As much as he doesn’t want to admit it James has developed a small crush on none other than Regulus Black. Regulus however, obviously doesn’t like him back.
Well James is feeling good today, he knows what Regulus’ answer will be but hey, what's another rejection right? He got used to it after being rejected by Lily countless times
After breakfast James catches up to Regulus outside the hall, pulling him by his arm into an alcove
“Regulus wait i have to tell you something”
“Merlin, what Potter I have to get to class.” Regulus said clearly annoyed.
“Uhm I have to ask you something or well- tell you something,” James said, Regulus was unimpressed by his rambling, looking bored and just waiting to leave.
“Spit it out Potter”
“I like you.” James said quickly, probably just wanted to get it out there in the open.
Regulus scoffs, why did he scoff?
“God did Sirius put you up to this it’s not fucking funny.” Regulus spat out shoving James out the way and making his way down the hall before James could even process what happened. As James went out to go ask him why he did that, Regulus had gone.
James went on with all of his classes, wondering about what Regulus had said, ‘did Sirius put you up to this?’ of course he didn't. James thought he would have been mad at him and not encouraging his behaviour.
Nonetheless James went back to the dorm after classes, Sirius had detention and Peter was down in the garden helping the professor with the plants for their next lesson. Remus was in the dorm however when he got back.
“Hey prongs.” Remus said as James walked through the door.
“Hi moons, watcha doing” James asked indicating the paper and books remus had piled on the desk next to him.
“Just an essay for history of magic, you know the essay you should be working on aswell?”
“Yeah well, it’ll be fine, my past work comes last minute as you know.” James chuckled
“Mmm yeah sure mate” Remus said looking back down at the parchment in front of him.
James walked over to his own bed, flopping down as he got there, he must have fallen asleep because he felt Remus shaking him awake.
“Get up mate it’s time for dinner”
“Alright geez, man that was a good sleep fucking hell.” James says rubbing his eyes “how long was I out?”
“3 hours giver or take” Remus answered, James just hummed in reply and they went down to the great hall for dinner. Picking Sirius up from detention along the way
James heard his friends in conversation but he was elsewhere, he stared over at the Slytherin table, glazing over it until he found the specific person he was looking for. He kept staring at him hoping their eyes would meet. But Regulus didn’t look back. Not even once.
James doesn’t know much about Regulus Black, but oh how he wishes he could. He hates to admit his pathetic crush has been going for a little over 4 months, but who could blame him.
Before he even knows he is hes searching for Regulus’ name on the map. He finds it in the astronomy tower. His feet seem to have a mind of their own because he is up and out the door in minutes. He walks up to the tower, not knowing what he is going to say but hoping something will just come up in the moment.
James takes one deep breath in and reaches his hand down to open the door to the tower. He walks through and finds Regulus standing there, arms crossed over the railing looking out over the night sky. Regulus doesn’t hear James coming or else he probably would have left, but it’s a bit late because James goes to stand right next to him.
“Jesus Christ Potter. What are you doing up here. It’s late why aren’t you in your dorm.” Regulus asked startled.
“Well gee Reg I could ask the same about you. Why are you here?”
“I’m always here. Whats your excuse.”
“Well, Love I don’t have an excuse.” James says. They both just stand there for a bit. James sees Regulus is uncomfortable with his presence so James just decides to get it over with.
“What did you mean by what you said earlier?” James asked.
“What did I say.”
“You asked if Sirius put me up to it. Which i swear he didn’t I really do like you Reg, I knew you would reject me but I figured that I still could just ask, I mean it’s not like you really talk to me anyw-” James rambled but was interrupted by Regulus.
“Just stop. I know you don’t like me. Can you just knock it off? Its fucking annoying.” Regulus huffed out turning to leave.
“Reg wait-”
“Don’t you fucking call me that Potter, don’t call me Regulus just don’t talk to me.” and with that he left. James sat there for what felt like hours not knowing what to do or think, he ended up going back to the dorm when he got too tired to keep his eyes open.
The next morning Sirius had gone with Marlene to the Quidditch pitch to practice before the game the next weekend, James had made up an excuse about his knee saying he couldn’t but maybe tomorrow. It was only him and remus in the dorm, he didn’t know where Peter had gone, most likely to breakfast already with Lily and Mary.
James walked over to Remus’ bed.
“Hey moons can i talk to you about something really quick.” James said he sounded sincere, too sincere for a saturday morning.
“Course James what’s up?”
“Ok well it’s kinda about Regulus. Uh so uhm- I dont know how I’m supposed to say this. Fuck. I have like a small crush on him.” James said nervously.
Remus knew James. They had shared a dorm for 5 years nearly six and if he knew anything it was what James looked like when it wasn’t just a crush, he looked it for years when he was pining after Lily. so Remus simply raised an eyebrow up at him.
“Fuck ok fine I’m in love with him. Gods Remus I barley know him but i can’t stop thinking about him.”
“Ok well how about don’t, I love that you are getting over Lily but seriously. Don’t do anything, that is Sirius’ little brother just stay away from him, don’t ask him out alright James?”
James looked away.
“Ok uhm i didn’t ask him out but i may have told him i liked him.”
“Merlin James.” Remus shook his head. “Don’t get all wrapped up in him alright? It’s not worth your friendship to Sirius”
“It won’t to anything to my friendship with Sirius. Ugh you know what it’s fine. I shouldn’t have talked to you.” James sighed he walked away from the bed and out the door ignoring Remus telling him to wait.
James walked to the library, seemed like a safe bet as to where Regulus would be. He began walking up and down the aisles, looking at the tables to see if he could find Regulus. He finally found him right in the back corner.
Regulus looked up at the sound of someone walking towards him as soon as he saw it was James he started packing up his books. James ran over to stop him.
“Hey wait Regulus, stop” James reached out to grab his arm , much to his dismay Regulus pulled away almost immediately.
“What do you want James.” James had to stop for a second. James? Did Regulus actually say that? Regulus called him by his first name. That shouldn’t be so revolutionary but it is for James.
“Why do you hate me?” James asked
Regulus just sighed. “I don’t hate you James I just don’t know why you feel the need to keep pestering my about some stupid nonsense. Why does everything have to be a prank with you. Everyone around you is just for your own amusement.”
“Woah Regulus what? This isn’t a joke what are you talking about? Me telling you I like you? That wasn’t a joke. Remus quite literally told me to not come here and not talk to you. Why do you keep running away” He sounded upset
“I don’t know” James hated the way Regulus looked, he wasn’t making eye contact anymore. He was staring at the wall. And he sounded more upset than James.
“Shit Reg what did i say are you ok?”
“Are you serious?”
“About what? Liking you yes wh-” James can’t finish the sentence before Regulus cuts him off with a kiss and holy shit, Regulus is kissing him. The boy that screamed at him two days ago for accidentally running into him.
It is all James has dreamed of for four months, and oh he can’t believe it. He lets out a small sound of displeasure when Regulus pulled back.
“I’m sorry for not believing you James, I just, it’s fucking embarrasing but i have had a crush on you since my third year. And Sirius knew, and he left and well hates me, so I just thought that he had told you to do this to make fun of me.”
“He doesn’t hate you”
“Well whatever it doesn’t matter, I just want to know, how do you like me? I’m always mean to you and you don’t even know anything about me”
“I don’t know actually but well how about you get to know me?”
James and Regulus start meeting up a few times a week. They talk, they get to know eachother. After 3 months James asked Regulus to be his boyfriend. 13 year old regulus was screaming but 15 year old him just smiled and said yes. James soon became the person who knew Regulus the best. And Regulus became the one who knew James more than anyone.
James wanted to make their relationship public, he wanted everyone to know that he was the one who got to have Regulus, got to hold him and kiss him. He wanted to do it whenever. Regulus said he couldn’t. It would get back to his parents, who in turn would kill James and then Regulus.
So in James’ mind there was of course only one solution.
“Live with me”
“What?”
“Leave your parents, love, please. You are always welcome in my home, my parents would be more than happy to have you there”
“I’ll think about it” Regulus kissed James’ cheek.
Regulus moved into the Potters house that Summer.