Somewhere Only We Know
Sirius was too busy laughing with Lily and Willow to notice James and Regulus disappear into the same room. Remus caught Regulus’s eye and winked. Regulus smirked in return.
“Breakfast at 9.” Pandora called as James closed the door and leant against it. Even hours later he could still feel Regulus wrapped around him. And desperately wanted more. Regulus, judging by the darkening of his eyes, knew it too.
Regulus, however, sauntered over to the window, deliberately keeping his back to James. James admired the elegant figure silhouetted against the night sky before he went over and slipped his arms around the slender waist. Regulus leant back against the broad chest, savouring the warmth that was quintessential James. They stood quietly together, both reluctant to break the tranquility of just being together.
“How long have we got left?” James whispered, dipping his head to drop kisses along Regulus’s hairline from behind his ear to his collarbone causing Regulus to squirm. James tightened his arms slightly to keep Regulus in place.
“That tickles.”
James chuckled and continued to explore the back of the smooth white neck introducing his teeth to nibble on the more sensitive spots. Regulus squirmed as the odd tickling sensation grew into desire. He could also feel the effect his reaction was having on James. Regulus began to rotate his hips, grinding further back against the very prominent erection pressed into his lower back.
“Stop it.” James groaned, biting gently on the earlobe he’d been teasing.
“Make me.”
“Is that a challenge kitten?”
“Purrrrchance it is, helios.”
James laughed, turning Regulus around to face him. “You will have to explain that reference. But not now. First I’m going to turn that purr into a roar.” He said and bent down to kiss the tantalising mouth.
True to his word, James teased and caressed, aroused and inflamed, until they both roared with pleasure. Sweaty and sated, Regulus propped himself up on an elbow and lightly ran a hand over the light smattering of dark curls on James’s chest.
“Penny.” James murmured, eyes closed, enjoying the sensation.
“Hmm. I thought her name was Vivienne.”
“You call your thoughts Vivienne? Wow.”
Regulus laughed softly. “Touché. Sex appears to increase the number of brain cells you use.”
James opened his eyes and met Regulus’s gaze with a smile. “You have more blue in your eyes than I realised.” He said, reaching out to cup the slightly flushed face.
Regulus nuzzled the hand. “That would be you.” He said cryptically.
Gently, James pulled Regulus down into a long slow kiss, which turned into lingering caresses and mounting waves of pleasure until they came again.
“So what were you thinking about?” James asked sometime later, as Regulus lay in his arms half asleep.
“I’ll show you in a couple of hours. Sleep now.” Regulus replied and fell asleep.
Three hours later, James felt something wet and unpleasant land on his face. “Urgh.” He grunted. “I’m wet. Why am I wet?”
“Because you’re impossible to wake any other way?” Regulus grinned.
“I can think of another way to get me up.” James waggled his eyebrows.
“No time. We can experiment with that later.” Regulus said, tossing James his clothes.
“Promise?” James said, as he swung out of bed.
Regulus smiled, “Promise. You’ve got less than three minutes. Dress warmly.”
James did as he was told and six minutes later they were making their way out onto the dark, deserted streets of Budapest.
“Where are you taking me?” James asked
“Do you trust me?” Regulus asked, crooking his arm
“Completely.” James answered and stepped into the embrace.
Regulus kissed him and a minute later they were standing atop a hill, dark all around them.
“Why are we here?” James whispered, curiosity overcoming his reluctance to disturb the serenity.
“Ssshh. You don’t have to wait long. You can stand behind or beside me, whichever you prefer so long as you’re facing the same direction I am.”
James stayed where he was. Together the two young lovers stood with arms around each other's waists and waited, immersed in the sounds floating through the twilight. A sharp intake of air told Regulus that his gamble had been worth it. The first tendrils of sunlight had begun to suffuse the now cloudless sky with pale oranges and pinks which grew stronger and more distinct as the sun rose incrementally above the horizon. Below them snow covered fields lay bathed in golden light, and the blue Danube sparkled as it wound leisurely through the countryside. In the woods behind them the birds had woken up adding to the beauty of the place.
“This is magnificent,” James breathed. “Thank you Reg.”
“You’re welcome Jamie.” Regulus said quietly, banishing the bittersweet longing that this moment could last forever yet knowing it was unlikely to ever happen again.
James moved so that they were facing each other, his eyes and face more serious than Regulus had ever seen. “Why did you bring me here?”
Regulus took in every detail of the face he adored. “So that we have something beautiful to remember. Somewhere only we know.” He said, a trace of sadness in his voice.
James bent and kissed the man he loved with all his heart. “Will I ever ever see you again?” He asked
“You will.”
“Like this? As lovers?”
Regulus paused for a long moment. He didn’t know how to answer without breaking everything they had built in the past few days. “I don’t know.” He said honestly.
“Would … would you like to?” James' voice trembled, desperate to know but dreading the answer.
“I’d like to. I really would.” Regulus said letting his eyes show James the truth in that statement.
“But?”
“Real life. My life. I have a lot that needs to be dealt with before I’m free.”
A heavy silence fell between them.
“Do you hate me again?” Regulus asked in an unexpectedly small voice.
“No!” James answered more forcefully than he intended. Regulus winced. “No.” He said gently, raising a hand to wipe away a tear Regulis hadn’t realised was falling. “I don’t think I ever truly did. I was disappointed when you wouldn’t, couldn’t, come live with us. I hated how we interacted. And how it affected Sirius.” James paused. “But I never hated you.” He gazed into the almost pure blue eyes and he knew that blue was just for him. That was the real Regulus, buried deep beneath his protective layers. “I love you Reg. I always will.” He smiled cheekily. “After all you’re my Kitten.”
Regulus smiled. “Purrrfect.” He said and reaching up, kissed James deeply.
“Reg” James ventured when they’d come back up for air. “Do you love me?”
“What do you think?”
“I don’t know. It's why I’m asking.”
Regulus sighed. He knew if he said it out loud he could never take it back. James deserved the truth. “I have loved you since I was eleven years old, when a skinny brown kid with unruly hair and lopsided glasses smiled at me like I was the most amazing creature in the whole world.” Regulus paused. The demons in his head had managed to break out of their cage and were clamouring at him to stop. To give a glib answer. He’d gotten himself in too deep. He’d drown. He hated drowning. They knew that. Stay safe. Lie. They screamed. Regulus closed his eyes. Fighting to contain the creatures. He could feel the spiral threatening to take over.
“Reg. Kitten.”
A strand of golden thread. Regulus grasped it and forced the demons back into their cage. It was temporary but it would do for now. He shuddered and opened his eyes to darkness. He panicked.
“It’s okay, love. You’re okay. I’m here. You don’t have to say anything. This is enough.”
James. Sweet. Wonderfully. Sunny. James. His golden thread.
“Jamie. Helios.” Regulus whispered and lifted his face to look at James. “I love you.”
James beamed. “You are the most amazing creature in the world.” He said, lifting Regulus off the ground and spinning around. “I’m so glad I’m not a skinny kid anymore and get to do this now.”
Regulus clung on. There wasn’t that much difference in height, two maybe three inches, but where Regulus had stayed thin, though strong, James had filled out and was now using that to his advantage. “Enough. Enough.” Regulus laughed. “You can put me down now.”
Reluctantly James did as requested. The sun had fully risen, and the snow filled clouds were closing in, casting the valley back into shadow. James sighed. Their romantic interlude was over. He could see it in Regulus' eyes despite the smile on his lips.
“Time to go?”
Regulus nodded.
“Together?”
“Together.”
The city streets were still in shadow and largely deserted when they arrived back at the hotel. “How long have we been gone?” James asked as they entered their room.
“About an hour. Gives us time for a nap before breakfast.” Regulus grinned
“Does that mean you’ll wake me up if I oversleep?”
“Well, I did promise. And I do try to be a man of my word.”