arrangement with the Flints, or Rosiers. Her life would be that much worse if she had been forced to marry Evan. But her father couldn’t resist his only daughter marrying into the Black family, and so their plan to be together had worked. It had taken all of her courage, and talks with her Aunt Ophelia, before she had been willing to admit her feelings to Regulus. Besides the girls, he had always been her closest friend. Yeah, she was friends with Ethan and Evan, but they didn’t know her secrets like Regulus did. He knew her dreams, her fears, about the first time she had kissed a girl. There was no better partner for her than Regulus, and while she’d never been overly girly she did look forward to planning a wedding to him. Walburga had already insisted that she got to attend any dress shopping, and honestly she would rather go with Walburga than her own mother.

While a child was a dream for much later in their future together, it was fun to talk about them with Regulus. Any child they had would be so loved and adored. She didn’t ever want her kids to wonder if she loved them like she had wondered with her parents. And she wanted them to have a better world to live in, with the option to follow their dreams. Options she hadn’t been given. Unless they wanted to get into dark arts, in which case she would be doing everything she could to talk her kid out of it. She never wanted to think about their child being forced into the path both her and Regulus had been put on.

She missed days like this with Reg. Getting ready in the locker room before games, shooting the sh*t and flirting. Even in their bad moments, they still had each other’s backs. Even if she had wanted to hex him for losing them a game last year. It hadn’t mattered though, how well or poorly Slytherin had done - although they had done poorly - she’d put on her dreams on the back burner at her father’s repeated dismissal of her dreams. Instead, she’d focused on getting the Arthimancy apprenticeship. And then she hadn’t gotten that either, which meant a job at the Ministry she never wanted or prepared for. She wished she was still in school with Regulus, where the biggest worry was losing a sports game, and not if your family and friends were going to drag you out to commit murders. Thoughts for another night, hm? She grinned as Regulus got close to her, claiming the V closest her.

“Oh love, it is just for your looks. Certainly not for your math skills,” she teased him, laughing as he dramatically pulled his wand. She was going to miss him when the school break was over because she needed more nights like this in her life. She couldn’t invite the girls over to play muggle board games with her, they’d have her locked in St. Mungos if she even suggested it. Sliding her left foot from an O to an E, turning to look at the spinner to see where they were going next. So far she was clearly winning this game, which the competitor in her loved. She groaned as the spinner landed on its next though, and hurried to get her left hand on an L before her fiance did. “Oh, too slow on that one Black,” she said as she stole a kiss from him with a grin.

[Regulus Black]

"Never letting me live that down, are you?" Reg groaned, although it turned to a laugh before long. That post-match locker room scene had been a dark day for them to be sure, but he had all of his teeth now and they could laugh about it these days. No permanent damage done, except that he already knew it would be a story his grandchildren could recite back to him one day. "Only one of us needs to be able to count, anyway - I'll just give you the key to my vault now, yeah? Save us a headache?" Leave it to him to consistently embarrass himself when it came to maths, only to fall for the Arithmancy genius who happened to be his closest friend. She could be responsible for their financials. He could take care of...something else. The children, even? His own father hadn't cared to be around much when he and Sirius were young, the man still something of a stranger even now. Reg didn't want that for their brood, and while he didn't have much practice with little ones, he was good at most things once he decided to put his mind to it.

At least he had his looks. And limitless - or so it seemed to the teenager - funds as heir to the Black family fortune. And they were happy together. That time had been limited since September, but it counted. He wanted her back at Hogwarts with him, where they could wile away the days under the shade of any willow besides the Whomping one, their present cares something of nightmares and nothing more. Or to be graduated with her, this home officially theirs - And furnished. That's what you can do for her for the holiday. - to come home to each night, battling through what they had to with the other by their side... Day by day. Just take it day by day, gonna lose your nerve if you get too ahead...

His charm working, spinner on the move, Regulus's only regret was not following suit and tying up his own hair. Bloody hard to see the spinner as it was, but he would come out on top in the end, he knew it. Even if he wasn't doing so well at the moment. He lunged forward towards an L only to have his hand land atop Wyn's, his pride blessedly salvaged with a kiss. "That's cheating, but I'll allow it," he joked, not able not to laugh as they chased each other around the funny smelling board - right from the bin, indeed - with their bums in the air, alcohol catching up with him as they grew more tangled by the minute. Eventually - or was it only a few minutes later? - his foot slipped out from under him and Reg went down, catching himself on his arms and rolling onto his back, shaking in laughter as he reached for her. "Best two of three!"

[Bronwyn Nott]

Joining him in his laughter, Bronwyn flashed her fiancée a grin. Losing that game to Ravenclaw last year had been a rough day, but once she calmed down she had been able to laugh more about it. And they’d gotten any marks off her record, proving that while Slughorn wasn’t good for much - he was good for something. She did have to wonder how Slug Club meetings were going this year, now that some of his favorites were gone. Although why anyone would favor Lily Evans - or was it Potter now? - Bronwyn didn’t know. “Well I’d be more than happy to use my maths skills to keep us in check,” she teased him back. The Black family fortune would surely be a bonus to their marriage, but she wasn’t marrying Regulus for that reason. While her own family had cut her off, surely they would change their mind once she was officially married. And she knew she was lucky because she loved Regulus and he loved her and not everyone got that chance. Lydia and Charlie loved each other, but they’d never really had the chance to be with anyone other than each other - at least not publicly.

She didn’t know if she believed in the concept of true love, although sometimes it did feel that way with Regulus. They’d come together through years of shared experiences and inside jokes. He was the only person she knew wouldn’t judge her for saving muggle games from the dumpster, and a laugh tumbled out of her as he accused her of cheating. For a simple game, it was getting complex, trying to reach for letters and getting tangled around each other, and Bronwyn grinned in victory as Regulus fell, only to follow suit a few seconds later. “Best two out of three? I think you’re just jealous of my impeccable skills,” she grinned before the smell of food reminded her that she had indeed been cooking dinner. “Another round after dinner? I’ve got to get to that pasta before it sticks to the pot.” She gave him another kiss before she untangled herself, heading back into the kitchen to see that thankfully nothing was burning.

Picking her wand up from the counter, the pasta was draining itself, and within a few moments dinner was salvaged and ready. Her mind was thinking of this time last year when Regulus had arrived at Dora’s party with news of his talk with Bellatrix and getting her help in becoming a follower of the Dark Lord. So much had changed in a year, for both of them, and she chewed on her lip as she gathered bowls. They had been so naïve a year ago, hadn’t they? Thinking that this path would appease their families, that it wouldn’t cause them to have nightmares of people dying in the streets. Her test this past October with Bellatrix and the Carrow’s was still fresh in her mind, the first time she successfully cast the Imperius curse. “I think we need more drinks if we are going to continue the game,” she said as she returned her love, setting the bowls of pasta down on the floor next to them.

[Regulus Black]

They were tangled limbs and laughter, even after he was left alone on the floor, and as Reg rose to sit and watch her with the feel of her kiss still on his lips, he felt lighter than he knew he could after such a dismal day. He belatedly tied back his hair, becoming rather more presentable again in the wake of his failure - and at once, rather less as he readied for the next round with determination, sleeves rolled and top buttons undone, for better mobility - and made room in what would become their dining room. With equal determination, he kept his mind away from his recent trials, and focused instead on the witch and their space. He wouldn't let the holiday end before bringing in a dining set, at least something large enough for her to entertain a few friends with in his absence, they would steal some time among the upcoming family commitments to go shopping. He admired Wyn for what she was doing - she'd secured her position at the Ministry and this flat entirely on her own, and was holding her own. On her own. Reg hated to think of her alone here, with only Beau for constant company - their letters and short visits could only bring so much comfort, but the months were passing faster than days were, and he would be here to share in everything soon.

Everything was so different than the life her parents had imagined for her, save their engagement and allegiance. Her work in the Ministry, her sparse flat, her muggle neighbors, learning to take care of herself in the biggest and smallest ways. He had to wonder if, despite what would surely be protests to the contrary, they would be proud of her if they knew. He certainly was and, hopefully, she was too. And, hopefully, that would be enough, even if she deserved so much more.

Wyn returned and sat with him, bowls in hand and deposited in front of them, and Reg could only smile. He could have treated her to a night out, and maybe he should have. In a lifetime of being in each other's orbits, and the last year and a half together, they'd had few formal dates, reasons to dress up and go out that weren't dictated by obligations to others. He would fix that before the holiday was done, he would. But this night was, simply, theirs. To confide, to connect, to cry, to care - for surprising each other, for silly games and competition he knew would never end, and all kinds of things they couldn't get up to at a restaurant with a dress code.

"Thank you, love. Yes! Yes, allow me." He stood and was quickly back, depositing the orchid between their bowls as he chattered, "I should have brought a new bottle, but - I'll be ready next time, promise," and took up their glasses. A fresh pour of whisky into each, and Reg again sat cross-legged beside her. So far, they had been drinking to forget, and he felt a re-dedication was in order. "A drink," he began with a grin, extending Wyn's glass to her, linking their free hands, "to you, to us. You - you inspire me, Wyn. With everything you've done, everything you are, everything you dream. I've loved you since before I knew what that meant, and I'm - " His grin cracked, lopsided and wide, as he chuckled at their past naivete. With the warped examples they'd had growing up, however, could they be blamed for not catching on? "I'll never stop being glad that we wised up. I don't say it enough - I love you, Wyn, and I'm here. Even if I'm doomed to be bested in every new game, til the end of days." With a quirk of a dark brow, he raised his glass and drank, before taking his first bite. He'd decided to like it - alas, there was only so much he could access from the family vault before he graduated, and Uncle Alphie left everything to Sirius, so an elf of their own would have to wait - and pleasant surprise was plain on his face.