Chapter 2
James
Breath James, breath your being neurotic. Did regulus see his compulsions before he ran into him, James really hopes not. He always takes a weird way to class because his OCD gets bad when the moving stairs change on him every day.
He can't believe he's run into Sirius’s little brother he looks over at Regulus who is pretending he doesn't exist currently. It's one of the few times silence doesn’t make James’ skin crawl trying to fill it with energy.
There's a moment they look at each other and James can see the unspoken agreement to walk to class without any words. James is trying hard not to be a little amused at the serious look on Regulus’s face.
He remembers meeting Sirius for the first time and he had a similar prickly stay-away aura rivaling Regulus’s right now. As the DADA room approaches James gestures for Regulus to walk first. He goes to tap both sides of the entrance before anyone can see his ritual.
Regulus turns back “What was that?”
“Nothing I tripped and caught myself on the door,” he says, James has learned to have an answer for all of his weird eccentricities, that's if people even notice half the time they're too focused on James making jokes.
“You should look where you walk this is twice in an hour you’ve lost your focus”
James can tell Regulus is trying to be mean but his words lack the venom to sting. He might even think he cared for a second if they were close. So in the end James just laughs maybe he's seen as an idiot, but at least people don't see his compulsions. He’s gotten good at hiding them.
“Reggie,” says a shocked Sirius standing right behind them looking like he's seen a ghost.
Regulus gives no response James sees his hands tighten into fists almost like he's going to throw a punch. “Don't call me that, that’s a child's name, and make no mistake I am no child, you’d know anyway you left when I was one.”
Regulus’ hands look so tight he’s not sure there isn't blood. He's about to intervene and stop them both from doing something they regret. Luck is on James’ side today the teacher is calling for silence and for everyone to be seated.
He grabs Sirius’s arm and drags him over to their table with Remus. His friends shaking James is getting worried Sirius goes all dark and twisty when any aspect of his past is brought up. Seeing his little brother for the first time in years has to be quite the shock.
“Sirius are you okay” James is whispering “We can make an excuse to leave if you want, I could send out a stink bomb if you like he jokes trying to cheer him up”
“I'm fine James back off.” Sirius is on edge James can tell he's never snippy like this unless he’s secretly scared. James knows it's better to give him space pushing too much makes Sirius want to run.
“Sirius don’t be mean to James because you're having a bad day,” Remus says, He's the only one who can get away with saying things like that.
Sirius visibly relaxes with Remus close, “Your right, sorry Prongs it’s not you I’m just tired.”
James doesn’t care if they're at a school where weakness is exploited, Sirius needs a hug and James is going to give him one. He leans over and hugs Sirius joking about how badly he's going to kick his ass in defense today breaking the heaviness around them all.