Ariel and Regulus were sitting on the stairs, outside of the house. Both of them had a cigarette between their lips and were looking up at the night sky. They didn't seem to mind the cold even though it was snowing, or at least they were preventing themselves from getting frozen on spot by sticking close to each other and enjoying Ariel's warming charm. They could hear distanced noises coming from Muggles partiers on this last day of the year.

"She confessed. And tried to kiss me," murmured Ariel after a while, sighing.

Regulus turned his face to look at him, watching as he looked straight to the front, a frown drawn on his features, cigarette between his lips. He didn't know what to say. Hearing this felt so unexpected. He would have never thought mannered girls would be like that but he remembered how egocentric they could be sometimes.

Their short instant of calm was interrupted by the door opening, followed by a shrilling voice.

"So that's where you were hiding," said Bellatrix.

They both turned around at the same time, almost in synch, still having their smoldering cigarettes in mouth.

"You smoke too, now?" asked Narcissa who was by the side of her sister.

"Sometimes," shrugged Regulus.

"Ariel, they all want to hear more of your stories! And Reg you made a great impression on those girls!" told them the blonde girl.

"Aw, our little Reggie charms all the girls. And before we can notice he'll be married to one of them," continued Bellatrix with a cynical laugh as they reentered the house. "Anyway Ariel, have you made your choice regarding a future spouse?"

"No Bella, not yet. But I'm not in a hurry," calmly said Ariel, glaring a little at her back as he walked. He had always disliked her. She had always been mean, even when they were young.

"You're never in a hurry when it comes to that kind of things, being a baby and letting Daddy deals with the formalities," she snickered before letting out a high-pitched laugh again.

Ariel groaned in response and Narcissa replied before him, "Bella stop being like this with him. You know how Ariel is, he focuses on his studies to pursue a good career."

"Well, this isn't supposed to be his priority, he's already a Death Eater that should be enough," she answered.

The two sisters discussed this as if Regulus and Ariel weren't behind them.

Coming back in the drawing room still as crowded, both boys took separate ways. Ariel going for a glass of champagne while Regulus followed his cousin as she dragged him towards another girl.

The party continued and Ariel had to talk more and more, no matter how exhausted he was feeling. He was seriously fed up with these people, sick of this life even and for the first time ever he wished he was living another life. It felt like he wasn't even conscious of his surroundings. His mouth was talking but his brain was turned off. Nothing was clear anymore, he was just acting. It was mechanical. He felt lost, he was losing himself. He needed to find reality, he needed to be himself again.

Ariel walked and walked around this room. Everything felt blurred. He was looking for clarity, he was looking for his senses, he couldn't bear the listlessness anymore. And there he recognized his silhouette, tall, slim, elegant and his beautiful raven curls. He took a hold of his wrist.

Regulus got surprised and turned around to face the older boy. "Ariel?" he asked in confusion.

"Can we... go?"

The boy was starting to feel worried. Ariel looked really tired, devoid of any emotion.

"Yes we can... but the guests..."

Ariel started dragging him out of the room, barely listening to his words. "A good number has already left."

That was true, and he didn't know how he noticed it.

They soon arrived up in Regulus' room, with the boy still following behind.

"What do you want? We can't really leave you know..."

Ariel stayed quiet and let go of his hand. He then let his body fall on the bed. The familiar scent of the sheets enveloped him and comforted him.

"I just wanna be with you..." murmured the blond boy while nuzzling his face in Regulus' pillow.

The young boy could feel his heart quicken its pace at the words. He slowly made his way to the other side of the bed and sat down. His hand reached out to play with Ariel's blond locks, messing with them gently and Ariel smiled in contentment. Regulus had understood so easily what he needed. His blue eyes then stared up at him, observing the look of worrisome troubling the boy's grey gaze.

"Don't give me that look."

"I'm just..."

"You're worried I know. But there's no need to. See I'm feeling a lot better now," whispered the older boy with a smile.

Regulus stayed serious but couldn't help crack the smallest smile just by looking at Ariel's expression. He ended up lying face to face with Ariel, their noses almost touching and they stared at each other.

"I was just tired. Tired of them. Tired of this..." sighed the boy

Regulus hummed and continued to caress his soft blond hair. "I understand..."

And it felt good to hear. Ariel felt better enough to place a kiss on the other boy's lips. His senses came back little by little the more he kissed him. Regulus was responding to his actions with his usual softness that could make the blond boy melt under his touch.

They got lost in the kiss, appreciating how gentle their lips felt moving in harmony, crushing, biting, kissing each other. Ariel was being himself again. Regulus brought out his most authentic self. They devoured each other and the boy felt like reliving in Regulus' arms.

As he stared down at him, he realized how much the two had grown in such a short amount of time. Regulus wasn't the shy boy he used to be, he was receiving and offering touches with more confidence, showing more desire. Ariel was never afraid nor ashamed to show him these sides of him, and he learnt. The blond boy changed in the slightest way. Being intimate with Regulus wasn't something he rejected anymore. He was touching him more boldly, knowing what he wanted and what he didn't want.

Ariel held Regulus so tightly in his arms, offering him everything he could in order to pleasure him. He felt so alive. He wanted to have this sensation forever. His multiple sighs brushing Regulus' sensitive skin showed his contentment while as always, Regulus voiced out his pleasure right into his ear, driving him insane slowly. Their bodies were blending into one, and it was a sensation they both loved.

Breathing more heavily, holding each other tighter and finally reaching the climax. Everything felt too perfect and too unique. Regulus and Ariel felt fulfilled in each other's arms.

Their bodies unmoving, Ariel still lying on top of Regulus' chest that was rising up and down. Both had a smile on their face. Ariel's one grew larger when he felt the boy's fingers caressing his hair. He felt warm, he didn't want to move. He reached out his hand and tried to grab the pack of cigarettes he had put on the bedside table. He straightened up on his elbows - one on each side of Regulus - and lit up the cigarette. Once done he took a look at Regulus' face and chuckled a little. He literally looked like he just came down from heaven. His eyes were shut and he had a few strands of hair stuck on his forehead because of the sweat, but what caught the attention of the older boy was the large smile crossing his features. The biggest smiles he could shower up, the ones he would give to Ariel only - his happy smiles, almost silly, boyish smiles. And a wave of joyfulness spread through Ariel.

"Reg... how are you feeling..." murmured the boy, as to not break the atmosphere.

The raven-haired boy who had calmed down a little opened up his lids to stare up at the other boy.

"Fine. Perfect." And he lightly chuckled afterwards. His hand then reached out to take a hold of Ariel's cigarette. He took a puff and slowly exhaled the smoke. He was being used to that now. Ariel couldn't help but place a chaste kiss on his smiling lips after that.

"Let's have a bath."

"Hm? You think the guests all left?"

"I think so. It's rather late now..."

author's note: i'm still busy with exams and work so i won't update for a while ughhh but i hope you enjoy, i don't like waiting for new chapters myself so i don't want my readers to wait too