𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 || Regulus Black

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞

★★★

Time had passed so quickly. Who knew that everything would just fly by when you're having an ardent love affair? Regulus and Hera had done it all in the name of art and passion. So much so that they almost forgot why they had met in the first place.

Almost ironically, art class had been low on the list of Regulus' priorities. He took it as an opportunity to gaze at Hera while absentmindedly painting her. In order to stay still and silent, she never gazed back at him. A wink or a smile for no longer than a few seconds was all they could share in public, but it didn't stop reruns of their torrid encounters from running rampant in Regulus' mind. He knew it was scandalous to think of such things in front of his peers, but as long as they couldn't hear his thoughts, there was no harm done.

He hadn't even noticed that he and the other students were practically finished with their paintings over the weeks. He had secretly hoped to slow his process, wanting to keep Hera in his company for as long as he could. The finished project had snuck up on him. Although he would be proud of the piece in any other situation, the end of this meant the end of certainly seeing Hera twice a week.

Hera had kept on being a private person, and she had refused to give him her phone number or any other information. She claimed the mystery added to the affair, and who was Regulus to argue with that?

For one last time, Hera was on display for the whole room to admire. The image of Hera in that specific pose must have been ingrained in the heads of every single artist in the room, as it had certainly been soaking beneath Regulus' raven curls.

New waves of melancholy fell over Regulus for each tiny final detail he added onto the canvas. It's a sweet feeling to be done with something but only when you're happy with the ending.

Regulus took a look around and realised that the majority of the seats were empty since the other students had left once they finished with the painting. Some of them had been done for days, but Regulus took his time and savoured every moment he had with the model.

With one last fleck of white paint to show the light reflecting off Hera's pupils, the painting was finished. Regulus didn't stand up. He stayed in his seat, pretending to critique his own portrait and contemplate whether it needed anything else. He stayed seated until the end of class when everyone else had left and Hera was left in her little closet. Regulus bravely stood up, cleared his throat, and made his way over to her.

He opened the door to see Hera—now fully clothed in a simple black blouse and a matching skirt—softly running her fingers over an old landscape, feeling the patterns made by the thick paint. Though she had already familiarised herself with practically every piece of art Regulus had ever made, the awe and wonder had never really faded. The same goes for Regulus in respect to her.

"So, the painting is done." Regulus started. "And I guess your time as a model here is over as well."

"I suppose it is." She replied vaguely.

Neither of them wanted to say what was so obvious. The tension was palpable, and the silence was overtaking everything.

Finally, Hera said something. It was fitting, as Regulus had seen her as the epitome of confidence. "I can come over later tonight, if you want to see me."

It was the most vulnerable Hera had ever been. The words were muffled by insecurity, and the pair both knew it. Although Hera hated it—the vulnerability, the tension, the worry, the end—it was comforting to Regulus in some odd way.

But his joy was overtaken by the realisation that he had spent his art class moping instead of dreaming like usual. "I don't have any new pieces planned." He admitted.

"I'm sure we can find other ways to fill our time together." It was more confident than before, but it still sounded like a request. That didn't matter, Regulus was more than happy to oblige.

"Of course. Come over whenever you want, I'll be there."

The two exchanged a smile in place of a goodbye and a brush of hands as they parted ways.

✩✩✩

Just a few hours later, around the beginning of the evening, Hera had come back to the artist's charming studio flat. It didn't appear that she had changed anything from earlier other than putting on some extra eye makeup. Regulus would still adore her if she showed up in a potato sack, but he did like the eyeshadow.

He welcomed her in, even though she had been here several times. She spent almost as much time there as he did.

"You came." He stated happily.

Hera smirked. "Well, not yet. Soon, I hope."

Regulus looked at her and wondered how she could make a childish dirty joke sound so dreamy to him. He brought a hand to push a curl of hair behind her ear and looked into her eyes.

There was nothing that said they needed to drift apart once she stops modelling for the class, but they both knew it was inevitable.

"Will you kiss me? One last time?" She asked him.

He didn't need her to say it twice, leaning forward to kiss her however she liked.

Once their lips were locked, Hera's arms found their way to sling over Regulus' shoulders as he tangled his hands into her long curls. He moved his kisses down to her jaw, her neck, her collarbone while he walked her over to the bed.

The bed. They had never done this on the bed before like normal people do. It was always on the floor or in a closet, and always under the guise of it being for art. This was new. The bed was customary—perhaps unworthy of being their last time.

They laid down on their sides while they continued until Regulus paused to look at Hera. "How do you want it?" He asked softly.

"In whatever way you'll give it to me."

He brought his hand down to her thighs and slid it up her skirt. "I want to watch you." He pulled down her panties so he had room to do as he wished, and ran a finger over her core before rubbing little circles on her clit.

With a soft push, Regulus gestured for Hera to lie down on her back while Regulus started to pleasure her. She let out a few soft moans whenever he hit just the right spots. Once she had become wet enough, Regulus slid his middle and ring finger inside of her. She gasped lightly at the action, then did it again when Regulus kneaded one of her breasts with his left hand while taking her other one in his mouth.

She was like a drug. Above all else, all he wanted was to please her. And it seemed his combination of stimulation was making that desire possible, and she grasped onto his silky hair and repeated a plea to 'keep going, just like that'.

With a loud moan, she came around his lithe fingers while he kept rubbing and pumping.

Once the orgasmic stupor had worn down and Hera's breathing had returned to normal, Regulus spoke up bluntly but sweetly. "I want to fuck you."

"What a coincidence," Hera let out an amused huff. "I want you to fuck me too."

"One last time." Regulus repeated, trying to cope with the fact. 

★★★