Chapter 28
“So, what exactly did he say?” James was lying on his side, one of his hands holding up his head while his other drew a pattern on the back of Regulus’ hand, which was placed on his own chest. He was feeling his heartbeat, subtly. He was sure that he was probably still dreaming. Waking up in James’ bed two days in a row felt surreal.
He gave a slight shrug, his free hand reaching to scratch his eyebrow. “He apologised.. He knows he was a dick, and he said he felt that I was one of them, which made him cautious to trust me… And he didn’t mean to out me, he wasn’t thinking.”
“Prick,” James huffed, his hand stilling. He was shirtless again, which was another factor in Regulus’ thinking he was in a dream. “Regardless of what he was thinking, that was out of order!”
“I wasn’t really hiding it,” Regulus weakly defended. “I wasn’t hiding it at all, really. Just.. No one asked. I thought everyone knew, really.”
“I don’t think everyone knew,” James murmured.
Regulus looked over at him, eyebrows raising. “You knew, didn’t you?”
James blushed slightly, shrugging. “Well, not really.”
“Seriously?” Regulus almost laughed.
“Well, I knew you didn’t like that girl your mother set you up with a few months ago, but I didn’t think you didn’t like her because she was a girl,” he was blushing more as he said it, as if embarrassed for not noticing before.
“Well, what about you?” Regulus questioned, watching James. “James Potter, Head boy, straight as they come, I thought.”
“Bisexual,” James offered. “Knew for ages, but I didn’t really tell anyone.”
“Why not?”
James shrugged again, resuming his pattern tracing. “I just didn’t. I went to a few parties when I was away, got with a few girls, got with a few guys, but nothing was very important so I just didn’t.. share the information. I mean, I wasn’t worried about what anyone would think. My parents are nice, Sirius is my best mate.. And I usually don’t think about what people say. But I didn’t want it to be a big thing, y’know. If someone asked, I would have told them, but no one asked.”
“That makes sense,” Regulus nodded. “I wasn’t mad at Sirius for outing me, I was just mad he told you I had a thing for you.. In front of everyone.. It was embarrassing.”
“It worked out, though, right?” James questioned, leaning closer to him.
“I suppose,” Regulus tilted his head as James planted a light kiss by his mouth. “He wants to make up with you.”
“Make up with one brother, make out with the other,” James mumbled, kissing the other side of Regulus’ mouth. Regulus swatted him in the shoulder making him laugh in an almost musical way.
“Don’t say stuff like that,” Regulus whined as James kissed his cheek. “He’ll kill us both for this.”
“No, he’ll kill me. He’s far more protective of you than you give him credit for,” James pulled back, hovering above him for a few moments before dipping down, lips meeting Regulus’. They moved in sync, mouths melding together as if they were made for each other.
Regulus thought he could kiss James forever. It made his heartbeat quicker, his palms sweat, and his breath shaky, but it was good. It was so good. It was hot and passionate, and soft, and warm, and it was perfect. It made his mind swim, and his actions became something he could barely control as he pushed James to lie flat, throwing a leg over him to straddle him, his hands running down his bare chest as he kissed down James’ neck, stopping under his collarbone, out of sight. “Reggie,” James whined from underneath him, encouraging him as he bit him, lightly, his tongue easily working across it until he was sure he’d left his mark.
He almost shuddered at the moans from the boy beneath him as he worked his way back up, kissing James’ jaw as he breathlessly panted. “M-more,” he mumbled, causing Regulus to sit up, placing his hands on James’ chest to steady himself.
“We’re not having sex in your parent's house,” he informed him.
James’ eyebrows rose in alarm, his hands, which were dangerously close to Regulus’ ass rather than his hips where they started, squeezed ever so slightly. “I didn’t- I’m no- Of course not!”
Regulus rose an eyebrow, one of his hands swiping over the mark he’d left. James’ mouth fell open at the motion, still feeling tender. “You weren’t thinking about it?” Regulus could feel him under him. He knew exactly what James was thinking. He could feel exactly what James was thinking. He moved, ever so slightly, James letting out a quiet groan.
“Fuck, don’t say we can’t if you’re going to do that.” His voice sounded strained, and Regulus would be lying if he wasn’t feeling the same, the temptation pulsing through him as he looked down at James. His lips looked swollen and shiny, and he looked sort of blissed-out, although there was a frustration under the surface that was similar to Regulus’.
“I see how your parents come and go through here! I’m not risking getting caught doing that,” Regulus huffed. James almost pouted before thinking better of it.
“Fine, get off me,” he sighed, sounding defeated. Regulus examined his expression for a moment before James whined. “I’m serious, Reggie. If you stay there, I’ll embarrass myself.”
Regulus smirked, moving slightly again. He could feel James twitch below him. “I might like to see that.”
“Reggie,” James whined louder, and Regulus was suddenly thankful for just how big the Potter household was.
“Yes?” Regulus innocently rose an eyebrow, rocking his hips gently.
James whined again, squeezing Regulus’ hips. “Don’t.” Regulus stopped, eyeing James curiously before the older screwed his eyes shut. “Do it again.”
“Are you sure?” Regulus dipped down, his mouth moving just below his ear. “We wouldn't want you to embarrass yourself, would we?”
“You’re evil,” James groaned, rutting up against him. Regulus gave in, his lips moving to kiss James’ neck again as he swayed his hips against him, giving him the friction he was begging for. He almost jumped when James' hand landed on the front of his boxers. “Is this okay?”
“God, yes,” he almost moaned, his hips moving of their own free will.
He could feel James losing control underneath him after a few minutes, and it was enough to push him over the edge, forgetting the kisses to James’ neck, and instead moaning in an ungodly way by his ear as the older attempted to catch his breath, his body still on a high.
“You’re amazing,” James whispered as Regulus slumped against him.
“I know,” Regulus mumbled back, causing the other to bark a surprised laugh.
Regulus ended up retracting himself first, feeling bashful and awkward as he attempts to pull James’ shirt over his boxers. He made a quick exit, shuffling to his room as fast as he could, a shower calling his name. His entire appearance was dishevelled, his hair messy, his lips bruised, before he stepped into the shower. The water hitting his back made him feel better, though, his eyes closing as he slowly washed his hair. He’d felt rested when he woke up in James’ arms, but now he felt exhausted, the remainder of his adrenaline slowly draining as he stepped out of the shower, wrapping his towel around himself, ignoring his pile of clothes.
He stared at his wardrobe for a few moments before padding across his room, slipping out the door to knock on James’ door.
James answered the door in a towel, similar to Regulus’, his eyebrows raising. “Round two?”
“What are we actually doing today?” Regulus ignored the comment.
“Pub for football?” James offered.
“Right,” Regulus nodded, walking back to his room before James could make any more comments.
He ended up in a hoodie and jeans, simple and effective. He was pulling on his socks when James burst into his room, his jeans unbuttoned, and no shirt on. He was cradling his phone in his hand as if it were a bomb. “Sorry, missed that bit, what was it?” He said, his voice completely calm as his body shuddered with a breath.
“I wanted to apologise about the whole Christmas dinner thing.. I was really out of order,” he recognised his brothers voice instantly. He rose an eyebrow, slightly, worried about the fact he was listening in on this. But James had come to him. He obviously wanted him to hear.
“You were,” James said, his voice sounding tougher than he looked.
“I was. I know. It was stupid.. You’re my best mate, I was lashing out. You seemed to favour him, for some reason, and I just couldn’t handle it. But he reminded me.. I have more than just you, now,” Sirius sounded a bit relieved to get the words off his chest, and James looked relieved for him to say them.
He looked deep in thought before he finally spoke. “I don’t favour him, we just have different relationships, Sirius,” he said. Regulus almost laughed but held it back, biting the inside of his cheek as he watched James.
“I get that now. I was being stupid. Honestly, mate, it’s driving me crazy to be in a fight with you… Can we just put it behind us and move on?” Sirius questioned.
“Has Reggie forgiven you?” He questioned, maintaining eye contact with the younger Black. He nodded in response as Sirius spoke.
“I think so? We’re working on it.”
James muted the call, eyebrows raising. “Say the word, I hang up.”
“He’s as sorry as he’s going to get,” Regulus shrugged. “And he misses you. Forgive him.”
James unmuted the call, taking a breath. “Right. We’re fine.”
“Are we?!” Sirius almost shouted.
“Yeah, I think so. But I’m serious, Pads, you pull shit like that again with him and I’m done with you!” Regulus almost blushed at his words.
Sirius sounded like he was moving. “Of course, yeah, sure,” he finally said.
“And you treat him right, okay? He’s your brother, Sirius. All you have. You act like a dick again, he’s not going to forgive you as easily. And neither will I?”
“Christ, you sound like his boyfriend, Prongs,” Sirius almost laughed.
Regulus almost let out a strangled sound but held it back as James smirked at him. “I’m just saying it how it is, Sirius.”
There was silence for a moment before Sirius spoke again. “New Years party, right?”
“We’ll be there,” James confirmed. “Must dash, pass on my best to Remus.”
“Will do,” Sirius replied. “Thanks for the chat.”
“Thanks for the apology.” He pocketed his phone when the call ended, looking at Regulus as if he were nervous. “That was okay, right?”
“You don’t have to run your friendship past me,” Regulus shrugged.
“But it was, right?”
“It was okay, James,” he confirmed, causing James to flash him an easy smile.
“Right, I better finish getting dressed.”
“I like you like this,” Regulus shrugged, eyeing his torso.
James’ cheeks flamed momentarily. “You’re terrible.”
“Oh well,” Regulus smirked.