Chapter Text
The waves crashed against the rocks. Jagged and eroding from the tough sea surrounding them. Sea maybe, perhaps an ocean. But a deadly body of water none the less. Regulus looked out and tried hard to remember the safety of the island. It would take millions of years to erode the entire island. Millions of years longer than he would abode on it. For now, it offered protection. He was grateful to still be mortal, even if he was the least grateful about their predicament.
Barty Crouch Junior and Evan Rosier were both immortal when he met them. The closest friends he could have even if they were a little older than him. They both looked young twenties at a stretch late teens. But they were even older and one the son of a sea god and sea monster the other a child of the mother of monsters and a monster. That is the tales the townsfolk said at least. To a twelve year old who loved the sea they were like protective older brothers he never had.
Regulus was told he was supposed to have an older brother, but they were separated when both were young and Regulus had no active memory of him. Only the same tales from townsfolk. Barty and Evan were folks he felt safe with. He didn’t trust the tales from the town and what they spoke of him and his maybe brother. While the town dissed Barty and Evan, Regulus found himself trusting them. People could be so cruel to those they did not know their story.
A couple of years had passed since their meeting and the trio grew close as if brothers. Well a mix of older brothers and of parents of Regulus. Evan and Barty had an interesting relationship with each other and while Regulus would consider them both his brothers, viewers would say that would be incestuous and it was a relief they came from separate mothers and fathers. That was before the town and seas and gods had betrayed them.
Now Regulus looks out at the stormy waters and the clouding gray skies. His brothers should be back soon. He hoped for fresh Octopus and daydreamed of when they used to season the tentacles with lemon juice after frying them above a stove. While there wasn’t exactly lemon on the island, he would still be able to grill it. He decided to distract himself from the storm and collect sticks to make a fire.
The highest point of the island was a small mountain where Regulus would occasionally harvest herbs to season their seafood. The daydream got to him. After collecting enough sticks and drenched to the bone, Regulus realized he still craved the flavoring of extra seasoning. The winds weren’t letting up, and made an ugly howling noise. The snakes made hissing noises agitated at the constant rain and wind, Regulus was putting them through. He grabbed a handmade cloak and covered his head with a quick sorry whispered.
As he climbed up, Regulus found himself having to put his weight forward into the mountain to continue to climb. As he reached the peak and started to harvest he found himself with the desire to look out to the water. Usually he avoided looking at the seas when possible for the memories it carried but the desire was strong and his eyes wondered. In the far, when he squinted, he could have sworn he saw a brownish black dot not too far from the horizon. The water stretched on seemingly forever so the idea of something making its way this close to the island was seemingly impossible. Nothing was really impossible in a world of Gods but that’s the whole point of the word seemingly. Shaking his head, it must be the rain playing tricks on his vision, Regulus grabbed the rest of his herbs and headed back down to the cave where he usually rested to start the fire.
The snakes calmed once they were dry again. They always preferred the heat and warmth of the fire. Regulus was warming up his body and letting his clothes dry out when his brothers arrived at the mouth of the cave.
“Ew gross, Reg. No one wants to see that,” Evan announced their landing.
“I’m nearly your age now anyway,” still Regulus moved to cover himself up.
Barty scoffed, “in Mortal years sure.”
Regulus tied his blanket around his waist. The other clothes were still drying out. The hunger was making his patience wear thin with their antics. “So what did you bring me?” He hoped for an octopus but knew with a storm like the one going on, the chances were slim.
“Flying fish, all leapt into our net. Too rough of seas today to do much below the water.” Evan answered.
They started grilling and Regulus added the herbs to let them cook together.
“Gods, Bitch to land and fly today.” Barty muttered.
“Couldn’t let you starve though,” Evan said with a tease of a smile.
The attempts at conversation began to die out so they ate in silence. Regulus couldn’t stop looking out the opening. The winds were still whipping and the seas were still crashing against the shoreline. He hated the water now but couldn’t stop looking out at it. There was something for him to find, he knew it.
Barty was fussy from the storm and Evan could tell Regulus wasn’t in one of his big talking moods.
“C’mon handsome, lets warm you up.” He tugged on Barty’s wings. Barty let a smile enter his face and Evan led them to their own separate cave.
Regulus resisted the urge to roll his eyes. And they thought he was gross. He undid the blanket around his waist and curled up in his bed with his head facing the fire. He tucked himself under the blanket and allowed the waves crashing against the rocks to lull him to sleep.
When he awoke Barty was standing above him, grinning from ear to ear. Regulus groaned as his body adjusted to being awake. Gods, his smile was annoying. Well he always was in a better mood after getting laid. Evan appeared behind him. Regulus noticed the skies had cleared letting in some light behind them. The sunlight must have awaken him. Awaken him to see these two grinning assholes in front of him. Regulus wanted to go back to bed. The fire had burned out while he was asleep.
“We’re heading out,” Evan spoke first.
“Just wanted to say good morning and make sure you were alright before we left.” Evan elbowed Barty in the ribs, “And sorry for the attitude last night.”
Regulus rolled his eyes and leaned over to give them hugs before they left for the day. As annoying of assholes as they were, they did care. “Bring me back some octopus, I’ve been craving it.”
He watched as their wings spread out and they took flight off the cliff. He watched as they spiraled at each other flying up and up. Then they each took nose dives deep in laughter before changing direction and plunging back up into the sky. His heart panged. He was glad they got to enjoy this transformation. Maybe that meant one good thing had come out of this. He turned away from them as they got smaller in his vision as they flew further away.
Then the same urge from before. To see the water, the coast. He put on his now dried clothes and decided to venture out. As he walked along the shoreline wondering where this strange urge came from he saw it. The blackish brownish thing from before. Only much closer now. Beached on the shore was a boat. There had never been a boat on this island before. Barty and Evan made sure to find an island far away from where civilization touched.
But that wasn’t the strangest thing, because a foot away from that boat, a person stood looking at it complexed. Shaggy brownish black hair, the same as the boat’s color. Beautiful, tanned skin and a broad muscular back. Regulus let out an involuntary gasp and the head started to whip to turn in the direction of the sound.
He quickly hid himself and tried to get his heart rate to calm down. Gods, a person here on the island. On his island. It had to have been four years since he last saw a person. And he was such a beautiful human at that.
“Hello?” The voice cautiously called out to the wind.