𝐘𝐚𝐱𝐥𝐞𝐲.

𝑐𝑟𝑢𝑒𝑙𝑡𝑦 is a gift humanity has given 𝑖𝑡𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓.

[𝐘𝐚𝐱𝐥𝐞𝐲. @mistedblade]

⠀⠀⠀ ⠀𝒯𝙷𝙴⠀ 𝙴𝚈𝙴⠀ 𝙷𝙰𝚂
⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ 𝙽𝙾 𝒞𝙾𝙽𝚂𝙲𝙸𝙴𝙽𝙲𝙴

[𝐘𝐚𝐱𝐥𝐞𝐲. @mistedblade]

— chocolate bar he'd packed back home. same one every year. he slips into his nightwear and slides the candy under rookwood's pillow – because of course they're sharing rooms again.

an internal roll of his eyes later and he's collapsed in his own bed, already halfway to sleep.

[𝐘𝐚𝐱𝐥𝐞𝐲. @mistedblade]

first night back at hogwarts is always the same. the routine was ingrained in his brain from the very first year, and corban has no trouble shifting into autopilot now, crawling through the motions of the night as if molasses.

eyebags look deeper than usual, lack of sleep —

[𝐘𝐚𝐱𝐥𝐞𝐲. @mistedblade]

— a couple of minutes, exchanging pleasantries and hollow smiles until exhaustion starts flaying at his nerves.

he makes it up to his room with minimal carnage, barely remembering to change out of his robes. as he reaches into his trunk to grab his pyjamas, he encounters the —

[𝐘𝐚𝐱𝐥𝐞𝐲. @mistedblade]

— yours truly or is this finally the time you call it quits? ”

it's a hollow taunt, mirth dripping from the words like honey. arms crossed over his chest, he raises a single brow, daring.

[𝐘𝐚𝐱𝐥𝐞𝐲. @mistedblade]

he averts his eyes for a moment, grinding his teeth. pain sparks in his jaw, and he finds himself grounded. his brow furrows almost imperceptibly, a matching smirk forming at the words.

“ sure are, darling. think you'll survive another year sharing close quarters with —

[𝐘𝐚𝐱𝐥𝐞𝐲. @mistedblade]

— mind. he breathes an almost imperceptible sigh, eyes searching rookwood's face.

“ wish i'd been there, ”

he mutters, a rare moment of sincerity not disguised with sarcasm. and behind it, the words he didn't utter as well; 𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢.

[𝐘𝐚𝐱𝐥𝐞𝐲. @mistedblade]

abrupt change of subjects are not unfamiliar to corban, especially when it comes to augustus, but the touchy subject makes his fists clench on reflex.

he forces himself to relax, putting the memories of what transpired the past few weeks back at the yaxley major out of —

[𝐘𝐚𝐱𝐥𝐞𝐲. @mistedblade]

— annoyance. the smell of tobacco always made him nauseous.

[𝐘𝐚𝐱𝐥𝐞𝐲. @mistedblade]

“ think you just know me too well. ”

his smile doesn't falter, but his eyes do water in the face of the smoke. he blinks away wetness, features turning softer.

“ quit it with that, will you? ”

it's a spineless chime, nose scrunched as he tethers between amusement and —

[𝐘𝐚𝐱𝐥𝐞𝐲. @mistedblade]

“ información clasificada. pero en ningún lugar importante. ”

[𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒖𝒍𝒖𝒔 𝒂. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌. @xLittleKxng]

“Me alegra verte. ¿Dónde estabas?”

[𝐘𝐚𝐱𝐥𝐞𝐲. @mistedblade]

“ regulus black. ”

[𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒖𝒍𝒖𝒔 𝒂. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌. @xLittleKxng]

“Corban Yaxley, @mistedblade.”

[𝐘𝐚𝐱𝐥𝐞𝐲. @mistedblade]

— “ think you could manipulate me into believing whatever you want. ”

[𝐘𝐚𝐱𝐥𝐞𝐲. @mistedblade]

sharp teeth on display, upper lip curled, to an outsider corban's answering smirk might look like a threatening scowl. yet it's nothing more than that – an amused smile at the taunt.

he tilts his head, looking up at augustus with a faux innocent look through his eyelashes. —

[𝐘𝐚𝐱𝐥𝐞𝐲. @mistedblade]

— bodies.

“ careful there, don't wanna feed my ego too much. ”

[𝐘𝐚𝐱𝐥𝐞𝐲. @mistedblade]

“ could'a fooled me. ”

teasing tone, thick accent curling around the vowels. his free hand hovers over rookwood's waist as he leans in, icy gaze glinting with mischief. he caps the lighter and shoves it back into his pocket, making no move to great the distance between their —

[𝐘𝐚𝐱𝐥𝐞𝐲. @mistedblade]

“ d'you even have to ask? ”

deft fingers reach into fleece lined trouser pockets, pulling out a gold, engraved lighter. he clicks it on and reaches it forwards without further word.

[𝐘𝐚𝐱𝐥𝐞𝐲. @mistedblade]

Good afternoon.