new romantics
So after a long day of working Regulus decided it was best for him and Pandora to go to a coffee shop to relieve some work stress. Regulus was about to ditch Pandora, but she forced him to come with her anyway. And that is because Pandora followed Regulus all the way home. And Regulus had no other choice than go down the street and have coffee with her.
The weather had cleared up for the most part, but the smell of rain and autumn leaves didn't leave the London streets quite yet.
These cold windy days, are perfect for a brownie with hot tea or coffee.
Regulus was still not happy about Pandora teasing him with James and blushed when Pandora kept asking these questions over and over again as if Regulus would change his answers for something new. Or for her standers admit to something. Nonetheless, Regulus stood his ground.
Kind of?
"So is there anything you want to talk about that tosser, James Potter?" Pandora started sipping a cup of her hot chocolate. Motioning Regulus to eat some croissants they had just bought.
"No why? you already asked me this," Regulus grabbed a croissant and shoved it down his mouth "It's not gonna make me change my mind about Potter."
"There must be one good thing about him," The blonde girl said shrewdly "I mean look at him he's a charming bloke! besides, why does he bother you anyway? Reggie, I'm starting to think every little bug the flicks your hair is starting to bug you"
"It's not, it's not that-
"I can see it in your eyes you don't totally dislike him, you give him heart eyes" Pandora was more so determined to prove Regulus wrong. And even though she already knew the answer to everything she asked she still wanted Regulus to spit it out. In her humble opinion if it wasn't for her making Regulus say all the shit he's annoyed at he must've already had three strokes at least.
"Well, yes I don't hate him completely. But his presence makes me spit out some kinda hatred" Pandora glared at him intensely "No don't start Pandora I'm warning you"
Regulus sighed and then opened his mouth again "I truly believe there's anything good about him, apart from that he's my brother's best friend and that he has a pleasing smile."
"You found his smile pleasing?" Pandora laughed. Yes, she got him.
"Fuck."
"Regulus have you been lying to yourself all this time?" Pandora mumbled in dispair "I knew you had a crush on him!"
"I swear to god that is not a crush." Regulus retorted "A crush is when you feel deeply for someone and become sort of obsessed, and hatred is so much deeper than that believe me I read a lot of poems and novels I would know"
"It's not my fault you have an emotional range of a teaspoon"
Pandora clapped her fingers to get the bread crumbs off when all of a sudden her eyes went wide.
"What's the matter?" Regulus asked cluelessly.
"Mmm-mm-mm" Pandora tutted mouth too full to speak pointing at the entrance of the cafe.
"Huh?"
Then Regulus turned around to see what was going on and turned his head right back. His brother was flirting with a man.
He'd fucked up.
They looked like they were flirting and Sirius was laughing particularly hard, smacking Remus's chest flirtatiously every time he said something. And jokingly ruffled his hair. Sirius seemed to at the moment to realize but Regulus was more than uncomfortable.
"Should we, erm leave?" Regulus blurted out after a long silence
"Mmm," Pandora swallowed forcefully another croissant "No? what if they see your face when you're leaving? You don't want to see your brother when he's trying to get a bloke don't you?"
"You think I don't have common sense?"
"Oh shit, they are coming this way, pretend your crying deeply and cover your face" Pandora insisted throwing a magazine at Regulus.
Remus didn't look their way but Sirius holding his hand turned his head just for a second because he noticed his curly black hair but turned his head back again.
"That was close," Pandora admitted finishing the last bit of her hot chocolate "You look like you are about to pass out Reggie, are you okay?"
"Look your left."
"What?" The blond girl whipped her head quickly to find out that James entered the shop and quite accidentally their gaze met.
Which meant ...
"Hiya Pandora! having tea are we?" James uttered excitingly waving hilariously at Pandora and Regulus, why was he always so full of energy "Reggie!"
He greeted him with a kiss on the cheek. Regulus pretended it didn't make him blush. And Pandora earned a hug from the supposably annoying James. She was holding her laugh as good as possible when Regulus glared daggers at him.
"Potter, what a displeasure to meet you even outside work," Regulus said coldly. Pandora was almost running out of air laughing at how Regulus was so oblivious to how his acting skills were getting less and less noticeable.
"Well, I always liked coming here. I just didn't expect to bump into you guys. Can I sit here" James murmured pointing at the empty sofa chair.
"No-
"Yes sure," Pandora patted the seat "We need help finishing our pastries. Regulus ordered too much chocolate cake"
That little swine.
"Chocolate, my favorite! how did you know!" James smirked.
That fucking menace smirked. The worst thing is that it was Regulus's favorite expression on James's face.
"Coincidence perhaps," Regulus grabbed some and shoved it down his throat to make him unable to talk to ignore James fully. But he just couldn't. James sat down facing him.
"Regulus told me all about you," Pandora started smiling like an idiot "He said you had quite a talent for music?"
I did not say that Regulus thought.
"Oh, I thought he hated me," Yes he did but not admittedly, "You said you didn't like the sound of loud things"
James remembered every detail he'd told him.
"I was so embarrassed for you to put up with my playing," James continued "I swear we will do something quieter next time. Maybe composing, or hm, do you like classical music? we could do that if you'd like since you are just next door"
"He loves classical music" It seems like now Pandora was responding for him because Regulus was too flustered to say anything more.
Why did James care so much about a thing he said? didn't he realize it was just to intimidate him, not for him to actually take care of the matter?
"Reg, are you feeling hot? do you need to take up your jumper, your cheeks are kinda red"
James knew exactly what he was doing or not.
"Oh, no worries James," Pandora responded for him yet again "He is immune to heat or cold. But when he's embarrassed or something his cheeks and ears go red"
Did Pandora just sell him out like a present or a pig for slaughter?
"Ah," James got the message right away.
Pandora winked at Regulus but he was too busy trying to dig a grave for himself.
"Reg, you can lift your head you know?" James laughed tapping Regulus's thigh which made him flinch "I'm not gonna eat you alive unless you want me to"
Regulus slowly lifted his head and yet shoved more cake to the point he almost choked himself.
James being James, caressed his back softly till the cake went down his throat safely. His big hand was warm and soft.
Pandora was having the time of her life at this point. God, Regulus was such a person to be friends with she thought.
"I'm sorry." Was the only words that Regulus could think of for James at that moment.
"Don't be sweetheart" James whispered. Pandora almost spitted her tea and her croissants together "You did nothing wrong."
Regulus inhaled deeply and slowly and make the last of his energy fully giving Pandora a death stare, but Pandora ignored it and still was giving James a motherly smile like they just got married or something.
Stikin' idiots, Im gonna kill them both. Regulus thought.
-
You may ask what James's worst fear is or what anyone else's worst fear is, but he would never expect that walking in on your best friend fucking was one. Sirius always told him when or where he was gonna shag someone, but this time he seemed too carried away to think it through.
So that caused James to come home, and realize no the house was indeed Sirius's and whoever he decided to bring home to fuck. Because he heard from the fucking hallways muffled moans and grunts. And suspecting the throaty whines it was definitely Sirius, But who he decided to bring? because from all James could hear the other person was laughing. Like laughing.
Who the fuck laughs when they are fucking?
The worst part is James heard part of their shag monologue which he totally didn't ask for.
"Gosh, your so big moons," He heard, a panting voice, Sirius's to be exact.
What kind of sick nickname is that?
"Yer' doing so well darlin' takin' my cock like you were made for this"
Yeah no, he was not gonna open the door. James turned his head right away and took the elevator down. He was not gonna sleep at home tonight. But where could he go? Ah.
An idea popped up in his head, he could sleep at Regulus's. He heard once, yes it was because he loved eavesdropping but we will spare the details, that Regulus lived just two blocks away from Sirius. Because apparently both estates were owned by their mother and she had bought these two apartments because he wanted them to live close to each other. So that was his best bet.
There weren't really any hotels nearby. It was his only source of livability at this point. So he pulled out his phone and looked for Regulus on the school website and found his phone number in the process. So he sent a very kindly written paragraph and waited outside Regulus's flat.
(James)
Can I come over to stay for the night?
(Reggie)
why is that? are you homeless?
(James)
Your brother ...
How should I put this?
(Reggie)
spit it out
(James)
He's shagging someone. I don't want to interrupt them. Imagine if I open up the door and say "no don't shag I need sleep"
HA HA HA
(Reggie)
go find a hotel to stay in. I'm not doing this.
also, how the fuck did you find my number?
(James)
I have my ways :D
Please Regulus I'll pay you, I just need somewhere to stay. I won't bother you I promise.
Seen 7:30 pm
James panicked when his texts suddenly were unread and looked around to see if Regulus was come down to fetch him. Meanwhile, Regulus saw him from his window and decided it was pitiful not to take him in for the night. He wasn't that annoying anyway.
Regulus was scared that James was starting to appear less annoying and become more of a friendly person. That made him feel more scared of himself than he ever did. More scared than when Sirius taught him how to swim. He went downstairs to find James sitting on the staircase, staring at his phone.
"All alone?" Regulus said sneaking up behind James which made James's breath hitch in terror, and it made Regulus laugh. A genuine cute laugh.
"Jesus, you scared me. I thought- I thought you hated me so much that you would close your door on me" James admitted standing up and rubbing his neck. He looked so innocent like that, if he kept doing that Regulus might do some unholy things to him.
"I am that mean in your eyes?" Regulus asked, truly waiting for an answer, he tilted his head as he watched James tapping his finger on his chin to act like he was thinking.
"Ask yourself," James started bending down to Regulus's height "What am I in your eyes?" James whispered in his ear.
Pleasing smile, an arse, pretty long lashes, and a mind of stupidity.
"You really," Regulus sighed, it was the hottest thing ever James thought "Pushing my boundaries James"
Pushing WHAT?
"Is that so," James smirked "You wanna know what other things I can push?"
"Yeah I think I know" Regulus whispered flirtatiously.
James's cheeks were flushing really hard.
"And what is that?"
"That you should," Regulus's eyes went from full of innocence and passion to his usual stone-cold eyes "Not," He breathed "Flirt, with your best friend brother"
"Who are you kidding? I was not flirting Regulus, how dare you think of me in such a scandalous way" James laughed in victory.
"You- fucking- menace"
"Ladies first" James motioned his hand to the door of the flat.
Regulus was almost gonna leave him outside but he'd be lying to himself if he said he didn't enjoy any of that.
They hurried to the second floor where Regulus lived and James gladly entered like he owned the place. Regulus's flat was artsier than Sirius's. Paintings everywhere, dark maroon curtains, books everywhere, a vinyl player similar to Sirius's (James reckons Andromeda got a set of them and gave them one each), and lastly a forest green kitchen and only one small bed.
Also some photographs of Regulus as a kid with Sirius, and pictures of him with a black cat. And lastly him in Paris.
"You are truly one of a kind," James began "Truly different. But more human-like, when you're teaching I almost feel like you can't feel emotion"
Regulus almost cringed at how real James's stupid observation was.
"I prefer to be mean so my students have respect towards me," Regulus admitted. He may or may not have been bullied when he was younger and maybe being this unreachable to some be his defense mechanism.
"Respect is earned in my opinion," James stated this was the first time Regulus had seen James so mature. It was so out of the blue "Obviously that can't prevent people from being mean to you, but you simply have to let go"
Let go?
"What if the things that have happened," Regulus sighed and look away from James "Never quite left you"
"People say time heals, but I think that's bullocks. Forgiveness heals. You need to forgive yourself and others to grow as a person, or else you'll never grow up. Maturity is how you think through things Reg"
"Yeah, it's hard still," Then Regulus realized he had shown vulnerability to someone he doesn't quite know yet "Why are we talking about this?"
"I don't know. We just did," James smiled kindly. Fluttering those long eyelashes again and taunting with his caramel eyes "Where do I sleep?"
James looked around and pointed at the only bed in the room.
"I guess you can sleep on the floor perhaps," Regulus said roughly throwing a blanket on the floor.
"No I'm not doing that, my back is too precious for that," James responded shaking his head in disapproval but Regulus already laid flat on his bed.
So that's what ended up happening, James took a shower before bed and so did Regulus and James slept on the cold floor as told. But two hours later he was woken up by muffled screams and whimpers coming from Regulus's bed.
He sat up and turned on the bedside lamp next to Regulus. To find him sweating and his face a hurtful expression like he was begging for mercy.
"No mother! I don't want to be an English professor, I want to be an ice skater!" Regulus whispered just so barely James could hear.
He was having nightmares.
James caressed his face lightly till Regulus's eyes softened and his face leaned into his touch. He didn't stop until Regulus stopped whimpering in pain. Then finally let go but all of a sudden Regulus pulled his wrist particularly hard.
Regulus opened his eyes, swollen from tears, and used his barely conscious mind to whisper to James "Sleep with me ... Sleep- with- me. Please?"
His eyes closed again.
James couldn't let Regulus have any more nightmares, and didn't care if he woke up the next morning wanting to kill him, he wanted him to be...
Well, good. And free of torture.
He shriveled himself next to Regulus and lay flat on his back next to him counting sheep till he fell asleep.
Regulus turned to face James, this time his face resting in serenity.