Written for the The Wizarding World's Annual Hunger Games Competition: [word] Disfigured
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His eyes flew open, widening, adjusting to the grey light from dawn. But someone shaking his shoulders made his head fall back and forth and to Regulus it felt like his head could fly off his neck at any moment. "Stop!". He was listened to and was now finally able to focus properly.
"Barty?" his voice was soft, only a whisper. The sight of the other man had him tongue-tied. Barty's face looked haunting in the newborn light. His eyes red-rimmed and watery. His hair sticking up in every possible direction. Sweat dripped from his forehead and a twisted, panicked look, that was scaring the hell out of Regulus, disfigured his face. Barty's hands were still on Reg's shoulders, squeezing into the flesh, bruising it.
"Aw", Regulus sat upright, removing Barty's hands with difficulty. "What's wrong?" he looked the other in the eye. He'd never seen Barty like this. It almost looked like he'd lost his mind.
"You need to get me out", Shocked at the hopelessness and terror in his boyfriend's voice, he - again - was unable to utter a word.
Barty took the lack of an answer as an encouragement to continue. "I… I, I…" he looked around, searching for words, "liked it", he spat the word like it was the filthiest disease he'd ever encountered. "All the screams and laughter and screams, and, and, 'nd". He couldn't phrase whatever it was he wanted to express, but Regulus had an idea as to the reason of Barty's distress.
"She made you torture them didn't she?" Barty nodded.
"Blood, everywhere. Cuts, all over them. Disfigured. So much screams. Agony".
"Calm down". The strong hands taking hold of his shoulders put Barty more at ease and he relaxed in the firm grip. A few deep breaths entered and left his lungs, like he'd learned to do years ago.
"She made me torture them. And I liked it", he looked horrified with himself, "I don't want to turn into someone like Bellatrix. I don't wanna be a monster".
Regulus pulled Barty closer, hugging him reassuringly. "I'd never let that happen", he whispered softly in the Death Eater's ear. "We'll find a way to escape", he gently stroked Barty's straw blond hair, "Our Lord, won't be our lord for much longer".
"I promise".