Chapter 3
"James, if you run me into one more wall- I'm leaving you." Regulus snapped holding his hands apprehensively in front of him.
James chuckled continuing to guide the boy, "Funny."
"I wasn't joking." Regulus scoffed, he would roll his eyes- if he hadn't been blindfolded.
James paused pressing a soft wet kiss behind Regulus' ear, that sent a shiver down the younger boys spine.
"Patience, love." James whispered.
"I was patient, three walls ago." Regulus exclaimed.
"Technically one of them was a tree." James explained.
"My brain hurts every time you say something stupid." Regulus spat.
"It wasn't stupid, it was a fact." James huffed.
"A stupid fact. One that should've stayed in your head." Regulus quipped.
James just grumbled under his breath- something along the lines of 'ungrateful bastard'.
Regulus stumbled as the ground fell beneath his feet.
Salt filled the air and there was a soft sound of crashing waves against hard surfaces.
Regulus opened his mouth, but closed it as James spoke.
"We're here." James said softly from behind him.
Regulus removed the blindfold as James wrapped his arms around Regulus and resting them on the boys stomach.
The beach.
Regulus glanced around the sandy area.
The waves of blue crashed onto the sand, sending the foamy white spume onto land.
The sun set, growing ever-so close to the horizon of what looked to be endless water.
Further away lay a collection of large rocks and a small wooden pier.
James pressed a kiss to Regulus' neck.
Regulus tried to put into words how beautiful it was- words that wouldn't allow James to say 'but not as beautiful as you'
"It's lovely, isn't it?" James questioned softly as they looked out into the orangey-pink sky.
"Yes." Regulus muttered with a smile.
"Not as lovely as you, but I digress." James quipped.
Dammit.
Regulus almost thought he'd worked around it.
He rolled his eyes.
"That's not even the best part." James muttered.
Regulus could feel the excitement beaming off the boy.
He furrowed his eyebrows and opened his mouth, but didn't get a word out as James turned him away from the shore- towards a lovely cottage Regulus hadn't yet seen.
"Where are we, Jamie?" Regulus quizzed curiously.
The cottage was a soft beige, the roof some type of hay or straw overlay.
The entire side was practically a wall of windows, curtained to some extent.
The doors slid open to the sides, allowing the pair to peak inside.
The patio had a small set of tables and chairs as well as a couch like large chair and a deep, blue pool not far from it.
It was mostly shaded by palm trees and a jungles worth of bushes and trees.
Regulus' view was block by a set of keys dangled on James' fingers.
Regulus turned his head to look at James.
"You didn't-" Regulus started.
"I did", James gleamed, "Come on now."
James was already dragging Regulus into the cottage before he could so much as protest.
The living room contained a dark brown sofa across a lovely brick fireplace.
There was a matching loveseat at a right angle to it, along with a dark cypress coffee table that reminded him of the furniture at Grimmauld Place.
The living room opened into a doorway that was the dining room.
A rectangle table was in the middle of the room with six chairs placed strategically around it.
Their was a small half-wall that separated the kitchen and dining room.
The kitchen was lovely- a single window shone light into the room.
The cabinets were white as well as the quartz countertop and the matching one of the cube island that sported two chairs.
James dragged him back into the hall, passing the beach themed bathroom and towards the staircase.
Of course, James being James, held onto Regulus and helped him up the stairs- afraid the boy might fall.
Regulus debated fighting him about it, but reminded himself of his past clumsiness record and decided to leave it go.
Atop the stairs was a hallway of four rooms.
The guest bedroom was simplistic- white walls, white bedding, white wardrobe.
The bathroom next to it was yellow- of all colors- to which James chuckled assuring Regulus there were worse colors, like purple.
At least they agreed on one thing.
A gasp left Regulus' lips at the next room.
The nursery.
"Oh, James...." Regulus breathed.
The walls were of forests, with few animals- animals that by second glance realized were them.
In white was a stag, a dog, a wolf, a rat, and a cat.
Regulus let his fingers trail over the art.
"Who painted this?" Regulus questioned curiously.
"I did." James spoke.
Regulus scoffed, "Liar."
James huffed with a pout, "Okay, fine. Ivan did, but I designed it."
"It's-" Regulus paused, "-It's lovely."
And it was. Truly lovely.
A dark wooden crib along with a rocking chair and dresser that was home to a stuffed lion.
Regulus rolled his eyes at the cute lion mobile, letting it circle around as he spun it with a flick of his fingers.
Regulus turned his head enough to face James before pressing a soft kiss to his lips, his hand on James' cheek.
"I say", James started as he pulled away, "We have a little picnic, and then I'll show you the bedroom."
Regulus hid his smile as he retorted with the same flirtatious tone, "Mhmm... is that a promise?"