thoroughfare
Regulus blinked the sleep out of his eyes and groaned. His head felt like it was splitting in two. Unfortunately, he knew the feeling. He had a hangover. He tried to remember what the hell he’d even done the previous day to get drunk enough to deserve this and then he felt the god awful pain in his foot. And then the memories of the previous day came rushing back. And how he wished they hadn’t.
His head throbbed as he saw himself sitting, taking huge swigs from a large bottle of whatever he’d found shoved in the back of one of the closets in his studio, and then it suddenly went from clear memories to fuzzy snippets. James coming and asking him if he was alright, James bandaging his ankle, taking him home, carrying him up the stairs? He wasn’t sure exactly how or when all this had occurred but he was fairly sure James had been with him until he’d fallen asleep. Which was…not ideal in his eyes.
He got up (against his better judgement, literally everything in his body was telling him not to) and limped over to his small kitchen. He almost screamed as his foot touched the ground. He held onto the wall, breathing for a few seconds and then he caught sight of the glass of water and small bottle of Ibuprofen (with a smiley face over the nutrition facts) on the counter. He hobbled toward the counter as fast as he could (which truly was not very fast) and downed his Ibuprofen and the entire glass of water before he registered anything else. As he put the glass down, though, he saw a small note written on a scrap of notebook paper.
Regulus!
I hope you are feeling mildly better. I left the Ibuprofen and some water (which is probably warm by now, but hey, it’s the thought that counts right?) out for you but you should probably eat something as well because medicine and alcohol and water on an empty stomach aren’t the best thing, trust me I’ve been there. Ugh. Anyway, I hope you’re doing well and I am running out of space but I hope you’ll go to the doctor because it could seriously impact not only your health but also your dancing and I do feel like I sound like a brochure or something so I’ll stop, but if you need anything I’m here!
x James
Regulus rolled his eyes and almost tore the note in half and tossed it but then decided against it and just crumpled it and shoved it into the drawer in his nightstand. Why? He had no idea. But, whatever, out of sight, out of mind right?
~~~
A couple months later, Regulus’ ankle was according to his doctor ‘almost healed’ but he should ‘refrain from doing strenuous activities for a couple more weeks’. Yeah, right. Regulus, unbeknown to his doctor and also James who had dropped in almost everyday to ‘make sure you’re doing alright’ was still dancing (not as much or doing anything too hard). But his ankle felt better, if very weak (his doctor had recommended physical therapy which Regulus interpreted as ‘do dance warm-ups and small routines until you feel stronger’).
An alarm went off. The sound got louder as Regulus woke up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, rolling over to try to find the source of the infernal noise. He slammed his hand onto his phone trying to turn it off. Then he clutched his stomach as he felt a sharp pain erupt there and in his head. He swallowed and then his throat joined the fun as he started coughing uncontrollably. He proceeded to lay in bed, in pain literally everywhere, staring at the small ceiling fan going around and around and around until he realised he’d probably be late. He checked the time and sure enough it was ten minutes until he had to leave. He put the water to boil and then went to get changed.
He put his tea in a to-go mug that he’d used exactly once, burning his hand in the process and went to look for whatever kind of over-the-counter medicine he kept around. Funnily enough the only one he had was a mostly empty bottle of Ibuprofen with a smiley face on one side from two months ago. He rolled his eyes and put it in his bag. He ignored his pounding head and roiling stomach as he started his car (which had been dead and practically useless and took about a month to fix).
His headache had only gotten worse despite the Ibuprofen and the fact that he’d actually made sure to drink water throughout the day. By lunch he was exhausted and couldn’t fathom eating with the turning in his stomach. His entire body hurt and after his last morning class filed out (there was one student who stayed behind to ask him questions about the technical things they’d learned that day and while very interested, he couldn’t focus) he collapsed, putting his arm behind his head and laying on the ground.
He heard him before he saw him. He heard the door handle turn (fuck, he’d forgotten to lock the door) and then footsteps approaching him.
“Hi Regulus,” James said, raising his eyebrows as he met Regulus’ eyes. Regulus nodded, not moving from his strange position on the floor.
“I brought you a sandwich, I noticed you weren’t at lunch,” he continued, unbothered by the fact that Regulus outwardly seemed to be paying him no attention, still staring up at the overly bright lights.
He sat up (a very bad idea, as his vision went fuzzy and he blinked spots out of his eyes, as the base of his skull started throbbing harder) and took the wrapped sandwich, putting it on the floor next to him. James sat down and started talking to him. He zoned out (not paying James any attention. Absolutely not.).
“Regulus?” Regulus shook his head, and instinctively responded, finally speaking.
“Yeah?” James smiled, “Nothing, you just looked lost in thought or spaced out or something.” Regulus just hummed.
James’ phone alarm went off shortly after. “That’s my cue. I have to go set up the next lecture.” See you around though, yeah?”
Regulus just hummed disinterestedly again as James got up and left. He sighed and thought about how he should probably start setting up as well and then stayed put, sitting with his legs crossed and his head in his hands.
He stayed like that until he heard footsteps outside (presumably his students) and got up, turning on the projector a second before the students started trickling in again.
The afternoon may have been even worse than his hellish morning. His vision kept going and he felt awful. It passed at a slow sickly pace and while he tried to give his students his full attention, he could quite clearly see that he wasn’t succeeding. One even asked if he was okay.
When the bell finally rang, he was in the middle of saying something, having lost track of time again . He finished quickly and dismissed his students, breathing a sigh of relief after looking at his phone and realising that he didn’t have to teach another class.
He started tidying up and getting ready to leave, but then he decided that he didn’t have the energy to finish. His head was spinning and he didn’t think he could stand much longer so he sat down and laid on the ground, closing his eyes and listening to the music he’d started (and then thrown his phone onto the closest surface, collapsing). He drifted into the place between sleep and consciousness and rested, trying not to think of anything specifically because he fucking hated his thoughts.
And you said, "Hey, do you wanna see the west with me?
'Cause love's out there and I can't leave it be"
And I said, "Honey, love's never meant much to me, oh
But I'll come with you if you're sure it's what you need"
Regulus got up and started stretching. After a bit, his phone alarm went off. He started, almost pulling a muscle, and got up to check it. He flipped his phone from where it was resting precariously on a foldable chair. ‘kids class in 10 get set up idiot’ He’d forgotten about it entirely but he looked back at his phone and sure enough it was a Friday. He’d started giving group lessons to younger kids a couple days a week after he finished with his actual classes.
He groaned and stood up, putting his head in his hands until it stopped spinning and his vision cleared. He set up the studio and then waited until parents started showing up at the side entrance. He waited until all of them had arrived and then took the kids down the hall to the studio.
It was usually fun. Despite his outward appearance and lack of regular social interaction, he loved teaching kids. This was his younger class so they were ages three to five and very fun to be around although a handful.
Except his head was pounding, every single muscle in his body hurt and his stomach was churning. If he’d remembered he had class he would've cancelled. But he hadn’t. They warmed up for a while and he asked all of them how their week had been as they stretched. Almost every hand went up, kids absolutely loved to talk once they got to know you. He looked at the plans on his phone after everyone had gotten a turn and then modelled first and second positions, something they’d been working on for a couple weeks.
He tried to go around and correct their positions and give them tips but every time he tried to walk more than two steps his head spun and his vision clouded. He just blinked and kept walking. He gave them individual tips while the others held the position and then he would have them do things as a group. As he was going around the room working his way to the opposite side, he heard the door open. He turned around (too fast) and looked up to meet very familiar eyes. Regulus turned around ignoring him, putting his students first as he finished giving the kids pointers. Then he told them to move to second, modelling it himself and then went to talk to James, who was now standing next to the door watching.
“I-I didn’t know you taught kids. Oh, also so sorry for interrupting, I should probably go, I just wanted to ask if we have a staff meeting next week or the week after that?”
“Next I think. But I won’t be there so. I don’t know.”
“Ah, ok, um, right, thanks.” James smiled and started toward the door and Regulus turned around announcing that after he helped them improve second position they were going to play a game. There were shrill cheers and he felt another stabbing pain in his head. He put it in his hands, breathing and then started walking toward the middle of the room. He hadn’t even taken a step when a voice stopped him.
“Hey, are you okay?” So he hadn’t left. Regulus felt a little bit delirious after such a long day but kept his head and just said, “I’m fine.” as coldly as he could manage.
He went around the room again, smiling and helping all the kids, having them mirror him and then he almost passed out when he reached the front of the room. Without thinking he saw James still standing in the back corner (why, he had no idea) and pulled him up front.
“This is James and he will be leading Simon Says today. Can we welcome him to our class, friends?”
There were scattered hellos and welcomes and James shot him a terrified look. It almost made him smile. He whispered ‘just do normal simon says stuff except you can also say first position, second position and bar’. James still looked unconvinced but started the game. As soon as he said ‘bar’ he was almost bowled over by fifteen small children trying to grab onto the bar next to the mirrors as fast as they could.
“Never saying that one again,” he muttered to Regulus, just nearly stepping out of the way of one of Regulus’ most chaotic three-year-olds.
Regulus took out a folding chair and sat with his head in his hands as he listened to the game go on. James called out “first position,” and then, “I didn’t say Simon Says!” There were noises of disappointment as the people who had lost went to stand lined up on one of the walls.
Soon after that, class was over and Regulus had them all line up and walk down the hall back to the side exit near the car park making sure that no one had forgotten anything.
He went back to the studio to clean up and found James still there. Regulus attempted to ignore his presence but James was a fairly hard person to ignore.
“You’re a good teacher. And really good with kids. How long have you been teaching them?” He asked.
“Four years.” Regulus answered curtly. He’d been teaching kids ever since he’d started teaching at university. Regulus swung his bag over his shoulder and turned out the lights, not waiting for James. As soon as James stepped out, he locked the door and started walking quickly. Of course, James caught up to him within a couple seconds. James started chatting softly with him and Regulus made absolutely no response as he focused on getting out to his car and not collapsing. It was a struggle.
As soon as they got out into the car park, James looked around then muttered a curse and opened his phone. He walked a couple steps away and Regulus stumbled over toward his car. His phone dinged and that small sound and the lights from the car turning on gave him a stabbing pain right behind his eyes.
He checked his phone to see that one of his neighbours had posted something in the communal group chat he was forced to be a part of in which no one actually ever texted. He opened it to see it was actually from the person in the room right above him.
Gideon P (one of the neighbours): image.jpg
Gideon P (one of the neighbours): Hey neighbours! So my flat has flooded, I think all the rooms are flooded so you all have probably realised this. It most likely won’t be fixed until tomorrow or later so you should probably find alternate lodgings for a night or two, I just wanted to warn those of you who aren’t home right now.
Regulus dropped his head to the steering wheel and let out a string of curses. This day was shaping up to be fucking awful .
“That didn’t sound too good. Bad news as well?” Regulus looked up to see James standing next to him, in front of the car door that Regulus hadn’t closed. Great. Regulus didn’t reply.
“Maybe I could help? Or just listen? Or not, that’s fine.” James stumbled over his words a bit (something Regulus rarely saw him do) and then smiled stepping back a little.
“My flat flooded.” Regulus didn’t even know why he’d told him.
James’ eyes flew open, “Oh, oh my god that’s awful. Do you have a place to stay?”
“I’ll find something.”
“You could stay at mine if you need a place.”
“Why aren’t you leaving?” Regulus changed the subject.
“Oh, I’m waiting for the bus.”
“I thought you hated the bus.”
“I don’t hate it.” James paused. “Okay yes I kind of do. But, Sirius stole my car, so.”
They were both silent for a bit until James said, “Would you want to stay at my place, just for the night and maybe we could carpool and that way we both have solutions?”
Regulus was about to say absolutely the fuck not because well absolutely the fuck not but his vision went black a split second after he looked into the headlights of another car. So maybe driving wasn’t the best idea. His head hit the headrest as he blinked the lingering spots out of his eyes.
“Regulus? Are you alright? You seem sick.”
“‘m not sick,” he said and then of course because the universe hated him, he started hacking up a lung.
“Mhm,” James smirked and raised an eyebrow then he continued with his proposition, “come on, I’ll even drive so we don’t get into an accident because of your…non-sickness.” Regulus sighed, defeated because there was absolutely no way he had the energy to think up another logical solution and slid out of the driver's seat, walking around to the passenger side.
They were both quiet for a few minutes as James pulled out onto the road.
“It’s funny, we keep finding ourselves in this situation, huh?”
Regulus hummed and turned to watch the road speed by through the windshield. He leaned over to put on music and then went back to staring straight ahead.
I believed you were crazy
You believed you loved me
You and me, we're a day drink
So lose your faith in me
You can't open your eyes for a while
You just breathe that moment down
James parked parallel to the curb and they got out, the reality of it setting into Regulus. He’d agreed to stay over with James Potter. Technically again. He would’ve panicked if he weren’t so goddamn exhausted. They walked up to James’ flat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. James unlocked the door and dropped his bag next to the couch. He then went into the kitchen and started opening and shutting cabinets and the fridge.
Regulus wandered in to see James cooking something. James looked up at him and smiled, telling him, “I can only cook like three actual foods and they’re all Spanish foods so you’ll have to deal with that for today unless you want, like, frozen dumplings or waffles or whatever else I have in the freezer.” Then he seemed to realise something. “Oh! Could you watch this, just make sure it doesn’t boil over, I’m going to change the sheets.” Regulus tried to protest because he’d already randomly crashed James’ house, he would absolutely not sleep in his bed on top of all of this. But James waved him off insisting that he’d sleep on the couch.
James came back and gave Regulus his phone and told him to “put on music, but make sure it’s good”. Regulus scoffed, scrolling through a bunch of his music (his music taste was practically identical to Sirius’) until finally deciding on The Waitress.
I believe in peace
I believe in peace, bitch
I believe in peace
I want to kill this killing wish
They're too many stars and not enough sky
They ate together at the small kitchen table and although Regulus felt like he couldn’t eat anything, the food was good and he didn’t puke up the contents of dinner so that was good. He did almost pass out twice but it was alright. James lent him a sweatshirt and a pair of sweatpants which he had to roll up multiple times, but were also surprisingly comfortable. They got changed and then James asked him to come to the kitchen.
He entered and James said, “I just got a thermometer and Ibuprofen. Also some plasters for the cuts and blisters I’m absolutely sure you have from dancing.”
Regulus muttered a ‘thank you’ and took the Ibuprofen and the thermometer. James picked up the plasters and dropped them into Regulus’ arms as he walked past him.
Regulus used a spare toothbrush that James had and yes, dressed his cuts and blisters, whatever James. He crawled into the bed (the sheets somehow smelled like James, not that Regulus would know) and took his own temperature and no surprise he had quite a high fever.
James knocked on the door. Regulus muttered ‘come in’. He walked in holding a glass of water, which he put on the nightstand and went to say something but interrupted himself when he saw the thermometer on the nightstand.
“Jesus Christ, is that from you taking your temperature?”
“Yes.”
James raised his eyebrows and sputtered for a moment before just saying, “Hopefully you feel better in the morning. Good night Regulus.” His expression changed for a split second but then he smiled and turned around.
Regulus put his earbuds into his phone and then realised he’d gotten a text.
21:01
barty: can u come to the bar me and ev and panda and cas are getting drinks
21:08
reggie: no i have a fever
barty: alcohol makes u feel better
reggie: im already in bed i wish though
barty: shit if ur in bed before like three it must be bad
barty: wtf its literally only 9 are u dying
reggie: not dying but yeah no shit its not good
barty: quit ur sarcasm u little dipshit. whatever ill text you next week if you dont feel better tmrw
barty: oh wait nvm ur not here next week. ok well the week after that
reggie: sounds good tell ev and panda hi
barty: ill give them ur regards
Then Regulus put on music until he fell asleep, hoping the Ibuprofen would still be in effect by the next day.
I buried a hatchet, it's comin' up lavender
The future's unwritten, the past is a corridor
I'm at the exit, lookin' back through the hall
You are anonymous, I am a concrete wall
~~~
Regulus woke up in an unfamiliar bed. He started freaking out until he realised where he was and how he’d gotten there. And then he started freaking out. Because really, letting James drive him and then agreeing to stay in his fucking flat? What had he been thinking?
He got up and wandered into the living room.
“Good morning,” a soft voice said from behind him.
He whirled on James and met his eyes. Then he muttered, “Fuck.”