Chapter Text
If you ask Sirius who he thinks is the most wonderful person, he won't hesitate for a second to answer that it's James.
The kindest, the most understanding, the most cheerful, the smartest... the list can go on indefinitely. James is Sirius' best friend. There's no way in hell that anyone would ever matter to him the way James did.
Are you going to ask about Regulus Black? Sirius' famous brother? Well... It's complicated. Don't get me wrong, Sirius loves his little brother. But it's not the same thing. Regulus is his blood brother, but James and Sirius are soulmates, who chose each other by themselves. They're united in their thoughts, unlike the Black brothers, who are always fighting and arguing.
And they have plenty of reasons to argue. For example, Regulus' bad taste in guys. First it was Lucius Malfoy, then there were rumors about him and Snivellus (Sirius still feels queasy whenever he remembers those dark times), and now it's Barty Crouch Jr.
- Is Regulus really such a whore, that he dates with all these pricks? - Sirius growls after another quarrel with his brother, when he tried to force Regulus to break up with the nasty, rude and smug Crouch.
- Hey, don't call him that, - James throws the pillow at his friend. He definitely doesn't want to spend another evening listening to Sirius insult his younger brother.
Sirius catches the pillow and hugs it to his chest.
- Ah, Prongs, the knight on a white horse, you're so wonderful, - Sirius chuckles, hugging the pillow, and then he abruptly stops talking.
He notices that the pillow smells of apples, cinnamon, bonfire and James, and in the back of his mind, the thought of appropriating this pillow for himself glides.
- Pads? I hope, you're not crying into my pillow? - James warily stares at his friend, who has suddenly become very quiet.
- Exactly! - at this very moment, Sirius screams, jumping up on his bed. He rushes to James, grabbing his cheeks.
- You're so wonderful, I wish you're Reggie's boyfriend!
Sirius' face lights up with happiness just thinking about it. He's so pleased with his idea that he doesn't notice the sour expression on James' face, as well as the disappointed glances of Remus and Peter, who are distracted from playing chess and are looking at them.
- What about the Marauders' oath not to fuck slytherins? - Peter raises his eyebrow, beating Remus' knight.
- And I'm pretty sure there's an unspoken rule not to fuck the brothers of your best friends, - Remus nods.
Sirius waves them off.
- They won't just fuck, they'll be dating, - he grumbles.
- I'm still here, - James slaps him on the forehead, drawing his attention, for which Sirius slaps him on the arm, - And I'm not going to do either with your brother.
- Come on, - Sirius complains, falling headfirst into James' lap. - Don't you see your potential at all? Regulus is as handsome as me, he's almost as smart as me. He certainly lacks my charm, but I'm sure he'll make up for it with his experience...
- Shut up, - James puts the pillow over Sirius' face. Partly to stop his friend's chatter, mostly to hide the sadness on his face from Sirius.
Apparently, Sirius manages to tell more than just the Marauders about his pandering plan, as it quickly reaches Regulus' ears. At least, that's what James thinks when he notices Regulus' curious, not hateful, gaze on himself and Sirius, when Sirius stubbornly proves to him over dinner in the dining room the advantages of using dragon tears instead of unicorn tears in a potion that causes nightmares in dreams.
Around the same time, there is a major scandal in the dining room between Regulus Black and Barty Crouch Jr. They hurl mutual accusations at each other, and then a few more curses. The professors stop them, pulling them apart.
Sirius watches this scene with a twinkle in his eye, and James blurts out.
He worries for a reason, because as soon as Barty shouts loudly, "Fuck you! It's over!", Sirius turns to him with an ear-to-ear smile.
- The chance has come, Jamie!
- Isn't it enough that your brother has already broken up with Crouch? - James tries, but Sirius shakes his head.
- I want to make sure he doesn't start dating someone like Rosier in a week.
James sighs. Perhaps he should have been firmer and said bluntly that he didn't want to date Regulus at all. Because even though he's as handsome as Sirius, almost as smart as Sirius, he's not Sirius.
However, James swallows further indignation. If it gives at least some reassurance to a friend, he won't argue with him about this. After all, what is the chance that Regulus Black, who had always disliked him, would suddenly become interested in him romantically? Absolutely no chance. And sooner or later Sirius will understand this and give up the idea of bringing them together.
The next full moon was very difficult for all of them, and especially Remus, so the next day, while Remus is still in the hospital wing, Sirius suggests to Professor McGonagall to send James to patrolled hallways of Remus instead.
- This has already happened after the full moon two months ago, and James turns out to be able to be responsible, - Sirius smiles an innocent smile.
The woman looks at them suspiciously, but eventually agrees to the proposal.
- Well, thanks, dude, I dreamed of spending this evening hanging around the school, - James grumbles, kicking Sirius in the shin with his boot.
- Don't you want to help the poor Moony? Moreover, Regulus is on duty today too, and you could...
Sirius wiggles his eyebrows, grinning, and James feels really bad. This seems to be the first time he's not on the same wavelength as Sirius, and it confuses him. This isn't the case when he's ready to give in to the requests of a friend. And it certainly wasn't something he could do for him. It was enough that Sirius had killed his last hope of reciprocating his feelings, and James had simply pushed his crush on his best friend away. But now it all came flooding back to him, and he feels angry.
- What could we do? Make out in the broom closet, jerk each other off in some dark niche?!
Sirius stares at him with wide eyes.
- No... I...
James doesn't want to listen to him now, he can't.
- I have to go on duty, - he throws up and leaves, slamming the door loudly.
The corridors of the Hogwarts are plunged into darkness and silence, and in this quiet their silence seems awkward and tense, if only for the reason that sometimes Regulus casts strange glances at him.
- Black, can you stop already? - James can't stand it. - Tell me already, what's the problem? Or should we go our separate ways and be on duty separately?
Regulus grunts, and then says anyway:
- I heard about my brother's plan.
James swallows. Damn Sirius, he has no idea what an awkward position he's put James and Regulus in.
- And what do you think? - James begins cautiously. He hopes Regulus didn't mention this plan to start dating him. He didn't think Regulus would want to date him, but he could use Sirius' plan to annoy James. You can expect anything from a slytherin, and even more so from Black. James knew this from his own experience.
- It's funny, - Regulus smiles, and James' heart skips a beat. - It's funny to watch one lovesick prick ask the object of his adoration to start dating his brother. And he doesn't even realise that his feelings are mutual, - James' heart sinks.
He stares at Regulus with wide eyes. Regulus stares back at him intently.
- What kind of nonsense aren't you talking about? - he mutters, turning away. - I don't like your brother. And he certainly doesn't like me, considering his obsession with me dating you.
Regulus chuckles.
- Well, I'm not blind, and I've been seeing unresolved sexual tension between you for a long time.
James looks at him in horror again. It begins to seem to him that both the Black brothers have obvious problems understanding people and their feelings. Because James, who spends most of his time with Sirius, has never noticed that his feelings can be mutual.
- Don't make such a surprised face, - Regulus shrugs his shoulders. - I'm sure Sirius is in love with you. He's just a little bit stupid when it comes to feelings. He probably hasn't realised it yet.
James thinks about his words.
- If... if you're right...
- I'm always right, - Regulus turns right and James follows him.
- If that's the case, then how do you make Sirius realise? - the gryffindor frowns. - I'm with him all the time, I even tried to flirt with him a little, but he didn't understand anything and just said that I was cute...
- You're really cute, - Regulus looks at him with a sly smile. Well, he's really very handsome. - I have the idea.
James looks at him curiously. And then he seems to be stunned by unexpected words:
- Let's date, James.
James freezes in place.
- What? - he stares at the younger Black with a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance on his face. - How do you think this will help the cause?
Regulus sighs and walks over to James.
- Think about it. You're with Sirius all the time. He doesn't even appreciate it. But imagine what happens if he realises that he won't be the center of your universe? Oh, for my attention-hungry brother, it would be a real tragedy. He'll have to think about his feelings, and it'll be the height of stupidity and silliness if he doesn't realise that he's head over heels in love with you.
James thinks about the slytherin's words.
Well, that makes sense. It might work if Regulus is right and Sirius really has feelings for him.
- And how long will it take? - James asks.
- I have no idea, - Regulus shrugs his shoulders. - But we can stop at any time.
- What about Crouch?
Regulus grins.
- It's good that you asked, because we made up today. But he won't mind. Actually, Barty won't mind if you join us, - Regulus plays with his eyebrows.
James blushes.
- No, thanks! - he blurts out quickly.
Regulus laughs.
- I was joking! So, do you agree? To Sirius' plan?
James thinks again for a few seconds. He doesn't lose anything, and he's probably killing two birds with one stone. He begins dating Regulus to the delight of Sirius, and begins dating Regulus so that Sirius realises his own feelings. This's complete madness. But it's also interesting!
- I'm in business, - James answers, and Regulus' lips break into a smile.
- Great, - the younger Black nods. - Then you and I have a date at Hogsmeade next weekend, and until then, we have to make sure that everyone is talking about our date during the week, and that Sirius hears about it from every corner.
- Well, that means Skeeter should know about it first, - James grins.
Regulus winks at him.
The whole school seems to be exploding from the news of the upcoming date of gryffindor James Potter and slytherin Regulus Black.
The most audacious say that Regulus and Barty broke up because Crouch found his boyfriend with James in the locker room after a game of Quidditch. The most desperate say that there has always been this sexual tension between them. The most romantic ones predict strong relationships, weddings and children for them.
Sirius eats his breakfast in silence, watching as the Ravenclaw girl asks James if he has already kissed Regulus (what the hell does she care?). James laughs and turns the conversation to another topic.
When the girl leaves, James finally pays attention to his best friend.
- It's even amazing that you resisted going on duty so much yesterday, - Sirius scowls and picks at his bowl of oatmeal with a spoon. - You seem very happy.
- Come on, Siri, - James leans over to him, putting an arm around his shoulders. - You wanted your brother to be in good hands.
Sirius looks longingly at James' muscular, warm arm wrapped around him. They had planned to go to Hogsmeade together, but now James has a date there. Sirius was so engrossed in the idea of his brother and friend's relationship that he completely forgot that relationships take time, and that time will now be taken away from Sirius, from the Marauders. This thought doesn't make him happy, he loves being with James, but he realises that he won't be a priority now, and it hurts.
"Maybe it's not that bad", - Sirius thinks with a smile on his lips when Regulus asks him to help him choose an outfit for a date.
It's been a long time since he's had a normal conversation with his brother, so he's happy to think that the relationship between James and Regulus will help him get along with his brother again.
Sirius sits on Regulus' bed in the Slytherin dorm while his brother gets clothes out of the closet. Sirius didn't know Regulus had so many muggle clothes.
- So, does your friend have a big dick? - Regulus suddenly asks him.
Sirius chokes on saliva and coughs, looking at his younger brother in horror.
- What? Regulus, this's your fucking first date! Don't you dare sleep with him! - he croaks, looking really indignant.
What the hell? He knows that his brother is not an innocent lamb, but James won't sleep with someone on a first date. On the other hand, Sirius realises that he can't be sure, not when his brother comes out from behind the closet in tight, high-waisted trousers that probably don't have underwear underneath.
- Come on, - Regulus rolls his eyes. - Have you even seen what he's like? And if we don't work out in the end, at least I'll have some good memories.
Regulus' gaze becomes nauseatingly dreamy, and Sirius feels annoyed.
- Look, James is very nice. Don't look at him like he's a piece of meat.
- Oh, Sirius, it's not my fault that your friend looks like my erotic fantasy. Moreover, I won't force him, - Regulus replies.
Sirius leans back against the pillow, gritting his teeth. Regulus is just teasing him. He wasn't really going to attack James, was he? Should Sirius warn James to keep his wand nearby? Come on, nonsense!
In the end, Regulus chooses tight black trousers and a dark green silk shirt. And Sirius understands that if Regulus doesn't go through the path of coercion, then he'll definitely use the path of seduction.
For some reason, it makes him uneasy.
All weekend evening, while James and Regulus are probably sitting in Madame Paddifoot's cafe, like all couples on dates, Sirius is restless. He thinks it's curiosity, he's just curious to know how his friend and his brother's date is going. But when it gets late at night and James is still not there, Sirius feels annoyed.
He wonders what the probability is that Regulus got his way. The thought of his brother and friend doing something indecent pisses him off. Sirius transforms into a big black dog and jumps onto James' bed, pawing at the sheets, leaving fur on the blanket, and dripping saliva onto the pillow.
- If you decide to pee on Prongs' pajamas again, I won't protect you from his anger again, - Peter grunts, putting on his robes to leave the room filled with the dreary whining of Padfoot.
Padfoot growls at him, clearly wanting Peter to shove his defenses away.
Peter sighs, but casts a silencing charm on the room so that Padfoot's whining and barking can't be heard outside, and then leaves.
Padfoot snorts and curls up on James' bed. What's the point of marking James' pajamas now? He should have marked his robes before James went on a date to Hogsmeade.
When the door to the room opens an hour later, Padfoot pricks up his ears.
- Padfoot, you little shit, - James growls instead of coming, looking at what the dog has turned his bed into.
Padfoot happily barks, jumping up on all fours.
James comes closer and runs a cool palm over the dog's fur.
- Don't make such eyes, what are you happy about? - he grumbles, kicking the dog out of his bed. - Come on Sirius, come back and put everything in order.
But Padfoot only pushes his wet nose into James' palm, sniffing it.
He feels his anxiety evaporate and he calms down. It's just James. There is a little smell of Regulus, tea, sweets, the cold streets of Hogsmeade, and no smell of sex.
James pushes away Padfoot, who is sniffing his hips, and throws the robe on the chest by the bed.
- Fine, then I'll sleep on your bed, and you stay here.
But as soon as James sits down on Sirius' bed, the dog jumps in after him and settles down next to him, looking at James with big sparkling eyes.
James sighs wearily.
- Okay, but don't lick my face.
Padfoot yaps happily.
He falls asleep very quickly, lulled by James' warmth, scent, and measured breathing.
At night, Padfoot wakes up from itching all over his body under his fur. He feels hot in the warmth of James' arms and the closed curtains under all that thick fur.
That's why Sirius is coming back. He's still in clothes, so he carefully unbuckles his belt and pulls off his trousers, trying to not wake his friend up, and then he lies down next to him again, quickly falling asleep.
When he wakes up for the second time, he can tell that it's already morning: soft sunlight is pouring through a crack in the bed canopy.
James is still asleep, his soft snores coming very close to Sirius' neck. Sirius tilts his head to look at his friend.
Long eyelashes leave shadows on his cheeks, and his full lips are slightly parted, there isn't a wrinkle between his dark eyebrows - there is serenity on his face. Sirius could have admired him for hours.
Sirius' heart aches with trepidation, and an epiphany pierces his still sleepy consciousness: he's in love with James Fleamont Potter. He's in love with his best friend. He's in love with the guy he sent on a date with his brother.
He's in love with James, and James is... James probably doesn't feel the same way about him.
And this is what makes his heart immediately stop feeling euphoria from realising feelings and begin to ache from realising their non-reciprocity.
Being in James' arms is already becoming less pleasant, because from somewhere comes the fear that if Sirius stayed a few more seconds pressed against James' warm body, he would expose himself and lose his friend.
Sirius carefully slips out of James' embrace, removing his hand from his waist. James mutters something sleepily, but he doesn't wake up, and Sirius takes advantage of this to go to the shower first and try to figure out what to do next, considering that he still has to listen to how James and Regulus' date went.
The Marauders meet for breakfast. Sirius' eyes immediately lock on James as he sits down at the table. James smiles at his friends and starts spreading blueberry jam on his toast.
Sirius wants to ask him about yesterday's date, but at the same time, he would prefer not to hear anything about it.
While he's in the throes of choosing, Peter turns to James, full of curiosity:
- So how was your date with the Padfoot's brother?
James smiles sheepishly, and Sirius' heart sinks.
- We decided to go on another one, - James answers, and the bites the toast.
Sirius grimaces sourly.
- So you're kind of dating now? - he asks, unable to hide the displeasure in his voice.
- Someone said that this was the limit of his dreams, - Remus notices, the corner of his lips twitches in a grin.
Sirius almost snaps back: "it was the limit of my dreams until I realised that James was everything I dreamed of". But he remains silent, glaring at James.
- No, just another date. We chatted about Quidditch all evening, and then we flew around the field chasing the snitch and practicing various feints. I mean, it's not enough to figure out if we want to date or just be friends.
- In my experience, - Peter grins. - If you didn't want to kiss him on the first date, then you probably won't want to do it on the second.
James laughs, slapping Peter on the shoulder.
- So... you wanted? - Sirius asks urgently.
James looks at him with a strange emotion, but then quickly smiles his usual smile:
- Don't worry, Pads, I'm going to be a gentleman with your brother.
Sirius stares at his plate, completely unsettled by these words, because his question has remained unanswered.
James told them that he and Regulus were going to spend their second date next weekend at The Three Broomsticks. Perhaps a little butterbeer would help them relax and talk about other topics unrelated to Quidditch, which was familiar and safe territory for both of them.
As the weekend approaches, Sirius' intention to somehow disrupt their date becomes more determined. Whenever he sees Regulus winking or smiling at James as he passes by in the hallway, he drives him nuts. He had already hated himself a thousand times for actually pushing James into Regulus' arms with his own hands.
There are plenty of options, but Sirius doesn't want to quarrel with either James or Regulus, so he goes to Barty Crouch Jr.
He's sitting in the library, but instead of studying, he's busy just sleeping at the table while his friends Evan Rosier and Nigel Nott study.
Sirius doesn't suffer from excessive tact, especially since there are two days left until the weekend. Therefore, he abruptly pushes Crouch's chair away from the table, which causes him to bang his chin on the table and wake up with a soft cry.
- What the..., - he mutters, and then notices Sirius. - What do you want, Black?
- Let's go talk, - Sirius severely demands.
Rosier and Nott giggle, and Crouch rolls his eyes.
- I broke up with your brother, so you're late with your lectures and warnings.
- I really hope I'm not, - Sirius snaps and repeats: - Get up, we need to talk.
Barty sighs tiredly, but gets up anyway, muttering something about fucking Blacks under his breath.
When they're in silence between the shelves at the back of the library, Sirius stares at him:
- Are you still in love with my brother?
- Really? - Crouch raises his eyebrow.
- Look, Crouch, - Sirius interrupts him with displeasure. - If you're in love with my brother, then all isn't lost, because Regulus definitely liked you.
- What makes you think that?
- Well, he looked at you with loving eyes and cursed me when we cursed you, I mean, who else did he care so much about?
Crouch grins.
- Well, let's say I still love Reggie..
Sirius winces at the fact that Crouch called Regulus a nickname that Sirius himself came up with.
- I really hope that this's true, because I want to offer you help.
- What kind of help? - Barty asks curiously.
- You need to make peace, and I suggest we join forces and come up with a plan, - Sirius answers impatiently, secretly glad that Crouch is interested.
- Hmm, - the slytherin mumbles thoughtfully. - Does this have anything to do with your previous plan for Regulus to date your friend Potter?
- None of your business, - Sirius snaps back.
- I'm just saying, if your plans are working out so well, then I'm in, - Barty chuckles. - Do you have any specific ideas?
- Give me a couple of days and I'll come up with a plan!
James stands behind the stands of the Quidditch pitch, waiting for Regulus after Slytherin team practice.
Regulus runs up to him with a smile on his face, and James hugs him in case they're being watched.
- I have good news, - junior Black whispers in his ear. - Let's go for a walk, I'll tell you everything.
They hold hands and walk towards the lake. It's cold and cloudy today, and there's no one on the shore, so James lets Regulus go and looks at him curiously.
- Come on, what have you got there?
- Sirius asked Barty to fight for my hand and heart, and even offered to help! - Regulus beams with delight.
- And what is that supposed to mean? - James raises his eyebrow, not understanding what the slytherin is so happy about.
- The rumors that you and Sirius are among the best students are clearly exaggerated, - Regulus grumbles. - Potter, don't you understand? Sirius wants us to break up.
- I anderstood it, - James frowns. - But how does this change something between me and him?
- This's the first step, - Regulus snaps his fingers. - And I know how to make Sirius open up to his feelings.
Catching James' curious gaze, Regulus chuckles.
- One date and a few greetings in the hallways made him go to extreme lengths for him, imagine what he would do if we kissed in front of the school? Or should we pretend to have fun in Room of Requirement?
James thinks about Regulus' plan for a few moments, but eventually shakes his head.
- Not jealousy, - he says. - If everything is as you say, Sirius is already jealous. I don't want him to get hurt.
- Fine, - Regulus agrees easily. - You know, Sirius is a fool for not realising for so long that he had found such a kind person.
James blushes, and Regulus giggles.
- In that case, we're breaking up, - James says.
- It turns out that so, - Regulus smiles to him. - But don't worry, we'll part ways to benefit your situation.
James frowns again.
- Don't worry about it, - Regulus laughs. - He'll only hate me, but you have to promise that when you figure it out with him, you'll tell him that we broke up by mutual desire. Or you can tell the whole truth if he gets unbearably jealous.
- Thank you, Regulus.
- You're welcome, Potter!
And he starts screaming at the top of his voice, saying that he never liked James, and he's just a substitute, and that Regulus always loved Barty, and gryffindors are all fools.
James has a hard time not laughing and pretending to be upset, offended and angry.
That's how Regulus Black dumped him in front of the whole school, and in front of Sirius, who immediately intervened, throwing a stupefy at his brother and leading a sad James away.
- Jamie, dear, - when they get to their room, Sirius drags him into his bed, pulls the curtains, and pulls James to him, comforting him. - Don't listen to Regulus, he's not worthy of you. You're the best, the most wonderful.
James is smart enough to pretend to be upset and continue enjoying Sirius' warm embrace, in which he soon falls asleep.
When they have breakfast in the dining room the next day, James notices Sirius glaring at the Slytherin table. He looks at Regulus, who is sitting with Barty in his arms.
- How can he? - Sirius hisses, and James lets out a startled sigh. Sirius would probably never admit his feelings for him, if there were any at all. But then why did he ask Barty to go back to Regulus? James should have known that it might not be about falling in love at all, but about not wanting to share his best friend. This kind of jealousy was quite in the spirit of the eldest of the Black brothers.
- Why don't you leave them alone? - annoyed, James spreads butter on toast, not looking at his friend.
- He dumped you in front of the whole school, - Sirius answers indignantly. - And the very next day he makes out with Crouch. It's awful.
- Well, I'm no stranger to it, - James shrugs his shoulders.
Sirius clenches his jaw, they all remember Evans' numerous loud refusals. Sirius used to be angry at her, but now he's glad that Evans never managed to see in his friend what Sirius always saw, wit, kindness, courage, support, fun and a heart full of love, so warm and bright.
And although Sirius is secretly glad that James and Regulus are no longer together, it makes his blood boil just thinking about how cruelly his younger brother abandoned his friend.
And to see the sadness in James' eyes is unbearable for him. And Sirius knows only one way - revenge.
So he stealthily, while James isn't in their room, takes his invisibility cloak and goes towards the dungeons. He waits for a while until a group of slytherins calls the password, he slips unnoticed behind them and, still hidden under the cloak, begins to look for his brother.
He's not sure what he's planning to do yet, but when he finally sees Regulus in Slytherin's living room, the words come out on their own.
- Regulus!
He pulls off the invisibility cloak, and it's a good thing there's no one here except Regulus and Barty, who are playing chess, because James will kill him if the whole school finds out about the cloak.
- Sirius, - Regulus looks at him disinterestedly. - What are you doing here?
- You little, sneaky..., - Sirius speaks through his teeth, clutching his wand in his hand.
- Let's dispense with flattering statements., - Regulus smirks. - What made you so mad? Didn't everything go as you want?
Sirius shuts his mouth and looks at Crouch, who winks at him.
He feels anger again.
- Why the hell did you break up with James like that? Did you want everyone to laugh at him?
Regulus just smiles at these words, which angers Sirius even more. How could Regulus be so cruel. And in relation to whom? To James, with whom, according to James, they had a good first date.
- You're a venomous little snake! And now everyone knows it. You don't deserve Janes at all, he's the most wonderful, the best, and...
- And why don't you start dating him yourself? - Regulus interrupts him with a grin on his lips. - Since you think he's so wonderful. Oh, or are you just praising him because you don't want your best friend to be hurt? Did you come here for him or to indulge your ego by fighting with me?
Sirius grits his teeth.
- I came here for James, I'm sick of him being sad for you, I'm sick of pushing him to you...
- You're in love with him, - Barty chuckles knowingly.
Sirius freezes in place. For a moment, he thinks about denying everything, but he wants to let Regulus know that James is loved. Don't care about Lily's refusals, don't care about Regulus' terrible act, James is loved because he deserves to be loved, because it's impossible not to love him, but people who don't bother to get to know him better can't understand it.
- So what? - boldly he blurts out. - You know, I thought you had some kind of decency, Regulus, but you're just a slytherin. I love him, and I won't let you laugh at him or my feelings. You didn't want to get to know him better, your loss, my gain. If you knew him the way I know him, you'd know that you'd done a terrible thing by abandoning him like that.
He raises his wand, but before he can cast a spell, he hears a scream:
- Pads!
Sirius turns around, and James is standing in the doorway of the Slytherin common room.
- What do you...? - Sirius stammers, looking at him with an expression of utter surprise on his face.
James looks at him guiltily.
- I didn't find you or the cloak, so I looked at the map. I was afraid you'd get into a fight with your brother, so I followed you.
- You... how much have you heard? - Sirius asks, feeling his ears and cheeks burn.
- I've heard the most important thing, - James smiles softly.
Sirius doesn't want his pity. He leaves the living room in a panic, not looking into his friend's eyes.
He hears Regulus chuckle behind him and hurried footsteps. James calls out to him, but Sirius doesn't stop.
But James quickly catches up with him anyway and grabs his hand.
- And where are you running to?
James' voice is full of tenderness, but it doesn't help. The fear of rejection consumes Sirius, but he's even more afraid that his words will change their friendship, even if James tells him that everything is fine and they'll remain friends.
- Maybe to drown myself in a lake, - Sirius mutters, looking everywhere but at James.
- Don't be so dramatic, - James smiles, stroking his wrist with his thumb.
- I tried to set you up with your brother, but it turned out that I'm in love with you, - Sirius grunts. Perhaps their friendship can still be saved.
- I think this is an amazing result of your efforts.
Sirius looks up at James, and sees a look full of love. It's a common look for James when he looks at Sirius, but he's still holding his hand, standing very close... everything is as usual, but something has changed.
- But I was terrible, - Sirius frowns. - I was trying to get you to date Reggie.
James grins.
- It's not that it's that terrible dating your brother, but anything if it helps you understand your feelings.
- Are you kidding me? - Sirius indignantly slaps him on the chest.
- Quite a bit, but I think I have some moral right to do so, considering that the guy I'm madly in love with has been trying to set me up with his brother for a month.
- I was wrong, but I agreed..., - Sirius says stubbornly, and then he stumbles and grabs James' other arm. - Wait! What did you say right now?
- About my moral right? - James grins wider.
"Oh, you!" - Sirius thinks, squeezing James' hand.
- No! About being madly in love.
- Are you sure you want to hear this? - James raises his eyebrow, his grin driving Sirius crazy.
He takes a step forward, and there's almost no distance between them.
- Five minutes ago, I was yelling at the whole dungeon about how damn much I'm in love with you. Don't you think I have some moral right too...?
James approaches him, closing the distance, and puts his arms around Sirius' waist, and then throws his head back and screams at the whole dungeon:
- I AM JAMES FLEAMONT POTTER, MADLY IN LOVE WITH SIRIUS ORION BLACK AND...
Sirius falls into a stupor for a second, and then abruptly grabs James' cheeks and turns his face to him, laughing.
- Merlin, James! You're crazy!
- I'm crazy with love.
- Oh, stop it, - Sirius tilts his head to the side.
- Make me stop, - James' gaze drops to his lips.
Sirius gently presses his lips to James' lips.