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It’s been a really fucking long weekend.
They’d just gotten back from a long weekend at James’ parents’ house for their anniversary, helping set up for their puja, then running around doing errands for their party, and then helping set up for their party. Next came the actual party, which was overwhelming in itself, and needless to say James is tired.
He doesn’t bother unpacking, nor does he allow Regulus to unpack either. He slips his shoes off and grabs his boyfriend by the wrist despite his protests and drags him upstairs, immediately stripping his clothes off to get into something softer so that he could lay the fuck down .
“James,” Regulus groans. “James, honey, we need to unpack –“
“I need to be in my bed for at least four hours before we do anything else,” James mutters, pulling on a new pair of boxers. He doesn’t bother wearing a shirt, simply because he’s too overwhelmed to even wear a shirt. He flips down on the bed, wiggling around it for a moment to get comfy, and he settles on his pillow with his glasses half off his face.
“Understandable,” Regulus sighs, going to climb on the bed. The moment James feels the bed dip he looks at Regulus with one eye and holds his hand out, prompting a soft what? from Regulus.
“Outside clothes,” James mumbles, pushing his face into the pillow and completely discarding his glasses. “Change, be naked, I don’t care. Just – no outside clothes please.”
Regulus snorts, and after a few moments of shuffling and drawers opening and closing, he’s laying in bed next to James. “Are you feeling overwhelmed from this weekend?” Regulus asks quietly, honestly . James’ chest deflates, the anxiety of hiding his discomfort seeping away as he lifts his head and nods. A lump settles in his throat for some reason, though, and he feels tears stinging behind his eyes.
There’s a weight that’s been lifted off of his chest simply because of the fact that he doesn’t have to fear being honest with his boyfriend.
“That’s okay,” Regulus tells him softly, opening his arms for James. James gives him a weak smile before crawling right into his arms and resting his face in the crook of Regulus’ neck. A shaky breath leaves his lips and he lets a tear slip out of his eyes as he wraps an arm around Regulus’ waist, gripping onto the soft cotton of his shirt.
“If you feel like you need to cry you can, love. Or we can just lay here and be quiet for a bit and maybe take a little nap. I’d love to just sit here with you for a bit. I was running around so much I barely even got to kiss you this weekend,” Regulus comments lightheartedly, pressing a kiss to James’ forehead, and James snorts at that, sniffling as a few tears slip down his face.
“You were the one who insisted I stay home and help decorate and cook while you entertained the children,” James points out, pressing a kiss to Regulus’ neck before settling down. “You don’t even like children –“
“Okay, hey ,” Regulus scoffs, tugging at a curl on the back of James’ head. “I don’t not like children. I don’t like toddlers . There’s a huge difference, Aditya .”
“Toddlers and children are, like, the exact same thing,” James says, giggling through his words. “Toddlers are children and children can be toddlers –“
“ Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong , James,” Regulus sings, and James can’t help but laugh even harder at that as he slides his leg to rest between Regulus’. “Toddlers are children and children can be toddlers, but a child isn’t always a toddler. An 8 year old isn’t a toddler. Like, scientifically,” he explains. James wheezes, a whistle-like noise leaving his throat.
“Why can’t I just call an 8 year old a toddler for the fun of it?” James asks, tears slipping down his cheeks again for a completely different reason. “Science won’t kill me if I call an 8 year old a toddler –“
“ Yeah , but I will,” Regulus says, his voice deadly serious but James can hear the laugh behind his words. It spills out quickly and James feels Regulus’ arms wrapping around his shoulders. “You’re so fucking annoying, just take your stupid nap. You’re much less irritating when you’re not awake,” he jokes, pulling James’ ear lightly, and James kisses his teeth in mock irritation as he slaps Regulus’ chest lightly in retaliation.
“Fuck you,” James mutters, huffing out a breath as he lays down on Regulus’ chest, getting comfortable. “I fucking hate you.”
“The feeling’s mutual,” Regulus murmurs, kissing James’ head again. James smiles at that, opening his eyes and tilting his head up, puckering his lips a bit. Regulus complies, picking James’ lips before cupping his cheek gently, stroking it with his thumb. “Take your nap, baby. You need some rest before we do anything else, okay?” Regulus tells him seriously, eyes darting between James’. “Really. Do you wanna be alone, or –“
“I want you close to me right now,” James says, kissing the corner of Regulus’ mouth, then his chin, and then he lays back down and kisses Regulus on the chest, right where he knows his scar is. “You should rest too. Maybe you’ll wake up with the sudden realization that all children are toddlers –“
“ Oh my god, James, shut up .”