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With the amount of time that James spent in Regulus’ flat, it was only logical that they move in together. So, James packed up his things and said farewell to his roommates (while they were all a bit sad after almost a decade of living together, Sirius and Remus didn’t mind getting full privacy since Pete’s moving in a couple weeks anyway).
There’s always been a shut door in Regulus’ flat. At first, James didn’t ask because he didn’t feel he knew Regulus enough to ask. But then, even after they had begun dating it was something James never asked about. It’s just a locked black door at the end of one of the hallways and, perhaps, that’s all it will over be to James. For all he knows, it could just be storage.
One day, however, James comes home and sees the black door slightly ajar. Instead of investigating, James kicks off his shoes and ventures into the house to look for his boyfriend. However, he stops short and goes pale when he finds Regulus.
Because his boyfriend is sitting on their couch, cooing at and happily petting a monster. It’s fucking huge, taking up most of the younger’s hand, and it’s hairy and-
James forces himself to take a couple breaths to calm himself. By the time that he isn’t on the verge of a panic attack, Regulus turns to him and smiles, “Hey Jamie. Are you… are you okay?”
James swallows thickly, “Yeah, yeah. I’m just… tired.” He glances around then shrugs, “I’m gonna hop in the shower.” Regulus nods, then goes back to talking to the spider in his hand. James takes the opportunity to rush from the room.
When James makes it to the bedroom, he grabs out his phone and texts Sirius in a panic, ‘Why didn’t you tell me Reg owns a spider.’
Sirius: A spider
Sirius: A singular one
Sirius: oh he has several
Sirius: i thought you knew
James: Well
James: I didn’t
James: I might throw up
James: I’m actually feeling nauseous and I can’t breathe
James: Pads, what do I do?
Sirius: Just don’t think about it.
Sirius: Go have a shower or something.
Sirius: Tell him about your arachnophobia at dinner, ask him to not bring them out when you’re around
Sirius: Just don’t ask him to get rid of them.
James: I couldn’t ask him to get rid of them
James: He looked so happy
James: As long as he keeps that door closed, I think I can handle it
Sirius: Just tell him that.
James: Yeah
James: Thanks Pads
Sirius: that was moons
James: Either way
James: I’m gonna take a shower
James tosses his phone on the bed and grabs some comfortable clothes to change into, then he walks into the bathroom. James spends the shower rubbing his skin red and raw.
When he gets out, Regulus has put that thing away and is working on dinner. The two talk about their days and sit down for dinner.
After the discovery, and him thinking of broaching the subject, James has no appetite, so he pushes his food around a bit before he sighs, “I didn’t know you had spiders?” It’s posed as both a question and a statement and Regulus looks up at the words.
He’s positively beaming when he answers, “Yeah! I have seven, some of them I’ve had since school.” Then he tilts his head and furrows his brows, “Sorry, I thought you knew.”
James shakes his head, “I didn’t but it’s… it’s fine.” then he takes a deep breath, “Reg, listen I-”
“But now that-” the younger flushes, “Sorry.”
And James, ever the chivalrous man, gestures to his boyfriend, “You go first.”
“Yeah, uhm… I was just saying that now you can help me feed them! Barty used to help me do it, but then he moved out and it’s just difficult to feed all of them alone.”
James swallows a couple times an flattens his palms on the table, “Yeah so, I-”
“You’ll help?! That’s amazing!” And Reg is positively glowing so James can’t find it in himself to correct him.
…
“Sirius,” James hisses into the phone, where he can hear Sirius cackling, “It’s not funny. I’m going to actually have a panic attack.”
Sirius, apparently hearing just how panicked and out of breath his friend is, calms down, “Okay, I’m sorry. Can’t you tell him?”
“I- he looks so happy, Pads.” James breathes, shaking his head, “I just… maybe I’ll try. It can’t be that bad.”
“Prongs.” Remus’ voice is heard from the side, “James, it is that bad every time.”
“I’ll just… if it gets bad enough, I”ll make up an excuse.” Just as he finishes his statement, Regulus walks into the room, “Listen, I have to go.”
“Let us know how it goes. If push comes to shove, I’ll mention it to him for you.”
“I will, and thank you.” James hangs up, and turns to his boyfriend, nodding hesitantly when Regulus asks if he’s ready.”
~~~~~
For the past several weeks, James has been helping Regulus feed his babies. Well- he usually only helps for a couple minutes then he leaves for one reason or another, and while slightly frustrating, Regulus understands. Feeding the spiders is a tedious task and James can only do those for so long.
Today, just as he’s feeding Sasha, James makes a noise that has Regulus glancing his way. The older rushes out that he needs to use the bathroom and practically runs out of the room.
His speed is alarming enough that Regulus finishes feeding Sasha and heads out of the room and to their bathroom. James is standing in front of the sink, pale and breathing heavy. He’s running his arms under the water and scrubbing at his arms so hard he’s practically clawing at his skin.
“Jamie?” Regulus asks, walking fully into the bathroom, “What’s wrong?”
James slowly turns off the water. He grabs a towel and starts drying off his arms and turns slowly--oh so slowly--to Regulus, taking several deep breaths. Finally, after enough time for Regulus’ heart to have dropped to his stomach, James offers him a lopsided, awkward smile, “I uh- you know how I’ve been helping you feed your spiders and I always leave after a couple minutes?” Regulus nods slowly, his worry building. James pushes on, “I may or may not be terrified of spiders. Like, deathly so.”
The words are said so quickly that Regulus has to take a minute to process what was said. When he does, he feels his heart shatter and fall out his ass because his boyfriend is fucking scared of spiders and Regulus has been forcing him to help him. It makes so much more sense why James always leaves early. And why he refuses to hold the spiders.
As soon as the realization has been made, Regulus surges forward and washes his hands so he can pull his trembling boyfriend into his arms, “Oh my God, James, I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
James wraps shaky arms around Regulus’ waist and he leans forward to rest his forehead on the shorter’s shoulder, which has to be uncomfortable with how he’s hunched like that, “I was going to tell you when I found out about your spiders but you said I could help you and you looked so excited and I can’t say no to you.”
“But you…” Regulus starts, then he falters. He knows how James is. So he hums, “How… how bad is it?”
James hums back, “I usually get nauseous, sometimes I get panic attacks if I’m around spiders for too long or if I’m not expecting to see a spider.”
“But didn’t you guys do that prank with all the spiders?”
James sighs. He pulls his arms away and slides down to sit against the tub, “I didn’t… I didn’t help with that and I didn’t leave my dorm for three days to make sure most, if not all, the spiders were gone. That’s how Sirius and Remus found out about my fear.”
Regulus joins his boyfriend on the floor, wrapping an arm around him, “I’m sorry, Jamie. I don’t- you don’t have to help me feed them. Wait, do you- are you okay with me having them?”
“Yeah!” Jame shouts, then his shoulders deflate, “Sorry, uhm… yeah, I don’t mind you keeping them as long as you keep the door closed and don’t get them out when I’m around. I wouldn’t make you get rid of them, you love your spiders.”
“Not as much as I love you.” Regulus frowns, “I don’t want you to be constantly anxious living in your own home. I can ask Barty to take them if you really can’t live with them. He and Ev love my spiders.”
“I promise it’s fine, Reg.”
From then on, the door remains shut when James is in the house and he seems to be able to coexist with them for the most part (though he did stay with Remus and Sirius for a week when one of the spiders got out).