ignite
James should’ve known that when Regulus texted him Hey, I think I figured out how to get the fuses on the reactor to ignite that it would be a bad idea.
The problem is James is very weak for Regulus Arcturus Black.
Wait.
No.
It’s the science. He’s weak for the science.
Regulus is smart. Brilliant, even. The biggest idiot James has ever met, sure, but not when it comes to science and math. That, for some godforsaken reason, makes more sense to him than the way James tries to brush his arm when they’re working on a project, or how James always visits Regulus’ fire escape after his night shift at the coffee shop finishes.
Ever since they both got bit by the spider, it’s been a strange truce between them. Before—best friend’s brother and brother’s best friend. After—tentative friends with a mutual strange thing they’re managing, all while attempting to also manage college.
And in James’ case, the biggest crush he’s ever had in his entire life. On Regulus, because he couldn’t just like a nice girl in class or a quiet boy at work.
No, no. It had to be Regulus, his best friend’s prickly little brother.
James isn’t surprised to find Regulus in the windowless spare bedroom of his flat. He’s bent over a little blue light, a small screwdriver in hand.
“Hey, Reg.”
Regulus jumps, startled. His curls stick up in a myriad of directions, haphazard; the result of running his fingers through them too many times. He looks at James with wild, bright eyes. “James. Hi. You came. Good, good.”
“You said—?”
“Oh, yes. I got the fuses on the reactor to ignite which means we can do it. We can try the multiverses.” Regulus turns fully in his chair, a wild grin on his face. He’s beautiful like this, when he talks about science and all of the things he loves.
James returns his grin. “So, where are we going?”
This is where James should have thought, This might be a bad idea and we should tell Remus or Sirius before we give it a try. But he wanted nothing more than to keep seeing Regulus smile, so he agreed to test the reactor. To give the multiverse a go.
Which is how he finds himself looking at—well, himself.
“What the fuck,” he breathes, taking in the mirror image of him, but different. Same hair and skin and build and glasses, sure, but there’s something else about this other him—this Parallel James—that feels inherently not him.
Or maybe it’s just the fact that he’s holding hands with Regulus. Well, Parallel Regulus.
It's all very confusing.
“Are you—?” Regulus—his Regulus—starts, looking back and forth between their parallel selves. “Are you—um, us?”
“I guess so.” Parallel Regulus tilts his head, regarding them warily. “But you don’t feel like us.”
Parallel James purses his lips. “I don’t think they’re us, love.”
Love.
James’ heart trips over itself.
“Well, they look like us,” remarks Parallel Regulus. He squints at his mirror image. “And they’re both Spider-Man, too.”
“Yeah, but I think they’re not—you know.”
Regulus cuts Parallel James a look. “Care to enlighten us into this conversation? We’re the ones confused here. And I think—” He checks his watch, “—we only have about twenty more seconds before we’re zapped back to our universe. So any information you can give us would be fantastic.”
Parallel James grins, broad and bright. “Ah. Yes. You’re not in love yet.”
James chokes on a startled cough. “Excuse me?”
“Oh, no. You’re right.” Parallel Regulus nods, then scratches his temple in thought. “I don’t think they’ve figured it out yet.”
Regulus is bright red, but he sighs, exasperated. “Figured out what yet?”
Parallel James’ grin only brightens. “I think you should visit the other parallel universe James and Regulus…es? Anyway, we’ve met a few of them. They visit from time to time. All of us got bit. Well, sometimes James isn’t Spider-Man. Sometimes Regulus isn’t. It’s all very confusing but lots of fun.”
James blinks. “There are…more of us?”
“Oh, yes. Plenty more. But you should figure it out first.” Parallel James gestures between them as the reactor begins to buzz in their conjoined hands. “Trust me, there’s more than one universe out there where you’re in love.”
A flash of light, and his body feels squeezed tight through a tube. Then he’s in Regulus’ living room again, looking down at the boy he’s crushed on for years. With round eyes and a soft, shy smile and too many curls and—
“Will you go on a date with me?” James blurts. Their hands are still joined around the reactor. “Like, a proper one. I’ll plan the whole thing. And maybe we can end it on the top of the Empire State. I know you love it up there at night and—”
Warm, soft lips pressed to his, so soft he makes a surprised noise in his throat. Regulus pulls away a moment later and pulls his bottom lip between his teeth.
“I’ve been waiting for you to ask for ages, James. I didn’t think it’d take meeting our parallel selves to make it happen.”
“I—I’m sorry. I didn’t think you—,” James stops and shakes his head. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. Can I kiss you again?”
Regulus smiles, and it’s a beautiful thing. “You don’t have to ask. Kiss me whenever you want.”
And James does.