Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.

Written for; Amanda, for the gift-tag, using the request - BartyReg, Betrayal.

Word Count - 1737

Beta'd by Amber

Warning - There are a few mentions of sex throughout, though nothing overly graphic. There's also mentions of child abuse, and a warning for Character Death.

Two Sides To The Same Story

Regulus watched him carefully for weeks.

He knew there was something about the Ravenclaw, he just wasn't completely sure what it was.

So he watched.

…

Barty knew he was being watched.

He wasn't sure why he was being watched, but the steel grey eyes followed him whenever they shared a space.

So he waited.

…

"That looks nasty; you should go and see Madam Pomfrey."

Crouch looked up quickly, shaking his sleeve over the bruises on his wrist. "It's nothing.."

Regulus knew different. He recognised those bruises, had seen them on Sirius' wrists often enough. He wondered if this was what he'd seen in Crouch.

…

He should have been more careful, Barty knew. He'd known Black was watching, he should have ensured his bruises were better covered.

Nobody needed to know how weak he was.

Nobody needed to know how much of a disappointment he was to his father.

Barty brushed away the feigned concern and walked away.

…

"Who is hurting you?" Regulus asked, his voice soft.

Crouch blinked at him, face blank and emotionless. "I don't know what you're talking about, Black."

"You come back after every school break with new bruises littering your skin," Regulus whispered. "Is it your father? Is he the one doing this to you?"

"You think you're clever, don't you?" Crouch snarled. "Why do you care?"

…

"Why do you care?" Barty asked, his voice filled with venom.

He didn't need the reminder of his weakness, didn't need Black to be watching him so closely he could read the secrets from his mind.

Black tilted his head to the side and stared at him for a long time. "I don't know."

…

Crouch became Barty. Regulus wasn't too sure how it had happened, but it had, and he couldn't bring himself to regret it.

Kisses were exchanged in secret, hands caressing bare skin got more adventurous as time passed them by.

Healing spells were whispered, followed by the softest brush of lips on the newly unmarred skin.

"You don't have to be treated this way," Regulus murmured. "There's another way."

…

Barty couldn't get Regulus' words out of his mind.

"You don't have to be treated this way."

Barely whispered words of The Dark Lord filled Barty until he was shaking with a need for the freedom Regulus promised.

A way out.

A part of him told him no, told him not to betray his father, that he'd regret it in the end.

That part of him shrunk with every caress of Regulus' soft fingers, a kind touch to replace the memory of his Father's.

…

"It's not as easy as that," Barty argued, a repeated argument much to Regulus' displeasure. "My father would sooner see me through the veil than forgive me taking his mark!"

"Your father would be insignificant if you joined him," Regulus replied calmly. "You'd never have to deal with him again."

"Reg…"

Regulus leant back against the wall and shook his head. "We're going in circles, Barty. It's the only way we can be together and be happy. Don't you want that?"

…

He knew it was a manipulation and he still couldn't say no.

Regulus had become his whole life, had pushed and shoved and inserted himself into every part of Barty.

The worst of it was that even if he could, he wouldn't change it.

Regulus was everything.

…

Regulus threw the comb onto the dresser and smiled at Barty. "You're perfect," he murmured, leaning forward into the outstretched arms. "Are you ready for this?"

Barty nodded, his hair tickling Regulus' neck as he burrowed closer. "I'm ready to always have you."

Regulus pushed away the guilt that prickled on his skin and smiled, pressing lips to Barty's temple. "Then let's go."

…

It burned. It burned so bad, Barty felt like his arm was literally on fire. He clenched his jaw against the screams that fought to leave his lips, to no avail.

Not that it mattered.

The sparkle in the ruby eyes told Barty that The Dark Lord enjoyed the screams of his victim; even when that victim was swearing fealty to him.

Barty focused his mind on Regulus. On keeping Regulus. It was the only thing that mattered.

…

Regulus collapsed to the side, breathing hard. Barty lay on his back on the bed, eyes closed and chest heaving.

He was beautiful like this.

Unable to stop himself, Regulus tugged him close, arranging Barty against his side. Barty snuggled closer still, until there wasn't a space between them.

"You did so well, Baby," Regulus murmured, stroking his hands through Barty's sweat drenched hair. "I love you."

...

"I love you too," Barty slurred, his usual eloquence stolen by his still panting heart.

He hadn't known something could feel so good, but having Regulus inside him, surrounding him, was so much more than anything he'd ever felt before.

It was worth the newest blemish on his skin.

…

"What the hell happened to you?" Regulus asked, as Barty staggered into the flat they shared, barely able to hold himself up.

He rushed forward to support his boyfriend over to the sofa, easing him down against the cushions.

"I messed up," Barty admitted. "The Dark Lord wasn't pleased."

"He did this to you?" Regulus asked, eyes narrowing.

…

Barty didn't like the look in Regulus' eyes.

"I'm fine," he assured him, reaching out a hand to pull Regulus down beside him. "Nothing a hot bath and a good night's sleep won't fix."

Regulus nodded, though Barty could see the doubt in his eyes.

…

Barty was barely home. He was favoured by the Dark Lord, and whispers of his exploits reached Regulus' ears from others.

Blood-thirsty, they said. Cruel, evil, and vicious.

That wasn't the Barty that Regulus knew, but he was beginning to wonder if it wasn't the Barty he'd made.

…

"Reg?"

Barty waited for an answer that never came and sighed to himself. Regulus had been distant lately, uncommunitive and aloof. Barty climbed out of their bed and padded into the lounge, unsurprised to find Regulus standing by the window, a glass of scotch in one hand, a cigarette billowing smoke in the other.

"Why are you up?" Barty asked, stepping closer.

He tried to ignore the way Regulus flinched from his hand.

…

"Why are you up?" Barty asked, reaching out to grab Regulus' shoulder. Regulus couldn't stop himself from flinching, no matter how hard he tried.

"Couldn't sleep," Regulus hedged, unable to tell Barty the truth.

Once upon a time, he'd have said that Barty would never hurt him, but lately… lately, he'd seen the madness sparking in his eyes.

He couldn't help but envy his younger self for that belief. He'd give anything to have it back.

"Come back to bed, baby," Barty murmured, stepping even closer until he was plastered against Regulus' back. "I'll tire you out."

…

Regulus lay beneath him as Barty pushed him closer and closer to the edge of orgasm. He was panting, sweat gathering at his temple and he looked gorgeous in the low light of the candles around them.

Barty pushed himself up, more, raising his hand to brush his own hair back from his head. Regulus flinched and ducked away from the hand.

His orgasm built and he came, bringing Regulus off a moment later, before he rolled off his boyfriend.

"You know I wouldn't hurt you, right?" he asked, turning his head to look at Regulus. "I would never hurt you."

"I know."

Barty couldn't bring himself to call Regulus on his lie.

…

They lay in silence.

Neither of them reached for the other.

Regulus felt bereft at the loss of something fundamentally them.

When had making love turned into fucking?

When had love turned into fear?

…

A chance for a long mission came, and Barty took it without pause. He had to get away, needed some space from the man he'd loved since they were naught but kids.

Everytime he looked at Regulus, he saw fear, and he hated it. Regulus had once looked at him with a playful sparkle, with lust, with love with happiness.

Barty didn't know what that had changed. He didn't know why it had changed. Everything he did, everything he'd become, all of it was for Regulus.

Space would help, he thought. Space and time, and maybe when he returned, Regulus would be waiting for him with open arms and love in his eyes again.

…

He knew he'd done this to Barty. Knew the blame for what Barty had turned into laid on Regulus' shoulders.

He wanted to fix it, but he didn't know how.

Barty wouldn't run away with him. Not now. Not when he was so embroiled in everything the Dark Lord was, everything he stood for.

But.

Regulus wondered if the Dark Lord was no more, would Barty be Regulus' Barty again?

…

Barty was unceremoniously flung into a dungeon cell and left there. He was confused, hadn't done anything wrong as far as he knew. The mission had been a success, and Barty had retrieved the item His Lord had requested.

He paced the small cell for what could have been minutes, hours or days, until the gate finally clanged. Lucius Malfoy sneered at him, before he gestured with his head for Barty to follow him.

Their Lord was awaiting, with the Death Eaters gathered around them. Barty barely managed to not roll his eyes at them. They were practically emanating their glee that Barty would be punished, jealous of the favour with which he was usually treated.

"Did you know?" His Lord asked, as Barty knelt before him.

"I'm sorry, My Lord. Did I know what?"

…

Cold hands clutched at him, dragging him down into the freezing water. Regulus let it happen.

In his mind, he pictured Barty.

Young. Innocent. Carefree.

Exactly as Regulus should have left him.

…

He sat on the floor in the middle of the trashed flat, a bottle of firewhisky clutched to his chest.

Barty didn't know how to feel, what to think.

This wasn't something he could curse or stab, wasn't something he could spell away, wasn't something he could fix.

Regulus had betrayed their Lord, had betrayed him.

He hadn't even left a note.

He was just gone.

…

One man was pulled into the water, but two men died with his last breath.

Also written for;

Disney - C6. Write about someone being injured.

Book Club - Ambiades - Comb / Envy / Betrayal

Showtime - 1. Two sides to a story

Sophie's Shelf - 1. You think you're clever, don't you?"

Basement - 3. One of a couple dying

Fan Club - 3. Barty Crouch / 15. Arm

Supernatural - 18. Soul Eater - Barty Crouch / 6. Eloquence

Japan - Change - Something changing

Slytherin - Regulus Black

365 - 17. Veil

1000 - 84. Barty Crouch