James was panicking. They were late for Regulus' own party. That James organized!
"Love, how much longer?" He yelled as he bent over to grab the watch that was idly sitting on the kitchen counter, hoping his voice would reach the second floor of their house. They had moved around quite a bit when they first moved in together. There was always something wrong with the places. This one seemed to be holding strong.
"Just a second James!" Regulus yelled from their shared bedroom and James rolled his hazel eyes impossibly far back into his head because this was the fifth time Regulus had said a second.
James wasn't a bad boyfriend and he didn't like rushing his lover any more than he had to. But this time he wasn't being given much of a choice on the matter as Sirius continued to blow up his phone.
Where are you? I'm gonna leave.
James sighed and typed back. WE'RE IN THE CAR. STOP BEING A LITTLE SHIT.
The Black brothers were going to be the end of him.
His train of thought was interrupted by his gorgeous boyfriend coming down the stairs and rushing to take an umbrella from one of the cupboards in the living room. He was wearing some ripped-up jeans and a crop top that reminded James of something...he just couldn't his finger on it. But, as per usual, Regulus looked absolutely breathtaking. James wonders on a daily basis what he did in his previous life to deserve such a person in his life. When Regulus turned around though, James' breath hitched in his throat. Regulus was wearing the eyeliner Sirius had bought for him a little while ago. It was smudged, but not in a necessarily bad way. It was messy and James loved it. He was a sucker for boys with eyeliner. And specifically, boys that are Regulus with eyeliner.
Regulus had found the umbrella he wanted, even though it was June, so really there was no need for it, James noted. As his boyfriend approached him, he couldn't help but marvel at the way Reg's hips swayed when he walked or how the muscles on his stomach were in perfect view thanks to the length of his shirt.
"Wow, love. You look as marvelous as always." James said and as Regulus moved past him to take the car keys from the little table near the doorway, he leaned in and placed a loud kiss to his cheek, sending the other boy into a fit of giggles. It was, James concluded, his favorite sound in the whole wide world.
"Thank you, darling. Now let's go. I'm sure you're sick of waiting." replied Regulus with a turn of his body as he grabbed James' hand and dragged him out the door, heading for the driveway and the green car parked there.
As James barely managed to close the door and lock it, before he was being pulled by his boyfriend, he managed to choke out an "I'll always wait for you."
*****
The car ride was mostly silent, one of James' hands on the wheel and the other resting on the gear lever with Regulus' right hand intertwined with his own. It was a comfortable silence. One that all couples, who have been together for a long time, understand should be very cherished.
The thing about the whole plan was that it was supposed to be a surprise. Therefore, Regulus had absolutely no idea why they were stopping in front of a laser tag arena.
James turned off the ignition and his eyes fluttered up to see Regulus already staring at him with a confused expression etched upon his features. "James, what are we doing here?"
He's so cute when he's confused, James noted and opened the door with a look thrown over his shoulder of do you trust me? and Regulus obviously followed without asking any more questions.
When they entered the door and the little bell rang to announce their arrival, it took a little bit for their group of friends to notice. They were engulfed in some type of heated conversation and James was vividly reminded of their years at boarding school. Hogwarts was the reason he found these people and he would be forever grateful for it. The first person who turned around was unsurprisingly Remus. Regulus' brother's boyfriend. It was confusing sometimes.
When Remus' gaze fell on Regulus, his face beamed with a friendly grin and after lightly nudging their friend - Peter, he walked up to Reg and pulled him into a tight hug. "Happy birthday Reg!"
Soon enough everyone had gone around wishing the boy a happy birthday and many other things in between, exchanging gifts and throwing all types of flattery on him.
"We're doing laser tag!" James spoke, throwing in some jazz hands in order to make it sound a little more interesting.
But apparently, that wasn't needed, because Regulus' mouth immediately turned up at the corners and he started jumping up and down excitedly. Like a little kid winning a toy at the fair.
*****
After they had been given the instructions from a very sleepy-looking man - Horace, James had heard barely and separated themselves into teams, the game had begun.
James' team was orange and consisted of him, obviously, Sirius who had immediately asked which team Regulus would lead and then demonstratively walked over to the other side, Evan who decided during their sixth year he didn't completely hate James, Dorcas, and Marlene who wanted to be on the same team and Mary who said she wanted to "be on the winning side" for which she received a middle finger from her girlfriend.
Regulus' team was purple and consisted of him, Remus who decided at the same exact moment Sirius did and then just shrugged at the glare he received from his boyfriend across the room, Peter who had somehow become really close with Regulus over the years and they constantly fake-flirted in front of James to make him jealous, Barty who was Regulus' best friend so there was no question in anyone's mind about where his loyalties lie even if his boyfriend looked a little disappointed at first, Lily who just wanted to be on the opposite team of Mary, and Pandora who just chose the team with a spot left open.
And just like that, the game began and people started rapidly getting out. James' team was steadily in the lead, but in the middle of the game the purple team decided on a new strategy, no doubt Reggie's plan, and they quickly started to catch up.
The first one out was Barty, who started yelling and throwing a hissy fit at the person who eliminated him, which was unfortunately James. He didn't know if Barty could hate him more. Eventually, Regulus just came out of his hiding spot to tell him to just "piss off" and Barty sulked over to the corner of the room, waiting for the next person out.
There was a big showdown that happened not even 10 minutes later between four players and Evan and Pandora ended up getting taken out by their own teammates. James registered Regulus' voice cursing out somewhere in the distance in french. "Bahh, putain."
Evan went to take care of his inconsolable boyfriend while Pandora decided to go order some food for everyone once the game had finished.
At some point Dorcas and Marlene tried to act out some kind of movie action sequence where they were standing back to back trying to protect the other, fighting off Peter, who they did manage to eliminate, but he also was able to shoot Marlene square in the chest in his last moments. And while they were busy with Peter, Regulus had sneaked over to them and with a victorious laugh pointed his laser gun at Dorcas' head. With a silly noise, both of the girls were eliminated, but so was Peter, so they high-fived each other on the way out of the arena.
Regulus was retreating back into one of his many hiding spots when James ran into him, immediately bringing his gun up and pointing it toward the birthday boy. "Now, now love. You wouldn't shoot me. Would you?" James tried, and he wasn't stupid. He knew Regulus would shoot anyone to win, but he just had to keep him talking long enough to duck under one of the many wooden bridges and run.
Regulus threw a snarky smirk his way as he crept up closer to him "Well, darling. I won't lie and say I wouldn't miss ya. But it's your fault we're here. You did this." Regulus clarified and James noticed how hard he was trying not to laugh during his whole speech thing.
"Well, see it was actually Sirius' idea to begin with." James dragged on. Shit, a few more steps and he would be able to run.
"Ahaaa. I see. Well in any-" Regulus was cut off mid-sentence by James harshly turning to his left and sprinting down the open path ducking as laser beams traveled all around him. Regu;us might be good at strategizing, but he was shit at aiming. "Oi! Where do you think you're going, Jamie!" He yelled after him and James saw Regulus beginning to walk after him before Sirius came sprinting towards him, pulling both of them to the ground "Sirius - what - oh, get off me you espèce de merde!" God, he was so sexy when he spoke french. James tried to learn some. He really did but he gave up when he understood Reg spent more time laughing at his pronunciation rather than teaching.
The fight between the brothers was resolved when Lily came out of nowhere, showering Sirius in laser beams, causing him to spew a million different curses, that were at the same time incredibly respectful. Mary was there in a second already aiming at Lilly's back and before he knew it James was pointing his gun at Remus, who was trying to take out Mary at the same time. Three of those weird jiggly sounds chimed in the speakers and Lily, Remus and Mary found themselves with vests that were slowly getting devoid of light. They murmured excuses to each other and started walking off towards the others that were already eating a second plate of french fries.
As James looked around the table, that was now full of his friends, he noticed something horrifying. It was only him and Regulus left. His boyfriend was the sweetest, most caring person most of the time, but very few people knew the way he could be when angry or in the middle of a competition. He was unpredictable.
James looked frantically around and decided that since his best bet was his aiming, and he wasn't about to underestimate Regulus' skills of tracking him down, he would need to go into the middle of the arena. The open area where so many of his teammates found their matches.
He was almost there, clutching the orange gun close to his chest and turning the last corner when something- no someone pushed him against the wall. His whole body froze as his mind tried to process what was happening to him. With a sharp inhale, his nose picked up on the expensive and well-known cologne of his very, very hot boyfriend. Regulus' hair was on his face and somehow he had managed to get James into a grip that no matter how much he struggled to get free from, he could never manage it. The moment Reggie's eyes locked onto his, any fight left in his body evaporated into thin air. No one could see them from here, James realized.
Oh.
No one could see them here. Not one of their friends would have a clue of what was going on between them. They probably didn't even care, seeing as the fries were a lot more compelling than paying attention to the game they had already been eliminated from. With a gulp and a shudder escaping James' mouth he felt his hands getting clammy. Regulus was so close and just another few centimeters and his lips would be feeling the adrenaline rush he always gets when he kissed his lover. God, was this what Regulus felt like most nights? If so, then James could only hope he had half of an effect on Regulus as he feels right now.
"Was this really necessary love?" James breathed and when Regulus spoke next, he felt the air every word let out with itself on the side of his neck, and the mere image of how close they were standing together, pushed up against a wall, was enough to make James shiver with desire.
"Well, I am quite enjoying myself, darling. So, I'd say it's worth it..."Regulus trailed off and his eyes began scanning James' face intently, lingering on each feature a second too long. God, when would this torture end? Regulus slowly ran his tongue over his bottom lip and James couldn't do it anymore. His lips had a mind of his own and he surged forward, trying to capture his boyfriend's in his own.
But Regulus pulled away with an "Ah. Ah. Ah." and James felt a tiny whine rise up in his throat. Why couldn't he kiss his boyfriend when they clearly wouldn't get disturbed? "It's not the right time or place, baby. I still have a game to win."
Suddenly, the reality of where they were and what they were doing here in the first place set in, and James' jaw set in determination. He wasn't a Gryffindor for nothing. "I'm gonna win. You're shit at aiming. You know that."
Regulus' brows furrowed and his features took on a cute frown. One that James could never resist. But he would be stronger this time. He wouldn't let himself lose this game because of his stupid infatuation with the boy in front of him. Something quickly passed over Reggie's eyes and the next thing he knew he was receiving tiny kisses. Tiny and cute, but wanted more so Regulus started placing them on his cheek and down the side of his jaw while muttering something James didn't even bother to hear. He had found his heaven. "I-" kiss at his temple. "Know." a kiss on his nose. "I'm shit at it."
That's when Regulus' lips come back to James' mouth, this time putting pressure more urgently, passion dripping like honey. Their breaths mingle and become one. Their hearts start beating as one and their mouths, already accustomed to each other, move in perfect synchronicity. It was truly a sight to behold. James - usually the one to invoke unholy sounds from Regulus, becoming undone by his lover's kisses. The way his breath felt on his bare skin. The way his hands explored his body and the way his voice became deeper and rougher.
"But you, my Jamie.." Regulus pulled apart and breathed with that scratched tone that James just couldn't get enough of. The one he gets in the mornings after a particularly rough night. And Regulus went back in again and James got lost. So beautifully lost in the moment. "Are shit at paying attention."
Before he knew what was happening, Reggie's lips weren't on his anymore, a gun was pointed at his chest, exactly where his boyfriend's hands were mere moments ago and that all-too-familiar sound went off and his vets started blinking into darkness.
James looked up at Regulus who was now doubled down in laughter with a betrayed frown on his face and shook his head. "That was not nice Regulus."
"OH- Oh, okay. We're- I'm Regulus now huh?" Regulus tried to get out through his insufferable laughter and soon enough James found himself smiling again at the sincerity of the boy's laughter. He adored the fact he was the one who got to earn that laughter every day. He threw an arm over Regulus' shoulders and started walking them towards the others. Before they got too close though, he bent over and placed a kiss on Regulus' cheek. Then slightly turned his head so that his mouth was millimeters away from Reg's ear and whispered in a low voice "We'll finish what you started later at home."
Abd with a naughty smirk Regulus turned his head to look up into James' eyes and with the most innocent voice he could muster uttered: "Oh yes we will darling."
James smiled and not even two seconds later Regulus' whole team was cheering and hugging him in delight. James' team was disgruntled for a bit and he did earn a smack in the back of the head from Sirius but after a few tense minutes, the group was seated around the table, laughing, telling stories, and ordering more fries.
All in all, James was allowed to pat himself on the back for a job well done as he looked at his boyfriend's magnificent smile and wondered how in the hell he got this lucky.