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James felt like he was going to be sick as he saw Sirius walk up. It was a nice restaurant. He’d brought Regulus here several times. And last week he invited Sirius to dinner, his treat, just the two of them.
“Really I’m flattered, but I have a boyfriend,” Sirius had joked upon the invite.
But they were both here and quickly led to their table. James’ mouth felt dry and he began downing the water the waitress had brought. He could hear his heart beating, blood rushing in his ears.
“You okay, Prongs?” Sirius asked with a smile. He had a guess what this dinner was about. James and Regulus had moved in together a few months ago after a year and a half of dating, and Sirius had always insisted from the beginning of the relationship that James should ask his permission before getting engaged. He had been half joking, but secretly looked forward to taunting James, telling him absolutely not before breaking into a smile and agreeing.
He hadn’t expected his best friend to look so incredibly nervous and sweaty.
James nodded, although he felt far from okay.
The waitress took their orders and Sirius had to hold two sides of a conversation while James tried to get the courage to ask.
Eventually the meals had even come out and Sirius couldn’t take it anymore. “Prongs, just say what you need to say.”
James took a deep breath and blurted out something that Sirius hadn’t anticipated. “I’m allergic to cats.”
“What?”
James too seemed a bit shocked by what he said. “I’m allergic to cats,” he repeated in a rush. When Regulus had moved in with James, so had his cat, Ellie. “Ever since I was born, I’ve been horribly allergic. And I just smile while my throat starts to swell, praying that Reg never catches on. I have to slip to the bathroom to down meds so I don’t start wheezing. I spend so much money on allergy meds. All so that your brother will never know that I’m allergic to cats.” He’d barely taken a moment to breathe during the rush of words.
Sirius looked at his best friend, dumbfounded. His brother loved that cat and he couldn’t imagine him without her.
“Regulus is my world. And he loves that cat and I love him. So he can never know that I’m allergic. He cannot know about my subscription to allergy medicine. I would never make him choose between us and not just because I'm fairly certain I'd lose.”
Sirius still didn’t respond.
James finally took a deep breath and laughed nervously. “I’m afraid this wasn’t the point of dinner but hopefully that at least shows you how much I love your brother. I want to propose to him,” he said, pulling out a box from his pocket.
Sirius couldn’t help but cackle. “James, you’re such an idiot.” Soon he was crying from laughing so hard. “Of course you have my permission to ask him.” He was too thrown off to pull James’ leg. “Oh my god. How have you gotten away with this for months?”
James laughed too, much more relaxed now. “I don’t know.”
“Regulus is smart. He’ll find out soon enough.”
“I really hope he doesn’t.”
Sirius pulled the ring from the box, a silver and emerald ring and he knew his brother would love it. “He will.”