"I definitely died..." Well, okay, good to know at least. Not great though. He was killed by an Inferi? Oh no. Did he stay there with them? Was he one? He didn't even want to think about it. He shook his head at Barty's question, looking at him and then over at the circle he'd just been standing in. Barty brought him back to life... that shouldn't be possible.
"My head is all out of sorts, I don't know what I know or should know." It was quite terrifying but he pushed it aside because - well, everything kind of was right now. "How did you do this?"
Barty would have liked to make a joke, to brag about his abilities. And he was proud of them, no doubt about that. Restoring Regulus to life... It should have been impossible. All of this should have been. However, his magic or his genius or whatever it was, that hadn't been the spark to start it all. So, honesty it was again. And once more it was nothing good.
"I've been given the Dementor's Kiss. And my soul might have been lost, if it wasn't for yours calling mine. Like you had been waiting. I don't know how else to explain." It was a feeling more than a thought. Words didn't seem like enough to describe it. "When I got a second chance at life, I felt you deserved one as well."
He sought out Regulus' eyes, lowering his voice. "Besides-- I was so tired of living without you."
"You survived a Dementor's kiss?" How did he even respond to that? Their souls communicated? That was insane. He wasn't even sure how he felt or what he understood, it was all a lot. He was alive and confused but he couldn't say he missed being dead. He looked at Barty and he had a horrible feeling that his life had been... well, exactly the kind of life that would end with a Dementor's kiss.
Reaching out, his hand was shaky and trembling but he couldn't help that. He gently stroked Barty's cheek, feeling his stubble with almost boyish curiosity. He was such a man now, it was fascinating to see.
"I'm here now, aren't I?" And he didn't fancy going anywhere else.
"You are." And what did he even do with that? Barty rarely did things without having a plan all sought out, but this had all been something he couldn't have predicted. He had never made peace with Regulus' death, but he had accepted it, as one of many losses. Now here he was. In flesh and blood, in heart and soul. He leaned their foreheads together, just breathing for a moment. "Just about eighteen years, Regulus. That's what you missed. And none of them worth living through, trust me."
He didn't even know how to feel. He had so many questions and yet, he didn't have the effort to fire them all off right now. He just wanted to rest. He shuffled closer to Barty, nuzzling him lightly and still stroking at his cheek. "Bet I missed something good. Couldn't all be bad, could it?" There had to be something positive. "Come on, Crouch. Make me jealous."
"I already told you about snogging the dementor, if that doesn't get to you, what will?" Barty said it in a joking tone, switching easily enough. That had never been difficult for them, after all. Positive. What was there, really? Nothing was the way Regulus had left it, but he knew what Regulus had died for and that... Well, maybe that was a bit too complex to discuss right now.
"Your cousin is Slytherin seeker now. Draco Malfoy. He's nowhere near your level."
"I'll take it. As long as there's a proud, decent Slytherin Quidditch player in the family, I can feel much better about the world." He would call that a win. Slowly, Regulus sat up and eyed the doorway. The bed seemed so far but he was so determined, he would definitely get there. Any second now. "I fancy the bed but I don't like the journey."
Turning back to Barty, he smiled faintly at him. "We have a lot to discuss but I think we can save that for another day."
"If you hold on to me, I can carry you there." It wasn't far and Regulus was light, had always been light. The perfect seeker, after all. If Barty could get him to accept that help, which seemed like a bit of a toss-up at this stage.
Still, he shifted, got on his knees and tried to pull Regulus into his arms. It still hardly felt real, he wondered when that would set in. Perhaps tomorrow. Or on whatever other day they would discuss more. "I have dreamless sleep potion. I feel you can use it more than me."
"Carry? I'm not a baby, I'll get there. Just need to psych myself up." Regulus said, sounded a bit distant as he held onto Barty and hugged him tight, already fading a little from the world and just sinking into the comfort of his anchor. The one who'd brought him back. His soulmate. "I would say you're far to good to me but honestly, everyone could always do better."
Besides, he didn't want Barty getting lazy. He might have saved his life but he still owed him love and romance. If they intended to ... circle back to that. Which he assumed the kiss meant.
"Uh-huh. I wanted to restore you, I forgot that meant your ego would return to." In spite of Regulus' protests, Barty rose to his feet. If Regulus felt so strongly, he could put his feet on the ground. He was prepared to drag him. Slowly he walked over to the wall he had opened up to get here, wanting Regulus to get as much restful sleep as he needed.
At the same time, he worried. What would it take for Regulus to fade away again? How easily could it happen? He didn't know. "Just wait until I tell you all the tales of my greatness. You will swoon."
"And you say I have the ego? Pfft. I've never swooned over you." He would have protested being carried more but he could do that next time. It felt rather good to not move his body and he was plenty content to nod off against Barty. Today had been a lot. "Your tale will probably scare me half to death, you're far too reckless."
He huffed and pressed his face into Barty's neck. "Bloody Dementor's kiss. Idiot."
"A haunting tale, I can't deny that." As Barty imagined was obvious just from looking at him. He frowned, thinking as they finally reached the bed and he helped Regulus lie down. Had his appearance changed too much? Was he still someone that Regulus would want? It seemed like such a ridiculous thing to even consider, but while for years he couldn't have given a damn, suddenly it mattered. Because Regulus was here.
He moved to lie next to him, even though he had no intention of sleeping. Barty wanted to guard him, watch him. Just in case. "You'll need strong nerves, my darling."
"If I didn't have them before, I definitely have them now. Knowing you requires them, after all." With a small smile, he curled up on the bed and shuffled close to Barty, pressing his head against the other's chest for comfort. He made him feel -- more alive? Strong and safer? The connection they had was important, he didn't want to stray too far.
"Thank you." He hadn't said it yet but he felt it was time. "My hero."
Barty smiled a faint smile that was nowhere near real. It didn't reach his eyes, that stayed on Regulus' face. He watched him, slowly feeling a little bit of calm, just by seeing his beloved's face look so peaceful. Dream or reality, either way, it was a comfort.
"I love you," he muttered finally, long after Regulus' breathing had evened out. No one could hear him.
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"My head is all out of sorts, I don't know what I know or should know." It was quite terrifying but he pushed it aside because - well, everything kind of was right now. "How did you do this?"
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"I've been given the Dementor's Kiss. And my soul might have been lost, if it wasn't for yours calling mine. Like you had been waiting. I don't know how else to explain." It was a feeling more than a thought. Words didn't seem like enough to describe it. "When I got a second chance at life, I felt you deserved one as well."
He sought out Regulus' eyes, lowering his voice. "Besides-- I was so tired of living without you."
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Reaching out, his hand was shaky and trembling but he couldn't help that. He gently stroked Barty's cheek, feeling his stubble with almost boyish curiosity. He was such a man now, it was fascinating to see.
"I'm here now, aren't I?" And he didn't fancy going anywhere else.
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He didn't even know how to feel. He had so many questions and yet, he didn't have the effort to fire them all off right now. He just wanted to rest. He shuffled closer to Barty, nuzzling him lightly and still stroking at his cheek. "Bet I missed something good. Couldn't all be bad, could it?" There had to be something positive. "Come on, Crouch. Make me jealous."
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"Your cousin is Slytherin seeker now. Draco Malfoy. He's nowhere near your level."
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Turning back to Barty, he smiled faintly at him. "We have a lot to discuss but I think we can save that for another day."
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Still, he shifted, got on his knees and tried to pull Regulus into his arms. It still hardly felt real, he wondered when that would set in. Perhaps tomorrow. Or on whatever other day they would discuss more. "I have dreamless sleep potion. I feel you can use it more than me."
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Besides, he didn't want Barty getting lazy. He might have saved his life but he still owed him love and romance. If they intended to ... circle back to that. Which he assumed the kiss meant.
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At the same time, he worried. What would it take for Regulus to fade away again? How easily could it happen? He didn't know. "Just wait until I tell you all the tales of my greatness. You will swoon."
Perhaps not so much.
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He huffed and pressed his face into Barty's neck. "Bloody Dementor's kiss. Idiot."
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He moved to lie next to him, even though he had no intention of sleeping. Barty wanted to guard him, watch him. Just in case. "You'll need strong nerves, my darling."
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"Thank you." He hadn't said it yet but he felt it was time. "My hero."
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"I love you," he muttered finally, long after Regulus' breathing had evened out. No one could hear him.