confrontation
After wrecking his brain for what seemed like a lifetime, James decided to just continue his practice and ignore the disturbing presence, but every now and then he found his eyes following the flying figure that was oh so graceful.
Regulus was flying around and chasing a little gold flying object with wings, the snitch, and James could have sworn that he caught his eyes looking at him at least once or twice. Regulus was obviously spying.
James tried ignoring this as he continued what he was doing but after another 30 minutes of practicing (and staring) he decided to confront him.
“Oi!” James started to try catching up with him, sure Regulus was fast but James could be even faster.
Regulus turned his head and if he was surprised to have James following him he didn't show it. He just groaned and continued to fly as he spoke.
“What do you want this time?”
“You know, we are gonna beat you guys even if you spy on us.”
At that Regulus suddenly stopped his broom, and the gryffindor boy stopped right before risking crashing right into him.
Regulus stayed silent and didn't speak, and this awkward silence started to fill up the air before James spoke again.
“I mean our technique is great but that doesn't mean you get to study it”
Silence fell once again, for a moment, before Regulus abruptly turned around. He seemed angry.
“Do you really think I need to spy on you to win? You’re ridiculous Potter. You think you’re so good that you can’t even stop and think for a second. You’re infuriating!”
And then he just flew away and James started chasing after him. Why? He himself doesn’t even know. What did Regulus mean? So was James wrong all along.
“Hey wait up!”
“Piss off Potter”
James catched up with Regulus and started flying right beside him.
“If you weren’t spying then why were you looking at me?”
Regulus's cheeks flushed a bit, it probably was the effect of the cold wind hitting his face.
“You were looking at me too, a bit too much I might add” he muttered.
“well.. I needed to make sure you weren’t spying on me” ( you’re such a liar James, you’re not getting your christmas presents this year if you keep this up.)
Suddenly Regulus headed for the ground, got off his broom and walked into the locker room.
James was left on his own as his gaze followed the other boy.
“What was that..?” James thought, as he started to question things again.. Why is Regulus mad? Is it because James caught him? Is it because he got offended? But then if that’s true it means James was wrong.
James flew to the ground and held his broom as he walked into the locker room. Why was James following him? Why does he care if he’s mad at him? He hates James, of course he’s mad at him.
“Regulus?”
James looked around and found him in front of his locker, with his shirt off and a curl falling in front of his face.
Silence fell once again as Regulus avoided eye contact. At that point James decided to put his pride away for a minute or two and spoke with a tired tone.
“Okay, I’m sorry I assumed you were staring at me, I was a prick, I shouldn’t have, I just should have minded my own business”
“Why were you staring at me?” Regulus blurts out.
“What-”
“You heard me,” Regulus turns around, oh how lovely he looked, even when he wasn't so perfect, even when his hair was falling apart and his face was a bit flushed, even when half of his clothes were on the floor and his wall was crumbling apart “and don’t make shit up like you did before”
“well..” James is blushing, and he knows it. His eyes risk falling on the boy's naked torso one too many times. “... I don't know.”
Regulus sighs, turns back again and starts putting a shirt over his head but he gets blocked in the middle of his action.
“You looked pretty” James says quickly, not wanting for the perfect image in front of him to be covered up again. (in all ways possible)
Regulus stopped doing what he was doing, he put the shirt down and fell silent as he looked at the ground.
“Regulus?” James tried to call him, and maybe it worked cause the boy turned to face him.
“Is this some sort of prank you’re pulling off with Sirius?”
“What? No, no of course not” James tried to explain hurriedly as he brought his hands up to show innocence. “Sirius would have killed me if he knew what I just said” James chuckled quietly, nervously but an honest chuckle nonetheless.
Regulus raises an eyebrow and studies james's expression, as the boy continues to speak softly
“I'm being honest, you were… pretty. Graceful and so fast, and my eyes couldnt leave you alone, almost like in a movie”
Regulus takes a moment as he looks at the boy in front of him, the boy he has liked since he first saw him, the kind, sweet dumb but also irritatingly funny boy that always thought about others and that maybe had a bit of a hero complex.
After he manages to raise enough courage, Regulus speaks, with a challenging tone, one that makes James blush and pulls him in like a drug.
“Prove it then. Prove you're being honest”.