Sirius's plan

The long awaited Slytherin vs Gryfindor game was finally here, and both James and Regulus were ready. With both teams lined up on the field and the crowd cheering the names of the players and team. Since Regulus and James were both team captains they had to shake hands to start.
“Scared, Potter?” Regulus said with a smirk
“You wish.” James replied back with a wink
Since they now walked everywhere together not in complete silence, quidditch became a big talking point and both were ready to prove to the other that they were going to come out on top.
With their exchange complete the teams took off. The Gryfindors seemed to be taking an early lead and with James’s leadership and chasing abilities, Slytherins’ chances weren't looking too good. James had just made an impressive pass to one of his teammates, only barely missing a bludger, when he decided to glance over at Regulus who was circling the pitch, completely concentrated, as if he was the only one in the world, ‘he almost looked pretty like that’, James thought, like a bird gracefully circling its prey. Some teammate shouted his name, breaking him out of whatever spell he was just under.
After a grueling hour or so, both teams were a little worn out, and there had been no sight of the snitch not until Regulus took a steep dive, the Gryfindor seeker tried to catch up to him but he was no match for Regulus’s agility, James once again caught himself staring, this time getting slightly brushed by a bludger.
Regulus had caught the golden snitch and was holding it up proudly with the widest grin James had ever seen from him.
Before people began to flood the field, James went to meet his winning opponent on the ground to give him a proud handshake “Good job, Reg”

“I’d much rather celebrate my win in bed asleep thank you very much” Regulus said to Barty, who was trying to make Regulus go to the party the Hufflepuffs were hosting
“Oh don't be like that mate, you’re such a wet sock sometimes” Barty said with a huff finally leaving Regulus alone in the dorms.
He was not a ‘wet sock’! He could have fun…right? I mean Barty did have a point, he never seemed to go to parties or talk to people unless they cornered him, but he hated parties and hated being around people. Ugh! why did he let Barty’s stupid comment get to him?
Regulus stayed in bed, to think a little longer, until finally deciding to get up, he did love to prove people wrong, so fine, he’d go to this dumb party.

That is how James found Regulus hiding in a corner in the Hufflepuff common room.
“Hey there handsome, been looking for you” James said, slurring his words just a tad.
“Hello James.” Regulus replied in a small voice. Regulus was right, he hated parties and he shouldn’t’ve let Barty’s words get to him.
Hearing Regulus' voice sound so dejected made something inside Jame’s stir, he needed to fix it.
“Hey, why don’t we get you outta here? We can go to the old History classroom, no one goes there on Saturdays anyways.” James tried to sound as reassuring as possible.
Regulus could only nod in response and followed James, who before leaving grabbed a bottle of firewhiskey.

They sat there in the classroom for a minute or two, neither one quite sure what to say, Regulus was still overthinking about Barty’s comment and James was trying to figure out how to approach Regulus. Quidditch, James concluded, they both like quidditch.
“So Reg, nice catch today-” James said clasping his hands together waiting on Regulus’s response when he was cut off.
“-Do you think I’m a downer?” Regulus says before really thinking about it, he hadn’t really meant to say it outloud. “You don’t have to answer that, sorry.” Regulus said, trying to cover for himself.
“No um,” James said, taken aback, “I think that you’re very pleasant to be around and just because you don’t like parties and crowds, doesn’t take away from that.” James finished happy with this answer.
“Oh…um, thanks,” Regulus said, not sure how to reply. James and him and never really gotten that deep, they mostly just talked about quidditch or class if they did talk at all.
James was thinking a similar thing when he had a great idea. “Let's play a game!” James said confidently.
“A game?” Reg said, unsure
“Yes a game, how about we go back and forth asking questions and if you don't want to answer you have to take a shot.” James said, proud that he had come up with it on the spot. “Here I’ll ask first and if you don't want to answer, take a shot. What’s your favorite color?” James asked, hoping Regulus would just play along.
“Green”
“Like…Slytherin green?” James chuckled
“Yes, like Slytherin green,” Regulus retorted back, a little annoyed with James’s laughter, “Fine, what's yours?” Regulus figured there was no harm in humoring James.
“I quite like pink”
“Pink?” Regulus said, dumbfounded.
“Yes pink, why? Can boys not like pink!?” James said, crossing his arms feigning offense.
“I never said that I…I just thought it would be red or something.” Regulus tried to backtrack.
“Not all of us take our house pride so literally, my dear.” James replied with a slight smile. “Okay my turn again! Do you have any hidden talents?” James asked.
Regulus was thinking, he could say the alphabet backwards in English and French so he figured that was a talent but that’s not really that fun. “Oh! “I can whistle two notes at the same time,” Regulus said, satisfied with his answer, as he began to demonstrate.
“Thats really fucking weird” James quipped nodding his head
“Hey rude!” Regulus said, crossing his arms, “you asked and I answered and I for one think it's quite cool.” Regulus held his chin up high.
“No no no! That’s not what I meant-” James tried to counter but Regulus interrupted,
“-No, I get it, you hate me.” Regulus mocked faking a sniffle
“What no?!” James was beginning to panic before realizing that Regulus was laughing at him. “Oh you absolute wanker, you fucking scared me.” This only made Regulus laugh more though.
They continued the game only ever taking shots every few questions. It was Regulus’s turn and he decided to ask about something that had been bugging him for a bit now, “Why did you suddenly start hanging out with me? I mean I figure it has something to do with Sirius, but what exactly is it?” Regulus was not dumb and knew that James’s sudden interest in him likely had something to do with his brother, this of course didn’t take away from the fact that the unlikely pair enjoyed eachothers company.
“Yeah, I meant to tell you the other day, it just slipped my mind,” James began to explain, “Sirius was getting bothered by the amount of people, well uh you know, flirting with you or whatever so he assigned me the role of being your, well, ‘guard dog’ I guess” James got out. He didn’t want to mention that he was only chosen so they could stop hearing him complain about Lily, for whatever reason it aslmost felt wrong to bring her up at this point.
“Oh, well I guess that kind of makes sense, after all, you are like the most attractive guy at our school.” Before Regulus could completely comprehend what he just said James was gaping at him.
“The Regulus Arcturus Black thinks that I, James Fleamont Potter, am the most attractive person at our school?” James asked incredulously not believing his ears,
“Oh shove off,” Regulus said, literally shoving James, “You know what I meant.”
“No my dear, I’m afraid I have no idea what you mean.” James knew exactly what he meant but felt it was way more fun to see The Regulus Black blush over his own words. God Reg was so beautiful when he smiled.

They continued their game with questions from ‘what's your biggest fear’ to ‘how many grapes do you think you could fit in your mouth’, periodically taking shots even when they answered the question. If only they could stay like this forever. James checked his watch,
“Damnit. I’m sorry to say this love but it is 3AM and we both need to rest tonight.” James said apologetically.
“Noooo.” Regulus complained, laying his head on James’s shoulder trying to make him stay just a little longer.
“Okay fine, one more round but then we have to go to bed, we both played hard today we need to make sure to get some good rest.” James said not wanting to leave either but, knowing it had to happen at some point.
“Okay deal,” Regulus agreed. “My question is, what's your favorite flower?” Regulus asked in an earnest voice.
James wasn’t ready for Regulus to ask such a sweet question but answered nonetheless, “Pink magnolias.”
Regulus, seemingly happy with this answer, nudged James to indicate it was his turn.
“Right, um,” James had something he always wanted to ask and he guessed now would be the time to do it, “Are you happy, that you decided to run away?” James knew that Sirius was ecstatic when the Potters took him in, but when Regulus came, he was polite but never showed much emotion, and James had always wondered if part of him ever regretted coming to live with the Potters.
Regulus looked him in the eyes and said “I have never been so sure of a decision in my life.”

Eventually they did end up leaving and James walked Regulus to the Slytherin dorms just as he did everyday with their hands brushing from time to time while trying to stiffen giggles so they wouldn’t get caught out past curfew.
“Good night Reg, and good game today” James said, turning away so he could leave until Regulus suddenly grabbed his wrist.
“Wait,” Regulus looked at him for a moment before pulling James close to him and kissing his cheek, “Thank you James, this was nice.”
James just was frozen in place as he watched as Regulus walked away.
Eventually he snapped out of it and walked back to the Gryffindor dorms thinking of Regulus the whole way back.