this is why we can't have nice things
regaylus struggle tweets @thatrabstan
I just can't believe the vile rumors and the fact that you're all falling for them
10:25 AM - 8 Jul 23 - 245,6k views
348 Retweets 238 Quotes 78,9k Likes
kali 🌈 @jegulusisreal
replying to @thatrabstan
idk what more you want, the articles all say dorcas meadowes confirmed
rab is a mirrorball @crimsonriversisgay
replying to @thatrabstan
ET and People are reputable sources, idk what to tell you, he's gay go cry about it
morgan 💫 @rablavk
replying to @thatrabstan @jegulusisreal
exactly it says dorcas meadowes confirmed not regulus black confirmed so its not real
kali 🌈 @jegulusisreal
replying to @thatrabstan @rablavk
she's his publicist it's her job to confirm?? do you want him to personally come out and confirm that for you?? send you a DM?? "hey twitter user rablavk i'm gay btw"??
hetgulus struggle tweets @daddylus
replying to @jegulusisreal @thatrabstan @rablavk
that's exactly what they want, like james confirming it on his ig, and his team confirming it in reputable news outlets, and regulus's team confirming it in those same outlets is not enough 🙄🙄
Regulus Black Updates @rabupdates
replying to @thatrabstan
my point exactly, this is so disrespectful to regulus
rab is a mirrorball @crimsonriversisgay
replying to @rabupdates @thatrabstan
yall are just homophobic that's why you're calling the "rumors" vile there's just no other explanation
regaylus struggle tweets @thatrabstan
replying to @crimsonriversisgay @rabupdates
Not homophobic it's just so offensive to call someone gay when we don't know that's true and he hasn't said so himself
rab is a mirrorball @crimsonriversisgay
replying to @rabupdates @thatrabstan
calling someone gay is not offensive first of all, second of all he's been out to so many of us?? his team confirmed, his partner confirmed idk what more yall want from him
kali 🌈 @jegulusisreal
replying to @crimsonriversisgay @rabupdates @thatrabstan
mirrorball please he could come out on his ig story and they'd deny it
rab is a mirrorball @crimsonriversisgay
regulus black did not write the entirety of crimson rivers for james potter so that yall can call him straight
11:15 AM - 8 Jul 23 - 67,8k views
456 Retweets 45 Quotes 26,7k Likes
#1 JAMES POTTER DEFENDER @takehimtobigsur
replying to @crimsonriversisgay
he did not write you're like the sun for yall to call him straight
kali 🌈 @jegulusisreal
replying to @takehimtobigsur @crimsonriversisgay
your lips on my skin/you burn like the sun/touch me like sin/you are the one/i burn from within/you're all i want/je brûlerai en enfer/je suis damné/you're my sun you're my sun you're my sun
AND YALL STILL THINK HES NOT FRUITY ?????
kali 🌈 @jegulusisreal
replying to @jegulusis real @takehimtobigsur
"i will burn in hell, i am damned" like why would he say this if his love interest was a woman??? ik the lyrics are in french but babes google translate is right there
dorcas meadowes' burner @fruityrab
replying to @takehimtobigsur @crimsonriversisgay
please he wrote achilles and they still don't think he's gay
#1 JAMES POTTER DEFENDER @takehimtobigsur
replying to @fruityrab @crimsonriversisgay
bUt He ReAd a SoNg oF aChIlLeS aNd GoT iNsPiReD bitch why do you think he was reading a song of achilles 😭😭
dorcas meadowes' burner @fruityrab
regulus black's entire discography consists of songs about a secret forbidden love like "i'm so scared they'll find us out if they know about us i will lose you our love is doomed and tragic and i fear you will leave me eventually because of all the secrecy… girl" and you all forget your reading comprehension and say he's straight because of that "girl" tacked on
10:08 AM - 8 Jul 23 - 89,6k views
689 Retweets 68 Quotes 42,7k Likes
kali 🌈 @jegulusisreal
idk who needs to hear this but queer people don't owe you a coming out
9:35 AM - 8 Jul 23 - 278k views
678 Retweets 235 Quotes 95,6k Likes
morgan 💫 @rablavk
replying to @jegulusisreal
they do if they're famous
Regaylus Updates @regaylusnews
replying to @rablavk @jegulusisreal
no they don't, and HE'S OUT, it's literally been confirmed by every source out there
kali 🌈 @jegulusisreal
replying to @regaylusnews @rablavk
he's been out to so many of us who listen to his lyrics, yall just hear "her" and "girl" and stop comprehending what the songs are about AND he's been flagging for so long but you refuse to see that as well
kali 🌈 @jegulusisreal
replying to @jegulusisreal @regaylusnews @rablavk
and if that wasn't enough every reputable news outlet under the sun has come forward with an article confirming it citing his TEAM whose job is to confirm or refute these things but yall are so obtuse its insane i s2g
heidi @weedgulus
DID YOU SEE THE STORY OMG HES OUT OUT
11:47 AM - 8 Jul 23 - 128k views
78 Retweets 235 Quotes 65,4k Likes
rab is a mirrorball @crimsonriversisgay
did i NOT just tell you that the entirety of crimson rivers was about james potter?? i love being right
11:49 AM - 8 Jul 23 - 328k views
128 Retweets 175 Quotes 185,4k Likes
hetgulus struggle tweets @daddylus
replying to @crimsonriversisgay
like wbk lion's heart was about him, james potter IS a leo after all 😭
kali 🌈 @jegulusisreal
replying to @crimsonriversisgay
let's be real he never wrote a single song about a woman
Regaylus Updates @regaylusnews
REGULUS BLACK GAY AT 26???????
11:55 AM - 8 Jul 23 - 320k views
238 Retweets 85 Quotes 237,4k Likes
Regulus is staring at his laptop screen when he hears the front door open, the sound of its thud accompanied by light cursing and a whole lot of noise. Sirius never did know how to make a quiet entrance.
“Anybody home?” he yells from the hallway, which causes Reg to break into an involuntary grin. There’s no way his brother could have entered the house without dealing with Evan first, so he’s well aware that there is somebody home, but Sirius’s antics are just part of his charm at this point, and something they all just roll with.
It’s odd, being alone at James’s house. He usually has to sneak out as soon as James leaves because his presence at the unattended home would raise some eyebrows, but now that it’s not a necessity, he’s free to stay here as long as he wants to. This morning, before James had snuck out of bed, he’d traced Regulus’s jaw with kisses, then whispered in his ear, I think you should move in. He hadn’t meant to, but he’d stiffened at that, going rigid in James’s arms. Just— you know, think about it.
He has been thinking about it. He loves this house, feels so much at ease here. Back when he met James in the Met bathroom all those years ago, he remembers thinking nowhere felt like home but this place does. He could sell his own LA property. He never liked it anyways. They could buy a new place elsewhere, too, somewhere that’s not LA, because Regulus has never been too fond of the city. Too sunny, too soulless.
He shakes his head. That’s not the point. The point is, they could do anything now. They could live together in this house, or buy ten others together, or run off to France together, and it would just be a normal thing for a couple to do. This newfound freedom makes his heart soar and he thinks if he’d known it would feel this good, he would have done it a long time ago.
“There you are,” Sirius barges in, carrying two venti paper cups from Starbucks, along with a whole stack of newspapers and magazines, and several bags of various sizes and materials hanging from his arms. His balancing act is genuinely impressive. He somehow manages to unload all the bags on the floor and the stack of printed items on the couch before sauntering to the tall living room table where Regulus is currently sitting. He slides one of the cups down the table towards his brother, then plops down in a chair, putting his feet up on the table with his legs crossed at the ankles. Regulus rolls his eyes at him, but it’s with some affection that he does so.
"Whatcha doing?" Sirius asks in a singsong voice as he takes a sip from his coffee. There’s an effortless rockstar chic aura about him, with his low-rise jeans and leather jacket slung over his shoulders (in July!), and his cropped muscle tank, and black sunglasses that he infuriatingly wears indoors but that just look cool in a way Regulus thinks he never could.
"Working on a coming out statement," he makes a face. He’s been exchanging various drafts with his PR team for the better part of an hour. There are things he wants to say that he shouldn’t and things he doesn’t want to but he has to, so coming up with a satisfactory version of his coming out has been a draining process. "I didn't think it would be necessary after Dorcas confirmed but—"
"Yeah,” Sirius scrunches up his nose, “I've seen the tweets. People are twats."
He swivels Reg’s Macbook so that it’s facing Sirius and goes over the text multiple times, adding his own comments and suggestions with a focused crease between his eyebrows. Regulus watches him with a distant smile on his face, feeling oddly proud at how far the two of them have come in their journey towards being civil with one another. There was a time when they couldn’t stand to be in the same room for longer than five minutes without going at each other’s throats. He’s glad those days are over.
"How you holding up?" Sirius says finally as he returns Regulus’s computer to him, finally pushing his sunglasses up his head to reveal a slightly concerned look. He doesn’t want it to, but it irks Regulus.
"Everyone keeps asking me that," he says coolly, hoping his tone will indicate that he’s not particularly interested in entertaining the conversation.
"Because it's a big deal, what happened," Sirius presses on, and of course he does. He’s like a dog that’s been thrown a juicy bone every time he gets an opportunity to be doting and overprotective when it comes to Regulus. Reg wants it to be annoying, but he actually finds it endearing.
"I'll be fine ," he says, emphasizing on the last word so that his brother will get the hint and drop the conversation. Feelings are not something Regulus is particularly good at talking about. If it gets too much he’ll write about it, but he doesn’t really want to engage in a discussion about it and poke fingers in the wound. It’ll just make it worse if he does.
"Heard from mommy dearest?" Sirius says with a shit-eating grin. Honestly, if there’s anything Regulus ever wants to talk about less than his feelings, it’s his family, but when it’s with Sirius, that’s a far more amusing conversation. It’s taken them a while to get over the trauma, so they now process it through humor. He’s not entirely certain if it’s very healthy but his therapist condones it so he’s not going to argue with the professionals.
"What do you think?" He arches an eyebrow at his brother as he takes a sip from his own coffee, secretly glad that Sirius remembered his usual order.
"What'd she have to say?"
Regulus winces at the memory of the deeply disturbing and unpleasant conversation. In recent years, he’s reduced his contacts with Walburga to a minimum, but when he does talk to her, it’s akin to pulling teeth: painful and uncomfortable, and incredibly unsettling.
"You should give her a call,” he says almost bitterly, “I hear you're the new favorite son."
"No way,” Sirius snorts, “I believe the last time she saw me she said she'd burn my name off the family tree. I thought she was pretending I didn't exist.”
"Oh, she remembered alright,” Regulus grumbles, then twists his voice in an eerily accurate impersonation of his mother’s screech. “ You've sunk lower than Sirius, brought so much shame and disgrace to the family name, I hate to call you a Black —"
Sirius whistles, eyes widening, and Regulus feels a pang of pride at successfully impressing his big brother. "Damn how the tables have turned. You'd guess you murdered someone by the way she spins it."
Regulus laughs at that, a hearty, melodic kind of laughter that he usually reserves for James and James only. It’s a surprisingly healing experience to shit-talk your abusive mom with your brother. He should have started doing it sooner.
"I—and I quote—'ended the bloodline', like we're some ancient Victorian family. Which in her book I guess is worse than murder."
"D’she forget she has another son?" Sirius’s voice is tinted with amusement.
Regulus snorts. "Like you 'd ever continue the bloodline."
His brother has the audacity to look offended. He gasps, sliding his feet off the table so he can sit up and stare at Regulus in mock horror. He even brings a hand to his heart with a theatrical gesture.
"I might! Maybe I'll meet a lady—"
"Sirius,” Regulus deadpans, “you've been trying to sleep with my lawyer for the past—" he looks at his bare wrist as if looking at a watch, brow furrowing in stern concentration, "five years. I don't think you're inclined to meet a lady to capture your attention when he's around."
This does shut Sirius up and he assumes his prior stance, crossing and uncrossing his ankles a few times as he slides his shades back down in a futile attempt to cover up the flush that’s crept up to the apples of his cheeks.
"Where's James anyways?" he clears his throat, staring very intently at the wall above his brother’s head.
"Cleverly avoiding the topic like a true Black, I see," Regulus quips, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"Prick. Where is he?"
"You're his publicist, shouldn't you know?" Regulus says dryly, then sees the look on his brother’s face and heaves a sigh. "Fine, he's having brunch with Greta and Saoirse to catch them up, I guess see how it affects the movie."
He’s worried about how James’s coming out is going to affect his career, probably more so than James himself. The opportunities he’s been extended over the years have been tremendous, the variety of roles he’s been offered almost overwhelming. James has raw talent, and the trained skill to back that talent up too, and he’s been outperforming many of his peers in recent projects. There is a possibility the opportunities may dry up. He thinks about all the scripts scattered on the coffee table and wonders if James will still be invited to audition for the roles, which he was a top contender for up until yesterday, or if he’ll be relegated to playing the token gay character now. He can’t help but feel guilty, even if he knows that James doesn’t care. It’s still something James has worked for his entire career, reaching the level of fame he’s at now. Having that Oscar nomination in his pocket. Anticipating another one, and perhaps a win this time for Greta’s movie. He really hopes it’s not all a pipedream now.
"He's coming back for—" Sirius asks carefully.
"Yeah,” Regulus says, chewing on the inside of his cheek, “he said he wanted to be with me. Obviously Malfoy won't agree for him to be in the room, but he wanted to at least ride with me for moral support and wait in the car after."
It means a lot to him, James’s unwavering support. He’s rightly nervous about the upcoming meeting, and knowing that James has canceled the rest of his plans for the day so he can sit in a car in Lucius Malfoy’s parking garage and wait for Reggie makes something warm flutter in his chest.
"Good man," Sirius says with a wan smile.
"The best of us, really,” Regulus pauses, wondering if he should ask the question that’s been on his mind all morning. He and Sirius get along well these days, but he still struggles to ask for his brother’s help when he needs it. Squeezing his eyes shut, he darts the words out, “Do you wanna—"
"Honestly,” Sirius cuts him off, avoiding looking at him in a manner that is pointedly deliberate, “if I did, I'd just punch that asshole in the face. And he'd probably keep me out too."
"You're family," Regulus points out dryly, disappointment stirring in the pit of his stomach. He tries to keep it out of his voice somewhat successfully. Why would Sirius want to be there for him? Stupid of him to even ask.
"Hardly, Sirius’s lips form a thin line as his expression sours at the reminder that their cousin is married to Malfoy, which, technically, makes them somewhat related. “I don't think Narcissa considers me such, so neither does he. Anyways, I—” he pauses, stumbling on his words in a very non-Sirius manner, like there’s something he wants to say but he can’t bring himself up to say it, “I'll be here when you get back. I'm sure you'd rather have James be with you anyways—"
Oh. Realization hits Regulus square in the chest as he listens to his brother ramble. He’s an idiot, and so is Reg. Will they ever learn to communicate with each other?
"Sirius,” he says almost softly, “I want you there. So if you're saying no because you think I don’t— I do want you there."
Slowly, Sirius pushes his sunglasses up his head again and blinks a few times, searching for his brother’s eyes. When they meet, gray on gray, watery in the warm morning sun, he finds something there that makes him nod.
"Then I'll be there," he says, swallowing. Then he jumps out of his seat, as if electrocuted, and clears his throat. “Alright, fancy drinking my morning coffee with you but, umm, duty calls,” he says as he heads for the door with a forced cheer in his step, running away from his feelings as a Black usually does.
"Sirius—” Regulus calls after him and Sirius halts at the top of the staircase, even if he doesn’t turn back to face him. “Thanks. For the coffee."
"Sure,” his shoulders loosen and he looks back over his shoulder to wink at his brother. “Anytime."
His leg bounces anxiously during the entire ride to the Malfoy Records building. It’s a mere twelve miles to Santa Monica but in La-La-Land that means nearly an hour. Regulus presses his forehead to the window, watching the cars on I-405 crawl past them. He’s feeling rather nauseous, and he lets himself be soothed by the lull of Sirius and James’s voices, James pressed next to him in the backseat, Sirius riding shotgun next to Evan and talking over his shoulder animatedly.
"Hey,” James says eventually, placing his hand on his thigh and squeezing gently, “It'll be fine."
"No, I know,” Regulus turns his head to offer him a weak smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes, “ just—"
James finds his hand in his lap and laces his fingers through Regulus’s, then pulls it closer to his face and places a gentle kiss on each knuckle. With a soft hum, Reg lets the tension leave his body and he relaxes into his seat, leaning his head back against the headrest as James continues to massage his hand with his thumb.
"You're just anxious because you're a worrier,” he says, kissing the back of his hand again, “It'll be fine."
"Remus will be with you the whole time,” Sirius offers soothingly from the front of the car, although he doesn’t sound too dignified as he talks around his straw, inhaling the slurpee he insisted they stop by a 7-11 to get, “and the other two—"
"Macdonald and Evans, yeah," Regulus nods, but his throat feels unnaturally dry. It’s like he’s walking into a wolf den, and he doesn’t like it the least bit. He sighs and rests his head on James’s shoulder.
"See, you've got a whole team of lawyers with you," Sirius shrugs.
"So does he," Regulus points out, feeling a bit queasy. He wants this day to be over so he can crawl back to bed and snuggle James and forget all about this nightmare of a weekend. Unfortunately, we don’t always get what we want, so he’ll have to face Lucius Malfoy and his pack of vicious guard dogs.
"Well, yours are better," Sirius presses on, turning as far back to look at him as the seatbelt will let him. “You know they are.”
"I did breach the agreement—"
"So he's got leverage,” James cuts him off, rubbing his arm to take the edge of his words off, “You've got the better lawyers."
"And he's got the rights to my life's work," he feels on the verge of tears as he finally lets this last part out, the thing that’s been bothering him all day and that kept him up all night. James’s face falls and his grip on Regulus loosens slightly.
"Reg—” he starts. Sadness flickers across his face, and it’s obvious he’s fighting to get the words out, even as it pains him to do so. “If you want to— if you change your mind that's fine."
It breaks Regulus’s heart a little that he would think that. It’s just a testament to how used James has become to Regulus putting himself first, regardless of what that means for James’s needs and James’s feelings. No more.
"No. Jamie,” he says sternly, pulling James’s face down by the chin so he can kiss him, “I'm not changing my mind. I said everything and I meant it. I made you a promise."
Kids too. He thinks about what that means for the two of them, the life they could lead, the family they could build together. The gorgeous children they would adopt and spoil with all the love they would shower them with. He thinks of summers spent on the coast, dark-headed toddlers running along the sandy beach, squealing with joy, kicking the sandcastles that James has built with the passion and devotion of a veteran architect of thirty years. Now that he knows he can have that, he wants it more than anything.
"But it's your music—"
"If he wants to hold it hostage that's fine,” Regulus snaps, cutting James off abruptly. “I'll talk. He's already on thin ice— Did you see the articles? Does Hollywood Have a Closeting Problem ?"
"So what,” Sirius offers, voice full of curiosity, “you think he won't dare steal your music if you threaten to disclose the morality clause?"
There’s a mischievous spark in his eyes as he contemplates the idea, and he looks downright proud with his brother as he nods in approval.
"I mean, he owns it, he won't be stealing it,” Regulus shrugs, “but— yeah. Do you think artists would want to sign with him if he gets a reputation as openly homophobic."
Neither Sirius, nor James have anything to add to that, so Reg keeps going on his fiery rant, "Hell, he'd be hard-pressed to sign straight artists for fear they'd be associated with his name."
Hollywood is comfortable with being homophobic behind closed doors, but that's dirty laundry nobody wants aired out for the world to see. He’s right to think that the people he knows for sure have been aware of the kinds of morality clauses Malfoy Records has dutifully included in every contract would hate their acquiescence to become public knowledge.
"So yeah,” he says softly, stroking James’s cheek. “I'm not changing my mind. You've been forced to hide because of me for close to a decade now. It's time for me to be a little uncomfortable. You've carried the burden so far, so let me do it now."
Kids too. His heart flutters at the thought. Two of them, maybe three. He knows how important siblings are. You’ll be so loved. He imagines tucking them in, he and James taking turns to read each child a bedtime story. He thinks of brushing teeth, and fixing unruly hair into pigtails, and putting tiny boots on. He thinks of winters in front of a fireplace with giant mugs of hot chocolate overflowing with marshmallows, and squealing children burying James in torn wrapping paper as they rip their presents open. Everything, he said to Dorcas, and he meant it. He’s willing to lose everything to have this new life with James he never dared to dream about.
Evan breaks him out of his reverie as he looks over his shoulder and winks at him. “We’re here, boss.”
His chest tightens and he feels like breathing hurts just a little, but he braces himself for battle anyways. He unbuckles his seatbelt almost robotically, feeling a lump in his throat.
"Alright,” he says finally, pressing one more kiss to James’s cheek before he goes, “See you on the other side of this, yeah?"
"Reggie—” Sirius interrupts him before he slams the door closed, “Do you want me to be in there with you?"
He thinks about it for a second, but knows it’ll make him look weak if he drags his brother into this. Knows Lucius Malfoy will sneer at him, and he’ll taunt Sirius, and that just holds the potential to derail faster than any of them is equipped to handle. He stares at Sirius intently, hoping that he’s able to convey his gratitude without saying anything.
"No, it's—I've got this," he says at last.
"Good,” Sirius nods, and he reaches to squeeze his arm gently. “Go tell Malfoy to go to hell."
James climbs out of the car after him, wrapping his arms around him into a bear hug. Regulus relaxes into it, pressing his chest to James’s, feeling his heart beating in rhythm with Reg’s.
"You'll do great, yeah?” James whispers into his ear, breath tickling Regulus’s skin, “I love you."
"Je t’aime aussi, Jamie," he breathes out, before pulling away from James and walking briskly to the entrance, Evan trailing behind imposingly.
He finds Remus Lupin on the thirty-second floor, looking sharp in his navy three-piece suit covered in silver stripes so thin they’re barely there, with a maroon tie to match. Remus towers over the two women standing beside him—technically his bosses. Lily Evans is a stunning redhead, her milky white skin peppered with freckles. She glances at her watch, then notices Regulus and offers him a terse smile. Her wife—and business partner—Mary Macdonald looks fiercer than Lily and Remus combined, her black sheath dress and tailored blazer more akin to armor than professional attire. She looks like hell on high heels, making sure to flaunt the red bottoms of her Louboutins as she marches into the conference room with the determination of a war leader.
“We got this,” Remus squeezes his shoulder as Regulus walks past him and he tries to smile at him but his face only contorts into something distinctly related to a grimace. Even swallowing is painful.
“Good afternoon, Regulus,” Lucius Malfoy sneers at him from across the table as Reg slides into the leather chair next to Remus. Malfoy’s pale blond hair has been slicked back, revealing the sharp and cruel edges of his jaw and mouth. Thinly veiled disgust dances in his eyes as he glances at Reg, then he purses his lips and turns to whisper something to one of his lawyers, a surly-looking man Regulus thinks might be called Dolohov.
“Too bad we’re meeting in such unpleasant circumstances,” the corners of Malfoy’s lips turn slightly as he keeps going, “but I guess you’re more like your brother than the rest of the family thought.”
Regulus stiffens in his chair, his fingers tightening around the armrests, but he refrains from saying anything, keeping his face blank and neutral. He thinks of James and their hypothetical wedding, and their hypothetical children, and not of the vile snakelike creature in front of him.
“Avery,” Mary snaps at one of Malfoy’s lawyers, “If you could please tell your client to keep this matter civil, it would be much appreciated.”
Her voice is perfectly polite, but her words drip poison. It’s not the first time she’s had to deal with the likes of Dolohov and Avery, but it’s a testament to her professionalism that she remains unwaveringly calm in the face of their snickering.
“Let’s get this over with, shall we?” Lily says, just as politely as her wife, but her voice is sharp and demanding. Everyone around the table nods, exchanging curt smiles. Regulus’s eyes meet Lucius’s and Malfoy winks at him.
Reg can’t wait for Remus and Lily, and Mary to wipe the floor with him. Legally speaking.
When they finally walk out of the conference room, darkness has descended over the city. Through the ceiling-high windows, Regulus can peer its many bright neon lights, coloring the skyline a kaleidoscope of rainbows. As he and Remus step into the hallway, the fluorescent office lights flicker faintly, emitting a low buzz that drills into his skull. After hours of negotiating, they are walking out with a tentative settlement agreement (meaning Regulus will have to pay Lucius a hefty sum to not bring him to court), a non-disclosure agreement (meaning neither Lucius nor Regulus can talk about what went down), and a non-disparagement agreement (meaning Lucius can’t use his ties to prevent others from working with him, even if it means Regulus can’t spill his guts about Malfoy’s vile homophobic treatment of the talent he signs on).
“Sorry about your masters,” Remus says stiffly as he and Regulus slowly make their way toward the elevator. Mary and Lily have stayed behind to finish up the term sheet with Dolohov and Avery, Lucius’s attorneys. It’s late enough that all the employees have already left for the day, so it’s just Regulus and Remus in the long empty hallway.
“It’s okay,” Regulus shrugs, and he thinks he actually means it. “One tremendously successful artist has already proven that rerecording is an option and I won’t even be doing it for sales or anything.”
He watches the numbers indicating what floor the elevator is on slowly ascend, as he leans against the wall, crossing his arms defensively.
“And I’ve always wanted the world to hear these songs with the correct pronouns anyways,” he adds, clearing his throat. “So it’s a win-win the way I see it.”
The elevator announces its arrival with a loud ding and the doors slide open.
“Should we…?” Regulus asks, nodding his head towards the conference room, where Mary and Lily still are. Remus shakes his head no, after quickly glancing at his watch.
“They’ll shoot you an email if there’s something urgent. Let’s get you home.”
They shuffle into the cabin and Remus extends his arm to press the button that will take them all the way down to the parking garage. Regulus has always liked Remus. There’s a calming demeanor about him, something warm and soothing in his eyes, a quiet reverence in his voice. It’s a pleasant, silent ride all the way down. When they walk out into the foyer, Regulus only hesitates a second before he reaches out and grabs Remus’s arm over the elbow.
“Hey,” he says, then almost wishes the ground would swallow him whole as he keeps talking, “Can I ask you something?”
Remus’s eyes narrow but he nods, looking down at Regulus with some concern.
“Look,” Regulus says, feeling each word out before he lets it leave his mouth, “Please don’t take this the wrong way because I mean no offense but— do you think you could transfer me to Lily or Mary?”
If Remus is hurt by that statement, he doesn’t show it, but he awkwardly shifts his weight and looks away.
“Alright,” his face twitches, but he otherwise keeps his composure.
“It’s nothing that you did,” Regulus is quick to clarify, shoving his hands in his pockets because he doesn’t quite know what to do with them. “You’ve been— you’ve been beyond amazing, honestly, best lawyer I could ask for—”
“But?” Remus cuts him off. His throat bobs slightly, betraying his unease with this conversation.
“Well, it’s just—” Regulus throws his hands in exasperation, “You appear to be the most ethical lawyer on God’s green earth and my brother has been pining after you for years—” he sees that Remus is about to interject, so he raises his finger to shush him, “and so have you, don’t deny, and it’s exasperating, so just transfer me to another lawyer at your firm and take him out already because— honestly!”
Remus’s face has gone through several shades of scarlet already. He looks away for a moment before pulling out a business card and a pen from his briefcase. He props the business card against the wall and scrawls a number on its back before pushing it into Regulus’s hand, never once meeting his eyes.
“That’s my personal number,” he mumbles. “I trust you’ll pass it onto him.”
He almost scrambles to get out of the foyer, muttering a quick “Goodnight, Regulus” as he hurries to his car, visibly flustered. It takes everything in Reg not to burst into laughter.
“Thank me later,” he grins as he drops the business card in Sirius’s lap with an all-knowing smile, and slaps him on the back playfully.
“Is that—?” His brother’s jaw drops as he turns the card around in his hands, staring at it incredulously like it might disappear into thin air.
“Remus Lupin’s phone number?” Regulus does burst into laughter then, feeling a million pounds lighter now that it’s all over. “Yeah, you’re welcome.”
He slides into the backseat next to James, who quickly pulls him into his arms, burying his face in Regulus’s curls, breathing him in, showering the top of his head with kisses.
“Let’s go home, yeah?”