Half Hearthed Greetings
Seventeen
Seventeen
Seventeen
Seventeen
James repeated over and over in his head as he saw Regulus step out of Sirius's car. The sight of him was almost overwhelming.
Regulus was absolutely gorgeous—like a living mosaic with sharp grey eyes and unblemished pale skin that James wanted to mark up- He shook his head, trying to push away the intrusive thoughts. Stop. Stop. Don’t let your thoughts go there, James, he told himself firmly.
James’s mind raced as Sirius introduced Regulus. The sight of Regulus—seventeen, seven years younger, and Sirius’s brother—was almost overwhelming. Everything about him was stunning: his grace, his piercing gaze, his unblemished beauty.
Sirius was speaking, but James found it hard to focus. Regulus simply stared with a calculating look, his head tilting slightly. “Wait, what?” he said, his voice a soft, melodic contrast to the moment’s tension.
James was struck by how perfect Regulus looked in that simple gesture—the tilt of his head, the way his curls fell—it was all so captivating.
SEVENTEEN.
“Nice to meet you, Regulus,” James managed to say, forcing himself to sound casual. When Regulus reached out and took James’s hand, the brief contact was electric. Waves of giddiness and warmth surged through James, making it difficult to maintain his composure. He could barely keep his focus as he felt Regulus’s fingers against his own.
Everything else happened in a blur. James could only idly stare at Regulus, who was frowning at something in the sand, his lips pressed into a pout. He was so cute.
FUCKING SHIT. DON’T THINK ABOUT THAT. DON’T THINK ABOUT THAT.
But James couldn’t stop. Regulus was all mumbles and frowns, his expression unreadable, and it only made him more irresistible. He was so… soft, in a way James hadn’t expected. Without another word, Regulus grabbed his bag and brushed past them, heading inside without so much as a glance back.
James’s heart raced, his thoughts spiraling out of control as he stared after him.
“He’s something, isn’t he?” Sirius grinned, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes as he watched James stare after Regulus.
James could only nod dumbly, his gaze glued to Regulus’s retreating figure as he disappeared up the stairs. He was still trying to process it all—the way Regulus moved, the way he spoke, that constant frown that somehow made him look even more beautiful.
“Take care of him for me, James.” Sirius’s voice softened, pulling James out of his daze.
James turned toward Sirius, noticing the uncharacteristic gentleness on his face. It wasn’t often that Sirius showed this side of himself, especially when it came to Regulus. James cleared his throat, trying to shake off the strange feeling building in his chest. “Of course,” he said, keeping his voice steady, even though his mind was spinning.
Sirius gave a small nod of satisfaction, and just like that, the tension that had filled the air dissipated. They easily fell back into the familiar rhythm of their usual conversation, the awkwardness slipping away like it always did when they were together.
“So, how’s the house coming along?” James asked as they made their way inside.
“Bloody nightmare,” Sirius groaned dramatically. “You’d think tearing down a few walls would be easy, but noooo. And Remus is driving me mad with his *‘practical’* suggestions.”
James chuckled, shaking his head. “Sounds like Remus. Always the voice of reason.”
“Voice of reason, my arse,” Sirius muttered with a smirk, collapsing onto the couch. “The bloke won’t let me have a secret door leading to a pub in the basement.”
"Yes because who dosent need a mystiuse trapdoor that leads to a pub?" James teased, raising an eyebrow.
Sirius scoffed. “You wouldnt understand, mate. It’s all about the aesthetic.”
James grinned, plopping down on the couch beside him. "Of course you need a pub below your house iys an absoulte nesecity"
“Need, schneed. It’s about what you *want* in life.” Sirius paused, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips. “Speaking of wants…”
James sighed, already bracing himself for whatever teasing remark was coming. “Oh no, here we go.”
Sirius leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Well, someone was a bit distracted earlier.”
Shitshitshitshit had Sirius noticed? But James played dumb. “Who?”
Sirius’s smirk widened. James felt the back of his neck grow warm. “You’re imagining things.”
“Am I?” Sirius raised an eyebrow, knowing exactly where to press.
“Alright, alright!” James held up his hands in mock surrender. “I don’t have a thing for Regulus.”
Sirius tilted his head, raising an eyebrow. “What? I wasn’t talking about you. I was talking about Regulus—he totally has a crush on you.”
James’s heart thudded in his chest. He let out a shaky breath, slumping back against the couch. “What are you even talking about?”
“He’s never like that! Like, ever. He’s always so full of it and mean,” Sirius pointed out. “Just… let him down easy.”
James glanced at Sirius, realizing how serious his friend had suddenly become. The usual teasing glint in Sirius’s eyes was gone, replaced by a protective concern that James rarely saw.
“I know,” James admitted quietly, but inside, his thoughts were spinning. But I don’t want to let him down. I don’t want to reject him at all.
Sirius sighed, leaning back against the couch. “Just… be careful with him, alright? He’s been through a lot more than you know.”
James nodded slowly, feeling the weight of Sirius’s words settle heavily over him. He didn’t really know what Regulus had been through, not fully, but he could sense the fragile vulnerability hidden beneath the cold, distant exterior.
“I will,” James promised, though he wasn’t sure if he was reassuring Sirius or himself.
The words echoed in his head. I will. I’ll take care of him. But the idea of rejecting Regulus, of letting him down, made something twist painfully inside him. He didn’t want to let him down gently. He didn’t want to let him down at all.
But Sirius didn’t need to know that. Not yet.
Sirius gave him a long, scrutinizing look before finally breaking the tension with a grin. “Good. Because if you hurt him, mate, I’ll turn that secret pub into a trapdoor that leads straight to hell. And guess who’ll be taking the first ride down."
James laughed, but there was still a hint of unease lingering behind his smile. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Sirius’s smirk returned. “Glad we understand each other. Now, what about getting some drinks? I know you’ve got that stash hidden somewhere.”
James chuckled, grateful for the change in topic. He pushed himself off the couch and headed to the kitchen, pulling out a couple of bottles from the cupboard. “You’re lucky I’m such a generous host.”
Sirius raised his glass in salute, but his eyes remained sharp, watching James carefully. It wasn’t like Sirius to get so protective, and James knew there was more to this than Sirius was letting on.
And as James handed Sirius a glass, he realized something else. He didn’t want to explore whatever darkness lay behind Regulus’s sharp eyes and soft frowns just yet—but he was already sinking into it, deeper than he expected.
For now, though, he pushed those thoughts aside, focusing on the easy banter with Sirius. But no matter how hard he tried, Regulus was never far from his mind.
After about an hour of Sirius spilling every secret he knew about his neighbors, James realized something—Regulus hadn’t come down yet.
“You should check up on him,” Sirius slurred slightly, well past tipsy by now.
James nodded, swallowing the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat. His heart pounded as he slowly ascended the stairs, each step heavier than the last. When he reached Regulus’s door, he hesitated for a second before gently pushing it open.
Oh, fuck.
Regulus lay sprawled on the bed, his dark hair splayed out like a halo around his head. The scowl he usually wore was gone, replaced by a serene, almost vulnerable expression. The soft golden light of the sunset filtered through the window, bathing him in a warm glow. James’s breath caught in his throat. He was so breathtaking.
"Cold..." Regulus mumbled in his sleep, flipping onto his side to face the wall.
James couldn’t help but smile. He looked so peaceful, so different from the guarded person he’d been downstairs. His eyes fell on the discarded blanket at the edge of the bed, and without thinking, James gently picked it up. He carefully draped it over Regulus, making sure it covered him snugly.
For a moment, James just stood there, watching the steady rise and fall of Regulus’s breathing. He felt a warmth settle in his chest—something he didn’t quite understand but wasn’t ready to push away.
Without a word, James quietly left the room, closing the door behind him.
“He’s asleep,” James said quietly as he descended the stairs, running a hand through his hair. “Oh, hey, Remus,” he added, spotting Remus standing near the door.
Remus gave him a warm smile. “Picking this one up already,” he said, nodding towards Sirius, who was sprawled on the couch. “We need to be ready to sign some documents tomorrow morning.”
James nodded, glancing over to see Sirius half-heartedly pointing at them with a lazy grin. “Noooo, don’t take me, I’m not ready for responsibility,” Sirius slurred dramatically, waving his arm as though fending off an invisible threat.
James chuckled. “Yeah, I think you’ve had enough for one night.”
Remus sighed with a fond smile, making his way over to Sirius. “Come on, you. Time to get you home.”
Sirius groaned but didn’t resist as Remus helped him to his feet. “You’re no fun, Moony,” Sirius mumbled, leaning heavily on Remus.
Remus shot James an amused look. “I’ll make sure he’s ready for tomorrow. Thanks for putting up with him tonight.”
“No problem,” James replied with a grin. “See you both tomorrow.”
As Remus guided Sirius out the door, James lingered for a moment, thinking back to the image of Regulus peacefully asleep upstairs.
James decided that he was going to cook something for Regulus, so that when he woke up, there would be something ready for him to eat. A classic Brazilian dish came to mind—one his mother used to make for him when he was younger, full of warmth and comfort: *feijoada*.
As he moved around the kitchen, gathering ingredients, memories of his mother’s cooking came flooding back. The slow-simmered black beans, the rich smoky sausages, and the tender pork—he knew it would take time to get everything right, but there was something about preparing this meal that made him feel connected to home, and maybe, in a small way, to Regulus as well.
James worked quietly, the aroma of garlic, onions, and spices filling the room as he chopped and stirred. The kitchen became a soothing, rhythmic space, and with each step of the recipe, he felt more at ease. By the time the feijoada was simmering on the stove, the house was filled with the inviting scent of slow-cooked comfort food.
He glanced at the clock, knowing Regulus might still be asleep for a while, but feeling content that when he woke up, there’d be a warm meal waiting for him. It wasn’t much, but it felt like a small way to care for him, a way to express something that words couldn’t quite capture.
When Regulus came downstairs, James almost didn’t notice him at first. He was wearing his Walkman, playing random songs Peter had compiled a while back, while cutting some fruit for Regulus. James had intended to wake him up, but it seemed Regulus had managed that on his own.
As Regulus descended the stairs, James recalled Sirius’s description of him—how he moved like a ghost, which had led Sirius to attach a bell to his shoes when they were kids.
James turned to look at Regulus, who was still a bit bleary-eyed from just waking up. Regulus looked unexpectedly cute with his tousled hair and sleepy demeanor.
James couldn’t help but wonder if Regulus would still look cute if he were crying for different reasons, like his dic- NOPE
Regulus greeted James with a sleepy frown, and James found himself charmed by the way Regulus tilted his head in curiosity—an endearing habit that James found irresistibly cute.
During their brief conversation, James observed Regulus as he started eating. It didn’t take long for James to notice Regulus’s meticulous process of picking out the tomatoes from his dish. James made a mental note that Regulus clearly wasn’t a fan of tomatoes.
After finishing his meal, Regulus made his way back to his room. James hesitated, wanting to reach out and ask him to stay a bit longer, but he decided against it, not wanting to seem pushy. Instead, he went for a safer option. “Wanna watch a movie with me?”
Regulus quickly declined the offer and retreated to his room. James sighed, feeling a mix of disappointment and understanding. Better luck next time.