For ktnb
Recipient: ktnb
Author: tsarina
Pairing: Evan Rosier/Regulus Black
Liability
"You should not have brought him into this."
"It was appropriate at the time, and I don't recall any dissent when I made the original decision."
"Black is a liability at this point. A liability to all of us."
"I am aware of that." Evan Rosier stared across the table at the other wizard, who offered him a mocking smile and raised his cup. Morning sunlight patterned the carpet with shades of gold, green and white from the stained glass windows. Everything seemed to gleam in the spotless, tasteful dining room.
"Don't make me say I told you so."
"But you will anyway Lucius."
"Possibly." Malfoy chuckled and tilted his cup back. There was silence, broken only by the hiss and sputter of logs in the fireplace. Evan
crossed and recrossed his legs, settling into the plush chair. His own tea sat untouched on the table, a slice of lemon on the saucer.
"Give me a chance to handle it," Evan finally said. "If I can't break his hesitation, then you can decide what we need to do about it."
Lucius shrugged and nodded.
-------------
"I am starting to think I made the wrong choice." The dark flip of his hair kept falling forward from behind one ear. Regulus stared out at the misty English countryside as drizzle beaded the glass. It was still early, but the light was dim and murky. He had not lit any of the lamps, or even the fire.
"Is there any point in thinking about that now?" Evan asked helplessly. His shirt collar was undone, his robes tossed over a chair. Last night they had stumbled drunkenly in the dark, laughing as they banged into furniture and too careless to correct the situation. It was less stifling to fumble in the gloom, pulling off their clothes and knocking things over in their haste to reach the bed.
"Regulus, there is no point in worrying it to death. What's done is done. Binding magical contracts don't stop because you've suddenly developed a scruple or two." He rose from the sofa and reached out to grab the other wizard's left arm.
"This isn't just going to disappear," he said quietly. He tapped the Dark Mark engraved on Regulus' forearm.
"If you could, though, would you?" Regulus asked, a bit of desperation creeping into his voice. Evan stared at him, a slight surprise on his face.
"No," he answered finally. "No I wouldn't. And you shouldn't be thinking about such things. The others are going to notice, and you don't want Malfoy suspecting you might break and run. You don't want His scrutiny either. Push it down. You can't go back, so don't even consider it."
"I don't think I can. It's eating me up. For Merlin's sake Evan, they were talking about having me kill my own brother!"
"Listen to me!" Evan jerked Regulus close to him, pressing their foreheads together. "You have to stop talking like this. You have to, or you're going to get yourself killed. What do you think Lucius would do if he heard you talking like this? The least you would have to worry about would be Imperius."
"I can't do this Evan."
Well, you're going to have to do it now," Evan replied savagely. "Did you think this was going to be a gentlemanly fox hunt, where we all went home in time for tea?"
"But this is my family."
"This is your family now." Evan lifted his arm, yanking back the sleeve. The Mark was dull in the pale afternoon. "Nothing else matters."
He stared, shying away from the irate expression in Evan's tone and face. Evan sighed and pressed a chaste kiss to Regulus' brow.
"You're a fool, you know." He flung himself down in a chair.
Regulus shuddered. Outside, the rain started falling in earnest.
-------------
"It has to be done."
Evan shook his head, an expression of profound regret twisting his smile. A fire crackled behind him, sending up sparks from knots in the wood.
"You know it, Evan. This isn't up for debate." Across the room, Lucius tapped his fingers on the window. His pale hair gleamed brightly against the glass. Outside, the English countryside was dark, and shrouded in mist.
"Then let it at least be me," Evan said insistently. "Give me his death. I will do it."
"Are you sure that is wise?" Lucius raised an eyebrow.
"Are you questioning my loyalties?" Evan snapped.
"Oh no," Lucius chuckled. "Never that. You have always served well Evan." He turned away from the window, moving across the room to stand in front of Evan's chair. Lucius reached out to stroke the younger wizard's face. He touched Evan's collar, still undone.
"You are extraordinarily diligent about your duties. In light of that, I think I will grant your request." Lucius smiled and tangled his fingers in Evan's hair.
---------------
In the deepest hour of night, there was nothing to see of the countryside. The lamp reflected in the window, leaving a spot of brightness. Evan watched Regulus' reflection pace back and forth.
"And then I'll apparate to France, there's a ship waiting there I've made arrangements for, I've booked a trip up around through the northern waters, and it will be harder for him to follow that trail. So a few days on the ship and then we'll land in the ice-" Regulus broke off. "Are you listening to me Evan?"
"I'm trying to ignore this burst of insanity," Evan replied. He shifted to look at the real Regulus.
"Evan," Regulus pleaded. "We can do this, it is a good plan." He reached out to grab Rosier's arms, pulling him around the room as he breathlessly explained his escape route.
"Regulus, Regulus, stop," Evan interrupted. He covered the other wizard's mouth with one hand and frustration made him pull Regulus into his arms. Resting his chin on Regulus' hair, Evan closed his eyes tightly for a brief second.
"This is crazy. You have to realize that."
"It's a good plan." His voice was muffled against Evan's chest and his heavy grey robes.
"It's not going to work."
"I will make it work."
"Regulus." He leaned back and looked down at Black's frightened eyes. "This isn't going to work."
Regulus looked stricken. Abruptly he jerked away, stumbling into the sofa and lurching back towards the table where two satchels waited half packed. They stared at each other in uneasy, guilty silence.
"You can't ask me to go through with this madness!" he finally shouted.
"I won't do this!"
"Regulus-"
"No!" Regulus shouted. "Don't interrupt me. I am going, tonight, and I am going to make this work. You can come with me or you can stay here. But I am not doing what Voldemort wants and I don't care what you think about that!"
"So you're just going to leave your brother in harm's way?" Evan said testily. It didn't matter to him, but he couldn't think of anything else to say.
"Sirius can take care of himself, he always has." Regulus turned back to his bags, shoving belongings into them at random.
"There is still time to reconsider this."
"No, absolutely not."
"You can't just walk away."
"That is exactly what I am going to do."
"Regulus, they are going to kill you. They will hunt you down and send someone to kill you."
"Not if they can't find me, and no one knows where..." Regulus' voice trailed off and he turned slowly, his expression surprised and faintly horrified. "Except you."
Evan stood beside the empty fireplace, holding his wand.
"You. You can't. Oh Merlin no." His voice broke and he fumbled for his wand. Evan flicked it away carelessly, his face expressionless.
"Evan, please for the love of- don't, please."
"Why didn't you listen to me, Regulus?" Evan moved steadily closer, his wand held out to the level of Regulus' frightened face. "Everything I've brought you through, and you fail me now over one simple task. One simple bloody task."
Regulus made an inarticulate, fearful sound as he backed into the sofa. His hands clutched convulsively at the damask cushions. With a shudder, Evan lowered his wand and dropped down onto the sofa beside the terrified wizard. He gathered Regulus into his arms.
"Please don't do this," Regulus choked. "Leave with me, let's just leave." Evan rocked him gently, stroking his hair.
"Hush," he whispered.
Green light illuminated the room for a moment, and Evan closed his eyes against it.
---------------
Lucius Malfoy opened his letters over breakfast, building careful stacks of the important and useless. He reached for the silver tea pot, the polished surface reflecting everything on the table. The last letter was just two lines in jagged script and signed with such vehemence that it tore the parchment. He smiled, and tossed the letter into the fire. In the bright morning light, the Mark gleamed a vivid greenish black on his left arm.
Author: tsarina
Pairing: Evan Rosier/Regulus Black
Liability
"You should not have brought him into this."
"It was appropriate at the time, and I don't recall any dissent when I made the original decision."
"Black is a liability at this point. A liability to all of us."
"I am aware of that." Evan Rosier stared across the table at the other wizard, who offered him a mocking smile and raised his cup. Morning sunlight patterned the carpet with shades of gold, green and white from the stained glass windows. Everything seemed to gleam in the spotless, tasteful dining room.
"Don't make me say I told you so."
"But you will anyway Lucius."
"Possibly." Malfoy chuckled and tilted his cup back. There was silence, broken only by the hiss and sputter of logs in the fireplace. Evan
crossed and recrossed his legs, settling into the plush chair. His own tea sat untouched on the table, a slice of lemon on the saucer.
"Give me a chance to handle it," Evan finally said. "If I can't break his hesitation, then you can decide what we need to do about it."
Lucius shrugged and nodded.
-------------
"I am starting to think I made the wrong choice." The dark flip of his hair kept falling forward from behind one ear. Regulus stared out at the misty English countryside as drizzle beaded the glass. It was still early, but the light was dim and murky. He had not lit any of the lamps, or even the fire.
"Is there any point in thinking about that now?" Evan asked helplessly. His shirt collar was undone, his robes tossed over a chair. Last night they had stumbled drunkenly in the dark, laughing as they banged into furniture and too careless to correct the situation. It was less stifling to fumble in the gloom, pulling off their clothes and knocking things over in their haste to reach the bed.
"Regulus, there is no point in worrying it to death. What's done is done. Binding magical contracts don't stop because you've suddenly developed a scruple or two." He rose from the sofa and reached out to grab the other wizard's left arm.
"This isn't just going to disappear," he said quietly. He tapped the Dark Mark engraved on Regulus' forearm.
"If you could, though, would you?" Regulus asked, a bit of desperation creeping into his voice. Evan stared at him, a slight surprise on his face.
"No," he answered finally. "No I wouldn't. And you shouldn't be thinking about such things. The others are going to notice, and you don't want Malfoy suspecting you might break and run. You don't want His scrutiny either. Push it down. You can't go back, so don't even consider it."
"I don't think I can. It's eating me up. For Merlin's sake Evan, they were talking about having me kill my own brother!"
"Listen to me!" Evan jerked Regulus close to him, pressing their foreheads together. "You have to stop talking like this. You have to, or you're going to get yourself killed. What do you think Lucius would do if he heard you talking like this? The least you would have to worry about would be Imperius."
"I can't do this Evan."
Well, you're going to have to do it now," Evan replied savagely. "Did you think this was going to be a gentlemanly fox hunt, where we all went home in time for tea?"
"But this is my family."
"This is your family now." Evan lifted his arm, yanking back the sleeve. The Mark was dull in the pale afternoon. "Nothing else matters."
He stared, shying away from the irate expression in Evan's tone and face. Evan sighed and pressed a chaste kiss to Regulus' brow.
"You're a fool, you know." He flung himself down in a chair.
Regulus shuddered. Outside, the rain started falling in earnest.
-------------
"It has to be done."
Evan shook his head, an expression of profound regret twisting his smile. A fire crackled behind him, sending up sparks from knots in the wood.
"You know it, Evan. This isn't up for debate." Across the room, Lucius tapped his fingers on the window. His pale hair gleamed brightly against the glass. Outside, the English countryside was dark, and shrouded in mist.
"Then let it at least be me," Evan said insistently. "Give me his death. I will do it."
"Are you sure that is wise?" Lucius raised an eyebrow.
"Are you questioning my loyalties?" Evan snapped.
"Oh no," Lucius chuckled. "Never that. You have always served well Evan." He turned away from the window, moving across the room to stand in front of Evan's chair. Lucius reached out to stroke the younger wizard's face. He touched Evan's collar, still undone.
"You are extraordinarily diligent about your duties. In light of that, I think I will grant your request." Lucius smiled and tangled his fingers in Evan's hair.
---------------
In the deepest hour of night, there was nothing to see of the countryside. The lamp reflected in the window, leaving a spot of brightness. Evan watched Regulus' reflection pace back and forth.
"And then I'll apparate to France, there's a ship waiting there I've made arrangements for, I've booked a trip up around through the northern waters, and it will be harder for him to follow that trail. So a few days on the ship and then we'll land in the ice-" Regulus broke off. "Are you listening to me Evan?"
"I'm trying to ignore this burst of insanity," Evan replied. He shifted to look at the real Regulus.
"Evan," Regulus pleaded. "We can do this, it is a good plan." He reached out to grab Rosier's arms, pulling him around the room as he breathlessly explained his escape route.
"Regulus, Regulus, stop," Evan interrupted. He covered the other wizard's mouth with one hand and frustration made him pull Regulus into his arms. Resting his chin on Regulus' hair, Evan closed his eyes tightly for a brief second.
"This is crazy. You have to realize that."
"It's a good plan." His voice was muffled against Evan's chest and his heavy grey robes.
"It's not going to work."
"I will make it work."
"Regulus." He leaned back and looked down at Black's frightened eyes. "This isn't going to work."
Regulus looked stricken. Abruptly he jerked away, stumbling into the sofa and lurching back towards the table where two satchels waited half packed. They stared at each other in uneasy, guilty silence.
"You can't ask me to go through with this madness!" he finally shouted.
"I won't do this!"
"Regulus-"
"No!" Regulus shouted. "Don't interrupt me. I am going, tonight, and I am going to make this work. You can come with me or you can stay here. But I am not doing what Voldemort wants and I don't care what you think about that!"
"So you're just going to leave your brother in harm's way?" Evan said testily. It didn't matter to him, but he couldn't think of anything else to say.
"Sirius can take care of himself, he always has." Regulus turned back to his bags, shoving belongings into them at random.
"There is still time to reconsider this."
"No, absolutely not."
"You can't just walk away."
"That is exactly what I am going to do."
"Regulus, they are going to kill you. They will hunt you down and send someone to kill you."
"Not if they can't find me, and no one knows where..." Regulus' voice trailed off and he turned slowly, his expression surprised and faintly horrified. "Except you."
Evan stood beside the empty fireplace, holding his wand.
"You. You can't. Oh Merlin no." His voice broke and he fumbled for his wand. Evan flicked it away carelessly, his face expressionless.
"Evan, please for the love of- don't, please."
"Why didn't you listen to me, Regulus?" Evan moved steadily closer, his wand held out to the level of Regulus' frightened face. "Everything I've brought you through, and you fail me now over one simple task. One simple bloody task."
Regulus made an inarticulate, fearful sound as he backed into the sofa. His hands clutched convulsively at the damask cushions. With a shudder, Evan lowered his wand and dropped down onto the sofa beside the terrified wizard. He gathered Regulus into his arms.
"Please don't do this," Regulus choked. "Leave with me, let's just leave." Evan rocked him gently, stroking his hair.
"Hush," he whispered.
Green light illuminated the room for a moment, and Evan closed his eyes against it.
---------------
Lucius Malfoy opened his letters over breakfast, building careful stacks of the important and useless. He reached for the silver tea pot, the polished surface reflecting everything on the table. The last letter was just two lines in jagged script and signed with such vehemence that it tore the parchment. He smiled, and tossed the letter into the fire. In the bright morning light, the Mark gleamed a vivid greenish black on his left arm.