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James hums as they get out of the shower, smiling a bit upon seeing Regulus leaning against the row of lockers nearest to the showers. They’re quick to wrap a towel around their waist and head over to the man, pulling him into a kiss after mumbling, “Thank you for waiting, baby.”
Much to their surprise, Regulus hesitates in the kiss, which makes James pull back a bit, “Sorry, did you not expect that?” But they don’t let him get an answer in before they start drying off their hair -- actually they’re a bit shocked that Regulus didn’t grumble about his hair when they approached him since he usually does -- and slip out of their towel to change into their clothes.
And they’re so used to doing this, meeting up with Regulus in the locker room after a match, even if only one of them is playing, and waiting for the rest of their teams to head out of the locker rooms before showering and spending some time together in the locker rooms -- no one ever comes back into them after they’ve left unless they forgot something and Regulus was staying back already so he didn’t have to shower or strip in front of the guys and James likes to wait a bit because they hum when they shower and they’ve gotten reprimanded for it enough.
Which is why they can do this routine without their glasses, it’s why they can navigate around the area just enough for them to be able to pull Regulus into a sweet kiss then get themself ready for the evening. However, usually Regulus is a bit more talkative than today, but perhaps today as an off day, he’s typically pretty quiet and resigned when his day isn’t going well.
“Love, have you seen my glasses?” They ask once they’re fully changed, now reaching out and grabbing blindly around where their clothes were for their glasses that they swear they put right underneath their shirt so they don’t get fogged up with the steam of the room… Fuck, if they fell on the floor.
They’re just about to get to their knees to search for their glasses -- honestly, they always assume that they’d be easier to find since they’re golden frames on a dark gray floor, but the thin metal makes them nearly fucking impossible when everything is blurry… Merlin James is blind -- when Regulus speaks up, “You asshole.” And then a soft, yet calloused, hand that James would know in their sleep, is pressing against their arm and making them stand up straight, their glasses being placed onto their face.
All of a sudden Regulus is crystal clear in their vision and they smile softly at him, tilting their head a bit, “Thank you.” And that’s when someone clears their throat, making James snap their eyes up.
Fuck.
Standing there, leaning against the lockers nearest to the showers, is Sirius with his arms crossed…
Sirius, who now has his eyebrows raised as he looks between the two of them, muttering low, “Tell me you didn’t just…”
And that makes the soft look that Regulus was trying to hide from his brother but show to James fall as he stares flatly at them, “What did you do, James?”
“I may have…” James hums, “kissed Sirius thinking that it was… you.” At twin cold glares from the brother, they throw their hands up, “In my defense, I had no way to tell that it wasn’t you! I wasn’t wearing my glasses, and I clearly couldn’t find them and that’s where you always stand, so I had no reason to believe the pale person with dark hair leaning against the lockers at what I assumed was the right height wasn’t you, Reg.”
Regulus sighs and watches them for a moment before sighing again, “Part of it wasn’t your fault. Sirius was the arsehat that stole your glasses.”
“And neither of you,” Sirius starts, sounding increasingly angry, “Are blame free because you’ve been sneaking around me? How the fuck was I supposed to know that you always meet up for whatever- whatever…” he grimaces at whatever image flashes through his mind, “disgusting things you two get up to out here. How the fuck was I supposed to know that a harmless prank that I’ve done a million times would get me fucking kissed by what? Your fuckbuddy?”
“Boyfriend,” Regulus corrects casually, rubbing at his temples. He sighs again, clicking his tongue before continuing, “You know that we both stay behind when we have games, it’s honestly your fault for assuming that nothing was happening between us.” And with that, he grabs the towel that James was previously using to dry his hair, pushing his partner to sit down before gently patting at their curls -- he always does it, he hates how James treats their hair because it kills their curls, or whatever that means, so he forces them to let him take care of them -- but continues talking, “What with the way that James stares at me all the time? They’re not subtle about it.” He huffs a gentle laugh, quiet enough that only James could hear it when he sees them pout, “Not that I mind, Jamie. I’m just making a point.”
“I hate that.” Sirius sneers, though he sounds calmer than he did before.
But Regulus doesn’t seem to want to humour him, “What do you hate? Whatever it is, you can get over it.”
“I hate that you’re… showing emotions. That’s not what you do in my mind, but here you are… taking care of my best friend’s hair.” After a couple seconds, he hums, “That’s why James’ hair has gotten so much better recently.” Then he pauses and speaks again soon after, “Wait- their hair has been doing better almost the entire year, how long have you guys been sneaking around me?”
“We started this… what last year?” James asks, smiling when Regulus walks over to their locker and pulls out his series of creams and serums that he’s going to take a million years carefully putting in their hair. The younger nods but doesn’t otherwise say anything, just rubs one of the products between his hands and starts working it into their hair, “At some point last year. I was helping clean up so I was late to get freshened up and I saw Reg leaving. So I approached him, annoyed the information that he waits ‘till everyone leaves to shower out of him, and started waiting behind for more than one reason.”
“Okay, but you haven’t been dating for that long behind me back, have you?” There’s a tone to Sirius’ voice that James can’t quite decipher. Something on Regulus’ face says that he can’t figure out what his brother is feeling, either.
Regulus hums, smiling softly at James when they melt into the ministrations of him working his curls, “No, we haven’t. It was a lot of them following me like a lost puppy and annoying me until I finally decided that I tolerated him. Toleration turned to romantic feelings not long after that just after the year started.” He shrugs, “We’ve been dating longer than I’ve been fixing their hair, that was because I got annoyed at them not taking care of their pretty hair.”
Sirius hums, nodding contemplatively, “The Potters do have fabulous hair, when they take care of it.” Regulus nods, working something else into James’ hair. They don’t seem to mind, although they clearly enjoy the attention of Regulus rubbing products into their scalp and curls.
“And yet James doesn’t, I don’t know how you didn’t snap and force them to take care of their hair earlier,” Regulus admonishes his brother, “Perhaps you were too wrapped up in your excessive face-care routine.”
And it seems like Sirius is going to say something before he makes a motion like he’s swatting a bunch of bugs from in front of him, “No, wait- we’re not getting off topic. You two have been dating behind my fucking back and neither of you have thought to tell me. I think there are… a million different ways for me to find out, but let me tell you- learning because James fucking kissed me instead of my brother, is the shittiest possible way.” He gesticulates a bunch but neither of the partners can quite figure out what he’s trying to convey, other than he looks like a muggle-made wizard trying to cast a spell in shitty muggle movies, “I mean, I wouldn’t even know who it was that James was trying to kiss until you walked in.”
James hums, “Sorry about that, to both of you.”
Regulus shakes his head, “As long as you brush your teeth before you try to kiss me, I don’t mind. It was my brother’s fault for taking your glasses, although we will be talking about your tendency to just kiss me, later.” Then he turns to Sirius, “And yet, I think the shock of what you experienced made it so you were at least minimally more complacent in learning about us. Otherwise, it’s possible you would’ve threatened, or gone a step further and injured, James.”
At that, Sirius pouts but he doesn’t otherwise say anything, and both Regulus and James know that they’ve won. Then he raises his chin haughtily, “I’m telling Remus about this.”
“You and I both know that he’ll find it hilarious.” Regulus hums, shooing his brother away with one of his hands before continuing working through James’ hair. Sirius makes a noise and walks away, disappearing through the door of the changing rooms.
It’s only then that James collapses just a bit, “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to be sorry, Jamie.” Regulus shakes his head, pausing a moment to press a kiss to their lips, “I get it, obviously you shouldn’t just walk up and kiss me in the future, but I’ve never told you not to and you had no reason to believe that it wasn’t me. Maybe from now on, if my brother decides to fuck with you in the future, he’ll make himself known to you and not stand there like a dumbass.”
James smiles softly at him, “Thank you.” After a couple seconds, while Regulus is working the last of the products into their hair -- he’s explained everything to James and what it does several times, but they just can’t remember, that’s why he’s the one that does it -- they hum, “Why were you late to come in anyways?”
Regulus sighs, “Mulciber and Avery started a fight while they were changing and didn’t leave until later than usual so I was late.”
“Gross.”
“Indeed.” Then they grin after a couple seconds, “You kissed me.”
The younger furrows his brows, “What?”
“You kissed me, but you said you would wait until I brushed my teeth.”
“I was being dramatic because Sirius was right there,” Regulus rolls his eyes, “Unless you were proper snogging him, I have no reason to make you brush your teeth, what would that do?”
“Merlin, I love you.” James smiles, putting away the things that Regulus pulled out while he walks over to the sinks and washes his hands of the products that he used.
“I love you, too.” Regulus says on his journey back to them, helping them clean up and grab their things before throwing his own bag over his shoulder and guiding James out of the changing room by their hand.