feast
Christmas’s were hard for Regulus. There’s too many people, too much food, and too much sensitivity. When he was little, he’s hide in his closet during dinners, and after all the guests left, Walburge would find him in the same spot as always, rocking back and forth as she screams at him and slaps him senseless. So yes, Regulus didn’t quite enjoy the holidays. Until James came along.
James, who never pressured him to eat more than he felt comfortable with, who’d coax him out of his closet with the softest touch, who’d rub his back and hold him close and caress the old scars as if they’d go away just like that. James would encourage him to nibble on the smallest of foods, the smoothest textures, the least-flavored soup, so it wouldn’t feel like he’d be eating anything.
Regulus had decided to stay over at James’ for the holidays, scared out of his mind. What would he do? What would he wear? How would he eat? Would Effie and Monty judge him for aimlessly pushing the food around on his plate? Or would James have them make a different food just for him, judging him for that instead?
In very simple terms: Regulus was panicking.
James had reassured him about a million times a day for a month straight, starting from the moment he proposed the invite.
Later, a way too short amount of time to be multiple days past, in Regulus’ opinion, he was in James’ house, with James’ parents, pushing around the soup they’d made specially for him instead of the humongous feast he felt guilty for not eating. They were sweet. It was terrible. Regulus didn’t know how to reply. They made small chit-chat about school, and grades, and people, and drama. Effie seemed particularly interested, seeing as James hold her literally everything and wanted more detail from a different perspective, while Monty would discuss potion-making and his parents would spew embarrassing stories about James endlessly. A small smile graces his lips as James blushes and hides his red face, making Regulus forget about everything completely and down his whole bowl in 0.25 seconds as he laughs at the stories, enjoying each and every moment with James, Effie, and Monty.