Spontaneous
“I’ve worked it out.” James bounced into the living room where Regulus was curled up reading in front of the fire.
When they had first moved into the Mayfair house, Regulus had given James the same option as he had with Elsbeth, to redecorate where and when he wanted. James, being James, had insisted they do it together. During that first year of marriage, Elsbeth had modernised the house without making it gaudy but there was no homeliness. To that end, James had moved the kitchen up from the basement to where the back recreation room had been on the ground floor, turned the basement into two enormous rooms - one for storage and one as a playroom for the kids. The rest of the house needed only touches here and there. A large low bookcase in the front ground floor living room and another for the second floor sitting room, art work they had bought at different markets from the artists themselves, and a practice room taking up the entire length of the house in the attic. The bedrooms on the third floor had been tasteful and never used so needed no changes.
“And what exactly is being practiced?” Regulus had asked as they had climbed the secret ladder James had insisted be used to get through a trapdoor into the space.
“Everything.” James had replied when they were up in the long empty space. “Flying, archery, fencing, dancing, singing, potion making, spell casting. If it needs practicing it can be done here.”
Regulus had laughed. “Flying?”
“Of course. That indoor game of quidditch we played one New Year’s Eve was amazing for teaching balance and control.”
“You played? I thought everyone was drunk.”
James grinned. “Didn’t make it onto a broom. Kept getting distracted by people. But I’ve always wanted the opportunity to try it.”
“And now you do. I wonder if we could start a market for indoor quidditch and brooms. Hmmm.”
James had swatted him on the arm - and almost lost his hand, Regulus reining in his instinctive reaction at the very last second. James had simply laughed, apologised, and asked permission before he thoroughly kissed the younger man and practiced a very different art form in the room.
Regulus rolled his eyes at the memory. “You’ve worked out what?” He asked looking up from his book.
“Where I first saw you glow. It was ten years ago in Fowey when you took down Voldemort. It was the harshest white light I had ever seen. Sirius had a warmer glow when he was fighting Yig. Is it a Black thing?” James paused. “But I’m not a Black. Hmmm.”
James came over and settled himself on the other armchair, removing a kitten first and placing it on his lap instead.
Regulus looked at them. Man and cat sitting so comfortably together. With him. “Would you like to be?” He asked gazing into the warm honey brown eyes he adored.
“Be what?” James replied brightly, returning the silver blue gaze, still amazed at how the level of blue indicated how Regulus was feeling.
“Be a Black.”
“Regulus Arcturus Black! Are you asking me to marry you?” James laughed.
“James Fleamont Potter. I am asking you to marry me.” Regulus responded seriously.
James sat stunned. This was more than he had ever hoped for. Regulus had been forced to marry once and James was convinced he would never do it again voluntarily.
“Ok.” Regulus said, swallowing his disappointment. This was why he never did anything spontaneously.
“Yes.” James whispered. “Always. Yes.” He tumbled off the chair, landing with his hands on Regulus’s knees. “Ask me again?” He said
Regulus stared into the hopeful eyes now level with his own. “James Fleamont Potter. Will you marry me?”
“Regulus Arcturus Black. With all my heart, body and soul. Always.”
“Not your mind?”
“You keep telling me I only have two brain cells. I’m going to need those to see you way ahead of me.”
Regulus laughed. “You have an amazing mind Jamie. No matter what I might say. And I want you beside me. If you will.”
James laughed, tears running down his expressive face. Regulus reached out to wipe away a tear. James mirrored the movement. “You’re crying. You never cry.”
“I also very rarely do massive life changing things this spontaneously.”
“Does that mean…?”
“Don’t even think it Potter.” Regulus took a deep breath. “I mean it Jamie. I have never wanted anything more than to spend the rest of my life with you. No matter how crazy it is.” He finished with a small smile.
James beamed and leaned in to kiss Regulus. “In that case we need to have a party to celebrate.” He said when they resurfaced.
Regulus blanched. It had taken the past two days to recover his equilibrium from the last one. Though that was probably more the series of nightmares he’d been having for the last few weeks. He forced a sardonic brow to cover his reaction.
James noticed anyway. “Are you okay?” He asked quietly.
“Let’s not make a big deal and wait until the next family gathering.” Regulus suggested.
“Better not this weekend. Sirius would kill us if we usurped his plans.”
“True. Where is the pub crawl this year?”
“Kent I believe. No idea why. Will we get to see sexy Reg?”
“You always get to see sexy Reg?”
“Hmmm …. “
Regulus grinned as he watched various thoughts saunter across the handsome face in front of him.
“True. Ok. Maybe I should have used the word flirtatious. Or flirty Reggie as Sirius calls you.”
Regulus shook his head. Learning to accept Sirius would never call him anything other than Reggie had taken him several years. James tried not to call him Reg in public, but Sirius refused to use his full name saying it reminded him of their diabolical mother too much. “I promise to bring flirtatious Regulus out to play.”
“Can we practice tonight? I really do want to celebrate your momentous spontaneity, and you in flirt mode is magnificent to behold.” James asked, smiling in cheeky joy.
Regulus laughed. “Not a quiet candlelit dinner at a favourite restaurant?”
“We could do both. The question is Paris, New York, London or Berlin?”
“Let’s stick to London. Your German and French are woeful when you get drunk. It’s like you only remember quidditch moves and insults at that point. And we were in New York last month.”
“London it is. Do I need to book anywhere?”
Regulus simply looked at James and waited. He could almost hear when the penny dropped.
“Oh yeah. You never need to do such mundane things.” James teased. “What would the upper echelons think if they knew you cooked for yourself most days?”
“That I was amazing of course.” Regulus replied leaning in, and dropped his voice to a seductive purr. “I do other amazing things as well. Would you like to see?”
“With pleasure.” James sighed as Regulus pulled the taller man down on top of him.