An offer and a reveal
James
The fire crackles in the corner as the group of Gryffindors sprawls out in their usual spots. James lounges across an armchair, pretending to read a Quidditch magazine but too distracted to focus. The conversation flows around him, but his mind keeps drifting back to that moment with Regulus. He can’t shake it. Why was he crying? Was it that letter he got at breakfast that morning? James doesn’t know.
"Oi, Prongs!" Sirius’s voice snaps him out of it. "You planning to join us, or are you just going to sit there and brood like some angsty poet?"
James shoots him a distracted smile. "I’m not brooding," he mutters, flipping a page of his magazine for the third time. "Just... tired."
Remus, sitting cross-legged on the floor with a book in his lap, glances over at him. "You’re always tired, James. What’s new?"
"Ugh, don’t remind me," James groans, not looking up. Regulus -I’m always cold, rude and distant- Black actually let himself be held by him of all people. Yes, he’s aware that the younger Black hates him. Thinks he took his brother from him and all. So he really needed that hug huh?
Sirius leans against the arm of his chair, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "You know, Prongs, if you need something to perk you up, I can always offer you a private performance." He wiggles his eyebrows exaggeratedly. Oh, how he loves him. The best friend in the world, really.
James rolls his eyes but can’t suppress a grin. "Do I look like I need a private performance, Padfoot?"
Before Sirius can respond, Remus cuts in, a teasing glint in his eye. "He’s always a tough nut to crack, Pads. Maybe you need to work on your charm a bit more."
"Charm?" Sirius scoffs. "My charm’s flawless, thank you very much. Just ask anyone."
Peter, who’s been quietly observing the conversation, finally speaks up, sounding more confident than usual. "Well, I’m sure I would’ve noticed by now. Maybe you should try not charming the socks off of every girl you see, Pads."
Marlene, lounging by the fire with a book, looks up at Peter with a smirk. "Bold words, Peter. You might be onto something. All I’m saying is, if Sirius wasn’t so charming, maybe I wouldn’t feel compelled to hex him every time he’s near me."
Sirius looks at her with a grin, leaning in dramatically. "Is that a challenge, Marlene?"
"Absolutely," she says, her eyes twinkling. "I can’t help it. You make it too easy."
Sirius smirks, clearly enjoying the attention, but Remus, looking amused, leans into his space. "You’re always the one who starts it, Pads."
Sirius looks at Remus, a slow, suggestive smile spreading across his face. "I only start things I know I can finish, Moons."
James rolls his eyes, but the teasing is amusing. The way Remus and Sirius are acting sometimes. Honestly? James thinks they’re secretly dating. No, he’s pretty sure actually. Maybe they’ll trust him with it eventually. Still, his thoughts keep straying, and no matter how much he tries to distract himself with his friends’ antics, something about the way Regulus had looked at him—broken and fragile—keeps gnawing at him.
Peter, sensing the shift in James’s mood, nudges him with his foot. "Oi, mate. You’ve been miles away. Everything alright?"
James blinks, a little startled by the question, but then forces a smile. "Yeah, yeah. Just... tired. Too much going on."
"Fair enough," Peter says, grinning. "But if you want a distraction, just ask. I’m brilliant at them."
Remus, still half-smirking at Sirius, gives James a quick glance. "You sure you’re alright, Prongs?"
James nods quickly, trying to shake off the lingering thoughts. "Yeah. Just... thinking." He clears his throat. "Alright, enough about me. What’s this about Sirius and ‘private performances’?"
Sirius shoots him a wink. "Oh, I think you’d love to know. But that’s for private eyes only." He glances at Remus. He’s too obvious. James smiles fondly. He thinks they’d make for a cute couple, honestly. He doesn’t care that they’re both blokes no matter what some people have to say about that.
Remus gives a dramatic sigh. "Honestly, you two. You can’t even have a conversation without making it sound like a bad romance novel."
Peter snorts with laughter. "I’ll bet there’s a love triangle in there somewhere."
Marlene rolls her eyes but smiles. "More like a love octagon, knowing you lot."
James chuckles despite himself, the familiar warmth of his friends pulling him out of his head, even if just for a bit. He feels a little lighter as they continue to banter, but Regulus still lingers in the back of his mind, quiet and constant.
---
James can’t sleep.
It’s been three days since… Well, since he saw Regulus breaking down. He just keeps thinking about it. James tries to shove it down, burying the image of Regulus’s face—the rawness in his eyes, the way he flinched when James reached out. It doesn’t work. The memory lingers, haunting him in the quiet moments, those when he’s alone, and his mind has nothing else to do but replay that scene.
He’d only meant to check the corridors, looking for some peace of mind, maybe a break from everything. But then he found Regulus, hunched in that alcove, a shadow of the person he’d seen earlier at breakfast. He hadn’t planned on getting involved. He wasn’t even sure why he stayed. But something in the way Regulus looked at him—something broken, vulnerable—had made James’s heart ache. Like someone was asking for help but couldn’t find the words.
It hadn’t been much, the hug. Just a moment of silence. But it had meant more to Regulus than he’d let on. James had felt that—felt how tight he clung to him in the end, like he needed to be held together.
James doesn’t tell Sirius. Doesn’t even think to mention it to Remus, or Peter, or anyone else. He’d promised Regulus he wouldn’t. A stupid promise, but one he’s determined to keep. No one else can know. Not because it’s some great secret—just because it’s not his place to tell. Not his story.
It gnaws at him for a while, the weight of it. It wasn’t just that Regulus was hurt. It was the fact that James understood. He can see how Sirius feels about losing his little brother. Sirius had left, after all, and there’s a gap know. James doesn’t try to fill that gap. It’s Regulus’s space. He’s not trying to replace him, even if that’s what Regulus might think. He didn’t take Sirius away from him. He left. On his own terms. Regulus could have left too. James and his parents would’ve taken him in as well. James hopes he knows that.
That gap though? James had tried to fill it with something else. With being the person Sirius could count on—his best mate, the one who understood. Not his new brother. James wants those two to speak again.
The hug? It wasn’t just about comforting him. James had never realized how much he wanted to do it. How much he wanted to fix things for someone who wasn’t even his someone. His mind keeps circling back to that—Regulus clinging to him like he was a lifeline, the warmth of his body shaking against James’s chest, the way he let himself break.
James doesn’t know what to do with it. With the part of him that wants to help, wants to fix things for Regulus. What if I could make it better for him? He thinks. It’s late. He tried to sleep. He couldn’t.
It’s a stupid thought, James knows that. Regulus would never accept it, never let him in. His mum always told him not to push people too hard. It’s not his job to save everyone. Some people don’t want saving. But still, the thought keeps gnawing at him. He can't just leave it like this. He needs to ask. Needs him to know. Make an offer.
Tomorrow, he thinks and goes to sleep. Feeling better, he actually manages it.
---
The next morning, after breakfast, James grabs his cloak and the map when he sees Regulus alone in a corridor. The corridor feels oppressive, like he’s walking toward something he might regret. But it’s worth the risk. Regulus can’t keep going like this.
He turns a corner and there he is. Regulus Black in all his glory. He’s walking slowly in his Slytherin robes. His hair is really quite beautiful, James notices. It’s black like Sirius’s, but not as long. It’s curly. Curlier than James’s but not as messy.
Ok, focus, James. That’s not the time. He walks up to him from behind. Regulus’s shoulders tense.
“I’ve been thinking,” James says. Regulus groans and starts walking faster.
“Mm, dangerous. Wasn’t aware you can do that, Potter.”, the smaller boy mumbles, not even looking at James. He starts walking even faster.
“Oi, Reg-“
“Don’t call me that.”, he snaps.
“Okay, sorry, Regulus then. Slow down would you?”
To his great surprise, he actually does.
“Thanks.”
Regulus looks up at him, narrowing his eyes. His very beautiful eyes. Grey like Sirius’s, but more silver, somehow. Not as blue. “What do you want, Potter?”
Ah right. That. “I want you to come stay with us. At my house. With my parents and Sirius.”
Regulus stops walking and looks at him with a frown. So not what he expected then. Fair.
“It’s an offer, not some bloody rescue mission.” James hesitates, feeling his pulse quicken as Regulus’s gaze hardens. “You can stay there. Away from all this. No more Black family nonsense. You don’t have to go back home for Christmas. You could—”
Regulus cuts him off with a sharp laugh, one that holds more bitterness than amusement. “You think that would make a difference? You think running away will fix anything?” He stands, his hands trembling slightly at his sides. “I’m not a charity case, Potter. I don’t need you to save me.”
The words sting more than James would’ve expected. It’s not that Regulus is wrong—it’s that he’s so alone in that moment. But James doesn’t back down. “I’m not trying to save you. I’m offering a place where you don’t have to keep pretending everything’s fine. Where you can breathe. You don’t have to accept it, but I’m offering it anyway.”
Regulus glances away, his gaze dropping to the floor like he’s trying to hide from James’s sincerity. “Why are you doing this?”
“I don’t know,” James admits quietly, stepping closer. “But… I know that sometimes you don’t want to be around people, but… you need them anyway. You don’t have to be alone.”
There’s a silence that stretches between them. Regulus looks him in the eyes. He looks angry, like he’s about to snap back, say something mean. It’s a strangely good look on him. Has his jawline always been like that? That sharp? You cut actually cut vegetables with it-
“No,” Regulus thankfully interrupts that line of thought. Come on, James! Focus! This is important. Wait did he just say no?!
“I can’t. I can’t leave them. Even if they’re... horrible. There’s no spare anymore. So… Even if I wanted to leave, I-… Well, I can’t. I won’t. So don’t ask again.” His voice breaks, just a little, and the flicker of vulnerability is so fleeting that James almost wonders if he imagined it.
James nods. Yeah, he expected that. He can’t force Regulus to take the offer. But damn it, he wishes he could do more. “Okay. But if you change your mind, the offer still stands. And if you ever need someone to talk to, or… anything…” He lets the sentence hang, the hope there, unspoken.
Regulus’ s jaw tightens, his shoulders are stiff. “We’re not friends, Potter. Far from it. I’m not Sirius. Just leave it”, he hisses. Expression cold.
James wants to argue. He wants to keep pushing, but something in Regulus’s eyes tells him to stop. He wants to say something, anything to make it better, but he doesn’t. He promised. And so he keeps his mouth shut, watching Regulus leave for his first class that morning.
As he walks away, he can’t shake the feeling that he hasn’t done enough.
It’s been a long day. Classes are draining. James is in his seventh year now. He’s almost eighteen and this year there’s NEWT’s. It’s way more stressful than his fifth year with OWL’s.
He’s currently sitting on his bed in his dorm room. The sky is actually clear outside for once. He’d like to go for a fly but no, he’s got studying to do. It’s annoying. He can’t really concentrate anyways. Still thinking about his conversation with Regulus earlier. It pisses him off a bit. Why won’t he just leave already? He clearly misses Sirius and it’s mutual. They could try again, make it work this time, James is sure of that. He’d be free from his abusive shit ass mother too. He deserves better. They both do.
Fuck, concentrate! He forces himself to focus on reading again. He really needs to finish this chapter for Transfiguration.
He stares out of the window.
“Prongs,” Sirius says in an accusing tone, “whatever you’re doing there, it does not look productive at all.” He points out the obvious. James has already read the same sentence thrice now. Sirius walks over to him. He looks comfortable in his worn-out swea—
“Hold on.” James looks him up and down, pointing a finger at his best friend’s chest. “That’s Moony’s sweater! How come you get to wear his sweaters and I don’t? Not fair.” James pouts. They all want to wear Remus’s big, comfy muggle sweaters, but Remus never lets them. If there’s one thing he’s selfish about, it’s his sweaters… and chocolate. Sirius looks sheepish.
And—
“Are you blushing?” James teases him. And, yep, now he’s blushing even harder. James’s theory must be true then. Huh. Interesting.
“Fuck off, Prongs,” Sirius mutters, embarrassed, shoving James lightly. “I don’t know why he allowed it.” It’s obviously a lie. No, James can’t have that.
“Pads,” James says softly, urging him to look at him. Sirius moves his head, looking a bit like a startled deer (hah, deer). James isn’t having that, though, so he adds quietly, “You know you can tell me anything, right? I won’t judge. Nothing could make me love you any less.”
There’s a pause. Sirius just watches him quietly, like he’s weighing his next words carefully. Okay, maybe that was a bit too sappy. But—
James’s thoughts are abruptly cut off as Sirius snatches him into a very loving hug.
“Thank you, James,” he whispers into his sweater. “I think I-… I really needed to hear that.” They hold each other for a bit longer until Sirius slowly pulls away. He sits up a bit straighter, breathes in deeply, and looks at James. James looks right back, a soft smile on his face.
“You’re right, I—” Sirius trails off, unsure what to say, probably.
“Padfoot,” James places a gentle hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me. I don’t know anything until you tell me, yeah? But I’m here for you,” he nudges his shoulder.
Sirius lets out a shaky breath. “God, I really don’t deserve you. Okay, no, yeah,” Sirius stutters, not looking James in the eyes. “I want to tell you. I want— no, I need you to know. I need you to be fine with it. With me.” He looks him in the eyes and announces, somehow shy but also bluntly,
“I’m gay. James, I like boys… I like Remus. I’m dating him. We’re together. Like, properly.”
James feels a rush of something warm in his chest—relief, maybe, because he’s known for a while now. Hell, he’d been waiting for them to finally say something. But he keeps his face neutral for a second, just to watch Sirius squirm.
Then he grins. “Fucking finally!”
Sirius blinks. “What?”
James laughs, pulling him back into another hug, rough and affectionate. “I’ve been waiting for you to admit it for ages. Mate, you two are terrible at being subtle. Sharing clothes? Sneaking off together? The whole ‘doe-eyed stare’ thing? All the flirty bickering? Yeah, real secretive.”
Sirius gapes at him, looking almost offended. “You knew?”
James just shrugs, completely unbothered. “Kind of hard not to. You’re not exactly inconspicuous. And, honestly? I was just waiting for you to tell me. I figured it was your thing to share, not mine to guess.”
Sirius blinks again, then huffs a laugh, relief visibly washing over him. “You git.”
“Love you too,” James quips back, giving his shoulder a squeeze. “And, Pads? I’m really happy for you. You deserve someone who makes you happy. And Moony’s brilliant. Plus, maybe now he’ll let me borrow one of his sweaters, too.”
Sirius finally grins, something lighter settling in his posture. “In your dreams, Prongs. Moony’s mine now, and so are his sweaters.”
James scoffs, pretending to be offended. “Greedy bastard.”
“You know, if you were a bit prettier, maybe he’d lend you his sweaters too.”
James gasps dramatically, clutching his chest. “How dare you? I’m gorgeous! Remus knows it. He’s just playing hard to get.”
Sirius barks a laugh. “Yeah, alright. Keep telling yourself that, Prongs.”
James just shakes his head, content to let Sirius think he’s won this one. He watches as Sirius fiddles with the sweater sleeves, looking lighter than he has in a long time. James can’t help but smile.
“I’m glad you told me,” he says softly. Sirius gives him a crooked smile in return. “I thought your taste in guys would be worse though. Moony’s a catch. You know I just might-“
“Hands off my man!”, Sirius barks. James laughs.
“Oh so he’s your man now?” he teases.
“You know I’m already starting to regret telling you.”, he glares at James. But then he smiles. Then his smile stretches into a relieved grin. James feels himself do the same.
They sit in comfortable silence for a moment, both grinning like idiots. James is just glad to see Sirius looking happy—really, genuinely happy.
Then the portrait hole bangs open, and Remus walks in, looking vaguely exasperated as Peter trails behind him, yammering about some new chocolate frog card he found. Sirius’s eyes light up the second he spots him, and James can’t help but notice how Remus’s expression softens when their eyes meet. Cute.
“Hello there Moony. Heard you’re corrupting my best mate.”, James watches as surprise flickers over Remus’s face for a moment, before he smiles.
“You told him?”, he asks his boyfriend. Oh, it’s strange thinking of him as Sirius’s boyfriend. But a cute kind of strange.
“Told him what?”, Peter asks them, looking confused. The poor sod.
“We’re dating.”, they both announce proudly at the same time. Then Peter also starts grinning like an idiot.
“Fucking finally!”