Chapter Text
Sirius was laying across Remus lap twisting Sirius’ longer hair in his fingers.
“Did you see his face when he opened the gift Prongs gave him?” He asked “he looked…I don’t know. I’ve never seen him like that. The way his eyes looked when he saw that bloody bookmark Remus”
“So your okay with the relationship?”
Sirius avoided Remus’ eyes “I…I think they do like each other, like a lot..but again Reg still isn’t in the best space I just don’t think he’s ready for a full relationship.” He added “Especially with someone as…emotional as James. I mean he was so infatuated with Lily, he can get pretty passionate about theses types of things”
Remus nodded carding his hands through Sirius hair “Are you sure he’s not ready for a relationship or do you think he’s not ready because he’s your little brother”
Sirius frowned, Remus continued “Will he ever be ready in your eyes?”
“I don’t want either of them hurt”
Remus hummed in agreement “Are you sure your not jealous?”
Sirius sat up sputtering some denials, Remus looked at him patiently “I’ve known you for years, you are a jealous person. Really fucking jealous, are you afraid James won’t love you like he has if Regulus stays involved with him?”
He opened his mouth to refuse Remus’ questions then shoved himself back in his lap relenting “Look I won’t say I’m not scared of what could happen. James is…he’s been mine for years”
Remus let out a light scoff making Sirius quickly add “As a friend and family I mean. And Regulus he’s my brother, the person I’d do anything to keep safe. So yea, Remus I might be a little fucking jealous that some of the most important people in my life are…leaving me behind.” His voice started to rise toward the end, Remus’ hands stopped playing with his hair and Sirius stared at his boyfriend a bit stunned by his own admission
“Fuck” he breathed “It isn’t just the jealousy though, I am genuinely afraid they will hurt each other.”
Remus nodded “Sound like you need to have a chat with James, he isn’t new to your intense jealousy issues” he teased
Sirius grinned and reached up to flick his head. “Mhmm whatever you say”
Remus kissed his forehead and smiled,
“It isn’t that bad right?” He asked “my jealousy?”
Remus shrugged “gets less intense as the years go by”
He rolled his eyes leaning up to kiss him
☆☆☆
Regulus moved swiftly through the halls keeping his eyes forward till got to his door, he stilled suddenly.
There was an envelope taped to his door.
Shit
His grip tightened on his grocery bags.
He carefully peeled the paper off the door quickly shutting and locking the door behind him.
He peeled the envelope open already knowing who it was from, the black ink stamp coming off with a satisfying noise.
To Regulus Arcturus Black,
He laughed, full name. He must be in trouble he thought weakly. He read on;
How have you been? It’s been too long since you stopped by the house. Your cousins have been desperate for your company and our Draco misses his Regulus. We missed you on Christmas, everyone was truely devastated by the lack of our little Regulus.
He cringed but continued
You haven’t responded to any of my letters, this is starting to get ridiculous. Come on Regulus, get it together we are a family. Do you know how bad it makes us look when you aren’t with us? I just want my precious son back in my loving arms. For gods sake Regulus how long is your little ‘adventure of self discovery’ going to last? I just want you back home somewhere where it’s safe, with your family.
I think about you everyday, if you don’t respond soon I’ll have to start keeping eyes on you, so I can rest easy knowing someone is watching over you.
Love your mother.
He took a deep breath. Got the box from atop his fridge putting the letter on top of the others. Slowly he put away the groceries. Then when he had nothing to distract himself with he moved to the couch.
His chest bursting with anger as hot tears ran down his face.
She kept sending them. He kept telling himself to get over this. He had the same pathetic reaction each time she sent those letters.
For the first two months he left the house they couldn’t find him. Then the letters came, every few weeks a new envelope would appear at his door the black stamp stark against the snow white paper. To his horror the first letter just had three words,
You can’t run.
The letters kept coming but at each new line became nicer, more understanding of his new life.
But the fact that they kept coming made Regulus go a little crazy he took to moving, the letters got fewer and further between, until his twentieth birthday when the letters came every month. He packed up for the sixth time telling Sirius some rubbish about not finding his forever home yet.
The letters stopped completely when he moved to his current flat. He assumed the place was so bad his parents wouldn’t think to look for him there, until he got a extremely kind letter filled with the words of a worried mother, offering her only son—in her words— some money to get back on his feet or to come home for a while to stay in a safer, warmer environment.
Like he was any safer in that house.
His head snapped to his windows he stumbled of the couch scanning the outside for anyone suspicious.
His eyes landed on a man watching the flat intently. After a moment the man moved on not looking back. Regulus pulled the curtains down gasping for air he ran to the toilet promptly throwing his guts into the bowel.
Regulus didn’t give James much time to get ready, just texted him to pick him up in thirty minutes. He really didn’t want to be alone every noise he heard set him on edge, every creak made him flinch in the end he just hid in the bathroom, the only room that didn’t have a view form the outside world.
James showed up in 12 making Regulus rethink using him as a ride as he had clearly not followed the road rules, then again it was 11pm and there wasn’t really anyone outside his flat as it was on the dangerous part of the block. Off limits by those smart enough to stay away.
“Are you alright love?” James asked hand gently on his waist
Regulus flushed and pushed himself away “No ones here, James”
“I know,” James grinned “I just like seeing you hide your pretty face as you blush”
Regulus huffed out a annoyed noise “Shut up Potter.”
“Make m—“
Regulus turned away before James could finish his sentence.
“Hurry up” he snapped “I need a drink, immediately”
☆☆☆
The entire ride to the club Regulus told James about everyone, Barty, Evan, Pandora all people he knew and one new name Dorcas.
“Dorcas Meadows? Doesn’t she work with you?”
Regulus clicked his tongue “She’s in sales” James could feel the disapproving glare on him as Regulus added “Your the boss Potter, you should know these things.”
He shrugged “I leave that to Human resources Black, I have other things”
“Brushing Sirius’ hair till it makes you money?” he said like a question but James knew better than that.
“I’ll have you know baby Black, his hair is what sells our product”
He knew Regulus rolled his eyes when he said “Yes that and your amazing slogan.”
James laughed “Stick to finance Reggie, leave marketing to Dorcas”
Regulus sighed loudly “Stick to your fathers hair care shit Potter, it is your best asset.”
”the state of my hair?” James asked “or my dad’s invention?”
“Hardly an ‘Invention’” he paused and added “But your hair obviously.”
James desperately wanted to looked at Regulus, but given the current car ride, he didn’t want to take his eyes off the road, if they died Sirius would probably resurrect him just to kill him again.
“We’re close,” Regulus said ad he pointed right indicating where to turn “Don’t call me ‘Reggie’ ‘Black’ or ‘baby black’, no drinking for you, you are taking me home”
James nodded as he pulled into a parking spot “Noted.”
Finally he faced him and Regulus had this terribly serious look on his face “Your here so my friends don’t try to hook me up, don’t be a flirt with anyone Evan was nice but he and Barty will jump you if they think your unfaithful. Also Barty will probably flirt or do whatever it is he thinks is flirting. He’s ‘testing’ you”
James smiled “I’d never flirt with someone else when I have you”
Regulus scowled, something that made James’ hope fizzle down, because yes James was a optimist and he had hope Regulus would suddenly come to like him back.
Without showing his hurt he opened Regs door he didn’t take his hand to help get out, another thing that stung a little.
“I don’t dance,” he informed James “but when I’m drunk enough it’s all I’ll want to do” he grimaced like it was a warning, but James doubted it was as Regulus would never dance anywhere outside of a studio. But the again James had never actually seen Regulus drunk, well not since Reg was 16 and back then he was definitely not dancing.
Pandora was the first to see them, she hugged Regulus. Yet another thing he was salty about. Then Dorcas, Barty and Evan met them. Evan and Dorcas gave him a half awkward handshake, Barty held his arms out in a hug gesture.
“C’mon mate! I don’t bite” he yelled over the music
James was unsure how to continue and looked to Regulus for help he just shrugged and continued his talk with Evan and Pandora.
He hesitantly put his arms around Barty, he squeezed just a little bit too tight and whispered “Bet you’d like it if I did”
Dorcas pulled him off saying “Stop harassing my boss”
He set James a mock smile sweeping Evan off somewhere else.
Regulus took James’ hand guiding him with the rest of the group.
He hadn’t noticed it on the drive, but Regulus was acting strange. He was looking everywhere in the room checking the door several times a minute. When he thought about it he was also on edge in his flat, James had taken it’s nervousness But watching him now, on his second drink leg bouncing up and down as he glanced at the door at least nine times in the past thirty seconds it looked more like dread, like he was expecting someone to enter The dimly lit club.
He reached over hand over Regulus “Alright Reg?”
“Don’t call me that” he said before flagging down the bartender
“You never said it was off limits” James argued
Regulus eyed him annoyed look as he stated “Just did” he looked at the bartender “two shots, vodka”
“Wait I’m driving-“ James started but immediately stopped when Regulus received the little glasses, downing the first one then second.
James watched as Regulus made a disgusted face sticking his tongue out like it would get rid of the flavour.
He reached for his third unfinished drink “Aaannd two shots is enough for now”
Regulus frowned deeply “Let me live prude”
He shook his head “Imagine how upset you’ll be in the morning if I had to carry you out of the club before it hit one”
Regulus seemed to think this over as he rolled his eyes but turned away not reaching for his drink.
“I’ll hold onto this,” he said “how about dancing?”
Regulus let out a condescending laugh “I don’t dance…sober. and-“ he gestured to himself “Clearly I’m not drunk enough yet”
“Liar” James said simply
Regulus shot him a look
“Sirius told me your both trained in ballet and ballroom”
“Not really the kind of dancing you do in a club is it Potter?”
He shrugged, using his free hand to take Regulus hand dragging him into the crowd. Regulus rolled his eyes again but didn’t pull away so James stopped somewhere close to Dorcas, but not near Barty as he didn’t know if he could handle that prick at the moment.
After a few minutes of Regulus awkwardly swaying he leaned in close to James’ ear as if to say something, but he just felt the cold drink being removed from his hand Regulus finished the rest of the liquid making the same face then he leaned back in.
“Thank you” he seemed to yell over the pounding music “Toilet”
Then before James could answer Regulus was gone, he was back in such a short time he knew he’d actually gone off to find another drink.
He knew better then to say anything, he wasn’t there to lecture or judge Reg, he was there to make his friends think he was with James, nothing less nothing more. He wasn’t a glorified babysitter he had a job.
And holy fuck it was a warning. Regulus was certainly not a lair when it came to this.
His eyes were shut loosely as he moved his body in a way that if he didn’t slow down would give him a headache before the night was over.
James put his hands on Regulus hips slowing his movements into more a rhythm, Regulus let out a hearty laugh that made James blush. Regulus moved into James, drink splashing over their clothes.
Regulus leaned right into his ear and whispered “Your coming home with me Potter”
James blush got worse as he tried to stammer out a response, Regulus breath ghosting over his ear.
“Jesus your hot” he heard Regulus gasp like it was a criminal offence.
Fuck that didn’t help either
“I…what..” he tried
Regulus pouted taking his cheeks in his hands “your burning up I mean!” He yelled then he took a deep breath throwing his head back slightly
James snapped his eyes away from the sweat forming on the pretty man’s neck in front of him
“I won’t bite your head off if you look at me James” Regulus shouted pouting again “Unless!” He yelled pulling James closer “Barty is right, and you want that—“
James coved his mouth with a hand firmly shaking his head “Let’s not bring him into this”
Regulus laughed against his hand pulling it away, James let it fall to his side as he watched Regulus.
Fucking Regulus
☆☆☆
“I like your shirt” a man said appearing out of nowhere as Regulus got yet another drink, he’d lost count by now, he’d also lost James somehow.
He looked around before turning back to the stranger “Thanks, my brother gave it to me”
“Cool are you with anyone?” He asked
The sudden change in conversation confused Regulus’ already muddled head so he just laughed
The man reached out putting a hand on his knee.
Regulus head cleared up a little staring daggers at the man. “Nah uh” he said and the man wrenched his hand away
“Not big on touching” he laughed
“You don’t even know my name” Regulus sneered taking a long sip of his new drink
“Do we need—“ the strangers eyes flicked up to something behind him
Regulus felt someone—James—behind him and instinctively leaned back a little away from the man
“James” James introduced himself hand out for the stranger
Regulus took another sip eyes locked on the man in front of him
“What’s wrong?” James asked mock concern “You seemed fine enough with touching before”
He hesitantly shook James’ hand, Regulus smiling into the rim of his cup and he noticed the man struggle to pull back his hand, face twisting in pain before James let him go.
“Oliver” he said eyes flicking to Regulus, he gave his best mean smile telling him to piss off.
James let out a friendly laugh “So Oliver, kinda sad you have to hit on drunk men to get laid, isn’t It. How many drinks are you on, two? Barely peeking drunk and trying to make a night to remember?”
“Piss of James” the man spit “You seem completely sober”
James laughed again “Fuck off Oliver.”
He all but fell off his chair as he scrambled away muttering some insults.
Regulus spun around in his chair “I can hold my own against people like that.”
James looked genuinely mad, Regulus furrowed his brows frown spreading across his face.
“Fuck him” James responded
Regulus looked into the crowd then back at James, his frown fading away as he looked at James’ clenched jaw and annoyed scowl.
He laughed, James looking at him curiously “Your…jealous..?”
His face changed, blush spreading across his skin. Regulus pulled him in close so he could effectively whisper “It doesn’t look half bad”
James jerked back shaking his head “Your drunk, can I get the largest possible glass of water you have?” He asked the bartender
When she gave it to him James shoved it in his hands shouting something about needing the bathroom and not to move.
Regulus found himself outside, water still in his hands.
A shadow fell over his frame and he looked up, rolling his eyes as it was the stupid cunt—Oliver—
“You don’t give up” Regulus huffed
“It’s easier to talk without your fiery guard dog looming over us”
“My boyfriend.” Regulus supplied lip twitching into a frown at the lie
“I’m cool with that, but watching from afar wasn’t enough”
Regulus stilled sobering up slightly
I can rest easy knowing someone is watching over you.
He reached into his pocket taking out his lighter.
“Are you with my mother?” He said looking the man up and down
“What?” He asked “I was planing on being with you—“
Regulus steps forward suddenly, hand in the man’s hair. The flame coming to life
“Tell me the fucking truth Oliver.” He did look familiar, was he the man outside his flat? “I will light your hair on fire Oliver.” He waved the flame near his head
“No! Fuck man I just wanted to sleep with you!” He yelled
Regulus’ eyes flicked around the whole setting finally landing back on Oliver.
“Fine” he shoved his head away “if you approach me again I won’t hesitate. Even if your not here for my family your still a big fucking creep” he sneered
“You fucking insane”
Oliver looked terrified as he turned running as fast as it looked he could.
Regulus sighed stepping back inside the club, he wanted more alcohol.