#//beta readers? None I die like a coward so long-

[truly-quirkless-a]

Type: Lore/History Timeline: Start of MHA, S1 Location: Musutafu, Japan (Hospital)

Hazel eyes slowly drifted open- met with a blank white ceiling. The scent of cleaning products burned their nose, making their stomach grumble. Brown strands fell in their face, obscuring bars of their vision. Their entire body felt as though it was full of a low-level fire, aching in every joint- at the very core of their being, like a universal fact.

I hurt.

"....fuck..." Fin slowly sat upright. The agony in their body burned a hint brighter, nearly making them fall back onto the clean white bed. Their clothes were gone- replaced with a generic blue hospital gown. They blinked, slow and unsteady. On the wall directly opposing their bed was a whiteboard- black lines forming into words. They realized only then, their entire arm- they couldn't feel it.

Their attention shot down- only to breathe out in relief. It was still there...but there were stitches threaded into their skin, pulling closed the injury...cut...

They'd been hurt...right...

Nearby, there was a small table- just within arm's reach. Their valuables were on the table- but what they reached for first was their phone. They pulled it close, barely registering the time as they stared into the camera. Phone unlocked... They slid it towards the messages app, feeling their finger blaze. Why did even touching the screen hurt...?

[Thirteen.

I'm sorry, I won't be able to make it into work for the next few days. Got in a fight, ended up in the hospital. I'll be fine, don't worry. I figure Val will be in charge. If there's anything the team needs, please, let me know.]

[Val,

You're in charge the next few days. If you can- I need you to drop by the hospital so I can give you my apartment keys. I need someone to make sure Prism doesn't starve while I'm out.]

The smell of antiseptic...the low-level heat surging through their veins, burning their soul...

Damnit...

Tears began to creep into the corners of their eyes.

[Nezu.

I'm sorry, sir. I'll be in a hospital for a few days. I've requested that Val take my place while I'm away.]

They continued to type away- slowly sending out message after message. Their arm was starting to ache and throb. Their hand was faltering, twitching.

They had to make sure everyone was alright- and warn those necessary. It was easier than focusing on the fight...on what they'd said, on what their other half had seen.

He'll hate me.

Tap, tap, tap, tap....

[If there's no cat food in my apartment, I'll send you some yen, Val.]

[]

How long had he been waiting? He wasn't quite sure. All he knew was that the throbbing pain in his Words refused to fade. He'd dropped Fin off at the hospital- watched with a smile that nearly faltered as they were put onto a stretcher and wheeled away. They'd fallen unconscious somewhere in the leaps between the alleyway and the hospital.- He had landed, some of their blood having soaked into his off-white shirt, causing crimson stains.

His own blood was normal- the blood of enemies was rare...the blood of his soulmate... It had taken everything in him not to shake as the hospital staff had taken Fin from him. The need to keep them safe- to make sure they were alright- burned through him.

He'd barely stuck around to smile and wave towards the others waiting in the hospital lobby- before dashing out the doors, and disappearing into the night. He'd gone to a nearby alley- this time making sure he was alone- before transforming back, and rushing towards the hospital.

Not another.

I just met them.

Don't leave me.

After getting registered...he'd sat down, waiting as the minutes ticked by. His nails were certainly getting the brunt of his nerves- slowly being bitten down to nubs yet again. He bit a little too far at least once, but he didn't so much as flinch as the pain registered. Please, be alright.

"...um....Yagi? Yagi Toshinori?" His head snapped upright. Blond fringes bounced for a moment as his eyes shot towards the doctor who'd called his name.

"Yes?" The doctor looked a little pale, adjusting his glasses as he motioned for the taller male to follow.

"I need you to come with me.- You...are here for Mx. Well, right?"

"---yes." He was by the doctor's side in a few short steps. The doctor breathed out, handing over a clipboard he'd been holding after the confirmation was voiced. He turned to the double-doors, beginning to walk- apparently expecting Yagi to read and follow at the same time.

"....they're rather lucky, sir. If it weren't for All Might, I'm sure Mx. Well would already be gone." His heart nearly stopped. "The cut on their arm did require stitches, but it wasn't the worst of their injuries- or their problems." The doctor tapped the clipboard he'd passed to Yagi, a look of genuine worry on his face. "...I'd say that, whatever happened to cause their collapse...was a long time coming."

He began to scan over the document- only for his blood to run cold.

Sky-blues shrank to pinpricks as he read over the full details of the other's injuries.

Entire skeletal structure covered in cracks, consistent with that of prolonged exposure to a gravity-based Quirk.

Extreme malnutrition.

Blood poisoning.

Several internal organs moderately damaged- not beyond the point of recovery.

The clipboard began to creak as his grip tightened.

They'd seemed so normal- so happy.

Up until that fight in the alleyway, he'd assumed they were like any normal citizen. Sure, maybe they'd met a villain or two in their life- and they didn't know who he was- but this...

This was a nightmare.

All those times- when he thought he'd kept them safe, when his Words stopped burning---

The level of combat expertise they'd shown in the alley, like someone who'd been in those fights to the point it was second nature---

The file on them at U. A., stating how they'd collapsed while working in the past---

"These sorts of injuries will take a while to heal...they'll be confined to the hospital for the next few days, at the very least." The doctor continued, trying to keep his tone even. Honestly, to him- it looked like injuries consistent with a Hero, who'd just come out of some tough fight...but some of those cracks- they'd been around so long, the tissue had grown around it...this wasn't just a one-time thing.

"Can I see them?" His voice was barely audible- choking in his throat. Who- who had done this. There was no way they'd done this to themself. His mouth barely moved, he was surprised when the doctor actually nodded lightly, as if hearing his words.

"Yes."

Emergency contact...there was nothing. No one...

The doctor led the distraught man down the hall of the hospital, past multiple rooms- before finally stopping in front of one in particular. Room 415. The blond couldn't sleep- not knowing just how much...how much...

"If they're still sleeping, please, let them be. They need time to heal..." The doctor's voice was soft as he pushed the door open. Inside was a chair, a hospital bed, a little table with Fin's items on it- they were dressed in a hospital gown, their hair slightly tangled and wild. They were typing away at their phone, their mouth set in a thin grimace. Their arm was shaking.

As if a string were cut, their arm- their hand- their phone- fell to their bed. They sighed for a moment. Fin's head slowly turned- those hazel hues that had caught Yagi's attention several hours before meeting his sky-blues.

"....what....what're you doin' here?" Yagi stepped into the room- barely hearing as the doctor closed the door behind him. "...Mou--..---Tree Man...?"

"...what would I be doing, anywhere else?" He slowly made his way closer. His vision caught on the phone screen. Thirteen, a message to the other...they'd been... God... "...Fin..." He reached out a hand- only for them to flinch. He retracted an inch or so. "...are you....okay?" He could feel the burn, still aching within his Words...but it was beginning to fade. Replaced by a dull thud, echoing from his heart.

"....I'll be outta th' hospital in a few days." They glanced towards the opposing wall. No window...no skyline, no stars or glittering moon...just a blank wall. They didn't want to see the hatred in his eyes. "...I won't tell anyone about your secret, don't worry...you can go, sir."

"Wh- do you think that's what I'm here for?" His heart shattered in his chest. "...I wanted to make sure...you were okay..."

"....I'm...fine." Those words felt like knives. Like getting to stare straight into a mirror, only to have it punch him in the gut. He breathed out, pointedly dropping the clipboard onto his lap.

"You are not 'fine', Fin." Their eyes snapped to the clipboard- and then glanced up. They looked at him, a deer-in-the-headlights expression, like a villain caught covering for a cohort.

"...I..." Their throat felt like they were trying to swallow a hot coal. "...you don't think I made it up?" There was a wall in their eyes- something a little deeper, that had Yagi pausing. Anger boiled just beneath the surface of his concern. Anger for whoever had hurt them this badly- for them thinking they made it up. They were in the damn hospital, of course they didn't make it up.

"Why would I think you made it up..?" It was like a façade holding Fin together shattered. That happy-go-lucky expression that he'd first seen was gone, replaced with something...hollow. Barely aware. Some husk of a person, drifting in their body.

Like him, the thought struck him.

"...everyone did." Their voice was so quiet. A whisper caught on the breeze, slowly blown away. They'd tried to reach out when they were so young...tried so much... "...y'should head home,...it's late as Hell, sir...."

"I'm not leaving." His hand shifted- resting on the hospital bed, so close to Fin's own...but not touching. Never touching- he wouldn't unless they let him. Fin's expression broke further. Their hand, so small, every bone cracked...slowly shifted to rest in his. His fingers curled gently around their smaller digits, easily encompassing them in his grasp. "...Fin....what happened to you?"

I believe you.

Their lips parted- and for a moment...no sound escaped.

They weren't alone...

Fin's hand squeezed Yagi's, tiny digits blazing with renewed fire from the pressure- but they didn't care. He was real...he was real, sitting right there, slouched in an ungodly-puke-colored hospital chair, looking at them. Seeing them. Beyond that wall they built-- straight to their broken-down core.

And they saw him, the frail, broken-down Hero...carrying the world on his shoulders, with a True Form that undoubtedly turned heads in bad manners, eyes that had seen so many horrific battles..and yet he still kept going. Smiling, striding to the next day...

"....it's....a lot..."

"You can't scare me off." His response was quick- cutting through Fin's weakened resistance like a hot knife through butter. They breathed out- nearly seeming to collapse, strings faltering.

"...on your own head, then..."

[]

It wasn't the worst story he'd ever heard...but it definitely wasn't good. His grip had faltered once or twice, growing stronger as he tried to pull back his anger. Each time he got annoyed, he noticed Fin would falter- leaning back as if expecting him to explode. He exhaled softly.

That was why his Words always hurt...

"...I'm...so sorry..."

"...don't be." Fin's reply was soft. "...you were off savin' lives- n' you had no way of knowin'."

"But I should have." He held back the boiling fire in his gut. I should have been there. "I'm supposed to be a Hero." His willpower was all that kept him from squeezing Fin's hand tight. "And I couldn't-- I couldn't even keep my Soulmate,-" He was choking up. All those times he'd thought he'd kept them safe.- Beaten some villain back, stopped some disaster, saved so many lives... All those times he thought---

"Hey." His eyes snapped to the broken form of his other half. His other half, laid up in a hospital bed...probably in pain, but now-- smiling. Smiling at him, as if they hadn't just told him of what they'd lived through. Smiling as if they were comforting him.

"You saved a lot of fucking lives, sir...don't you ever think you're not a Hero." They managed to turn, tears still running down their face from telling their story. "...you're a Hero,--to me." Their hand gingerly squeezed Yagi's- he could see the strain at the edges of their face, eyes slightly tight. "You saved people. And- I lived. I wouldn't dare trade my childhood...for the lives of those y'saved. Got it, sir?"

"....toshinori..."

"Huh-?" Fin paused. The other's eyes were beginning to glisten- they reached out, almost on impulse, trying to wipe away one of those tears- only for him to catch their hand, a hesitant smile finding its way onto that face of his. A low, pained chuckle rumbled in his vocal chords for a moment, and he found his eyes closing- unwilling to see their face.

I won't leave you.

I'll keep you safe.

"...my name's Toshinori Yagi..." He let go of Fin's hand, his fingers brushing over their face- wiping away the drops that were slowly tracking down their cheeks. "...so don't use any of that 'sir' business with me, alright?...."

There was silence for a moment- before a faint, noticeable grin began to worm onto Fin's face. They snickered,- then laughed...and Yagi joined in after a few moments, his chuckles drifting in the air. His grip tightened by the smallest fraction- unwilling to say aloud the thought that crossed his mind. I won't let you get hurt again.

I promise.

#Through many battles/I have been tested/I’ve never failed/Never have been bested | Toshinori Yagi #Can’t drag me under/Too long I’ve been on the run | Finley Well #Through the night/I face the fears for those who couldn’t fight | writings #long post #blood tw #injury tw #hospital tw #//watched some MHA and got a burst of a desire to type this #//beta readers? None I die like a coward so long-

[reidetic]

Letters

Summary: Spencer writes reader letters in prison. Loosely based off of Hey There Delilah. 

A/N: The poem in this work belongs to Erin Hanson. Thank you so much to @sunlight-moonrise​ for beta reading this for me. This was a one day brain child and I hope you enjoy it.

She hadn’t written back. That’s all Spencer could think of, the only thought running through his head as his mattress sunk through the bars and pressed into his back. Two letters so far, two weeks between, save the first week. The letters kept her in his memory, the pen dipping into paper the only thing that kept her perfume wound around his soul. When the ink smeared across his too quick fingers, he cursed, closing his unfounded emotions within the confines of the cheap notebook paper. 

She hadn’t written back. It’s not like the letters had been particularly interesting. Spencer had never been an interesting writer, never been the one to capture someone’s attention. That was, until her. Until y/n. He had met her at a writer’s circle, something his mom had suggested. 

“You used to write so often, when you were a little boy.” Diana had mused on one of her infrequent good days.  

“I was young then, Mom, nothing I wrote was well-written.” Spencer had laughed with her, both of them remembering the mother’s day haikus that should’ve never been sent home.

“I’m just saying that the life you’ve lived deserves to be written down.” And so he went, attending a small after hours circle at a local community college. He saw her first. Her hair slung up haphazardly, pens tucked into the tendrils, one shirt sleeve slipping off of her shoulder, and her tongue sticking slightly out her mouth in concentration. She was a girl who could steal your attention from the first glance. One pen slipped out of her hair then, and he had leaned forward, picking it up and extending it to her with a smile. 

“Spencer.” He had offered, his name a gift to the girl who sat before him. He thought they probably looked like a painting, with the lanky boy kneeling in front of the ethereal girl, one hand extended with a pen obscured by his own spindly fingers.

“Y/n.” She gave her name right back, grabbing the pen from his hand. And that had been it. That one moment was all it took for Spencer to know he would follow where she went. They had become inseparable, no longer one without the other. They promised each other they’d come every single week, filled notebooks in hand. They stayed far too long after the circle had been dismissed, reading in hushed whispers and bodies so still the motion lights went dim. 

Spencer had felt himself start to fall on one particular night, when they had slipped out to her car to read, their voices filling the cramped car and breath fogging the windows. She had written a poem, something soft and fiery, and he remembered thinking it felt like an autobiography and a love song all at once as her sweet and lilting voice filled the air. 

I wish that I could hold your heart, 

Cradle it gently in my hands, 

But my arms just are not strong enough, 

To hold what I don 't understand, 

My eyes have seen a lot of 

And I thought I'd seen them all, 

But the way your smile ignites my own, 

Makes me think there's so much more, 

These walls around this heart of mine, 

Have stood dust, 

But it's as though you've found the gate, 

That leads right to my trust, 

I've never really liked my name, 

But on your lips it sounds so sweet, 

And your voice is my new favourite song, 

That's forever on repeat, 

But even though I feel all this, 

I can never let you see, 

Because your heart deserves a whole lot more, 

Than a broken girl like me. 

Her trembling breath paused as she finished on the word ‘me’. He felt as though she saw right through him, he turned to glass in her sight. But she was still as opaque as the day he met her. The car had felt awkward then. The air too still, the streetlights outside too bright. They sat in silence, breath held, before y/n had blurted out a quick, “I should get home.” 

He still remembers the way her face fell in the moonlight as he agreed with her. He still regrets that, still regrets not pulling her in and kissing her right then and never letting her go. He dreams about that now, about the what ifs and what could have beens. He’s always been a coward.

He had written that night, pages upon pages of writings about her. Nothing but her. She filled his mind for weeks, and when he read his poetry on Thursday nights, she looked away. He could still feel the sting in his cheeks he felt that night when she called his work, “fantastical and unrealistic”. He could still feel the betrayal he felt that night as she ripped into him and left no trace. Despite her harshness, he felt her warmth, or so he thought.

She hadn’t written back. The letter he penned took days, but it wasn’t as if prison life was especially exciting. There weren’t enough words he could find to explain how he felt to her. He had never told her how he felt, not before his arrest. He had tried to write the letter in English, in French, in Latin. None of it made any sense, his cell filled with ruined and crumpled pieces of paper. He settled on an old song, the one he remembered playing softly in the car as she read her heart to him, changed to fit only her. 

  Hey there y/n, 

What’s it like in DC? I’m a thousand miles away, but tonight you look so pretty. I know I can’t see you right now, but it doesn’t matter. I know. Forgive me for the song, it keeps me sane. I don’t know quite what to do with myself right now. It’s not often I get arrested for murders I didn’t commit, but when I do, it’s you I miss. Thursday was strange without your words there to comfort the mass in my head. I find that when you’re speaking it’s the only time I hear silence. Silence is something beautiful rarely created that I don’t experience often enough, but with you, it finds its way to my ears regularly. I know if you were here you’d chastise me about the concept of hearing silence, but you’ll just have to read it in this letter. I don’t have many updates, but know that I am not enjoying myself. Suffice to say, it is hard to enjoy one’s predicament when you aren’t sure when it will be over. I don’t know how to say what I want to say to you, so I won’t. Please be safe. You matter to me more than you know.

Regards, 

Spencer Reid

She hadn’t written back. He had sent the letter within his second week behind bars. His life continued, slowly but surely, days passing and hopes of a response every day. And every day, nothing. It kills him,  but he can’t blame her. He doesn’t know that he would write himself back if he was in her shoes. Still, he sent another letter. He put just a bit more of his soul into the second, still not quite ready to confess anything he might have considered confessing that night in her car.

Hey there y/n, 

Don’t you worry about the distance, I’m right here if you get lonely. Not literally, you know that, of course. But you can always give this letter another read. Listen to my voice, it’s my disguise. I’m by your side. I’ll always be by your side, whether or not you need me. If you want me to leave, I’ll go. But until then, I’ll stay by your side. Everyone needs a loyal friend, right? I know I could use one right now. I don’t blame you for not responding. You have no proof that I am not a guilty man. But I will swear to you every day until the day that I die, I am innocent. I am innocent. I am innocent. You don’t have to believe a word I say but I will write it, scream it, sing it until you do. Prison isn’t easy. I just want to hear your voice. The eidetic memory may help, but nothing is as good as the real thing. You don’t have to write back. I wish I could tell you everything I think. I love you.  Be safe.

Sincerely, 

Spencer Reid

She hadn’t written back. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. Y/n, her smile, her voice, her face. Her smell was burned into his psyche like a brand. He couldn’t forget her if he tried. And oh, he tried. Menial tasks and thumbing through books he’d already read, folding the laundry three separate times, and yet she still infiltrated his brain. No matter how fast his fingers moved, her voice lilted in his head, ‘Spencer, Spencer.’ She helped him escape, helped him remain who he is through and through. She still hadn’t responded. A month and a half after his arrest, three weeks after his last letter. He figured he had one last try. He knew his walls were closing in, his mind delving away into itself for protection. He knew he couldn’t be himself much longer, but she was the last thing keeping his feet on the ground. 

Hey there y/n, 

I’ve got so much left to say, if every letter I wrote to you would take your breath away, I’d write them all. I’d write you every letter in the world if it meant I got to hear your voice again. If it meant you didn’t hate me for what I’ve become. Prison life isn’t easy and I’ve had to do things to survive that make me unrecognizable. I don’t know that I am the person you knew. But I know you are. You get me through all of this. I think about us, what we could’ve been if I had been who you needed, who you wanted. I love you, you know. I can see you walking down the aisle, I can see you holding our children. I can see the house we buy, the cars we fight over. I can see the quilts lining our bed in stolen kisses in the morning, and I can see the light in your eyes. I love you. I am yours. If you want me, if you don’t, I am yours. 

Yours truly

Yours, truly

Spencer Reid

Truth be told, Spencer had assumed they’d never prove his innocence. He had grown accustomed to being in prison, protecting himself and others in ways he never thought he’d do. So when JJ showed up, simply stating they were here to take him home, he couldn’t believe it. His disbelief paralyzed him, shock bounding through his body as he froze to the spot he was in. The only thing that got him moving again was her. Y/n. He’d see her. Her. 

His second shock of the day was his greeting as he exited the prison, not bound or confined for the first time in three months. The sun felt better out here, somehow.. Garcia was there, taking him in her arms, and he breathes in the scent of her perfume, of lilies and coffee. That’s not what shocks him though, but what lies behind Garcia. Her. She’s here. Y/n.

“Y/n.” He takes a step towards her, tentative, watching the tears fall from her eyes and feeling his own dash across his cheeks.

“Spencer Reid.” And there is not another word but her arms are thrown around his neck, and for the first time Spencer understands that home is not a place, but a person.

taglist: @imagining-in-the-margins​ @httpnxtt​ @dontkissthewriter​ @vivanadium​ @samanddeanstolethetardis221b​ @spencer-reid-in-a-pool​ @blazinvixen​ @fanficlibrary82​

you can message me or respond to this if you'd like to be added to my taglist!

#spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid fanfic #spencer reid x y/n #spencer reid #criminal minds fanfic #criminal minds

[manage-mischief]

Regulus Black and the Darkest Shadows: Chapter 11

Read on AO3 or FF.net 

Summary: Kreacher returns…

Author’s Note: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed! You all are the best! I’m pretty sure you all know what’s coming in this chapter, but I hope you enjoy regardless! For excerpts/asks/requests, follow @manage-mischief on tumblr. Thanks to @leahstypewriter for being a fabulous beta reader!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter 11: Everything Changes

January 11th, 1979

The next evening, Regulus lounged lazily in the living room, waiting for his parents to get home from work. His arm was thrown carelessly over his forehead as he listened to the quiet popping of the fire. A loud CRACK suddenly ripped through the air. Regulus fell off of the sofa in surprise.

Swearing, he pushed himself to his feet and searched for the source of the noise. In the corner of the room, Regulus saw a small, shivering thing covered in a tea towel. Kreacher. Confused, Regulus approached the elf slowly and kneeled before him. “Kreacher?” Regulus said gently. Kreacher flinched when Regulus placed a hand on his bony shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

The elf turned his head towards Regulus, and peaked an eye out from behind his hands, which were covering his face. “D-d-dead. Army of the dead. Didn’t know Kreacher could escape. Didn’t know Master Regulus had asked Kreacher to come back.” The elf stuttered. Regulus felt cold and empty. He had been so happy to have survived his encounter with Voldemort that he hadn’t even stopped to think about Kreacher’s safety. What an idiot! How could Regulus think for a second that his loyal elf would be safe with that monster? No one was safe! Not with Him.

Carefully, Regulus gathered Kreacher in his arms and brought him to his bedroom. He laid the quivering elf on his bed, and covered him in blankets. Regulus poured Kreacher a glass of water from the jug on the windowsill. Kreacher gulped it down greedily. Regulus poured him some more. “R-Regulus is too kind to Kreacher.”

“Nonsense,” Regulus said, “I am so, so sorry I let you go with him, Kreacher. I-I didn’t know He would hurt you.” Regulus’s excuse sounded feeble, but Kreacher seemed to appreciate the words.

“No. Kreacher wanted to help. Kreacher wanted to make sure the Dark Lord was pleased with Regulus. Regulus was worried. Regulus is in danger. Kreacher heard Narcissa say. Kreacher doesn’t want Regulus to get hurt.”

Regulus was surprised at the elf’s astute assessment of his current predicament. He hadn’t even noticed that Kreacher had been in the room during him and Cissa’s conversation. That made him feel worse. “Kreacher…can you…can you tell me what happened?”

Kreacher’s golf-ball eyes filled with tears. “Kreacher went with the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord took Kreacher to a cave.”

“A cave?”

“Yes. A cave. An underwater cave. Kreacher and the Dark Lord had to swim to find it.”

“And what was in the cave, Kreacher?” Regulus’s mind was racing. Why had Voldemort need his elf to take a trip to a cave in the middle of the ocean?

“Kreacher and the Dark Lord entered a cavern. Kreacher had to cut his hand to open it.” The elf held up his right hand, which, sure enough, had a long gash running across the palm.

“Here, let me fix that.” Regulus carefully took the elf’s tiny hand in his own and began waving his wand and muttering healing incantations. The cut stitched itself back together before their eyes.

“Kreacher thanks you, Regulus. You are the kindest of all of his masters,” said the elf.

“What happened next, Kreacher?”

“The cavern wall fell away, and Kreacher and the Dark Lord entered a larger cavern, with a lake.”

“A lake? In a cavern? In an underwater cave that you have to cut yourself to enter?” Regulus questioned. None of the elf’s tale was making any sense.

Kreacher nodded. “Yes. And then the Dark Lord conjured a boat, and rowed him and Kreacher across the lake, to a tiny island. There was a basin on the island, filled with black liquid. The Dark Lord order Kreacher to drink.” The elf began shaking again. Regulus was furious—at Voldemort for hurting his elf, and at himself, for once again being a coward and doing nothing to stop the pain and misery that Voldemort had caused. Regulus placed a comforting hand on Kreacher’s shoulder. “What was in the basin, Kreacher?”

Kreacher took a shaky breath. “Kreacher does not know. But, it made Kreacher see and feel terrible things. Terrible. Kreacher was afraid. But the Dark Lord ordered him to drink until the basin was empty, so Kreacher continued.  And then, when Kreacher was finished, the Dark Lord laughed and placed a locket at the bottom of the basin, and then filled it back up and rowed away.”

“He left you there?”

“He rowed away and Kreacher was so thirsty and there was no water. Kreacher tried to drink from the lake, but…but they pulled him in.” He locked eyes with Regulus. “They-they pulled Kreacher into the lake.” Kreacher broke down in sobs once more.

Regulus’s vision went red with fury. He attempted to steady his voice as he pressed Kreacher for more information. “How did you escape?”

Kreacher regarded the young wizard. “Regulus told Kreacher to come back,” he said, matter-of-factly. “So Kreacher came back.”

“You were able to Apparate out of the cave?”

“No wizard would be able to. But for an elf, it was easy. You told Kreacher to come back when the Dark Lord was finished with him, so Kreacher did as he was told.”

Regulus stared incredulously. None of this made any sense. “Did the Dark Lord say anything to you, Kreacher? Anything at all? Did he tell you why you were there?”

“He told Kreacher that he was testing his defenses,” said Kreacher, “and when he left Kreacher on the island, he apologized.”

“He apologized?”

“He said, ‘I am sorry, dear elf, but I must sacrifice your life this day, so that I may live forever,’” Kreacher said in a perfect imitation of Voldemort’s voice. The hairs on the back of Regulus’s neck stood on end.

“So that I may live forever…”

But what had Voldemort meant? No magic could make someone live forever, no matter how powerful. And if such a power did exist, Regulus certainly had never heard of it. However, if it were possible, if Voldemort had somehow discovered such a power…Regulus’s stomach turned at the thought. If Voldemort could live forever, then they were all doomed. If he couldn’t die, he couldn’t be beaten. He thought of Sirius and his Order of the Phoenix. He thought of Des and the Muggles who had raised her. Of Broderick, the intelligent, understanding Muggleborn. And selfishly, he considered his own life. If Voldemort couldn’t die, none of them would ever be free.

---

The first day of classes after the winter holidays had hardly been remarkable. Regulus felt like a zombie, dragging through the hours, longing for sleep. But he couldn’t sleep. He wouldn’t. Not until he knew what exactly Voldemort was up to, and how exactly to stop him. Since he had heard Kreacher’s tale, Regulus had spent every waking moment researching dark magic, hoping to uncover the secret. So far, he had found nothing. Besides the Philosopher’s Stone, which was apparently safely hidden somewhere with its creator Nicholas Flamel, there seemed to be no way to ensure immortality.

But what did the locket have to do with it? Regulus had asked himself this same question hundreds of times in the past weeks. When he closed his eyes at night, the scene of the lake that Kreacher had described haunted his dreams. Ultimately, these nightmares would force him awake in the early hours of morning, during which he would start his day’s research anew.

After he had finished his last class of the day, Regulus headed towards the library, determined to continue working. Pulling out several books from the restricted section, he set up camp at a table and began to read.

After an indeterminate amount of time, Regulus became vaguely aware of someone sliding into the seat next to him. When he looked up, he found Des staring at him, concerned. “You missed dinner,” she said.

“I did? Wow. Times flies.” Regulus turned his attention back to his book. In a flash, Des flicked her wand and the book slammed shut. “What was that for?” he exclaimed, frantically searching for his lost place. “I was reading that!”

“What’s going on, Regulus?” Des crossed her arms over her chest. “You look like you haven’t slept in a year! And now you’re avoiding us! Is this because of what happened before the holidays? Are you…have you gone back to him?” Regulus could sense hurt behind the tough façade she was presenting.

“No! No! Nothing like that at all! I haven’t gone back. It’s sort of the opposite, actually…And I missed you, Des.  All of you,” he added. She looked relieved.

“Ok, so, you’re not back with the baddies. That’s good. But something’s bothering you?”

“It’s just…I…I can’t say right now.” He glanced furtively around the library. There were too many prying ears.

Des rolled her eyes. “You know, the fact that you’re acting like you don’t want to tell me just makes me want to know more.”

Regulus hesitated. He opened and closed his mouth, trying to work out a believable lie. Unfortunately for him, his companion was not easily fooled.

Des cocked her head to the side, analyzing him. “You’re really not going to talk, are you? Merlin, Reg, if I didn’t know you better, I’d think you murdered someone.” She narrowed her eyes. “Wait, you didn’t…”

“No!” Regulus cried, forgetting he was in the library. He earned himself a few dirty looks from some of the more devoted students. A loud SHHHHHHH echoed from beyond the bookshelves, courtesy of Madame Pince. Regulus blushed. “No,” he whispered. “I didn’t kill anyone, Merlin, Des!”

“I’m sorry, but with all that’s going on in this bloody world right now, you never know.” she spread her hands defensively. “Ok, so, you didn’t kill anyone, and you haven’t gone back to…you know…so, what is it?”

“You just don’t give up, do you?”

“Not when my friend is in trouble.” Des shook her head defiantly. “And you, mate, are clearly in some kind of trouble.”

Regulus put his head in his hands. “I just can’t say! It’s too dangerous. I want to tell you, but I can’t!”

Des bit her lip, deep in thought. Her eyebrows scrunched together quizzically. “There’s a Hogsmeade trip this weekend,” she said, after a beat.

“Ok…?” Regulus replied, suspiciously. This seemed like an odd time to change the subject.

“I know the last time we all went to Hogsmeade was…hectic…but, I know a place where we can talk without any other prying ears. If you want to talk,” she cautiously suggested.

If Regulus was being completely honest with himself, this was not the type of trip to Hogsmeade he would have preferred to be taking with Des. But, he felt he could trust her. At least, partially. There was no way he could reveal everything he knew. It would be too dangerous for her, as she would likely want to get involved. No. This was definitely a journey Regulus had to undertake alone. Still, perhaps, Des would have valuable insights. “Alright,” he agreed. She smiled softly.

“Perfect. Meet me in the Great Hall for breakfast Saturday. We’ll go from there,” Des said, making her way to exit the library. “Oh, and Reg?” she called back to him. “Try and get some sleep. You look like a vampire with a hangover.” Regulus chuckled before returning to his studies.

#regulus black #marauders #sirius black #marauders era #dorlene #wolfstar #narcissa malfoy #narcissa black #regulus black x oc #regulus back/oc #my ocs #desdemona lewis #the noble and most ancient house of black #Harry Potter #harry potter fanfiction #hp fanfic #regulus deserved better #jily #my writing #RBATDS #ravenclaw

[runyousillydetective]

Answer all of them you coward

Well fuck. I gotta answer them all now.

1. Who was the last person you held hands with? @justlivingforthemoment​2. Are you outgoing or shy? Hrm. Classic introvert so... I’m pretty shy until I get to know you.3. Who are you looking forward to seeing? @justlivingforthemoment​ 4. Are you easy to get along with? Don’t be an asshole and we’re golden5. If you were drunk would the person you like take care of you? If she isn’t drunker than I am. And even then, I think she’d still try6. What kind of people are you attracted to? Personality and humor always comes before physical appearance for me. Idk7. Do you think you’ll be in a relationship two months from now? If I’m not I will be extremely surprised and heartbroken8. Who from the opposite gender is on your mind? Is there really an “opposite” gender...?9. Does talking about sex make you uncomfortable? Not really. Especially when it comes to telling women all the shit they don’t know about their own anatomy because American sex ed is the most terrible thing on Earth stg10. Who was the last person you had a deep conversation with? ... @justlivingforthemoment​ (do you see a theme because I do....)11. What does the most recent text that you sent say? “Yeah!”12. What are your 5 favorite songs right now? “Lydia” Highly Suspect, “Slow Hands” Niall Horan, “Thump Thump Thump” Natt & Alex Wolff, “Glitter in the Air” P!nk, and "Beam Me Up” P!nk (You get four because I suck)13. Do you like it when people play with your hair? Totally14. Do you believe in luck and miracles? Kind of?15. What good thing happened this summer? This summer has barely started16. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again? Many, many times17. Do you think there is life on other planets? I find it hard to believe there isn’t18. Do you still talk to your first crush? No19. Do you like bubble baths? I fucking love bubble baths20. Do you like your neighbors? I mean, I don’t really know them? But they know my parents and they are nice21. What are you bad habits? Idk I’m defensive and emotionally stunted and easily distracted22. Where would you like to travel? Is everywhere an acceptable answer?23. Do you have trust issues? Lol depends on shit and stuff24. Favorite part of your daily routine? Ignoring my first alarm25. What part of your body are you most uncomfortable with? My smile26. What do you do when you wake up? Slowly pry my eyes open and feel like screaming27. Do you wish your skin was lighter or darker? Nope28. Who are you most comfortable around? @justlivingforthemoment​29. Have any of your ex’s told you they regret breaking up? Nope.30. Do you ever want to get married? I mean, I could definitely see it happening. That’d be nice if I found the right person31. If your hair long enough for a pony tail? A short one but I’m growing it out again32. Which celebrities would you have a threesome with? I’m... not really a threesome person33. Spell your name with your chin. z nvged,l,lkjc az34. Do you play sports? What sports? Lolololol35. Would you rather live without TV or music? Shit, idk man36. Have you ever liked someone and never told them? Not recently37. What do you say during awkward silences? I generally make terrible jokes and make everybody feel angry with me38. Describe your dream girl/guy? @justlivingforthemoment​39. What are your favorite stores to shop in? Erhm, the internet?40. What do you want to do after high school? Well, my next step in getting a doctorate in educational anthropology41. Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance? Yeah, people can fuck up. It’s how you change/fix it that really matters42. If your being extremely quiet what does it mean? Sometimes nothing, sometimes I’m sad, sometimes I’m angry43. Do you smile at strangers? Depends on how introverted I’m feeling (or if I’m working)44. Trip to outer space or bottom of the ocean? The ocean fucking terrifies me, space it is45. What makes you get out of bed in the morning? The fact that I live in a capitalist society and if I don’t go to work I will die and nobody will mourn my death because I was “lazy” and “deserved it”46. What are you paranoid about? Things and stuff47. Have you ever been high? Nope48. Have you ever been drunk? Yup49. Have you done anything recently that you hope nobody finds out about? Probably though I can’t think of what it might be right now50. What was the colour of the last hoodie you wore? Black and pink51. Ever wished you were someone else? Sometimes yeah52. One thing you wish you could change about yourself? My absolutely paralyzing fear of authority figures53. Favourite makeup brand? honey I don’t make up often enough for that54. Favourite store? I have no idea, I’m too broke to spend money55. Favourite blog? probs @thebootydiaries​56. Favourite colour? Blueee57. Favourite food? Bread58. Last thing you ate? Ravioli59. First thing you ate this morning? Honey Bunches of Oats60. Ever won a competition? For what? Erhm, uh, I mean, I won reader of the month quite a few times in elementary school. And I’ve probably won something since then but it wasn’t that important idk61. Been suspended/expelled? For what? Nope62. Been arrested? For what? Nope63. Ever been in love? Yeahhhh64. Tell us the story of your first kiss? It was in my basement, watching a Disney movie, idk65. Are you hungry right now? Nah66. Do you like your tumblr friends more than your real friends? Most of my tumblr friends are my real friends but the couple of friends that aren’t irl friends are just as important to me67. Facebook or Twitter? Uh, neither?68. Twitter or Tumblr? Tumblr69. Are you watching tv right now? Well, I’m watching Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt on Netflix but I don’t really watch tv anymore70. Names of your best friends? Alexa, Jenny, Becca, Caitlyn, and Cory71. Craving something? What? @justlivingforthemoment​72. What colour are your towels? My towels are all the colors of the rainbow. My parent’s towels are light green, light blue, white, and pink. Idk they are old72. How many pillows do you sleep with? I sleep weird. I use a body pillow for my head (it is so long that it doesn’t slip out from under my head 73. Do you sleep with stuffed animals? Not always but I often have either my childhood teddy bear, Hug Me, or my puppy (which @justlivingforthemoment​ has right now)74. How many stuffed animals do you think you have? I’ve got at least ten75. Favourite animal? It sounds terrible when there are so many amazing animals out there but I honestly just love dogs so much (and hedgehogs)76. What colour is your underwear? Striped light and dark pink77. Chocolate or Vanilla? Both (I’m bi and we are indecisive, remember)78. Favourite ice cream flavour? I really like the black raspberry and chocolate flavor79. What colour shirt are you wearing? Fluorescent green80. What colour pants? Black81. Favourite tv show? Sense8 (A Netflix original but it counts!!!)82. Favourite movie? I can’t choose just one, honestly83. Mean Girls or Mean Girls 2? I don’t even remember Mean Girls 2 so Mean Girls84. Mean Girls or 21 Jump Street? Mean Girls85. Favourite character from Mean Girls? Mrs. George86. Favourite character from Finding Nemo? The starfish (I’m terrible with names and I’m so sorry)87. First person you talked to today? Texting? @justlivingforthemoment​ In person? My dad88. Last person you talked to today? My dad89. Name a person you hate? A couple of people90. Name a person you love? @justlivingforthemoment​ (in case you couldn’t guess from all the times they’ve been mentioned already)91. Is there anyone you want to punch in the face right now? I can think of a couple92. In a fight with someone? Nope93. How many sweatpants do you have? A couple94. How many sweaters/hoodies do you have? A lot95. Last movie you watched? Sully96. Favourite actress? Idk97. Favourite actor? Idk98. Do you tan a lot? Sweetie, I don’t tan, I burn99. Have any pets? Two dogs and a cat and a beta fish but none of them live with me rn100. How are you feeling? Alright, thanks for asking101. Do you type fast? I mean, average?102. Do you regret anything from your past? Nah, not really. I learned from it103. Can you spell well? W-E-L-L104. Do you miss anyone from your past? Yeah, sometimes105. Ever been to a bonfire party? Lots, I’m from the middle of nowhere so we have a lot of bonfires106. Ever broken someone’s heart? Yeah but they hurt me first107. Have you ever been on a horse? Yep!108. What should you be doing? Finishing my online essay exam109. Is something irritating you right now? Some stuff110. Have you ever liked someone so much it hurt? Yeah111. Do you have trust issues? Didn’t I already answer this?112. Who was the last person you cried in front of? My dad (my brother left me out of his wedding almost entirely and then left me out of something else and my feelings were really hurt)113. What was your childhood nickname? Gels, Gel Belle, Jelly Bean, Beaners, various other such names, and Thumpy114. Have you ever been out of your province/state? Yeah115. Do you play the Wii? ANIMAL CROSSING116. Are you listening to music right now? Nope117. Do you like chicken noodle soup? I do118. Do you like Chinese food? I have a Chinese food date with @aceincorporated tonight119. Favourite book? Anything by @tamorapierce120. Are you afraid of the dark? No but I know who is!121. Are you mean? I’m too nice, actually122. Is cheating ever okay? Nope, if you’re cheating there is a reason and you need to prioritize your life123. Can you keep white shoes clean? NOPE124. Do you believe in love at first sight? No, it is just attraction. Love comes from knowing somebody125. Do you believe in true love? Yeah, but I don’t necessarily believe there is only one person out there for you126. Are you currently bored? A little127. What makes you happy? Dogs and @justlivingforthemoment128. Would you change your name? Nope, I like it129. What your zodiac sign? Sagittarius130. Do you like subway? Yup131. Your bestfriend of the opposite sex likes you, what do you do? I’m gay and taken so... they have to get over it132. Who’s the last person you had a deep conversation with? I already answered this question, too.133. Favourite lyrics right now? I am blanking134. Can you count to one million? I’m sure I could if I had to but I don’t want to135. Dumbest lie you ever told? I’m sure I’ve told some really dumb ones but I don’t know what they were now136. Do you sleep with your doors open or closed? CLOSED. THE MONSTERS CAN GET ME IF THEY ARE OPEN.137. How tall are you? 5′4″138. Curly or Straight hair? Curly139. Brunette or Blonde? Dirty blonde but I’ve colored my hair dark auburn140. Summer or Winter? Summer141. Night or Day? Night142. Favourite month? Either April or October143. Are you a vegetarian? Nope144. Dark, milk or white chocolate? Dark145. Tea or Coffee? Tea tea tea tea146. Was today a good day? It’s my day off so I guess so147. Mars or Snickers? Both?148. What’s your favourite quote? “The world is before you, and you need not take it or leave it as it was when you came in.” -James Baldwin149. Do you believe in ghosts? Sometimes, maybe? Kind of?150. Get the closest book next to you, open it to page 42, what’s the first line on that page?“’-way, you know. It don’t matter. And when the gov-’” -Stephen King, Different Seasons

#local-pissbaby