chasing fortune and fame

Regulus had always been very good at avoiding. He could avoid his problems, friends, and any feelings he wanted to run away from exceptionally well. There were, however, only two things in life he had never fully been able to run away from. The first being the presence of Sirius’ absence. The second was James Potter's presence, which he so wished was an absence. He wished James Potter had never jumped into his life like he was jumping off a rock into the ocean during the summer because he had nothing better to do. But then again, he wished for many things, and Regulus rarely got what he wanted unless he was willing to claw his fingers raw to get them.

Honestly, Regulus didn’t know how he had ended up being the one who had to be stuck in a car with James Potter. Sure, Minerva trusted him the most, but there had to have been other cars available. James Potter wasn’t important enough to refuse to order an Uber. Though Regulus supposed he did it because it was just a little amusing to see James Potter panicked. 

While there were few things Regulus couldn’t run from, there were many things he hated. He hated humid, sunny days when he was sure to get sunburnt and sweaty. He hated mushrooms. He hated going to his childhood home. While he hated James Potter, he especially hated how he seemed to avoid the damage being tired from travel did to your appearance. Because, out of everyone, of course, it was James Potter who managed to look like fucking Apollo after he just rolled out of bed with barely any sleep. Regulus hated how everyone thought James Potter was a god. He hated his optimism. He hated his charm. He hated his kindness. He hated his smile. He hated his–

“Hello?” Barty snapped his fingers dangerously close to Regulus’ eyes. “Earth to Regulus.” 

Blinking quickly, Regulus freed himself from the haze. “Sorry. What?” He focused his vision on his half-eaten breakfast. Through the chatter, Regulus could hear James’ loud laugh. He hated that, too. 

“I asked what you’re doing later,” Barty repeated, questioning in his features. “Where’d you go off to?” 

“Remus is coming in for a couple of days. He’s giving some guest lecture at Cornell, so I’m going to have dinner with him later,” Regulus explained, ignoring Barty’s last question. “Why?” 

Barty shrugged. “A couple of us are getting together for a bit after we stop shooting.” 

Long before, Regulus had learned he shouldn’t voice comments like the one he had floating in his head, which happened to be something along the lines of that he was happy to miss it. “A couple of us getting together” was a vaguely veiled way of saying a hangout, which meant socializing, another thing Regulus often hated. He could handle socializing with the right people, but the right people were typically not the ones he was forced to socialize with. Award shows he also hated for that reason. 

About an hour later, Regulus was in costume and had a script in hand, rereading his lines for the upcoming scene to ensure he had them down. He paced around an empty classroom with wooden desks and a chalkboard in the front. The cameras were all set up, but the crew wasn’t there yet. Regulus was early. They were set to start filming soon, but he didn’t doubt that the crew was getting some breakfast, too. 

This scene was a fairly short one. Brendan would be studying quietly in the empty classroom, and Seamus would mistakenly walk in, thinking it was vacant. They would converse shortly before Brendan left, though it would never be revealed where. Regulus thought it was because he wanted to get away from Seamus, but then he wondered if he was simply placing his feelings into his character because Seamus looked like James. After all, he was, well, James. 

Pushing James Potter from his mind seemed only to conjure him into reality as James walked through the open door into the classroom. James, or rather Seamus, was wearing a maroon crewneck with gold lettering of some city and light blue jeans. Regulus, or Brendan, wore a tight black shirt and navy cargo pants. It was still a bit chilly inside the school, so Regulus was thankful to the costume designers because they took note of this. Chasing the Stars took place during the later winter and earlier spring months, so it also fit the movie. 

Walking further into the room, James smiled easily, and Regulus ignored him, mouthing his lines as he spoke them. He knew it wasn’t wise to review them too much now. Since he was in high school, he noticed that if he studied something too much, he would end up forgetting it when it mattered, so he really should have stopped going over the scene, but the alternative was acknowledging James’ presence, and he really didn’t want to do–

“Have you not already learned your lines?” James asked, sitting atop the professor’s desk in the corner. 

Sighing, Regulus turned to him, knowing he had no choice but to acknowledge him now. “Of course I did.” 

James laughed carelessly, and Regulus hated that, too. He definitely had a problem. “Then why does it look like you haven’t seen the script before?” James asked, hopping off the desk and walking closer to him. 

Rolling his eyes, Regulus leaned his hip on a desk. “I’m reviewing. I’ve known these lines for a week. You forget I’m the professional here,” he pointed out, hitting James with a dry look that seemed to go directly over his abnormally high head. Regulus also hated how tall James Potter was. 

While taking a step forward, James only looked more amused. “Forgive if I’m mistaken, but I think–and hear me out–because this is an official movie, professionally made, and with a professional cast that I’m a part of, that makes me a professional, too,” James spoke as if he was explaining this to a toddler. 

Regulus stepped closer to James, abandoning his leaning position partially to give him a couple more inches in height but also because he wasn’t afraid of James. While Regulus was amazing at flight, he was also amazing at fight. He liked confrontation, if anything. He had been told he should have been a lawyer since middle school because he argued and debated well. A rush of adrenaline came with facing James and his arrogance. 

“Don’t think just because your face and name got you a spot on this cast means you’re a professional. It means you have privilege. We are not the same and do not even try to claim that we are,” Regulus warned. He got an immense sense of satisfaction when he heard James’ breath hitch. 

At the exact right moment, an older man walked through the door. “You boys ready to start shooting?” he asked as the rest of the crew rolled in. 

“Yes,” Regulus answered, pinning James down with a glare for at least another few seconds before he turned around and walked to a table behind the cameras to drop his script onto it. 

Once every camera and microphone had been checked, Regulus was in place with the prop books in front of him. There was a bag on the chair next to him that he would place those books into once he was done. He had a notebook in front of him that was half filled with writing already, so it would look natural when he resumed writing on camera. 

“Quiet on set.” 

Regulus took a deep breath and immersed himself entirely into his role until he didn’t know where Brendan ended and he began. He temporarily put every feeling that Brendan wouldn’t feel in this scenario in a box and placed his pen on the paper. 

“3…2…1…Rolling.” 

Brendan hastily scribbled away at his paper, then paused and observed what he had written. He was stuck trying to come up with a new idea to write about for an assignment. He wrote a few more words before stopping again and chewing on the end of his pen in concentration. Groaning, he dropped the pen on the paper and leaned back in his chair, dragging his hands over his face. Writer’s block would kill him one day. As Brendan rubbed at his eyes, he heard the door open behind him and immediately turned to see who it was. 

Seamus appeared through the doorway. “Um, sorry. I thought no one was here,” he said, hesitantly stepping into the room. 

“Oh no. It’s fine,” Brendan sighed, exhausted. 

The door closed behind Seamus as he moved through the room to the first desk, multiple rows in front of where Brendan sat. “What are you working on?” Seamus asked, walking into the space in front of Brendan’s desk. 

Chuckling in the way one laughed at tragedy, Brendan pushed the notebook farther from him. “I’m supposed to be writing a story inspired by Shakespeare, but I cannot seem to get a single original idea,” Brendan explained as he leaned back in his seat more. 

“So, no Romeo and Juliet retelling?” Seamus suggested, his eyebrows raised like he knew it was a bad idea. 

“Ideally, no,” Brendan responded. “It’d take some genius to find an entirely new way to tell Romeo and Juliet. There are so many versions. I’d go insane trying to create my own.”

Seamus only glanced at the words of the book he grabbed and was flipping through; however, he kept a finger on the page Brendan was on to avoid losing track of it. “I believe it was Aristotle who said, ‘There is no great genius without some touch of madness.’” Seamus quoted.

“What major are you again?” 

“Finance,” Seamus responded. 

“Are you sure it isn’t too late to switch? I haven’t met a guy in finance who could quote Aristotle,” Brendan pointed out. 

Seamus laughed, though there was an underlying sadness that could be found. “I’m afraid it is a bit late. I have a job lined up once I graduate,” he revealed, handing the book back to Brendan. 

In taking the book back, Brendan’s fingers accidentally brushed against Seamus’, and there was a small shock like electricity where they touched. This almost caused Brendan to drop the book. It reminded him of past experiences and sorrows, and it terrified him. 

“I–” He quickly got out of his chair, almost causing it to fall back. “I should go.” Brendan began to clumsily gather his things and shove them in his bag without any care for organization.

It didn’t take more than another twenty seconds for him to have his bag swung over his shoulder and to be walking out of the classroom, leaving a shocked Seamus behind. He made it into the hallway and only made it a few steps before he fell against a wall and let his head hit the stone. God, the last time he’d felt that spark–

“Cut.” 

Regulus took a deep breath and pushed himself off the wall. 

The director made her way toward Regulus. “From the top. This time, can you…” 

* * *

 Regulus spent the rest of the day filming, with James and without. He preferred the latter because when he was filming with James, he was reminded that James was an… okay actor. James learned his lines, and he seemed to understand his character. Regulus hated that James was a good actor because it would have been much easier to hate him for other things if he hadn't been. While Regulus still believed that James had achieved the same things he had with one phone call when Regulus had busted his ass for years, it wasn’t James’ face and name that kept him in the film. They had gotten his foot in the door. Though, Regulus would never admit this to anyone. 

Drink in hand, Regulus sat at the back of a bar, silently observing the people before him. Remus had called him during lunch and told Regulus that he would be in Ithaca around six in the afternoon. They would meet in the lobby of Regulus’ hotel. But he had unfortunately taken this call next to Barty, a notorious eavesdropper, so Barty had forced Regulus along to their little hangout. Most of the main cast had shown up, and while it could have been worse, Regulus still didn’t want to be there too much. 

People’s chatter reached Regulus’ ears as he watched his cast members interact. Evan had been conversing deeply with James while Alice and Frank had been at the bar, fairly obviously flirting. Some of the secondary cast members had taken up a conversation with Barty, which left Regulus with his favorite company: himself. He watched as the minutes on the clock ticked by while he slowly made his way through his drink. 

Just before Regulus was about to leave, Evan made his way through the establishment and stopped in front of Regulus. “What are you doing, sulking in a dark corner?” Evan asked with an amused look. 

“Who says I’m sulking?” Regulus narrowed his eyes as Evan sat beside him and set his beer bottle on the table. 

“Anyone who looks at you,” Evan answered, then took a swig of his drink. 

Regulus scoffed and rolled his eyes, turning back to the rest of the bar. “And who’s looking at me?” he asked because he was in the shadows. There wasn’t anyone in this bar who didn’t work with him because they had bribed the owner to keep the doors closed to anyone else, so no one was shocked that he was there because of his fame. There was no one looking for him. 

“James. He’s the one who pointed out that you’re sulking,” Evan replied casually. 

 After a second, Regulus shifted his entire body to face Evan. “So, I see you’re best friends with James now,” he said dryly. 

“Don’t worry, I still like you better.” Evan reached over to pinch Regulus’ cheek like a grandmother might, but Regulus batted his hand away and leaned further from him. Evan only laughed. “I don’t understand why you don’t like him.”

“I don’t understand why you do.” 

Evan sighed exasperatedly. “He’s a nice guy.” 

Regulus waited until Evan took a sip of his beer to speak. “So, date him,” Regulus suggested, but only because he knew exactly what would happen when he mentioned it. 

The drink in Evan’s mouth formed a cloud of moisture as Evan leaned forward in shock. He wiped at his mouth and turned to Regulus hastily. “What? No. Why would you even suggest that? I couldn’t…”

“You’re still in love with Barty then,” Regulus said, monotone. 

“You can’t say that so loud,” Evan whispered in a way that was louder than if he was actually talking, but he didn’t deny it, which gave Regulus all the information he needed. 

Regulus stood up and threw the rest of his drink. “It’s been years, Evan. You may as well do something about it.” He began to pull on his jacket after he set his empty glass on the table. 

“He’s my best friend, Regulus,” Evan sighed.

Shrugging, Regulus gave Evan a knowing look. “He could be more.” 

Evan shot up from his chair. “Has he said something?” Regulus only stayed silent. “Fine, I know. I shouldn’t have asked.” 

Years ago, when Evan had first developed feelings for Barty, he had asked for Regulus’ help, which he had promptly refused to give. As much as Regulus wanted Evan to be happy, he didn’t feel right being in the middle of a relationship that wasn’t his. Over the years, he hadn’t told Evan what Barty said about him or told Barty what Evan said about him. He was letting the two find their own way, but it did get tiring seeing both of them so drunk on denial that they couldn’t see what was right in front of them. While Barty had never explicitly said that he felt anything toward Evan, Regulus was the only one not drunk on denial, so he used his eyes to see how Barty looked at Evan. 

“High risk, high reward.” 

“I’m not a risk taker,” Evan retorted, then fell quiet. 

“You could be.” With that, Regulus made his way through the bar and into the chilly night air. 

Regulus figured his hotel was only a block away, so he began walking down the street. It was already dark outside, and he felt the wind nipped at his nose, no doubt turning it some soft shade of pink. The hotel doors looked particularly tempting because they looked so warm. He quickly pushed into the lobby and looked around to see where Remus was. 

With no luck finding him, Regulus pulled out his phone and saw a text from Remus telling Regulus to meet him at the bar instead. The text was from over thirty minutes ago, so while he didn’t run, Regulus quickly walked to the bar. 

Light jazz music played overhead, with many luxurious wooden tables and gold details around the bar. Regulus quickly scanned the tables to find Remus but couldn’t spot him. Walking further into the bar, he took off his coat and draped it over his arm when he spotted Remus and possibly one of the worst scenes he could have seen. 

At the bar, Remus sat in a leather chair, deeply entranced in conversation with none other than James Potter. Regulus hated him for that as well.