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Regulus Black is the most infuriating man in this whole entire universe.
And James will always stand by that.
He doesn't get why Regulus doesn't like him, James isn't a mean person. Despite Sirius' remarks on saying, 'he's just mean little shit, don't take it personally,' he can't help but do exactly that. He knows he has a huge ego that's still accelerating in an alarming rate, but he also knows that he's kind and loves people wholeheartedly.
Their first interaction went like this.
"Hi, my name is James."
"Hello."
There was a long pause of silence.
"Aren't you gonna say your name?"
"No. I'm guessing you already know that considering Sirius' loud mouth."
And then he walked away and left James baffled.
Then came a series of pointless efforts:
Sometimes he was quietly mean.
"Hi, Regulus." James greeted him.
Regulus pointedly stared at him and said, "Piss off," before he started walking.
Sometimes it was a screaming fight.
"You fucking arrogant despicable useless stupid son of a bitch." Regulus shouted.
"What? What did I even do to you?" James spluttered.
"You fucking looked at me, you twat."
"Are you saying I can't look at you?"
"Yes, you fucker, that's exactly what I'm saying."
"Not even a glance?"
"Ugh, you're so fucking annoying, Potter."
Sometimes he used physical things.
James sat near the edge of the table in the library.
After a few minutes, he felt something hard hit his head.
He looked to his side and found Regulus, the corners of his mouth twitching.
"Did you just fucking hit me with that?" James pointed at the thick book Regulus was holding.
"Wow. What great deduction skills the great James Potter has." Regulus said, his words dripping with sarcasm.
"Hey, what was that for?" James frowned.
"That was for sitting in my seat. Now get out."
"Your seat? This is the school's library."
"Yes, yes, the school's library. Get out."
James reluctantly leaves the library with his hand rubbing his poor head.
And sometimes he was just had the power to be mean while not even speaking.
They accidentally bumped each other in the hallway, Regulus reading his books and James just lost in his head.
He didn't even say sorry (James should've expected it). He just walked forward and had the audacity to put his finger up before doing so.
If James were to describe Regulus, one word that he would definitely use is mean — along with rude, unkind, scary, calm, stoic, and maybe lonely. He hardly ever saw him with people aside from Barty, Pandora, Dorcas, and Evan.
It was only when a week before school ended when James' impression on Regulus started to shatter.
From what he has heard from all the gossip, Regulus was grouped with 2 other people for a small literature project. They hated him. They said disgusting insults and harsh words loud enough for him to hear and nudged him a bit too hard on the shoulder.
Regulus stayed silent with his jaw clenched, it was only for a matter of time until he would blow up.
"Who would want a gay freak? Maybe that's why his brother left him." They snickered.
Regulus froze.
He grabbed a chair and dragged it closer to the two boys, the legs of the chair making a loud screech when it glides through the floor.
Then he threw it directly at where they stood and lunged at both of them.
He hit them.
Once.
Twice.
Thrice.
Too many to count, whispering threats while he was at it.
A teacher and two students had to hold Regulus down before he could kill both boys.
No one knows what happened next, but Remus and James were looking out the window as they saw Walburga dragging Regulus by the wrist next to the car.
"Do you know what you have done?" Her cold voice asked.
"Yes, mother." Regulus murmured, specks of blood still in his face.
"Louder." His mother shouted.
"Yes, mother." Regulus said loudly.
"You will not embarrass me. We'll fix that stupid problem of yours."
"Yes, mother."
"You have tarnished the Black's name." Her voice screeched.
"I'm sorry, mother."
Walburga slapped him in the face.
"Don't call me that, you're worst than Sirius." She said as she went inside the car.
James could see a tear glistening in Regulus' cheek before he wiped it and followed his mother.
That was 2 years ago.
No one has met Regulus ever since.
It was the last year of college, Sirius has been getting better about the topic of Regulus, but no one really brings it up. Not for the sake of Sirius, but because neither of them really wants to.
It turns out friend group have been close to Regulus in one way or another. Regulus used to be part of Remus and Lily's study group and used to be the only worthy opponent to satisfy Peter's chess games. Mary and him used to gossip sometimes and Marlene accidentally saw him kissing another boy and it somehow led her to helping him with his gay crisis. Sirius being his brother and James — James being the person Regulus was free to be mean to whenever.
He would have fitted perfectly with us, James thinks sadly, picking at his food.
His thoughts were interrupted by a someone (obviously Barty because who else would be crazy enough to scream during lunch with teachers nearby) running and screaming, "REGGG!!!!"
As James whipped his head to look at the person who had to deal with Barty, his jaw dropped. Because the person standing in the same room he is in now is Regulus Black. And as he turned back, all his friends have the same reaction.
James looked at Regulus, fondly, quietly, you name it. But he was looking at him as Barty ruffled his hair and he smiled with dimples on both his cheeks and before he knew it, James was in love.
After Barty's group were satisfied with the time they had with Regulus, it was James' group's turn.
"Um.. hi?" Regulus said awkwardly as he sat down all eyes on him.
"Stop, can we rewind a bit. What the fuck are you doing here?" Sirius was the one that broke the icebreaker (rather hard).
"Yeah I guess I expected that. The short version is Mother put me in an anger control institution or something like that after what happened, turns out she just left me there so I went to find Andy's and I live there now. I go to a different school, I'm just visiting since I promised Barty to meet him once I can."
Everyone was just looking at him with wide eyes.
"If you're not gonna say anything, I'm gonna go back with Barty and the others." Regulus said as if he didn't drop a bomb on them a second ago
Sounds of protests came quickly.
"Wait, okay, but we're obviously still gonna be friends right?" Marlene asked.
"Yeah, I got lots of gossip to tell you, Baby Black." Mary added.
"Yes, obviously."
"S-so you're not living with them anymore?"Sirius whispered.
"Yes, not in a long time."
"That's good."
Regulus hummed and faced James, "Nothing to say to me then?"
"Wouldn't want to be insulted too much." James laughed
"I guess you're lucky, those days are over." Regulus said as he stood up to go back to Barty, leaving James confused.
Days go by and Regulus has been present in all their lives once again. Everyone's happy to have Regulus back — everyone but James.
Don't get him wrong, it's amazing that he had numerous conversations with Regulus without him biting James' head off. But he misses the old Regulus. The one whose always grumpy and shows a hint of a smile when he finds James' response funny. The one who has dark humor and sarcastic remarks.
Everyone but James is happy because no one else could quite fully understand how much Regulus has changed except for James himself. He understood what Regulus meant when he said those days are over. It meant that whatever institution Walburga made him go to, it worked. Because James always notices when Regulus is about to swear but instead he flinches lightly and cuts himself off.
He can't help but think, What the fuck happened there?
One day, he asks.
James was looking for Regulus — these days he always was.
"Oh there you are, hiding in the back corner of the library, of course."
"Shut up, I don't fu- I don't hide."
"Why do you do that?"
"What?"
"You cut yourself off when you're about to curse. Sometimes you flinch a little."
"I don't do that." Regulus snarled.
"Yes you do."
"How would you know?"
"Because I see you, and I look for you."
James could see Regulus' cheeks flush.
Pretty.
"It's fine if you won't tell me. But I just wanted to tell you that I miss it."
"You miss getting bullied?" Regulus scoffed.
"I miss you being you without anything holding you back." James said softly.
Regulus didn't say anything, James thought he might've crossed a line.
"If I cursed or say something that they think isn't nice, they would hit me, sometimes make me starve. If I fought back they would hit harder and I would starve for longer." Regulus said quietly.
James hugged him hard.
Until he realized he might not be comfortable with it.
"Wait, I'm sorry, I jus-" James pulled back.
Regulus hugged him harder.
When they pulled away, James suddenly had a burst of courage.
"I like you." James blurted.
Regulus looked up to James' eyes.
"W-well it's definitely okay if you don't like me back but like I would really like it, b-but I'm not forcing you-" James gets cut off by Regulus kissing him.
"Yeah, I could get used to that. Definitely." James grinned.