Chapter 36
“You have less stuff than I thought,” James admitted, his hands on his hips as he stood in the midst of a pile of books. It was nearing 3 pm, and they’d only managed to take two boxes across town to James’ flat so far. There were three empty boxes on the living room floor, currently. James was battling the task of packing up the bookshelf, while Regulus cleared out the kitchen. “But you have more books than I thought.”
“I have just enough,” Regulus called back, emptying food he’d bought before realising he was going to leave into a bag. “I like to read.”
“I gathered that,” James muttered. Regulus held back his quiet laugh, stacking bags of pasta and rice beside one another. His clothes had been folded into two suitcases and were waiting in his bedroom along with a box of his shoes. It felt rather depressing to pack up his whole life into a few boxes. HE was aware there were things at his old home, his family home, which he would never see again. There was no chance of going back to retrieve them. They were gone. Annotated copies of books from his teenage years, cd’s his brother had given him, old clothes he liked but simply hadn’t had room to pack. It wouldn’t surprise him if his mother had burnt it all up. She’d done that to the last of Sirius’ items when he’d left.
He tried to think about it as he left the bag by the door, shuffling into his living room. James was stacking books neatly in the box before him, seeming intently focused on the task. Regulus sat on the floor across from him, slowly picking up a few books which he neatly placed in the box. James appeared more intelligible on the job, treating it as an easy game of Tetris. They had filled the boxes within minutes, the shelves left bare.
James watched as Regulus taped up the boxes, slowly getting up. He looked back at James, a single eyebrow-raising as he held out a hand. James grabbed it pulling himself off the ground. He bounced on the balls of his feet as he balanced himself again. “Feel stiff,” he complained, stretching his arms above his head.
Regulus watched him with slight amusement. “Well, relax later. There’s more to be done.”
They moved through the flat easily and then began the process of hauling boxes across town. They probably could have rented a car for the job, but they hadn’t really thought that far ahead. And it was more fun for Regulus to watch James struggle with heavy boxes, which he stacked on top of each other in order to cut down a trip, attempting to balance them as he blindly crossed roads, Regulus staying a step behind in order to catch him if he slipped.
By 6, somehow, they’d managed to make their last trip back to Regulus’ flat, giving the entire place a once-over. James waited by the door as Regulus inspected the rooms, his footsteps seeming to echo, although he knew they probably didn’t. It wasn’t as if the place was empty. The furniture that came with the place was remaining, although Regulus felt tempted to torch them. He shut his bedroom door after checking his empty wardrobe once more, finally making his way back to the hall.
“All checked?” James was leaning against the wall, arms crossed in a casual manner. Regulus nodded as he approached, his arms opening to wrap around James’ waist. The taller took a moment to respond before wrapping his arms around Regulus, pulling him into his chest as Regulus felt a few tears slip down his cheeks.
He held onto James for a few minutes, his boyfriend unwilling to pull away until Regulus did. James frowned as he wiped away the few tears that were staining his cheeks. “None of that, love. We’ll get some food on the way home, and unpack a few bits, and we’ll watch a film, yeah?”
Regulus nodded, giving him a grateful smile. He left his key on the counter.
James had managed to lighten the mood by the time they reached the street below, already suggesting ridiculous films they should waste their evenings on. Regulus was early falling into step beside him, laughing along at the suggestions as they made their way to the Chinese takeaway. They both ended up with a bag of food each, the ridiculous events of the day set in a hunger neither had realised until setting foot in the small shop.
“Welcome home,” James announced as he unlocked his front door for the last time that Saturday, Regulus shuffling in behind him, looking around. He’d been over a couple of times through the day, but it was different now. There was no going back. This was his new home. And it felt rather nice to think about. He could help but smile as James turned back to him, making a rather sweeping gesture around the room. “Sit.”
Regulus collapsed onto the middle couch, drawing his knees up to his chest as James retrieved drinks from the kitchen, placing them next to the bags of food on the small coffee table. It took him a few minutes of scrolling through the endless Netflix options before he finally selected some animated film Regulus had never heard of, both of them digging into their meals. When their food was finished, only leftovers remaining on the table, they curled into each other, James easily pulling Regulus into his lap to hold him as they watched the film, occasional jokes rising from each of them through the progression.
Regulus was the one who got bored first, the film's climax not really holding his attention as he lazily began kissing down James’ neck, slowly moving towards his collar bones. He enjoyed the domesticity of it all. If you’d told him, months ago, that he’d spend a Saturday night leaving love bites on James Potter’s neck, in a flat he’d freshly moved into, on a couch in his arms… Well, he’d have probably laughed. Or glared. Or hit you for painting such a vicious fictitious picture.
But he was. That was exactly how he was spending his Saturday night. He was spending it with a giddy feeling in the pit of his stomach, which lurched upon hearing every quiet moan from the boy under him, who seemed entirely under his control. Laughter was spilling from his lips as James attempted to carry him down to his bedroom, stubbing his toe on one of Regulus’ boxes on the way. Regulus clung to him as James joined in the laughter, sounding slightly out of breath as he finally kicked his bedroom door open, dropping Regulus on the side of his bed.
James looked ready to hover over Regulus again, but Regulus was off the bed, making his way to the wall, suddenly curious. James had been to his flat countless times, in his room more than once. But Regulus had never been in here. He curiously took in the mess of books on the side of his desk, his laptop that was covered in stickers, and his pot of pens that seemed overflowing. He looked at the posters on the walls, many of them film, with a few bands. It was really quite similar to his bedroom at his parent's house, but really an updated version.
His wardrobe door was open, a mess of colourful clothes all hanging. The hoodie Regulus bought him for Christmas was thrown over his desk chair, and the curtains were open, letting in the view of the town lights easily. His bed wasn’t made, the duvet scrunched where he’d thrown it off him that morning, and a mess of pillows thrown around at the top. There was a glass of water on the bedside table, along with a book that Regulus had recommended, which made him smile upon noticing. He looked back at James, who had taken Regulus’ place on the side of the bed, his hands behind him, holding him up, as he watched Regulus with a small smile on his face.
“Like what you see?” James teased his words, a cheesy grin on his face.
Regulus looked around again, shrugging. “You’re rather messy, aren’t you?”
James made a quiet huff of a laugh, getting up. “So, you don’t like it?” He cupped Regulus' cheek with his hand, leaning in to kiss the side of his mouth, drawing away as the younger smiled.
“No, but I like you,” he responded, pulling him in again.
James claimed they couldn’t smoke in the flat because Peter hated it, and James didn’t smoke anyway, so he wasn’t going to let his friends know he did. That started the quiet bickering of whether or not James could be classed as a smoker or not until they both fell asleep, wrapped up in James’ duvet, their arms around each other.
Regulus almost cringed as he blinked awake the following morning, James already gone from his bed. Regulus remained buried under the covers for a few minutes, trying to let his eyes adjust to the bright lights before finally he rolled out of the warmth, stumbling to his feet as he grabbed one of James’ shirts on the way. He managed to pull it on by the time he arrived in the kitchen, where James was making pancakes, humming along to the radio. Domestic.
With his back still to Regulus, he didn’t hear as the smaller approached, wrapping his arms around James’ waist. “Morning, love. Do you want maple syrup or chocolate spread?” James questioned, his spatula working to flip the pancake cooking in front of him.
“Both,” Regulus muffled his words into his shoulder, which lifted in a quiet laugh.
They took turns showering after breakfast, which was shared at the kitchen counter, James holding his plate close while Regulus sat on the counter, balancing his plate on his knee. When they were both dressed again for the day, they unpacked everything Regulus had managed to bring. James helped him make the bed, before moving to take the food back to the kitchen. The room was similar to James’. There was a large bed in the centre of the wall, facing the wardrobe, which was beside a desk, beside the window. He filled up the small bookshelf in the corner easily, stacking the rest of his books by the wall. He was careful in hanging up his clothes, reorganising them twice until they looked right, lining his shoes up inside the door.
It was much easier to unpack than it had been to pack, and he was done by lunchtime, dropping into James’ arms on the couch again, relaxing in his arms as James played with his hair, occasionally dropping a kiss to his temple. It really felt like a perfect Sunday until James grimaced at his phone, dropping it onto the couch beside him.
“Sirius is on his way home,” he informed him. “And Peter will be back soon too, no doubt.”
Regulus nodded slowly, burrowing into James’ chest as if he could get closer to him. “So, the sneaking will begin?”
“Mhm,” James nodded. “Should we tell them soon, or…”
Regulus knew James hated lying. He was really only doing it for him. He felt rather bad about that. But he didn’t like the idea of sitting across from his brother for a proper sit down confessional. Sirius would probably have questions. Or rude comments. There could be a fistfight, or a shouting match. Regulus really didn’t want to have to deal with all of that.
But, he supposed he couldn’t fault his brother for finding out on his own.
That sounded much better, in fact. Sirius would feel smart for figuring it out. And maybe that would distract him for long enough for them to cool him down. He knew, deep down, that there was a line between Sirius and Lily because she had taken his friend away, and now Regulus was doing the same. There was no doubt in his mind that Sirius would be angry, so maybe giving him time to figure it out would be good.
Regulus cut James off with a kiss and a small reassuring smile. “Soon.”
Remus, Peter, and Sirius arrived home together, all of them tumbling through the front door to greet James and Regulus, who sat on opposite sides of the couch, James’ legs resting on the coffee table while Regulus hugged his legs to his chest.
“My mum said hi!” Peter informed them before either could greet him. “And I brought leftover cake! Do you want some?”
They nodded in sync, watching as he disappeared to the kitchen with his bags. Sirius yawned as he crossed the room, collapsing between the couple. “Was busy in London, don’t let Moony tell you otherwise.”
“Could have been busier,” Remus shrugged on his way down the hall, not sparing a glance.
“He’s a liar. It couldn’t have been busier if it tried. It was ridiculous,” Sirius complained, throwing his head back. James and Regulus shared a look across him as he let out a loud sigh. “I had quite wanted to get those cakes we used to like from that bakery near Notting Hill, but we couldn’t even get to that side of town.”
Regulus realised he was talking to him, and he slightly jumped at the memory. “I think that place is shut now, anyway. Marcel moved back to Paris.”
“He did?” Sirius tilted his head as he looked at him, frowning at the thought.
“Mhm, yes, a year or so ago. Mother had a last supper dropped to the house for it,” Regulus shrugged. Memories of his time at home were always terribly bitter, but he had rather enjoyed that evening. His brother had been gone, of course, and he’d been forced to make small talk with his parents for rather a long time. But at least the food was nice.
“That’s terribly sad,” Sirius dismissed, looking at the tv screen. “What’s on?”
“Dance Moms,” James informed him. Regulus had really seen the past while simply admiring James, and was really quite surprised to find that playing as he turned. Sirius seemed instantly lit up over it, though, especially when Peter returned with plates of cake, handing them out to the group on the couch, calling down the hall for Remus.
Remus reappeared in pyjamas, collapsing beside Peter on another couch, smiling his thanks before beginning to grumble. “Christ, not fucking Abby Lee.”
“Don’t take the lord's name in vain,” Peter mumbled through his mouthful of cake.
“It’s Regulus’ first night as our official flatmate! You surely can’t subject him to this!” Remus argued.
“That was last night,” James interjected, pointing his fork at his friend. “You missed celebrations. He’s used to the place now, so he can be used to the telly choices!”
“You’re evil,” Remus muttered.
Sirius shrugged slightly. “Well, better than the entertainment we had at home.”
“What entertainment was that?” Peter innocently enquired.
Regulus almost snorted. “Sirius vs the Black Family.” There was a surprised silence at the joke from the rest of the group as Sirius finally let out a quiet laugh, Regulus joining him as he nudged his thigh with his foot. “Rather similar to Dance Moms really.”
That joke was enough to drain tension from the room, the others unable to stop the laughter that escaped them, their giddiness only getting worse as the cake disappeared, and the drama unfolded before them on the tv screen, and it was really very nice.