A/N: Harry Potter belongs to JKR. This is my first time writing Regulus... I hope it was okay :)

Enjoy!

Word Count (without AN or epigraph): 927

Written for: Test your limits comp round 2 [Cocytus: most painful experience for a character. "I hate you and everything about you.", "I'd rather swallow broken glass.", Damn it (tagline)]; Secret battle comp round 1 [Regulus, fire, angels, butterbeer, Astronomy Tower]; Hunger Games comp [Foxface: situation where death is preferable]; Disney character comp [Blue fairy: someone helping another]; Birthday comp [August - stone - metaphorical volcano]; Fave House Bootcamp [tempting]; Pairing Diversity Bootcamp [eerie]; Major Arcana challenge [Temperance Upright: someone who usually maintains calmness, but is unable to keep anger within during a particular event]

One More Sip

"GODDAMN IT! NO MORE!" Regulus screamed. A thick sheet of sweat covered his forehead and body. His limbs shook violently as the molten lava ran down his throat. As soon as the stuff hit his stomach it was like a volcano erupted within him. Only he didn't burst; blow up along with it. Instead his body contained the scorching explosion that would surely kill a man in literal circumstances. Regulus gasped for dampness that didn't exist in the air, his arms flailing helplessly. Kreacher had to duck and dive to avoid being struck.

"I…I hate you… and EVERYTHING… about you…" Regulus choked as the physiologically tormented elf padded over with more of the potion. His voice was unsteady; the strength of it coming and going like the movement of the tide.

"What did master say?" Kreacher asked. The elf's heart seemed to shatter right then when his master – his companion and friend – looked him in the eye and repeated the hurtful words.

"I hate you and everything about you." It took a lot of effort for Regulus to make himself clear this time. Kreacher looked like he'd just been stabbed or something. Good, Regulus thought. Maybe he'd understand that every time he forces that liquid down my throat it practically stabs my insides with a thousand daggers all at once.

He didn't mean it, of course. And Kreacher knew that. At least, he tried to tell himself that. He was simply following his master's orders, and it was his duty to obey, no matter how painful the experience was for him…. for both of them.

"Please, Master. Kreacher is only trying to help," Kreacher brought the cup to Regulus' mouth. The fear and rage in his eyes made the elf recoil. His master was usually so balanced and composed, calm and patient.

"I'd rather swallow broken glass," Regulus hissed. And that was no exaggeration. The potion was like Hell in a bottle: it was like a liquid Cruciatus Curse. Unrelenting torture.

"Kreacher is sorry. So very sorry. Master is asking Kreacher to help him before."

Regulus thrashed away again, doing anything his dwindling strength would allow to avoid consuming another drop. "Give me one bloody reason why I should drink that!"

"Master is doing this for the greater good. You is telling Kreacher moments ago that-"

"Bollocks to what I said then!" Regulus' throat burned like fire as he yelled.

"Kreacher is sorry," the elf repeated. "Have a drink, Master." He held out the cup again.

Regulus looked at the stuff. So clear. So… pure-looking. His throat was completely dry now. Maybe just one more sip would help.

He was wrong.

The potion seemed twice as potent as it had been last time. Regulus' screams reverberated eerily off the walls of the isolated cave. It burned so much that it felt the inside of his throat was being dissolved and eaten away. He slammed a fist into the stone floor, hoping to channel the sensation out of his system.

That didn't work either.

By the time he'd swallowed it completely, the anger drained out of him. Regulus slumped against the basin, silent tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Please… no more," his voice was barely audible.

"One more sip, Master. Kreacher promises."

One more sip… the words rang in Regulus' head. That's what he'd told himself the previous mouthful would be.

"Only one cupful of potion is remaining, Master," Kreacher said.

Regulus had given up. He could tell that this stuff was going to claim his life sooner of later. He may as well finish the job he'd set out to do: his purpose for coming here. Death was almost like a blessing: a merciful end to his suffering.

He gave one shallow, surrendering nod. He clenched his eyes shut as the cup was brought to his lips for one last time. He imagined butterbeer or water – refreshing and cold – running down his throat. But there was only so much that imagination alone could do for someone. The potion seemed to evaporate in the fire-pit it had created as soon as Regulus swallowed. Apart from the sweat that coated his skin, nothing inside him felt damp. Saliva had all but dried up after the second serving of the liquid ember, and Regulus couldn't cope with it any longer.

"Take the locket… destroy it," he ordered Kreacher. "Put this in… basin…" he handed the elf a fake replica of the Horcrux. "Then… go."

The elf looked desperate to protest, but mimicked his solemn nod as he remembered that Regulus had bade him with these same instructions before entering the cave. He bowed.

"Thank you," Regulus managed to say.

"It has been Kreacher's pleasure to serve you, Master."

The next thing Regulus knew, Kreacher was gone. And he was left alone on an island of stone, surrounded by a tempting expanse of water. In his detached state of mind, Regulus almost likened the location to the Astronomy Tower at Hogwarts, which wasn't surrounded by water, but was equally as isolated as the cave. Up there, in his school days, Regulus felt at peace. Maybe this subconscious association signified that he was going to depart the mortal realm peacefully: his soul free to travel to the ethereal world of angels and spirits.

Unfortunately, luck was not on his side today. The grotesque bodies of Inferi were dragging him to the water's edge before Regulus could even think about protesting or struggling against them. His fate was sealed. He'd be dead before the water could wash away the searing sensation of his insides.

Damn it.

A/N: Thank you for reading, any comments are greatly appreciated :)