Sweet Like Sin-- ]REG

[Avery Rowe]

She had to get out of the house. She couldn't be in there any longer. She knew that it was going to get her in trouble. She knew that he was going to be pissed. But she wouldn't have to worry about that for a few hours. It was still daylight out. And he was undead. There were SOME limitations to what he could and could not do. Whenever she got home...that was when she was going to be in trouble. Not that she was doing anything wrong, she hadn't even bothered to tell him...that was only her logical transgression but he would find something to harp on. Her clothing choice, her hair, the dark red lipstick that she had painted onto her lips. She didn't care, she needed to get out of that fucking house. Alzubra alley had been the only logical choice. She had escaped early in the morning, had hit up a string of store first thing until her anger had ebbed. Until her initial frustration had worn off. She had just thrown on the first clothing that was clean and left...if he could see her now he would no doubt take issue with her navel being exposed. Her taut stomach muscles on display for anybody to see, even though the rest of her was covered up. Not because she wanted it to be, it was slightly chilly out, but she liked exposing her skin. She liked the attention, perhaps that was why he had felt the need to mark almost every inch of her. She had teeth marks dotting her arms and thighs, her shoulders and back, even a particularly uncomfortable one on her rear. His excuse had been that he wanted to, and it wasn't like anybody should be seeing that much of her anyway. If he had his way, nobody would be seeing her ever. She had been sending shopping bags back to the house over the course of the day. If he were to wake up and notice that she had gone, the shopping bags would have been a dead give away. Her lips upturned at the thought, it was very likely what she was going to be whenever she got home. If she went home tonight. Surprisingly, she knew that the money she had taken off of the counter he wouldn't even care about. Whatsoever. The leaving overnight, well, that wouldn't be so easy to get over. She knew he missed her whenever she was gone, in his own way, he showed that he didn't want her to leave, didn't want her to feel the need to get away from him.

For all of the shit that she talked about him, to herself, shouting in her room more often than not. Not matter how many times she had thrown his clothing across the room while shouting horrible things because she was bored and woken up to an empty house again. No matter how many bruises she woke up with, she was in a romantic relationship with a vampire. And it was romantic, despite how she flat out refused to verbalize such a silly thing. It wasn't even that she wanted to be shopping, but she hadn't been able to get a hold of Kariana, so shopping was killing time. The sunlight on her face, the sounds of people, real people all around her going about their business. Damon would have taken her shopping, he would know that wasn't the purpose behind it. Just like she knew that even after he found out where she was, he wouldn't be coming after her. He would rather wait for her to get home, to come to him, to apologize for making him angry. Just like he knew she wouldn't be doing any of that, precisely because that was what he wanted her to be doing. He could keep trying, but she wasn't going to become his little lap dog. Even with her feelings for him, that wasn't going to happen. No way.

Rounding a corner, her arms feeling too bereft of bags to make her comfortable, she spotted a familiar face. One that had her lips separating into a dazzling smile. Desperation to see him, to feel like herself again overtook her. The need to be the way that she wanted to be, to move unrestrained, without feeling like he was going to be hurt because she wanted to touch somebody. To feel wanted by somebody else just by her proximity was blinding her to everything else, pushing the consequences clear from her head. “REG!” she moved through the people toward where he was standing, not giving a damn about the people around her or if he was busy she leapt up, wrapping her legs around his torso and her arms around his neck. It had only been a couple of months since she had seen him, but it had felt like years. She could feel herself squeezing tightly to his frame, he was the perfect person for her to be running into today, he was totally outside of what had been happening to her. She refrained from kissing him like she might have once done. It wouldn't have been abnormal for her, they had dated once upon a time, and slept together for much longer than that...but she knew Damon would know. Even if there was no romantic feelings behind it, nothing more than familiarity, he would know. Her hands excitedly pressed into his cheeks, inspecting his face. He was ever the handsome one. “How have you been?”



Wearing: This
Tags: Regulus
Words: 863

[Regulus Reinbach]

Regulus watched patiently as a short greasy looking wizard counted out his galleons at a high top off the corner of the bar. A snarl passed over the young mans face as the greedy little git slid the coins back into the cloth purse and gimp walked his way out of the bar, making sure to thank Regulus for his ‘business.’ Regulus scoffed and reclaimed his seat at the bar. His ‘business’ was a bad bet on a quidditch match that failed to beat the spread. Regulus hated losing, even though the money he’d just lost was only part of the winnings he’d made the past few weeks. It was still a sizeable chunk of his winnings and more than he’d ever hoped to lose in one go. Regulus threw a few of his remaining galleons on the bar in exchange for his original vice, a fine glass of scotch. Liquor always helped take the sting out of defeat.

It was quiet, as bars usually are in their early hours. It was one of the pleasures of day drinking, sure every glance of sunlight through the window was accompanied with the weight of another wasted day in a life Regulus seemed increasingly aware wasn’t getting any longer. He sipped the drink slower than he was accustom, and feeling some small amount of self consciousness for sitting all but alone at the bar, he picked at a bowl of peanuts and tossed back half a glass of water before heading out into the now waning sunlight. The streets carried with them a mixed crowd, parents and their children bustling through the alley frantically gathering up school supplies. Regulus had no direction in mind, he wasn’t quite yet ready to return home, but he had no other reason being in Alzurba. Or so he thought.

”REG!”

Regulus turned toward the sound of his name to see the petite blond barrel towards him through the crowd, barely giving him enough time to recognize her before leaping into his chest. Regulus wrapped his arms tight around Avery’s back, using her momentum to spin her round as she clung to his neck and waist. Reg pursed his lips for the kiss that usually accompanied this sort of greeting but quickly found his cheeks squished in her hands instead. Regulus broke into a wide grin; he hadn’t realized just how much he’d missed Avery these past months. “I’ve been alright,” he answered easily. “What about you? How have you been? Where have you been?” Regulus asked with a sort of excitement that hadn’t been present in his voice in ages.

[Avery Rowe]

A large part of her was tempted to do it anyway, it would be a lot less strange of her to kiss him hello, by not doing it, he was going to think that something was up. It just wasn't worth the argument whenever she got home. Unlike a lot of the other relationships that she had been in, he had been very clear about what he wanted from her. There was no blurred lines about 'oh, we didn't say that we were exclusive', not in the slightest. He had been almost excessive in his rules, of what he was expected. Not that she followed even half of them, it was just the big ones that he 'enforced'. Like this one, going out without his knowledge. It was going to be bad enough with that offense alone, but adding the smell of man on her to boot? Perhaps she would just stand outside until he calmed down, or the sunlight gave out...not that would make things better. Probably worse, in her actualization. She was already changing her thought process, no, there would be no getting out of this. She might as well just enjoy what she was doing while she had the 'freedom' to do it. At least with this new distraction that was Regulus, her shopping was cast to the side. It hadn't been important anyway, the things she were buying, only a small fraction were even things that she actually wanted. The rest were just to spend money, to have things to throw at him while he shouted...assuming that was his reaction. She wished she knew him a little better, then she would know what to expect. He was so glib, it was like pulling mandrakes to get him to talk to her about anything. Not that was what their relationship revolved around. She wasn't comfortable calling him her boyfriend...exactly.

If she was honest, that was the part that she found most difficult about their pairing. What to call him whenever she was introducing him. All the rest of it, was trivial, it might seem strange to some people, but it worked for them. She knew that he cared for her, he bought her a damn house after all, he helped her pass off her lie. She knew then that whatever happened, would happen. Avery's hands pushed Reg's cheeks together, ankles locked together behind his back. “You smell like forty proof.” She sniffed again “Vodka?” that couldn't be right, but then again she hadn't drank in a long time. Another sad thought. Had it not seemed like he had already been drinking, she might have even suggested it. She wasn't opposed to day drinking. Her torso leaned back into the hands laced behind her back. Pushing her hands back up into her hair she grinned. Honestly, being this close to him made her feel a little bit more like herself. “I’ve been alright, What about you? How have you been? Where have you been?” Ah, how to explain without sounding crazy. “Burning through my trust fund,” she half lied. She didn't have a trust fund, but not that he needed to know that. She was given enough money to seem like she did. She was fairly certain that Regulus would remember Damon, he had met him at the Cabin end of last summer. A very large part of her was sad that wasn't where they were right now. It was the right time, right before the start of the term she wasn't going to be a part of. She loved that damn Cabin. If they were there right now, she wouldn't have to be debating whether or not to go home before sunset.

“I've been around Handsome. Missed you of course.” She laughed and lowered her legs, keeping her arms around him. The physical closeness didn't bother her in the slightest, even less so with him. It wasn't like they hadn't been a lot closer before, more than a few times. It made her feel better. “Been locked away in my tower, same dragon prince as my guard.” she teased, her tone light, her smile unwavering, bright as ever. From what she could remember the last news on her relationship status, she was single, since Damon had disappeared for those few months. Had she mentioned him again? He had been at graduation after all...shrugging she lowered her hands to his arms, rubbing some heat into the muscle. “There's a rumor going on about you and school...”

Wearing: This
Tags: Regulus
Words: 749

[Regulus Reinbach]

“Vodka?”

First no kiss and now she couldn’t discriminate between alcohols? Regulus was tempted to ask the blond in his arms who she was and what she had done with his friend Avery. Instead the boy just chuckled at the thought of drinking vodka as though he were a 4th year Hufflepuff girl. “Scotch,” he corrected. “And it’s 42 proof if you believe the label.” Regulus continued, his lips easily turning up into their traditional smirk. Not as though it mattered, but so long as he was setting the record straight he may as well make sure all the details were correct. Regulus could be a stickler for such details. He had always sought out perfection in his life and grammar was no exception…at least not before his third drink.

“Burning through my trust fund,”

There, now that sounded like the Avery he knew. Regulus laughed, finding amusement in the predictability of the response. “I certainly can’t argue with the results,” he said, using clothes as an excuse to look her up and down, even though it was what was hidden underneath those clothes that really interested him. It had been a strange summer for Regulus, a time of recovery and relapse. He had managed to stay surprisingly faithful to his not quite yet fiancé during his month abroad, though as the couple was not formally in any relationship Regulus had felt no such obligation to tame his wandering eyes since returning to Austria. Still it hadn’t been nearly as lucky a summer as summer’s passed. Regulus chose to think of this as a failing of his wingman who was off playing professional quidditch rather than a reflection on the 2nd time 7th year himself.

“I've been around Handsome. Missed you of course.”

“It’s nice to know someone has,” Regulus said unable to restrain himself from taking a cheap shot at his tenuous relationship with Kariana. He’d like to think it was just the alcohol talking, but it certainly wasn’t the alcohol that had the thought bubbling so close to the surface of his brain. “And I’ve missed you too of course,” he added quickly with a smile hoping to dismiss his first remark as an off the cuff comment on his general lack of popularity rather than a comment aimed at a particular person. Regulus wasn’t unpopular per say, but he doubted there would be more than a handful of people who even noticed his absence in the late fall semester last year at Galaxia.

“You do realize that the prince is supposed to save you from the dragon, rather than become it,” Regulus kept his tone light, mocking her words if anything. He didn’t care for Avery seeing other people regardless, but it was hard to think of her current paramour as a prize. Still acutely aware of just how fragile his relationships were though, Regulus had no desire to start a fight with Avery over her taste in men. He just thought it was worth noting that a prince does not guard towers, and a dragon can’t be made noble simply by taking a human form.

“There's a rumor going on about you and school...”

Of course there was. Regulus Reinbach was apparently the hot topic of the summer, and perhaps rightfully so. Well to do boy getting engaged (potentially) and repeating his 7th year. “You shouldn’t listen to rumors,” Regulus scolded, but his lips revealed a small smile. It wasn’t as though he could deny it. And it was hardly a rumor anymore. His name was on class rosters by this point. There would be a bed waiting for him in the Slytherin Common Room. The rumor was now fact. “It’s true though,” Regulus confessed. He was no longer ashamed of it…well he no longer felt the need to show shame for it at least. He missed a chunk of the year, and he never recovered. He could have moved on and graduated, he chose to take a victory lap instead.

[Avery Rowe]

She didn't much want to think about graduation. It would only lead her into thoughts that she didn't want to be having. It would just lead back to him. Thinking about her Brother, the fight that they had had over her still pulling her ruse...and Damon stepping in to tell him that he didn't understand what he was talking about. She would never forget the look on her brothers face that Damon dared to correct him, and he had said something along those lines...Damon had been less than pleased. Avery knew that if she kept thinking about it...she was going to go back to the other fights that they had had, and to the reason that she was out here in the first place. Why she was spending disgusting amounts of money to kill time. She would much rather think about Regulus, he was the perfect company for today. Whatever it was that he had been doing, whatever business he had been attending to, obviously it could wait. She was more important than whatever else he was doing. She didn't care in the slightest if he happened to think that was her being arrogant. She had no problem with it, and he liked looking at her. They both knew it, they wouldn't have been together for as long as they had been otherwise. The physical was always what had kept them coming back to one another after all.

She liked it whenever he looked at her. She liked it whenever she got most forms of attention, if she was being honest with herself. Of course, lately, it had only been the one pair of eyes...he tended to kill those that looked twice at her. At least she assumed that he did, she never really knew what happened to them. Jealous man. At least with Regulus she knew it was appreciative, not pervy. At least not the bad sort. She let her hip roll to one side, accentuating her waist as his eyes roamed her figure, she liked the way she looked, and it was even better whenever it was noticed. “I certainly can’t argue with the results,” playfully cuffing him on the shoulder she beamed “You charmer.” allowing herself a step back to side step him, looping her arm around his own, it was normal to be close to him. They had managed to become some sort of friends since they had broken up forever ago, not that they were friends in the way that she and Kariana were friends, but she was comfortable around him regardless. “It’s nice to know someone has,And I’ve missed you too of course,” Her eyes rolled, “Of course you have, we both know I'm all you ever think about,” she squeezed his arm, she didn't know why, but she wanted him to feel better. Not that anything he was doing was out of place, he didn't seem...overly off it was just a feeling that she had. Hopefully standing at his side would help. It had at one point in time.

“You do realize that the prince is supposed to save you from the dragon, rather than become it,” Not her prince. She couldn't help but snort at the audacity of considering Damon to be her hero. He was the one dragging her down most of the time...well...sideways. Generally speaking. It didn't surprise her that he wasn't Damon's biggest fan...most of her friends didn't care for him. But it wasn't their opinion that mattered, he did more for her than she could ever explain to them. They wouldn't get it...not without finding out her biggest lie. “You shouldn’t listen to rumors,” A smirk took hold of her face at his consternation. Since when had she done what was asked of her, let alone by him. If she did, she wouldn't have even been here. Still, she said nothing, wanting an answer to her question. “It’s true though,” her eyes flicked to him, she had sort of hoped that it wasn't true. She had just assumed that his not showing at graduation had been some sort of calculated move on his part, that he was sending a message. One that she didn't understand, but a message anyway. Her lips twitched, waiting for an explanation that never came. If he didn't want to share she wasn't going to pry. It was his business, any assumptions that she made were most likely going to be wrong. Because she cared, she wouldn't press him. “Is that what brings you here? I assume they are still using the same books...?” she lifted a shoulder and let it fall “just means you have time to spend with me.” hugging her arms closer and thus bring them a little closer, her hip brushed him as she walked “Come on, I'll let you buy me lunch.”

Wearing: This
Tags: Regulus
Words: 803

[Regulus Reinbach]

“Of course you have, we both know I'm all you ever think about,”

"That's true," Regulus agreed. "Just you and scotch." And right now scotch wasn't giving him very much to think about. Avery on the other hand, was making sure she stayed on his mind long after they parted ways that day...assuming they decided to part ways. In truth he had been thinking about Avery quite a bit lately. She was the only relationship he'd had that ever seemed to work, and even though the break up was mutual, Regulus couldn't help but wonder if so many years wasted chasing the wrong girl had cost him the chance to be with the right one. It was too late in any case, he and Avery had their moment embraced and then let it go. Perhaps they'd get another somewhere down the line when they hit midlife, divorced and bitter they could find comfort in rekindling a lost romance. Until then Regulus was content to enjoy the view.

“Is that what brings you here? I assume they are still using the same books...?”

"They are, which leaves me with plenty of extra gold to spend on drinks and pretty girls," Regulus flashed a smile. Those were of course his two favorite things to spend money on. He liked to buy nice things, and he especially liked that buying nice things for pretty girls usually lead to nice things for him as well. With Avery there was no such expectation, and the girl did not seem to be hurting for money. But hey, if Regulus couldn't spend money on his friends what was the point of being wealthy, attractive playboy?

“Come on, I'll let you buy me lunch.”

"Lead the way," Regulus instructed, pleased to finally have company. Months of starting up small talk with fellow bar patrons and pouring out his soul to bartenders in a drunken stupor had left him desperate for an actual friend. With Gavin no longer local and his relationship with Ana still strained and awkward Regulus was starting to realize to utility in expanding his social circle. Perhaps if this lunch went well he could convince Avery to sneak out more often. Merlin knows he'd missed her. If lunch went well he might even try to coax her into dinner, perhaps drinks. "And tell me what you've been up to. How is the life of a Galaxia graduate treating you?" Regulus regretted the question once it left his lips. He really just wanted to hear Avery talk, but he knew that as soon as she responded the question would be turned back on him only minus the graduate bit, and it hadn't exactly been the most productive summer. There had been significant internal growth, and some maturing, but it certainly wouldn't show through an explanation of his actions. And Regulus was finding more and more that turning a failure to graduate into a positive was no easy task.

[Avery Rowe]

Oh if Damon could see her now.

He would hand her her ass on a silver platter. That was what would happen. Avery knew that she wasn't doing anything that was very out of the ordinary for her, knew that she was treating Regulus the same way that she always had, she also knew that it was against the 'rules' or whatever. Knew that she shouldn't be here and it sat, constantly on the back of her mind. All the while she was attempting to carry on a conversation with him, there it was. Nagging at her. She hated him for it. She wasn't built to follow rules. She damn well wouldn't look the way that she did if that were the case. "That's true, Just you and scotch." her bottom lip stuck out ever so slightly at his words, pouting playfully. “That better be some damn fine Scotch then Reinbach, to be in league with me,” she had heard about that too. The drinking. The ever constant presence of the flask on his body. Though, she cared a good deal less about his drinking than certain other people that she knew. So he had picked up a vice? So what? She had been known to have more than her fair share of drinks from time to time, if he wanted to dull the shame of going back to school for another year with liquor, so be it. That one, she didn't need to hear him confirm because she had already smelled it on him. "They are, which leaves me with plenty of extra gold to spend on drinks and pretty girls," She knew she shouldn't be teasing him. She shouldn't be twisting her hips the way that she was, shouldn't be smiling with her eyes hooded like she was. She certainly shouldn't be flirting, but she just didn't classify it as that. This was her way, that was what Damon just didn't understand. He couldn't pigeon hole her into something else. She liked to wear tight clothes. She had a good body, she was gifted with it, and she knew how to use it. She liked being looked at, liked the attention. Was that so wrong? Well, she knew what he would say. Luckily, he wasn't here, and Regulus looked at her the way that she liked. “I do like the gold,” She winked. She just couldn't help herself. Apparently.

"Lead the way," Music to her ears. Her hands wrapped around his arm as she fell in step beside him, a comment about liking being in charge dying on her tongue. Well, he would know that already wouldn't he? "And tell me what you've been up to. How is the life of a Galaxia graduate treating you?" She could feel her eyes rolling, even if he couldn't see it. “Uhg, it's the worst. Who would have ever known that a girl like me really could get tired of buying shoes?” She had spent more than a small fortune today after all, like a medium fortune thus far. The day was still young too. Not that Damon was going to care about the money, or all of the things. Merlin knew he wasn't going to give a shit about the shoes. Still. She was tired of shopping. It was really something special that she had found Regulus. “I mean, don't get me wrong, I love shoes and am super excited about all of them, and the clothes and the new house and everything but -” she sighed dramatically “I want to be doing more things. I don't know, like traveling or something. Going places?” She didn't want to say that she was stuck at home as much as she was, somehow she didn't think that it was going to go over very well. She didn't mind being home whenever Damon was, that was just fine...but whenever he was gone...and he was gone so very often these days. Well, that was no good. Controlling ass. She lifted her shoulders, while shaking her head. Her hair shaking around her body as she tugged on his arm “Tell me about your summer? Mine is an endless tale of shopping and decorating. It's all so very old and droll. Surely you've been killing the summer on a much better...something?” No doubt. Even tales of drunken escapades would be better. Had to be. She knew whenever they used to go out, something would usually happen that was interesting?

There was a little cafe around the corner that had the best shortcake this time of year, and given that there was going to be no food in the house whatsoever by the time that she got back, she was happy to fill her belly while she could. She was pulling them into that direction regardless. He had said she could lead. She was trying not to ask him too much about school, he was a social man, they could talk about other things. “So! I haven't seen anybody in awhile. Have you?” they had been friends with the same people after all.

Wearing: This
Tags: Regulus
Words: 847