Chapter 7
James
When a professor had come to his friend's dorm to ask one of them to move out James knew it had to be him. There was no way he was going to allow Remus and Sirius to be separated. While he hated not knowing how he was going to be able to do his compulsions and routines without Regulus realizing he was prepared to figure it out for his friend's sake.
When Regulus walked into their new room he could tell this was not going to be easy. Regulus seemed to have zero patience for him and a magical temper to match. Before James even got a word out Regulus had closed himself away into his bed.
“Regulus you know we're roommates now you can’t hide forever” James called out to the closed velvet curtains. He can’t say he was surprised Regulus had to be a little upset his roommates had attacked him. Rumor had it that his old roommates thought it was a funny prank but James would guess that Regulus hadn’t found it funny.
James knew his routines were gonna take a bit longer in the new space. He was glad in some ways Regulus was closed off because he wouldn't be staring at James.
As he laid his Pajamas out he put them away and took out two more pairs before one felt right for him. After this James brushed his teeth three times, then put everything away very specifically on his side of the room. James liked to get into bed on the left side and then get out on the right as a habit. They were subtle habits and if someone wasn’t looking James doesn’t think they would necessarily realize.
James wasn't tired though so he decided to stay up reading some books and thinking about his new living situation. But before he knew it sleep took over and James was out.
A few hours must have passed but James woke up in a haze feeling alarmed there were screams. Fuck James jumped out of bed looking for a fire or intruder. Within seconds James had realized it was Regulus yelling from his bed but he sounded terrified.
“Regulus” James yelled but the screaming continued.
James knew he was going to regret it, but he walked over to his Regulus bed and started shaking him awake. The other boy was covered in sweat and shaking James was getting nervous that he wasn’t coming out of the nightmare.
“REGULUS GET UP YOUR DREAMING” James shook him a bit harder this time and all of a sudden he was on his back with a wand pointed at his throat.
“Hey Regulus stop stop stop it’s just James” He held his hands up in peace
“What the hell are you doing in my bed James I should hex you for trying anything”
“I wasn’t trying anything I swear you were screaming in your sleep it woke up I tried just calling your name but you were out cold.” James was getting annoyed he could have just left Regulus to scream his head off and be an ass. “Do you think you could take the wand away from my throat it's freaking me out a bit?”
“Fine, I believe you get out of my bed and leave me alone now” Regulus released him and gave a shove until James was on the floor.
“Are you- are you okay, do you want to talk about whatever you were dreaming about?” James figured it was a long shot the closed-off Regulus Black would give up anything personal.
“Not particularly thanks please never bring this up away and if you tell anyone what you heard you’ll be sorry you did.” Regulus was angry and James might have thought it was directed at him if it wasn’t for the sheer terror still evident in his eyes.
James was feeling a bit bad for him, he remembered when he was a kid his mom would sit with him and brush her fingers through his hair until he fell asleep again. And maybe James was crazy but he wanted to offer Regulus some comfort. If he was anything like Sirius had been when they first met he knew that he'd been touch starved and desperate for any kindness. But Regulus seemed like a feral cat and you couldn't quite tell if he was going to have his hand bitten off or be let in.
“I’d never tell anyone Regulus I promise that's a shit thing to do.” He decided if he was going to ask Regulus to trust him at all he need to give something up of his own. “When I was little I used to get nightmares about things that give me anxiety my mom used to get up and bring me warm tea before she sat with me as long as I needed. Regulus looked at him with quiet contemplation.
“You don’t have to say yes but I’d like to sit with you until you fall asleep again you scared me earlier I don't know why but I want to make sure you're okay” James held his breath for Regulus’s Response.
“Fine you can sit you stupid oaf but I’m fine this is unnecessary even if your mother babied you as a child I don’t need such childish endearments.” Regulus finally said back
James smiled at the concession Regulus had given knowing he was only saying the rest because he was feeling vulnerable.