Chapter Text
James had never spent time with anyone outside of his closest circle of friends. Even when he occasionally interacted with other people, Sirius, Remus, Peter, or, less often, one of the girls, was always nearby. This year, however, he accidentally struck up a friendship with Crouch, a teammate. At first, James was sure the boy didn’t like him, but it quickly became clear that Barty’s snarky remarks were just his sense of humor, and most of what he said wasn’t meant seriously. James’s group of friends was a bit surprised by this new acquaintance. Sirius, in particular, was outraged and needed several reassurances that he was still James’s best friend. Eventually, they got used to the idea that James had a new friend who wasn’t connected to them.
For the most part, James and Barty only saw each other during practices and exchanged the occasional quick chat in the hallways. Still, James genuinely liked the guy. Even so, he hadn’t expected Barty to invite him to his birthday party. Barty had said it was no big deal and that only his closest friends would be there — people James knew well enough by reputation.
There was Dorcas from their year. James had no idea how she had become part of Barty’s small group. Then there were the Rosier twins. When the two of them were together, no one was safe. Pandora, Lily’s girlfriend, seemed to be the only person besides Crouch who genuinely liked James. Evan acted as if he had undiagnosed ADHD and seemed to dislike James. Finally, there was Regulus, Sirius’s younger brother. James remembered him from their childhood when they had all played together, but from the age of fourteen, Regulus had decided James was his nemesis. James had no idea why Regulus had suddenly stopped liking him. They had never been close friends, but he had spent a lot of time with him and Sirius.
James didn’t tell his friends he was going to Barty’s birthday party. He had a simple reason: he knew Sirius would lose his mind. He didn’t want to lie to his closest friends, but thankfully, no one suggested meeting up on Friday, so he didn’t have to use the excuse he had prepared just in case. The only ones who knew where he was going were Lily and Marlene. Lily, of course, found out through Pandora, and Marlene, who was also on the school football team, overheard Barty telling James about the party. Both promised to cover for him if necessary.
Now, James could only hope that Regulus wouldn’t tell Sirius beforehand who else would be at the party. It wasn’t that the brothers didn’t talk; their relationship was typical sibling fare. As an only child, James didn’t fully understand it, but it seemed like they enjoyed annoying each other. He had no doubt that if one needed help, the other would be the first to step up, but day-to-day, they hated each other in that normal, brotherly way. James knew that Regulus would seize the opportunity to say something like, Even James prefers hanging out with us now rather than with you. Having spent nearly his entire childhood with them, James knew they used anything they could to tease each other. He just hoped Regulus wouldn’t do it before the party, because James planned to approach him there and ask him not to.
James arrived a little late by bus. He assumed everyone else was already there, and he was quickly proven right. Barty opened the door wearing a paper crown from a McDonald’s happy meal, except this one was covered with inappropriate drawings and messages.
James would be lying if he said he wasn’t nervous about the gathering. He was doing it only for Barty, whom he had grown to like. The rest of Barty’s friends seemed a little intimidating. James knew he shouldn’t jump to conclusions — after all, he had once thought the same about Crouch. But there were four others this time, and the odds of being wrong about all of them felt slim.
“I thought you’d never make it,” Barty greeted him, stepping aside to let him in. James could hear laughter and music coming from what must have been the living room. Barty waited as James took off his shoes and coat.
“I missed one bus, so I had to wait for the next,” James explained, but Barty just waved it off.
“Happy birthday, man,” James said, finally handing him the present. Barty pulled him into a friendly hug.
“Thanks. Come on, let’s join the others.” James was a little terrified. Barty noticed and just laughed, but James followed him into the living room anyway.
Whatever James had expected, it wasn’t this. Sure, the music was loud — a mix of upbeat songs from various genres, which he guessed must be a shared playlist. The coffee table was piled with snacks, with alcohol and paper cups tucked underneath. But otherwise, it was surprisingly calm. Regulus was braiding Pandora’s hair, and Evan was lying with his head on Dorcas’s lap as they played on a console. Everyone was sitting on the floor, even though there was a couch behind them. It reminded James of evenings with his own friends.
All heads turned toward him as he entered. Evan was the only one who quickly looked back at the TV, rolling his eyes first. James appreciated the lack of a stare, even if the gesture was far from friendly. He smiled awkwardly.
“Everyone knows James, right? I don’t need to introduce him,” said Barty confidently. James was well aware that most students in their high school knew his name. He wasn’t sure when his group had become the center of attention, but lately, people had started recognizing him, which had led to an influx of creative rumors about him.
“Of course we know the teachers’ pet,” Regulus chimed in, his tone dripping with sarcasm. James wasn’t sure how to respond, but fortunately, he didn’t have to.
“Oh, come on, Reg. Behave. Don’t be rude,” Barty said, smacking him on the back of the head — not lightly. “Come on, let’s grab a drink. The pizza should be here soon,” he added, leading the way.
James felt slightly more at ease sitting between Barty and Pandora, who seemed like the only people genuinely happy he was there. But his confidence wavered when he noticed Evan glaring at him. Suddenly, it felt like coming here might not have been the best idea. Perhaps he should have just handed Barty the gift at another time.
“You know Marlene McKinnon, right?” Dorcas suddenly asked, pulling him out of his thoughts. James nodded.
“Then can you tell her to back off and stop stuffing threats into my locker unless she wants a visit to Dumbledore’s office?” she said, handing him a crumpled note.
James studied it briefly before unfolding it. Scrawled in awful handwriting, it read: The Moomins are watching you, the Moomins are following you, the Moomins will find you, kill you, and eat you.
Yep, classic Marlene. The blonde had mentioned her rivalry with Dorcas for the title of the year’s best athlete, but she’d conveniently left out the part about these notes. James snorted softly.
“I’ll tell her to knock it off,” he assured Dorcas, tucking the note into his pocket. He definitely needed to confront Marlene about this.
“It’s not like you don’t enjoy getting love letters from McKinnon,” Evan quipped, earning a smack on the arm from Dorcas.
“She’s threatening me, for Merlin’s sake!” Dorcas protested. James narrowed his eyes at her, observing her carefully.
“I hate her and her stupid face,” she added, though James wasn’t entirely convinced. He didn’t know Meadowes well, but something about her reaction felt… insincere.
He did know Marlene, though. They’d spent their childhood together, along with Peter. James knew that when Marlene genuinely disliked someone, she ignored them entirely. On the other hand, hatred wasn’t the opposite of love — it still meant you felt something. True indifference was the absence of any feeling at all. Lily had once told him that after reading it in a book. James often found himself coming back to that thought.
Despite his initial reservations, James found himself feeling less out of place as time went on. Nobody had directly targeted him yet, likely because Barty had warned them off beforehand. Most people just ignored his presence, which, honestly, James didn’t mind. He had braced himself for snide comments from Regulus, piercing stares from Dorcas, sarcastic barbs from Evan, and a general aura of disdain. But for now, he was relieved that they were pretending he didn’t exist. It was better this way.
Still, in moments like these, he missed Sirius, Remus, Peter, and even the girls. He felt so much more at ease around them. He wasn’t entirely himself, but it was the closest version of himself he ever showed others.
James often wondered if he’d ever find someone he could truly be himself with. He’d always felt the need to be liked, molding himself to fit in with whoever he was around. It wasn’t that he was fake — he didn’t pretend to be someone else. He just reflected the light of the people he was with. People thought they knew him well, but they didn’t. They saw him but never tried to know him. And since he kept changing who he was depending on the person, even James wasn’t sure who he really was anymore. He feared letting people down, so he always tried to make everyone happy. But it felt like no one noticed the effort. He wanted to stop trying so hard, but he couldn’t imagine a version of himself that wasn’t needed.
Here, he tried to fit in too, and eventually, it started to work. The alcohol helped. People stopped ignoring him, and James found himself responding to Dorcas’s sarcastic remarks with sarcasm of his own, listening intently as Pandora excitedly described her latest chemistry experiments (which he decided not to question for safety reasons), and even bonding with Evan over skateboarding. Regulus remained the only one who didn’t soften. James caught him rolling his eyes every time he spoke, though he couldn’t understand why.
“We’re playing Truth or Dare!” Barty suddenly declared, not bothering to ask for anyone’s input.
“I hate these games,” Regulus muttered but joined the circle anyway.
“I’m spinning first,” Evan insisted, cutting off Barty’s protest. The bottle landed on Pandora.
“Truth or dare, Panda?” Evan asked.
“Truth, for a warm-up,” Pandora replied, though James doubted it was the safer option. He’d rather embarrass himself than open up.
“Hmm… I don’t believe my sister is that innocent. How many people in this room have you kissed?”
“You’re so predictable,” Pandora said, rolling her eyes — a habit James realized they all seemed to share. “Two.”
“What?!” Evan practically shouted. “I expected one because, you know, girls’ sleepovers but two?! Who besides Dorcas?”
“Why are you so sure one of them is Dorcas?”
“Isn’t it?” Evan’s gaze darted to James. “If it’s you, Potter, I swear—”
“Calm down, Ev,” Pandora cut in, probably saving a very confused James. “Yes, fine, one was Dorcas.”
“And the other?” Evan pressed, clearly unwilling to move on until he had answers.
“You’re not going to like the answer,” Pandora warned, her tone almost teasing. James found himself curious too. There weren’t many options left — he’d guess Regulus, given how close the two seemed.
“Whatever you say, I won’t like it. Dorcas is the only one I’d approve of anyway.”
“Barty,” Pandora said simply before returning to braiding her hair.
“WHAT?! You’re dead, Crouch!” Evan shot up, looking ready to pounce.
“Calm down, Evan,” Regulus finally spoke up, grabbing his friend’s arm to keep him seated.
“You knew ! You too?!” Evan gestured accusingly at both Regulus and Dorcas. “Turns out James is the only loyal one here. Thanks, mate, for never doing something like this to me.”
James laughed, exchanging a playful high-five with Evan, who was clearly the most intoxicated of the group but also the most entertaining.
“Steal my friend in revenge,” Barty muttered to himself, though everyone heard.
“You stole my sister!” Evan shot back.
They would probably keep arguing endlessly, so Pandora seems to do the smartest thing — ignoring them and spinning the bottle, which this time points at Dorcas. The girl takes a moment to think about her choice.
“Truth,” she finally says.
“Honestly, have you ever provoked Marlene too? I mean, anything at all — did you start something with her first, or annoy her on purpose?” James feels a bit uneasy because for the second time that evening, the subject of his friend and Dorcas is brought up. Sometimes he forgets that other people can talk to their friends about them, just like he does about others.
“Maybe I did a couple of times,” she admits. “But she’s the crazy one. I didn’t send her any threats,” she adds defensively.
“Oh yeah, because minions are just so terrifying,” comments Crouch, already sitting back on the carpet.
“Moomins,” the girl corrects him.
James notices the corners of Regulus’s mouth lift for the briefest moment. He would never have noticed if he hadn’t been watching closely. Once again that evening, he catches himself observing the younger Black. He just wants to know at what point and for what reason Regulus started hating him so much.
“You’re all ridiculous,” the blonde interrupts another small argument. Over the past hour, James has realized that Barty, Evan, and Dorcas squabble about something roughly every five minutes. “Your turn, Dorcas.”
“Spin for me. I need to use the bathroom,” she says, standing up and disappearing behind the bathroom door. Dora shrugs and spins the bottle again to pick the next victim.
James knew it was going to happen eventually. And here it is, the bottle pointing straight at him. For the last time, he considers both options, but his decision doesn’t change. He can make a fool of himself for a few seconds. They’ll all forget about whatever ridiculous thing he had to do soon enough. But sharing his thoughts? That’s terrifying. Choosing truth is too risky.
“Dare,” he says. Barty whistles, pleased, as if he were the one deciding what James has to do. Then he remembers it’s Pandora’s task. He couldn’t have gotten luckier in that regard.
“Finally, someone who’s not boring.”
“Let me think,” she says, dragging it out. James, however, doesn’t miss the brief exchange of glances between her and Regulus, who now looks like he wants to kill the blonde with his gaze. James doesn’t understand it.
“Kiss Regulus,” she says casually, gesturing toward her friend.
“What?!”
“What?!” James isn’t the only one shouting — Evan’s reaction is just as loud.
“Pandora,” there’s a note of warning in the younger Black’s voice. “This was supposed to be a dare for Potter. Why does it have to involve me?” He doesn’t seem outraged, as James had expected. Still, he’s ignoring the bespectacled boy, not even sparing him a glance.
It’s a valid point. Besides, James simply can’t do it. Sirius would kill him if he found out. And Regulus is cruel enough to make sure he did.
“It’s fair. You’re the only viable option. Dorcas won’t touch a man, and everyone else here is in a relationship,” she explains, and James realizes he must’ve missed the part where Barty mentioned he was seeing someone.
“Hey! I’m single. So is Barty,” Evan protests, and the rest of the group, except for him, Crouch, and James, bursts out laughing.
“Sure. Whatever you say, Ev.”
“Regulus’s boyfriend is going to be jealous,” Barty adds, his tone turning teasing.
“He’s not my boyfriend,” Regulus replies. His voice is firm, as always, with a touch of intimidation. James wonders who Barty could be talking about. “Doesn’t matter. Let’s just get it over with,” Regulus says suddenly, and James snaps back to attention. He thought Reg would be on his side for this, at least.
“No, I’m not doing it,” he protests immediately.
“What’s your problem?! Let’s just get it over with.” It’s not that James has a problem with Regulus Black. The boy is… handsome. That’s an objective statement. James has nothing against kissing attractive people. It’s about the consequences he’d have to face if Sirius found out.
“I don’t want to!” He sees it for just a moment — Regulus can hide his emotions better than any of them. But James catches the fleeting second when something dims in his eyes, and the cold mask he always wears slips. For just an instant, something like hurt shines through. James wonders if he imagined it. He stares at his hands, searching for the right words. He doesn’t like a sad Regulus. He’d rather he be mean. “It’s just… I can’t. It’s not about you, Reg, but Sirius would kill me—”
“Of course, it’s always about my brother. I wouldn’t tell him, you idiot,” Regulus snaps, and that changes things. James lifts his head to meet his gaze. “Are you doing it or taking the penalty?”
“Alright. Umm, is it okay for you? I mean, we don’t have to if you—”
“Just get it over with, Potter,” Regulus rolls his eyes and sits across from him.
James hesitates only once before he takes the younger boy’s face in his hands. Slowly, he leans in and presses their lips together. It’s a slow kiss, and there’s something gentle about it. James doesn’t know how else to describe it. He’s kissed plenty of random people at parties and during games like this. Those kisses were usually drunk, quick, like someone was trying to rip his clothes off in front of everyone. This is different. There’s nothing desperate or loud about it. Regulus kisses back like it’s a promise. James doesn’t know what it all means, but he feels something deep in his chest break apart. He pulls Regulus closer; he can’t help it. For one second, he wants to hold him in his arms and watch him fall apart, lay his soul bare, explain why he always seems so sad.
And then Barty whistles. The spell is broken, and James remembers they’re not alone.
“I hate you, Potter,” is the first thing Regulus says as they pull away. But there’s something fractured in his voice, and he doesn’t seem so sure about the statement anymore.
Regulus ignores him for the rest of the evening.
And James can’t stop thinking about him.
xxx
The locker room is usually full for longer after practice, but today is Friday, and everyone is eager to start the weekend as soon as possible. Especially since May has just begun. The weather is getting warmer, and school is starting to feel optional for many students — particularly for their year, as they’re graduating this summer. James enjoys the rare days when he can shower in peace and linger here a bit longer. He knows he’ll miss this locker room.
Football isn’t even his biggest passion. He much prefers skateboarding, playing his electric guitar, or diving into the darkest corners of the Marvel universe and its fandoms. Still, there’s a kind of calm he finds on the field that nothing else can provide. He’s always been full of energy — sometimes too much — and as a kid, his parents signed him up for every sport they could think of. He enjoyed them all, but only for a short while.
He still remembers the summer when his dad woke him up and told him he had a surprise. James didn’t know he was going to his first football practice until they arrived. He was eight years old then, and it was on that field that he met Sirius. Sirius may have quit after two years, but their friendship endured. It wasn’t just Sirius that football brought into his life, though — it also gave him a sport that would stay with him. On the field, he feels adrenaline pumping and forgets about who he really is. It’s easier not to think about it when the ball is the priority.
His peace doesn’t last long, though, as a familiar blonde bursts into the locker room. She paces back and forth like she’s fighting an internal war before finally sitting across from him. She looks terrified, but James knows it can’t be anything too serious.
“What are you doing in the boys’ locker room?” he raises an eyebrow. Marlene is the first girl on their team, but the principal arranged a small private space for her to change.
“I think I might like Dorcas Meadowes more than I should,” she blurts. James tries his best not to laugh, but a chuckle escapes him anyway.
“Don’t laugh,” she scolds, throwing a random, sweaty shirt at him.
“Gross. That’s disgusting, Marls,” he says, tossing the shirt back to where it came from. “So, what are you going to do about it? Threatening her with Moomins isn’t exactly the best way to win a girl over, you know,” he teases, suddenly recalling the notes she used to send the brunette.
“Shut up, James,” she warns, but he’s still laughing. He’s known Marlene his whole life, and he figured out a while ago that her rivalry with Meadowes wasn’t fueled by hatred. Still, he hadn’t been entirely sure and decided to give her time to figure it out on her own.
“Seriously, though. Are you planning to make a move?”
“I don’t stand a chance anyway. Dorcas hates me,” she says, waving her hand dismissively, and James can’t help but feel sorry for her. Marlene came out as a lesbian when she was fourteen. She told him and Peter during a summer bonfire at the Pettigrews’. They’d been playing a game to see who could stuff more marshmallows into their mouths when she casually dropped the news, saying she’d figured it out recently but had forgotten to tell them. Since then, nobody had really caught her attention — except, briefly, Mary. It doesn’t surprise James that it’s Dorcas now. Maybe there’s some truth to the saying that love and hate are two sides of the same coin.
“That doesn’t mean you can’t change her mind, Marls,” he says, sitting beside her and pulling her into a side hug. She rests her head on his shoulder immediately.
“I don’t know what to do,” she admits, and James who might not be the most sensible person, decides that there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for a friend.
“Listen, I know Sirius’ parents are going out of town for a week. We were planning to hang out there, just the seven of us, but I could try convincing Regulus to invite his friends too. It won’t be easy, because, well, it’s Regulus. But I’ll do it for you. You can sneak away and talk to Dorcas.”
“Really? You’d do that?” she asks, looking up at him with hope in her eyes.
“Of course! I’ll go talk to him now,” he says, standing up. Marlene suddenly seems much lighter.
“Good luck! Love you, James!” she calls out as he waves and leaves the locker room.
This is a stupid idea. A very, very stupid idea. He knows it, and maybe he should just go to Barty and tell him to drag their whole group to the Black house next Saturday instead. It’s been two weeks since Barty s’ birthday, and James hasn’t exchanged a single word with Regulus since. Not that they talked much before, either. The problem is that James wasn’t drunk enough during that dare to forget what it felt like to kiss Regulus and he remembers it all too well. He also knows he shouldn’t be thinking about it this much. His brain, however, seems to hate him, replaying the moment every night.
He’s also started noticing him. Of course, it’s not intentional, but he catches himself doing it, and that’s why he knows at least a few of the classes the boy picked this year. He knows that after lessons, Regulus can only be found in one room. That’s where he usually sits when most students are done with their classes, so he’s sure to avoid meeting anyone else. James has wanted to join him a few times but was afraid Regulus would run off. This time, he has an excuse, so he opens the door to the classroom and is lucky because Regulus is already there. He’s sitting with his back to the door, tuning his guitar. He’s so focused that he doesn’t notice James, who takes the opportunity to watch him for a moment.
The Black brothers only look alike. If they really tried, they could probably convince people they were twins. The only real difference is that Sirius has longer hair, is a little taller, and Reg’s features are sharper. And the eyes. James didn’t notice until Barty’s birthday when he looked into Regulus’s eyes up close. He saw that it wasn’t the same shade of blue as his friend’s. Padfoot’s eyes are more gray, while Regulus’s are a pale blue. In terms of character, they’re the complete opposite. Sirius is dramatic, loud, and you can read him like an open book. The younger Black is a mystery.
An enigma.
He clears his throat, not wanting to seem too creepy while watching his best friend’s brother. He doesn’t know what to say or how to start a conversation. He should probably ask straight out and beg him to agree. But James wants to spend more time with Regulus. So he grabs another guitar off the wall. This must surprise the other boy because he shuts his mouth, which he had just opened, probably to shoo James away.
The guitar is still tuned from the previous session, so James just plugs it in. He starts playing “Do I Wanna Know?” but in the slower version from Hozier’s cover that Mary once showed him. He looks at Regulus, who is now looking at him. There’s surprise and admiration on his face. There’s no irritation, which is usually there when he looks at James.
“I didn’t know you could play,” are the first words that come from Regulus after James finishes the song.
“You still don’t know much about me, Reggie,” James winks at him. He’s waiting for a scolding about the nickname, as he’s used it before, and it always earns him an eye roll in response.
“Play it again,” Regulus doesn’t seem to notice the nickname this time. Potter chuckles quietly and starts playing the calm melody again.
It’s his favorite song. He doesn’t care that it’s not the original version. Mary once had an obsession with that artist and forced all of them to listen to various songs. James never told anyone that one became his favorite. He sees musical taste as something very personal. Telling someone your favorite song is like giving away a piece of your soul. James keeps that information, waiting to share it with someone special.
“I swear, if you make me—”
“When did you learn to play the guitar?” Regulus asks. He doesn’t smile at James, but he’s not as rude as usual either. James didn’t know it would take so little to break through to Regulus, even just a little.
“My mom played in a band when she was younger. She started teaching me when I was in kindergarten,” James shrugs. He’s a bit surprised the other boy didn’t know this. Not that he’d care. He just assumed Sirius might have mentioned it once.
“What’s this? I need the chords for it,” James impulsively wants to tell him he’ll send them when he gets home. This isn’t like him because this song was his. He’d protected it as much as he could, and he probably wasn’t thinking clearly when he started playing it now. He blames it on Marlene and the fact that he’s constantly wondering how to convince Regulus to do what he’s planned.
Now, though, he sees his opportunity. Maybe it’s not entirely fair, but Regulus seems to care about this song. James isn’t surprised. If he has to give it to someone, he might as well get something in return. He’s not being selfish, since he’s doing this for Marlene. He expects it won’t be that easy, but he’ll do anything for the blonde girl.
“I have a proposal,” Regulus’s irritated expression returns, and James already misses the surprised and delighted look from before.
“No,” he answers coldly, taking his guitar in hand. Sure, this turns out to be much harder than James thought.
“You didn’t even listen to me!” James protests. He doesn’t think asking his friends over on one specific day is that terrible. He’s just afraid Regulus will refuse out of spite.
“Your ideas never end well. I won’t be a part of one of them,” now it’s James’s turn to roll his eyes.
Sometimes, when he thinks about why Regulus randomly decided to stop liking him, he remembers the time when it was the exact opposite. Regulus used to practically demand James’s attention. He often seemed jealous of Sirius, who would act dramatic when James spent too much time in his brother’s room. Regulus was thirteen when he told him that everyone saw him only as Black’s younger brother, and he was the first person to just see him as Regulus. James felt bad and told him that he liked him for who he was. Less than six months later, Regulus started treating him colder than the others, and James didn’t understand why.
“Please. You didn’t even listen to the end. My request isn’t much,” James says almost pleadingly. He promised Marlene he would do this, so he’ll do whatever it takes to convince Regulus.
“Fine, I’m listening, Potter.”
“Tomorrow, we come with our friends to your place. Can you gather your whole friends’ group so they’re there too?” The boy gives him a skeptical look.
“Why?” Of course, he wants to know. James can’t tell him the truth, but he doesn’t want to lie either.
“I can’t tell you that yet. Not now. But I’m asking you, please,” he looks him in the eye. James knows exactly how to convince someone. He tries his charm on Regulus, using his best pleading look.
“Don’t beg me like a puppy,” yeah, that doesn’t work on Regulus. “I can’t invite them, and even if I could, I wouldn’t do it because you asked me to,” James pretends he’s not hurt by how coldly Regulus treats him.
“You really hate me,” he says more to himself, but Regulus hears it. Again, the same thing. For a split second, his mask falls, and he looks sad.
Tell me, tell me what’s going on in your head?
Why are you like this?
What’s happening in your mind?
But he quickly recovers and returns to irritation.
“I hate you,” he confirms, but there’s still a hint of doubt in his voice. This doesn’t make James feel any better. “Someone else is coming to me tomorrow. I don’t want to cancel or change plans.” James wonders if it’s the boy Barty mentioned.
He doesn’t like the pang in his chest. He knows full well it’s jealousy. He spent all of the early days of high school longing to see Lily with Snape. It’s funny, because the jealousy disappeared once she confessed she liked girls and started dating Pandora. But now it’s different because Regulus is within reach. Well, except that Regulus seems to absolutely despise his company. It was just supposed to be a stupid dare kiss. He wasn’t supposed to feel like this after it.
“I understand,” James puts the guitar down and picks up his backpack from the floor. Regulus watches him, and James thinks he must be imagining things because the boy seems disappointed. But he has no reason to stay longer. Regulus doesn’t like him, so he doesn’t want to bother him. Marlene will be disappointed, but she’ll find another way to talk to Dorcas. He opens the door but doesn’t leave immediately. He hesitates, then turns back. Regulus is still looking at him. “I’ll send you those chords tonight. I need to find the paper where I wrote them down.”
Oh, James is such a weak person.