Regulus should have known it was a stupid idea to agree when Sirius invited him and his friends to Gryffindor Tower.
"I want us to be closer again," Sirius said, "I want you to run away from home, too, and come live with me. I've got my own place thanks to the money from uncle Alphard. You can live there."
And Regulus wants to believe it. He wants to be closer to his brother, too. He wants his help without having to ask for it. He would never ask for it. He never asks for help.
That is why a person who offers his help without making him ask is his absolute weak spot.
After Sirius ran away, James started showing up. He showed up at the library, after his quidditch training, after the matches, at Hogsmeade - everywhere. He was just there, offering his help in small conversations and silly jokes.
Regulus is fucking weak for the silly boy with his stupid glasses and dumb pranks and pathetic hoodies and ugly red shoes. Weak.
Now, Sirius offered his help and all he wants in return is an evening at Gryffindor Tower - where James is. Two weak spots in one request. Regulus agreed.
Regulus takes Evan and Barty with him to the Tower. Sirius is waiting for him outside and leads him upstairs to the dorm where his other friends are already waiting.
They got a whole collection of Hogsmeade sweets and illegal alcohol. Evan and Barty are immediately on board.
It doesn't take long for Sirius to push a cup into his hand with a wink. "Drink, little brother."
He does the same with Evan and Barty.
"Well," Sirius exclaims after a few minutes and claps his hands, "I need to make a confession boys." He turns down the music. "You see, I did not only invite you here to get to know you better - I mean I did, but in a specific way."
"Sirius," James says sharply, "You didn't. You promised me you wouldn't!"
Regulus looks at James. He looks stupidly handsome today. His hair is a mess and Regulus wants to spend all day counting the number of times he runs his hands through it.
"I did, Prongs. It's necessary. Am I just suppsoed to trust his word?"
"Yes."
Sirius huffs. "Trust is for the kids from stable families. Boys, I gave you Veritaserum."
The Slyhterin Boys look at each other. Then, Barty laughs. "Yeah, I knew you fucking sucked. I told you he's full of shit, Reg. We're out of here."
Barty is already up, dragging Evan with him.
Remus uses a spell to lock the door and then puts himself between the boys and the door. He looks tired. "Just indulge him. It won't be so bad."
"Drugging us isn't bad? If I were you I'd be mad wary of your pumpkin juice from now on."
"Just a few harmless questions," Sirius says with a smirk and balances himself on the footboard of his bed. "Like, Barty, what's your biggest darkest secret?"
Barty bites down on his lip, hard.
"Sirius!" James barks, "Are you mad?"
"Hey, it's for mine and our safety, mate. Okay, I go mild, fucking pissbaby. Barty, did you ever kill someone?"
"No," Barty says and crosses his arms in front of his chest, "Not yet, at any rate."
"Ah, so you wanted to kill someone before?"
"Yes. You, for example."
"What about you Evan, enjoy the thought of torturing dogs?"
Evan pulls in his bottom lip. "Not particularly."
"Cats?"
"No."
"Children?"
"No! What the fuck?!"
"Muggleborns?"
"Also, no."
"Intersting. Barty, your opinion on muggleborns?"
Barty shrugs. "It's weird, that's all. Like, where does the magic come from all of a sudden? And why does it stay after? Is there a biological component? A dominant gene? If so, why is it lost in pureblood family squibs? Those are the real questions."
The Gryffindors look at Barty perplexed.
Regulus and Evan smirk at each other. "Yeah, Sirius, as you can see my friends aren't only evil maniacs, they're also brilliant - Barty at any rate. Got all 12 of his OWLs - one of which was Muggle Studies."
"It wasn't what it promised out to be. We didn't talk about this even once. Instead, we had to learn what a Spork is. It's an atrocity, that's what it is."
Sirius blinks a few times. "Right... but, ha! You said he's an evil maniac and you have to say the truth so...."
"He is an evil maniac. He cheats at scrabble and his favourite ice cream flavour is chocolate. I'm convinced he is a sociopath."
James chuckles and gently puts his hand on Regulus' shoulder.
"Padfoot, you had your fun. Now leg them go. This is unfair."
"Just a few more questions. I want to live with him, Prongs, there are things I need to know about."
"You can ask him like a normal person."
Regulus scoffs. "Sirius is not normal."
"Wanker."
"Just saying the truth," Regulus shrugs. James' hand is still on his shoulder. He has nice hands, big and warm, they wrap nicely around his wrist or his arm. Regulus is convinced, they would be the perfect size and shape to cup his cheeks and hold his face if he kissed him.
"What do you think about gay people?" Sirius asks.
Regulus, with his thoughts on James' hands, barely pays attention to his own words. "I am gay."
The loud "What?!" Coming from multiple voices at once shake him out of his trance.
He didn't mean to say that. He didn't even tell Evan and Barty yet. Though with Barty, he probably doesn't have to given the number of times they got each other off late at night in their dorm.
"You're gay?" Sirius asks.
Regulus clenches his teeth and wills himself not to say anything.
"No, Reggie, that's great! I'm gay, too. I just - I was worried you'd... you know... see an issue and try to kill me in my sleep."
"I might still try to do that."
Sirius grins and then jumps from his bed to hug him. "Oh, Reggie, I'm so happy. This also means, you absolutely have to run away from home. Do you still believe in their pureblood shit?"
Regulus sighs. "No."
"And do you want to live with me?"
Regulus wills himself to say nothing for a few seconds until, very quietly, he says "Yes."
Sirius squeezes him in his arms. Regulus pushes him off.
"Now, fuck off, give us some of that booze as compensation and let us go."
"Oh, yeah, sure. Though you can stay, we can have a party!"
"No."
Sirius is theatrically upset but James pushes a bottle of cheap booze and some sweets into his hands. "Sorry about all this," he whispers.
Regulus rolls his eyes and goes over to his friends.
Before they can reach the door, Sirius jumps on his trunk. "Oh, one more thing, it's important! You know, James is like a brother to me. What do you think about him?"
A thousand dirty things rush through his head at once. From kissing him to licking his toes he would do anything for him - and that though he finds toes disgusting!
He clenches his teeth and tries to somehow keep the words at bay that want to claw out of him.
Sirius jumps down from his trunk again and pushes James into the centre of the room like presenting a new broom.
"Just the first thought that comes to your mind when you look at him."
Regulus makes the fatal mistake of looking at James. He blushed deeply, and keeps fidgeting with his glasses. He gives Regulus a gentle smile, far more unsure than he is used to. It is another great weakness of Regulus Black.
His mouth opens on its own accord and the words just fall out: "I want him to rail me so fucking badly. I want him to kiss me, dirtily, push me up against a wall and put his mouth everywhere on my body, while ripping my clothes and then I want him to shove his cock up my ass and fuck me all night until we pass out from exhaustion."
The room is dead silent.
Sirius' mouth and eyes are wide open, staring at his brother. James and Remus are both flushed red from head to toe, and Peter looks like he might pass out from holding back his laughter.
Someone grabs his arm and fortunately drags him out of the room, away from the tower and back to the Slytherin dungeon. Evan and Barty are straight up choking with laughter on the entire way. Regulus may or may not push them down a few steps on a staircase when they wouldn't stop.
***
Barty drags Regulus out of the room, and the Marauders are alone.
James' brain is still occupied with trying to catch up with what just happened.
Regulus wants him. Regulus likes him and wants to kiss him and .... other stuff. Dirty, vulgar, fun stuff.
What a lucky, lucky man James truly is. That absolute dream of a boy wants him in every way imaginable.
"Challange accepted."
"What?!" Sirius, shaken from his shell-shocked state, exclaims and turns to him.
"Challenge accepted," James repeats.
Then a pillow lands in his face. Peter now bursts out laughing and Remus snorts and picks up a bar of chocolate.
"How dare you?! That's my little brother, you pig!"
"Hey, you heard what he wants. Wasn't my idea."
"I will kill you! What have you done to him? Last time I checked he was an innocent boy who read love poetry as his favourite pastime."
"I didn't do anything to him. I was just being nice. Maybe he's into that. Who am I to say? I just shut up and be happy."
"Yeah, you better shut up. You better get fucking dementia right now and forget what he said."
"In your dreams, Padfoot," James grins, "Our lovely Regulus should get anything in life he wants."
"And he wants James' cock," Peter reminds him, "Like, badly. It's the ethical thing to fuck him now, really."
"No!" Sirius yells, "You and your monster dick will stay away from my brother! I've seen that thing, you'll break him."
James winks and throws himself on his bed. "Thanks."
"Shut up. If I have to imagine you touching him I will have to actually kill myself. And don't you dare take advantage of him. I won't see you breaking my little brother's heart."
"But his jaw when he sucks Prong's cock?" Peter tosses a crisp into the air and catches it with his mouth.
Sirius gags theatrically. "Moony, say something!"
Remus shrugs. "I think it's a classic case of 'fuck around and find out' Pads. You fucked around with the veritaserum and now you'll have to live with Regulus and James having a go at each other."
"He will not have a go at my brother! There won't be any go's you here me, Potter? None. He's a child with a silly crush on you. Stay away from him."
"He's not a child. He's 16 with a slutty little man waist I will put my hands on when I kiss him. And I happen to actually like him, okay? He can have me in any way he wants."
"James Fleamont Potter, if you call my brother slutty one more time or comment on his body, I will rip you apart and send you to your parents as 12 separate Christmas gifts!"
"I am convinced if I got to kiss him once before you cut me up, it would be worth it. He's so fucking dreamy."
Sirius takes another pillow and attacks him with it. James, dying with laughter, is twisting away under the blows until he straight up falls out of the bed.
***
The next afternoon, James finds Regulus in one of the courtyards. It is pleasantly warm and Regulus sits in one of the window arches and reads his poetry.
He looks magnificent. From the way his slender fingers hold the book, to the black curls he tucked behind his ear. From his silver grey eyes to his pale skin against black clothes.
Regulus closes his eyes for a moment and stretches himself, holding his arms over his head. His shirt rides up, exposing his waist. James wants to worship every inch of that body and every inch of that person.
Regulus is fucking brilliant. To James the biggest turn-on is competence. He and Regulus have that in common. They admire the others quidditch talent, the intellect, the random niche knowledge about different periods in history - James can find a thousand little things about Regulus he absolutely adores.
James takes a last swing from his water bottle and then struts over to the boy.
Regulus looks up and a clear shade of pink forms instantly on his face. He closes the book and is already half in leaving when James catches his wrist.
"Don't go, Reggie. Listen, please."
"Any chance you will just ignore what happened yesterday?"
"None," James smirks and shows him the water bottle, "What I can do though is make it even. I got veritaserum in this - mixed with some Felix Felicis as well."
Regulus frowns. "Where did you get that?"
"Made it myself."
"You hate potions."
James shrugs. "That's just for show, really. Mostly to piss of Snape. And it's cool to be known for hating something and still be good at it. Truth is, my father has his own potioneering business. I grew up next to cauldrons and assisted in cutting herbs and shit when I was a child. It's in my blood."
Regulus blinks and then smiles by tugging one corner of his mouth upwards. It's adorable.
"So, I'm positively drugged," James says and scoots closer to Regulus, "And I have a massive crush on you."
Regulus looks back at him surprised. "You what?"
"I have had a crush on you for quite a while, Reggie. I thought you were absolute taboo territory because, well, you're my best friend's brother and you were having a hard time and all that... but if you want me, fucking have me, Regulus."
Regulus closes his eyes for a moment and takes a deep breath. "James, if this is a prank, I will throw you off the Astronomy tower. I mean it."
"It's not a prank, Love," James smiles, "I'm here under the threat of Sirius hexing me, but I don't care. He can hex me all he wants if I can have at least one date with you. Hogsmeade, this Saturday?"
Regulus slowly opens his eyes at him. "You really mean it?"
"Yes." He clasps Regulus' hand between his. "You're fucking amazing. I've been literally dreaming about kissing you for weeks. Take Sirius' offer, run away from home, and be my boyfriend. Please, Love."
A slow smile spreads on Regulus' face. "Okay."
"Really?"
"Yes."
James grins and leads Regulus' hand to his mouth to kiss his fingers.
"Can I kiss you?" James whispers.
"Infront of all of these people?" The courtyard is filled with a handful of students.
"Yes. And later in front of Sirius, he'll have a heart attack. He tried to kill me in my sleep last night."
Regulus frowns at him.
"I woke up and he was towering over me with a pillow. He's worried I'll break your heart. I have no intention to do that. Besides, it's not like you said that you love me. But I really have a massive crush on you. Like, full on senseless devotion in an almost creepy way."
"Almost?"
"I like to think of myself as a romantic."
Regulus smiles shily. "Your luck I see you that way, too. Never tell anyone about it."
"I can't promise that. I tell the boys everything and I enjoy annoying Sirius."
Regulus scoots closer to him. "Alright, then kiss me."
James can barely contain his excitement. He cups Regulus' cheeks, leans in and kisses him, innocent and sweet.
Regulus' face is soft and still warm from the blood rushing into his cheeks. He is so lovely to kiss, a small taste of paradise.
He pulls back and smiles at him. Regulus slowly opens his eyes, the silver grey shines brightly in the sun light.
One of the students around them gasps and exclaims "What was that?"
James chuckles and pulls Regulus back into the next kiss, crashing their lips together in the burning passion Regulus asked for yesterday. His hands wander down to Regulus' waist and pull him as close as possible while remaining decent in public.
"On the threat of sounding dumb," James whispers when they pull apart again, "This feels quite monumental. Like the start of something really amazing."
Regulus leans his head against his shoulder. "You're a sappy idiot."
"Can't help it. I'm compelled to say the truth. Though I hope you like me being a sappy idiot."
Regulus hums. "I like it a lot."
"I'm so fucking lucky," James whispers and pulls him in for another kiss.