the black dog

Present – 20th May 1983
Remus’ POV

“What the fuck did I let you all do to me?” Regulus groaned as they made their way through the wall into Absconditus Alley.

“It’s a work celebration, Reg,” Remus sighed. “It’s time to dress up anyway.”

Remus watched his friend pick at the fabric of the black dress shirt he had been forced into by his friends. He refused to wear anything that didn’t have long sleeves, the man didn’t want any eyes on the tattoo on the back of his arm. Remus knew there were certain eyes in particular—the person he now knew the tattoo was dedicated to.

However, the shirt he was in exposed a newer tattoo on his side that sat just above the top of his trousers. In the gap of skin visible between his trousers and the bottom of his cropped shirt was a small array of stars and a moon—not a full moon but a waning crescent. The stars weren’t arranged to imitate a constellation, just randomly plotted along the right side of his waist.

Remus had been careful not to comment on Regulus’ outfit and appearance change back at their apartment. He was thoroughly frightened off by the wand Regulus had pressed against Barty’s throat when he had mentioned Regulus’ ‘slutty’ waist. At that moment, Remus was frightened that he would have to scrape Barty’s corpse off of their living room floor. However, Barty—the slightly psycho person that he was—just laughed and asked Regulus whether violence was something that turned James on in the past.

“You know that was not the intention they had when they dressed me like this. And you still look like you,” Regulus huffed, waving a hand at Remus’ clothing attire. “Isn’t that the same jumper you wore yesterday?”

“I don’t need to dress up. I’m fine exactly as I am.”

Regulus scowled. “And so am I.”

“That was all Lily, Evan and Barty. I see nothing wrong with the way you usually dress.”

“You should have said something instead of just sitting there grinning as they used me as their little dress-up doll.”

“You know what they are expecting us to do tonight. You know what they want to hear when we get back.”

He was suddenly reminded about the fact that Barty, Evan and Lily were currently alone at their apartment unsupervised. Merlin that was a frightening thought. He just hoped that they had the common sense to not do anything irrational. Hopefully Lily had convinced the other two to sit down and enjoy a movie—Grease likely. That seemed to be the only thing Lily wanted to watch. Ever.

“Right,” Regulus said icily. “Fake flirt with each other.” The man made a choking sound that mimicked a gag.

Remus carefully chose to ignore that to prevent himself from being insulted.

“I’ve never worn eyeliner in my life before today,” Regulus muttered. “This is not going to be a regular thing.”

Remus smiled to himself in amusement as he remembered the look on Regulus’ face when Lily had held up a mirror for him to see the makeup their friend had applied to his face. That was not the face of a man who was not repulsed and against ever wearing the product again.

Lily had done a good job, even Remus could acknowledge that. She had lined his eyes with the eyeliner but had not stopped there with the product. She had spent close to half an hour drawing two small stars on each of Regulus’ eyelids, making sure that they were perfectly symmetrical.

Remus had observed as she left the rest of Regulus’ face alone, only applying a hint of blush to his cheeks and a glossy lipstick to his lips. This way the faint freckles that dusted the man’s nose and cheeks were still visible when you were close. It was a miracle that Lily had managed to get Regulus to agree to this in the first place. How was something Remus was still wondering for himself. When he had tried to ask the two of them, he was only provided with a glare from Regulus and a smug grin from Lily.

Regulus was so different from the boy that Remus had observed at Hogwarts when he was there—every day the man had Remus questioning everything he had assumed about him.

Regulus’ grumbles and complaints hadn’t ceased until they had stepped through the doors of the bar.

It wasn’t hard for them to spot the area of the bar where their coworkers were gathered. The Black Dog didn’t have any large tables for them to all sit together at so people had grouped off into smaller surrounding tables. Remus took note of where Rita was sitting with her photographer Bozo in one of the tables of four, immediately taking note to steer clear of her. He was almost certain that Rita was the type of person to attempt to coerce permission to expose his identity as Rowen once he had a few drinks in him.

Cuffe, who was seated at a table with another coworker, Kikis, waved them over once they had successfully skirted their way around the impromptu dance floor other visitors to the bar had created.

“Ah, Remus, Regulus.” Cuffe nodded at them. “Nice of you to make it.”

“Apologies for our lateness,” Remus said, apologising for the time it had taken for their friends to get them ready.

“No worries.” Cuffe waved a hand with an alcoholic beverage that threatened to spill over the side of the glass. “I see where our coworkers like this place. Might have to celebrate here more often.”

Yeah, Regulus and Remus would never agree to make a reappearance here again. They might have to polyjuice Lily and Evan and send them here in their place next time.

“Perhaps” is the answer that fell from Regulus’ mouth, his lips pressed into a hard line. Remus internally applauded his friend for not replying with an even more blunt response.

Cuffe waved his hand again, this time alcohol sloshed over the side and onto the floor, unnoticed by the man holding the drink. “Go. Mingle. The other coworkers are hovering somewhere around the place.”

Remus knew that he and Regulus were not the social butterflies of the Daily Prophet, and thus would not be joining in much mingling. Yet, Remus nodded. “We will do that.”

Cuffe turned back to Kikis and retook his seat at their table. Remus’ eyes darted out around the room, looking for anyone he recognised—two people in particular who were not his fellow employees.

“Where do we go now?” He heard Regulus hiss in his direction.

“Do you want a drink or to find a seat?” Remus replied.

“A seat.”

After scouting the room, they settled on one of the cushioned seats along the edge of the room. There were several U-shaped areas along the wall, pressed together. A small table was in the centre of the small, intimate area, empty glasses still waiting to be collected.

Behind the bar was a woman, not James, and Remus had yet to lay eyes on his old friend. Perhaps James had returned to Quidditch training and was no longer helping out with The Black Dog? Remus really should have checked the dates of when Quidditch training resumed. Because if James wasn’t here, then it was likely the owner of the bar was here.

Despite there being three separate couches for Remus and Regulus to spread out across, they sat close together, as per the advice—demands—of their other friends. Their thighs were pressed together on the cushioned bench that looked out onto the rest of the bar, so they had eyes on everyone else in the room.

“This is not very coupley,” Remus whispered under his breath at Regulus.

And it was true. No one would mistake the stiff body language and straightness of Regulus’ back as flirting.

“Coupley?” Regulus scoffed. “Never say that word again.”

“If it helps, just pretend I’m someone else,” He told Regulus.

Regulus’ face soured. “No. Not doing that. Just—just give me a second.”

Remus observed as Regulus took a deep breath and then the man moved. Not away from Remus, no. One minute his feet were firmly planted on the floor and the next his legs were sprawled across Remus’ lap. Regulus’ knees were still slightly bent so Regulus’ thighs and calves were really the only thing making contact with him but the movement still shocked Remus enough for him to freeze.

Regulus didn’t stop there though. The hand closest to Remus snaked up until the man’s fingers buried themselves into Remus’ hair, a lightweight on the back of his head.

“Is this okay?” Regulus asked, a light furrow to his eyebrows as he looked up at him.

Remus nodded and then snaked his own arm around Regulus’ back, his hand hovering in the air above Regulus’ waist as he waited for the man’s permission. Once Regulus nodded at him, Remus placed his hand on the man’s waist, right above the tattoos there.

Regulus initially flinched away from Remus’ hand before easing back into his touch. “Fuck your hands are cold.”

Remus winced, “Sorry.”

Regulus’ free arm then reached out until it touched Remus’ shoulder, running down the arm that wasn’t around his waist until he reached his hand. Regulus then interlaced their fingers and moved their joined hands until they were resting on his thigh.

Remus pressed his lips close to Regulus’ ear, careful not to accidentally brush the skin there. “For someone who complained so much, you seem to be very convincing.”

“I’m dying on the inside, don’t worry,” Regulus whispered back and Remus could hear the scowl dripping in his voice. “I’m fighting the urge to throw up on you. Just a warning.”

“You flatter me, Regulus,” Remus rolled his eyes at the man’s dramatics.

Because of their position, Regulus could no longer see the rest of the people in the room without obviously turning his head towards them. Remus wasn’t surprised when Regulus whispered, “Can you keep me updated on the people in the bar?”

For what felt like half an hour, Remus whispered into Regulus’ ear as he kept his eyes glued to the people in the bar, yet to have caught sight of the people they dreaded seeing. He somehow had a feeling that they were there like his body was in tune with their presence in a room.

What they were doing was a good distraction for themselves. They looked like lovers whispering in each other’s ears sweet nothings as the rest of the bar partied and socialised around them. Regulus relaxed more as he got used to Remus’ touch, fully letting his legs relax on top of Remus’ thighs, Remus knew that the man wasn’t a person that particularly enjoyed being touched, but the fact that he would do this to rub it in James’ face truly showed him that Regulus still cared and that James had truly fucked up.

“Rita is now talking to Betty and Kikis seems to be trying to drag a very drunk Cuffe out of the bar,” Remus murmured.

Regulus snorted, “Rita is probably scaring Betty shitless.”

Remus watched as a man with brown curls and glasses appeared beside Kikis and Cuffe, exchanging words with the younger man before looping an arm around their head editor’s neck and helping escort him out of the bar. Bingo. Remus had now found James.

He didn’t inform Regulus of the update as he watched James return alone half a minute later. He watched as the man scanned the crowd, possibly looking for more intoxicated people to help. Remus both saw and felt as James’ eyes glanced over where they were in the bar. It was a brief scan that held no recognition in James’ face as he appeared to be about to move onto another part of the room. Remus’s reaction was both relief and confusion until James’ head abruptly snapped back to them, a dark look overcoming his face for a second.

Remus immediately looked away, a hint of fear growing in his chest at the expression on James’ face. “Shit,” he muttered.

“What is it?” Regulus asked with a frown, the hand in Remus’ hair moving along his neck until it rested on his shoulder.

“Don’t panic but I have eyes on James,” Remus replied.

“Where?” Regulus asked without turning his head away from Remus.

Remus glanced back towards where James was standing across the bar, observing that James had thankfully cooled the dark expression on his face. However, the man had begun walking towards them with sheer determination.

Remus looked back to Regulus. “Walking towards us.”

“What?” Regulus hissed, still not looking away from Remus.

“Yes. You probably have about ten seconds before he is here.” They could thank the people walking around unaware of their surroundings for that.

When Remus’ eyes returned to Regulus he took in the look of determination in the man’s face, one that rivalled James’.

The words that fell out of Regulus’ mouth were something that nothing and nobody could have prepared him for. “Can I kiss your neck?”

“Er—”

“Just say yes,” Regulus’ face cracked and a pleading look came through.

Remus looked at how close James was and nodded. “Yes.” Fuck it. Lily would be proud. Even if Regulus and Remus would be throwing up and likely never able to look at each other again.

Regulus only pressed featherlight kisses to Remus’ throat, the kind that you pressed against the cheek of a grandmother. It was respectful, not pushing any boundaries or crossing any unspoken lines.

James’ facial expression was one of pure nonchalance as he stopped in front of them, the table stopping him from coming any closer. “Do you guys want anything to drink?”

If Regulus reacted to James, Remus didn’t even notice. The man didn’t even look at James at the sound of his voice, simply continuing to press kisses against Remus’ neck. Remus knew that James was paying no attention to Remus himself, James’ eyes were fully fixed on the side of Regulus’ face that was visible to him.

Remus decided to spare James, smiling at him as he said, “Yeah. I’ll get a No Good shot.” He named one of the drinks he had received the last time he was here. But this time he was in the mood for the shot on its own, unaccompanied by the chaser.

“Yeah, no problem,” James replied but his eyes still hadn’t shifted from Regulus. It seemed that James had no intention of leaving until he received a response from him.

After several seconds of him standing there, James finally spoke again, voice low and smooth, “Regulus?”

And Remus feels as Regulus’ body tenses in his lap even though the reaction is not something he can visibly see. It is only then that Regulus presses one last kiss behind Remus’ ear before turning to look at James.

Remus sees it. He is blind to the expression of Regulus’ as he can only see the man’s back but he sees the moment that James fully takes in Regulus’ appearance. The makeup that Lily had spent so long on and the true beauty that Regulus Black undeniably had. The Black Brother’s beauty was truly an envious gift.

The first thing that crossed Remus’ mind was how fucking unfair? Why couldn’t Remus have someone who looked at him the way that James looked at Regulus? For Merlin’s sake, Regulus was blind if he didn’t see how infatuated James Potter was with him. Something was truly miscommunicated between James and Regulus because that look on James’ face was not something that belonged to someone who wanted to be free of the object of their affection. Five years later James still looked at Regulus like he held the entire universe in his hands.

Regulus was blunt with his response, telling the man “I’m fine,” before turning back to latch his lips to Remus’ neck.

James' face twisted into something of—sadness? Hopelessness?—Remus couldn’t exactly place it. But it made his own heart hurt.

The man gathered the empty glasses from the table and turned away from Remus and Regulus, walking away without a single glance back.

“He’s gone,” Remus muttered and Regulus sagged against him, detaching his mouth from Remus’ neck.

Regulus’ voice broke as he told Remus, “See. He doesn’t care. Why did I let you all talk me into this? I feel like an idiot.”

Remus, who was suppressing the urge to whack Regulus over the head replied, “Oh he cares. Trust me.”

Sirius’ POV

Sirius was entering the bar from the door that led to the back room when he saw them.

He believed that his soul would always recognise Remus as if they were two halves of one whole.

He, however, felt his half splinter when he saw who was wrapped up in Remus’ embrace, face buried in his neck as the person pressed light kisses against his skin.

The same skin that Sirius still remembered from when he was graced with touching it back at Hogwarts. Before he had fucked everything up.

But, standing here, watching his little brother wrapped up in the arms of the person whom Sirius considered the love of his life? He felt another part of him die slowly, just shrivel up inside of him.

He was suddenly filled with overwhelming sorrow like his heart was grieving the loss of someone who was dead. Whether it was a part of Sirius himself, or the personification of love, he didn’t know.

Sirius realised then that he had been holding onto some hope for the last seven years. Hope that the universe would give him one more chance with the love of his life. But it was clear to him now, watching his brother in Remus’ arms, that the universe was a cruel joke.

He was destined to live the rest of his life without romantic love.

The door banged shut behind him as he returned to the backroom of the bar, not bearing to torture himself any longer.

Remus’ POV

The woman who was behind the bar had delivered Remus’ shot with a smile, not James. It seemed that James had disappeared from the room once again, or was hidden behind the crowds of people out of sight from Remus and Regulus.

Regulus had moved off of Remus’ lap and was not sitting beside him, their thighs still pressed together.

“I’m gonna be sick. I’m done. I can’t do this with you, it feels unnatural,” Regulus told him.

“We accomplished something. I think what happened with James is more than enough for tonight,” Remus assured him.

“Do you think we can leave soon?” Regulus asked, turning to look at Remus with a questioning look on his face.

“I think—” Remus began but was cut off by the sound of another voice.

“Regulus, you look…” The man’s voice trailed off.

Remus looked towards the owner of the voice and was both surprised—and not—to see that it belonged to Silas, a reporter at The Daily Prophet and one of their coworkers.

Remus allowed a sly smile to cross his face, fuelled by the alcohol in his system. “Cat got your tongue there, Silas?”

Silas smiled a wide grin that lit up the handsome features of his face. Silas was a few years older and was not exactly shy with his flirting. Remus had been observing the man flit from person to person as he smiled suggestively and made people blush with his compliments.

The man scanned Regulus up and down. “I’m at a loss for words.”

Regulus rolled his eyes. “Then this conversation won’t go anywhere”

Instead of being deterred, Silas laughed. “My mouth just needs to catch up to my brain.”

Remus, deciding that he was now going to be Regulus’ wingman, winked at Silas. “Luckily there’s plenty of other uses for a mouth.”

Silas laughed again, “That there is. Fuck, Regulus. You’ve always been attractive but there’s something about your face tonight that’s particularly stunning.”

Remus watched Regulus tilt his head at the man before shaking his head with a scoff, “That’s called eyeliner.”

Silas, who seemed to find Regulus’ sarcasm beguiling, laughed again. “Really? Well, I like it. You should wear it more.”

Remus stood up and moved away from Regulus to stand beside Silas. He nodded at them both with a smile. “I’m going to go mingle with our other coworkers.”

That was the codeword for: I’m going to leave you and Silas alone while I watch smugly from across the room.

Regulus glared at Remus, a promise of a slow death in his eyes. Remus, grinning at Regulus and ignoring the threat mouthed “He’s hot. Use him instead.”

The last thing Remus observed was Silas sliding onto the bench beside Regulus, exactly where Remus had occupied moments before and asking Regulus, “So, can I buy you a drink?”

Remus found himself at one of the stools at the bar, chair slightly angled so he could keep an eye on Regulus and Silas.

He had gotten more drinks from the bartender and also learnt that her name was Rosa. It wasn’t that hard, he had easily figured it out from the amount of people who casually called her over to take their order. It seemed that the service was also something that attracted people to The Black Dog.

He eventually noticed someone slide into the stool beside him, the side that he was slightly angled away from.

“Regulus is over there talking to a guy,” a deep voice told him.

Remus jumped and swung around on the stool until he was facing James. The man’s eyes were narrowed in Regulus’ direction, filled with envy and confusion at what was in front of him.

Remus shrugged in response. “Good for him.”

James’ eyes finally tore away from Regulus to look at Remus. “Aren’t you two…?”

Remus shook his head, no longer wanting to continue to lead James to think that he and Regulus had a relationship that was beyond platonic. “Nope. Just a bit of fun.” He took another sip of his drink. “Reg just likes to use me to keep the men from buying him drinks and flirting with him,” the lie came out easily, the alcohol likely aiding that.

James frowned. “He was kissing your neck…”

“He was trying to deliver a message.” He gave James a pointed glance.

James' eyes looked back in Regulus’ direction, a new understanding in them. “Oh, I see. So the other time you were here…?”

Oops. Regulus would be very mad if he found out what Remus had just told James.

“Wasn’t a date,” Remus confirmed before turning around to look at Regulus and Silas. “He seems to have accepted an offer though.” He wanted to high-five himself when James’ face was filled with what appeared to be jealousy and rage. He truly was a great wingman tonight.

James however—and to Remus’ surprise—groaned. “I’d rather it be you.”

“What do you mean by that, James?” Remus hid his smirk by taking a sip of his drink.

“Just that… I’d force myself… I… uh…” James seemed to be at a loss for words.

“I know, James,” Remus told him, knowing exactly why James was struggling to find the words.

“Ah–well that makes it easier to explain,” James exhaled a sigh of relief. “I guess that I would force myself to get over it.”

Remus tilted his head, fully taking in the look on James’ face that made him look like a kicked puppy. “Are you not over Reg?”

James hesitated, seeming to try to gather the right words. “I think you could ask me that in fifty years and I’d still have the same answer,” he said carefully.

“Ah, I see,” Remus nodded. What James was saying—but not saying—was that he was incapable of getting over Regulus or loving anyone else. Remus wanted to walk over and high-five Regulus for whatever he did to get James this devoted to him.

“It’s been five years yet it still feels like yesterday,” James said as he glanced in Regulus’ direction. “He doesn’t feel the same, does he?”

Remus frowned. “I’m not the person you should be asking.”

“Oh,” James sounded disheartened as the sound left his mouth.

“I didn’t say ‘no’, James.”

“Oh,” James said with a frown before realisation crossed his face. “Oh.”

“But it is my duty as one of Reg’s friends to tell you that you fucked up James,” Remus gave him a reprimanding look, echoing the ones he had observed from his mother, Effie Potter and Minerva McGonagall.

“I don’t know what happened,” James told him. “We were fine one minute and then the next he was ending things.”

Remus frowned. “I can’t tell you what Reg felt in that moment those years ago. Only you and Reg can figure that out.”

“Okay–yeah. If he will talk to me.”

Remus glanced at Regulus out of the corner of his eye. “He isn’t doing much talking right now,” he muttered.

“What do you mean–” James’ eyes scanned the room. “Uh well, it doesn’t look like he feels the same as me at the moment.”

Remus felt pity for James as they watched as Regulus was now the one who was receiving kisses up and down his neck—and along his jawline—from Silas. But these were definitely not featherlight kisses, these were hot, open-mouthed kisses.

Remus winced, “He’s just taking some advice.”

“Advice? What advice?” James narrowed his eyes at Remus.

“Oh nothing,” Remus said. “Just James—” he drew the man’s eyes away from Regulus.

“Yeah?” James replied.

“Don’t hurt Reg again, okay? Even if you didn’t mean to the first time.”

Remus watched as James studied the expression on his face, taking in the warning that Remus had made sure to communicate.

“You guys are close then?” James asked.

Remus shrugged. “You said it, not me.”

Remus and James turned their attention back to Regulus and Silas. Silas’ lips were now inches away from Regulus' mouth, and any second now it was likely that they would connect.

“Well, I’m gonna go…” James slid off the stool and nodded in the direction of Regulus and Silas.

Remus nodded. “If Regulus asks, tell him I tried to stop you.”

Remus watched as James walked—no he ran—off in the direction of his best friend.

Remus turned to the man on his other side, alcohol bubbling inside him, “Cheers!” he exclaimed as he knocked their glasses together.

James’ POV

“Can I get you anything to drink?” James called out desperately as he came to a stop in front of Regulus and the man who dared to touch him.

To his pleasure, the man leaned away from Regulus just before their mouths touched. He turned to James with an annoyed look, gesturing to their half-full glasses on the table. “We’re fine with finishing these.”

James had venom in his voice as he replied to the man. “I wasn’t asking you.”

Shock grew on the man’s face as he looked James up and down and turned back to Regulus with a questioning look.

Regulus, who had been avoiding looking at him, finally turned his head to meet James’ gaze. “Potter, leave.”

James couldn’t help but feel relief as Regulus finally looked at him, even if it was to tell him to leave. Merlin, this man was perfection himself. Fuck if he wasn’t fighting the temptation to push the man aside and replace all traces of the man with James’ own mouth.

He grinned at Regulus, wanting to hear more words from his mouth. “Not going to give me another black eye, are you?”

The other man—whom James considered the intruder—looked at the almost faded bruise on James’ cheekbone. Honestly, James had been dreading the mark completely disappearing from his skin, like the touch-starved psycho he was. Regulus had left that mark and wanted to covet any interaction he had with Regulus.

The intruder scrambled to his feet, looking at Regulus as he told him, “I think that’s my queue to leave. I’ll talk to you later Reg?”

Regulus nodded and didn’t remove his eyes from the intruder until he had disappeared into the crowd. When he finally did, a scowl was fixed on his face.

“May I recommend Lost Lover?” James asked, desperate to break the tension.

“Fuck you, Potter.” Regulus climbed to his feet and attempted to try to leave the enclosed space.

“I don’t think now is that place for that,” James replied with a smug grin.

Regulus gave James a disgusted look as he continued trying to figure out how to leave the area. Upon realising that no matter what path he tried to take, James was going to step into his path, he collapsed back into the cushioned bench with a sigh, crossing his arms. Smart choice. James was positive that if Regulus stepped towards him, he would not want to fight the urge to reach out and touch him.

“Sirius wants to talk to you,” he told him.

“Good to know,” Regulus said sarcastically.

“You can talk right now if you want… there’s a room out the back,” James said, desperate to help his friend rekindle the relationship with his little brother.

Regulus climbed to his feet again, seeming that he might actually attempt to escape this conversation. “My brother had five years to talk to me. Andy could have connected him with me if he wanted it.”

“Fine, no Sirius,” James said, trying to get Regulus to stay. “Can we talk then?”

“We have nothing to talk about,” Regulus replied, remaining standing.

“Are you sure about that?” James said in disbelief. “The punch said otherwise.”

“Arguably, the punch said a lot,” Regulus rolled his eyes. “One of the main things was fuck off.”

“You deserved it.”

“What?” Regulus said, his face morphing into an expression of pure confusion.

“That’s what you said,” James reminded him. “You punched me and told me that I deserved it.”

“And?”

“What does that mean?” James asked.

“That you deserved the punch,” Regulus said simply.

“Yeah, I got that, but why?”

Regulus looked at him as if he couldn’t believe the words leaving his mouth. “You seriously don’t know? Use your brain, Potter.”

James didn’t like that Regulus was referring to him so informally. His surname wasn’t something he ever wanted to be called by Regulus. “My name is James. Or Jamie to you.”

“Potter. I’m going to leave now,” Regulus warned him, however making no move to do so.

“What went wrong?” James asked, unable to stop the crack in his voice. “What did I do?”

“It’s been five years and you are still torturing me,” Regulus’ voice crumbled as he said the words. “Stop pretending you care. Just let go, James. Leave us in the past.”

“And if I don’t want to?” James asked.

“That wasn’t a choice, Potter. I’m not asking you to.”

“Bossy as always,” James said with a smile.

“You,” Regulus narrowed his eyes as red flushed his cheeks. “You. Stop that.”

“Stop what?” James said innocently.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Regulus told him.

“And how is that?”

“Like you care.”

“But I do care, Reggie,” James managed to take a step closer, eyes focused on Regulus’ mouth. “I care so much.”

Regulus’ hands are firm as he takes one of James’ shoulders in each of them and pushes him away.

James doesn’t go far—he’s a quidditch player after all, his upper body strength was honed from all the training and matches. “I’ve got to give it to you,” James said with a saccharine smile. “You are just as feisty as ever.”

“I hope that punch hurt,” Regulus hissed.

“Not as much as my heart,” James replied.

“That was so fucking cheesy. Never say anything like that again.” Regulus groaned and James relished in the sound.

“Does that mean I’m gonna see you again?”

“Fuck no,” Regulus said firmly. “It will be a long time before I see this place again.”

“I do know where you work,” James reminded him.

“Okay, stalker. If you excuse me I have to go find someone,” Regulus managed to get past James to join him on the other side of the table.

James frowned, his body filling with jealousy. “It’s not that guy you were with earlier, is it?”

“It’s none of your business if it is.”

“I very well believe it is.”

James watched as Regulus studied him carefully as if he was trying to see inside his soul. Take it, James wanted to say, my soul and my heart are yours.

Once he was finished, Regulus opened his mouth one final time. “Tell Remus I’ll be waiting outside for him.”

Remus’ POV

Remus was carefully watching the exchange between James and Regulus from a safe distance, observing the body language between the two of them.

He still had not moved from the stool on the bar but was no longer subtle as he fully faced the pair and watched their heated discussion—argument?

He, however, wished he had been paying more attention to his surroundings when he felt a presence behind him that had his body freezing even before confirming who it was.

Fuck.

“Can we talk?” The voice of the individual addressed him.

Remus' breathing picked up instantly, unsure if he was on the edge of a panic attack or if this was just his general response to being in the presence of the individual.

Remus now had two options:

A) Run for his life out of the bar

Or

B) Turn around and have the conversation he had been dreading for seven years