Work Text:
Something was wrong.
Regulus Black had entered the house that James shared with his three best mates for their friend group’s monthly movie night twenty-three minutes after the arranged time. Regulus hated being late. James had been yelled at enough times by Regulus to know that being early was the only acceptable time to be.
Then, being the last one to arrive, there were no spots left open for Regulus to sit except on the sofa next to James. Regulus hated being around James, a feeling that was quite mutual. The two of them couldn’t spend a car ride to the store without being at each other’s throats. Yet Regulus didn’t give a second glance as he sat down in the vacant cushion, curling his knees up beside him.
Regulus asked quietly, “What movie are we watching?” and when Pandora responded with that they had agreed on the fifth installment of a cheesy horror movie, Regulus the self-described film snob, nodded . He always argued about the movies they watched.
Something was very, very wrong.
James couldn’t understand why no one else was taking notice of this unusual behavior. How were they not seeing how off Regulus was?
The movie started and James could not stop glancing over at the boy next to him on the sofa. James couldn’t pinpoint why Regulus and him didn’t get along. It was as if Regulus had a detestation for James from the moment Regulus rolled onto campus James’s second year of school. James had thought that they would get along; Sirius was his best friend, Sirius loved his brother, James would love his brother…right?
James had never been more wrong.
Regulus insulted James every chance he got for absolutely no reason. Since their friendship circles ran closely together, they unfortunately spent more time together than either wanted.
James looked around the room to see that his friends were either engrossed in the movie or dozing off in the case of Sirius. Not a single person was looking over at the younger Black curled into himself on the corner of the couch.
On screen the killer appeared in the window, eliciting screams from Mary and Peter. Beside James, Regulus flinched. Hard. This was the same Regulus that laughed and taunted James the entire way through Haunted Horror Nights last October.
This would be a perfect opportunity for James to give Regulus a taste of his own medicine.
And James couldn’t bring himself to do it.
Perhaps it was because Regulus was not being himself right now. Gone was the air of superiority that typically radiated from the air around him, replaced by someone who appeared frail and frightened. Regulus squeezed his eyes shut; he was terrified and it definitely was not from the syrupy looking blood on the screen.
James couldn’t be sure what part of him decided to do it. One moment he had been making these observations about Regulus and the next moment he was reaching out for the boy’s hand. Regulus stiffened at the touch, eyes flying open towards James. James kept his gaze on the TV in front of him, but moved his thumb in a soothing circle of Regulus’s racing pulse. He held his breath as Regulus stared at the movement, but after a few seconds Regulus relaxed, sinking back into the couch.
For once in his life, James Potter stayed dead silent as to not alert his friends to what was happening on the sofa behind them. He would not hear the end of it if they knew James was holding Regulus’s hand.
As the movie picked up pace, so did Regulus’s nerves. His fingers curled around James’s hand, gripping it tightly. James tried to keep him steady.
The killer popped out of the closet and Regulus jumped so high, he almost fell over into James’s lap. He looked over and for the first time that night, James met Regulus’s eyes and saw pure fear in them.
“It’s okay,” James said almost inaudibly, reaching out on instinct to wrap a comforting arm around Regulus’s shoulder. Regulus was shaking as James pulled him into his side, rubbing his hand up and down Regulus’s arm. A tear slipped down Regulus’s cheek. James felt physically ill.
James had known Regulus for five years. He had seen Regulus in bitter arguments with his brother where emotions were so high, James thought that he himself was going to burst out crying. But never once has James seen Regulus cry.
Holding Regulus now, James could see that Regulus was not only scared, but exhausted.
James moved his mouth right next to Regulus’s ear.
“Do you want to lie down?”
Regulus looked up at him, big saucer grey eyes in a look that he had never seen, reflecting the screen in front of them in the dark. James patted his legs, the thought that he may have taken it a step too far squashed before he had even time to think it as Regulus gave a small nod and shifted his body so that his head lay on James’s lap. James settled one arm around Regulus’s middle, Regulus taking James’s hand and holding it close to his chest as if it were a make-shift item of comfort. James’s other hand drifted to Regulus’s scalp, giving soft and soothing scratches. Regulus watched the TV for a few minutes more before his breathing evened out and his eyes drifted shut.
It was Pandora who noticed first. She whispered to Peter who whipped around so fast, covering his mouth in shock. Peter’s actions were noticed by Lily who giggled and elbowed Mary who threw a pillow at Barty to get his attention. Barty let out a loud laugh, before hissing to his boyfriend that Evan owed him a twenty. Evan let out an expletive, catching the attention of Marlene and Dorcas who immediately turned to Remus and Sirius where Remus returned a glare with a stern “Don’t you dare wake Sirius up, he’s had a long day. ”
James remained oblivious to this all, thoughts far away from the others and entirely on the boy in lap. James had always known that Regulus was attractive, but this was the first time that James realized just how beautiful he was. James’s fingers trailed along patterns in his hair, noticing a cowlick right in the middle. There was a smattering of freckles right under Regulus’s eyes that were near invisible until you were close enough to count them. There was a scar below the lobe of his right ear, a small white line that looked as if it had been there for many years. He desperately wanted to know where it came from.
Regulus didn’t stir for the rest of the movie, despite the loud climatic cliffhanger ending. Lights were turned on and everyone turned with conspicuous looks towards James.
“Shut up,” James said, but offered nothing else. There were hushed giggles and whispers as his friends made their departure. Remus carried Sirius to their shared bedroom; Peter hurrying to claim the bathroom before the other flatmates could.
“Reggie,” James said softly, trying to gently wake him. “The movie’s over.”
Regulus opened his eyes, looked at James, and shut them again.
James chuckled. Though James felt like just resigning to his new position as a couch, he knew that he couldn’t.
“C’mon Reg, time to get up. I can drive you home.”
As if ice was thrown over him, Regulus bolted up, wide eyed.
“No. Not home. I’ll go with Barty and Evan”.
James reeled, surprised by the sudden shift in the atmosphere.
“They already left.” When James saw the panic on Regulus’s face, he added, “You can stay here. You don’t have to go home.”
Regulus nodded, but was still visibly shaking. His eyes darted to the front door, and he curled his feet up onto the couch. It was very apparent that whatever had frightened Regulus earlier was looming over him still.
“Can I make you some bedtime tea?” James asked softly, and Regulus agreed, following him to the kitchen. James hummed as he set the kettle on, pulling out lavender teabags from the cupboard with two cups and saucers. The doors from down the hall opened and shut as Peter and then finally Remus made their way to bed. Meanwhile Regulus sat staring at the kitchen floor in silence.
It was only when the steaming cup was in Regulus’s hands that Regulus finally spoke again.
“My place was broken into.”
James’s cup clattered down onto the table.
“Fuck. Regulus, I am so sorry.”
Regulus gave a short nod in acknowledgement.
“What did they take?”
“The TV. VCR. And uhm, a few watches.”
“All replaceable, yeah?”
Regulus nodded again. He chewed on his lip for a second before spitting out: “I came home when it was happening. I saw their faces.”
“Oh my god.”
“Yeah. I got off work earlier and so I went home for a short nap before movie night. The glass door in the back was shattered and they were just standing there. I think I scared them, they took off real quick but…they know I saw their faces.”
James got up from the chair he was sitting in, wrapping his arms around Regulus’s shoulders. Regulus allowed himself to be held, leaning against James’s arm as he began to cry.
“I know I am being stupid-”
“You are not being stupid, Reggie, I would be scared shitless! Why didn’t you tell any of us about it?”
“I-I don’t know. I have been with the police all evening and I just wanted some normalcy. And I know Sirius had a rough week and I didn’t want to make it worse-”
“Okay, maybe you are a little stupid to think that,” James said, “Sirius is going to need to know.”
“Tomorrow,” sniffed Regulus.
“Tomorrow,” assured James. “Tonight, however, you are sleeping in my bed where no one can get you unless they go through me. And I won’t let anyone get to you.”
And it was a testament to how scared Regulus truly was that he didn’t argue.
James gave Regulus some of his clothes to change into while James got ready his bed. He double checked that the window was locked tight and brought in a little lamp from the living room as a night-light to guard against complete darkness. Regulus emerged wearing James’s grey sweatshirt with POTTER on the back and the matching sweats that were way too big for him. James felt bad for thinking that Regulus looked damn bloody good in James’s clothes.
Regulus hesitated choosing which side to lay on before deciding on the one nearest the light that James had brought in. That was the side James typically slept on, but he didn’t mind in the least.
“Right,” James snapped out of his temporary trance, “Well you know where the bathroom is. I’ll be right downstairs if you need me, just give a shout and I’ll be there in two seconds. Otherwise you know your brother is across the hall-”
“James,” Regulus interrupted, “Could you-...would it be too weird to-...?”
“I could sleep on the floor,” James interrupted, trying to interpret Regulus’s thoughts. “If you want someone in the room-”
“You can sleep in the bed,” Regulus said quietly, “You have quite a large bed, and if you don’t mind…it’d be nice having someone…”
“Sure, whatever makes you feel safe,” James responded, perhaps a bit too quickly. “I’ll just go get ready for bed, then I’ll be back.”
Regulus nodded, scooting to lie down on the (James’s) pillow. James went to the shared bathroom, hastily changing into shorts and taking a piss. He brushed his teeth with a little extra fervor, for no reason other than not wanting Regulus to be taken out by bad breath in the middle of the night.
When he returned, Regulus had his back to him. James turned off the overhead light and slipped into bed.
“Night Reggie,” James said, but was met with only the soft noises of sleep. As James was about to fall asleep, the bed shifted and Regulus rolled over and curled into James’s side. James was instantly alert again, but Regulus sighed in his sleep as if he unconsciously had been seeking the warmth of James’s body. James smiled to himself, and fell into the best sleep he had had in a long time.
When James woke in the morning, Regulus was still curled into him. The sun shone through the window, hitting the younger boy’s pale skin. James reflexively reached out to brush a curl away from his face, horrified when Regulus stirred at it.
“I didn’t mean to wake you,” James said when blinking grey eyes opened to meet his.
“‘S okay. It’s probably time for me to wake up anyway.”
“How’d you sleep?”
Regulus smiled, the first time he had done so since the saga last night had begun.
“Really good. You’re like a furnace.”
“Sorry.”
“No I like it,” Regulus stretched, “I like being warm.”
James grinned, propping up onto one elbow. “Is it because you have such cold feet?”
Regulus touched one of his feet to James’s and James recoiled reflexively.
“Oi! Keep those away from me!”
Regulus laughed, a sound so sweet to James that he felt the sudden need to kiss the boy in his bed. From the way that Regulus was looking at James, he might have let him too if it wasn’t for the sudden sharp rap on the bedroom door followed by Sirius walking in without waiting for a response.
Sirius stopped dead in his tracks.
“What the fuck?”
Regulus rolled his eyes and said, “Do you know how knocking is supposed to work?” at the same time that a panicked James said, “It’s not what you think it is!”
As they drank some coffee and ate bowls of cereal, Regulus explained how his place had been broken into and how the unwavering Regulus Black was frightened to go back to his place. Sirius, as expected, was angry that Regulus had not called him when it had happened in the first place. Then, Sirius expressed his skepticism that nothing had occurred between James and Regulus the previous evening.
“You promise me that you didn’t even like…kiss a little?”
“Just innocent cuddling,” James swore. Regulus sipped his coffee.
“Because I won’t be mad if you did,” Sirius continued, “With all that unresolved sexual tension, no one would be surprised.”
Regulus set down his cup abruptly. James’s mouth fell open.
“What- why- Are you-?” James sputtered.
“We don’t have sexual tension,” Regulus stated, “I hate him. Well…hated,” he added glancing over at James. James bit the inside of his cheek to keep the smile from forming on his face.
Sirius looked over to Remus and Peter who both were snickering softly into their own cups.
“Sure Reggie,” Remus said, “But now that you don’t hate each other. Would you be opposed to having unresolved sexual tension?”
James swallowed, aware of what his own answer would be. Regulus met his gaze, and the corner of his mouth twitched.
“No comment.”
It wasn’t as if they had to define anything in that moment, James thought. After all, their relationship had taken a large sharp turn in the past 24 hours.
After breakfast James and Sirius went with Regulus to his apartment, yellow caution tape still covering the broken back door. They collected what was probably too much of Regulus’s belongings at, Sirius’s insistence, to bring back with them to James and Sirius’s place.
“Tomorrow I’d like to take you on a date,” James said later that night, after a brief argument on where Regulus would sleep. James had ultimately won, Regulus now lying in James’s bed again.
“Why?”
“Because eventually I’d like more than innocent cuddling. If you want that too, that is.”
Regulus rolled his eyes, but curled up next to James. “Yeah I think I’d like that. How long are you going to let me stay?”
James put his arm around him, pulling him closer.
“As long as you want,” James replied.
Regulus would really take that answer to heart, and simply never leave.