Title: Too Toxic to Stay
Rating: T
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Regulus/Peter
Warnings: Character Death
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.
Word Count: 873
Summary: Peter tries to escape a toxic relationship.
Notes:
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: February Event - Library Lovers: Anna Karenina – Word: Scandal / Plot Point: Character Death (Suicide) / Quote: "Everything is finished… I have nothing but you. Remember that."
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: February Event: New Year Zodiac Writing Challenge: Rat - Write about Peter Pettigrew. Include 'water' in the story.
Fanfiction Tournament Competition: Theme 4 - Inter-House Love
Big Damn Prompt Race Competition: 24. Pairing: RegulusPeter
Ultimate Patronus Quest Competition: Special Class H - Magical & Mystica Creatures – 24. Werewolf: Write about someone trying to escape a toxic/abusive/unhappy relationship
It would have been a Black family scandal if it ever became public knowledge. Peter knew that. There wasn't any known homosexual Black in history, and Regulus was risking everything for their relationship.
That was why Peter tried to be understanding when Regulus lost his temper. Having water shot at him from a wand wasn't a wonderful feeling, but it could have been much worse. So he didn't get angry. After all, he was lucky that Regulus even deigned Peter as worthy enough to be in a relationship with him in the first place.
He loved Regulus, and he thought he would be able to put up with pretty much anything the younger boy decided to dish out.
Regulus was terrified of their secret relationship being exposed, and that fear translated into anger and acts that one shouldn't commit when that person loved someone.
Still, Peter did his best to stick it out. When you loved someone, you did everything you could to make it work, right?
Things got even worse, though.
They were always fighting, over little things that really weren't that important in the grand scheme of things.
"You should study more," Regulus stated seriously.
Peter looked at him with careful eyes. "I do study. I know I'm not as smart as you, but I do try."
"My boyfriend cannot be someone who is feels lucky just to receive an Acceptable. My boyfriend needs to be better than that," he growled.
That caused pain to erupt in Peter's chest. "I try, though."
"Try harder. I'm risking everything for you. The least you can do is work harder when it comes to studying."
Regulus stomped away, leaving Peter alone to stare at the parchment that held his Potions essay. And suddenly, it seemed like the worse thing he could have written.
He crinkled it up to toss it in the garbage later. The essay was due tomorrow, but he would rewrite it tonight, even if he had to stay up all night to finish it. And he'd get nothing less than an Exceeds Expectations on it.
Peter was determined that Regulus would finally be proud of him.
That fight was at the beginning, right when things began going sour between them. It escalated, though.
"You can't do anything right! You're useless. I'm not sure what your friends ever saw in you! You'd do the world a favor if you just died!" Regulus growled, his eyes flashing in a way that chilled Peter to the bone.
"You don't mean that," Peter whispered as his heart cracked in horror.
Regulus' eyes were empty; there was no warmth or kindness or love in his dark gaze. "I hate you," he stated firmly.
And Peter believed it. At that point in time, Regulus did hate him.
Then Regulus got nice and loving again. It was as if the fight never happened.
Regulus showered Peter with attention and kisses and made Peter forget about all of the cruel words the younger boy had spewed.
It went like that for months. There was a nasty fight with Regulus as the aggressor, but then he would turn around and be the boy Peter fell in love with. It went back and forth. It was like a roller coaster, but it was the type of roller coaster that Peter did not enjoy.
He knew the relationship wasn't healthy. He loved Regulus with his whole heart, but he couldn't stay.
Regulus would end up destroying Peter.
So, one night, when he thought Regulus would be out for the whole night, Peter got up the courage and packed his bags. He looked around the room where there had been plenty of lovemaking, but even more fights where heinous words were thrown around as if they were nothing.
He took a deep breath. It was time to leave. Peter knew it was for the best. He turned around and moved to the fireplace but stopped in his tracks when the door opened.
His eyes met Regulus' eyes.
There was anger and hatred there, but there was also sadness, remorse, and most importantly, love.
Peter swallowed. "Regulus..."
Regulus looked at his lover with his two bags. "You're leaving." It wasn't a question.
"I have to," Peter said.
Regulus' heart broke. He knew this was his own fault. He had treated Peter awfully, but he couldn't let the older boy go. He just couldn't.
He took a step forward, his wand clutched in his hand. "Everything is finished… I have nothing but you."
Peter's face was wet with tears. "Reg, I do love you, but I can't stay."
"You're the only one left in my life," Regulus implored.
"It's not enough for me to stay," Peter replied.
"Then I'm sorry for what I'm about to do."
Peter opened his mouth, but Regulus didn't let him got a word in. He raised his wand and pointed it at Peter, and he shouted, "Avada Kedavra!"
With impassive eyes, he stared at Peter's body fell to the floor with a thump.
He felt pain, but soon, Regulus' pain would be over. He turned his wand on himself, and once again, he shouted, "Avada Kedavra!"
His vision went dark before he even hit the floor.