James POV
I go to lay back down to fall back asleep when I hear a small knock on the door. I frown, any gryffindor should have the password to the room so why was someone knocking at this hour?
I get up careful to not wake Sirius as I move him off me and open the door. At first I don’t see anyone but then I see a short boy with dark curly hair, “Regulus?”
“Oh James, good,” his face relaxes a bit as he looks at me.
“What are you doing here Regulus?” I am confused, I don’t think Regulus has been to the Gryffindor wing ever in his life so why was he showing up now?
“Well you weren’t at dinner,” he speaks quietly and I smirk.
“Awe Reggie, were you worried about me?”
“No but you missed detention and Slughorn's pissed,” he says coldly but it falls flat when his face heats up. However, I’m too worried to focus on that right now.
“Oh fuck, shit,” I mumble and Regulus smirks.
“Such filthy words, do you kiss your mother with that mouth?”
“Nah, but I did kiss you,” I joke before I can even think and my eyes widen as his face becomes even redder, “oh shit, I’m sorry. I’m just, it’s been a really long night.”
His face softens, “are you okay?”
“Yeah I’m fine,” it’s so easy to let the words slip out, so I'm used to saying them.
“No you’re not,” I frown. What does he know about me? He doesn’t even want to be my friend.
“You don’t even know me Regulus, why do you care?” I snap and he draws back.
“I don’t,” he says coolly before turning on his heels. No that’s not what I want, I want him to stay. I’m hit by the full force of the sadness of watching Regulus walk away and so I grab his arm.
“I’m sorry,” my voice is barely a whisper, “I don’t know what’s going on and I feel like I shouldn’t be allowed to be sad now,” my voice quivers on the verge of breaking, “not when so many people have it worse than I do.”
Regulus goes still but when he looks into my eyes I can see something soften, he reaches up and places a hand on my cheek, “emotions are not a comparative thing James,” I turn my head slightly to nuzzle into his hand, he’s slightly cold but it feels nice against my burning skin, “you’re allowed to be sad, you’re allows to be angry, you don’t need a reason to feel those things. In fact it’s normal. I would be worried about you if you didn’t feel those things.”
“You worry about me?” I turn my attention back to his stormy gray eyes.
“Always. No one can be bright all the time, we would go blind,” I smile slightly before mumbling into his hand.
“Wouldn’t want you to go blind,” he smiles and it's like the sun is breaking through the clouds and I think I could die peacefully then, until my stomach grumbles and Regulus is back to frowning and all I want to do is make him smile again.
“Right you never ate dinner, you must be hungry,” he pulls away and I’m hit with sudden coldness.
“It’s okay-” I try but he cuts me off.
“Shut up, we’re going to the kitchens and you’re going to have some proper food, I don’t know what those dimwits would try to feed you in there,” he points to the door and I assume he’s talking about the other marauders.
“Oh you don’t have to come with, I promise I’ll eat you’re probably tired,” I rambled feeling bad allowing Regulus to lose sleep just because I was emotional.
“Nonsense, I go drink tea with the elfs all the time anyways, plus it’s not like I’m going to fall asleep anytime soon,” he rolls his eyes.
“Oh are you okay? Poppy makes an excellent sleeping-”
“I’m fine, James,” I want to argue but all thoughts leave my head when Regulus laces his hand in mine and pulls us down the halls.
He called me James, I decided not to point it out this time for fear of him talking it back.