Chapter 34
James liked to text in the absence of company, Regulus soon found out. They’d managed to stay on the roof for 10 full minutes before finally scrambling back downstairs, James trying to rid himself of his blush, while Regulus attempted to regain feeling in his knees, which had weakened under James’ touch.
They hadn’t seen each other since. Sirius had apparently become clingy, the dry spell of not speaking to his best mate exhausting him, dooming Regulus and James to spend 4 full days apart, their only contact text messages which James was quick at typing, and Regulus quick at replying to. Sirius had made him spend a full day watching films, another redecorating the living room, another going to the shops, and the final watching films again. James claimed to be having fun, but he was getting rather tired of the constant events Sirius was attempting to come up with.
Regulus was rather sick of it too. There were only so many things he could do in his apartment by himself. Before James, he had occupied himself rather well, but after James… Well, everything felt rather boring. He felt rather mopey. He missed the boy he called his, even if he was constantly shooting off messages.
Regulus almost called him twice. He even typed out a text, begging James to give him a call just to hear his voice. But he didn't send it.
He felt really rather embarrassed. He felt clingy and irritating, but he also felt like he was going through withdrawals. James Potter, with his lazy grins, and his electric touch, was entirely addicting. Regulus missed him terribly.
On the fifth day of the year, he spent the entire day lying on his living room floor, watching films James had suggested to him. He watched Booksmart, Titanic, and Die Hard, making his way through half a pack of cigarettes, and a box of cereal. He had a headache by the time the sun disappeared, his flat cloaked in darkness. Pandora had visited him the day before, gushing about a boy she’d met, which he had dutifully listened to, nodding along. Barty was off on more dates, apparently doing well, but Regulus didn’t really ask more. Barty would no doubt fill him in on his successes the next time they met.
He was eating noodles when the knock came on his door, and he awkwardly placed his bowl on the counter, hopping off as he shuffled towards the front door, yawning to himself. He was wearing a t-shirt of James’ that he’d left behind and sadly washed, the smell of James’ cologne gone. But it was still comforting against his skin.
He pulled open his front door, lighting up as he met the eye of his boyfriend, who grinned at him. “Hello, love.” His voice was warm, oozing with honey as he spoke.
“Hi,” Regulus mumbled back, almost overcome with the shock of seeing him. He hadn’t texted to announce his arrival, but that only made it better. He easily stepped inside, the door shutting behind him as Regulus slowly moved back to the kitchen, pushing himself back onto the counter so he could return to his food. He decided holding back would be his best move, although he could quite literally devour James in his hallway without a second thought. “How was your quality time with Sirius?”
“Don’t use that tone,” James rolled his eyes, making himself at home as he pulled open his fridge. He frowned as he looked at the contents. “Why do you have no food?”
“Haven’t gone out since last year,” Regulus shrugged, quickly shoving a forkful of noodles into his mouth.
“You need to go out,” James told him, closing the fridge. He leaned against it, watching Regulus, who swung his legs beneath him, clutching his bowl as if it were a lifeline. “Why haven’t you gone out?”
“Busy,” he shrugged again.
“Smoking?”
“And watching films,” he added.
“You should quit smoking,” James informed him, pulling a fork from a drawer. Regulus wondered when exactly James had memorised the layout of his kitchen, but he didn’t ask. “It’s bad for you.”
“You should quit, too,” Regulus told him, watching as he approached, his fork diving in to spin around. He helped himself to the mouthful, nodding slightly. “No food in your flat?”
“I finally escape your maniac relation, and this is how you treat me?”
“He’s hardly the maniac of the bunch,” Regulus offhandedly muttered. He regretted it. James’ lips set into a hard line, and he looked upset, as he often did when Regulus made jokes about his family. “Sorry.”
“Don’t apologise,” James quickly shook his head.
“You don’t like those jokes,” Regulus said, voice cautious. “I’m just used to making them, I suppose. But I shouldn’t.”
“No, I just.. It’s hard. I’m used to Sirius making them, but… It still shocks me a little bit, when you make them… that they did that to you,” James explained, his features softening. Regulus took his last mouthful of food, pushing the bowl down the counter. James dropped his fork next to it, as he cheeked the inside of his cheek. Regulus watched curiously. “Sirius always said you were the favourite, even before he was kicked out. I just figured they wouldn’t do that to you…”
“They never liked me much,” he shrugged. “They just saw me as a second chance. I was a backup, really.”
“Backup,” James repeated the word, sadness slowly setting into his features.
“I suppose,” he nodded. “If Sirius was truly terrible, they had me. They just didn’t plan on me being equally terrible.”
“You’re not terrible,” James assured him, hands slipping to cup Regulus’ jaw. The touch he’d been craving for days. “You’re the most perfect person I know,” he murmured. “You’re utterly lovely, and perfect, and beautiful, and they have no idea… No idea, of the mistake they made…”
He kissed him, his mouth gentle, and soft, really barely touching him before he was pulling away again, running his thumb over Regulus’ lips. “I missed you.”
“I missed you,” Regulus mumbled back, gazing up at him.
He kissed him again, this time for longer as if they were reintroducing themselves to one another. Making up for the days they’d lost. It was easy for Regulus to loop his arms around James’ neck, pulling him closer, his legs wrapping around his torso, as James kept a hold on his cheek, his other hand squeezing his hip. James seemed to like that action. It always sent a little jolt through Regulus.
James’ fingers hooking under Regulus’ shirt made him giddy, pulling away slightly. “Don’t tug that.”
“Why?” James questioned, his hand running up Regulus’ side, fingers grazing his skin.
“Favourite shirt,” Regulus lied. James looked down at him, eyebrows knitting together.
“That’s my shirt,” James observed.
“You left it behind. Some would say ‘finders keepers’ and that.”
James’ eyes danced across him again. “Suppose you look rather good in it.”
“Suppose,” Regulus teased, pulling him in again.
They ended up on the couch, lazily sharing kisses and conversation, James always chasing Regulus, just to touch his cheek, or squeeze his hand, or kiss his head. It all felt rather blissful as the tv played, a film on which they both ignored, too wrapped up in each other.
“So,” Regulus began as conversation started to lull a little bit. “Where does my brother think you are?”
“He was asleep when I left,” he shrugged. “I’ll worry about an excuse in the morning.”
“Inviting yourself to stay is rather presumptuous.”
“Are you going to kick me out?” James rose an eyebrow.
Regulus resisted the urge to make another joke about his family. “No,” he gave in, James grinning at the words. “Is my flat our new hideaway?”
“Yes,” he nodded, his finger stroking Regulus’ cheek. “It is.”
Regulus winced, biting the inside of his cheek. “Well, find a new one.”
“Why?” James pouted, lulling his head to the side. Regulus frowned, and he sobered up, James’ face growing serious as Regulus detangled himself, crossing the room to get the letter that he’d left on the bookshelf the day before.
He handed it to James, watching as he slowly read it, the dim lamp in the corner his only light. James’ eyes widened with every word before he shook his head. “They can’t do that, can they?”
“Their flat,” Regulus shrugged. The letter had come from his parent's lawyers, not from them directly, and detailed the request for Regulus to vacate the flat before month's end. He really should have expected it. They had disowned him, they surely wouldn’t want to fund his living. He had savings, dead relatives that had left him money, money he’d taken from accounts they’d set up for him, and hidden away for as long as he could. He just needed to find a new flat. But this far into the school year, that was sure to be impossible.
“So, they’re just kicking you out?” James seemed shocked as he reread the letter. Regulus nodded. “What are you going to do?”
“Flat hunt,” he shrugged again, placing the letter back where he’d gotten it from.
James nodded. “I’ll help you, yeah?”
“You don’t have to,” he fell back onto the couch, comforting arms wrapping around him.
“I know,” he murmured as he kissed Regulus’ cheek. “But I will.”
He ended up spending the night, both of them burying under the bedsheets, clinging to each other until the early hours of the morning, when James pushed himself up, disappearing after dropping a kiss on Regulus’ shoulder.
It was another day of texting, James miraculously not getting dragged into something with Sirius, but rather working on an assignment he’d forgotten to do. He sent Regulus hourly updates, and reassurances of how he’d rather be with him, all of which made Regulus blush slightly.
Regulus was yawning into his arm when the knock came on his door. He assumed it was James, wandering towards it quickly. He ran a hand through his hair in preparation and felt mildly irritated to find his brother on the other side of the door.
“Hi?” He looked at him, eyebrows raising.
“Dinner?” Sirius questioned, and Regulus mutely agreed, silently thankful he’d pulled on the jumper Mrs Potter had made him rather than the t-shirt James had left that morning. He just needed to pocket his phone before he followed his brother out of his apartment building, shoving his hands in his coat pockets.
They ended up int he pub Regulus had been in a few days ago, sitting in a small booth in the back, both ordering fish and chips, and drinks, which they both silently nursed as they waited for their food. Regulus was unsure as to why he was there, so he waited until Sirius finally spoke, crossing his arms.
“Listen, James told me something..” Regulus could feel the colour drain from his face, but Sirius didn’t notice. “Are they really kicking you out?”
Regulus blinked slowly, nodding stiffly. “Yeah, apparently.”
“Ruthless cunts,” he hissed the words. He met Regulus’ eyes, shaking his head. “I’m sorry.”
“S’fine,” he shrugged. “I’ll find somewhere else.”
“Will you?” Sirius questioned. “Because we have a spare room.”
“A spare room?” Regulus repeated, tilting his head.
Sirius nodded quickly. “Remus moved into my room, so it’s really just sitting there… And I really want to make it up to you, Regulus. Fix things, properly… Might be nice to live under the same roof again.”
The idea seemed stupid, honestly. They hadn’t gotten on in years. Sure, he was trying to fix things, but was moving in the smartest idea? Probably not. But Regulus had lazily scrolled through rent websites all morning, unable to find anything. It probably would make sense to move in. And he’d be close to James. Just a room away, really. But what would that mean for their relationship? That was a stupidly huge step to take, surely. And it would presumably be harder to sneak around in such close quarters. But they’d be so close…
“I’d have to think about it,” he admitted, but the idea was becoming more appealing by the second.
“Course, yeah,” he nodded. “I just…” Their food got dropped off, Sirius momentarily pausing his words to smile at their waiter, eating a chip before giving a weak shrug. “I feel bad, honestly. Not just about the dinner, but about everything. I’ve been… Terrible. I mean, I’m meant to be your big brother. You’re meant to look up to me, and all I did was treat you like shit.”
Regulus didn’t say anything, cutting into his fish. “We were best mates when we were young, remember? Inseparable… I really want to earn your trust again. I feel like we can get back to that point, honestly. I was a bit drunk the other night, but I meant it when I say you’re all I have.”
“You have plenty,” he dismissed, after finishing his mouthful of food. “You’ve got all your friends, and Remus, an-“
“Yeah, but you’re my real family, Reg. We should stick together, shouldn’t we?” He looked hopeful as he said it, and Regulus slowly nodded, giving in.
“Probably best I get out of that place, really,” Regulus looked back at his plate. “If you’ve got a room… I’ll take it.”
Sirius lit up at the words, beaming at him. “Really?”
“Really,” he nodded.