Chapter 6
“You have got to be kidding me, Remus!” Regulus slams his locker shut, turning away and quickly walking down the hallway.
“Regulus, listen–”
“No, Remus, fuck you,” Regulus huffs, not stopping as Remus follows behind him. “I cannot believe you would do this to me. You heard how he treats me and that just made you swoon?”
“No, it didn’t even happen at the party. It was yesterday during lunch,” Remus explains, moving to walk directly next to Regulus. Regulus wouldn’t allow himself to even glance in his direction, though. “He wanted me to tell you that he’s sorry and–”
“He can’t apologize to me himself?” Regulus scoffs, rolling his eyes. Honestly, who did Sirius think he was? Snogging his best friend for who knows how long and then he makes things official with said best friend and sends him to apologize? “Even you need to realize how pathetic that is, Remus.”
“I told him you would only want to hear it from him, but he’s under the impression that you hate him, so,” Remus sighs, running a hand through his hair and lifting one shoulder in a half-shrug. “This is him trying his best.”
“Well, he’ll need to try a lot harder,” Regulus retorts. “I’m not allowed to kiss Potter but he’s allowed to be your boyfriend? How is that fair?”
“That’s another thing,” Remus points a finger at Regulus as they stop in front of the English classroom. “You need to talk to James about what happened. It’s driving him crazy, I think.”
Regulus swallows hard. He’s tried his best not to think about what had gone down at the party, knowing that it all came down to James being just drunk enough to snog the first person who would give him the chance. Regulus wasn’t thinking and he let his feelings slip the slightest bit, but it wouldn’t be happening again. He had more important things to think about, anyway, seeing as he would be trying to go and see Spider-Man. His life is so beyond weird right now.
“There’s nothing to talk about. We were drunk, that’s that,” Regulus turns to walk into the classroom, but is stopped by a hand grabbing his wrist.
“Regulus, you know that’s not the truth,” Remus’ eyebrows knead together, a look of borderline worry etched onto his face.
“Okay, fine, he was drunk, I was tipsy, we made out,” Regulus feels his face start to heat up, not out of embarrassment, but out of anger. He was sick of thinking about it, because it had been the only thing on his mind the entire week. He got in trouble with his mother for the first time in a while and was now sporting a few new bruises around his ribs because he wasn’t listening to what she was saying.
“He’s freaking out, Reg. He thinks you’re mad at him or something,” Remus pinches the bridge of his nose, his fingers tracing the scar running across his face. “You need to talk to him.”
“Tell him I’m not mad, then,” Regulus says, clenching his jaw. “If you can speak for Sirius, you can speak for me. Now, I’ve got class, and so do you, so go away.”
—
Regulus is on the brink of freaking out as he walks down the dimly illuminated streets of downtown London. He has his hands stuffed in his sweatshirt pockets as he strides alone, vastly aware of his surroundings and straining his ears to catch any noise. The last thing he needs is a repeat of the last time he was in this situation; he did not want to end up back at the Potter’s or in Sirius’ bedroom.
As he makes his way down the pavement, he keeps a tight grip on his phone just in case, and he keeps his head titled upward in constant search for a specific superhero. If he didn’t show up and James was lying to him last week, he would be the one needing to be saved. That would be sure to get a reaction out of who he wanted to talk to.
He approaches the building with a quickened pace, then checks the time on his phone; 20:57. Around nine, James had said, so there were only three minutes until he was proved to be a liar. It had been odd how James had known this information, and his reasoning didn’t quite check out, either. This coffee shop closes at seven every day, even Sundays, so why would James be hanging out here at nine o’clock by himself? Or maybe he was with Sirius? And how did he know what time Spider-Man would be here every day of the week? It was odd.
Regulus, suddenly feeling a bit tired, decides to sit down at one of the tables in front of the shop, the chair all too familiar to him as he sinks into it. He had been going here since his brother took him when he was twelve after they had just gotten out of their rooms for the first time in days, finding comfort in the quiet environment that was perfect for reading books and writing poetry. It had been his favorite place to go whenever he was distressed since then.
“What are you thinking about, angel face?” A voice spoke from the space across from him, causing him to flinch. He looks up and his eyes grow wide at who’s sitting in front of him.
“You’re Spider-Man,” Regulus’ breath hitches as he stares at the masked hero, observing the intricacies of his costume.
“I heard you were looking for me. Is everything alright?” He’s clearly making his voice deeper than it really is, and Regulus gets why, but he can’t stop himself from being amused by it.
“Yeah, it’s just,” Regulus looks down at his hands, which are fidgeting with one another on the table. Damn his awkwardness; this is a superhero! “Well, I was just wondering if you had helped me out a couple weeks ago? My idiot brother called me delusional when I brought it up, but I swear I saw you, even for a second.”
“It’s, uh,” the hero pauses, and Regulus can hear the eyes on his mask open and shut, a robotic whir, “I can’t really remember every person I’ve saved, but, I think I would remember rescuing someone as pretty as you.”
Regulus freezes. On one hand, Spider-Man just said that he, in fact, did not save Regulus, which means Sirius was right. On the other hand, in the same breath, Spider-Man just called him pretty. A burning warmth creeps up Regulus’ neck and he hates it. No way he’s blushing after getting proven wrong.
“You’re sure? I really could’ve sworn–”
“Regulus, I’m sorry, but there’s no way I could’ve forgotten rescuing you,” Spider-Man sighs, almost sounding guilty. His voice had returned to its normal pitch, so he sounded sincere. “I’m glad someone did, though.”
Regulus looks up, nodding, “Me too.”
They’re quiet for a minute and Regulus takes the time to think about how he’s going to have to admit to his brother that it wasn’t some hero that saved him. He can’t even fathom the embarrassment he’s going to feel and the thought alone is enough to make him want to skip tomorrow. Maybe he could get away with pretending to be sick, and then he could just ask James for the prompt from writing club. James–
“Maybe I can take you home,” Spider-Man stands from where he was sitting, now towering above Regulus. “It’s dangerous walking these streets alone, you know.”
“Trust me, I’m aware,” Regulus rolls his eyes, also standing from his chair. “I’m fine on my own, though. I’m sure you’re aware of what my parents think of you, so it would be more dangerous for you, actually, to show up on my doorstep.”
“Oh, please, I could sneak you in easily,” Spider-Man waves a dismissive hand in front of his face, the large white eyes of his mask shrinking into slivers, indicating that he was smiling. Regulus just stares at him blankly.
“How do you intend to do that?” Regulus crosses his arms, looking at the suit of red, grey, and gold. It had a neat design and looked very high in tech.
“You live in town, right? I can easily swing you in and out of there in no time,” Spider-Man leaned smugly against the table, nearly sitting on it. “You’ve just got to give me an address, love.”
“Well, I don’t feel comfortable swinging through the streets with someone I don’t even know,” Regulus pauses, looking the hero up and down much more obviously this time, “love.”
“Oh, come on! You don’t trust me?” He takes a step closer, to which Regulus steps back. A hand reaches out toward him. “I won’t let you get hurt, Regulus. I promise.”
Regulus hesitates, of course, because who wouldn’t? Sure, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t incredibly dangerous. Orion Black and Spider-Man never saw exactly eye to eye, so what trouble would it be if Spider-Man just so happened to drop Regulus while they were swinging from one tall building to another.
But what if he’s being genuine? He sounded genuine and calming and something like a certain warmth that Regulus had been lacking the past week. He could really use the idea of trusting someone right now, even if it was his father’s public enemy. So, without thinking much more about it, Regulus lets his hand fall into the red glove, biting back a small smile when the hero does nothing to hide his own.
“If you drop me, I swear to anything holy that I will haunt the fuck out of you,” Regulus points his free hand toward the super hero, who just laughs in response.
“You need to stand close to me,” and suddenly Regulus is being tugged to stand uncomfortably close against the person holding his hand. A firm hand wraps around his waist and Regulus wraps his arms around wide shoulders. “You need to hold on tight. Like, really tight.”
“I promise that won’t be an issue,” Regulus nods, closing his eyes tightly as his hands grip for anything, only to be met with firm muscle. “Your suit is so tight I can’t grab it.”
“That’s kind of the point, sweetheart,” he laughs out, and without warning, they’re suddenly up in the sky.
Regulus screams because what the fuck is happening? His legs wrap insticintively around the person’s waist, and if he was uneasy before, he was drowning in embarrassment now. He could barely care, though, as he and whoever this stranger behind a mask was flew through the city skies. His eyes are still closed and his head is buried into this person’s shoulder.
He moves slightly, and opens his eyes, wanting to take this experience in fully, knowing he’d never be able to do this again. That, unfortunately, was a huge mistake, because as soon as Regulus sees exactly how high they are, the world spins around him and he’s taken over by a bout of nausea, which forces him to bury his head in the hero’s shoulder again.
“I, uh,” Regulus swallows, barely able to find his voice, “I think I’m afraid of heights.”
“Shit, this is a bad time to discover that phobia, huh?” Spider-Man lets out a small huff of air, which Regulus assumes to be a laugh. “No, I was like that my first time, too. You get used to it, really.”
“You also felt like your brain and stomach were merging together?” Regulus asked, having to yell a bit because of the wind in their ears.
“That’s a great way of describing it, yeah,” he full on chuckles this time, and something about it sounds so familiar. Weird.
Before he knew it, they were standing in his bedroom, and he was very thankful that he had left his window open before leaving. Regulus needed a second to catch his breath, which seemed to be stuck in his throat the entire time they were soaring, or swinging. Checking the time on his phone, he sees that it’s later than he thought; 11:43.
“Fuck,” Regulus breathes out, running a hand through his–now very messy–hair, his fingers getting tangled in the curls. “I’ll need a shower, too.”
“What’s wrong?”
“School. I was planning on skipping tomorrow, anyway, so it’s fine,” Regulus shrugs, walking over to his wardrobe and grabbing some pajamas.
“You’re skipping school tomorrow?” His voice almost sounded hurt. “Can’t do one more day until the weekend?”
“Well, frankly, I don’t feel like facing my brother and,” Regulus pauses, voice catching on the words ‘this boy I like,’ “his friend. I told both of them that I was sure you saved me, and now I’m sure to get teased for it.”
“Regulus–”
“Thanks for the, uh, ride home, but you’re good to go,” Regulus sends a half-smile. “I need to shower, so.”
“Okay,” he nods, staring off into space for a second before nodding again. “Yeah, okay. Goodnight, pretty boy, and stay safe. I’d hate to actually have to save you from any sort of imminent doom.”
Regulus nods, letting out a small laugh. “Goodnight, Spider-Man.”
And with that, he was gone. Regulus felt like he could explode, so overwhelmed that he was afraid he actually might. He had been wrong, and now he would have to tell everyone that he was wrong, and he hated that. Though, he did get to have a conversation with Spider-Man, and also got to swing through the city with him, which was much cooler than anything Sirius or Remus or James had ever done.
For a second, he thought about texting Remus, because that’s who he would always talk to about any sort of crazy experiences he had. Then, he remembers that he doesn’t really want to talk to Remus, his brother’s boyfriend, right now, and throws his phone on the bed. He’s a traitor, and the story could definitely wait until the ride to school Monday morning. With that, he went into his bathroom and started the shower.
***
“Regulus won’t be at school tomorrow,” James blurts as he swings into Sirius’ room, where both Sirius and Remus are sitting, dark curls sprawled across the ladder’s chest.
“What? Why not? Is he okay?” Remus stands from Sirius’ bed, much to the other boy’s dismay.
“He’s just being dramatic about being wrong,” Sirius complains, rolling his eyes. “Now, get back on the bed before I drop dead.”
Remus and James both look at Sirius, blank looks on their faces, but silver eyes just stare back, clearly confused. James shakes his head, then looks at Remus, “He’s fine, just a little upset is all.”
“See? Dramatic!” Sirius raises his hands in the air as if to prove his point.
“It feels weird telling him he’s wrong when he’s right,” James sighs, taking his mask off. “I just wish I could tell him–”
“James–”
“Remus, I know I can’t, but I wish I could,” James sighs. He hasn’t gotten a chance to talk to Regulus since Saturday night and he felt like he was going crazy. He thought that he would be able to have a conversation with him in writing club, but clearly that was not going to happen. “It’s not fair to him to be stuck in the shadows.”
“I know, but it’s for the best while he lives in that house,” Sirius sighs, his voice suddenly much more grim. “Orion and Walburga have cruel ways of getting the truth out of people, and by people, I mean Reg and I.”
James flinches, not wanting to think about what his best friend had to endure for a good majority of his life, and what Regulus has to endure even now. He had noticed him wincing in the hallway a few days ago, but Regulus fled before he could ask about it. The thought made James sick.
He remembers the night Sirius showed up at his front door, bloodied and battered on a random Wednesday night. They couldn’t even take him to the hospital because he refused to go, just wanting to hide for as along as possible. Fortunately, James’ mom works at a hospital, or else Sirius most likely would’ve died from blood loss that night. A feeling of dizziness takes over his head.
“James? You alright, mate?” Remus asks, patting him on the back. James nods, flashing a small smile.
“I’m just tired–not feeling very well,” James holds back a sigh, because he doesn’t want his friend to question his mood. “I feel bad for Reg.”
“I’m going to kidnap him one day,” Sirius blurts, catching both Remus and James a bit off guard. They’re both overly aware of how the Black brothers show their love in odd ways, but this is the first time in years that Sirius has spoken about Regulus leaving with any trace of hope. “I’ll make him want to live with me when I get that apartment in November. I swear it.”
Remus sighs, seemingly knowing something they don’t, because his tone is sad when he says, “Don’t get your hopes up, Sirius. He’s pretty stubborn.”
Sirius waves a dismissive hand, a smug smirk on his face. “Oh, please, who do you think he got it from, Moony?”
“Moony?” James repeats, glancing between the two.
“Remus has a birthmark on his–”
“That’s enough of that!” Remus exclaims, clapping his hands loudly. “James, you said you were tired, so go get some rest.”
“Whatever you say, Moony,” James makes kissy faces at the tall brunette before getting a stuffed animal launched at his face. Sirius just erupts into laughter as Remus chases James out of the room. “Pads, you’ll have to tell me more about Remus’ birthmark on the way to school tomorrow!”
“Goodnight, James,” Remus grumbles before closing the bedroom door with a dramatic slam. Not even a second later, he hears Sirius scream-laughing. He can’t help but smile knowing his best friend is happy with the person he’s loved for years. Now, James needs to get that lucky.