A Simple Kind of Torture
Being so close to Regulus was the kind of torture that would drive James to the brink of insanity. It quietied everything going on in his head and simultaneously caused him to question every thought he had ever had. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would dream of the way Regulus moved tonight.
"James, are you going to stand there looking pretty all lesson or are you going to help me?" The voice was soft but stern and it brought a wave of awareness over him. Regulus Black had just called him pretty (ohmygod, ohmygod) Dazed and stuck on the way his voice sounded calling him pretty James did nothing. Well he thought of things, many things that would lead to some other things that James would really really like. Well until he felt himself begin to run warm and a certain part of him to get a little bit too much blood flow. This is what caused James to look up and catch gazes with said boy he'd been having said thoughts about and well Damn it all (to hell). James shifted closer, trying to hide the lower portion of himself under the desk as he tried to come up with a way of explaining why he shouldnt touch the potion.
"I erm, I dont do so well with potions if I actually have to touch them" He could hear the sheepishness in his own voice as little Black survayed him.
"Well I guess that explains why ive never seen you so much as look at the blackbored" He muttered. "Fine, stay out of the way." He sounded exasperated and upon looking at the boys face when (he thought) he wasnt looking he found he was smiling ever so slightly.
Well shit, James really was done for. So James sat quietly watching the fluid grace of Regulus's movements and as promised staying out of the way. He watched the way he rolled his shirt up to his elbows, how the tendons there moved, he watched how deft fingers added ingredients to the cauldron. He watched as Regulus argued (and lost) with the little curl that kept flopping into his eyeline. He watched the furrow in his brow as he concentrated and how he chewed on the inside of his mouth and hadn't even realised until the flurry of movement coming from regulus had stopped that he had infact whispered "Beautiful" out loud instead of just thinking it.
Eyes like mercury shot to his, and he felt his face begin to warm. He hadn't meant to say it outloud, he had just meant to sit there quietly watching, waiting, admiring. But no James had to go and say it outloud and now Regulus was looking at him in an odd way.
His mouth was slightly parted, breathing slightly off, and his hands were still over the cauldron in mid air. James looked around, noone else was watching. Sirius was too busy trying really hard to ignore Snape who was frantically working over their potion. Remus was listening intently to rosier and Crouch was sitting with his feet on the desk, head first in a book while peter did the work.
Slowly James leaned forward and pressed a singular finger to Reguluses chin, applying gentle pressure till it closed. Then with no idea what came over him he held the boys chin between his thumb and forefinger, looking right into those molten pools of silver he whispered "Beautiful" once more. Then as slowly as he had moved forward he leant back again and watched the shiver run through the younger black
"You shouldnt say things that arent true" He whispered before he returned to his flurry of activity.
"I'm offended, that you think the mighty James Potter a liar" James faked being offended, trying to defuse the tension that he had created and from there the lesson continued with considerably less silence from the younger boy. However it was on the form of 20 questions more or less and the more he spoke the more James drifted into the land of Insanity.
"So, why dont you touch the potions James?"
"Because I have a tendancy of blowing up the cauldrons"
"Are you good at any potion?" Black asked
"I make a mean pepper up potion. Its the only one i tend to need and therefore the only one i dont usually fuck up" James shrugged.
"Do you not dabble in Anti Anxiety potions Potter?"
James shook his head "I never get them right and i usually end up more anxious" Regulus nodded, and on the questions went, until the ADHD impulsiveness that James had done so well trying to control burst out of him.
"Where were you at breakfast?" The second he said it he wished he hasn't, he wanted answers but now Regulus would know that he knew he wasn't there. Regulus quirked an eyebrow. (and james wished the potion would blow up in his face so he didnt have to face the inevitable)
Regulus paused for a moment before shocking James by answerinf him
"I was at the locker room, dealing with something" He muttered, his gaze locked on the flickering flames below the cauldron. For a second James's body went from boiling hot, an inferno to drenched in the coldest ice.
"Has someone been bothering you?" James didnt recognise his own voice, it was sharp, low and dangerous. His body all but burned with the need to stampcout whoever was bothering the boy, well it was until Regulus snorted and shook his head.
"No-one would dare to bother me James. I'm heir to the most nobel house of Black remember?" He sighed. "I was dealing with something else. Something that required a place where most people wouldnt be before breakfast"
James didnt understand, or rather he didnt until he looked back at Reguluses face which had a wonderful pink colour too it and suddenly it all made sense.
"Oh" James whispered, the anger suddenly dissipating from him.
"Yeah" Regulus was the one who looked sheepish now as he stirred the potion clock wise. They stood in tension filled silence for a moment. But a moment was all James needed to make up his mind, He was going to ask Regulus if he knew how to brew an anti anxiety potion and if he would show him. But as always plans never workout the way he needs them too and as James opened his mouth there was a bang.
A very loud bang, alot of yelling, and a fast approaching green smoke.
"What the fuck" was the only words to come out of James's open mouth as he spun to look at regulus who had his eyes closed and his hands over his ears.
The next few minutes were a blurr. Turns out the smoke was coming from Sirius and Snapes station, Snape had demanded Sirius help him and they'd gotten into an argument. Due to that Sirius (who was worse than even James) had attempted to "help" and had resulted in the billowing green smoke which was quickley pronounced as toxic when inhaled (Brilliant), and because the universe hated James potter Slughorn was now ushering the class out of the doors while teying his best to contain the green shit thatvwas rolling towards him and Regulus.
"Regulus we have to go now, that smoke is toxic" James spoke softly but there was no answer from him.
"Regulus, come on we have to leave the classroom" He tried once more, before catching the eye of Evan Rosier one of his friends and sendinf a pleading look towards him. Regulus was shaking now, shaking like a wet cat, his hands still tightly pressed over his ears. James was beginning to panic, the smoke was creeping towards them and Regulus wouldn't move. Maybe it was Pity or maybe it was friendship for Regulus but thankfully Rosier got close enough to shout towards me.
"Pick him up. He cant do anything right now to help himself so pick him up."
Well James didnt need to be told twice, he scooped the younger boy into his arms and made a break for the exit right as thr cirst tendrils of green mist brushed against his feet.
Breathing heavily, and clutching Regulus like a lifeline James made it outside. He searched the area for Remus, Crouch, Sirius, hell anyone really who could tell him exactly what had happened.
He was so deep in his search that he nesrly dropped Regulus when a small female hand touched his side.
"Ill take him, Potter. Thank you for getting him out" Dorcas Meadows whispered, taking the bundle of boy out of his arms and stolling away.
It was a wonder really how she was strong enough to carry him, but she did, right down to the end of the corridor and then continuing. Probably to the slytherin common room or someone else. James was still sort of dazed when Sirius found him and all but jumped on him.
The entire classroom was to make their way to madame pomfrey to be checked out and after being told he was excused from the rest of the days lessons James walked back to his dorm feeling empty.
His clothes smelled slightly, they smelled of regulus, of boy and camomile?