II
It all started unexpected really, and if Regulus would know what it all lead to he would look harder for a good hiding spot that day.
On the other side James thought it was fate, and he couldn’t be happier about it. Just like the younger boy he didn’t expect it but it was meant to be, that’s how fate works, and no matter what will happen everything’s going to be alright.
As James was making his way through the bushes at the farthest edge of the black lake, he spotted a figure with net styled black curls, which looked familiar and completely strange at the same.
"Oh, I didn’t know this spot was occupied." He said approaching the person.
The boy jumped at the sound of someone’s voice, the book he was holding now on the grass as he stood up turning to face the intruder and now the familiarly made sense. A few feet in front of the Gryffindor was standing Regulus Black the bright September sun shining right on him making his eyes squint a bit "What do you want?"
"Um, nothing?" James was caught off guard, completely confused with Regulus attitude.
"Then what are you doing here?" There was visibly anger at his face, his eyes sharp and demanding answers "Did Sirius send you?"
"What? No!" The older answered immediately "Why would you think that? No. It’s kind of my spot. I mean it really is not it doesn’t belong to me but I come here sometimes to -" he paused for a second realising he was rumbling "-think."
He took a deep breath and noticed the the boy in front of him seemed a bit more relaxed after his explanation. Both of them fell silent for a moment processing what just happened. James took the opportunity to take a closer look at Regulus, his features were similar to Sirius’ but overall his face seemed a bit fuller, his lips were plump and a pretty, pink colour and his eyes were definitely sharper then his older brothers, the grey much deeper and they seemed much more sad too.
James blushed as he realised he was staring "Sorry, I’ll just go."
"No." Regulus protested bending down to take his book "I’ll go, it’s your place." His pose changed completely now instead of angry and dangerous he looked shy and awkward.
Reg started to leave and James panicked, he didn’t mean to make the boy uncomfortable or unwelcome, in fact James could use some company he just came here for a brake because sometimes everything just feel too much, and he didn’t want to impose his silly problems on his friends who had to deal with much bigger ones.
"Wait!" He impulsively grabbed Regulus’ wrist and the boy flinched so he took his hand immediately back "I’m sorry I shouldn’t have."
This reaction reminded him so much of Sirius that his heart broke a little, he shouldn’t reacted like that to a simple touch, no one should. It took him months, years even to make his best friend comfortable with it and he wondered how long would it take to make Regulus comfortable with it as well.
"I mean-" this time it was James who suddenly felt awkward, he brushed his messy dark hair with his fingers as the words escaped his lips "We can both stay?"
"And what makes you think I want your company Potter?" The anger in his voice came back and James wondered if it was because of the unwanted touch or his proposition.
"I don’t think you want it, but you looked rather comfortable there, no one expect me comes here, like ever and we don’t even need to talk if you don’t want to."
Regulus knew he made a mistake coming here in the first place, he thought he found the perfect hiding spot, quiet, with a pretty view and most important away from everyone, but he was never a lucky one. Literally the odds very never in his favour and he should expect that this time it would be no different.
And now he was here with James Potter from all people, the boy he should despise most, the golden Gryffindor who stole his brother. The one he swore himself to hate forever, but how could anyone hate James Potter? Regulus did not think it is actually possible, not with his charming personality, his deep, rich laughter and the most beautiful smile on this planet.
Regulus wasn’t weak, the years living at Grimmuald Place trained his mind not to brake easily, but right now with James looking at him with some kind of hope in his eyes just like Regulus always wished he would, made the younger give in.
"Fine." He said coming a few steps forwards and sat on the grass again, his body tense but he tried to remain a calm face "But no tricks Potter."
James automatically lightened up when the younger agreed to stay, he carefully sat beside Regulus but not too close to not make him uncomfortable and nodded happily "Yes, alright."
Regulus picked up his book again and tried to continue reading with a pleasant silence around, at the same time he tried to ignore the heavy feeling of anxiety.
They sat like that for a while but it was sort of against James’s nature to be quiet.
"Who’s that Shakespeare guy? I’ve never heard of him." His voice was quiet as he spoke, like a whisper.
"No wonder you haven’t he’s a muggle." Reg tried to shrug it off like it was no big deal.
"Why are you reading a muggle book?" James continued the topic genially curious.
"It’s not a book, it’s an poetry collection." He almost hissed trying to stay focused on the words he was reading.
"The question still stands."
Regulus did not want to answer the question, because what was he supposed to say? The truth? ‘Oh, I’m just obsessed with muggle poetry, I think it is really beautiful and since I’ve read one of Shakespeare’s poems last year I’ve got really fascinated with him.’ He could never say something like that, especially not to his brothers best friend, Regulus was after all the perfect (second) heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, he could never admin something like that out loud, at least not to someone he didn’t trust.
"It was a gift." It wasn’t a complete lie, after all Pandora did give him the book, although she only did that because she knew Regulus really wanted to read these poems and could never buy it himself.
"Someone gave YOU a muggle poetry book?" James asked shocked but he only got a cold look in response "So why are you reading it?"
"It would be rude not to?" He answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world, and even if Reg would not want to read this he would still do it because according to the pure blood etiquette he was raised in it would be rude not to read a book he was gifted.
"But you don’t want to?" The older continued the conversation throwing questions at the Slytherin just like a toddler, not that Regulus would know since he was never around such small children "It’s stupid that the whole pure blood etiquette makes you do things you don’t really wan to, I mean I get the good manners and all, but that’s just beyond."
"I never said I didn’t want to." Regulus hissed looking annoyed at James not sure if it’s for the lack of promised silence or the fact that he assumed Reg isn’t enjoying the book "And weren’t we supposed to not talk?"
"Oh." The Gryffindor looked embarrassed with a small blush creeping in his cheeks "Yeah. Sorry, I’ll just shut up."
Regulus went back to his lecture pleased with the silence yet again, he hadn’t much time to read it so he didn’t even finished reading the introduction which mind you was really fascinating, the young heir loved to learn about Shakespeare and his history more. And maybe, just maybe the theory of the poet being gay made Reg automatically a little bit closer and more related to the author. Not that he’d ever admin that. But he was really excited to start reading the actual poems, after he read one of Shakespeare’s sonnets, last year which was by an accident really, someone left the poetry collection on the table in the library and against his nature the Slytherin was curious because he never heard of this poet before, he got the courage to open the book and read just one the 18th to be more specific, Regulus got obsessed.
He couldn’t focus on anything other for days, the sonnet stuck in his mind just after one read. He only told Pandora about it too embarrassed to admin to his other friends that some poem had such an impact on him, but also because he knew she would understand.
So Pandora being a grate friend and just a genuine person, gave it to him as a ‘back to school’ gift.
Regulus smiled to himself reading the first sonnet.
"Could you read one to me?" The question put Regulus completely off guard, once again distracting him from his book. He looked over at James who was now laying on the grass, his eyes closed and face looking relaxed.
"What?"
"You just really look like you enjoy it, and I got curious." He shrugged slowly opening his eyes.
The Slytherin’s body froze feeling the older boys gaze on him, his hazel eyes looking directly into Reg’s grey ones as he spoke "I’d really like you to read me one."
"I- I, yeah, okay." He agreed because how could he not? When James Potter looks at him like that, seeming truly interested in knowing what Regulus of all people is reading.
The younger boy dropped his eyes back to the book in his hands, suddenly feeling a knot in his throat.
He took a deep breath.
One.
Two.
Three.
‘ When forty winters shall besiege thy brow
And dig deep trenches in thy beauty's field,
Thy youth's proud livéry, so gazed on now,
Will be a tottered weed of small worth held.
Then being asked where all thy beauty lies -
Where all the treasure of thy lusty days -
To say within thine own deep-sunken eyes
Were an all-eating shame and thriftless praise.
How much more praise deserved thy beauty's use,
If thou couldst answer,
"This fair child of mine
Shall sum my count and make my old excuse"-
Proving his beauty by succession thine.
This were to be new made when thou art old,
And see thy blood warm when thou feel'st it cold. ’
James felt his heart pounding in his chest, he wasn’t sure why, was it the poem? Or the pretty boy in front of him reading it so beautifully with his honey voice, without missing one bit.
"It was-" he tried to gather his thoughts, to come up with something, but his brain just didn’t want to cooperate, all he could think of was Regulus, and his voice, and his focused yet relaxed expression, and-
"Yeah, it was." The younger finally spoke, closing the book and hurriedly standing up. "I should go."
The younger avoided James’s gaze suddenly looking really uncomfortable "Bye Potter."
"What?’ Regulus, wait." But before James could react any further the boy was already gone behind the bushes.
The Gryffindor growled frustrated closing his eyes again.
This was - something.
Something really unexpected and it made him all confused. He took a deep breath trying to calm down his emotions and process what just happened, because he came here to think and all it really did was messing with his head just more.
It wasn’t that bad right? His best friends younger brother just read him a beautiful, deep, love poem on James’s own request witch left him speechless.
Not a big deal right?
James just wished he knew what the empty feeling in his chest meant, and why did it appear the same moment Regulus disappeared?