“If you mean that, I could give you a few choice remarks that would expedite the process.” He was familiar with his mother’s triggers. There were certainly enough of them.
Regulus wasn’t insulted. It was the difference between expectation and reality. Regulus expected an arranged union, but he was nonetheless unprepared for… this. This individual out of all possible individuals with whom he could have, should have been paired.
Would it bring more damage to his name to reject what he had been given, or accept it and live with the results?
“Firstly—” he lifted one leg to cross over the other at the ankle, folding his hands neatly against his lap, “I’d appreciate you abandoning whatever mental image it is you may have in your head of marriage. I enjoy some large manner of privacy. You can do whatever you like in your bedroom, as mine will be down the hall. I don’t expect you to take meals with me, nor do I imagine any significant form of… physical… er.
“—heghmm, in short, I’ll not be expecting anything from you—and if you’ll expect anything of me, I’d like to be told up front.”
Severus said nothing, but made a mental note to ask at a later date, just in case. It might be useful to know, if nothing else. He held silent and still when Regulus sat down, before shifting so he was leaning against the wall – adopting a casual air without getting himself anywhere near the finery upon which the other boy so easily draped himself. He was half certain the couch alone was roughly the cost of his entire house – the idea of sitting on it was practically anxiety inducing.
After the other had made his position known, Severus raised a brow quite high, before remarking, “It is my intention to be as scarce as possible. Although you say to abandon my mental image of marriage, it seems what I intend suits. I shall continue to attend to my business, which will largely keep me out of the house in any case considering the hours I intend to be working, and I have no intentions of being present for any function you do not demand my presence for.”
Crossing his arms, his eyes narrowed slightly, before he stated flatly, “I don’t give a damn what physical activities you seek to engage in, or with whom you do so. Personally I would rather not be touched at all, but know that if you strike me, I will strike back twice as hard. Beyond that, I care little for what is done in that regard.”
“It’s best not to give them the suggestion.” Regulus wasn’t confident that either one or the other wouldn’t take it for the sake of protecting their perfectly superior lineage. “If you’re really looking to protect yourself, you might try thinking a little more simply. I’m not sure either of my parents would take to ingenuous methods of familial purification. You’re more likely to catch a quick Unforgivable to the back.” Direct. Clean.
The parents would be horrified. Here they were, miles from his home and Regulus thought he could hear the echoes of his mother’s voice shrieking in the distance.
The son was less disturbed. He had lived a long enough life of doing what was expected of him to understand that, sometimes, one’s life did not belong to oneself. He adjusted his posture at the question, fussed with the buttons on his coat and tried not to look as affected as he was by the situation. “Me? Fine. There are plenty of other things I’m more concerned about than this.” Implying some level of concern.
“Besides. I don’t really think it’ll truly sink in until we start discussing… ground rules.”
“No offense, but that’s actually rather tempting at this point.” It wasn’t that he disliked Regulus that much – it was simply that marriage was something he never deigned to consider for himself, nor was it something he actually wanted. It was a death sentence, for better or for worse.
He huffed somewhat in agreement at the point there were worse things to worry about, though when the other mentioned ground rules, he couldn’t help but look over with a raised brow. Frankly he was intending to be as scarce as humanly possible – but as it was, Regulus was undoubtedly the superior of the two of them, which naturally meant, “By all means, you might as well get those out of the way now lest I do something unfavorable in my ignorance.”
“Yeah, sure. Assuming your parents don’t kill me for being unworthy somewhere along the way,” Severus replied perhaps too blandly, given the subject matter. “Unfortunately for them, I am very good at identifying curses and poisons, so it’s going to take some ingenuity on their part.”
Finally looking over at the other, he hesitated a moment then asked, “How are you holding up, anyway?” It must have been devastating to see who he was paired to, and Severus could hardly fault him for that, all jokes aside.
“Pardon my lack of indoctrination,” Severus snapped back, not even thinking about it before heaving a sigh and pinching the bridge of his nose. He wasn’t looking to pick a fight with the Black in his house. He liked being able to sleep at night.
“Sorry,” He grit out slowly, lowering his hand and piercing Regulus with a piercing look, “Habit. What, exactly, is peculiar about what I said?”
I hardly need to look,Severus thought, eying Regulus thoughtfully. He didn’t know the other well enough to speak his true mind on matters, but he couldn’t help the sympathy he felt, nor the pity. With emotions that open, Regulus was painting himself into a dangerous corner.
“It would not matter,” The response, when it came, was carefully chosen and level, making it clear that Severus was not willing to fall into dramatics, “Whether sickened or not, I know my place and I will adhere to it.” The question he dare not ask hung heavily in the air between them, before he looked away.
I suppose servitude doesn’t suit him, he mused, wondering, not for the first time, how Voldemort had managed to lure in so many proud purebloods to the point not a one would dare stand up for themselves.
Severely Archived 