Um. I am working on Kooks, I promise, I've written about half the chapter. I promise. Anyway, I should write more about Regulus. And… um… I've never done this pairing before. Should be interesting. Here goes.

Challenge Between Light and Dark:
Words: 1000-2500
Pairings: Any
Main Character: Regulus Black

For the Light:

How Regulus tempted someone from the Light to join the Dark (by way of love or otherwise).

First meeting. Yes, I still remember it. And I don't care if that makes me completely and utterly sad. It would be if I could remember the exact date and time… but unfortunately those are lost to the mists of time. I was ten, and you were twelve. Just entering second year at Hogwarts. Mother had dragged me along when she went to drop Sirius off at the station, Merlin alone knows why.

Sirius and I… at that point we still treated each other as brothers. Looked out for each other when Mother was in a mood. That's something I always regretted, losing him. I could never agree with his politics, or with the way he went about things, but he was still my brother. I missed him. Anyway, on this day we ended up hiding in a corner, Sirius pointing out the people he knew and commenting on each of them. I took what he was saying to be the truth.

"Gallus Jones. Bloody good Quidditch player. Bit of an idiot."

"Lily Evans. Incredibly stuck up, thinks she knows everything. But James is obsessed with her, so I tolerate her."

Then he froze, his face curdling into a harsh sneer. Made him look like the typical Black. "Snape. Snivellus Snape."

I followed his gaze, and saw you. You were looking back at us, dark eyes unreadable. I'm not enough of a romantic to say it was love at first sight, but something about you made me pause. I suppose you looked vulnerable. Despite the haughty tilt to your mouth, I could see the fear you were hiding. I'd had enough practice reading Sirius over the years.

But none of your attention was wasted on me, not on that occasion. No, you just locked eyes with my brother until someone knocked into you and sent you sprawling on the ground. Sirius' laugh made me grimace in sympathy.

xxx

The first time we kissed. I was in fourth year, you were in sixth. I don't think I really caught your attention… we moved in different circles, despite the secular nature of our house. I was two years below you, after all. And you were always a loner.

I'd been watching you for years. I'd seen how my brother and his friends abused you, and I saw how you tried to retaliate. Mostly failing.

Oh, I was good looking even then. I was a Black- our looks were just one way we had of manipulating people. I'd had numerous partners by the age of fifteen. And yet I still only wanted you, with your captivating gaze.

It was a summer day, and you were rushing back inside with a bruise rapidly blooming on your left cheek. Didn't really take a leap of imagination to discover what had happened. But I waited until you had passed me to speak.

"Did my brother get the better of you again, Snape?"

You whirled round, hair flicking into your eyes. "Go to hell, Black."

You were angry. Strange. You could hide your emotions from nearly everyone. Only a few people could get you to show any kind of reaction- my brother and his friends, when they were tormenting you, and I myself. It gave me a thrill.

I stepped closer, looking you straight in the eye. Two years didn't give you any kind of height advantage. "You're a Slytherin. Should be able to beat a blood traitor Gryffindor."

Your hand flashed out, grabbing me around the neck and forcing me back against the wall. "If it's so easy, why don't you do it?" you hissed. "Hurt your brother. Make him feel like he makes me feel."

"I will." My easy acceptance seemed to take you by surprise, your black eyes startled.

"How?"

"Trust me. In a few days I'll make him sob."

I don't think you trusted me. After all, he was my brother. But we were Slytherins together, you and I. House pride comes above everything else. "What's in it for you?"

This was my chance, and I took it. I leant forward and kissed you. It wasn't like I'd expected- hard and passionate. To anyone looking it must have seemed that we wanted each other equally.

But I knew, Severus.

I knew from that very first time. It wasn't me you wanted. Oh, you wanted a Black with grey eyes and good breeding. You wanted my brother. But you couldn't have him… he was too caught up in Lupin, for one thing. I was just second best. And yet… I didn't mind. I never did. If I had you, I could cope with anything. I could cope with the fact that you sometimes shut your eyes so you could imagine another's hands running through your hair.

If you stayed long enough, you could fall in love with me.

xxx

The first time we had sex. I'd done it, made Sirius into a shell of a man. I'd caught Lupin while he was on the way to class, hiding in an alcove and pulling him into me. I was wearing one of Sirius' robes, and there was no way Lupin could distinguish who I really was. I pulled him into a deep passionate kiss, making him look thoroughly debauched, and released him only when I knew my brother was coming down the corridor. The look in his eyes… it was exquisite. Well worth the black eye he gave me.

He stumbled into the Great Hall that night, looking completely broken. I caught you looking at him, a small smirk growing in the corner of your mouth. And then you saw me staring, and with a small gesture told me to follow you.

It was all I'd ever wanted. And more. I had you, after so many years of waiting. And this wouldn't be a one time thing. I'd get under your skin, I'd make you mine.

And you know what, I did. In a way.

Well, you kept on coming back for more. Settle for second best if you can't get what you want. It should have made me bitter… but it never did. I was happy with what I had, but I still wanted you to be proud of me.

xxx

First time we properly argued. We'd been together a year by then. If together is what you could call it. You'd come and sit with me when you wanted quiet, and I thought I had begun to see some attachment in your eyes.

And that's why I told you.

"Please." You bowed your head, hiding your face from my view. That hurt, Severus. Not being able to look at me hurt. "Severus, please."

Your head shot up and you glared at me. I don't know why I flinched- I guess I've always been a little bit scared of you. "What do you want me to say?"

"Something. Anything."

You snorted and turned away, resting your hands on the windowsill. "Voldemort. You stupid idiot."

"I wanted to make you proud of me." My voice was so small. So damn small. Blacks shouldn't show weakness, but you could always elicit it from me.

"You won't survive in there. You're not strong enough. You stupid idiot!"

I grabbed your shoulder and turned you round to face me, suddenly angry. "Who the hell are you to tell me what I should do? At least I'm doing something, Snape. There's a war coming."

"I know that," you hissed. "That's why Dumbledore's asked me to join him."

That made me stop. If you worked for Dumbledore, then we'd be on opposite sides. I could be called upon to kill you. And, Merlin help me, I didn't want to do that. You might not have any problem with doing it, but I would.

"What did you say?"

"I agreed."

xxx

Last time I saw you.

After our argument, we never met up for sex any more. I suppose it would have looked bad for you- shagging someone from the dark side. I used to see you walking through Hogwarts, and I tried to make you jealous. I had as many partners as I could, even Lupin when my brother broke up with him for a bit. We tried to forget in each other.

But then came the meeting…

The Dark Lord had called it, and so I attended. The first one since my initiation where all Death Eaters attended. Another member was to join us.

We were all hooded, and so I couldn't see the face. I think I wanted to get out then, I wanted to leave it behind and go and join you. I was imagining you, when the Dark Lord began the branding of the Dark Mark. The screams turned my stomach, as did the smell of burning flesh.

It was the oath that came afterwards that got my attention. "I swear allegiance to you and you alone, my Lord."

The figure turned and stared at me.

Your eyes.

You were there to protect me.

But I was a Black- I did things my own way. And I never saw you again- by the time you'd joined me, I'd already begun my own torturous descent into Hell.

(On a side note, the Bentley R-type is beautiful. I'm being poked with pics of it)