Someday, I'm gonna live
In your house up on the hill
And when your skinhead neighbour goes missing
I'll plant a garden in the yard then
They're gluing roses on a flatbed
You should see it, I mean thousands
I grew up here 'til it all went up in flames
Except the notches in the door frame
- Garden Song, Phoebe Bridgers
Regulus Black has never given much thought to love. He never spent too much time dwelling on things he assumed he would never find. He knows all about it though thanks to his brother who never shuts up about this boy that he’s met who is apparently “the most perfect person to ever exist”. The truth is Regulus rarely ever leaves the house preferring to tuck himself up inside which leaves a very slim chance of happening upon anyone and falling in love.
But his brother is adamant that Regulus should get his chance to fall in love and lately has been concocting several different plans and schemes to find Regulus a beau. The plans shockingly enough never worked. Regulus, either unwilling to comply or the poor other person dragged into it unwillingly to put up with his attitude. These results ended up with an unbothered Regulus and a stumped Sirius.
One day Regulus was sitting in his lounge room, curled up on the couch a blanket over his legs listening to his brother rave about some new coffee place he found on the corner when he noticed their cat, Patroclus pawing at the door to the garden to go outside. He stood up from his place to let him outside taking a small break to stare into the garden as well. He realised that the once well-kept and beautiful garden had evolved into a bit of a monster of tangles dead vines and grass as he neglected it, choosing to stay inside during the winter months. He didn’t have many worries about this as the garden really belonged to his late father, who liked the hobby of gentle gardening when he wasn’t screaming at his children, but Sirius had popped up behind him looking out onto the garden as well.
‘God, the garden’s gotten pretty bad hasn’t it?’
‘Yeah, I guess,’
‘We should hire a gardener!’
‘No, Sirius.’
‘I know you don't like people around the house but I genuinely think this could be a good idea, maybe if the garden’s all nice and pretty you’ll actually go outside,’ He nudged Regulus. ‘Maybe get some sun, instead of shutting yourself inside like a dying houseplant.’
‘I get just enough sun thank you.’ Regulus quipped.
‘I’m sorry Reg but have you looked in the mirror lately, you look like a ghost haunting this house.’
‘Shut up.’
‘Well, I’m calling a gardening company okay? It’s my house too and who knows maybe going out in the garden could be good for you Reg.’
‘Yeah, fine alright whatever.’
‘Okay great! But I’m off, I’m meeting Remus.’ Sirius chirped grabbing his jacket and heading towards the door.
‘Okay bye,’ Regulus replied.
‘Don’t die from lack of vitamin D while I’m gone!’ He called over his shoulder before slamming the door shut.
‘Prick.’ Regulus grumbled, returning to the window to watch Patroclus chase around a butterfly before eventually capturing it in his claws and chewing on it then forcefully spitting out the crumpled creature.
Regulus spent the next few days just pottering around the house, moving things around and throwing out old unused items mainly sprucing up the apartment in preparation for the gardener to come and change everything comfortable in Regulus’ life. He barely got out of the house, even less so than usual so intently focused on subtly hiding away significant parts of his life evident in the house. Pictures in frames coming down from walls and going into Regulus’ room where the gardener ought not to be, all books lying scattered around going onto shelves, the gardener shouldn’t have to know what books he likes. When Sirius came home after briefly heading out to buy some eggs and milk and found Regulus trying to shove his high school swimming team trophy into a kitchen draw he blew up at him.
‘Christ Regulus, they’re coming to rip out some weeds and water the garden, not go fucking Sherlock Holmes detective mode going through the house for our personal information!’ He cries exasperated. ‘Besides what’re they gonna do with my high school swimming trophy?! Why would you feel the need to hide that?!’
Regulus went red and shrugged sheepishly. ‘I don’t want them to change anything.’
Sirius sighed. ‘I understand that Reg but honestly, hiding everything about us? We look like we live in a hotel, you took all the photos down!’
Regulus looked down at the floor. ‘I’ll put some of the photos back up,’
Sirius flopped down onto the couch, eggs and milk still in hand. ‘Thank you.’
Regulus went upstairs to grab the collection of photos he stowed away, most of them just consisting of the two brothers and occasionally Patroclus. There are one or two of their parents but Regulus never displayed them anyways, Sirius wants to burn them but some small part of Regulus wanted to keep them so they sit gathering dust at the back of his drawers.
When he returns downstairs with a few select photos he’s willing to let the gardener see, Sirius is in the kitchen packing away everything he bought. Regulus was just about to start hooking the photos back onto their places on the walls on shelves when Sirius poked his head out of the kitchen door to yell out to him.
‘Gardener’s coming tomorrow!’
Tomorrow!? Regulus began to rush shoving the photos back onto their nails, some hanging lopsided almost daring to fall off. He scrambled through the rest of the house to restore the memories of its inhabitants. He put his film posters back up as well as Sirius’ band ones and actually took out some of the books he was reading onto the table. He didn’t take everything out, of course, some things can stay hidden, but both he and Sirius slept a little easier that night.
When the gardener arrived Regulus was out of the house for once, picking up some dry cleaning that Sirius practically begged him to do. Regulus returned home to find Sirius standing in the kitchen staring out the window with two empty mugs of tea on the bench. He walked over and picked one up, chamomile tea.
‘Chamomile? You don’t drink chamomile,’
Sirius turned around. ‘Oh yeah it was for the gardener, I had a little chat with him.’
‘Oh.’ Regulus had forgotten the gardener was coming today.
‘Come look Reg, he’s pretty cute,’ Sirius suggested.
Regulus rolled his eyes and stayed rooted in his spot. ‘I swear if you try and set me up again…’
‘No, I’m not kidding look!’ He pulled Regulus forwards to the window where he could see the gardener bent over the garden bed pulling up a large bunch of weeds. His skin was a golden brown, glistening with sweat and he had strong muscular arms that were working the roots of the weeds. His hair was messy and sat somehow upright on his head but still looked good? He had a pair of round glasses on his nose that he kept pushing up as he leaned over the bed. He was hot.
‘I knew you’d find him hot.’ Sirius smirked.
‘Shove off.’ Regulus murmured going bright red.
‘Go talk to him!’ He encouraged.
‘I’d rather eat Patroclus.’ Regulus deadpanned.
‘C’mon don’t be like that, he’s cute and he’s nice and he’ll be here for a few weeks.’ Sirius pointed out.
‘I don’t want to date our gardener!’
‘Yet.’ Sirius stated.
Regulus made to go creep up to his room to hide until the unfairly attractive gardener left but Sirius stopped him.
‘Nuh uh! Go talk to the bloke.’
‘What? Why can’t you?’
‘Because I’m leaving to go see Pete,’ He stuck his tongue out at him swinging his keyring around his finger. ‘Just talk to him Reg, even if you don’t want to date him you need some friends that aren’t me.’
Regulus huffed and crossed his arms. ‘I’m fine with you being my only friend.’
Sirius pressed a hand to his chest. ‘As sweet as that is for me, it’s really sad for you, so go and talk to the guy, just give him a glass of lemonade or something. He looks like he needs it. You’re nineteen Regulus, live a little!’
‘If I do it will you leave me alone about it?’
‘Yep!’ He replied popping the ‘p’. Regulus nodded fully intending to just ignore the gardener and tell Sirius he didn’t want to talk to him until Sirius shouted out just as he was walking to the door. ‘I’ll ask him if he talked to you so don’t think about not doing it!’ Then shutting the door behind him.
So now Regulus stood in the garden under the sweltering sun, a cup of lemonade in his hand looking at the gardener. He’s been standing here for twenty minutes unsure if he should actually come over, debating how harsh the consequences Sirius will give will be. He gives in, knowing that waiting longer will only make it worse. He strides across the garden stopping just adjacent to the gardener who makes no attempt to stop gardening but still speaks.
‘I was wondering when you’d come over,’
‘Oh,’ Regulus says, feeling slightly caught,
‘That glass for me? ‘Cause I’m really thirsty,’ He stretched out a hand to his left for the glass.
‘Oh, uh yeah it is,’ He handed down the almost warm lemonade to him.
‘My name is James, yours?’
‘Ah, it’s Regulus,’
He took a sip of the lemonade. ‘Good lemonade, Regulus,’
‘Thanks,’
Regulus stood there for a bit unsure of what to say, just watching as the gardener- James pulled up all the weeds. He took notice of the way James’ muscles pushed against the thin material of his shirt and how his dark skin shined in the sun. Once he realised his silence was awkward it took him a bit of courage to ask a question.
‘So how long do you think this’ll take?’
‘Uh, I think about a month or two if you really want me to spruce this place up nicely,’
‘Oh, okay,’
Silence again.
‘Um, do you want more lemonade?’ He asked noticing the empty glass.
‘If you’d be so kind then yes please,’ James looked up this time to grin at him making Regulus go as red as a tomato. He dashed off to the kitchen to procure the jug of lemonade and bring it outside. When he got back he placed the jug down next to James and sat down next to it.
‘So how old are you?’
‘I’m twenty, just working for my dad's company right now before I try to get my own job.’
‘Oh, cool,’
‘What about your parents? I didn't see them around, only you and your brother then?’
‘Uh yeah only us, our parents got into a car crash when I was seventeen, but they were assholes anyways,’ He doesn't know why he’s suddenly spilling his guts to this random stranger in his garden. Maybe spending all this time around Sirius has finally driven him mad.
James laughs, it's an odd sort of laugh kind of like a donkey braying. ‘Not a loss then?’
‘Not a loss.’ Regulus agrees and the silence falls again the only sound being James tugging at various plants and digging them up with a small shovel.
‘So are you gonna talk to me or just sit there and look pretty?’
Regulus is taken aback, by the suddenness of the comment or the compliment he doesn’t know.
‘Uh, I don't know I was enjoying watching you,’ He blurts out mindlessly only realising how it sounded once it was out of his mouth.
James turns his head to smirk at him. ‘Oh really?’
Regulus flushes a deep red, there’s no going back now. ‘Um, yeah,’
‘Well as nice as that is, I’d much rather hear your voice than silence so talk to me,’ He requests.
‘Talk to you?’
‘Talk to me,’ He confirms.
Regulus thinks it’s an odd request, who would want someone to blabber in the ear?
‘Um, I’m not very good at talking,’
‘That’s alright just tell me about whatever,’
Regulus doesn’t know what to talk about so he settles for the things he currently knows most about. ‘So my brother’s dating this guy…’
Regulus finds himself making his way out to the garden more often than not over the next few weeks even if it is just to read in the shade and ignore James. He’s more comfortable around him now and has even started to bring some of the stuff he hid away back into the house subtly like it was always there, even the swimming trophy has made a reappearance.
It turns out James just likes to hear him talk, whether it be about the book he's been reading or even just Regulus borderline bullying him which he seems to take a strange interest in, not that Regulus minds it's easier to be mean to people than to be nice.
Sirius has been teasing him endlessly about his new attachment to going outside, making fun of him for his “crush on the gardener” and pointing out his new sun freckles that dust his skin telling him that he’s finally starting to look alive. It's true though, Regulus has noticed the more time he spends outside in the sun the warmer his skin gets, no longer pallid and shiny now full of life and covered in the kisses of summer. He’s quite happy with his change in complexion despite Sirius’ teasing.
James didn't mention anything about it though. Not that Regulus wants him to, just noticed that he hadn't. And he doesn't care, he doesn't. Not one little bit. And he’s not trying to get him to notice by always putting on sunscreen and moisturiser when he's sitting out the back, he's just looking after his gentle skin. If James notices his skin looking healthier then that's just a coincidence. Because he’s not trying to get him to notice. He’s not.
☆*: .｡. .｡.:*☆
James has been working for his dad for the past couple of months for work experience. It's mainly been grunt work as he helps out his dad when he gets hired, moving hauls of dead plants, fertiliser etc. It’s been okay, the company when working is nice and it’s been giving him a nice tan that he can’t complain about.
But last week his dad got a call while he was working on replanting a small shrub and he got James to answer. When he picked up the phone, he was surprised to hear a young man’s voice, their clients normally being parents or old people that can't care for their gardens. The man’s voice is clear and crisp, with a faint hint of an aristocratic accent.
‘Hello? Is this Potter Pots?’
James puts on his best customer service voice and replies in a chipper accent. ‘Yep, it is, what can I help you with?’
‘I’d like to hire a gardener, preferably a young one around twenty and attractive.’
James hears another voice in the background hiss. ‘Don’t say that you sound like a weirdo!’
The first voice draws away from the phone to respond. ‘Moony it’s not for me, it’s for Reg, he needs to make some friends!’
The second voice comes in sharper this time. ‘And your solution to that is a hot gardener?’
The first voice scoffs, an eye roll evident in their tone. ‘Uh, yeah obviously.’
‘Excuse me?’ James interrupts.
‘Oh shit sorry yeah, um would that be alright to request?’
James feels a bit uncomfortable but he can't deny that they have a gardener that fits that description, him. ‘Yes that's fine, how many gardeners do you need?’
‘Just one is fine,’
'Okay give me one second to write down your number, we'll get your info and then send you a text when your gardener arrives.’
‘Okay thank you!’
The line clicks and disconnects.
When James shows up at the house he’s surprised, it’s a large brick building that would be more suited to the name mansion rather than a house. Its got intricate designed glass windows and ivy and plants covering every inch of the surface. It reminds him a bit of a fairytale house. He steps forward and rings the doorbell, he hears someone inside call. ‘Just a second!’ He thinks it’s the first voice from the phone. When the door opens it reveals a boy who stands just a few inches less than James with a head of long black curls and cutting grey eyes. Plastered on his face is a sharp grin.
‘Is this Sirius Black’s residence?’
‘Yeah, are you the one I spoke with on the phone?’
‘Uh, yep that’d be me,’ James informs him.
‘Great okay, come in!’ He turns and goes into the house and James follows shutting the door behind him. The house has a collection of photos up, most of the Sirius and another boy though there are a scattered few of a black cat. They seem to be put up haphazardly, some almost sideways on their hooks and there are some hooks with no photos up at all. There are no photos with any parents and the boys both look fairly young. As James dawdles behind Sirius he can see into the rooms, the lounge room has a poster of the film ‘A Clockwork Orange’ up as well as a ‘The Kinks’ poster. Sirius turns and darts into a small room just next to the stairwell which turns out to be the kitchen, he pulls out a chair and sits down. James hovers awkwardly by the door, and Sirius flashes him an easy smile.
‘Come, sit I’ll make tea.’ As James pulls out his own chair, Sirius exits his and puts the kettle on drawing out two cups from the cupboard.
‘What tea would you like?’
‘Do you have chamomile?’
He surveyed the small tea collection before nodding. ‘Yep! Okay, I’ll just wait for the water to boil.’ He placed down on the table a small ornate silver bowl of sugar paired with a matching silver spoon. It all seemed very expensive like he was using centuries-old family heirlooms to make his tea. When the kettle began to squeal Sirius took it off and poured it out into the two mugs, his with a black tea bag in it. James tipped a spoon of sugar into his tea and stirred it in.
‘So how old are you?’ Sirius prods.
‘Oh, I’m twenty,’
‘Me too! That’s great. I have to warn you before he comes home, but I have a little brother who’s nineteen and he’s a bit of a hermit so if you see him don’t get scared and think he’s a rat or something.’
James laughs almost spitting out his tea. ‘I’m sorry what?’
Sirius just shrugs. ‘He’s got that kind of quality about him, kind of lurking and watching. We also have a cat, are you allergic?’
‘No, I like cats actually.’
‘Great, I mean personally I prefer dogs but my brother really wanted a cat so I let him get one.’ Sirius waves his hands in front of him as he speaks.
‘I don’t know something about cats just speaks to me.’ James comments.
Sirius takes a large gulp of his tea. ‘Yeah, my brother says that too. Hopefully, you two will get along.’
James finished his last sip of tea. ‘Yeah, sure.’
When Sirius finished with his tea, he took James out into the garden to show him what exactly he would like. The main gist of the conversation was to clean up all the dead plants and prune the alive ones and maybe plant more if it looks too barren. He was getting paid by the hour so the more work he did the better. He thanked Sirius and set off working, starting with pulling out all of the dead plants from one bed.
As the hours went by he noticed a boy standing out near the door watching him work out of the corner of his eye holding a glass of something. The boy didn’t actually come over for several minutes after James first noticed him. He was quite a gorgeous person actually, with a sharp jawline, defined eyes and curls that bounced off his shoulders. In his personal opinion, James would let this boy take him apart and put him back together again, but he can’t well say that to the person who’s paying him so instead he says.
‘I was wondering when you’d come over,’
James gets significantly more relaxed around the house after a while, showing up every morning on the dot at eleven am and coming around to the garden, Regulus either waiting under a nearby tree or on the garden table with a book. They’ve become strangely close, Regulus always coming out to see him work, whether he talks to him or not. In all honesty, he makes James’ job a little bit harder as he has to work on trying not to stare as Regulus reapplies moisturizer and sunscreen constantly.
When they do talk though, it’s fun banter with Regulus insulting James in a way that sends a coil of warmth down his spine into his stomach. It makes him giddy and even as he works for hours under the harsh sun he can barely feel the heat that isn’t radiating off the boy next to him.
When James walks through the house after two weeks of working there he notices something that wasn't there before, a photo. Just a small picture in a frame of Regulus and Sirius standing next to each other, much younger in front of The Leaning Tower Of Piza. It’s a bit odd he never noticed it but he doesn't think much of it until he walks past the lounge room and something large and blue glints on the mantle piece that he hadn’t noticed before. He goes a bit further into the lounge room just to find that it’s a high school swimming team trophy for Sirius. It’s quite a large trophy and James wonders why he hadn’t seen it before, why was it hidden away, especially if it’s such an old trophy? He doesn’t dwell on it very long just assuming it must have been something forgotten and put back on display and continuing out to the garden. Regulus is sitting there waiting under the tree like he always is, a book in his lap.
‘Morning,’ He greets, looking up.
‘Mornin’’ James replies, pulling out his tools and bending down and beginning to pull out some rotten roots apart. He can feel Regulus staring behind him and he grins.
‘Oi eyes are up here Black,’
Regulus goes beet red. ‘Shut up Potter, I wasn’t looking.’
James grins even wider, winking at him. ‘Sureeeee you weren’t,’
Regulus rolls his eyes his face still reddened. ‘Your arrogance is larger than your forehead.’
James slaps a hand on his forehead. ‘Hey, my forehead is a normal size!’ He squawks, indignant but he still feels the flutter in his stomach.
‘Sureeeee it is,’ He teases returning to his book.
The day passes by quickly as James works and Regulus reads, only occasionally stopping to make a comment here or there. As he sorts through an overgrown patch of cabbage James notices a small green caterpillar wiggling on one of the leaves. He scoops it up into his hand monitoring it for a bit as it squiggles in his hand. It’s kind of cute.
‘Hey Reg come look at this,’ He calls over his shoulder.
He hears Regulus huff and comes over, bending at the knees to look down just behind him, his breath wafting onto James’ neck sending a shiver down his spine at the proximity. He gently lifted up his hand showing off the green bug, Regulus stared down at it for a while. James turned his head ever so slightly to the side to look at him to find their faces almost touching and breath mingling in the small minimal space in front of them. Regulus didn’t move at all eyes locked onto James’ mouth, the bug forgotten in his hand, both of them were flush red, the tension completely palpable. They were entirely too close for it to be platonic. Regulus’ lips were poised and perfect only a few centimetres away if James could only just lean in. He felt himself sway slightly forward. Regulus abruptly stood up, coughing and stepping back. James felt his heart flicker and the moment was lost.
‘Very cute, um do you want to come inside, it’s um pretty hot out here.’ He mumbled.
‘Uh, sure.’ He feels uneasy agreeing but after putting the bug back where he picked it up he still follows Regulus back into the house. The air is cooler inside with some rays of sunshine still shining inside onto the couch where Patroclus rests. Regulus points to the couch indicating for him to sit down, he sits on the plush couch next to the small black cat. Regulus shoots off to the kitchen, muttering something about getting drinks. As James sits on the couch he couldn’t help but wonder if these feelings are requited, when Regulus returns with the drinks he set them down on the small table in front of him and sits down next to James. Their thighs sink into the couch, pushing them together in the centre but neither pulled away.
James reaches out for his glass just for something to do as they both sit there not speaking. The glass contains lemonade, just like the first day they met. James took a small sip, before just cradling the glass in his hands trying to ignore Regulus’ thigh pressed up against his. He keeps his gaze pointedly on one spot on the carpet as Regulus shuffles into a more comfortable position rubbing their legs together unintentionally. James feels the unwanted heat creep onto his face.
‘Um, do you want to watch a movie or something?’ Regulus suggests and James is so startled he swings around to face him coming almost nose to nose with him. Regulus’ breath hitches as they stare at each other. James can feel his heart pattering frantically in his chest as he stares at the boy he just spent the past two weeks flirting shamelessly with. Regulus’ gaze flicks down to his lips and he licks his own and James just can’t help himself, he leans forward those last inches and connects their lips. Regulus leans into it immediately so eager he almost pushes James back into Patroclus. James meets him with similar vigour, pushing back as their tongues meet. James’ hands begin to crawl up Regulus’ sides, creeping under his shirt, making Regulus shiver. Regulus sends his hands into James’ hair pulling him closer and then resting his arms around his neck.
There’s a crackle of energy in the room, full of static and power like a lightning strike. Regulus shuffles his hips closer on the couch until he’s almost on James’ lap their lips never leaving each other’s. When they do break apart they’re both panting staring at each other with smiles on their faces and then they kiss again and again and again. Patroclus left the couch long ago after too many close calls of being squished. James feels like he’s stuck in this moment, it feels like everything is going slow like walking through molasses. Regulus is straddling him now as they lay horizontally on the couch. As he and Regulus grasp and claw, like their each other’s last hope, the door slams open and the bubble of electricity pops. They both snap upright staring at the doorway. Sirius stands there eyes wide in shock next to another tall boy with a head of shaggy brown curls whose face looks quite surprised. Sirius’ face splits into a grin.
‘I knew the hot gardener plan would work!’
Regulus puts his head in his hands as Sirius cackles excitedly.