I love you too, James.

 2 — Orchids and Gardenias — A bouquet of orchids and gardenias symbolizes elegance, sophistication and grace. Orchids represent rare love and deep admiration, while gardenias symbolize purity and refinement. Together, these flowers form a romantic and special invitation, suggesting the creation of unforgettable memories and demonstrating that the person receiving the bouquet is extremely valued and admired.

I wasn't freaking out.

No, of course not, my heart was just racing and maybe my hands were shaking a little, but I wasn't freaking out. And okay, maybe the bouquet that was there and my hands were a little more wrinkled than normal, because well, my hands were squeezing it too much, and maybe I was sweating, but it was summer, he was heat, and okay, I may or may not have almost run over three pedestrians and a very scared squirrel, but I wasn't freaking out. 

No, not me, why would I freak out? It was just Reggie after all. 

Reggie, my best friend, who I've known since he was 5, the one I've told all my secrets to — except to be — who I shared all my dreams with, and you know, the one who comes when I need it, and even though I have Sirius, Remus and Peter, it's not the same, right? I mean, Regulus is Regulus, who in the world could surpass this level of importance?

And sure, maybe the possibility was crossing my mind that I could just run away, instead of facing the door that I'm so used to, maybe it was crossing my mind every time I came here without really being nervous, because, my grandmother who forgive me, but this is my second home, and everyone in this place adore, I shouldn't be nervous. 
 
It's not like I'm running through my head all the possible possibilities of rejection that I could receive in the next 5 minutes, how I could possibly lose my best friend forever, because of stupid feelings, and is it really worth trying? No, of course not, the answer is obvious, why did I listen to Remus and Peter, anyway? Just because I'm going to college next year, and this is my last prom, and I'll never have that same opportunity again, doesn't it mean I should just throw everything up in the air and invite him. 

And me I want go away, I it should, eu I have want to go but I can't because I I already knocked on the door, oh my God, it's opening. 

I turned towards him so quickly that my neck cracked, but to my relief, the one who opened the door wasn't Reggie, no, it was Nymphadora, the little pest, who was now looking at me in a way that I declared as her number one judgmental face. 5. 

— Why didn't you just go in? I was busy with something important and I had to stop to answer the door when you have the key, you weirdo — She said, the 6 year old girl, with a manner so similar to Andy's, that it makes me dizzy sometimes. 

— What were you busy with that was so important that you didn't have time to open the door for me? — I asked, frowning and she looked me up and down. 

— Anything I did would be more important than opening the door for you — she said, then stuck out her tongue, and I, of course, stuck it out back. 

Isn't there what I said about everyone in this house adoring me? Forget it, this little pest hates me. 

— Who's at the door, darling? — Andy's voice came before her, and then his head appeared above the little girl, who, for some reason, kept the door was half closed to me, and the older one frowned — Did you lose your key again, James? — Andy said, looking at me with the same judgment that his daughter had looked at.

— Um, hi, Andy, so, no, it's just… — I started, not knowing how I would explain to her that I was so nervous about my own thoughts that I forgot that she had a key she could use before knocking on the door, and she raised an eyebrow, starting to size me up, looking me up and down.

Suddenly, an evil smile began to slowly take shape on his face, as his eyes focused on the bouquet in my hand. 

— I believe this is not for me, dear? — she said, and I, nervously, shook my head, and her smile got bigger and bigger — I also think it wouldn't be for Sirius or Nymphadora — she continued her torture, and I denied it once again, swallowing hard — What if This is for Ted, I'm sorry to tell you, but he doesn't like Orchids. 

— It's not for him. 

—Should I call Reggie? — Nymphadora, who I had momentarily forgotten existed, asked, with a shit-eating smile very similar to her mother's. 

— Please — I asked, regretting it the moment the words left my mouth, because the little pest's eyes were shining and nothing good could come of it. 
And then she turned, and ran towards the stairs, I could hear her little muffled feet as she quickly climbed the steps. 

I swallowed hard when I couldn't hear her anymore and suddenly, all the nervousness came back with a vengeance, all the thoughts that maybe I was reading the signs the wrong way, and that now I would make our friendship strange forever, came back to me. like a movie in my head. 

God, how could I be so selfish? What if he gets uncomfortable?

— James — a gentle hand placed on my forearm and I turned my eyes to Andromeda, who was looking at me affectionately — Don't take advantage of this, nothing can ruin what you have, you just tend to evolve, you hear? I'm saying this, and I'm never wrong, boy, so breathing and remember the text that I'm sure you memorized — she said, smiling warmly at me and I then allowed myself to breathe for a moment and think. 

Yes, she was right, a “No” wouldn’t shake our friendship now.  

I took a deep breath and thought of everything I could say, everything I prepared to say to him, but my throat went dry and my mind went blank when I could hear footsteps again, from inside the house, and then Andy opened the door. as much as she could, and I managed to see a sleepy and confused-looking Regulus, heading down the stairs with Nymphadora and Sirius in tow and-

Christ, I completely forgot about Sirius.   
 
Sirius, my brother, who loved me with all his heart, but who was so ridiculously protective of his little brother, that he once punched an old man who dared to look at Regulus twice last year, only to find out later. that he was blind. 

Sirius, who will kill me as soon as he finds out that my intentions towards his little brother are nothing less than the purest and most sincere that he imagined them to be, because I hid it so well from both Black's brothers that I forgot they would find out at the same time.

I feel like I'm going to pass out now. 

— Oh, God, he's going to kill me — I whispered to myself, and Andy must have heard, because he let out a choked laugh, which he tried to cover with a cough. 

— Jamie, what are you doing out there? Why did you call me here? Wasn't it just going in? — Regulus, who had stopped in front of me, caught my attention, with a sleepy, but confused and a little irritated look. 

Of course he was sleeping.

— Um, yeah, yeah, I kind of forgot I had the key? — I said, taking my free hand to scratch the back of my neck, suddenly shy about the situation.

And that, of course, drew attention to the hand that was occupied. Regulus's blue-gray eyes focused on the small bouquet in my hands and he suddenly looked much more alert than he had a minute ago.  

— James, what's going on? — he asked slowly, turning his eyes to mine, and maybe I felt my world shaken by the intensity of his gaze, but no one needs to know that.  

Who do I want to fool? It was probably written all over my face how nervous I was. 

— Reggie, hmm, I don't know how to start this... I had a text, you know? With beautiful words that would have some deep meaning and all that stuff, because Lovegood helped me with that, but I… forgot — I said, letting out a strange laugh, looking anywhere but at him — Of course I forgot, my mind always gets blank when you're around, I don't know because for a moment I thought I'd remember the words I wrote, but I won't, so I'll have to improvise, won't I? And that's okay, because I'm great at this, I just need to- — I took a deep breath, trying to clear my thoughts, and I heard a low laugh, feeling the world wobble when I looked up, and met his eyes, which were crinkled, with a small smile. 

— You're rambling, James. Breathe, it's just me,” he said, reassuring me in a way I'm not even sure he was aware he could. 

— That's what I need you to understand, it's not just you, because you are all — he said, letting out a breathless laugh, without the slightest grace, because his beautiful eyes widened, as if he hadn't been expecting it — You are everything, you are everywhere, your laugh, your jokes, your thoughts and comments that I I know that only I can hear, the way you take care of those who matter to you, how everything you do becomes special because it's you, how your eyes shine in the sun, how your hair seems to be as black as pitch, but they're so soft and delicious to run your hand through, and the way you hold me, spending more time than with anyone, like it's where you belong, like you belong in my arms, it's just everything, you are everything, everything for me and I just… — I started, without being able to stop, I shook my head to clear my thoughts — And I'm going to college and this is my last year, and I didn't intend to walk away from you, I didn't even I think I could do it, but just the regret of finishing this, school, ending this cycle without ever allowing myself to call you for a single damn thing home, it felt like I was doing things wrong, like everything was incomplete — I took a deep breath, feeling my cheeks flush as I looked at the faces in front of me, a mix of tenderness, shock and amusement, before resting my eyes on those who mattered. — You can say no, you can say that you don't want this, that you want to forget, and I'm going to do that, tomorrow things will be normal, as if nothing had happened, and I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable and- 

— You didn't ask — he interrupted me, and I blinked for a second, not understanding. 

— What? 

— You told me I can say no, but you haven't asked me anything until now, how can I deny something that hasn't even been asked? — he said, and he was right, of course he was, I avoided the question, without even realizing it, protecting myself from a possible rejection that seems so fresh in the air, but that wasn't what took my breath away, it was his look. 

He was looking at me so hard, with so much of something I'd never seen before in his eyes, that I felt my hair stand on end. 

I don't know what I expected, maybe hatred, anger, disgust, shame, guilt, pity, maybe a small part of me imagined that he would smile and say yes, but this, this expression, I had never seen before, after 11 years of friendship, with So many of his expressions that I cataloged in my mind, this one never appeared before my eyes, and that scared me more than hatred. 

The unknown would always be scarier. 

— Yes, of course, you're right — I agreed, taking a deep breath, feeling the air, which I barely realized I was holding, enter my lungs — Regulus, will you go to the ball with me? — I asked, as firmly as I could, extending the flowers towards him.

And for a second, it seems like time has stopped.

I don't know if it was my anxiety or the panic that threatened to rise up my throat, but for a second, millions of possibilities flashed before my eyes, millions of possibilities that left my world so shaken, with the thought of losing it, that I I felt dizzy, and even though I knew that at most a second had passed between my question and your answer, the apprehension made it seem like hours, maybe my brain was slowing down time, to protect me from what was to come. 

But after that, when that agonizing second passed, he smiled. 

His eyes seemed brighter than before, and he smiled, he smiled in such a sincere and calm way, as if everything in the world was exactly the way he wanted it.

— Of course I do, you idiot — he said, reaching out to take the flowers I'd offered him earlier, and it took a moment for me to sink in, but when I did, my eyes widened and I felt my heart give way. a jump, as if he was celebrating with me and the weight that was previously on my shoulders evaporated. 

And I laughed, a surprised and happy laugh and so, so relieved.  

Before he could reach the flowers, I threw myself at him, making him stumble backwards, before steadying himself and wrapping his arms around me, just as I had roughly done to him. I buried my face, my neck, smelling her, and, just because I could, I ran my fingers through her messy locks, undoing the bun that previously lived there.

— You're an idiot for thinking I'd say no — he murmured in my ear, and I let out a laugh into his neck.

— You idiot — I teased, and then he let out a muffled laugh. 

— God, that was so cliché I feel like I'm going to throw up — he replied, but I knew it was a lie because he squeezed me a little tighter. 

And I could stay there forever.

But a scratchy throat and some muffled laughter reminded me that, as much as it seemed, we no we were alone. 

— Could you please, let go of my little brother? —Sirius's voice completely interrupted us, and his hand taking – very aggressively, I have to add – my hands off his brother and pulling him back was also a huge interruption. 

But I was happy, nothing could shake me at that moment, least of all a possessive, and possibly homicidal, brother. 

I never had many self-preservation instincts anyway. 

— That was extremely cute, I wish I had recorded it, Molly would love to see it — Andy said, and I gave her a bright smile. 

yes, us we are we were. 

— James, you looked pathetic — the little pest said, and I looked down and stared at her, wondering how the hell this girl knew what “Pathetic” meant and how she knew I was? 

— Well, now your favorite cousin is pathetic to me, and now, who won? — he said, smiling each time at the frown that formed on his small face. 

— That's because he hit his head when he was little, all I have to do is hit his head on the floor again and things will go back to normal — she replied, and I let out a scared laugh, because even though it was slightly disturbing for a child 6 year old is so prone to violence, she reminded me of a mini Regulus telling me he would bite my finger off if I didn't keep his promise, which was strangely comforting.

— No one is going to hit anyone on the head — said Andy, giving Nymphadora a light slap on the head, completely taking away the meaning of her speech. 

— James, didn't you have a trip with your parents to go on today? — Regulus asked, catching my attention and I widened my eyes, because I had a trip to go to and I guaranteed that I would get home before 10 am.

— What time is it? I asked, starting to get frantic, because my mother was going to tell me the woman. 

— 10:30 a.m — said Sirius, with a smile on his face, as if he was happy for my suffering, which, given the circumstances, he probably was. 

— Shit, I have to go — he said, starting to leave the porch, only to stop halfway and run back to Reggie, hugging him once again, and kissing his cheek — This is yours — he said, handing it over. the half-crushed flowers, and smiling at him.

— Don't get too excited, there are children present, and one of them is my brother — Sirius said, pushing me lightly, and I laughed, placing a wet kiss on his cheek, leaving a smack.

— Don't be jealous, Six, there's James for everyone — I said, pulling away and messing up the little pest's hair in the process. 

— I'm 16, idiot, and it was a kiss on the cheek — Regulus replied. 

When I was running again, almost reaching my car, Regulus called out to me, and I looked over my shoulder at him. 

— I love you too, James — he said, holding up the flowers as a thank you and a face-splitting smile spread across my lips. 

I walked all the way back to the house, laughing to myself, and I didn't care when I got scolded, because soon after, my parents hugged me and said it was high time to bring Regulus into the family officially and permanently. 

And even when I had to listen to a week of Sirius complaining and his “shit talk”, I didn't care, because of course, I was in ecstasy.