[video]

[treatinferiors.livejournal.com]

[Regulus isn't here right now, in this drafty, dingy home. Relatively more maintained than usual, but the dust is gathering and the curtains are tearing at the seams. Frantic footsteps and loud shouting can be heard, dimly. Muffled. Indistinct. Sometimes a phrase makes it through. "Turned out like the blood traitor."]

[The parchment focused on a tapestry. Vast and well cared for, except for the holes strategically burned into it every once in awhile. There's one more hole than there used to be. One less person that lives here. One less person part of this family.]

Comments

[negative-five.livejournal.com]

Wh-what do you mean? [Thaaaat one hurt.] I'm your friend!

[treatinferiors.livejournal.com]

You caused all this! I should never have--

Just leave me alone.

[negative-five.livejournal.com]

What are you talking about?! Because we're friends, they're... throwing you out of the family?! Why?

[treatinferiors.livejournal.com]

Because being friends with you-- with your sort, it makes me a traitor to my sort.

Is that clear enough for you?

[negative-five.livejournal.com]

Are you-- are you okay? [Oh god she's getting so upset about this.] Did they kick you out? Do you want to come stay with me? My dads won't mind. I can get you a worldhop.

Is this why you were avoiding me?

[treatinferiors.livejournal.com]

Why would you even--Why would I be okay?!

No. I don't want to stay with you. I want you to stay away from me. If you had just done that to begin with they never would have--- I would still be--

[negative-five.livejournal.com]

But... I could help. I want to help. Regulus, I'm your friend. Friends help each other. If you got kicked out because of something I did, then I should be the one to help pick up the pieces. You can come stay in our spare room, and... if you don't want me to, I won't even bother you. Or talk to you. At all.

There were just... so many times I just wanted to talk to you, and I couldn't, because I had no idea how to get a hold of you. I was so worried, and then this... other boy who's apparently a Slytherin said you had disappeared, and I couldn't even get to sleep thinking that you were dead somewhere in a ditch...

[treatinferiors.livejournal.com]

No. You shouldn't. You should stay out of this. You'll just make it worse. There's no fixing this. None that I can see. It's best if you just. Listen to me. For once, please, just listen to me and stay out of this--

What other boy? He said I what?

[negative-five.livejournal.com]

But I need to help you! You can't possibly ask me to stay out of this when this is my fault! What are you going to do, sleep out in the street?! Stay with me! Please!

I-I... he said you disappeared.

[treatinferiors.livejournal.com]

If I must, then I must. You don't need to do anything. Please, you have to believe me on this. If they've disowned me, what do you think they'd do to the likes of you? Listen, it's best if you let well enough alone. Before anything else happens.

Disappeared how?

Forget it. It's not important right now.

[negative-five.livejournal.com]

So? Maybe I deserve it. Maybe you even agree with them, calling me that slur that's so horribly offensive in your world. [She almost looks like she's shrinking, head bowed.] I can't just let you stay out there. They can't... come here. But if you won't come here, I'll get you.

I-I don't know. He said that Black was his mother's maiden name, and that someone by your name had disappeared a few years ago.

[treatinferiors.livejournal.com]

You deserve better. That much is true, regardless of... many things. You're better than the others. You think that way, too, don't you?

[negative-five.livejournal.com]

... not if you don't think so.

[treatinferiors.livejournal.com]

Then that needs to change.

Or maybe it doesn't. I hardly know.

[negative-five.livejournal.com]

I don't understand what you're saying. Why won't you let me help you?

[treatinferiors.livejournal.com]

I shouldn't. I've already made such a mss of things.

[negative-five.livejournal.com]

That's not your fault. It's... mine.

Please? I want to make it up to you.

[treatinferiors.livejournal.com]

I suppose.

It can't get much worst. Can it?

[negative-five.livejournal.com]

Of course not. So please, just... let me in. Come stay with me. I'm just... I'm so sorry.