Chapter Text
From a very young age, Regulus was aware that relationships bored him. And yet, they were something he seemed to continuously pursue – never managing to be single for long, always jumping from one relationship to the next. Sometimes, he didn’t even bother for one to end before finding someone else to hold his attention. It was a character flaw, one he was distinctly aware of. But, as he got older, he tried to do better; understanding it wasn’t right to drag people along. Somehow, he had always convinced himself that one day he’d wake up, and it would all suddenly make sense. He wouldn’t be left with this all consuming impulse to ruin it all, to run off into the next pair of arms.
In his current relationship, he’d lasted a few months without slipping – sure, he’d flirt here and there sometimes. But nothing substantial, nothing that would actually be considered cheating.
The real issue was that Regulus could feel his attention starting to wane, his eyes starting to drift; the relationship wasn’t the problem, Rodolphus wasn’t confrontational, he didn’t argue, so they had never even had a fight. That meant, for him at least, that things had gotten stale, they were simply boring now.
Regulus knew he should end things, he was well aware that he should cut his losses and break up with Rodolphus, but there was something holding him back.
If he was honest with himself, which he rarely was, he knew it was that he had nobody else lined up. If he broke up with Rodolphus now, he’d be completely alone. Maybe only for a couple of weeks, sure, but Regulus couldn’t stomach the thought of being single, of having to be left to his own devices completely.
That’s why going out with his friends that night wasn’t a good idea; he’d told himself it would be fine. Even as he dressed up more than he had ever since he and Rodolphus had gotten together. Even as he lied and told Rodolphus some bullshit excuse that Evan had had a bad week, so he and Pandora were planning to take him out to make him feel better, and Regulus didn’t want to make him feel worse by rubbing their relationship in his face.
Rodolphus hadn’t even complained, wasn’t even the slightest bit upset that Regulus was going out without him.
It’s not that Regulus wanted Rodolphus to be annoyed. He knew, in theory, a good relationship was built on trust, even though Regulus shouldn’t be trusted. The issue was that Regulus wanted to feel wanted, he wanted someone who was possessive and jealous, someone who would fight for him; maybe he just needed something a little toxic.
Regulus had learnt years ago it was easier to rationalise his own shitty behaviour if he shifted the blame, so who could fault him now for putting it on Rodolphus? It wasn’t his fault that he was lying, it was Rodolphus’ for not caring enough to find out that it was a lie.
Plus, it wasn’t a complete lie. He was meeting Evan, it was just Regulus who needed the night out, and Pandora had been left completely in the dark about their plans.
Even as Regulus sat in the back of the taxi, headed to meet Evan at a nightclub, with eyeliner hastily drawn onto his eyelids, tight leather pants that clung to his skin, and a mesh crop top hanging off his torso, he told himself the plan wasn’t to meet someone, it wasn’t. But, well, if it happened… Who was he to stand in the way of fate?
Regulus got out of the cab and made his way to the end of the line, where he found Evan waiting for him. Evan’s eyebrow raised as soon as his eyes laid on Regulus, while an exasperated laugh rippled out of him. Regulus simply shrugged as he sidled up next to him, a sly grin on his own face.
Evan had been around long enough, he’d seen the cycle repeat over and over, he knew what the signs were.
What Regulus appreciated about him, though, was Evan never pretended to be okay with it; he never stopped Regulus, because he couldn’t. But he was always blunt with his disapproval, while still offering friendship and love.
Regulus had tried to explain it to Evan, years ago, and Evan had simply told him to try getting therapy instead of trying to find someone to fix all his problems. Regulus had dutifully ignored that piece of advice, and pretended that it had never crossed his mind since, even if it might have, once or twice – or frequently, especially in the dead of night, with no one to rescue him from his thoughts.
Regulus shook the thought out, tonight was not the night to dwell on it. Instead, once they got inside, Regulus let the music wash over him. It was thrumming around them as they went up to order drinks, Evan standing back as Regulus ordered them both a round of shots; it was too loud to hear anything, and too dark to make out more than flashes of the other, so as soon as their drinks were downed they made their way to the dance floor. Regulus loved it, loved losing himself in the beat of the music, amidst a sea of people.
It took almost no time for him to lose Evan in the sea of people, but he couldn’t bring himself to care; he let his body move with the beat of the music, the alcohol already starting too loosen him up.
The next few hours went on a repetitive cycle; he and Evan would find each other again, the two of them immediately bringing their bodies together to dance, and then they’d go get themselves another round of drinks, only to lose each other and the cycle to start all over again.
When Regulus felt a warm body press against his back, he expected to turn his head and see Evan; there was a snarky comment on the tip of his tongue as he tilted his head back, but it was lost as soon as he caught glimpse of someone who was most certainly not his best friend.
This didn’t have to mean anything, Regulus rationalised, he and Evan danced together all the time and that didn’t mean it was cheating, or that there was anything wrong with it. He let himself relax and dance alongside the stranger, their bodies grinding together; a hand pressed to his hip as the other slipped up to press against his stomach under the mesh shirt. Regulus wanted to have self control, he wanted to leave this situation and call his boyfriend, at the very least to break up with him before he did something he wouldn’t be able to take back.
Regulus turned his head, and oh fuck, that was a mistake; his eyes caught the man’s behind him, and Regulus was well and truly done for. There was a smirk settled onto a beautiful face, a question in the form of a raised eyebrow, and Regulus should’ve run as fast as he could, should’ve gotten Evan and gone the fuck home.
Instead, he tilted his head forward until the man met him in the middle, their lips coming together in an immediately filthy kiss. Regulus was no longer in redeemable territory, there was no reasonable explanation for this; somewhere, his boyfriend was at home with full belief that Regulus would be faithful to him, and here, Regulus found himself unable to care about it.
The man’s hands were gripping him tighter, their lips separated for a moment as Regulus got spun around, and Regulus was able to see all of him. Fuck.
He had brown hair that was soft but looked purposefully dishevelled, tattoos covering most of his arms and leading up onto his neck. The black shirt he was wearing had rips throughout, and Regulus could see more tattoos hidden underneath, he had the sudden urge to find them all, to sink his teeth into the inked skin and taste. The man in front of him had a wolfish grin, which Regulus took full delight in drinking up, and then he dropped his head to brush his lips against the shell of Regulus’ ears.
“Name’s Barty,” Barty’s voice was rough and low in Regulus’ ear, and he felt a shiver run down his spine, excitement starting to pool in his gut.
“Regulus,” he barely managed to be heard over the music, but then it didn’t matter, because Barty’s lips were pressed against his own once again, his fingers dipping into Regulus’ hips. Regulus’ arms came up over his shoulders instantly, hands finding their way through sweat soaked strands of hair.
The music was so loud Regulus could feel it vibrating his chest, too loud for his own thoughts to break through; he wouldn’t listen, anyway. Too wrapped up in the man he was dancing with, the way a leg had made it between his own; could feel the heat of Barty’s erection pressed into him as the kiss got filthy and the dancing turned more into grinding against each other for relief.
It didn’t take long for them to stumble out of the club after that, Regulus couldn’t tell you how they’d ended up there. (He could – he’d asked Barty to take him home, despite knowing he was making a mistake, despite knowing he was leaving Evan alone in a club to go fuck someone he’d just met. But he didn’t want to admit it, and thinking about it was as good as doing so.)
He managed a quick text to Evan in the back of the cab as Barty’s hands roamed over his body, mouth working against his neck and filthy promises whispered into the shell of his ear. He debated sending a text to Rodolphus as well, just to let him know he got home safe, but he couldn’t be bothered dealing with it, not when there was a pretty boy whose tattooed hand was pressed against his cock.
The consequences were the problems for a sober person, even if Regulus doubted he’d care much then, either.
They pulled up somewhere Regulus didn’t recognise, and Barty was ever the gentleman; running around the car to open the door for him, walking side by side with their arms linked. They made a perfect picture, as long as nobody looked any deeper.
The image was shattered as soon as they walked through the door to Barty’s flat, the deadbolt had barely been flicked when Barty pressed Regulus against the surface of the door, hands settling at his hips in a tight grip; Barty’s tongue licking into his mouth, no hesitation or question about what he was here for.
Regulus felt alive in a way he hadn’t in months, felt himself leaning deeper into Barty, his mind completely forgetting about the boyfriend he had at home, forgetting that he should be saying no; instead he melted into it, letting himself be all consumed by the man in front of him. By the excitement of something new.
Barty was leading him through the apartment, their clothes falling to the floor around them, the house a breadcrumb trail of Regulus’ infidelity. Then, Barty was pressing him into the mattress, their hands messily searching the other's body, a constant game of push and pull.
“Pretty thing like you should’ve never been out in a club all by yourself,” Barty said as he forced two fingers into Regulus’ mouth, a hand wrapped around his cock at a brutal pace, “it’s a wonder nobody has snatched you up already.”
Regulus felt himself flush even further, tongue pressed between two of Barty’s fingers, cheeks hollowed out against the digits.
Then Barty’s hands were out of his mouth, his legs were being pushed up against his chest and those same fingers, slick with his spit, were being pressed into him; Regulus immediately started to shift against them, trying to push Barty’s fingers deeper, trying to get more.
“Fuck, greedy little thing, aren’t you?” The words hit something inside Regulus, a whimper slipping from his lips without his permission; this is what he’d been missing, this is what Rodolphus had never been able to give him.
Barty pulled lube from his bedside table, Regulus watched with eager anticipation as he slicked himself up.
“Look at you, so needy, nobody fucked you properly lately?” Barty moved to line himself up with Regulus’ entrance and Regulus rocked his hips, shaking his head fervently.
“My boyfriend's idea of spicing things up is to have me on top,” Regulus was too far gone to stop himself from speaking, just wanted Barty to fuck him, he felt the regret when Barty stilled, though; his cock caught at Regulus’ rim.
“You poor thing, need someone to fuck you like the little slut you are, then?” That was all the warning he got before Barty was bottoming out, not even giving him a chance to breathe before he was drawing back and slamming into him again; Regulus’ hands gripped at the blanket for purchase, a litany of curses and moans echoing throughout the room.
“Fuck, you’re so tight,” Barty’s hands were gripping at Regulus’ thighs, pressing them further towards his chest, fucking into him hard enough Regulus was seeing stars, “you take it so well, made to be fucked, weren’t you?”
Regulus’ hand found its way down to his cock, fingers wrapping around and pumping in time with Barty’s thrusts, Barty’s name leaving his lips like a prayer.
“That’s it, god, gonna need you to break up with that boyfriend of yours so I can fuck you every day, yeah?” Regulus nodded in response, words too far gone; Barty shifted slightly and Regulus’ vision whited out as Barty’s cock finally slammed up into the right spot. He didn’t let up, kept fucking him over and over, cock pressing into the bundle of nerves with each thrust, until Regulus’ thighs were shaking and he was spilling all over himself, any thought of Rodolphus long gone.
It didn’t take long for Barty to follow, a few more thrusts and some choice words, promises that Regulus hoped he would make good on, and then Regulus felt him still, cock pulsing inside him as his name fell from Barty’s lips.
The next day, he went home with finger shaped bruises on his thighs and a hickey on his neck; Rodolphus had cried, and Regulus had been bored.
It took twelve hours after he went home for Barty to text him and ask if Regulus wanted to see him again, Regulus responded almost instantly with a yes.
It took two days for him to find his way back into Barty’s bed, new bruises emerging over his body, not a regret in sight.
It took seven days after he went home with Barty for Rodolphus to finally end things, Regulus pretended to be devastated, but never quite hit the mark.
But, he and Rodolphus were broken up, and without ever really discussing it, he and Barty were together. It was better, probably. Regulus could be better this time, convinced himself Barty was different, more exciting. The sex was better.
Maybe, this time, Regulus wouldn’t find himself getting bored and straying to the first pretty face.
Spoiler alert: he absolutely would.
~
All in all, it had been going well. Regulus and Barty had been together for coming up to six months, it was a record for Regulus. He’d flirted, here and there, but he hadn’t stepped out. It was all going well, they were happy.
Of course, that’s when it all went downhill. It started innocuously enough, he got a text from an unknown number, and there were alarm bells ringing in his brain from the moment he read it. But he thought it was different now, that he was better this time.
Unknown Number
Hey, it’s James. Sirius gave me your number, I just moved into town and don’t really know anyone.
Unknown Number
God that sounded so stupid. You can just ignore me, I’m sure I’ll make friends.
Unknown Number
It’s James by the way
Unknown Number
James Potter
Unknown Number
You probably figured that
Unknown Number
Sorry I’ll leave you alone
Regulus stared at his phone, a sense of giddiness filled him as he read the text messages from James. If anyone asked, he’d lie and say he never thought meeting up with James would be an issue, or he’d lie and say he thought about deleting them instead of replying.
Truthfully, he knew it was a bad idea, the thing was, he did it anyway.
Regulus Black
Hello James. Was there supposed to be a question somewhere in there?
James Potter
Shit, yeah. Did you want to grab lunch sometime or something? It would be nice to see a familiar face
Regulus Black
Sure. Name a time and place and I’ll be there
That was how they ended up sitting across from each other at a cafe a few days later, and Regulus had expected it to be awkward or stilted. But, instead, he found the moments of silence were comfortable, and they fell into talking as if they were lifelong friends catching up.
The two of them weren’t overly close in school, but they had seen enough of each other once Sirius had moved in with him.
The conversation was fine, good, innocent. They were just two school friends catching up, Regulus could do this. He could be friends with someone, even if they were devastatingly handsome, and still be faithful in his relationship.
“So, are you seeing anyone?” There it was, there was Regulus’ chance to set the tone from the get go, to let James know all they could be was friends.
“Nothing serious,” is what came out instead, nothing serious. Barty had hinted at living together, they were planning a holiday for next year, and yet. Here he was.
Maybe it would be fine, James wasn’t necessarily interested in him; he could wait a few weeks, say it was finally getting serious without looking like a fool. It would all be okay, because at best James just saw him as a friend, at worst just saw him as Sirius’ younger brother.
“Good to know,” fuck. Regulus could see the glint in James’ eyes as he spoke; ‘good to know’ was ringing around in Regulus’ head, as if James was not so secretly pleased that Regulus was single.
But Regulus wasn’t single.
The urge to correct himself got smaller and smaller as James’ smile got a little wider, as he leant just slightly towards Regulus.
Regulus didn’t correct himself, instead he smiled back, and the conversation continued. Somewhere in his mind, he believed he could still do this. He could still be a good boyfriend. He could not fuck James Potter.