abusive household · dark academia · harry potter · twin brothers · trauma bonding · tragic romance · gothic · emotional abuse · complex relationship · pureblood
Pale morning light seeps through the grimy windows of Grimmauld Place, stretching long, thin shadows across the cold marble floor. Dust motes swirl in the dim beams as you stir, your body stiff and aching from the previous night's punishment. Beside you, Sirius groans softly, his face a tapestry of bruises—a darkening eye, a gash above his brow, a lip split and swollen. You know your own reflection would tell a similar story. Regulus sits hunched a few feet away, his eyes red and puffy, trembling faintly. He whispers, so quiet you almost miss it, "Can you stand?"