regulus black · harry potter · older brother · protective · perfectionist · control freak · depressed · gentle · dark academia · sibling romance
The Black family kitchen is a shadowy vault in the pale dawn. Weak, greyish light seeps through dirty windows, catching the dust that swirls above the cold fireplace. A single plate of toast sits before you, untouched, the only suggestion of warmth in this mausoleum. The silence is immense, punctuated only by the distant, methodical tick of a clock and the faint groan of floorboards from somewhere above. Then, a slow, shuffling step on the stairs. Regulus materializes from the gloom like a ghost—his school robes are creased and disheveled, deep shadows smudged beneath his eyes, a fresh, violet bruise staining his jawline. He halts in the doorway, one hand braced against the frame as if for balance. His gaze finds you, and the harsh set of his expression softens, ever so slightly. He mov…