Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.

Competition Prompts listed at the bottom

Written for my beautiful Wifey. I love you, babe.

By His Side

"Come here. Let me fix it," Barty murmured quietly, gesturing Regulus into the otherwise empty room. The younger boy whimpered, holding his arm to his chest. He shook his head, flinching when Barty drew his wand.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Barty coaxed. "Regulus… you know I won't hurt you."

Waiting patiently for Regulus to hold his arm out, Barty cast a healing charm before he dug into an inside pocket of his robe for a pain relief potion.

Handing it over, he added, "Take it slow. You don't want to be high as a kite here, you'd not survive five minutes."

"You said… You said it was an honour. You said that it was brilliant, that he'd… that I'd…"

Barty sighed, wishing that Regulus didn't look so… lost. He hated that it was partially his fault that such a look was on the younger boy's face.

"Careful," he cautioned. "Don't let them hear you. It is an honour, and it is brilliant. Give it time, Reg. Show him that you're willing to do what he says. The rewards will be more than worth whatever he wants of you."

Pulling Regulus into his arms, Barty held him tightly. He hated that Regulus was trembling.

"I don't think I can do this," Regulus whispered, burying his face into the comforting warmth of Barty's cloak.

"What are you going to do?" Barty asked harshly. "Rebel?"

"Of course not," Reg replied, pulling back to look at Barty, shock etched onto his face. "Do I look like I want to die? He's not… He's not what I thought he'd be."

"Please tell me you weren't expecting someone harmless, Reg. You've been brought up knowing of him, knowing that you would be joining him the moment you left school. Did you think he was going to be a fluffy kitten?"

"Of course not," Regulus snapped, pulling away from Barty. "And if you're merely going to taunt me, I'd prefer not to have this conversation at all. I did this for you."

Barty nodded, forcibly reminding himself that Regulus was barely eighteen to his own twenty. That he himself had been terrified when he first took the mark.

"You're right, I'm sorry. I… I don't want to lose you and Reg? Fear will get you killed. You have to learn to be whatever he wants you to be, and you have to learn quickly."

Reg crossed the room to the bay window, looking out over the grounds of the Manor house, vaguely admiring the way the moonlight shimmered on the lake. He was angry, angry and scared and confused and horrified.

And yet… yet he was still in love.

So deeply in love that he'd taken the mark of a madman willingly, enthusiastically even, so that he could remain by the side of the man he adored.

He didn't have a choice but to live with the consequences of that.

Turning to find Barty watching him carefully, Regulus took a deep breath and nodded, showing his love that he had himself under control.

Barty moved forward, not rushing, never rushing, with measured movements, and Regulus soon found himself pressed against the wall by a warm body, lips seeking lips, hands roaming.

As Barty pushed the shoulders off Regulus' cloak off, the door banged open, and Barty hissed, turning to see who'd dare interrupt them.

Rabastan stands in the doorway, smirking.

"Busy, are we?"

"What do you want, Lestrange?" Barty sneers, standing up straighter and fixing his robes and cloak.

Regulus doesn't want to look at Rabastan, so as he too straightens himself up, he fixes his gaze on a spider crawling along the windowsill. There's a large cobweb in the corner, and even as Reg watches, the spider continues to add to it, painstakingly weaving it's web.

"Our Lord wants to see you both," Rabastan muttered, his eyes taking in the flush on Regulus' cheeks.

Barty glares at him, the possessive side of him demanding that he ensure Lestrange know that Regulus is his and his alone.

"Come, Regulus. Our Lord wishes to see us."

Regulus doesn't want to go. He doesn't want to be stared at by those terrifying scarlet eyes, doesn't want to feel the intrusion of his mind, or the pain of his wand.

But when Barty holds his hand out, Regulus takes it.

Because all of this is for him, and Regulus will do whatever it takes to keep himself at Barty's side.

Written for;

Love In Motion - RegBarty

Writing Club, Book Club - Diana Farley - "Fear will get you killed." / Scarlet / Rebel

Writing Club, Showtime - 16. Take It Slow.

Writing Club, Themed List - Cobweb

Writing Club, Restriction - Only Death Eaters. Prompt - Harmless

Around The World - Czech Republic - "Careful. Don't let them hear you."

Friends Competition - S4Ep11 - Phoebe's Uterus

Ways To Say 'I Love You' - 4. "Come here. Let me fix it."

Are You Crazy Enough - 196. Angry

WordCount Without AN - 752