Work Text:
“I can’t believe you had the audacity to drag me to a bar, of all places,” grumbled Regulus. “Have I not made it abundantly clear I hate parties, people, and the world in general?”
“Oh, you have, but I think you could use some loosening up,” grinned Barty.
“Plus, hot guys! Is that not what you get at a bar? Find someone and release some of that pent-up sexual tension you keep pretending you don’t have.” Evan added.
“Guys…” Regulus complained. “I don’t want to do this. Let’s go home.”
“Suck it up, we’re going in!” chirped Barty.
Regulus was a college student currently at Hogwarts University studying literature and English. He’d arrived knowing no one, having no plans beyond ‘never go back home ever again’ and study something he actually enjoyed. He definitely hadn’t picked Hogwarts because he knew his long-estranged big brother would be here.
He’d met Evan and Barty the second day he got there at a café, they just slid into his table and started yapping. They almost immediately got Regulus’s twisted sense of humour and started insisting they were friends.
It didn’t take very long for Regulus to notice the proximity they were in to each other, and he asked if they were dating about a week after he met them. They both burst out laughing, and for a minute Regulus thought he got it horribly wrong and he would lose he best chance at having friends since he got here. But actually, they just thought it was funny he hadn’t noticed before and proceeded to make out right in front of him.
Regulus informed them he was gay pretty soon after that, and from that moment on, Evan and Barty’s one singular mission in life had been ‘get Regulus a boyfriend’.
No, they did not care that they were students at the prestigious Hogwarts University, all they lived for, apparently, was harassing Regulus.
And tonight was the first night they had actually convinced Regulus to come to a bar with them. As soon as they had realized, pretty soon after they met, that they were in the Salazar dorms near each other, they kept trying to include Regulus in their plans, most of which were ‘find a club/bar/place to get cheap alcohol and get blackout drunk’. Regulus would rather stay in his dorm room and work on his assignments, please.
But finally, after an impressive amount of coaxing, thinly veiled threats, and no small amount of blackmail, Barty and Evan had dragged Regulus here.
It was nothing to look at really, it was just one of those hole-in-the-wall places. But Regulus could feel the music from all the way across the street.
Barty had that big smile on his face that he usually only reserved for Evan kissing him (Regulus would know), like for things that exhilarated him. Evan was clutching Barty’s hand and bouncing on the tips of his toes.
Regulus hesitantly followed them into the bar. Immediately, they sat down at a table like they’d been here a hundred times before, which knowing them, they probably had. Evan barely lifted a finger for the bartender when he was hurrying over with a tray of shot glasses.
“See anyone yet, Reg?” Barty shouted over the music.
Regulus rolled his eyes and did not dignify that with a response.
Evan narrowed his eyes conspiratorially, and not-so-subtly pointed to someone who had just walked in. “He seems like your type, Regulus, I think you should give it a shot.”
Regulus rolled his eyes again. “Evan, you’ve known me for less than a year, you do not know my type. Second of all, I’m not going to just screw some random guy who I see at a bar. I’m not you guys, trying to hook up with anyone you see. I have standards.”
Barty fake-pouted. “Hey, I did not hook up with just anyone. I hooked up with people who were good-looking and had cigarettes.”
“Pretty low bar, I’d say,” snickered Evan.
“And then I found you and I knew my heart would never belong to another!” sighed Barty theatrically, pretending to faint into Evan’s arms and nearly falling off the bar stool.
Evan moved out of the way before Barty could actually fall into his arms, letting him fall on the sticky floor.
“Evan! Love of my life! How could you do this to me!” Barty shouted from the floor.
Regulus smiled fondly. He would never admit it, but he really did enjoy hanging out with Evan and Barty. Of course if they stopped trying to set him up with people. It was getting annoying at this point.
Evan picked Barty up off the floor and set him back on his stool. He threw back a shot of whatever was in the glasses into his mouth. Regulus dragged a hand across his forehead. It was really hot in here, and he had worn a sweater, of all the stupid things. He definitely should have asked them for proper bar etiquette before coming.
And then his face grew much hotter when he spotted the prettiest guy he’d ever seen in his entire fucking life cross the dance floor.
He was tall, muscular, and drinking a beer. He wore a close-fitting red T-shirt, which clung to his biceps, showing them off more. And when he passed Regulus, he saw the defining lines of his shoulder blades that were only accentuated by how tall he stood.
Regulus had to get to him. Fuck, Barty was actually right, he was going to find himself a hot dude.
Regulus didn’t know how he was going to do that currently, but he would. It was going to be perfect. If Regulus could quell his amazing talent of giving the worst first impressions ever.
He watched the man in the red shirt cross the room to where there was a microphone set up and some girls were singing karaoke. He talked to them for a second, and they stepped off the stage giggling not ten seconds later.
Regulus felt a totally irrational flash of jealousy. This man clearly knew he was good looking and was using it.
But one second later Regulus forgot every piece of his irritation and was spellbound.
The man in the red T-shirt (wow Regulus needed a better name than that) had put ‘Just Like Heaven’ on over the speakers, karaoke version, and was singing along.
His voice was so soothing, so perfect, and Regulus found himself leaning forward despite himself. He clearly knew every word, and knew them well.
It was, without a doubt, the most amazing performance he’d ever seen anyone give.
He sang with such emotion, with feeling, like he really believed every word he was saying.
He sang, and Regulus realized exactly why that song was written. It was clearly written just for him. For this moment.
And now he was walking away! He was going… to the bathroom. Regulus was going there too, then. He was going to do something about this. Something drastic.
Christ, he should have let Barty and Evan drag him to a bar ages ago.
“Hey, I’m gonna go to the bathroom quickly, okay?” Regulus said into Barty’s ear.
“Find a hot dude to give you a blowjob in there too!” Barty shouted back.
Regulus grinned, and Barty looked quite concerned for a second. Regulus never laughed at his innuendos, whether blatantly obvious or only something Evan was supposed to get.
This Regulus was getting to that hot man.
He pushed through the crowd frantically, desperately trying not to lose the guy. If he let this opportunity slip through his fingers he was never forgiving himself.
Regulus made it to the back of the bathroom line, directly behind the man in the red shirt. He was drinking his beer.
Regulus summoned all his courage, and tapped him on the shoulder.
He turned.
And oh my lord, he was even hotter up close.
He had such pretty brown eyes that seemed to sparkle in the dim barlight. His hair was adorably styled in a swoop. And his lips were wet from his beer.
Regulus could have stared at him all day and never gotten tired of it.
“Hi, what’s your name, love?” he asked.
Love. He called Regulus love. Regulus was going to trip over his own feet.
“R-Regulus.” he stammered, totally starstruck.
“Like the star? That’s so cool. I’m James, James Potter.” He extends a hand to shake.
Hardly able to believe his good luck at this random stranger talking to him like he was important, Regulus took his hand. It was large, and warm, and a bit rough. And Regulus’s hand fit perfectly in it.
He looked like an angel.
Someone pushed Regulus from behind, and he stumbled forward. James caught him, and suddenly Regulus was right up against James’s chest, able to feel his heart pounding and muscle through his shirt.
“You okay there, love?”
Regulus could only nod.
“Are you here with anyone? I came for a night out with the girls, see, all the boys just wanted to sit around the apartment and be boring. The girls wanted a fun night out. So I tagged along.”
Regulus tensed. James was here with girls. That meant he probably had a girlfriend.
He almost melted into a puddle of disappointment right there.
“I’m here with, uh, Evan and Barty, there,” Regulus pointed to two shapes on the dance floor, right up next to each other, making out and about two seconds away from committing some obscene act in public.
James released Regulus a little from his arms. “Well, will they let me steal you away for a little while?”
Regulus glanced up, hardly daring to hope, and nodded.
Neither of them got to the bathroom, safe to say. They stayed in the line, talking about nothing with their shoulders pressed together. It was intoxicating. Regulus felt like he could talk to James for hours. That was a feeling that rarely happened to him, even Evan and Barty witnessed him go silent sometimes because he didn’t feel like him talking was contributing to the conversation and he was done. Not with James though, with James it felt like he was hanging on to every word Regulus said and storing it in his brain.
And he was just so pretty, too. Those jeans, not skinny jeans but not not skinny jeans either, making his legs and ass look amazing. And the way he draped one arm over Regulus’s shoulders, making giggle (like he hadn’t since he was about four) and squirm a little. James was enjoying himself, he could tell.
When he heard his phone go off, though, he had to check it. It was Evan and Barty, of course. they said the bar they were at closed at 11, in five minutes, so he better get his butt out there or else.
Regretfully, Regulus told James he had to go. James wrapped him in a quick hug before opening his mouth to say something, but Regulus was already gone, paranoid that that had just been a fever dream and he made it all up.
He met Barty and Evan outside, where they were waiting with matching twin smirks. Okay, act normal, Regulus thought.
“So, how was it?” Evan smirked.
Regulus shrugged.
“That’s all? I see you talk to this smoking hot guy for forty-five minutes – which by the way you never ever talk to us that long – and all I get is a shrug. Evan, our efforts have been wasted.” sighed Barty.
“Reg, are you absolutely sure there’s nothing to tell…?” Evan pleaded.
Well, it didn’t take that much for Regulus to crack. “Okay fine! His name is James Potter, he also goes to Hogwarts University, and he’s literally the nicest person I’ve ever met. He really listens to me, and he has the most gorgeous brown eyes you’ve ever seen. They like, sparkle in the light.”
“Aww, listen to our Reggie, he’s so far gone already.” sighed Evan. “When was the last time he went on about someone like that?”
“Been his whole life, I’d wager,” said Barty.
“How are you guys not drunk?” demanded Regulus. Several times after they’d come back and crashed in Regulus's dorm, he could smell the vodka from the other side of the room and he’d had to nurse their hangovers.
“Evan convinced me,” shrugged Barty.
“He means I kissed him and he’ll do whatever I want now,” corrected Evan.
“That is not what I meant.”
“You only had the shots at our table?” said Regulus in disbelief.
“We had to watch you and mysterious hot guy by the name of James Potter. Did you get his number? Are you talking now? Can I send him texts under your name?” said Barty happily.
And it was at that moment that Regulus realized he hadn’t asked for James’s number.
“REGULUS! THAT’S THE FIRST RULE WHEN YOU LIKE SOMEONE! GET THEIR NUMBER!” shouted Barty. “DO YOU LIKE HIM OR NOT!”
“I do! It’s just… I… I… I don’t know! He was so pretty! I just talked to him and he didn’t make a move on me! Maybe he doesn’t like me at all!”
“Shut up, Regulus, anyone who puts up with you for that long likes you a lot. Find his number, ignore your schoolwork, I don’t care, and tell us when you get it so you can finally get a boyfriend and we can all go on double dates!” said Evan.
The three of them arrived at Regulus’s dorm, and Regulus said goodnight and shut the door in their faces. He was so annoyed at himself for not getting James’s contact. So all he had was a full name and a school.
He didn’t even know his age, for christ’s sake. No way to know which year of university he was in, nothing.
Regulus flopped back on his bed, trying to think rationally about this, but he was squishing a feeling of pure happiness somewhere under his ribcage. James got him. Like no one ever had before. He had never smiled this much in one night before. Yes, he had dated other guys before, but there was nothing like the spark that was here. He had never wanted to spend hours more time with someone else from just one meeting. He was going to kill Evan and Barty for dragging him out of there so soon.
But now he had to find James’s contact information somewhere or else he would never see him again.
Regulus sat up. He leaned way over to his desk and grabbed his laptop.
**James Potter** typed Regulus into the search bar.
1,084,483 results found in 0.67 seconds
The first thing to come up was a parody of the movie Bambi by someone on YouTube with the username @jjamesppotter.
The second thing to come up was an advertisement for some small business called the Three Broomsticks or something.
Regulus frowned, and modified his search. **James Potter, Hogwarts University** he typed.
This time, a Facebook account came up. @actuallyjamie was the username, and in the bio when Regulus clicked on it it said he was a student at Hogwarts.
It was a start.
Over the next couple hours, Regulus scoured every social media platform he could think of for any mention of James Potter, no matter how small.
On Instagram he found an account with one photo of James, or someone who looked scarily similar, under the username @paddycakesuwu. It wasn’t even a photo of him as the subject, it was a photo of a motorbike and a little bit of James.
On TikTok Regulus scrolled through an embarrassing number of reels before concluding he was just not active there.
Regulus even downloaded Snapchat, something he’d sworn he’d never do and searched for every variation of his name he could think of.
Finally, failing that, he went back to Facebook and looked through every photo of his account. It was almost nothing personal, it was all nature photos and the cutesy pastry photos girls always posted. Regulus, to his horror, realized that this was only making him like him more.
Why? Why was this James Potter doing this to him? How did he develop a very inconvenient crush on a guy in jeans with a name like James Potter who posted about nature and pastries and loved to talk to Regulus?
It was so unlike the last guy he dated. His name was Skylar. Skylar had been so controlling, refused to let him hang out with any of his other friends, and had a whole monopoly on his time. They liked all the same things, like literature and reading and the night sky (it was in both their names), but somehow that didn’t translate into a healthy relationship.
Regulus hovered over where it said Facebook Messenger for a long time. He could do it. He could say ‘Hi, this is Regulus, remember the guy you met at the bar and talked to for a while?’
‘Hi, it’s Regulus, the one who you chatted up at the bar?’
‘Hey, James, you probably don’t remember me because you were probably drunk but hi it’s Regulus’
No, he couldn’t do it.
It was 4am. He had classes tomorrow. Jesus Christ he was glad he hadn’t actually drunk anything last night. Maybe bars weren’t so bad as long as he didn’t drink.
And he’d met James Potter so he could forgive Barty and Evan for this.
When he finally woke up that morning, about three hours after he went to sleep, he already knew he wasn’t going to be able to pay any attention whatsoever in his classes that day. His thoughts were all occupied by pretty brown eyes and a shy smile. And jeans. Regulus really had a thing for those jeans.
He saw Barty and Evan at lunch and ran up to them. “I have a problem,” he proclaimed.
“A real problem?” said Evan skeptically, used to Regulus complaining about everything from a bad grade on a test to his brother abandoning him.
“Yes, a real problem! I can’t find James’s contact anywhere on the internet! What am I supposed to do? Haunt the bar until he comes back?”
“That’s not a bad idea," mused Barty. “Would get you out more."
“Barty! I need this man’s contact number! I’m desperate, and when have I ever asked you for something like this before?”
“Evan, we’ve created a monster,” said Barty, widening his eyes.
“Can we go back to the bar tonight?" pleaded Regulus.
“Wow, we broke him. Regulus, it’s a school night! I can’t believe I’m the one saying that!” said Evan loudly, as though Regulus was slow.
“Pleaseeeeeeee? I won’t even drink and I’ll get more than three hours of sleep tonight!"
“Regulus Arcturus Black, you have gone completely insane. What happened to ‘I have to get all my work done and get 97% in everything and be better than my brother and never have any fun’?” said Barty incredulously.
Regulus didn’t have a response to that.
“Fine, Reg, we can go back to the bar. But we’re leaving early this time, no more staying up. Wait, what do you mean anywhere on the internet?” said Evan suddenly.
“I looked through Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, nothing on James! Nothing! That’s why we should go back to the bar!” said Regulus.
“Chill, we already agreed. Can we talk about the fact that you literally stalked this man on the internet?” said Barty.
“It’s fine, Barty. There’s nothing anyway. Just a couple pictures of pastries or whatever.”
“Oh my goodness, Regulus, you fell for a guy who likes pastries and has no internet footprint. That’s so cliché! This is great,” grinned Evan.
“Yeah, yeah, now go to class, be the model student I never was, and we can go to the bar. Jesus,” sighed Barty.
Regulus skipped off to class, elated to finally have a way to find the elusive James Potter again. And this time, he would be prepared.
He got back to his dorm late afternoon, stared at his violin and debated practicing, but decided his hands would shake too much. He threw his music theory homework he had been set onto his desk, then opened his little closet and stared at it.
How could he have nothing whatsoever to wear? Obviously he wasn’t wearing a sweater this time, it had been way too hot last time. He probably shouldn't wear a suit, that would make it look like he was trying too hard. But he couldn’t go too casual either and insinuate to James he didn’t care.
He didn’t know James’s favorite color, so he couldn’t try for that. His favorite color was green, maybe his green sweater? He could wear that over a T-shirt.
Oh, but he’d just decided he couldn’t wear a sweater. So that was out. That sucked, Regulus’s whole wardrobe was basically sweaters.
Why was this so hard? Jesus fucking Christ he was overthinking this.
So he called Barty.
“Barty, it’s an emergency,” Regulus said, deadpan, into the phone.
“What? What happened? Are you dying?” he said immediately.
“No… I’m not dying…”
“Then what’s the emergency? Why are you calling?”
“I don’t have anything to wear to the bar.”
“You called me because of a fashion emergency.”
“Yes, I called you because of a fashion emergency! I don’t know what I’m supposed to do!”
“Regulus, stop freaking out. Stop. I can feel you doing it all the way from here. James fucking Potter is one singular guy who does not even look like the type to care what you’re wearing.” said Barty.
Regulus groaned. “Bartyyyyyyyy please!”
“No, I’m calling my friend and she’s going to facetime you and she’s going to help you.”
“What? Barty! No! Barty – oh, he hung up.” Regulus threw his phone onto his desk.
Not two seconds later it rang again.
Regulus picked up the phone, and didn’t recognize the number.
“Hello?”
“This Regulus?” said the female voice on the other end.
“Uh huh,” said Regulus, confused.
“Barty texted me to say you were having a fashion emergency and he wanted me to help because I am the most qualified person here to help you, after all, you are about to get into a homosexual relationship and who better to help you than me?”
“Uh,” said Regulus, trying to process all that. “Sorry, what’s your name?”
“Oh, of course! I’m Dorcas, Dorcas Meadowes, and Barty knows me from a lecture when we were the only two in the class with dyed green hair.”
“Okay,” said Regulus, slightly amused despite himself. “Barty said you can help me?”
“Yes I absolutely can! I have coached Evan through many a meltdown, so if you’ll hang up and facetime me, I can solve all your problems.”
Regulus hung up immediately and hit the facetime button.
Almost instantly, the face of a pretty brown-skinned girl with dreadlocks and yes, a few of them were green, filled Regulus’s phone screen.
“Ooh, Barty wasn’t lying, you are hot. I’m Dorcas, nice to meet you, lesbian-in-residence.” she beamed.
Regulus only nodded. Dorcas continued. “Okay, do you have any clothes you like wearing?”
Regulus shrugged. “Sweater, mostly, dark colors.”
“Alright, I can work with that. You’re going to a bar, so you’re gonna be hot with a sweater.”
Regulus sighed internally, how did everyone know that about a bar except him?
“Dark colors, try green? It’ll match your eyes, and go black pants, not shorts, jet black that will match your hair. Can you do that?” Dorcas asked.
Regulus nodded, set the phone up on his desk, and disappeared into the closet to change.
When he came out, Dorcas whistled. “Okay, Reggie, I’m gonna call you that now. Let’s get started on your hair!”
Half an hour later, Regulus had carefully applied eyeliner, just a little bit, but enough that Dorcas said it brought out the flecks of green in his silver eyes. He had brushed his hair out of his eyes, so his curls sat just over his ears. He was wearing a button up, dark green shirt, and black pants. He opted to wear running shoes, though, because this bar was walking distance from his dorm. Dorcas agreed, she had suggested dress shoes but decided that was taking it a little too far.
But he looked ‘pretty’, as Dorcas said. And he was ready.
“Really, thank you so much for all your help,” Regulus addressed his phone, still propped up on the dresser.
“It was my pleasure! I’m always happy to give a makeover, and really, your crisis was not as bad as some of the ones I’ve seen. You should have seen Evan when he was about to ask Barty on a date, now that I’ll never forget…”
Regulus smiled, feeling significantly less nervous now. “Do you want to come with us to the bar?”
Dorcas grinned. “I would love to, but I can’t, I’m sorry. Hey, I never asked, why are you getting dressed up for the bar? It’s a school night, anyway. Barty made it seem like you’re such a goody-two-shoes, and you did seem nervous at first but now it’s like we’ve known each other forever. Is there… someone?”
Regulus glanced down, and scuffed his shoes on the floor. “Well… I met this guy… he was so nice, and had the prettiest brown eyes, but I forgot to get his number. So I have to go back to the bar and hope he’s there again too.”
“Oh, this is all for a boy! I’m so glad I never had to go through all that, you know, you boys are way more trouble that you’re worth.”
Regulus laughed. “I’m sure, but I’m gay, so it better be worth the trouble.”
Dorcas started singing. “Boys only want love if it’s torture…”
“I’m going to hang up on you,” threatened Regulus.
“You go ahead and do that, have fun at the bar!” And before Regulus could hit the call end button, his phone went black. Dorcas beat him to it.
Still smiling, Regulus shut his dorm door and locked it behind him, leaving to meet Evan and Barty.
The three of them walked over to the bar, Regulus telling them about Dorcas and how she’d helped him. Barty said he knew Dorcas from a while back, when they both dyed their hair. Evan had been introduced by Barty, and they’d become great friends immediately.
Regulus thought it was interesting, all the dynamics of his friends from before he’d met them. Before this week, he probably would have been insanely jealous that they had so much history he wasn’t a part of, but he couldn’t bring himself to care right now, satisfied to live in the moment and enjoy it.
It was probably left over from when Sirius went off to college and got all these new friends that Regulus didn’t know, and made no effort to include Regulus in anything. Regulus had come to the same university, yes, but he still didn’t know what SIrius was studying, where his dorm was, or who any of his friends were.
Regulus had to start all by himself, it was unbelievably lucky that he had met Evan and Barty when he did. Even if they had many, many stories that Regulus wasn’t there for, they were creating new ones right now. Regulus was happy.
Of course, he would be far happier if he could find James Potter again.
The three of them sat down at the same table as… was it really only yesterday? It felt like a whole lifetime had come and gone in the time since he’d met James Potter. His whole worldview had been upended, he’d thrown all his morals out the window and downloaded Snapchat, and he’d lost quite a bit of sleep over this man.
It was amazing what thirty-six hours could do.
Barty and Evan promised to keep an eye out for James. Regulus was sure he’d spot him first, but he was dead wrong.
“JAMES!!” shouted Barty at the top of his voice, waving madly.
Regulus actually jumped. He stood up as quickly as possible to try and see him. Evan stood up too, and being much taller than both of them, he flagged James down.
Regulus saw James, and it felt like he had been sucker punched. A bolt of anxiety mixed with elation shot through his spine and pooled in his stomach. No one had ever made him feel like that just from him seeing them. The top of Regulus’s vision went dark. He fought not to give into that darkness, he wanted to see James. See the angel walking earth that was James Potter.
And now James was walking up to their table! The feeling of whiplash intensified. Regulus could feel his heart pounding, so hard he thought James might be able to hear it too.
“Regulus?”
And there was nothing in the world more beautiful than that voice saying his name, Regulus thought. He waved shyly.
“Bye Evan, bye Barty, thanks so much!” Regulus said breathlessly, and he scooted out from behind the table and let James lead him somewhere.
“H-hi, James, I’m so sorry, I forgot to get your number and I didn’t know if I would see you again and I really wanted to see you and so I came back here even though it was a school night, I mean, I guess you’re here too so anyway do you want to get a drink?” Regulus rambled.
“Whoa, Regulus, it’s okay. It’s just me tonight, honestly I was hoping I’d run into you too.” James said.
Regulus paused. “Really?”
“Yeah, I wanted to know more about this fascinating guy who I just met yesterday who always has something interesting to say,” James grinned.
Regulus was about to melt into a puddle of mush.
“Now, about that drink… let me get it for you.” Before Regulus could protest, James turned and called for the bartender.
A minute later, a cold drink was being pressed into Regulus’s hand. James’s fingers brushed Regulus’s, even though it seemed like he was trying not to. He was so polite, not making Regulus feel at all uncomfortable.
They sat down on a bar stool, James asked Regulus something, and Regulus answered. He was barely aware of it, because James fucking Potter was talking to him again. He had the sweetest smile, a little bit shy, while talking to him. He asked questions and really seemed to care about the answer and what Regulus had to say.
Regulus wanted to know everything about him. What was his favorite color, so he could wear it the next time he saw him? Had he ever been to Japan, somewhere Regulus had been dying to go for years? What was he studying at university? What did he want to do in the future?
The future. Thirty-six hours and Regulus was thinking about the future.
Regulus found himself sitting up perfectly straight, not relaxed like James seemed to be. Regulus had had it drilled into him from a young age to always sit up straight and be polite, and it always manifested when he was nervous. Years of being in an orchestra with a mean conductor would do that too.
So, after Regulus got his chance to ask some questions too, he found out that James was at university getting his undergraduate degree in kinesiology, and sports medicine. His favorite color was red. His favorite season was summer.
In turn, Regulus told him he was studying English and music, but he didn’t remember more than that. The whole two hours they talked passed in a happy blur. If you asked Regulus to tell you anything they talked about, he wouldn’t be able to.
Finally, the bar staff started kicking people out because they were closing. Regulus’s dorm wasn’t far from the bar, maybe James would walk him home?
James stood up and said, “We should probably go, then, before we get in trouble,”
Regulus nodded, a little too fast. “Yeah, yeah - that’s a great idea. Come on,” and he hopped off the bar stool as well.
Once they were both outside in the cool, refreshing night, Regulus became aware of how close they were walking. Would James hold his hand? Was that taking it too far? Regulus didn’t know the correct order of relationships, did you kiss and then hold hands or hold hands and then kiss? Technically they had hugged, if you counted Regulus being shoved into James and James catching him, but they hadn’t kissed no matter how much Regulus wanted that.
He just wanted to hold hands with James, was that really so much to ask?
Finally Regulus worked up the courage to offer his hand, palm up, to James. James gave him a surprised smile, and took it.
Which meant that now they were walking down the street holding hands. Regulus could definitely not keep up the conversation now because James was rubbing his thumb over Regulus’s knuckles, and it was making his brain short circuit.
Regulus still had stuff he wanted to know, though. Had James ever taken the Eurostar to France? Regulus grew up in France and spent a lot of his childhood taking that train back and forth. Had James? There was so much stuff he didn’t know and would happily spend hours learning about.
Surreptitiously, Regulus reached into his pocket and pulled out his pack of chewing gum. If James did end up kissing him, he was not tasting beer or whatever he’d bought him at the bar.
Oh Jesus Christ if James kissed Regulus he was going to fucking die.
He cracked open one of the sticks, then offered one to James. James shook his head with a smile.
They weren’t talking as much as they had been, was that a bad sign? Was James tired of him already? Usually in conversation Regulus let other people do the leading of the conversation, he didn’t know how to do it himself.
As if he had read his mind, James spoke. “I’m sorry if I’m not talking much, Regulus, I’m just so happy to be here with you. Also, I am actually a little nervous to be with you because I don’t want to end up scaring you off. So, um, that’s why I might not be talking,”
Regulus felt his cheeks heat up. No one he’d dated before (cough cough Skylar) had ever cared about his feelings in quite that way. No one had ever been nervous to be around him because of his opinion of them. If anything they hadn’t cared what they did to him.
Regulus hated comparing James to Skylar when they were so different, but he almost couldn’t help it. When he was little, people were always comparing him and Sirius and finding Sirius better. It left him with a very either-or mindset, and in that now, it was James he’d chosen.
Regulus squeezed James’s hand, and James squeezed back. James just didn’t seem to mind if Regulus stopped talking for a bit, content just to enjoy his company. That was also new. Regulus felt like he could just stare at James and be perfectly happy. Despite his earlier infatuation, now that he had actually gotten to know James, he felt like he would be okay if James never kissed him, never held his hand, if only he could talk to him all day or stare at him.
Of course, holding hands with him was incredible, and Regulus was dying for James to kiss him.
All too soon, they arrived at Regulus’s dorm, Salazar. Regulus pointed out his dorm room, and then said, “This is mine. Do you… um…. want to come in for a bit?”
James practically beamed. “I would love to!”
A little belatedly, Regulus realized how James may have interpreted that wrong. Regulus was definitely not asking him to come in for sex. No matter how much Regulus wanted him to kiss him, sex was not what he wanted.
Something here was worth explaining about Regulus. Regulus already knew he identified as demisexual. Not demiromantic, demisexual. That meant that he could appreciate how good-looking someone was, but if he didn’t know the person, then a lot of the ‘attraction’ other people seemed to feel was lost on him. He only started developing a crush once he knew the person, and never in his life had felt sexual attraction to someone he’d just met. Maybe that wasn’t the dictionary definition of demisexual, but that was how Regulus felt.
Which was why this situation with James was a little bit unusual. With him, he’d seen him and thought, that man is hot, I want to kiss him. He’d never experienced that kind of attraction before.
Barty and Evan were always showing him pictures of actors they said were hot, but Regulus never quite saw what they saw in them. He always just saw…. a person. He didn’t get it. He supposed that was why he’d felt so seen when he read something random one day about demisexuality and felt like it described him perfectly.
But about the sex… Regulus didn’t want that. Yes, he’d established an emotional connection with James, faster than he ever had with anyone else, but that didn’t translate into his sexual desires. He knew it would take a while, if it ever did. Demisexuality was on the asexual spectrum. And Regulus was still a virgin. He didn’t know if he would want that. He didn’t know if James wanted that. He didn’t know. He didn’t know.
It felt like a lot of the time, he didn’t know a lot of things.
And now Regulus had all those thoughts running through his head all at once, saw James looking at the bed with half-lidded eyes, and panicked a little bit.
“James - I - I’m sorry - I… can you go?” Regulus blurted out.
“Is everything… are you okay?” asked James, sounding concerned all of a sudden. Which didn’t quite make sense to Regulus. Wasn’t he just staring at the bed like he wanted to get Regulus in it?
“Yes, of course. I mean… no, not really. I just - I don’t want this,” Regulus waved his hand in the air, and realized how that sounded the moment the words passed his lips. It sounded like he didn’t want a relationship with James which… he hadn’t really thought of but now that he was, it sounded like a great idea.
“This as in us?” said James, with the beginnings of a sad smile on his face.
“No, no,” Regulus said, trying to backtrack quickly. “This as in… in…” he pointed to the bed, unable to quite bring himself to say sex.
Realization dawned in James’s eyes. “Oh! Regulus, I’m never going to make you do anything if you aren’t ready!“
Regulus took a deep breath. “But what if I’m never ready?”
James gave him the sweetest, shyest smile. “That’s okay. You tell me if you ever are, or aren’t, and I will respect your decision. We go at your pace, okay?”
Regulus could have fainted right there. Again, no one had been so respectful of his desires before. He’d had one person break up with him because he hadn’t wanted to do that. He nodded, hardly able to believe it.
“So, do you still want me to go?” asked James, a teasing twinkle in his eye.
Regulus gave him a real smile, and shook his head.
“Can I hug you?” he asked. James nodded. Regulus stepped forward, unsure quite how to do this naturally, and wrapped his arms around James’s neck. James slipped his arms around Regulus’s waist, and just held him.
James was taller than Regulus, which normally would have annoyed him, but here in James’s arms he felt so safe. Like nothing could ever touch him here.
“Regulus… there is one thing I wanted to do tonight…” James whispered in his ear.
Now that the discussion of boundaries and readiness was on the table, Regulus wasn’t nervous about what James might ask.
“What’s that?” Regulus whispered back.
In answer, James tilted his head down and kissed Regulus on the lips.
And oh, if it wasn’t everything he’d dreamed of. His lips were chapped, but that only meant Regulus could feel it more. It wasn’t hungry, like many other kisses he’d had, but it was more like testing the waters. Seeing if Regulus was ready. If this was okay.
It couldn’t have lasted more than two seconds, but to Regulus, it felt like lasted an eternity. There was no tongue, nothing even remotely dirty. It was a sweet, chaste kiss, possibly the best one Regulus had ever been given.
He really felt like he could drop dead right there. Die happy from kissing James Potter. With him right next to Regulus there.
It was the best moment of his life.
It only took them a few days to declare themselves dating after that. James and Regulus. Regulus and James. They spent every spare moment they could together, walked each other to class. Regulus formally introduced James to Evan and Barty, and they spent a good four minutes laughing at Regulus for being ‘so whipped’ and then acted like James was royalty and treated him with exaggerated politeness, bowing and curtsying, all that. They tried to kiss James’s hand but Regulus smacked them both on the back of their head.
James took Regulus to his dorm, where he met Marlene, Remus, Lily, and Peter. They all took to Regulus immediately, with his dry wit and clear infatuation with James. Regulus was endlessly amused by them, with all the pranks they’d insisted they’d pulled that Regulus didn’t believe for a second, and all their stories from the various cities they’d grown up in.
It was another few weeks before Regulus worked up the courage to tell James why he came to Hogwarts University at all, to find his brother he hadn’t seen in years. James encouraged him to the and reach out, and if he didn’t want to talk, just keep pushing because they were brothers and nothing would change that.
So Regulus looked through all the students of James’s year, and found what he was looking for. ‘Sirius Black’. He knocked on his dorm room, and when he opened the door, the brother Regulus thought he’d lost, he just started sobbing.
Sirius wrapped him in a huge hug, and they talked for six hours after that.
It was really hard, there was some shouting and more tears, but they both felt better afterwards.
Sirius happened to ask if Regulus was dating anyone. Regulus beamed and said yes he was, he was gay and dating James Potter!
“James Potter. JAMES POTTER. MY best friend? Regulus!!” Sirius demanded.
Regulus stared at him in disbelief. “James Potter is your best friend?” He’d kind of thought Sirius would be more hung up on the fact that he was gay.
“Yes! Why would you pick him? Of all people!”
“I - wow, really?” Regulus was shocked.
Sirius shook his head, mumbling something incoherent under his breath. Regulus’s brain started thinking. This meant he would have been introduced to Sirius eventually, it was like the universe willed it.
“Well fine, I guess you’re good for each other. I,” Sirius took a dramatic breath, “give you my approval.”
“Wow, thanks,” Regulus rolled his eyes. But he did appreciate it, more than Sirius probably intended.
Regulus was happier than he’d ever been. And James Potter had given that to him. He’d gotten his brother back, he was studying things he loved, and he had real friends for the first time in his life.
He hoped that never changed. Maybe he would finally get a happy ending.