DMs
Regulus Black was anything but someone who fell for a stranger on the internet. He had to be. Every step was always calculated and he made a habit of scoffing every time Barty or Evan showed a picture of some random guy on their phones, exclaiming how they'd be "perfect" for Regulus.
How could they be so adamant that he should fall for someone he's clearly never met and most likely never will? The whole idea of that is entirely repulsive.
"Reg! I found someone you should talk to!"Barty excitedly said, bounding over to Regulus, phone in hand.
Regulus scoffed and rolled his eyes, pressing his thumb to the crease of his book. "Bats, there's no point. Wouldn't know him anyway."
"He's totally your tyyyypeee!"Barty's voice turned a bit sing-songy at the last word.
Regulus sighed, just wanting the interaction to end already, and grabbed the phone from his best friend's hand, much to Barty's delight.
"He looks like some twink professor. Why would I want that?"Regulus muttered, handing the phone back.
"You could look into it. Might at least be worth making a friend."Barty pouted.
"Go to class, Bats."
Barty grumbled something and took his phone back before sulking off to class. Regulus attempted to turn his attention back to the book in his hand, but couldn't seem to focus as the man with the toffee brown eyes and tussled sandy brown hair crossed his mind again. After a few minutes of reading and rereading the same few sentences over and over, Regulus finally gave up and took out his phone, typing the man's username into the search bar of his Instagram.
"What is so good about you..."Regulus muttered to the photos as he scrolled through them.
The man's account was filled with short clips of his lectures, selfies of him reading books, the occasional mirror selfie of him in a sweater with a button down shirt underneath it and baggy jeans, pictures of places he'd been and pictures of what Regulus could assume were his friends. All very safe for work, but it drove Regulus absolutely mad.
Reluctantly, Regulus tapped the follow button at the top corner of the shaggy haired professor's profile and to his surprise, a notification came across the screen, notifying Regulus that the man had followed him back.
Without another thought, Regulus sent a dm.
DarkestLittleStar: Hey, do you follow all of your followers back or was mine just an accident?
ProfMoon:Only the ones who seem the most intriguing.
ProfMoon:Which I suppose begs the question...
ProfMoon:How'd you come across my account?
Regulus' heart jumped to his throat as he fussed over how to answer that. He didn't want to sound like some teenager.
DarkestLittleStar:Just some mindless scrolling between classes.
DarkestLittleStar:Got Snapchat, perchance? Easier to talk there.
ProfMoon:Yeah, username's RJLoop97. Any reason you prefer to speak there?
Instead of replying, Regulus added the man's account, sending a photo of the book still open in his lap, captioning it "I like taking pictures."
The man answered quickly, with a picture from his shirt collar to about halfway down his black tie. The caption read "What's your name then, little photographer?"
Regulus nearly swooned and took a picture of the seal on his uniform jacket, captioning it; "Regulus. And yours, Professor?"
The professor sent back a photo of the mug of tea on his desk. "Remus." "You’re a student?"
Regulus sighed and took a picture of the common area he was sitting in, the dark academia like aesthetic clashing slightly with the bright sunlight coming in from the windows. "I've fucked this up, haven't I?"
Remus sent back a photo of his empty lecture hall. "I was glad to see you don't go to the school I teach at. So, at least I won't be fired for speaking with you. Is the age in your bio on Instagram correct? You're 21?"
Regulus sighed, relieved by Remus' assurance. He took a picture of the side of his face, the angle only showing a bit of his side profile. "Yes sir. And you are?"
Remus replied with a photo of a half smirk on his lips, just the implications of it sent Regulus' mind into a spiral. "26. Would that be an issue?"
Regulus bit his lip and playfully rolled his eyes at the question. He took a picture of the bookshelves to his left. "Oh, Remus, you are clueless for a professor."
Remus sent back a short video, the image was only of the notes on his desk.
"Mhm... I suppose I do have a lot to learn."Remus chuckled quietly. "Good thing it's a hobby of mine."
Regulus let the video loop a few times. Just listening to the older man's laugh and the sound of his slightly gravelly accent. Remus' voice sounded so... so beautiful.
Regulus finally sent a picture back, his free hand covering his mouth and only one side of his face visible in the photo. "Oh we are definitely going to have to call sometime if that's really what you sound like."
Remus sent a photo back, the image showing his hand wrapped around his coffee mug. "Oh? So you like my voice then?"
Regulus gasped softly at the sheer size of the older man's hand before sending a short video back.
The video showed only his lips and Regulus made sure to speak clearly.
"Among other things, Remus."Regulus said, a slight sultry tone to his voice, hoping to tease the professor as much as Remus had him.
Remus sent a photo of his notes once more with the caption. "Glad you enjoy. Your voice is pretty too. I have to teach a class, sweetheart, but I'll message when I get a chance."
Regulus sighed and sunk into the couch he was sitting on. Barty and Evan sauntered in hand in hand and sat down beside him.
"You're blushing, Reg. Good book?"Evan teased.
"Something like that."Regulus muttered, turning his attention to the book in his lap to try and get his mind off Remus.
"You talked to Professor Twink, huh?"Barty asked, the sound of a cheeky grin in his voice.
"How would you know?"Regulus retorted.
Barty swiped Regulus' phone from the smaller man's lap. Regulus made a desperate but futile attempt to get it back, only for Barty to get up from the couch.
"Ooh. You two have been talkiiing."Barty smirked.
"Shut up!"Regulus groaned.
"So you like him!"
Regulus covered his face with his hands in defeat, feeling his cheeks burn red hot. Barty set Regulus' phone in his best friend's lap.
"You two should meet. He teaches at London University. It's only like an hour away."Evan suggested.
"Yeah, let me just meet a guy I only started talking to for a few minutes over Snapchat. Doesn't sound like I'll get attacked at all."Regulus muttered, sitting back and setting a bookmark between the pages of his book and closing it.
"He seems genuine."
"Could be a show for all you know."
"He could make you happy. You'll never know unless you go see him. Maybe audit a class or something. Not like you actually have anything to do here."
"Fine, fine. At least he's an astronomy teacher."
Regulus got up from where he was sitting, mostly to avoid any further conversation with his best friends about his little crush. As Regulus headed out to his car, his phone went off with the sound of another message from Remus. Regulus, pathetically, scrambled to open it.
The picture was one of the window just outside Remus' classroom. "Had just a minute to text, wanted to see your pretty face."
Regulus smirked at the message and sent a selfie of himself with a soft smile on his lips, captioning it "You'll see it in person, soon."
Remus texted back nearly immediately with a selfie of his own, eyebrow cocked in surprise, his beautiful toffee eyes in full view. "Oh really?"
Regulus replied as he got in his car with a picture of his steering wheel. "When's your next class?"
Remus replied with a picture of his coffee mug, now empty. "In two hours. What're you planning, little star?"
Regulus smirked and sent a picture of his dashboard. "You'll see."
Regulus started his small black Mazda and drove to London university. At a stoplight about half an hour later, Regulus checked his messages. Remus had sent another message.
Just a simple photo of his desk with the caption. "Classroom 115."
Regulus smirked and finished the drive to the college, Remus, surprisingly was waiting by the front doors when he pulled up. Regulus took his uniform jacket off and set it in the backseat of his car before getting out and walking right over to Remus like he was just casually meeting a friend.
"You are so much prettier in person."Remus said with a slight smirk on his lips.
"I could say the same about you."Regulus replied, ignoring his own face flushing.
"Clearly. Had lunch yet, pretty boy?"
"I don't tend to eat much."
"Can I buy you lunch anyway?"
"You don't have to."
Remus simply pulled the man in closer, making Regulus realize just how tall the professor really was.
"Just to talk, promise."Remus whispered in his ear.
"Yes sir."Regulus replied around the lump in his throat.
Remus grabbed the cane that was resting against the wall next to him. Regulus raised an eyebrow at him.
"Completing the professor look or..."Regulus asked before he could stop himself.
Remus chuckled, a deep, heavenly sound. "Believe me, I wish it was."
"If you don’t mind me asking, what happened?"
"Had a car crash when I was a kid and it messed up the alignment of my hips so I've been using this since."
"Must be hell."
"I've gotten used to it. Promise I'm still perfectly able to do other things."
Regulus blushed. "I'm quite sure you are."
Remus rested his free hand on the small of Regulus' back. Regulus sighed softly and leaned into the touch just a bit as the two walked to the school cafeteria.
"So what do you go to school for?"Remus asked.
"It's embarrassing."
"Well, you attend a school of the arts. UAL is performing arts and traditional art."
"Ironic. Cause I'm going for tattooing."
Remus smiled slightly. "Honestly didn't peg you as the type."
Remus and Regulus make it to the cafeteria only a few minutes later and Regulus gets something small, Remus only gets a chocolate mocha and a small sandwich before leading Regulus to a quiet table near the back of the cafeteria.
"How'd you become a teacher so young?"Regulus asked, pulling a small piece off of the cream cheese bagel he ordered.
"Graduated at around 18 and kind of just applied to be a professor. I wanted to teach mythical sciences but that class hasn't quite been approved yet, so I've been teaching astronomy since I was nineteen."Remus explained before taking a bite from his sandwich.
"Do you at least enjoy it?"Regulus asked.
Remus sighed. "Yeah. I mostly get people just looking for extra credits. Not as many are really interested."
Regulus ate another small piece of his food, watching the older man's tired expression as Remus took a long sip of his coffee.
"If you don’t mind me asking, what makes you not eat much?"Remus asked.
"Not exactly first date conversation."Regulus shrugged.
"You don't have to answer. I'm just curious."Remus said.
"Well, let’s just say that childhood was a bit... rough for me and when I got into an art school, I simply didn't break the old habit."Regulus muttered, tearing another small piece of bagel off and setting it in his mouth.
"Sounds like it."
Regulus let out a sigh. Remus seemed to pick up on the sentiment and moved his chair over to sit closer to the smaller man.
"Things got a little dark pretty fast there."Remus chuckled.
"Just a little."Regulus smiled softly.
"So let's restart, yeah?"Remus placed a hand on Regulus' thigh.
Regulus turned his head to look up at Remus. Remus smiled softly.
"Can I kiss you, Regulus?"Remus asked softly.
"I've been dying for you to ask, honestly."
Remus leaned down and pressed his lips against Regulus'. Regulus smiled into the kiss and cupped Remus' cheek in his hand.
Regulus could get lost in Remus, more than he knows he should let himself. The taste of chocolate and coffee on the teacher's lips, the softness of his mouth, the gentle way he spoke, the teasing flirty way he messaged. It was all intoxicating.
"I'm sure your class starts soon."Regulus mumbled as they pulled away.
"I know."Remus whispered. "But surely, you didn't just come all the way down here to see me."
"I came to see you teach."Regulus replied, fidgeting with the cuff of Remus' worn, brown leather jacket. "If that's alright."
"Like astronomy or just... curious about the teacher?"Remus mused.
"A bit of both."Regulus smiled.
Remus pressed another soft kiss to Regulus' lips. Regulus savored every second.
"We'll go after you eat. You don’t have to finish it, I just wanna make sure you get at least something."Remus said softly.
"Yes professor."
Remus laughed and leaned back in his seat. Regulus turned back to his food for a moment and took a relatively large bite, a bit of cream cheese getting stuck just below his lip. Before he could wipe or lick it off, Remus swiped his thumb over the splotch and licked the semi-sweet spread from the pad of his thumb.
Regulus' mouth fell open, earning a playful wink from Remus. Regulus bit his lip and looked away, knowing how pathetic he must look staring like that, only to have his face guided back to look at Remus.
"Was that enticing?"Remus teased.
"M-more than you know."Regulus blushed.
"Good to know."
Regulus stood and gently pushed Remus' chin up with his knuckle.
"Let's get to class."Regulus whispered, leaning down just far enough from Remus' lips to tease him.
"You're gonna kill me with that."Remus said as his eyes fluttered shut.
"At least you'll have something to think about on your free time."Regulus smirked.
Remus stood up, using his cane for help and grabbed his coffee from the table. Regulus took their mostly finished food from the table and tossed it in the bin nearby. Remus lead the way to his classroom and only a moment later Remus' students filed into the room. Regulus took a seat and watched as Remus began to ramble about Astronomy. Not that he would admit it but Regulus was mesmerized.