5 Ways To Make A Star Smile

5 Ways to Make a Star Smile:

#3) Flowers

Lily’s phone pinged over and over in her pocket during that sunny Saturday afternoon. At some point, she’d put it on do not disturb and turned up the music playing in her headphones. She loved James, but she was not in the mood for his twelve-year-old-girl-esque crush. It was a lovely day and she peacefully strolled down an older street littered with hole in the wall shops.

She peered through the windows of the places that caught her eye, eventually coming upon a cute little flower shop. Imagine her surprise to see none other than Pandora Lovegood draped over the front counter engaged in conversation with a customer.

The blonde had mentioned working at her Nana’s business, but Lily had never inquired further, seeing as her mouth was…otherwise occupied.

She ducked through the vine-draped doorway, silver bells clinking to signal her entrance. The colourful, practically overgrown shop was even more darling on the inside. All kinds of lovely plant life surrounded her. Lily was immediately hit by the overwhelmingly strong scent of flowers.

Pandora perked right up when the customer she was with moved away and she caught sight of Lily. She crossed the counter within seconds to greet the redhead with a kiss on the cheek.

“Welcome!” Pandora grinned at her, white blonde hair falling into her eyes, “What brings you to my lair?”

“Oh, I was just in the neighborhood and…” She trailed off when she properly caught sight of who the other person in the shop was. The guy she’d been hearing about to no end since she agreed to help an old friend with a hopeless crush. Regulus Black.

Regulus gave her a polite nod, as stone-faced as ever. It felt weird, even intrusive, to be in the same room as a person after actively plotting to seduce them.

“Lilypad, this is Reggiesaurus. Regnato this is Lilster.” Pandora spoke in a sing-songy voice, gesturing for them to hug.

Instead, they gave each other a weird half-handshake.

“Nice to meet you. Again.” She smiled awkwardly. Regulus nodded a silent “Likewise” in return, before hurriedly returning back to what he was doing.

Pandora looped an arm around the redhead’s waist, humming to herself.

“Do you have a favourite flower? Regulus comes here every time we get a new shipment of irises, he especially loves the white ones.”

The blonde laughs, then perks up once again. “Oh, of course, Lillies! Be right back”

As soon as Pandora disappears into the floral displays, Lily has her phone out to frantically text James.

Lily: Irises

Lily: White

Lily: White Irises

James: what

James: are you having a seizure

Lily: Regulus!

Lily: Flowers!

Lily: White Irises —> Regulus

James: omg ok

James: wait how do u know

Lily: Just trust me.

Lily managed to slip her phone back into her jeans pocket right before Pandora reappeared with a gorgeous bouquet of Lillies. She accepted it happily, letting her mind drift back to the girl infront of her.

——————-

Regulus loved a rainy day. The delightful pitter-patter of water on his windows provided a calming company. The dark veil over his house blanketed him and kept him feeling secure, safe.

His parents and brother had left for the  weekend to force Sirius into touring as many universities as they saw fit. And so, Regulus sat alone in the empty house, the only noise being the comforting sound of rain.

He had wrapped himself in a wool blanket on the couch, a hot mug of coffee in his hands and his favourite shakespearean literature in his lap. His brother always called him pretentious for his reading choices but Regulus truly found solace in the works he often buried his nose in.

He was so engrossed in the serenity of the moment, the sudden ring of the doorbell was enough to shock Regulus into spilling a bit of coffee. He grumpily stomped to the door, cursing under his breath.

Whoever the fuck is interrupting my “me” time better notify their next of kin because I’m going to—

Regulus’ train of though came to a complete halt when he swung open the door. James bloody Potter stood on his porch, rain-soaked, with that dumb grin of his plastered on his features.

“Hi Reggie.”

It took Regulus a few more seconds to comprehend what he was looking at and come to his senses.

“Sirius isn’t here.”

James just kept on smiling. “I know.”

Regulus scowled, wrinkling his nose, “Why are you here, then? Get lost.”

“I’m here for you.” James spoke casually, as though he didn’t understand the significance behind his words, “Or, I guess, I’m here because I have something for you.”

Reg could feel his thirteen year old self melt within him. Could feel his fifteen year old self roll his eyes. Could feel his current self scoff but blush regardless, because he’d recently entered a grey area when it came to the Potter boy.

“What are you on about?” He hissed at James, prompting him to get on with it.

The taller boy smiled wider, holding out a bouquet of irises. White irises.

Regulus’ lips slightly parted and his eyes widened. He accepted the bunch of flowers carefully. A few were obviously crushed or bent while in transport, some were a bit off colour, and one was already beginning to brown. Still, Regulus thought they might be the most beautiful irises he’d ever seen, simply because they came from…

He brought his eyes back up to meet James’ proud expression. “Why?”

The taller boy shrugged, “I wanted to.”

Regulus squinted and studied the other boy’s face, searching for a reason to turn him away.

Unfortunately, he found none.

————-

James had to physically stop himself from squealing giddily when Regulus properly opened the door, silently inviting him inside.

It was strange, James had been in the Black household nearly every week for years, but this time felt different. New.

He watched in awe as Regulus placed the bouquet of irises into a pretty glass vase, sniffing them and sighing. The display was possibly the most attractive thing James had ever seen.

“Would you like tea? Or do you only drink those gross protein shakes you carry around?” Regulus reluctantly asked. He folded his arms while James continued to gape.

“Tea is fine. Great. Tea is great.”

All of James’ usual easy confidence had now left his body. He was in uncharted waters now.

He decided to take a risk, shuffling backwards towards the couch. Instead of sitting down like a normal person, James decided to approach it like a deadlift, lowering himself so that barely any of his body weight was actually on the cushions.

Regulus looked so…soft. Seeing the other boy so comfortable was a new and exciting experience for James. Their hands brushed when he was passed his mug of tea, making every muscle in James’ body stiffen. Regulus was close. Too close. If James reached out, he could touch him, which was a precarious situation for the both of them.

The other boy delicately blew a puff of steam off the top of his own cup and opened the book in his lap.

Silence was a foreign concept to James. He always found himself filling up that empty space between words, almost afraid of that lack of noise. Quiet was too loud for James. That is, until now.

The quiet here, with Regulus, was warm and welcoming. It wrapped around James like a warm blanket. He didn’t feel the need to speak every thought in his mind, he was content with sitting in the glow of Regulus Black.

Without looking up from his page, Regulus rifles through the stack of books in front of him and shoved one into a startled James’ hands.

Beyond Good and Evil

-Nietzsche

All of James’ instincts told him to set the complicated book on fire and skip town, but Regulus gave it to him, so he had no choice but to at least try to read it.

And despite how unlikely it may be, James Potter and Regulus Black sat together, drinking tea and reading.

————-

Regulus could not focus. He’d been reading the same sentence over and over again while his brain ran in circles over the very real boy sitting next to him.

James was adorably trying his best to follow Reg’s lead. He, for once, stopped talking and now was reading fucking Nietzsche next to him. Reg wanted to claw his eyes out then sacrifice them to whatever god created the perfect, beautiful, annoying thing that was James Fleamont Potter.

“I don’t get this part.” He spoke suddenly, causing Regulus to snap his gaze upwards.

“Well, you have to know how to read to be able to understand it.” Reg cooed, making a mocking pouty face. James just flipped him off and continued to scrunch up his nose at the page.

“Good is no longer good when one's neighbour mouths it…the fuck does that mean?”

Regulus laughed to himself and gently took the book from James. Reg cleared his throat, preparing to read through the excerpt.

“One must shed the bad taste of wanting to agree with many. "Good" is no longer good when one's neighbor mouths it. And how should there be a "common good"! The term contradicts itself: whatever can be common always has little value. In the end it must be as it is and always has been: great things remain for the great, abysses for the profound, nuances and shudders for the refined, and, in brief, all that is rare for the rare.”

When Regulus looked up, James was staring at him. Not in a bad way, he didn’t think. The older boy’s eyes were wide and his lips were parted, like he was under some kind of spell. Regulus wanted to jump his bones right then and there.