Epilogue
The war doesn’t stop simply because Regulus is injured, but James gets away when he can. Three months of hospital visits, more surgeries, and long nights spent in that bloody darkened room. Pandora volunteers to take care of their house, as most days James didn’t even make it back long enough to make a cup of tea. There's no telling what would happen if Regulus returns home only to see all his plants shrivelled up. What's clear is James wouldn’t live to tell the tale.
But, in Marauders fashion, Regulus won’t be returning quietly.
“Oi, James give me a hand will you,” calls Sirius from the living room. James wanders in, notebook in hand as he scribbles an outline for his speech, and looks up to see Sirius on a ladder holding up half a banner above the mantle that says congratulations in big bold letters.
“What the bloody hell is that?” James curses, snapping his notebook shut.
Remus sits on the couch rubbing his temples like he’s got a migraine, “I tried to stop him, really I tried.”
“It's for when he says yes, obviously,” Sirius shrugs. “Now help me put it up, Moonyis being difficult.”
“I’m not being difficult, you’re bei–”
“Alright!” James sighs, running a hand through his hair. The other two boys stop bickering immediately and look at him.
“You okay there, prongs?” Sirius asks.
“I’m fine, it's just…” James collapses on the couch next to Remus. “What if he says no? Now’s not exactly the best time for this sort of thing.”
Sirius jumps off the latter, coming to sit on the other side of him. “I’m sorry, but we are talking about my brother here, right?” he nudges James in the arm good naturedly.
“I’m pretty sure you’re the only reason he’s gotten through any of this, James,” Remus adds. “If anything it’s exactly what you both need.” James opens his mouth to reply, but before he can, the sound of the door opening and two voices laughing fill the apartment.
Regulus can manage to walk a bit with the help of a cane but the sight still tugs at something in James’ chest when he notices how heavily he’s leaning on Peter. The wounds from the Infirni have healed, but the dark magic in the cave leaves the scars contrasting harshly against his skin. They’ll fade a bit with time, but the nerves were badly damaged. The doctors had warned them both plenty about how it’ll always hurt.
Regulus takes one look at their little 'comfort James session' on the couch and the smile slides off his face, “what happened?”
“Nothing.” James assures him, shrugging Sirius’ hand off his shoulder so he can stand. He pats Peter on the back before bending down slightly to give Regulus a warm kiss.
“Welcome home,” he whispers as he pulls away. Sirius fake gags behind them, he hears Peter chuckle at it, but he really doesn’t care. Regulus’ eyes are shining brightly, and he’s finally home.
“I’m glad to be,” Regulus murmurs back. His gaze finds the congratulations sign, and James grits his teeth, sending a subtle glare in Sirius’ direction.
“Oh, figured you survived. So, congratulations,” Sirius attempts, sending a wink to James.
Luckily, they’re saved by the arrival of Marlene and Dorcas.
“Sorry we're late for set up, but I brought snacks!” Marlene enters only to nearly trip over Peter who’s still standing in the doorway.
“Ooh, snacks!” Remus lights up excitedly, pushing off Sirius to stand up. Peter lets go of Regulus’ other arm as James offers his; and though he grumbles that he doesn’t need help, when James doesn’t waiver he takes it.
-
Two hours later, and the party is in full swing. Pandora and Lily had arrived last; bringing with them a beautiful homemade cake, now cut and eaten. James sips his drink, warmth filling his chest as he watches Mary put fake eyelashes on Frank. It's nice having everyone here. Having Regulus’ head resting on his shoulders, hair slightly damp from the shower he insisted he needed to wash the scent of hospital off. He snickers at Peter and Marlene having a debate in the corner, Marlene's obviously winning. Sirius and Remus sway in the middle of the room, dancing to music chosen by Alice. It's so rare they all get a night off together.
“You alright Reg, you're looking a bit tired” Dorcas says from the other side of him.
Regulus lifts his head off James' shoulders to look at her bleary eyed, “I’m not, it's just warm in here.”
James ruffles his hair, nerves prickling in his bones. “C'mon then, let's get some fresh air,” he stands, offering Regulus his cane from where it had been standing against the arm of the couch.
“You just want to hold my arm like in those weird muggle shows Pandora’s obsessed with, don’t you?” Regulus grumbles, and James laughs because it's true.
“Oi, don’t mock Emma,” Pandora shouts in offence.
“Don’t yell at me, I’m wounded,” Regulus retorts, lacing his arm through James.
“Ignore her, it’s time for our leisurely stroll in the garden,” James clips his tone in a mock old English accent.
“You’re ridiculous,” Regulus deadpans. But the blush rising in his cheeks brings a cheeky smile to James’ lips. He grabs his coat from the coat rack as they pass by it, and Regulus gives him a weird look; which is understandable as it’s too warm out for it.
“In case it gets chilly,” James shrugs, discreetly patting the left pocket to make sure the ring box is still there.
He pushes open the back door, and the two step into the warm, evening air. The crickets chirp, and the sweet smell of wildflowers graces them in a soft breeze as James helps Regulus down the two steps leading off the back deck. Even that distance leaves him out of breath, and James' heart breaks a little for it. “Why don’t we install a ramp? It won’t take that long and it might make adjusting a little easier?” James suggests causally.
“It’ll ruin the grass, but it might…help a bit.”Regulus tilts his head, as if already rethinking the layout of the garden. Gods, James loves him. He pauses his steps, causing Regulus to stop as well. “I can walk James, it was only a couple steps.” Regulus rolls his eyes, oblivious to the real reason James stopped them.
“It’s not that, just…” James pulls his wand out and accios a chair from the patio set on the deck. “Sit for a sec?” Regulus sits, and James turns away, pulling the ring box out from behind him. When he turns back, holding the box away from sight, Regulus’ face is curious if somewhat alarmed.
“Did you and Remus share a blunt or something?” he chuckles.
“No,” James laughs, already breathless and cursing himself for thinking he could wing this. “I just–gods I don’t really know how to start this.”
“Well,” Regulus reaches out to tug on the fabric of his sleeve. “You could start by getting on your knees.” The smirk on his face throws James for a moment, thinking Regulus figured out his plans, but the other man just smirks. “James, I meant sit down, get your head out of the gutter before I pull a muscle in my neck.”
“I’m not that tall,” James mutters nervously, dropping to his knees in front of Regulus. Who looks even more bewildered at his strange behaviour.
“Christ James, what the hell is going on,” Regulus laughs.
“I love you,” James blurts out. Regulus’ jaw snaps shut in surprise at the sudden confession. “I love you more than anything, and I was so fucking scared when I thought I was going to lose you. And it scares me every time Reg, every time you go look for those things–”
“Hocruxes,” Regulus interrupts, voice small. Memories of their conversation in the hospital surely in his mind as well. When Regulus was well enough to talk, they’d decided fuck the radio silence order. No more secrets. No more half knowing what happens to the other.
“I want–I need you to know how much I rely on you, okay? And that there’s a life–we have a life beyond this, and you fucking saved me just as much as–as you think I saved you,” James rambles, heart racing as he tries to get his words in order. Regulus reaches out and cups his face and takes the hand resting on his knee for balance.
The silence of the night echoes around them as he gives James the moment he needs to gather his thoughts. “I need you more than The Order does, alright? So you just…you have to promise me you’ll come home.” He braces himself and pulls the ring box from behind his back, keeping his eyes trained on his hand in Regulus’. “I know…wizarding law won’t let us get legally married, but I want us to have the life we’ve always–”
“Yes,” James finally looks up to see Regulus’ eyes shining with tears, but the smile on his face is warm enough to melt all the anxieties curling around James' heart. “You’re everything to me, James.” He grips James hand tighter, “Fuck the law, I’m yours.”
“Fuck the law,” James breathes in relief. Not even bothering to open the box before pulling Regulus into a bruising kiss. The scent of lavender and cedar fill his lungs as time slips away once more, but now only leaving their world free of expiration.
“Are you going to let me see the ring at some point,” Regulus sighs as James pulls back only far enough to let the other man breathe.
“I don’t know,” James muses. “I’m quite enjoying this,” he trails a line of kisses down Regulus’ jaw to the spot just above his collarbone. Regulus inhales sharply when James grazes his teeth along the skin there.
“James, my brother’s going to come looking for us.”
“You just want to see the ring.” James can’t help but banter, pulling away to see how dishevelled Regulus looks, pupils still blown as he tries to regain his composure.
“Fine, I want to see the ring,” he admits. The contrast of the sarcastic tone and flush in his cheeks makes James bend forward to kiss him once more before pulling open the box, showing him the beautiful sky filled ring.
“James I-” Regulus looks up at him, expression awed. “This is beautiful.”
James' feels a blush creeping up on his cheeks from the praise. “It’s artificially made, of course. See there?” James turns the ring, showing him the small Leo constellation, “It’ll stay all year ‘round.” He bites his lip, a bit worried how Regulus will react to the next part.
“Your…your grandmother had a similar ring, right?”
“Yeah,” Regulus nods, a bit sadly. “My mother probably destroyed it when I left.”
James slips the ring onto his finger, “I wanted to get you one that would…feel like something we could build on, and I know you…you just worked so hard to leave them behind. To unlearn everything they put in your head, christ they were just so fucking cruel to you, and Sirius, but I just I don’t want you to feel like you’ve lost that.”
Regulus furrows his brow, “my family is the reason you’ve almost lost me James, I don’t–”
“No,” James rushes to assure him. “Not like that, I just mean…we’re our own little family, aren’t we?”
A softness appears in Regulus’ stormy grey eyes that James hasn’t seen in too long. “Yeah,” he nods, pulling James close once again, “we are.” He returns the bone crushing hug, relieved that at the very least he doesn’t have to be as gentle as he did three months ago.
“I love you so much,” Regulus murmurs softly in his ear.
James still has to restrain himself from holding on tighter, even with all the time he knows they have now. “I love you too Reg, so much.” He can hear the laughter of their friends inside, still able to find comfort in one another after all this time. The love of his life is in his arms, and James knows they’ll be okay. A bit scared. A bit bruised, inside and out, but together.