rab: (beneath a dripping tongue)
regulus arcturus black. ([personal profile] rab) wrote in [community profile] marauderstower2016-10-15 12:31 pm

Poly-Marauders Torture Hell

TIMELINE: 2 mo after Find Out Pregs. Relatively soon after getting Remus to return from being a TRASH HUSBAND. Bun In Oven about 3mo along.

Regulus finds out about the plan before he knows he's even supposed to be involved. He finds out when he overhears Bellatrix talking about it and his blood runs cold. He slips away quiet and hidden to send off a panicked owl with what information he can give without being incriminated.

S.

Do not go home tonight. B going there. Will be V. BAD. Safe elsewhere.

R.


Each emphasized word is underlined twice.

He barely gets it sent off and goes back among the others when Bellatrix slings an arm around his shoulder and asks him if he's excited to go on the mission. He forces a smile at her, but he feels like he's going to vomit. It's easy to get there though, easy to get to the flat with Bellatrix's...methods. They're left waiting for Sirius to return home and Regulus is only barely not shaking. Bellatrix is draped over an armchair like this is a social call, leg hanging over the arm of it. Regulus is standing nervously behind it and looking at the door every so often.

"You know he's not going to change his mind," said soft. They're not wearing their masks tonight.

There's a silence before Bellatrix's voice slithers out from her perch where he can't see her. Her knife smile is in his mind. "That's not the point, darling cousin."

(Regulus isn't religious, obviously, but what he does now is something very like praying.)

WARNINGS: torture, violence, Mean Things Being Said, Bellatrix Lestrange.
effingsirius: (all the hard times in my life)

I LOVE PAIN

[personal profile] effingsirius 2016-10-15 08:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Sirius' mind is not necessarily on his personal safety, at the moment. It's dangerous, with a war on, but he's got a pregnant girlfriend and a werewolf boyfriend lost and now returned and two other partners in their own levels of panic. It's distracting.

It's got him careless.

So he isn't as sharp about checking the wards as he should be, when he gets home. He isn't looking out for any signs he isn't alone when he opens the door.

Isn't at all thinking to scan the room or properly turn on the lights before he settles properly into the flat and locks the door behind him.

All of them are mistakes. Mad-Eye Moody would probably be furious with him, if he'd known.

Too late to fix it now, though.
effingsirius: (going mad)

[personal profile] effingsirius 2016-10-15 08:22 pm (UTC)(link)
That cackle sends a chill down his spine and it's stupid but he flicks the lights on anyways, because at least if it's her he can fight her better if he sees her. He's quick about it, already spinning back to face her before she speaks. There's a snarl on his face as he aims his wand in her direction, one that only grows at her 'question.'

"Like hell am I going to join you and your band of nutters, Bella," he growls back, wand moving before he's even decided what spell to use--

--But then two things catch up to him at once: That Bellatrix had said 'dear cousin,' and hadn't been talking to him, and that there is Regulus, standing behind her with a look of fear briefly on his face that feels too familiar. It cuts Sirius off mid-word.

Another mistake in a line of many, really. Responding with this much shock leaves him wide open and vulnerable to any attack Bellatrix chooses to fling his way.

(The part of him that recognizes this is numb, quiet. Nothing matters when Regulus is afraid of him and Regulus is here and this is all Sirius' fault, for leaving him. He deserves whatever's coming to him at his brother and cousin's hand, for abandoning him there and making him into this.)
effingsirius: (we faced it all)

[personal profile] effingsirius 2016-10-15 08:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Regulus is looking resolute again and is standing next to Bellatrix like he belongs there, and it hurts. It hurts more than Sirius ever thought it could, to know that this is the cost of running, of being too weak to stay. He doesn't know if anything in the world could possibly hurt more than this.

But then Bella moves her wand and it does and Merlin, this is worse. This is worse than every single cut and bruise ever inflicted upon him in his parents' house, than every single full moon or injury acquired thus far in the war. This is worse than seeing Regulus turn into a Death Eater and it is unending. He thinks he's screaming, but he can't hear it because he feels like he's dying, he wants to be dead if it will make it stop--

--And then it's over, or at least it's not so all-encompassing. The ache is still there but he can think a little more clearly and he can see Regulus still there and Bellatrix looking gleeful and they want him to choose this?

"Fucking-- bitch," he gasps out, still trembling from the ache but with considerably more clarity in his eyes than just mere moments ago, "I am something, and it's better than you will ever be."

The sudden ability to speak makes Bellatrix's eyes narrow, and she lifts the spell only to hit him with another Crucio. The suddenness of it makes Sirius cry out again, but not nearly as much as he had been when the spell had been in full force.

Curious, curious, curious. Bellatrix snarls a little bit at the words her former cousin spits out to her but doesn't deign him with a response, instead turning to her far more beloved cousin.

"Regulus," she croons, "Clearly this piece of filth needs to be put in his place, but it appears that even all the hate I hold for him isn't nearly enough to accomplish the lesson. I'm sure you'd be much more effective at teaching him his place. Would you like to try?"

It really isn't much of a question at all.
Edited 2016-10-15 21:04 (UTC)
effingsirius: (nothing at all)

[personal profile] effingsirius 2016-10-15 09:35 pm (UTC)(link)
He's left gasping and shaking when the curse finally lifts, and for a moment all he can focus on is breathing again. Is realizing that it's not hurting anymore. It keeps him distracted from the conversation Bellatrix and Regulus are having, until a sudden, cold silence falls over the room.

He can't help the way he glances up, suddenly terrified, though he isn't sure who for. He wishes he hadn't, because then Regulus and Bellatrix are standing side-by-side and Bella is telling him to hate and Sirius knows, knows that the hatred Regulus feels for him must be so much deeper than Bella's. That this is going to hurt and he is going to deserve every single goddamn moment for exactly the abandonment his cousin is speaking of.

It stops his heart. It honestly terrifies him. It's got him shutting his eyes in terror; in preparation for the wave of agony.

It doesn't come. It doesn't come, and Regulus is saying that he can't and fuck.

Sirius' eyes shoot open and he tries to marshal his shaking arms into getting him back up again. Hope hurts, but it's growing in his chest anyways because Regulus said he can't and Bellatrix is talking about toughening him up like he isn't already and fuck. Fuck. Now is not the time for the realization that's creeping into his mind.

"Reg--" His voice is already tinged with hoarseness when he speaks. He doesn't know what he wants to say; doesn't get it out anyways because Bellatrix is Silencing him as she rounds on Regulus.

"Regulus," she says, her voice sickly sweet and incredibly dangerous, "I think you're forgetting the goal here, sweet cousin. We're meant to remind this blood traitor that he's a place in our Lord's army. What would he say if he finds out that we didn't do everything we could to convince him of that?"

If Regulus didn't do everything he was meant to, specifically.
effingsirius: (all the hard times in my life)

[personal profile] effingsirius 2016-10-15 10:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Every word in the exchange between Bellatrix and Regulus confirms for him what he was afraid he'd realize. Regulus doesn't want this. Regulus has been doing his best not to do all of this. Regulus might not love him anymore, but he at least cares enough not to hurt him. To call him brother.

He'd failed Regulus, and then he'd misjudged him, and now Regulus was about to get himself killed because of Sirius. That's absolutely unacceptable.

Something cold and certain settles in him when Bellatrix slaps Regulus. It's familiar in the same way that expression on his brother's face is. It's the kind of feeling he'd get, right before saying something to Walburga to get her attention on him instead of his brother.

Like aunt like niece, right?

"Hey bitch," he says, fighting back to a slightly more upright position and doing his best to sound bored and unaffected even though he's terrified and still feeling weak, "As fascinating as it is to watch you try to keep such a spineless lout in line, can you not get up to your crazy dominance shit in my house?"

His gaze flickers towards Regulus, and maybe his brother will catch the apology and the warning in his eyes. Regulus needs to do something to get back into Bella's good graces, but if he isn't then at least Sirius can try to get her attention back onto him.

It's almost enough. Bellatrix turns towards him with a bright fury in her eyes and strides forward to backhand him as well. The large ring on her hand leaves a familiar cut, and Sirius can't help the sharp laugh that escapes his lips at how alike this situation feels to the days at home for all everything has changed since then.

"What, was that rude?" he asks with a feigned innocence, "I suppose I'm sorry. Sorry that he clearly doesn't have the balls to do much more than kick a puppy and you clearly don't have the influence to make him do otherwise."

And now there's a wand pressed to his throat as Bellatrix grabs his hair, tugging his head back painfully so he meets her cold, bright eyes.

"I will show you both influence, you scum of the earth," she hisses, "Imperio."

And shit, that's not what he was anticipating and he should have been. He feels a hint of rage and fury before it's smothered under this odd sense of peace. Bellatrix's voice sounds like it's coming from the other end of a tunnel: "I really do regret that you have to learn this way, Regulus, but if you won't teach him, then I'll have to make sure you both learn at once. Sirius? Make him hurt."

Getting to his feet is oddly easy, for all he was having trouble before. He's stepping towards Regulus without thought, but the orders don't sit right in his chest. Making Regulus hurt doesn't seem right. Making Regulus hurt is wrong and goes against everything he believes in--

"--No." The fog clears as he speaks the word with certainty and he rounds on Bellatrix, "No, and fuck you, Bella."

He lunges towards her, intending to knock her over, but despite her surprise at him breaking out from the Imperius curse she still flicks her wand instantly. Suddenly, he's dangling in the air, blood rushing to his head, and Bellatrix looks absolutely like she'd kill him if she were allowed.

"It seems he needs softening up, still. Last chance, dear cousin," Bellatrix says softly to Regulus, "You can take it from here, or I will, and I'll leave the bare minimum of him left so he can crawl back to our Lord when I'm finished with him."

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effingsirius: (stay up late)

OR MAYBE KILL THE DARK LORD?

[personal profile] effingsirius 2016-10-16 05:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Healing the broken bones had been quick as those things could be, although it had been a delicate process with how thorough the breaks to his legs had been. Bellatrix was very skilled at what she did. Healing the emotional trauma was taking longer. Sirius doesn't flinch at wands pulled out in his vicinity anymore, at least, and he's counting that as enough of a win. The nightmares are standard fare of being in the middle of a war, anyways, and he's learning to stay quiet even when he wakes from them so that he doesn't startle whoever he's sharing the bed with that night.

It means he's not as well-rested as he could be, but that's standard fare of being in the middle of a war, too.

It also means that he'll still be looking a little tired around the edges when Dumbledore calls for him. It also means that, for a brief moment when he sees Regulus in the doorway, he can't help but freeze. His entire body is immediately screaming for either fight or flight. He isn't entirely certain the brief surprise (the brief fear) is kept from his face.

He takes a shaky breath; another, and the relief and something approaching happiness that settles on his face is far more reflective of how he feels to see his brother.

"Regulus," he says, moving forward once he's certain he's not shaking, "You're here. What happened?"

He wants to fling his arms around his brother in a hug, but he's not certain the other man could take it and he's not certain his heart can stand him flinching away. Instead, one hand is offered nervously but eagerly to him.

"C'mon, let's get you inside. --Thank you, Dumbledore."
effingsirius: (i remember when)

MAYBE START WITH THESE DEATH EATERS DOWN THE HAAAALLLL

[personal profile] effingsirius 2016-10-16 05:55 pm (UTC)(link)
The hurt what sticks out to him, of course, and now Sirius is the one with guilt twisting in his gut. But Regulus takes his hand anyways, and Sirius squeezes it as though he can communicate every emotion he's feeling in the moment. His goodbye to Dumbledore is a little short. He's quite distracted.

"Reg," he says, and there's something bright in his voice-- relief, or joy, or something, even Sirius isn't certain, "I was so worried about you. C'mon, let's get you lying down."

He really looks like he needs to lie down.
effingsirius: (trying to solve all the problems)

PEOPLE TORTURED AS YOU WALK BYYYYYYYYY

[personal profile] effingsirius 2016-10-16 06:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Regulus isn't letting go of his hand, but Sirius is letting go of Regulus'. He can't help it. He absolutely has to move in to hug his brother, no matter how public a place they're in. It's an instinct older than everything they've been through.

"Don't apologize," he says fiercely, "You think I don't realize you almost got killed trying to save my life? Merlin, Reg, she was trying to get me to hurt you. Why didn't you just play along?"
effingsirius: (going mad)

WELL REG MAYBE I'M NOT GOING TO. I'D STAY HERE IF YOU JUST STAY IN BED

[personal profile] effingsirius 2016-10-16 06:40 pm (UTC)(link)
"Sorry," he murmurs at the flinch, but he doesn't pull away because he can't bring himself to, and Regulus in leaning in anyways.

He shakes his head at Regulus increasing list of supposed sins. It isn't until the confession, though, that he stills again, his own eyes widening with surprise, before they melt into something young and vulnerable and hopeful.

"You--" He can't even put it to words. He'd known Regulus had cared, after all, at least enough not to want to harm him. He knows Regulus had said he'd loved him, when he left. It's still a very different thing from not hating him, as well, "--Surely you hate me at least enough for it to have worked a little. I left you."

indeed ; ;

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effingsirius: (i remember when)

:>

[personal profile] effingsirius 2016-10-28 01:41 am (UTC)(link)
He's actually unconscious, at first, when Remus finally finds him. He's a mess-- one broken arm, both legs all but shattered, broken ribs, and a concussion that keeps him mostly incoherent even when he does regain consciousness. He's hurting enough that he's crying as soon as he's awake enough to register the pain, barely able to gasp out the words, "Bellatrix," and "Regulus" at Remus. He knows whatever else he mumbles-- his attempts at explaining that his brother still cares; why Sirius was chosen; Bellatrix's cruelty-- is lost in the pain in his voice and the quiet sobs and the way his thoughts are scattering like butterflies. He can't keep his focus. Every time he blinks, it's like something else has changed. Remus looking frantic, Remus looking furious, a Healer with him now--

He blacks out again shortly just before they get him to St. Mungo's. Keeps drifting fitfully in and out of consciousness, though he stays asleep likely more than he realizes.

At least, now he's in the hospital, things don't hurt anymore.
siriusno: (secretive)

[personal profile] siriusno 2016-11-01 05:46 am (UTC)(link)
If rage could trigger his transformations, Remus might never have been fully human again. He'd seen red when they found Sirius, bound and broken by his family who should have cared for him and protected him. Worse, by his brother – his brother whom they'd trusted, whom Remus had loved – who had somehow weaseled is way into their hearts only to betray them the very moment they'd been foolish enough to let their guards down.

Never again.

Had he been able to transform without the power of the full moon, he'd have changed in a heartbeat; he'd have sniffed out both of the vile Death Eaters and shown them the true meaning of blood lust.

As it were, Remus simply made a vow: he vowed never again to be deceived; never again to let his emotions cloud his better judgement; never again to let someone in so far that they could ruin him like this – break his heart and hurt his friends (his fault). Above all else, he vowed never again to leave Sirius vulnerable. He'd let his friend down, and that was as despicable as if he'd cast the spells himself.

And so he stood guard in the private room in St. Mungo's, stalking back and forth like a caged animal between Sirius' bed and the door. He itched to take action, but refused to so much as take a seat until Sirius was out of danger.
siriusno: (pissed)

[personal profile] siriusno 2016-11-01 06:52 am (UTC)(link)
Who better to stand guard than Remus? Considering it was his fault that Sirius had ended up here in the first place. None of this would have happened if he hadn't been so weak, charmed like the schoolboy he was by an intriguingly uncommon smile and a sob story that only a true fool could have believed. It was enough to make him crave the mindless abandon of transformation; at least then he wouldn't have to live with what he'd done to his best friend.

The sound of his name makes him whirl about, wand at the ready, keeping the bulk of his frame between Sirius and the intruder. "You," he hisses in a voice that's barely recognizable as his own, eyes wide and wild with a dangerous sort of light. His wand hand twitches, but he doesn't attack; the quarters are too close here and if Regulus retaliates, a stray spell could hit Sirius. No, when he attacks - and he will attack – he'll have one chance and one chance alone. He'll have to make sure it counts.

He'll have to make sure his hand isn't shaking.

"You have the nerve to show up here? After what you've done?"
siriusno: (angry)

[personal profile] siriusno 2016-11-01 08:15 am (UTC)(link)
"DON'T LIE TO ME," Remus roars, squaring his stance and drawing back his wand into an offensive position. He's got the slender piece of cyprus in a vice grip, but his hand at least has stopped shaking as the unyielding force of his rage overwhelms him, fueled even hotter by the look on Regulus' face. Regulus, who's so practiced and adept at controlling his micro-expressions that he can fool even the Dark Lord himself into thinking he's one of his most loyal followers; or, as has been made so excruciatingly clear to Remus, to trick the good into trusting him with false pretenses of hurt and pathetic displays of alleged inner turmoil.

If he were in his right mind, Remus might have realized that it was the degree to which Regulus' betrayal had hurt him (like a serrated blade plunged straight through his heart) that was causing him to lose himself so completely. He can't bear the pain of knowing how wrong he'd been, nor does he have the capacity to fully process the complete mess he's made by letting one of the Dark Lord's servants into his heart at the cost of someone he loves so dearly. He's paying a price of a magnitude that he can't fully comprehend yet, and the sheer immensity of his guilt and remorse is simply too much. And so he's retreated into the safety of that ferocious anger, so much akin to what he experiences when he transforms in the sense that he hardly knows what he's saying anymore, but merely aims to hurt, and will only come back to himself in time to witness the damage he's left in his wake:

"You may have exposed me for the fool that I am but no more. I know it was you - you and that lunatic, Lestrange - Sirius said so himself, so don't you dare think you can show yourself here and try to claim anything otherwise." His eyes blaze as the words spill forth, unchecked and raw with emotion. "You had me so blinded, didn't you, you snake? Wrapped around your slippery little finger. I fell for every one of your sorry tales of threats and manipulation when it was never something done to you, but taught to you, wasn't it?"

He draws a ragged breath, eyes narrowing, his wand hand never wavering and his gaze never breaking from where it holds Regulus'. When he continues, his words are low and dangerous, tight with the vengeance that he has ready to unleash at a moment's notice. "It took what you did to Sirius to open my eyes, but I see you now, Regulus Black, for who you really are–"

Savagely, he spits onto the floor at Regulus' feet. "You're just like your parents."
Edited 2016-11-01 08:18 (UTC)

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