Cardiac
James loved Sirius. Really, he loved Sirius like a brother, one of the most important people in his life. However, as much as he loved Sirius, he was tired of hearing him rant about Regulus.
When James had woken up that morning, Regulus wasn’t there anymore. James was a little disappointed, at least until he saw his texts, and then he was just concerned. As happy as he was that Regulus decided to talk to his brother, James knew it wouldn’t end well. He was relieved when Regulus texted him.
8:27
Beautiful<3: Hey, James.
Beautiful<3: I’m going to go to lunch with Barty and Evan. I won’t be back for a couple of hours.
James: Okay love
James: How’d the meeting with Sirius go?
Regulus didn’t respond for a minute.
Beautiful<3: Not great.
Beautiful<3: I’m fine though.
Beautiful<3: Sirius is probably going to bother you about it. Prepare yourself.
James: Oh god
James: I will love
James: Have fun<3
Beautiful<3: <3
Regulus wasn’t wrong. Sirius did bother him about it, calling him to go over to his and Remus’s room. When he had gotten there, Sirius was already pacing, ranting as he violently fisted his hair. Remus had been watching intently from the bed.
And now, two hours later, Sirius was still talking. James zoned out about five minutes ago.
“-He would just talk, and… Prongs? Hello? You paying attention?” Sirius said, pausing his pacing. James’s head snapped up, his thoughts dissipating.
“Huh? Oh, yeah,” James said. “Have you tried, like, asking him out for food or something? Talk to him over lunch?”
Sirius sighed dramatically. “He won’t talk to me, James. That was the longest conversation we had, and it was only after I threatened to show up outside his room.” Sirius collapsed dramatically, leaning onto Remus’s shoulder. They were sweet. And stupid. Maybe someday soon, Remus would finally ask him out. Sirius glanced over at him curiously. “That was a little weird though. Not sure what he could’ve been hiding in there.”
James laughed a little softly. He hadn’t seen Regulus all morning. He missed him. “Probably had a guy over.”
Sirius laughed loudly. “Regulus? Fuck, no. That asshole couldn’t get a date, even if he wanted to. Too rude. Besides, he’s always been the straight one. Therefore, no guys.”
James almost laughed at that. “Sure, Pads. He just kind of gave me a vibe, y’know?”
Sirius seemed thoughtful for a second before shaking his head. “Nah. He was the perfect son type. The straight A’s straight boy that Walburga always wanted. I was the rebellious queer.” Sirius grinned.
“What?” Remus said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. “No. I thought you were just the most angelic child. Perfect son, really.” Sirius laughed, bumping shoulders with Remus who toppled into James. James just chuckled, gently shoving Remus off. That inevitably led to more shoving, loud laughter, and Sirius and James rolling around on the floor shoving each other as Remus sat against the bed, catching his breath.
They eventually calmed, breathing heavily on the floor. Sirius laid on Remus’s legs, his hand on his chest, while James sat against the dresser opposite the bed. They laughed breathlessly. This felt nice. It felt childish, young, like when they were teens, Sirius sneaking off to James’s after school, followed by a nervous, but smiling Remus. It was nice to go back there sometimes, and just have fun together.
After another hour or so of chatting, and laughing, James felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.
1:32
Beautiful<3: Just got back from lunch.
Beautiful<3: I’m in my room.
Beautiful<3: Want to come over?
James smiled softly at his phone. Sirius looked over at him curiously from where his head laid on Remus’s thighs.
“Whatcha smiling about?” Sirius asked, grinning. His hair flowed in a pool on the floor. James just chuckled, smiling warmly as he stood up.
“Nothing, nothing,” James said. “But I gotta go. See you at the show.” Sirius laughed.
“Yeah, yeah,” Sirius grinned. “Mystery lover? You better be telling us later!” James smiled.
“Sure, Pads. Definitely,” James said, slipping on his shoes before walking out the door.
The minute James stepped through the door, Regulus was on him, kissing him gently. James chuckled, wrapping his arms around Regulus’s waist. Regulus winced, pulling away.
“Are… Are you okay, Reg?” James asked. Regulus gave him a pained smile.
“Yeah,” he said, his smile wide, but still a little tight. “I’m fine. I missed you.”
James still gazed at him, concerned. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Regulus just rolled his eyes, walking backwards to sit on the bed, crossing his legs.
“I’m fine. Come here,” Regulus said, smiling. James did, stepping forward to kiss him again, one hand supporting him on the bed, and one cupping Regulus’s cheek. Regulus’s hand slipped into his hair, gently gripping the strands.
Regulus kept him close, even after the kiss ended. He didn’t seem to want to separate from him. They sat together, cuddling, Regulus’s arm draped over James’s waist as they watched reruns of Glee. Regulus seemed to like the show, watching with a small smile on his face.
“Did you know that Sirius thinks you’re straight?” James asked, talking over the kids singing Born This Way. Regulus snorted.
“Well he doesn’t know me very well,” Regulus said humorously, smirking slightly. “I don’t blame him though. I used to date a bunch of random women in high school.”
James looked at him, wide-eyed. “You. Regulus Black. My boyfriend.”
Regulus seemed to smile softly at the word before responding. “Yep. Didn’t talk to them all that much, though. I just kind of… let it happen, until they either got too irritating, or they got bored with me. I only really dated them in public though.”
James furrowed his brow. “What do you mean by that?”
Regulus shrugged. “I knew I liked guys. I knew that I only liked guys. I just dated them in private. Made it a lot easier to avoid my parents.”
James just stared at him. “Huh. Did the girls know?”
Regulus snorted. “Fuck no. They really did like me. I never figured out why, though. They never lasted long anyways. They usually got bored after a month or so.” James kind of just looked at him. The silence was… a little uncomfortable, until Regulus flopped over, laying on top of James.
James grunted as Regulus layed on top of him, nuzzling against his chest. James wrapped his arms around him, pulling him tightly into his chest. Regulus pressed a soft kiss to his chest, humming quietly.
“I can hear your heartbeat,” Regulus mumbled. “It’s nice.” James chuckled. He ran his fingers through Regulus’s soft curls.
They laid like that for a while, watching Glee together. Every once in a while, James leaned down to softly kiss Regulus. Hours passed, the clouds dancing past their window. The sun crawled slowly through the sky, but the two of them were still dulled to the passage of time.
They peeled themselves lazily out of bed with only a few hours until the concert. The sun was lowering, the sky slightly orange-tinted. They cheerily changed for the concert together. James was quick, he always was. He pulled on a red crop top and jeans. Simple, attractive, it was all he really needed. But Regulus? Regulus took his time, going through outfit after outfit.
Eventually Regulus chose, and wow. A sheer black short-sleeved top, embroidered with rose vines. James recognized it as one of the pieces that Regulus purchased, one that James loved. He wore black latex leggings, shining in the lamp light. Knee-length black-leather boots clipped as Regulus strutted around the room. He had a black lace choker on his neck, and large silver rings on his fingers. His hair was tousled, falling around his neck, messy enough to look unpurposeful, but nice enough for James to know how intricate it had to be.
“Stunning,” James grinned, placing his hands on Regulus’s sides, feeling the thin fabric of the top between his fingers. Regulus grinned. James could see the red sheen of lip gloss tinting his lips. James pressed forward to kiss him, but Regulus stepped away, laughing.
“Not now, baby,” Regulus grinned.
They went to the venue together, before being pulled away to makeup. It was a bit disappointing. He had wanted to stay by Regulus’s side.
James watched from the sidelines as Serpentine played their setlist out on the stage. There was glittery silver eyeshadow on the edges of Regulus’s eyes, the light glinting on it. He looked incredible.
It was hard to understand the words Regulus said into the mic, but James could assume. It was the same stuff they said every show. The highlight was Regulus’s voice, beautiful and melodic.
This song seemed simple, the lighting changing to a dull pink that washed over Regulus, accented with soft, dim blues. The song opened with heavy strums of guitar and bass, deep and warm.
“Feeling sick of myself
Think I'll try to be someone else
Can't be hard to paint a person
In my head, create a version
The parallel”
James watched Regulus sing, leaned in close to the microphone. This song was softer than most of the ones Regulus sang, bathed in soft, dim hues. Regulus looked soft like this, his hips swaying to the rhythm. Regulus looked powerful like this, a god on the stage, able to build new life, or destroy in an instance. James wanted to kneel down and pray at his altar, offer his everything to the deity singing before him.
“Pull my head out the sand
Try as hard as I can
Guess I must be satisfactory
You said you love me exactly the way I am”
James locked eyes with Regulus for only a moment, a teasing glance thrown his way, a cherry-tinted smirk, just for him. It was warm, bringing a flush high onto James’s cheeks.
“And you know I find it hard to understand
Pay a visit to the doctor 'cause I have-”
Regulus glanced at James once more, leading the band into the chorus of Regulus’s warm vocals and the pulsing rhythms of the rest of the band.
“A sweet tooth for you
I'm wide awake
The sugar went straight to my brain
Feel like a kid, I double tap
My chest with my fist
I like you
Say it back”
And well. It wasn’t so much of a glance as Regulus staring straight at him, locking eyes.
“Say it back”
Regulus gave him a soft, warm smile before turning away. James returned it with flushed cheeks. Sirius and Remus walked from backstage, startling James. Sirius didn’t say anything, just giving him a curious look at the red staining his face. James just looked back out onto the stage.
“Never had a cavity
Never had nobody as sweet as you
Smooth around the edges, good as new
Gently insulating every rendezvous”
James grinned as Regulus softly sang. James could see a glimpse of a smile on Regulus’s face, small and gentle.
“Caught myself blaming planets
Like you do
I know every line and curve of your tattoos”
James huffed out a quiet chuckle. He found himself staring at that stick-and-poke of the Leo constellation on his shoulder. The angle shifted as Regulus moved, ever so slightly. He looked lovely.
“A sweet tooth for you
I'm wide awake
The sugar went straight to my brain
Feel like a kid, I double tap
My chest with my fist
I like you
Say it back
Say it back”
The music turned quiet, gentler. Regulus sang softer now,
“Sweet tooth for you
My dreamin' space
It's filled with scribbles, tore the page
Decipher them with coloured paint
Repair the stitches in my veins”
The lighting was still soft, dim, but it turned more red now, pinks, and maroons, and crimsons painting Regulus’s skin.
“Sweet tooth for you
My honeydew
I'll see you in my garden soon
Beneath the skin, it's cardiac
A safety pin”
Regulus glanced over, quickly glancing away when he saw Sirius, but there was still a small, gentle smile on his face.
“I like you
Say it back”
Regulus slowed down his singing, his voice quieter for the last few lines, fading out with a roll, the shiny sound of cymbals. There were a few more measures of guitar and bass before the song faded out, ending. The applause was roaring, and it was deserved. They were incredible. James could hear Regulus saying his goodbyes to the audience, before turning to James and smirking as he walked off stage, followed by the rest of the band.
Regulus walked past James. James could smell sweat on him, along with a vaguely floral scent, like roses, maybe.
“I like you,” James whispered, smiling, as Regulus passed him. Regulus stopped and turned, smiling widely.
“Say it back,” Regulus whispered sweetly in response.