"ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜᴏʀɴ ɪɴ ʜɪꜱ ꜱɪᴅᴇ" reader x regulus black

02.

SOMETIMES REGULUS WISHES HE HAD A GUILLOTINE SO THAT HE COULD USE IT ON HIS BROTHER.

Regulus and Sirius used to get along but as they got older, they naturally grew apart. Regulus grew into the son his parents–and the kingdom–wanted while Sirius became rebellious, essentially the opposite of his brother. As time passed the two rarely ever saw each other more than twice a month. Sometimes they went months without ever seeing each other's faces. Even when they did see each other, it would always end up in a screaming match.

"You didn't even tell me you wanted to come!" Sirius screamed at Regulus, who had gone pale.

"You know what it's like living here! Living with them!" Regulus yelled back, running a frustrated hand through his messy black curls which had been well groomed moments ago.

"You could have at least said something when I left!"

The younger boy scoffed, "You didn't even tell me you were leaving. When I woke up you were gone with nothing left but a note that said, 'Gone to the Potter's, be back never'. You never even warned me!"

"I didn't think you would want to go!" Sirius cried out.

The room went silent and the two stood staring at each other. There was a certain thickness in the air, tension coursing through their veins. Both of the two were unmoving until Regulus clenched his fist and said, "Do you really think that I would want to stay in a hell hole like this?"

"You seem like you get along with Walburga and Orion well enough." Sirius sneered.

"Well maybe you should take a page out of my book." Regulus turned and walked away, not sparing a second glance at his brother.

***

Regulus stretched his arms above his head as he walked along the beach. He stared out into the ocean and wondered what it was like on the other side of it, on the main island. Sometimes he felt the urge to walk into the water and swim away from everything. From his mother, from his father, from all the pressures they put on him but he couldn't. If he did he would be just like Sirius–who ran away from everything without even thinking of the consequences. Regulus would rather drown in the stress of it all then be just like the person he despised.

The sand was surprisingly coarse underneath the boy's skin as he continued to walk. It dug into the bottom of his feet with a pinch, but it was a pleasant pain for him. It reminded Regulus that he was only human when he felt like he was on autopilot. The beach was empty at this time of morning like it always was. He enjoyed the peace and quiet of it, being away from all the stresses of his busy life. This quiet didn't last long when a servant from the castle came running towards the boy holding a letter.

"Prince Regulus!" The servant shouted, his long legs beating against the sand as he ran towards the shore and the prince. "The letter, it's arrived!"

Regulus's head instantly perked up at the mention of the letter. He walked towards the servant at a leisurely pace although his heart was starting to pound against his chest. For years he had been waiting for this letter but now that the time had come, he was dreading it. He didn't want to know what it said but he desperately did at the same time. He was so conflicted on what to do with the letter that when the servant handed it to him, Regulus stared at it for a few moments in deep thought before being interrupted.

"Sir, aren't you going to open it?" The servant asked, peaking at the letter in curiosity.

Everyone knew that this letter would change the course of Regulus's life. Everyone wanted to know what it said. Everyone wanted to see his reaction to the letter. Everyone wanted to be there when he got it and he wouldn't give anyone the satisfaction of it.

"No," He replied stiffly, straightening the cuffs of his loose cotton button down, "not with you around. What makes you think that I would open up such an important letter in front of a lowlife servant like you? You would probably go and tell the entire town how I reacted, selling the information for four dollars apiece." Regulus's eyes pierced into the servant's, almost as if the prince was envisioning himself with a dagger that he would use to carve shapes in the man's empty sockets.

The servant's eyes went wide, and he took a step backwards, "No- I- Well sir-." He stuttered before giving a quick nod and scurrying away from the shore and back towards the castle.

Once the man was out of sight Regulus let his shoulders drop and tucked the letter into the waistband of his trousers. He continued his daily walk until he saw the sun begin to rise and then made his way back towards the castle. Once he arrived at the Black Manor he quickly went to his bedroom and locked the door behind him. He brought the letter back out and let his fingers slowly trace the edges of it. This mindless motion was repeated in a loop until the corners of the sharp envelope had dulled down to a slight curve. Regulus took a deep breath and sat down at his desk. With one swift motion he used his finger to slide under the wax seal, opening the envelope. Inside held the most important paper of Regulus's life. He itched to grab it out and pour over its contents as much as he wanted to throw it into his fireplace. He could hear his rapid heartbeat in his ears as he slowly took the letter out. He unfolded the paper and smoothed out the crease lines before he let himself read what it said.