Translucent - 8/50 for the Diversity Pairing Bootcamp Challenge
Lucius/Sirius - for the Fanfic Dominoes Game.
The one and only time Regulus Black had - as his mother said - entertained respectable company in the rarely-used parlour of the house was when he made an incredibly audacious request of the Malfoy heir.
Sirius was only home because he had to be, according to the law, under his parents' supervision for at least five periods of two days in the year. If he broke those terms, there were some nasty magic restrictions to be placed on him until he turned 17. His only way out from the law's meddling was through complete legal and magical disinheritance, which he was wary about causing before he could ensure a safe place to stay outside of Hogwarts.
It was his sixth day at home.
As it was, he knew Lucius Malfoy would be a guest at their house at two. He'd managed to convince a house-elf to bring him up some food so he would be able to stay out of their esteemed company's hair.
He and Regulus were on very strained terms, and he had not been able to get his entire complaint about Malfoy out of his mouth before Regulus had neatly shut him down.
"Your associations have brought nothing but shame to the family - it's time I started acting like the heir that you will never be."
Sirius had not been able to respond.
Somehow, the relationship between Sirius and his brother had been a constant amidst the admonishments from their parents upon Sirius' acceptance into Gryffindor. Finally, almost seven years later, the friendly relationship was being put to the test. Sirius was very close to losing every tie he had to his family, and knowing estrangement was coming did not dull the pain.
There was a shimmer in the wards that Sirius was connected to by blood - possibly not for long - that announced the arrival of their guest. Sirius paced to the window, curious despite himself, because the younger Blacks had only ever read about receiving guests. Of course, he remembered that there was a formal greeting at the apparition point just outside the house.
Regulus, who bore striking resemblance to Sirius to the point that it was sometimes jarring, could be seen extending an arm in greeting. He knelt, very briefly, and then rose so they could circle each other twice. Sirius recognized the white-blond hair that hung slightly past Malfoy's chin. It was neatly combed, smooth, and he wore fine robes.
Sirius looked down at his old, sloppy clothing and felt a ridiculous wave of embarrassment.
The next time he looked through the window, Regulus and Malfoy had disappeared into the house.
He tried to distract himself, truly, but Sirius could only take a few minutes of staring at the ceiling and trying to stop himself from spying on his brother. Going slightly stir-crazy after the extended time he had been spending around his family and also knowing who was currently visiting his house, Sirius finally sat up and decided to take a shower. Perhaps some hot water would relax him just enough to get his mind off of the state of his family life.
As per usual, he cast a quick charm on the wall he shared with the bathroom. He always checked to make sure there was no one there.
He'd chosen a bedroom near the entrance of the house, far from the more spacious rooms to the back. It had been a location decided upon based on its access to multiple escape routes. However, that location had also been at the expense of some freedom, as guests at the house often used his bathroom throughout the day.
Once, he'd walked in to see Bellatrix applying hair-removing charms to her legs and other places - Sirius shivered at the memory.
His wall shimmered under the charm, suddenly translucent, and he noted that it was empty. Grabbing a clean shirt and some other clothes, he left his room and turned right to go to the bathroom. Voices came up the stairs, hushed tones and hurried whispers that Sirius couldn't stop himself from listening to. Disappointment flooded him when he realized the mumbles were all he could hear - trying to decipher words would be a fruitless effort.
Then again, perhaps their conversation would be about that all-too-dreadful topic that Sirius feared most. The war.
Naked and shivering, Sirius stepped under the warm spray, turning his back to feel some relief in the tense muscles at his shoulders. He let his head hang down, hair falling forward, and tried to make his mind blank. He would one day resign himself to the knowledge that he and his family lay on opposing sides of the war, but that day had not yet arrived. Instead, blatantly neglecting to think about the topic would have to do.
He thought briefly of wanking, but there was mild fear in his stomach that would not allow him to relax enough. It would keep his mind off things, though. With a deep breath, he tried to think about his usual arousing images. He had an open mind, as far as those things went, and there was normally no end to his supply of imaginative scenarios. Still, he was at a loss.
For some reason, Lucius Malfoy's pointed features appeared in his head to give him a tight-lipped sneer.
Giving up, Sirius turned and quickly rinsed his whole body before turning off the water.
He'd failed at distracting himself, and spent the time it took him to get dressed thinking about different ways to go about it.
A book? Too boring.
Writing some letters? Impossible, with his mother's spells in place to stop him reaching his friends.
A nap.
With no great difficulty, Sirius flung himself over the bed he had occupied every night for the first eleven years of his life. It was soft, comfortable, and he fell asleep in the uncomfortable position on his stomach with an ease that came with the desperation to escape reality.
He awoke to the sound of water running. Sirius jolted upright, sitting back on his legs. His arm was numb after laying on it, and he used the other to rub at his sleep-blurred eyes, hoping to be able to locate where the sound of water was coming from.
Something was wrong about his room, he knew. He couldn't place it.
On his eyes' second trip around the room, he realized that the wall was still charmed. He could see through it like a one-sided mirror, and the small room was occupied.
Lucius Malfoy, pale and thin, was just metres from him. Sirius sat, frozen in shock, but watched attentively. His brain felt mushy after being woken suddenly.
He could so easily cancel the spell, convince himself he was dreaming, and go back to sleep.
Something kept his eyes trained on the guest.
Malfoy, after turning the water off, carefully wiped his hands on the small towel provided for exactly that purpose. Then, with very clear and deliberate motions, his hands reached to straighten his collar. Sirius fixed his gaze on the bony hands that moved with far more grace and precision than should've been possible.
Malfoy's left sleeve dropped slightly, pulled by gravity, and a dark tattoo peeked out.
All of Sirius' disgust, which had been misplaced until that point, returned in full force. He almost felt breathless, and not in a good way.
Malfoy stood for all Sirius had rebelled against and fought. Malfoy was the reason innocent people were dying. Malfoy was everything wrong in his life.
Why was he still unable to look away?
The mirror in front of Malfoy was fixed with an icy glare, but to Sirius, it seemed that Malfoy was looking directly at him. His insides froze under the pressure, and he only felt his pulse start up again when the look melted into another seemingly well-practiced one.
This one was a small smile, like an apology or concession. Though signs of aloofness and derision were gone, warmth and sincerely were also lacking.
Sirius hated him.
The control he held, the attention he received due to his name, and his focus created the image of a man far more experienced than Malfoy was. Sirius felt something unusual stir inside him, and Lucius Malfoy stepped back from the mirror to fix his robes again. Sirius felt himself start to mirror Malfoy's movements, but caught himself and scowled.
Invisible wrinkles were smoothed out in fluid moves, and Sirius wondered if Malfoy was always so composed. There was a rush of blood through his veins when he imagined seeing abandon or pleasure replace the cold of the man from which he was separated by only a thin wall.
If he could have, he would have burned those thoughts immediately.
Something like excitement made him lick his lips and stand with no conscious thought.
He hated Malfoy. The aristocratic death eater embodied the very ideals that Sirius despised, and every flicker of fabricated emotion over the smooth skin of his face made Sirius want to ruin it with a crooked nose that would be caused by his own fist.
And then Malfoy turned to the door. Panic, perhaps - or maybe insanity - took control of Sirius. He took several large steps to the door. The rug on his floor ensured that he almost tripped upon exiting his room, though his flailing did land him in contact with Lucius Malfoy.
"Excuse me," he said breathlessly. He had not though this through far enough and had nothing more to say. Should he acknowledge Malfoy as his guest officially?
Bitter distaste lingered on Sirius' tongue when he remembered who he was dealing with, but it didn't make continuing their exchange any easier.
"Thank you for having me in your home," Malfoy muttered. "Though I preferred it when the Gryffindors stayed in their rooms to play while the adults had their conversations."
Sirius' face burned as he took in the insult. With too much emotion, he said, "As did I. Everyone knows Slytherins are never invited to join the games, and we're better off as such."
Malfoy's eyes narrowed to slits, though that was the only indication he had even heard Sirius.
"Oh, we play. We're very experienced, as a rule."
Sirius sputtered, mind launched into the gutter with the unexpected words.
Malfoy lifted one thin finger and caught Sirius, who was frozen, by surprise when he trailed the fingertip along Sirius' jaw. Ice spilled through him, along with a fire that made Sirius want to push Malfoy down the stairs.
"I must return to your brother," Malfoy said, though his gaze was heavy on Sirius' mouth. With a controlled flick of his hair, he turned away from Sirius with a move that made his robes billow. "A pleasure."
Sirius knew he was being toyed with, but the wink Malfoy gave over his shoulder left Sirius' knees shaky.
He had to leave. Being at home was driving him mad. There was tightness in his trousers as Malfoy descended the stairs, but Sirius ignored it.
Two things were on his mind: Malfoy and escape.
Malfoy was loathsome, but he couldn't shake the primal attraction he had felt. Sirius felt nauseated. He wanted very badly to jump out of his skin.
He threw clothes into his trunk, shrinking and packing other relevant items. His mind was blank, but his heart didn't stop pounding. Malfoy didn't leave his brain.
Bags packed, charm on the wall to the bathroom definitely deactivated, but still feeling guilty and dirty, Sirius stood at the door to his room and said goodbye. One last farewell.
He was probably being rash, but he could not bear to stay in a house where he'd felt—that. His birthday was relatively soon, and he would probably be able to survive until then. Sacrifices had to be made, and he simply could not endure home anymore.
Malfoy, death eaters, war, betrayal.
Family, lust, home, safety.
Friends and his conviction that his side was the right side saw his actions through. Sirius apparated away with his belongings. He left nothing behind for his parents. Perhaps he would never see them again.
Sirius' past broke away from him, separating forever. His brain pounded. Malfoy flickered in his mind's eye, all straight lines and pale skin.
He shook in fear.
Being a Black lay behind him.
James' family house and a determinedly Malfoy-free future stood in front of him. He wavered. A tear splashed onto his cheek. He raised an arm to knock. He did not look back.