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"Are you sure you can't be persuaded to kidnap me?"
Sirius laughs, free and open like always.
"I think it has merit," Regulus grumbles, smushing his face into Sirius's chest.
Sirius just shakes his head, not bothering to argue the point because it's ridiculous. Regulus knows that it's ridiculous, but he can't help to hope for it. He knows that his future is with Sirius, but he wants it to be his present. But no, Sirius is an adult, and Regulus still has two more years of school.
Sirius puts his fingers in Regulus's hair and, for lack of a better word, pets him. If anyone else were in the room, Regulus would act huffy and indignant, but it's just the two of them, so he doesn't need to pretend. He sinks into it, floating in a lush cloud at Sirius's ministrations.
Far too soon, Sirius stops. "Time to get up," he says, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.
"Mm-mm."
Unfortunately, Sirius laughs and moves, forcing Regulus to be awake-- and grumpy. "C'mon, Mum and Dad want to talk to us about the betrothal."
"We're not getting married for four more years," Regulus groans, unhappy with both the time to wait and the number of times their parents forced them to have these meetings. For Merlin's sake, everyone and their grandfather knows that they are getting married, so why are they still bandying about like it's news? And why do they have to wait for Regulus to be twenty? He doesn't want to wait that long, and he has no idea why his parents want to wait so long either.
"That's four more years they have to tout us around as 'the ideal match'. Be grateful you didn't have to deal with it for the first few years."
Regulus looks at him incredulously as he finally gets off the bed. "They made you do that from the beginning?" He'd only got roped into it once he turned fifteen; they were officially betrothed when Sirius was ten.
Sirius nods, seemingly unbothered by this.
"Merlin, I don't know how you survived," he mutters.
"Chin up, Regulus, we've only got a few more years."
Regulus doesn't want it to be a few more years. Sirius is out of Hogwarts now. He's going to have a job and go to the pub with his mates, and what if he meets someone? Someone more like him, more attractive than Regulus, more interesting, someone talented in his field, who's the same age as him and knows what they're doing. Sirius will have four years to meet someone he likes better than Regulus, and he could call off their betrothal at any moment-- their parents would try to force him, but he knows that Sirius can't be forced to do anything.
And, well, why wouldn't he want to call it off? He's fond of Sirius in a brotherly sort of way, but he doesn't think of Regulus the way he'd like. He wants Sirius to think and feel more the way that he does about Sirius: interested, fascinated, and... aroused. Sirius refuses to kiss him. He'll kiss his cheek, his forehead, his hair, but never his lips. They cuddle and occasionally share a nap, but they don't sleep for the night in the same bed. Regulus has tried to initiate more... intimate things between them, but every time, Sirius turned him down with a soft voice and kind words. Regulus can't help but question it. Why does he want to wait? Why does he not take what's being freely offered? He doesn't like the conclusions he comes to, and clings to the fact that Sirius is fond of him and hasn't broken off their engagement. But two years apart might change that, and Regulus worries.
Out-loud, to respond to Sirius, he says, "You're not going to want me in a few more years."
Sirius stops cold at that and looks at him, brow furrowed. "Why would you think that?"
Regulus regrets bringing it up, but he has to answer; Sirius won't let this go. He swallows and answers, "Because you're barely interested in me now. You're going to spend nearly two years as an adult, barely seeing me, and then we have to wait another two years to get married. You'll find someone else."
"You think-" he stops. Sirius blinks at him, then takes slow steps towards him until he's stood right in front of him. "What makes you think I'm 'barely interested' in you?"
Regulus swallows again. The proximity isn't helping him think any clearer, not with the way his heart is pounding and his senses are filled with all things Sirius. "We never kiss. I've asked, and you always say no."
"You ask?" Sirius shakes his head and puts his hand on Regulus's neck, fingers curled around the back and his thumb resting at the hinge of his jaw. "The way I always remember it, is you come up to me like you don't want to be there and say that I can kiss you if I want to because we're going to be married some day. It never sounded like you want me to kiss you, so I didn't."
"But I said-" but did he? Did he actually say 'I want to kiss you if you want that too'? Or did he do what Sirius describes, blushing and looking down at his feet as he tells him in a jumbled mess that Sirius technically has rights to him because they're betrothed? He flushes now in heated embarrassment, eyes casting down as he realises yes, that's what he said to Sirius because he was afraid of rejection.
"Hey," Sirius says softly. His thumb nudges at Regulus to look at him, so he does. The look in Sirius's eyes makes his breath catch. It looks... like what he sees in the mirror when he thinks of Sirius. Sirius leans in and brushes a gentle kiss to his lips. He barely pulls away to say, "If I wasn't interested in you, I would've called this off ages ago. I was waiting for you to want it. You're younger; I needed you to want it before I made a single move."
"I thought I was being clear," Regulus defends absently, leaning in for another kiss-- which Sirius gives him, barely more pressure than before.
"Let me be clear, then. I want to be with you. I'm looking forward to marrying you and wish we didn't have to wait so long after you've graduated."
"I- erm." He clears his throat. "I want you too. I wish we could get married the day I turn seventeen. I-" he stops, blushing furiously.
"You can say it," Sirius prods gently. "It's just me."
"It's embarrassing to say."
"I won't judge."
Face flaming, Regulus says, "I want us to be... intimate. And I know we can't be until we're married, so it feels like torture. Why am I yours if I don't get to be with you?"
Sirius gives him another soft kiss. "We can ask our parents about moving up the date a bit. They'd still have two years to plan; that's plenty. And you can stop worrying about my interest," he says, stepping away from him and heading to the door. He pulls it open and waits for Regulus to exit first. "You're in no danger of my eyes wandering."
"What about Potter?" he mumbles.
Instantly, Sirius is amused, the curve of his lips enough to ensure Regulus's heart continue racing. "There's nothing going on there, despite what everyone says. Believe me, I'm always looking at you."