Bohemian Rhapsody
The next morning, James is pacing in the garden, muttering to himself, when a familiar crack of Apparition makes him jump. Remus steps into view, scarf still looped neatly around his neck despite the mild weather, a book under one arm and a very Remus-like air of calm curiosity around him.
“You look like someone set your dignity on fire,” Remus says by way of greeting.
James just groans and flops face-first into the nearest bench. “Moony. Help. It’s an emergency.”
Remus raises a brow. “Is Sirius alive?”
“Yes.”
“Are you alive?”
“Barely.”
“Then it’s not an emergency. What happened?”
James lifts his head, wild-eyed. “I like him.”
Remus squints. “You’re going to have to be a bit more specific. You like a lot of people. You like me, and you once told a suit of armor you loved it.”
James sits up and stares at him. “I like blokes too, Remus. I like Regulus.”
There’s a beat of silence.
James starts explaining everything to his friend. Remus already knew that Regulus left. Sirius told him and, apparently that’s why he’s here. He wants to visit his boyfriend and Sirius wants to tell Regulus about them dating. Sirius is nervous about it. When James gets to the flirting bit, Remus just stares at him.
Then—
Remus howls with laughter.
Full-body, nearly-drops-his-book, cackling laughter.
James stares at him in horror. “You’re the worst person I’ve ever met.”
Remus wipes his eyes. “No, you’re just very predictable.”
“I’m not!”
“You are,” Remus says, still grinning. “You’ve had a thing for mean people with soft insides since second year. Y’know, Lily?! I’m honestly shocked it took you this long.”
James flails a little. “But he’s Sirius’s brother!”
“Yes, and he’s also wearing your hoodie and calling you a golden retriever. I’m not sure which is more damning.”
James lets out a whimper. “It’s doomed. I’m doomed.”
Remus, finally serious, sits beside him. “James. Listen. First—take a breath. Second—do you actually think Regulus doesn’t like you back?”
James hesitates. “He’s just… tryna make me suffer.”
Remus snorts. “He’s flirting. With you. And not just normal, teasing flirting. The real kind. The kind that makes you want to throw up and also recite poetry.”
James grimaces. “Why is that so accurate.”
“Because I’m smarter than you.”
James glares.
Remus softens, nudging him gently. “Do you like him? Like, actually?”
James nods slowly. “It’s not just that he’s pretty. I mean—he is, obviously, unfairly—but it’s… more. He’s so sharp, but he listens. He’s funny, but never mean… Well, not anymore. Just snarky. He’s trying so hard to trust us, to stay, even though everything’s been shit. And he—he smiled at my mum, Remus. Like he didn’t think he was allowed to, and then realized he could. And I— I just—fuck.”
Remus watches him with something warm in his expression. “Then you’re not doomed, Prongsie-boy. You’re just in trouble.”
James groans. “That’s not helpful.”
“But it’s true.” Remus shrugs. “So here’s what you do: you don’t panic. You don’t run. You keep being kind. You keep being James. Let him settle. Let him stay. And if, somewhere down the line, he looks at you like you’re the one thing he’s sure of—then you tell him.”
James swallows. “And if he doesn’t?”
“Then you’ll still be someone who made him feel safe when he needed it. And that matters more than your feelings.”
James is quiet for a long moment. “You think Sirius’ll kill me?”
Remus gives him a flat look. “No, he won’t. I think you’ll be okay.”
James laughs weakly. “Okay. Okay. Don’t tell anyone please.”
Remus nods. They sit for a while in companionable silence. Then James mutters, “I still think I might throw up.”
Remus pats his shoulder. “That’s the spirit. Welcome to love. I’ll go snog my boyfriend now if you don’t mind.”, he says bluntly and leaves James sitting there, cold and confused.
He loves him dearly.
---
James has never been so grateful for the silence of the house before.
The quiet stretches on like it has all the time in the world, but inside, James can feel the tension buzzing in the air. Remus and Sirius have gone out for a walk—talking about Merlin knows what; probably how they’re going to confide in Regulus—and Effie and Monty have headed off to the Ministry for Regulus’s guardianship thing. James knows it’s a big deal to Regulus, and he can practically feel the nerves radiating off him, even though Regulus hasn’t said a word about it.
So, when he finds Regulus in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, staring into his cup of tea like it holds the answers to all his questions, James makes a decision.
“Oi,” James says, leaning against the doorframe, trying to sound casual, “you look like you’ve been run over by a herd of Blast-Ended Skrewts.”
Regulus doesn’t even look up. “I feel like it,” he mutters, his voice flat. “It’s just... a lot, you know?”
James nods, stepping into the kitchen. “I get it. You’ve got a lot on your plate.”
Regulus finally lifts his gaze, though it’s unfocused, distant. “I don’t know what’s going to happen.” His voice drops a little lower. “What if they don’t let me stay here?”
James’s chest tightens. He doesn’t have the answers, not really, but he hates the thought of Regulus not feeling safe in his own home, surrounded by people who care for him. People who want him there.
“You’re not going anywhere,” James says, and his voice is firm—maybe a bit too firm. “Don’t worry about it. You’re staying here with us, no matter what. We’ve got your back.”
Regulus gives him a small, tight smile, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. He takes a slow breath, as if trying to calm himself. “Thanks. It just feels...” He trails off, shaking his head.
“Yeah, I get it,” James says again, trying to think of something, anything, that might distract him. “You want to listen to something?”
Regulus raises an eyebrow, clearly a little thrown off. “What, like music?”
James grins, moving over to the counter where his Walkman and a few tapes are sitting. “Yeah! You ever heard muggle music?”
Regulus blinks, his expression shifting from confused to mildly intrigued. “Muggle music? Muggles have music too?”
James nods enthusiastically. “Of course they do. It’s... well, it's not wizard music, if that's what you mean. It’s different. Remus introduced us to it in our second year. I honestly like it better.”
He tosses the headphones over to Regulus, who catches them awkwardly, still unsure about the whole thing. James grins, popping the headphones over his own ears and fumbling with the buttons to find the right song. Regulus looks at him suspiciously but puts his headphones on as well.
“Right, this one,” he mutters, selecting the tape with a flourish. “You’re going to love this one.”
He presses play, and the unmistakable opening notes of Bohemian Rhapsody fill their ears. Regulus blinks, looking skeptical, and surprised but as the song picks up, James sees the subtle shift in his posture—the way his shoulders relax, how his eyes soften as he listens.
James watches him, trying to act casual. But he can’t help it. Regulus’s face—so open, so genuine as he listens to the music—almost feels too much for him to handle. He hasn’t realized how close Regulus is sitting until their legs brush, but when he notices, he makes a conscious effort not to flinch away.
The song swells and shifts, and Regulus’s eyes widen just slightly. James grins to himself, knowing that the music is getting to him.
“You like it, don’t you?” James teases, his voice light.
Regulus, face flushed from the intensity of the song (or maybe from something else), looks over at James. He opens his mouth to say something, then closes it again, clearly reluctant to admit that maybe—just maybe—he has enjoyed it.
“I’ve never heard anything like it,” Regulus says after a moment, his voice quieter than usual.
“Yeah, Queen’s something else, huh?” James keeps his tone teasing, but underneath it, his heart is racing. He can’t stop thinking about how Regulus looked while he was listening—how the music seemed to make him glow, how his lips parted just a little when the guitar riff came in, his eyes wide with wonder.
Regulus doesn’t respond right away. He’s too lost in the music, his eyes closed as the final notes play. When it finishes, he pulls the headphones off slowly, as if reluctant to let the moment end.
“That was...” Regulus’s voice trails off, and for a moment, James thinks he’s going to leave it at that. But then, with a sheepish look, Regulus admits, “That’s... the best song I’ve ever heard.”
James’s grin can’t be wiped away. “You liked it, then?”
Regulus glances up at him, a faint blush coloring his cheeks, and for a moment, his eyes soften in a way James hasn’t seen before. “Yeah. I did,” he says quietly, then looks away quickly, his voice turning defensive. “Don’t get used to it.”
“I’m not,” James says, trying to keep his voice light, though his heart is pounding. “I’m just saying, maybe you’ve got taste after all.”
Regulus rolls his eyes, but there’s a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He glances at James briefly, then back at the floor, his fingers absently twisting the headphones in his hands.
James, though, is lost. Watching Regulus now, his heart feels too full for words. His fingers twitch with the urge to reach out, but he holds himself back, unsure of what it would mean. Instead, he focuses on the ridiculousness of the moment—sitting here with Regulus Black, his world turned upside down, with Bohemian Rhapsody still ringing in his ears.
“Alright, fine,” James says, trying to lighten the mood, “you can like one song. But you’ve got to promise to listen to more. Queen’s whole albums of hits.”
Regulus groans.
---
James returns home. His cheeks are red and his hands are cold from being outside for a while. When his parents got back from the ministry earlier, they wanted to talk to Regulus alone. They seemed happy though, so they’re likely going to be his guardians soon. James thought a lot about Regulus listening to one of his favorite songs in the world. His expression, the way his eyes widened in wonder. He even admitted liking it. Remus and Sirius didn’t return yet so James made a decision. He feels a little nervous entering the living room, but it’s empty.
James walks up the stairs and to the second guest room, which is now Regulus’s room. He knocks on the door before the courage leaves him. There’s a muffled sound from the other side of it and then: “Come in!”
James opens the door. Regulus is sitting at the desk, scribbling something into a notebook; closing it when he sees James entering. His posture straightens slightly and he raises an eyebrow. Clearly waiting for whatever James wants to tell him.
James takes a slow breath, his heart thudding in his chest. He feels the heat on his face, the same nervous flutter that hits him whenever he does something slightly out of character. This shouldn’t be that difficult, right? It’s just a gift. A small one. A little Christmas present.
Regulus looks up from his notebook, his eyes catching James’s with that sharp, assessing gaze. There’s a tension in the air between them, something unspoken that James doesn’t quite know how to handle. But now that he’s here, he can’t just turn back. He’s already made up his mind.
He pulls the small wrapped package from behind his back, holding it out with a sheepish smile. “Hey,” James starts, trying to keep his voice light, “I got you something. A late Christmas thing. I know you didn’t really get one this year and… well, I thought you might like it.”
Regulus doesn’t immediately reach for it. Instead, he looks at the package with the same unreadable expression, his brow furrowed slightly. His lips curl into a small, skeptical smile as he raises an eyebrow, though his posture shifts ever so slightly—reluctantly intrigued.
“You’re giving me a present?” Regulus asks, voice dry. But there’s no venom behind it, no edge. He’s not annoyed, just… confused.
James can’t help the awkward laugh that bubbles up from his chest. “Yeah, I know. I just—well, I wanted to get you something. After the whole… you know.” He motions vaguely, hoping Regulus understands. “Thought you might like this.”
Regulus’s eyes flick to the package again, then back up at James. There’s a long beat of silence before he finally takes it, carefully peeling back the wrapping. He pulls out the Walkman and the Queen album, his eyes lingering on the cover for a second longer than necessary.
It’s a moment that feels almost too fragile. James is trying to keep his face neutral, but he’s pretty sure the nerves are written all over him.
Regulus raises an eyebrow again, the corner of his mouth tugging upwards just a little. “This is... what, another attempt to get me to like Muggle stuff?” he says, voice light but tinged with curiosity.
James shrugs, his heart pounding in his ears. “Maybe,” he says, trying to keep things casual. “You clearly loved bohemian rhapsody, so I thought you might like the whole album.”
There’s a flicker of something in Regulus’s eyes, an emotion that James can’t quite place. Something soft, maybe. But before James can figure it out, Regulus looks away, his hands still holding the gift but not really knowing what to do with it.
For a second, James thinks he was being too obvious. Maybe Regulus doesn’t like the gift. Then, without warning, Regulus’s gaze flicks back to James, and he mutters something that catches James off guard.
“Thanks,” Regulus says quietly, almost under his breath.
James’s stomach does a little flip. It’s simple, but it’s enough. Regulus doesn’t say it often, and James isn’t sure how to react. He hadn’t expected this—hadn’t expected anything—so he just blurts out the first thing that comes to mind, his voice quieter than usual.
“No problem. Really, though… you can keep it if you want. I’m not, like, expecting you to give it back or anything.”
Regulus smirks. It makes James’s knees weak. Merlin, he’s pathetic. “Yeah, James I know how presents work.”, he teases.
James’s face heats up. What a stupid thing to say.
“I’ll keep it,” Regulus says with a nod, still smirking. He carefully sets the album down on the desk, as though giving the gift the reverence it might deserve. Then, unexpectedly, he stands up from the desk and walks over to James, his movements slow and deliberate.
James isn’t sure what’s happening until Regulus is standing directly in front of him, and before he can do anything, Regulus has wrapped his arms around him in a quick, almost awkward hug. It’s short, barely a moment, but it makes James’s heart skip a beat.
Regulus pulls back just as quickly, stepping away with a slight frown.
“Alright,” Regulus says, a touch gruff, his voice pretending to be unaffected. “Don’t get used to this, yeah? I’m just a little bit more emotional than usually right know. You can’t blame me.”
James feels a grin tug at his lips despite the storm of emotions swirling in his chest. His hands are still cold from being outside, but the warmth from Regulus’s hug lingers.
“Yeah, yeah,” James teases lightly, his fingers twitching with the urge to mess with Regulus again. “Sure Regulus. Blame it on that if it makes you feel better.”
Regulus glares at him, but there’s no real bite to it. He crosses his arms over his chest, but there’s a small, reluctant smile hiding in the corners of his lips. “I’m not lying,” he says with a scoff. “Just... surprised me, is all.”
“Uh-huh, sure,” James chuckles, stepping back slightly, trying not to let the warmth on his cheeks show. He reaches up, lightly ruffling Regulus’s hair again without thinking, unable to resist. “Well, I’m glad you like it. Even if you won’t admit it.”
Regulus swats at him, eyes narrowing as he pulls away with a scowl. “Don’t touch my hair.”
James laughs, watching the way Regulus’s scowl deepens, though there’s a glint of something in his eyes that’s not entirely annoyed. “Come on, Reg, admit it. You’re a little touched, aren’t you?”
Regulus rolls his eyes, but James can see the faintest blush creeping across his cheeks as he glares at James. “I don’t do sentimentality,” he mutters, his voice a little less forceful now.
James only grins wider. “Sure you don’t,” he says, his voice softening. “But, you know, I’m here if you need it. Any time.”
Regulus huffs, looking away quickly. “Yeah, whatever,” he mutters, though James catches the tiniest flicker of something in his expression before he looks down at the album again.
The moment is quiet, comfortable in a way it never used to be. And as James watches Regulus hold the gift in his hands, he can’t help but feel a little lighter. It was a good idea after all.