10
10
The day of the game arrives and James is excited and nervous. The Quaffles are their strongest opponents and surely they are not going to play easy today. But James has always loved a good challenge and he woke up particularly giddy and ready to beat their asses that morning.
He also knows that his parents, along with the Marauders, are going to be on the bleachers. His parents never missed a game, and his friends alway try to not miss too many either, Sirius, Remus and Peter especially.
James finishes tying his shoelaces when his phone pings.
He unlocks it and sees a message from Regulus:
Regulus: good luck for the game!
James finds himself smiling like a maniac and his heart warms up with a comforting and loving sensation.
He remembered.
Regulus remembered.
James skims different replies in his head, but he decides for something more tranquil and posed. He doesn’t want to give himself away after all.
James: thank you. We are going to beat their asses.
Regulus: I hope so.
“Hey, what’s that lovesick smile, Potter?” One of his teammates calls. “Let’s go! We have a game to win”.
They gather in the changing rooms and Moody gives them a pep talk. Brief but right to the point.
And then… the game starts.
The bleachers are crowded but not as full as they would be for a standard basketball match. But they don’t care. No one looks at the bleachers when the game is so captivating and fast.
The ball flies continuously above their heads and it hovers over the basket falling out more than falling in, metal clash against metal.
The game is pretty brutal and a couple of players from both sides fall off their wheelchairs, making the game stop.
When the first half of the game passes, the Quaffles are in the lead, but not by much.
Moody gathers them outside the court and gives them some advice, pointing at the flaws of the other team. They change some tactics and then scurry in the court again.
The audience cheers.
The referee blows the whistle and the game resumes. If someone thought that the players would be tired after the first half of the game they are proved wrong. This time around it is even more vicious.
Then Fabian strikes them their first score and this spurs the Gryffindors to play harder. They take advantage of the flaws in their opponents’ strategy, use their blind spots and try to never let the Quaffles get in the possession of the ball.
The second score for their team comes from Julia McLaggen and the third one is James’s, right five minutes before the whistle signals the end of the game, avoiding the game to continue in the additional time.
They won.
They almost don’t believe it when the game is over and the score under Gryffindor’s name is higher than the Quaffles’ on the score game. It takes James a full minute to realize it when his teammates start screaming and hugging in delight.
The other team is subdued, but their captain exchanges a handshake with the Gryffindor’s captain and everything is alright. It was a fair game after all and the Gryffindors earned that victory.
Moody is on cloud nine too! They’ve never seen him ecstatic and give so many praises. James earns a strong pat on the back and a “good job, James! You should be proud”.
He will wear a grin until that evening.
“Honey! You played so well”, his mother utters with a bright smile when he reaches his family and friends.
“Yeah! We watched the whole game withholding our breaths. It was incredible”, his father adds.
James is relishing in the compliments. He’s never been good enough to take them, the compliments, always dismissing and playing humble, but he learnt at some point to appreciate them, to even get a bit pumped up, because… why not?
“Prongs!! You slayed out there!” Sirius yells with all the excitement he is capable of, hugging him so hard that James has to put a hand on the wheel to steady them both.
“Thanks, Pads! Just don’t kill me now”, James laughs.
Remus and Peter compliment him too, much calmer and posed.
It’s a really really good day.
“Are you coming with us, honey?” Euphemia asks when the atmosphere is much calmer.
“No. The team is going to the pub to celebrate. I’ll join them”.
“You earned it”.
“Thanks, Dad”
“Call us tomorrow then, honey. Okay?”
“Sure Mum”.
“Have fuuuuuun!” Sirius chirps while filing out with the others.
~•~
They end up at their usual pub, one that is accessible and where the owner knows them very well, and order a couple of rounds of beers.
James drinks too, but he’s careful not to get drunk because he has to drive home later.
They talk about the game and the schemes and how they got the points back towards the ending. But they also talk about other stuff, someone tells something personal and eventually James and Alice find themselves talking between each other at the end of the table.
“So, how’ve you been, James?”
James sighs and swallows a sip of beer. “Pretty good. And you? How’s Neville?”
“Oh, he’s great. Frank’s Mum has taken a sort of obsession over him. He knits stuff just for him and buys him too many presents”.
“Oh, she’s so cute”.
Alice rolls her eyes. “She would be cuter if she didn’t appear on our doorstep whenever she wants. I mean, I love that woman but Frank and I would like to be by ourselves when we are at home”.
James cackles. “Understandable. Have you told her though?”
“It’s not easy telling a woman like her that she’s overwhelming”.
James can understand; he met the woman only once but it was enough to make him slightly scared of her.
“But what about you? Any news?”
James hesitates before replying, which is enough for Alice to catch that there is indeed something.
“Uh uh! Tell me”.
“What!?” James utters. “There’s nothing-“.
“Don’t lie. I can see it on your face”.
James huffs, wondering whether he really is so readable. He might need to work on that.
But it’s Alice, he can tell her.
“Well”, James starts, staring at the beer in his hands. “These last few weeks I’ve been… talking to someone. Like, a person who is becoming… special to me, let’s say”.
Alice’s eyes bulge out and her expression brightens up, a wide smile appearing on her lips.
“Oh my God! That’s wonderful. And how did you meet?”
James looks sheepish now. “Well, see… the thing is… we didn’t actually meet. He texted me as a wrong number and… well, we started texting from there. Now, we talk to each other every day and we even phone called a couple of times”.
Alice is gobsmacked when James looks at her. “But Jamie, how do you know he isn’t a… I don’t know, a scammer or someone too old or too young”.
“He’s 27 and he is a dancer. I trust him and when we spoke… well, his voice wasn’t that of someone too young or too old”.
“So you never saw him. Not even a picture?”
James shakes his head.
“But you like him”.
“Kind of, yeah”.
A lot. I like him a lot.
Alice chuckles. “Wow, James, only you can have a crush on someone you never saw”.
James shrugs guiltily.
“Well, what’s the problem? Does he like you?”
“I don’t know. Sometimes it feels like he’s flirting. But… he might have a partner. Or be straight”.
“So you didn’t talk about that?”
“No. We talked about our jobs and some random stuff. I didn’t want to get too personal”.
Alice considers something for a bit. “You could ask him”.
James regards her with a puzzled expression, at which she immediately adds: “Not straightforwardly. Just like, you know, as an excuse to know him better. Or to make sure you are not stealing his time from someone else”.
The boy blinks a few times, thinking. “Yeah, it might work”.
Alice smiles proudly. “At least you’d know you are not setting on a dead end road”.
James beams too. “Thanks, Alice! You helped me a great deal”.
“Always happy to be of help”.
They remain quiet for a moment, drinking their beers.
Alice looks up at him again. “I really hope he is a nice guy, James and that things go well with him”.
James smiles. “Thanks, Alice”.
“Keep me updated, okay?”
“Sure”.
There are so many other things James would like to discuss with her about Regulus — like the wheelchair issue for example — but he lets it go. It was a nice day and he is having a fine evening, so he doesn’t want to ruin it with things that might make him sad or worried.
When some people start to leave, James decides it’s time for him to start for home too. He bids goodbye to all his remaining teammates and hops in the car.
~•~
Once at home and set comfortably in bed, with his laptop and a cup of tea, James finally checks his phone.
He finds a text message from Regulus.
Regs: hey.
It’s from an hour ago. James is sorry for not having seen it earlier, but at least it shows that he isn’t always checking his phone in the hopes to hear from Regs.
James: hi.
He doesn’t think Regulus will reply to him any time soon, probably not until the next day, but just a couple of minutes later his phone pings.
Regs: thought you fell asleep after the game :)
James: naaah! Went out with my teammates to celebrate. But I’m in bed now.
Regs: I hope I’m not bothering you :)
James: not at all. Did you have a good day?
James leans back and gets comfortable against the pillows. This is becoming his favorite part of the day — if it hasn’t yet — and his mind starts imagining loosely how it would be to have Regs next to him in his bed and fall asleep with him and wake up with him and…
Okay, enough!
Regs: yeah, it was okay.
James reads the message. It sounds… off. Like, something is bothering him and immediately that need to give comfort, to lend a hand starts to boil inside James.
James: you sure?
Regs: yeah. I just had a long day and a few things on my mind. Fell into a memory lane that wasn’t very good for my mind, but I’m fine.
Oh.
This is the most personal thing he’s ever said. And it kicks James right into the guts.
I wish I had you here, by my side. I could comfort you.
James: wanna talk?
Regulus is weirdly quick to reply this night, which is not like him and, James thinks, it might show that he is really distressed if he isn’t letting himself be distracted from his phone.
Regs: not really. I just want to forget. I know it’s not the healthiest thing but for now I’ll let it go. Besides, I don’t want to bother you.
James: you wouldn’t bother, I swear.
Regs: thanks, James. Talking to you about random stuff is enough.
James could literally cry now. This has to mean something. Friendship if anything else. They are doing progress and James doesn’t know whether to keep going or stop everything there, for the sake of his heart. Or should he risk everything and just… let his feelings flow freely?
It didn’t do him good in the past, but… Regs is different, right? He has to be.
James: I’m glad. What can I talk to you about?
Regs: whatever you want.
James: okay, here’s a question. But you can decide to not reply .
Regs: shoot.
Alice, I owe you!
James: do you have a girlfriend? Or a boyfriend maybe? Or, I mean, any kind of significant other?
James: just to make sure I am not stealing your time from anyone else ;)
James taps nervously on his phone while he watches the three dots of Regulus typing. He seems to be typing and erasing and James just wonders what he might be writing just to change his mind immediately after. It doesn’t look good and James is bracing himself for the worst possible news, his heart stopping in his chest for a moment.
Then…
Regs: you are not stealing anything. I am single. And, if I wasn’t, I would have a boyfriend. I am gay.
Regs: is that okay for you?
James releases a breath he hasn’t realized he’s been holding.
This is so good. So fucking good.
James: of course it’s okay. I am queer myself. And also single :)
Regs: good to know ;)
Good to know? GOOD TO KNOW?!
And that winking emoji???
Regulus, what are you playing at?
James: I’m in very good company. Almost all my friends are gay. If not all of them.
Regs: yeah, mine too. We move in a flock after all.
James: kind of true.
Regs: hey, can I send you something?
James: sure!
Whatever Regulus is sending him it seems heavy because it takes some time to arrive.
It’s a video.
James plays it immediately.
The video is dark but Michael Jackson’s Smooth Criminal starts playing and then a light turns on and there’s someone dancing on a stage. Dressed in a white suit with a white hat — the same Michael Jackson had in the original video — a strand of curly hair falling on his face, the boy moves swiftly and smoothly, like a professional. He does the same movements as Michael, the moonwalk and his hand gestures and James’s eyes are glued to the screen. Regulus — because it has to be Regulus — is very good. No, not good. He’s excellent, superb, perfect. And he is so fucking sexy.
Gosh, James is very conscious that his mouth is half open in awe.
Yeah, he had right to think that Regulus is good-looking: tall, lean, beautiful… James can’t see his face because it’s hidden but he bets that it's beautiful too.
And all of a sudden he feels so inadequate.
The video ends and James is almost tempted to play it again, if he wasn’t more eager to text Regulus.
James: oh my God! Was that you?
Regs: yeah hahaha. A friend from Paris sent it to me today. I almost forgot about it. It was just for fun.
God, if you dance like this for fun then how do you do it professionally?
James: you are sooooo fucking good!
Regs: glad you liked it.
James: liked it?? I loved it!!! You are very good, believe me. And I love that song.
Regs: now, it’s your turn to send me a basketball video :D
James lets his phone fall on the duvet, slightly panicking. His eyes fall on his wheelchair by his bed and he feels his heart squeeze.
He could send him a video of him playing, he has plenty of them, and just be nonchalant as possible — “yeah, I’m in a wheelchair, my legs don’t work hahah” — but he can’t push himself to do it.
He knows it’s cowardice but… The fear of Regulus rejecting him is so strong that his heart beats like crazy at the mere prospect of saying it.
But why? Why are you so scared?
Maybe Regulus won’t even mind. But what if he does? And if he does, he would be a jerk. But James is not ready to find that out yet.
So, he decides to end it like this:
James: I have some in my computer but it’s turned off now. Can it be next time?
Regs: sure. I was kidding. No pressure.
James: I will though, promise.
And James knows it’s true because he has to tell him, whether they meet or not. Because it’s fair. But, not yet. He wants to remain in this little, pink daze for a little longer.