Regulus A. Black

"Come now, don't make that face, or it'll stay that way." He teased as he tapped her nose again, still grinning. "You won't need me then. You're going to do just fine. No more worrying about it." His offer to play did exactly what he'd hoped it would, and Regulus laughed as Narcissa finally brightened. "Of course. No one else should be there. There's no reason we can't. We have plenty of time before dinner." He gave her a little squeeze then rubbed his nose to hers, a soft chuckle matching his eyes. "Do you need anything, or are you ready to head down there now?"

"How could I forget. But I needed your full attention. And it worked." Regulus' side smirk grew, though it was one he used only for her. Narcissa was quite lucky he thoroughly enjoyed spoiling her, giving her little presents as often as he could, birthday or not. "I assure you, love, no one ever will. No one ever could." His smile faltered again at the mention of betrothal and he took back the nearly forgotten sugar quill to absently suck on it while she inspected her ring. "You shouldn't need a bethrothal, ever." He muttered under his breath, biting off more of the candy.

Regulus at least had the decency the feel somewhat bad when Narcissa scowled at him for ruining the surprise. He bit his lip and looked at the ring instead of her, waiting for a smack to his arm. But instead, she said exactly what he'd hope she'd say, and his grin returned, though still a bit nervous. "I know. I just -- I know. I guess I just needed to hear you say it." He sighed, not sure where his uncertainty was coming from, but it dissipated quickly, and his light smile matched hers once more. "And you’ll always be mine." He took the ring out and set the box down, taking her hand in his. He debated a moment on which finger to place it, then smiled as he looked at her and slid it onto her fourth. He kissed her knuckles before releasing her to let her admire it. "There. Now everyone knows you're taken."

His chest puffed ever so slightly at her praise, a small smirk replacing frown. How he would have loved for Narcissa to have been a Prefect with him, then there would have been three Blacks in power, and no one would have ever crossed them. But Narcissa didn't want it, not that it stopped her from ordering people around anyway. "No, we will." Regulus emphasised, adjusting when she did, draping an arm around her shoulders as she buried more into him. He never meant to make her worry more, and he frowned, wondering if he had indeed pushed her too far. But no, Narcissa was resilient, and she could do anything if she put her mind to it. She just needed the confidence, something she was never short on when it came to just about everything else. "You bit your tongue, Narcissa Dione Black." He lifted her chin to look up at him with his free hand, tapping her nose. "You're going to do brilliantly. You have me. We'll just figure out which two you're going to get the O and E in, and we'll study up extra on them. Ooor..." He held out the word, smirking. "We can go fly around the quidditch pitch, throw around the quaffle, and not think about anything? Maybe you're studying too much. You need a break."

"Yes, I know why. But those marks didn't matter until now. I just want what's best for you." Regulus waited patiently, this request taking an unexpected sober tone. He hadn't meant it to be, but he knew Narcissa was brilliant, just as good as he was even. But she constantly held herself back just because she was told to. He was no stranger to following parent's orders, but this one just seemed ridiculous, even to him. He brightened when she finally agreed, leaning forward to return the earlier kiss to her cheek. "That's my girl. Right then." He pulled the small box from his pocket, suddenly nervous. He swallowed and inhaled, then opened it, revealing an ornate yet delicate ring, with the Black crest set in the middle. "I know how you've always been upset I got one from Father our first year. So, I had one especially made for you." He let her look, but as soon as she reached for it, he snapped the box shut, pulling his hand away so she couldn't reach it. "I know, I know. I'm awful. But this ring has a stipulation as well; you only get it if you promise to always be mine and that I will always be yours, first and foremost." Regulus stared at Narcissa as he held it back out, opening it once more for her.

Narcissa's appearance wasn't unexpected, nor her approach. It actually made Regulus almost chuckle, the way she would just barrel through a crowd, and the crowd would just...part. It was always a spectacle to behold, and when she was on the war path, it was even more amazing. He quickly regained his composure though, the 4th year more shocked than anything that two Blacks were now staring him down. He quickly turned and hurried off, Regulus calling after him. "That's still 10 points! And I don't care it's my House!" Regulus glared after him, squeezing Narcissa's hand as she rested against him. He finally relaxed, exhaling slowly. "I know, love. But we've been studying. We'll be alright. And just think, no big exams like this next year." He kissed the top of her head as an added reassurance. "We'll be alright," he repeated, for both of them.

He didn't bother responding after that, only giving a very innocent grin as he batted his eyelashes, something Regulus had seen Narcissa do, though he was in no way as good at it. He returned to the candy, going still when she mentioned marriage to someone. “No, I expect not.” Regulus' eyes grew dark as they unfocused, but it was gone in a blink, as he reached to take the sugar quill back, his side smirk back in place. "You drive a hard bargain, love. So, I suppose I could indulge you. You only turn 16 once after all. But first, before I even show it to you, this is how you're going to make it up to me." He paused, handing her back the treat as he placed his hand in his pocket, fingers enclosing on the gift. "You have to get at least one Outstanding and one Exceeds Expectations on your O.W.L.s, because I know you, and I know you'll only get Acceptable when you can do so much better than that." He paused again, actually serious, as he waiting for her to agree.

“I ended with an explanation. I feel that warrants the same thing. Besides, you gained much more in this transaction, so just hush and be grateful I love to spoil you so.” Regulus couldn’t get through his argument without smilng, knowing Narcissa wasn’t upset either way, especially at how he did spoil her. He situated himself next to her better, continuing to grin, sucking on the quill. “What do you mean, ‘it’s too much’? It’s never too much. Not for my favorite person in the whole world. And of course you’d share, I knew you would.” He laughed softly then held out her original sugar quill to her as she leaned into him. “Do you still want some? And if you want, I will give you your last gift now. I was planning on waiting until after dinner, but you know I can’t tell you no if you were to, I donno, beg for it.”

“Every once in a while, I do something I enjoy or have important, or even poetic thoughts that I wish to remember. I can’t imagine living a life where there is little that falls under that category. Has Narcissa really given up on journaling? Too bad for her that, in her old age, she will never have the joy of looking back into a journal to remember such moments. Perhaps I shall just keep a journal for her, and be her scribe in our life together.” Before he could even remember where he was in the book, turning the page backwards to try to find the words he had last read, Regulus began to speak again. Perhaps he would put his book down soon, if this seemed to go on. “I’ll simply go back to that chapter in the book to read the one detail I may have forgotten.” He was doing his best to avoid any recognition of the boy’s foolish expressions.

"I do have my own, I just didn't have an extra one. So, no need to keep it longer than necessary." Regulus remained smiling, going back to his book, wondering what he was even reading. Of course Lucius would already think he'd get top marks. It was infuriating how casual and flippant he was taking these end of year exams. He'd normally find it inspiring, but not today.

He wasn't sure why, but something triggered in Regulus when Lucius mentioned Narcissa. He nearly snapped the quill in two, his eyes narrowing as they grew dark, almost black. It took a minute, but the rage slowly built up, Regulus no longer caring what else Lucius had said. "What makes you so sure you'll have a life together? There may be talks of negotiations containing you and her, but I can assure you, there is nothing set in stone. Narcissa would never marry you, and if there was ever a chance she even remotely thought about entertaining the idea, it would be over my dead body!"

Regulus was fuming, not sure where all this anger and hostility was coming from. It was both very stupid and very confusing, but he'd already dug his grave with it. Not to mention, he really had no idea what his uncle and Lucius' father had discussed, but had assumed his father would have told him of any matches made. He swallowed hard at the pointed look and throat clearing of the librarian, Regulus now realizing he had stood and had probably raised his voice higher than was appropriate, especially in a library. "I uh, just realized I had somewhere to be." Quickly gathering his things that were scattered around the table, he refused to look at Lucius, both still upset and becoming increasingly more embarrassed. He was wildly protective of all his cousins, even Bella and Andie who really didn't need it, but he was always overly so about Cissa. But never to this extent.

It had to be the stress of his looming O.W.L.s because nothing else really made sense. It couldn't possibly be because--No. No, no, no; he wouldn't even let his mind go there. He loved Cissa, but she was his cousin, and that was it. End of story. He knew she'd be married off one day, just as he would be in his coming years. It was just the way of things, no matter if feelings were involved or not.

Having everything thrown back into his bag in a matter of seconds, Regulus now paused, the quill having been left on the desk. Lucius had said to keep it, but after all that, he couldn't. Regulus wouldn't offer an apology, or explanation, but he'd leave the quill, hoping he could repair this friendship one day. "Good luck on your N.E.W.T.s, Lucius. Thanks again for the use of your quill." He looked up briefly then turned, walking off to try and figure out just what the bloody hell had happened.

Ooh, she used his full name. Regulus would have normally winced and tried to back peddle whatever thing he had done to upset her, but this time, it was worth it. Narcissa was slow to show her approval, but he knew she loved it, just like he knew she loved anything he ever got her. "I didn't steal it. I exchanged it. Upgraded it. So, you're welcome." He continued to smirk as he now enjoyed Narcissa's treat, letting her look through the bag. "Well of course I'd add in my own. Don't want you to forget who got it for you." He looked over, eyeing the bag with another grin. "Fine, then I won't share the final present I got you."

"Aye, that's my girl." He straightened then tapped her nose with the quill, laughing. "Sorry, you're not getting this back. But I will give you...." He put the candy in his mouth and turned away from her, grabbing a bag out of his robes, then turned and held it out for her with a flourish. 'Ta-da! Happy Birthday!" It was a large, clear bag with all of Narcissa's favorite treats (and some of his), including several of the sugar quills Regulus was now sucking on, as well as sweets and flavors that always seemed to be out when they went to Honeydukes.

"You deserve it, do you? What, is it your birthday or something?" He sat next to her, still smiling, and still not giving the quill over. "And I'm the only person that matters if you're sweet, so if I say you are, you are." He grinned again, examining the sugar quill, keeping it out of her range to grab back. "How about you give us a kiss, and I'll give you something better than this silly little thing, hm?" He leaned ever so slightly toward her, tapping his cheek.

“I write down the important parts,” he muttered, returning his gaze to his book, even if he had not intended to read rather than talk. “My memory is excellent, I just like the option to find what I need to know quickly and conveniently rather than by flipping through a book, you know, in the off chance that I forget something –– it is mostly the action of writing it down that really helps me remember things, though. I keep a journal for the same reason,” he began to explain, faux-flipping a page even if he had obviously not been reading. “I have small enough handwriting to fit a subject on a single parchment, and once that subject is finished in class, I throw the parchment away, knowing I have no need for it –– I’ve already remembered everything on it for an exam. So, no, I don’t have any parchments of notes that I don’t need, and certainly not stacks.”

"Well then," Regulus' strained smile returned, and he was ready to throw the damn quill right back, but gripped it tighter instead. "Then no 'I owe you' and I'll just offer my thanks for it. Unless you want it back when I'm done here?" Yeah, right back in your eye. Regulus knew he was probably being unreasonable, but he no longer cared. Malfoy wasn't any better than him, even with his stupid fancy old book and super expensive quills. The tiny dots that dropped were rather annoying, and Regulus knew he'd get an earful from a particular blond about it, but for now, it appeared to be affecting his companion, so he would suck it up and worry about that later. "Oh, an excellent memory? I bet that's quite handy, especially for exams. Gonna ace your N.E.W.T.s no doubt." Most of the ink had dripped out now, and Regulus redipped, a fresh blot of ink finding a new spot in his book. This git really was full of himself, and he had a journal? Regulus had to keep from laughing, maintaining as straight a face as he could. "Oh, you keep a journal? Isn't that something. I think Narcissa stopped writing in one our second year." He grinned and nodded, letting Lucius be proud of himself for that, before he scratched a few lines in his book, not even sure what he was writing. "And what if you need to go back and review one day? Oh, but your excellent memory. Suppose you'll have no need to go back. Lucky you." He grinned again, doing his best to look envious of how magnanimous Lucius was.