Whisky Business

Regulus Black had been to the bakery he never showed interest for twice in one week. He was surprised by this, as the first time he went he was forced, but the second time was his own volition. He felt a draw there, which was something he rarely experienced, and the unfamiliarity of it made him uneasy. After a night spent awake mulling this over, he had made the decision to avoid it at all costs, something that he did often with things that made him feel like this.

This plan worked well for about a month, and he continued life as normal.  However, he could always count on Sirius to mess up his perfectly thought out plans. 

“You have to be joking.” Regulus said emotionlessly.

“Please Reggie,” Sirius pleaded over the phone. “The singer has caused us problems, and now we need someone to check and make sure the cake is all good. Can’t you please do this for me?”

Regulus already had a strong lack of interest in this wedding. He honestly didn’t understand why one would need a massive, intricate party for a legal matter. In his eyes, it equated to someone throwing themselves a celebration for winning in small claims court. Nonetheless, he also understood how much this event meant to his brother. “Sirius, I hope you know how much I don’t want to do this.” Regulus sighed.

“Is that a yes?” Sirius said hopefully.

“A begrudging one.”

“Thank you Reggie, thank you, you have no idea how much stress you just saved me and Remus from.”

“Remus and I.” Regulus corrected and then hung up.

– 

The next morning, Regulus found himself at the counter of The Order bakery, chatting with the man, James if he remembered correctly,  at the counter. “The cake turned out wonderful, my mother and I tried our darndest to make it exactly what your brother was wishing for.”

“Cool.” Regulus said coldly. “Can I see it or are you just going to talk about it?”

James’s smile didn’t falter, much to Regulus’s surprise. “Of course yeah, my mom or dad’s going to bring it out in one minute, they just got to finish something else first. Sorry for making you wait.”

Regulus rolled his eyes. So the people who ran this place were incompetent, that's just wonderful. “I like your suit!” The man said cheerfully to Regulus.

Can this guy go even two seconds in silence? Regulus thought, annoyed. “Can I ask you a question?” James continued, then didn’t wait for a response. “If the wedding is later today, why are you dressed already?”

Regulus rolled his eyes more obviously this time, like this was the stupidest question in the world. “If I need to be in a suit later today, why would I wear something else and then change? Waste of time.”

James looked like he was thinking long and hard about this concept. “I mean, I guess,” He said finally. “Are you not uncomfortable though? I mean I usually am.” 

Regulus shrugged. “Maybe I would be, but my parents made me wear fancy clothes all the time as a kid, and I assume I am just used to them.”

“Hm, maybe I should wear suits more often, get used to the feeling.” James paused as a wolfish grin spread across his face. “I mean, I do look pretty good in a suit.”

Regulus felt his cheeks heat up as he imagined James in a suit. Even he had to admit James would look fairly dashing. “Sure.” He said finally. “Well, what time should I pick you up?”

A look of confusion graced James’s face. “Pick… me up?”

Regulus shifted uncomfortably. “Uh yeah? We should probably head over to the venue by three. I figured since you’re bringing the cake, it might be easier to ride together… that's what it seems Sirius wants anyway.”

James blinked, processing. “"Oh! Um, I usually just deliver the cake, get it set up, and head out before guests arrive. I wasn’t...uh, planning to attend the wedding."

Regulus’s face flushed a deep red.  "Oh, uh wow, I entirely misunderstood what Sirius had asked of me. I thought—you know—since you’ve been so involved and all, Sirius wanted you to be coming as my, uh...plus one. Y’know like how he mentioned it briefly when all three of us were here?”

“I’m honored. I had no idea that's what Sirius meant. I will totally go as your plus one.”

Regulus had already come to the conclusion that he was utterly wrong about Sirius wanting him to bring James, so he had now both embarrassed himself and got himself into the situation he had been dreading since Sirius had called him. Both of which would have been easily avoidable if Regulus wasn’t so stupid. Regulus coughed, trying to make the situation less uncomfortable, then said, “Wonderful. I’ll pick you up here at 2:45.” 

“Actually, it's easier to transport cakes in the bakery’s car, so I’ll pick you up.” James exclaimed, cheer dripping from every word. 

“Okay.” Regulus said, then turned on his heel and swiftly left, leaving a baffled but intrigued James at the counter.

– 

“Stop laughing. It is not funny.”

Regulus could hear Sirius practically rolling on the floor and wiping his tears from the laughter over the phone. “Reggie, you have no idea how funny this is. You, my stoic, emotionless younger brother, accidentally invited and is bringing the baker, who’s the most cheerful, optimistic guy I know! It’s impossible not to laugh.”

“How did I misunderstand you so badly?” Regulus moaned. 

“I don’t know, but it's great and I am so excited to see this!”

“Odd, I’d feel you’d be more excited to be getting married to the love of your life.”

“Yeah no that’s cool and all, but this, this is amazing.”

Regulus heard Remus in the background shout. “Oi! Really? That's what you're excited about?” and then the soft thwomp of Sirius getting hit in the face by a pillow quickly following. 

Regulus snorted slightly then sighed. “Alright. I’ll see you guys soon.”

“Okay, okay. See you soon.”

Regulus stuffed his phone in his pocket then turned to the mirror propped up in the corner of his room. His reflection stared back at him with a dismayed look on its face. Regulus’s hair was slightly messy, a loose curl or two poking out. His suit was a little wrinkled in some spots, and his tie had become slightly loose. He decided that this would not do for his brother's wedding. He found himself in the bathroom, aggressively brushing his hair attempting to fix it, but found it only made his dark curls wilder. He heard the doorbell ring and groaned in frustration. That was most likely James. Regulus imagined him standing at the door, with his usual goofy smile and he felt nerves pool in his stomach. He tightened his tie as he walked to the door. He opened the door to find James and his goofy smile (as Regulus predicted) holding a bouquet of flowers (not at all what Regulus predicted). “Hi!” James exclaimed. “Uh… these are for you.” 

He extended the flowers to Regulus, who was standing in the doorway shell shocked. “You… got me… flowers?” 

“Yeah! I mean, I’m going as your plus one, so kind of your date, and what kind of person would I be if I didn’t bring the pretty boy I’m going on a date with flowers?”

Every single coherent thought in Regulus’s mind dissipated. “Oh! Um.. thank you?” He said, taking the flowers from James.

“Of course! It was no trouble, my friend Lily is a florist, so she gave them to me free of charge. Lily’s a great name for a florist right, I always tell her that it's lucky her flower shop worked out because what a name! I also tried to convince her to name it ‘Lily’s lilies' but she wouldn't do it for some reason.”

James was rambling, and continued to do so even after Regulus made the move to walk to his car. “-known each other since we were 11, she is actually one of my closest friends and- oh! Sorry! Let me get that for you!” 

James stopped his tangent to lunge at the car door handle Regulus was reaching for. “Wow, uh, you’re really taking this whole ‘date’ thing seriously. You don’t need to do that, don't worry.” Regulus said, a slight flush in his cheeks.

“Don’t worry, I want to. It’s not everyday I get lucky enough to be seen as someone as lovely as your date.” James beamed as he got in the car.

Regulus felt like his heart stopped again. He’s not sure how many more times he can take that feeling.

☄. *. ⋆

James spent the drive to the venue rambling while Regulus sat in silence next to him. James didn’t mind doing all the talking, he understood from their limited interactions that Regulus didn’t do much of that. While the nagging thought that Regulus was irritated by him sat in the back of his mind, every time James looked at him he looked content enough. So James talked. He told stories of his family and his friends, of bakery shenanigans, of mundane happenings in his life. He was in the middle of telling Regulus about the time he and his childhood friend Peter accidentally ended up in Idaho with far more action than reality when Regulus cut him off.

“Hey James?”

James turned and looked at him, slightly startled that he had spoken. “Yeah?”

“Why did you agree to come here with me, even though my invite was a misunderstanding?”

Regulus had his head cocked slightly, and was staring at James with his big, brown eyes filled with question. James looked at him quizzically, and realized he wasn’t quite sure. Yeah, he did love getting into random situations (like the stories told in the past hour made obvious) but this specific one? He really didn’t know. He told his mom and dad he had to take off work for the rest of the day despite planning to be back by 4:30, and he rarely skips work. “Um,” He says finally. “I’m not sure? What do you mean?”

Regulus rolled his eyes and, jeez, how many times a day does he do that? That cannot be good for his eyes. “I mean , I come into your bakery, stressed as fuck, stumble over my words, invite you to a wedding filled with people you don’t know, as my date, and you say yes? Who in their right mind would do that?”

James’ train of thought stumbled a bit when Regulus put emphasis on ‘as my date’. Did Regulus think they were actually on a date? “Reg do you-”

“Regulus.”

“Oh, yeah sorry… erm, Regulus, do you think this is an actual date?”

Another eye roll is earned. “Obviously not nimwit. But you’re aware we are showing up together, and people will mistake you as my boyfriend, right?”

James inhales sharply and almost chokes on air. Him? Regulus’... boyfriend? “Regulus, no one will think that. We are both dudes.”

Regulus slaps his palm against his forehead. “And that has to do with… what? James, we are going to a wedding. For two men. And I am gay. People know that. There will be mistakes.”

Regulus is gay. Regulus. Is. Gay. James immediately begins to spiral. Why does he feel so strange about this? Oh no, is he homophobic and just never realized? Explosions are going off in James’ head and he cannot figure out for the life of him why they feel more like the fourth of july instead of the Trinity test.  James ponders this in silence for the rest of the ride.