Written For:

- 2017 Drabbles: Storm

- Jewel Day Event: Agate Bracelet - Write about someone trying to deal with nightmares

- Writing Club / Children's Book Day: "You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing." Charlotte's Web - E. B. White

Word Count: 450


Kids in the Eye of the Storm

You can't save me now, I'm in the grip of a hurricane, I'm gonna blow myself away.

Barty awoke to the sound of a storm lashing the windows, the rumble of thunder beyond the glass, and a soft whimpering coming from the man who lay beside him. He looked over at Regulus just as a flash of bright lightning illuminated the bedroom. His forehead was wet with night sweat; his cheeks were peaky and pale, and his dark hair was damp.

"Hey, wake up," Barty murmured, pressing a kiss to the shell of Regulus's ear as he spoke. "It's okay. You're having a nightmare."

Regulus's eyes fluttered open, and he stared wildly around the room with his steely gaze. When his eyes settled on Barty, his tense frame relaxed considerably. "Hey." His voice was breathy and wobbly.

"What were you dreaming about?" Barty rested his arm loosely over Regulus's waist and pushed his fingers up the hem of his pyjama shirt. "It seemed like you were suffering somewhere else."

Regulus sighed, and cupped Barty's cheek. "You changed your mind," he admitted softly. "You changed your mind about running away with me, and you chose the Dark Lord instead."

"I thought I told you to stop thinking about that. The Dark Lord is in our past, not our future."

"I know," Regulus sighed. "But I still worry that you're going to leave me, even after everything. Why would you want to stay with me?"

Barty grasped the small of Regulus's back and pulled him closer. "Why would I want to stay with you?" he pondered aloud. "Because you've always been there for me. You were the only one in Slytherin who didn't shun me when my father put so many Death Eaters in Azkaban. You didn't care that it made you an outcast as well. You were the only one who wanted to talk to me for something other than to copy my homework. You stopped my father from using the Imperius Curse on me anymore. You gave me the choice to choose between moving on with you or staying with the Dark Lord and leading an undeniably short life," he paused. "You were always my friend, Regulus. That in itself is a tremendous thing."

Regulus kissed Barty suddenly and messily, their lips and teeth crashing together as they kissed each other urgently. Regulus bit Barty's bottom lip and rolled over so that he was on top of Barty, and looked down at him, gasping for breath. "I love you, you know," he whispered.

"I love you, too," Barty replied softly. Regulus leaned down to kiss him again, and they melted into the storm.