Icarus and His Sun

James Potter was not an idiot. He understood social cues incredibly well, thank you very much, it was just that he didn't always feel like listening to them. So if he was acting a fool, there was a very high chance he was doing it on purpose.

James had to admit, he was used to getting his way. He was an only child, but on top of that he had been wanted and planned for so desperately by his parents. Euphemia Potter's greatest wish in life was to be a mother, and so she doted on James for granting her that luxury. As a result, the boy never knew when to give up.

So when things didn't particularly go as he desired, he made it his mission to change that.

Lily Evans had been the first person in his life to not immediately give in to his charm. Granted, his "charm" at the time had been making fun of both her accent and best friend and calling her Carrots, but in his defense he thought she would find the nickname endearing. She did not.

So, as any normal eleven year old boy would do, he used the name every chance he got.

James knew he was being a prat. He knew that his actions were having the exact opposite effect he was going for. But he also knew that when he pulled Lily's curls or yelled at her from across the Great Hall, something just felt...right. Like this was exactly what was supposed to happen.

If Lily wasn't meant to be his best friend, she was surely destined to be his arch nemesis.

He wasn't sure she felt the same though. He was worried that, like a sane person, she would see his teasing and run the other direction. But he couldn't help himself— he truly felt it was all in good fun, and that eventually something would give and they could be friends. It was strange, being so drawn to someone who hated you.

It was the same with Regulus, really.

When they came back from the holidays and it became apparent that Regulus and Sirius had fallen out, he didn't think much of it. He was concerned, of course, but nothing much else until about two months later.

The morning of his birthday, halfway through breakfast, James remembered something Sirius had told him last year. Being the good natured soul he is, he had excitedly suggested that they invite Regulus to Gryffindor Tower so they could celebrate together. Sirius was wary, trying to provide an excuse of how birthdays in the Black household aren't really a thing, but James refused to hear it. After all, Sirius himself had received a party. It was only fair Regulus got one, too.

Later that day, both boys had tried to get the younger Black's attention in their shared potions class. Regulus clearly wasn't a fan of it, however, and had forced James into passing a note— something he deeply despised, shockingly. He had scribbled quickly on a blank sheet of paper, folding it up into a small square.

Come to the Gryffindor common room once the prefects are done with their rounds. 7th floor, behind the portrait of the Fat Lady. Password is 'Lions Heart.'
-Birthday Buddy :)

Lily had picked it up first, ironically, before handing it off to Regulus. The boy took one look at him and shoved the note in his pocket, never bothering to read it.

James had felt a familiar pull in his stomach. Sirius hadn't held back his I Told You So's afterwards, going on about how Regulus was completely brainwashed and only acted like a little twat recently. That didn't stop James from thinking about him the entirety of the party, or from keeping an eye on the portrait hole just in case Regulus changed his mind. Later that night James lay awake in bed, unable to get his mind to shut up. After about an hour of tossing and turning, he finally came to a conclusion.

James Potter was going to make Regulus Black his friend, whether he liked it or not.

It wasn't easy, of course. Being in a different year and house posed as a challenge itself, and so adding on the fact that Regulus went out of his way to ignore the boy made it nearly impossible. By the time their final exams rolled around, he hadn't made a dent in their companionship.

It was the last day of the term and James was set on getting Regulus to speak to him at least once. By any means necessary.

Most of the students milled about the grounds, abandoning the stuffy walls of the school in search of fresh air. James reclined in the grass, surrounded by the other marauders, distracting himself with a snitch he had managed to walk away with after a game a couple months ago. He was only semi-interested in the conversation going on around him.

"Oi! Talkin to you, mate!" Sirius kicks his legs to get his attention. James is brought back to earth and he turns to Sirius to respond when he glances over the boys shoulder.

Confusion works it's way onto his face. "What's your brother doing?"

Sirius rolls his eyes. "Does it matter? Already told you, James, I don't care if he's—"

"Bloody hell," Peter cuts him off. Both he and Remus wear similar expressions of disbelief. Sirius finally gives in and turns around.

Regulus has already managed to pull himself into the branches of a tall oak tree. His grey form is just barely visible through the leaves. On the ground below, next to his abandoned robes, stands another Slytherin boy with auburn hair who tilts his head back to shout up at him.

"Does he do that often?," James asks.

Sirius shrugs. "Learned to do it when he was a kid. Mother hates it, though."

James watches Regulus move with utmost certainty. The possibility of danger is nearly drowned out by fascination and encouragement to keep going.

"He's kinda high up, isn't he?"

After a few seconds of unimpressed silence from Sirius, James gets to his feet and starts to walk away.

"Where you goin?" Sirius calls.

"To get a better look!"

"Really? He's in a tree, mate. Nothing special."

James ignores him, heading straight forward. The boy under the tree shouts more and soon James gets close enough to hear what he says.

"I swear, Black, if you fall! How am I gonna explain to Madam Pomfrey why both your legs are broken?"

"I know what I'm doing!" Regulus yells back. "Besides, it'd be your fault."

"It'd be your fault," the boy mimics to no one. "Did I tell him to climb the tree? I never told him to climb the tree. Saying it's my fault, I'm not the one who—"

"Shut up, will you? I'm almost there."

James walks past the boy, stopping about a foot away from the tree's trunk. He squints up into the branches.

"Regulus?"

No answer.

He raises his voice. "Regulus, what are you doing?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" the boy next to him responds.

James gives him a sour look, then sees the other Gryffindor boys have followed him.

"Has he ever fallen before?" he asks Sirius. Sirius shakes his head as he stares upward, then he takes a breath, draws his lips together and lets out a long, two note whistle.

There's a short pause. Suddenly, a book falls out of the air and crashes into the grass.

The boy darts forward and picks it up. He shakes out the pages, brushes off both covers before opening up his bag and depositing it. The sound of leaves rustling grows closer until eventually Regulus comes back into view. It takes him about a minute and a half to get all the way down, taking hold of one of the bottom most branches and swinging underneath. He drops to the ground with a grunt, rolling forward over his shoulder and onto his back.

"Well, you've given us quite the show, Reggie. I'm impressed!," Sirius frowns.

"Oh, piss off, Black," the boy says as he grabs Regulus's hand and pulls him up. "Shouldn't you lot be off saving some helpless bride somewhere?"

James watches Regulus push back his hair, pick up his robes and shake them out before throwing them back on. His cheeks are tinted a soft pink, and when he looks up James notices the way his eyes look a bit brighter than they had before. Small rings of blue and green stand out perfectly against the pale white.

There's that pull in his stomach again.

He can't help himself. It's all in good fun. Eventually something will give.

He pulls at Lily's curls and pokes at Regulus's eyes just the same.

"Chasing squirrels, are we, Reggie?" James's grin is massive. From behind he hears a small snicker come from Sirius.

Regulus snaps his attention over to James. In a flash, his wand is out and pointed directly at the boy. "Locomotor Wibbly."

James feels his knees give out on him. His legs shake as if he were aboard a ship set sail during a storm. At the same time, Remus and Peter go to catch him, but it's too clumsy and somehow all three end up in a pile in the grass.

The Slytherin boy laughs at their misfortune. Regulus takes a step closer and holds his wand an inch above James's nose.

"You don't get to call me that."

He raises a brow, and when James doesn't challenge him he turns up his nose and walks away with his companion right at his heel.

Remus struggles to get Peter off of him, huffing a sentence that's mostly swear words. The two bicker over who got in who's way and how neither are to blame. Despite the lack of control in his lower half, James can't wipe the smile off his face as he silently basks in the glory of achieving his goal.