Chapter 2: Blood is thicker than water...
Because Kreacher was always terrified that someone would walk in on them, Regulus made a sign for his bedroom door explicitly forbidding anyone to enter. It read: Do Not Enter Without The Express Permission Of Regulus Arcturus Black.
"There," he told Kreacher, once it was hung. ""Are you happy?"
Kreacher grudgingly nodded, but his doubtful expression promised more concerns to follow. He did come to Regulus at night, though, even if he refused to remain while they slept. The new element to their relationship had its frustrations, but it was also a delightful secret for both of them. Something special to hold close in their hearts that no one else new. Something that made the mundane activities of life more bearable with the new element of their close relationship to look forward to. Neither had paid mind to physical matters before that first kiss, but the intensity they discovered together was admittedly addictive for both.
"I never thought I was into blokes," Regulus murmured as they lay together in his bed late one night near the end of the Christmas holidays. "I suppose I assumed I'd fancy a girl some day, but it never seemed to matter one way or the other. Of course I'm not into blokes now either, when it comes down to it...Just a particular one who really knows how to make me feel ways I never imagined possible." Though he was quite certain that he'd just done a rubbish job explaining his feelings, he felt the need to try. The two talked of everything together, after all. This new intensity between them was a marvel, and mentally an unexplored topic when it came to implications and such. It was as if everything yet nothing had changed between them all at once.
"Kreacher cares not for blokes or girls. He only cares for Master Regulus. He never imagined anything like this, but that first kiss was the most powerful experience of Kreacher's whole life."
Regulus chuckled. "Yes. Exactly. I was trying to say just that. It seems you tangle my tongue in more ways than one."
They shared a laugh before Kreacher ended the somewhat serious moment by pressing several impassioned kisses to Regulus's all too eager mouth. "Kreacher knows," he murmured.
Returning to Hogwarts after the Christmas break was torture for Regulus. Being away from Kreacher was even more difficult than usual because now his body craved the company of his friend as much as did his mind. Often when at school in conversation with anyone else, he'd wonder what Kreacher would think about a particular topic, or make mental notes to bring up the subject with the elf the next time they talked. That was normal, but now any time he had the thought his body chimed in as well, craving something it had expressed no interest in previously with anyone else. He finally broke and wrote Kreacher half way through the first week, asking him to come and visit at Hogwarts in the evening. Elves could apparate in easily so there was nothing to keep him out. Regulus was a Prefect and suddenly had an irresistible urge to show Kreacher the Prefect bath. The huge tub with its bubbles and fancy soaps had now taken on a new meaning in Regulus's mind. As it turned out, Kreacher enjoyed the bath quite a lot, and the Prefect's bathroom was a perfect place for them to meet unnoticed. No one would walk in on one in the bath, after all.
"Kreacher thinks we need one of these at home," he declared, stretching himself into the jets with a blissful sigh. Regulus ran a hand over the smooth skin of Kreacher's water slicked chest, nodding in agreement. The parents didn't relish any bit of change being made to the archaic structure of the old manor, insisting that history should be preserved. Still didn't the bloody ancient Romans enjoy luxurious baths? Regulus planned to present that bit of history as an argument when he broached the subject to them. As the bath tryst was a success, they met there daily, each evening at eight. Kreacher simply apparated directly into the Slytherin Prefect bath, so no one ever saw him arrive. Regulus always had the bath ready for their pleasure. The warm water surrounded them, the jets hitting their bodies in all the right places as they kissed and touched one another to ecstasy. These nightly meetings made school tolerable, though Regulus had decided that this sixth year would be his final one. Not feeling challenged in any of his classes, he felt Hogwarts had given him all it could by this point. Over spring break Bellatrix and Rodolphus promised to recommend him for the dark lord's service so hopefully he'd be a Death Eater by the summer. With this the case, returning to Hogwarts would only take time that he could use far more productively serving the dark lord's cause.
Oddly enough Regulus still found himself glad to return to Hogwarts after spring break, though. This was because he and Kreacher found making alone time more difficult at Grimmauld Place than at Hogwarts. At home, Kreacher could never fully relax for fear they'd get caught out, which at times served to ruin the mood. The first night Regulus returned to school, the two nearly forgot to talk at all during their bath time. Both had pressing needs that did not require conversation.
"How was your day," Regulus managed, when he remembered to speak at last. Sated at last, the two floated together, allowing the jets to massage their muscles as steam rose around them in a cloud.
"What?" Kreacher blinked heavy lids, staring for a distracted moment before giving a rueful smile. "It was busy enough, Kreacher supposes," the elf said thoughtfully. "The Mistress had some friends over to lunch, which of course Kreacher served. They were talking of the Dark Lord's latest Muggle Protests. His progress is exciting. Mistress believes he may be the one to at last achieve Grindelwald's goals!"
"Wouldn't that be grand," Regulus asked with an eager smile that Kreacher returned as he nodded.
"It truly would."
Their lips met again then, and all thoughts of the dark lord or anything but one another faded.
Their nightly routine was disrupted in mid may. Regulus went to the Prefect bath as usual at around five minutes to eight, and it was bloody occupied! Kreacher would arrive to find someone else in the bath! That was not good...not to mention difficult to explain to whoever was in there. Regulus would have to find somewhere else private to go in order to summon Kreacher before he could arrive on his own to the wrong place. "Blast it," he muttered to himself, mind racing to find another safe meeting spot. Dashing from the school he headed toward the lake. Once there, he paused near the water and called Kreacher's name. The elf appeared before him with a pop and a surprised look on his face.
"Why is Master Regulus here," he asked, clearly confused.
"Because someone else is in the bloody bath," Regulus said with a dark scowl. "Everyone knows this is the time I prefer to use the bloody bath. When I discover who it was, I shall hex them but good and directly into next week," he vowed in all seriousness.
Kreacher laughed then reached for Regulus after carefully glancing around to ensure they were alone. "Kreacher is sorry to miss our bath, but he hopes for a kiss before he must return home."
With a sigh of surrender, Regulus eagerly sank to the ground with Kreacher, one kiss turning into several. When an all too familiar unpleasant voice rang out above them, both started guiltily and sprang apart.
"Regulus! What the hell? You disgusting git! My gods, you've hit a low even I never expected! Get away from him!" The voice belonged to none other than his elder brother Sirius. He stood over them, hands on hips, a nauseated expression twisting his anger flushed face.
"What are you doing here," Regulus demanded, glaring back. The two brothers ignored one another at school as often as possible.
"I came to meet up with a girl, not that it's any of your business."
"Likely a filthy Mudblood, Kreacher suspects," the elf snarled, lip curling in disgust.
Sirius aimed a kick and Kreacher easily dodged aside.
"Don't ever do that again," Regulus said, voice deceptively quiet as he rose to his feet, reaching for the wand in his right sleeve. "If you ever..."
"You're rutting with him and you dare talk," Sirius barked out incredulously. "It's like rutting with a child or an animal. Gods, Regulus, you're sick!" He shook his head, a look of horror and disgust on his face.
Regulus was so outraged he was shaking. "Kreacher is more intelligent on every level than you shall ever be. His magic is stronger than that of any wizard. Of course he's not a bloody animal and he's certainly no child. You are an idiot, Sirius Black and I'm glad all over again that our parents disinherited you!"
"They'll disinherit you too after I inform them of your extra curricular activities," Sirius promised.
"They shall never believe you," Regulus told him calmly.
"That is right," Kreacher agreed, moving to stand at Regulus's side. "The Master and Mistress shall never believe a word that comes out of Sirius Black's filthy mouth."
Sirius tossed back his head to give a derisive laugh. "You sick little runt. You're calling me filthy after what I just saw?"
"Whatever, Sirius. Mind your business if you know what's good for you," Regulus snapped. Placing a hand on Kreacher's shoulder he turned away and headed toward the school.
"Are you alright," he asked once they were out of Sirius's earshot. Kreacher nodded. "He's a fool," Regulus ranted and Kreacher nodded in agreement.
"He is a bad seed. Kreacher always knew as much even when he was a baby."
"You remember that," Regulus asked, giving Kreacher a surprised look. Kreacher wasn't much older than the Black Brothers, being a child himself when they were born.
"Kreacher does," the elf said gravely. "Master Sirius was a dreadful child always crying and bad tempered even before he could speak! Kreacher put him to sleep with a spell more than once to keep himself from hurting the vile prat."
"Who can blame you," Regulus said fervently. Though the episode had been disruptive and enraging, neither Regulus nor Kreacher worried that it would have consequences. Both knew that no one of import to their lives would ever believe a word from Sirius, especially if the two denied it which they would. Though Regulus wanted he and Kreacher to be together, he needed to do it right and for that timing mattered. That and he hoped as their situation changed, Kreacher would be more comfortable with the concept of his freedom.
It wasn't until the end of May that Regulus actually bothered to study for his exams. His marks were always high, though, so he wasn't worried. He and Kreacher did move their nightly meetings from the bath to the library, though, and Kreacher helped him study instead of exploring pleasures of the flesh. This led to high marks on Regulus's exams, but it also led to two very sexually frustrated males. This high state of mutual frustration was certainly the reason for the cloak closet incident that would become infamous. It was the weekend before the last week of school, and Bellatrix's family were throwing her and Rod an engagement party. Regulus's parents asked that he be excused for the evening to attend and Dumbledore agreed. The students were free to visit Hogsmeade so it wasn't as if they couldn't leave on the weekends, after all. Regulus was excited for the party. He always enjoyed seeing Bellatrix and the Lestranges. They always made him feel an adult and an equal. Now that he was about to become a Death Eater, this was all the more exciting.
Kreacher hung up the family's cloaks when they arrived, and Regulus went to help. The two were wedged into the closet together, pushing cloaks onto hooks when Kreacher suddenly turned and dragged the closet door shut.
"No one saw," he said, running a hand up Regulus's chest. "Kreacher just wanted a moment alone with Master Regulus. It's been days without a private moment."
"Kreacher is always the wisest," Regulus said, and then the two were no longer talking.
"WHOA," Bellatrix said before allowing her mouth to gape in the shock that washed over her like...well like waves of shock. Her gaze insistently remained where her mind wished it to depart from the sight on the floor of the cloak closet of her mother's home. It was Technically still her home as well, but before long she'd be married to Rod and she was already beginning to think of the Lestrange manor as hers. Right now, though, her current problem was the cloak closet. Druella had set her to hanging up the cloaks of a few guests because their dim elf was busy in the kitchen and somehow couldn't manage to do two things at once. This was Bella and Rod's engagement announcement dinner, so they had a full house, both families being present. Bella had two sisters that could be hanging cloaks instead, but as neither was in sight when the coats needed hanging, Druella had pushed them at her. So Bella stood with three heavy coats in her arms gaping down at...at... Kreacher and Regulus sat together on the floor, faces full of trepidation...where precisely three seconds ago their faces had been on one another, thus Bellatrix's loudly exclaimed *WHOA*!
She considered saying it again but it would likely be redundant because they'd stopped. If only her mind would do the same. Instead it continued to replay the initial image her eyes had first seen upon opening the door as if trying to make sense of it. "What the hell," she hissed in disgust. "Why? The two of you are the most vile...sickening...Gods, Regulus! And you Kreacher!" Just where to start and what to say, because she was no where close to finished self-expressing. This was literally turning her brain inside out!
"Kreacher," the elf floundered, being the one to speak first, even if he had nothing productive to say. "Kreacher was..." Then a bit slower, "Kreacher...was..." When it became apparent that Kreacher had nothing, Bellatrix's gaze returned demandingly to Regulus. This took disgusting horny teenager to an entirely new and unnecessary level. She was certain there was more to think on the matter, but at present her brain was scrambled by the literal assault done to her eyes.
"Bella, it...Look it's our business," he said, though his expression was flustered and pleasantly afraid. She smiled, happily drinking in his fear, mostly to add a bit of normality to this mind melting situation. Her hands moved indignantly to her hips. "Really? So much (YOUR) business that you're at it in (MY) cloak closet? (Suddenly it was her house again.)
"We didn't think anyone would find us here," Kreacher said, finally managing a complete sentence.
Regulus nodded hastily in agreement. "Mother...she's always everywhere. Even after I put that explicit sign on my door, she's barged in three times without knocking," he complained, scowling in frustration.
"The stupid one where no one is allowed to enter without your expressed permission," Bellatrix drawled. Her cousin nodded.
"Look Bella. I...We're sorry. Just please don't say anything."
"Regulus, that's sick,"Bellatrix exploded, needing the disgust to go somewhere and finding an outlet in exclaiming about it.
"We aren't hurting anyone," Regulus explained. "We are best friends, no one is closer to me than Kreacher. It just happened and it feels good...and honestly, we have the right to shag whoever we like. I mean not fully shagging, we're the wrong size but there are other things...And it is not disgusting!"
"I'm going to be sick," Bellatrix announced flatly, meaning it. "Right on your bloody heads!"
"The point is, we love one another and this makes us happy, Bella. It's not hurting anyone."
"It'll be hurting you if anyone else finds out," Bellatrix said darkly, realizing that this could be an opportunity. Eyes narrowing she asked,"What'll you give me not to tell?"
"Miss Bella is behaving even worse than Master Sirius," Kreacher chided reproachfully.
Bellatrix found her scowl deepening at the look of disappointment in Kreacher's eyes. Why was he the one who got to be disappointed when she'd just seen something so horrifying that she'd never ever be able to unsee it. Not to mention she probably couldn't shag Rod senseless tonight after seeing...that. "Sirius knows," she managed, blinking as her traumatized brain struggled to keep up.
"He saw," Regulus said and she made a choking sound as her eyes widened.
"You are animals! Two people have already seen you, and you haven't learned to contain yourselves in spite of that?"
"It's just that," Regulus began and she held up a hand.
"No...Just no...I can't. Just shut up and let me forget that I saw this. You can still give me something not to tell though," she added before turning and stalking away. Somehow she couldn't rat on them if Sirius knew. If he had a problem with it, she'd keep the secret out of hatred for him, Bellatrix decided. That and...while this was beyond disgusting, she didn't truly want to see either Kreacher or Regulus ostracized from the family. They both had too much potential for their pricks to ruin it all. Besides, they were two family members that she actually cared for when most of the others weren't worth the bother for one reason or other. She'd taken no more than four strides, though, before she stopped and turned. "And get out of the damned closet right now," she hissed. Nodding hastily the two scrambled to obey. "And guess what," she demanded. "From now on both of you are my little bitches. Got it?" When they actually hesitated, she glared threateningly and both hastily nodded.
It didn't take Bellatrix long to tell Rodolphus about them. Regulus was sure that's what she was whispering into his ear at the dinner table during the toast to their engagement that her mother was making. From the way Rodolphus began to choke on his wine while gaping in shock from Regulus to Kreacher, it could be nothing else, after all. Though elves were always made to eat in the kitchen, Bellatrix had requested that Kreacher be able to participate in the celebration.
"Regulus brings him everywhere so much he's practically one of us," she'd told her mother as their family elf was setting the places for the celebratory meal. While Regulus wanted to believe Bellatrix was being kind to Kreacher in this, because she often was, he had a feeling that this time it was merely so she could gloat. They were now apparently her bitches, after all. She probably wanted them to squirm while she told Rod. Obviously she'd also told Rod not to tell, though, Regulus reasoned. If he did, whatever hold Bellatrix had on them would no longer be viable. With that in mind, Regulus gave Rodolphus a smirk.
"You shouldn't drink your wine so fast. It isn't gentlemanly to choke."
Rodolphus blinked, briefly incredulous before hastily collecting himself as he was wont to do. "Oh Regulus...There are so many things one could do with friends that aren't gentlemanly," he drawled. "Would you like me to list a few?" Regulus decided that Rodolphus and Bellatrix were most definitely going to be the couple from hell. He shook his head, holding up his hands in silent surrender and Rod gave him a good natured grin. "That's good," he said.
"Because I really didn't want to talk about it."
"Talk about what," Rabastan Lestrange asked, turning a curious glance to his older brother.
"Trust me, lil bro. You really, really, really, do not want to know," Rodolphus said firmly.