Care Dissolves In Drink
regulus;
A bit of his facepaint had smeared from Regulus’ face to Remus’–how had that happened? Regulus stare at it a moment, warm and unconcerned, delayed in recognizing that Remus was talking to him…
And then he didn’t care what he was talking about. This wasn’t so unusual, all things considered. Regulus so often just didn’t care what others were saying by comparison to his own thoughts. “Oh, hullo–there’s–”
The best indication that Regulus had had far too much to drink was that he reached over and touched someone he rightly didn’t know, not really. The second was that it was his brother’s friend. The third was that he didn’t touch Remus and immediately start rubbing his hand against the side of his robes in overt disgust. The latter had happened before–once, when they last ran into each other and Remus had said…something. Something foolish and damning and not unlike an open door.
“Glitter.” He’d just noticed it, rubbing a thumb across Remus’ cheek and then turning, distracted and over warm. He almost upended himself again, noticing too much how the other party-goers seemed to stutter in front of his eyes, too bright and forgettable. “You see it, too? Changing colors.”
Like that was more important then all the things he should have remembered–and maybe it was. Sometimes it was, when he slept and this was more dreamlike then even the conversations he had had earlier that day.
It felt wrong. Remus didn’t do anything to stop it. Perhaps because of the alcohol. But it had also taken him by surprise. Had Regulus Black just dared to touch a werewolf on the face? Dared didn’t seem to be the right word based on Regulus’ mental state but Remus didn’t have the capacity to think of the right word. Instead he wiped his own cheek where Regulus had just touched. It felt… oddly wet? There was glitter on his hand now. Not surprising considering how many people he’d had to touch to weave his way through this crowd.
Remus sent another glance over his shoulder, where the bartender had disappeared. He frowned and let go of the thought. The night wasn’t over, there would always be other opportunities. Remus wanted another drink. Standing still was already making him feel unsteady and a drink was something to hold on to. When he turned the world turned at a different pace. He didn’t particularly care for Regulus but there was something about the strangeness of the moment that piqued his interest.
“What?” Regulus’ voice sounded so far away as the music pounded in his ears. The meaning of the words hit him a moment later, but he had no better response than the one he’d already shouted over the din. He looked where Regulus was looking, blinked, but didn’t see anything other than the crowd.
Someone shoved him to the side and sent him careening into Regulus for a second time. He shoved Regulus in turn, attempting to catch his own balance. “Fuck. You’re fucking insane. I need a drink.” He turned in search of a bartender, clutching Regulus’ sleeve to maintain his balance.
