For the Ultimate OTP Competition (round 3, main entry, prompt: a kiss on the cheek)
You sit, legs drawn against your chest, sleepless eyes fixed on the window as you listen to Barty's steady breathing beside you.
You almost envy him. He is allowed to sleep through the night without the endless worry of what you must do. He can remain innocent, oblivious to your plans of betrayal.
You wish you could curl up beside him and sleep through the night in his arms. You wish you could throw your worries and fears to the wind, forget them all and just stay with him.
But you can't. You've made your choice, and night is rapidly slipping away. You have to follow through, one act of bravery and defiance far too late. You have to leave him and face this alone because you've dragged him down far enough, and you will not let him die with you.
No time left.
You turn to him, bending down and kissing him gently on the cheek.
Barty shifts, curling towards you in his sleep, mumbling something. One word, just one that he's spoken a thousand times before. "Regulus."
He sounds so helpless, so desperate, like he somehow knows what you're planning to do, knows that you're not coming back. For one moment, you think of staying, of pretending to still believe in the path that you're still. Or perhaps you could run away together, leave it all behind and start over somewhere that hasn't been tainted by this war.
"Regulus..."
You brush your fingers through his hair, squeezing your eyes closed as you climb out of bed.
If only his voice could be enough.