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"Morning, Starshine," James beamed. Regulus groaned and tried to refrain from repeatedly banging his head on the counter. James sidled up to said counter, mirroring Regulus and resting his chin on his hands.
"I hope you die in a catastrophic accident," Regulus bit out. It was five to seven in the morning, too early to be awake, let alone working. James was his first customer, like he always was, without fail, always five minutes before they officially open, because he insisted on spending that time 'breaking down Regulus's walls'.
Regulus took early morning shifts, mainly because he thought if he didn't- he'd never get out of bed. He needed to be out of bed, for art classes- which he'd started taking earlier this year, after fucking off from his economics course at Cambridge. That was scary, but Sirius had welcomed Regulus back into his life with open arms, let him stay at his apartment until he found his own, got Regulus a job, found art classes and a dance studio. This was also, uncoincidentally, the year their parents completely cut him off.
So here he was, a year later, having to put up with a cheery James at much too early in the morning. James got up early in the morning because he was training to be pediatric doctor, and his hours were ridiculous. James was ridiculous. But sweet.
"Oh! Good morning, James! I'm so glad you're here! What could I get you, dearest James?" James mocked, still beaming and doing what seemed to be a bad impression of himself, however that might be possible.
"What do you want?" Regulus asked, James heaved a great sigh.
"Still?"
"Yep."
"Large latte, hot, half almond milk, half soy milk, four shots espresso, four pumps vanilla, three pumps caramel, two ice cubes, whipped cream- only enough to cover the top, and a caramel drizzle." James recited, Regulus picked up a cup to start making James's ridiculous drink, scribbling a rather uncreative insult on the side.
"One day you're gonna order an Americano and I'll finally be free," Regulus said, half to himself, as James sidled over to the other end of the counter.
"Don't knock it 'til you tried it, Reggie," James said, and leaned on the counter to watch Regulus make his drink. He also put a tenner in the tip jar, like he did every morning. James insisted on it, because Remus never lets him pay- and Regulus couldn't give less of a shit what James did with his parent's money.
Sirius inherited the café two years ago from Uncle Alphard. Together, Sirius and Remus revamped and ran it together. Sirius- who had an odd knack for business handled the numbers and shit. Remus, who made great tea and had a very calming temprament- handled the front. A few others worked there, Marlene and Pandora- who liked Regulus. There was also Lily- who didn't seem to like him that much. Mary- who Regulus somehow had never met.
"I'd rather rip my tongue out."
"How are art classes going?" James asked after a moment, unable to stay silent for any longer than ten seconds.
"They're fine."
"Si told me it's going very well, apparently you're having a showcase soon."
"Sirius lied to you," Regulus snarked, turning around to look at James for a second, just to gauge his reaction. James was staring at him, of course he was, doe-eyed and needlessly beautiful. Fucking hell. Nobody should be able to look this good in the morning. James was still smiling, his hair sticking up in all directions, glasses slightly wonky. Always just on the cusp of disheveled. He had a short sleeve t-shirt on and Regulus could see his arms.
God. His arms.
Regulus was pretty sure James's arms were the only reason he wasn't spitting in James's drink right now. Years of playing rugby wirh a local club had treated him very well, James was close to being a walking brick wall at this point, not that Regulus was complaining. He took a moment to ogle at the smooth muscle before ripping his eyes away. James smirked, like he knew exactly what he was doing to Regulus's mind.
"Can I come?"James asked, and Regulus turned back to the drink.
"What do you think, James?"
"I think you're one of my oldest friends-" James began.
"We're not friends," Regus interrupted, watching James out of the corner of his eye as he threw his arms up in the air and silently yelled at the sky in frustration.
"-And that you would delight in my seeing your incredible art," James continued.
"You would be sorely mistaken then."
"Shame. Another time."
"No."
"You're cute when you're mean, Reg," James said- unnecessarily. Regulus was rethinking the whole spitting in his drink thing.
"Fuck off, James." Regulus placed James's cup on the counter, perhaps a little bit too aggressively. James only grinned and picked it up like it was a gift from the gods themselves.
"Case in point," James said, and smirked. Fucking smirked. The charlatan.
"Git."
"You've made that quite clear," James grinned and turned the cup to face Regulus. Regulus already knew what it read, he was the one who wrote it.
"Git, yes. Well done on reading," Regulus said. James took a long sip of his drink and elicited a downright vulgar groan of delight. Regulus had to turn away and busy himself with cleaning the espresso machine.
"You're fucking magic. Regulus, I know I tell you this every morning, but I love you," James announced, and gave Regulus a very meaningful look. Regulus tried not to blush embarrassingly, just like he did every morning.
"Only for my coffee."
"I'm a shallow, shallow man," James replied, and then gave a long sigh as he pushed himself up from where he was leaning on the counter. "Tell Si I'll be round later. And also that I love them and only ever want the best for them. And then say that I love them again."
"Tell them yourself," Regulus said, but they both knew he didn't mean it. James flashed him one last smile before turning to leave.
"I'll see you tomorrow, little star."
"James," Regulus rushed out, just as James was about to leave.
"Yep?" James asked, turning back to face Regulus with that fucking look on his face, Regulus felt his resolve melting.
"Good luck with the tryouts."
"Thank you, love."
James left Regulus standing at the espresso machine with a blush floating up the back of his neck.
-----
"Morning, starshine," James chirped. He waltzed up to the counter to stare adoringly at Regulus.
"James."
"Your hair looks nice," James said, reaching out a hand to ghost over a piece of Regulus's hair that hung over his eye. Regulus let him. James tucked the piece of hair behind Regulus's ear, gaze almost reverent. Regulus tried not to do something stupid like sigh lovingly and fall into James's wonderful arms.
"How'd the tryouts go?" Regulus implored, desperate to have something to do other than internally implode. James dropped his hand.
"I think I did alright. They seemed to like me."
Regulus couldn't help but smile at the inexplicably huge grin James was giving himself at the minute. He looked like he was about to pat himself on the back- which was sort of hilarious.
"Shocker. What can I get you?" Regulus asked, James seemed to snap back into the room.
"Large latte, hot, half almond milk, half soy milk, four shot espresso, four pumps vanilla, three pumps caramel, two ice cubes, whipped cream- only enough to cover the top, and a caramel drizzle," James absentmindedly recited his order, which Regulus had already started making out of spite.
"You're gonna get diabetes one day."
"Worth it," James said, and not-so-sneakily dropped yet another fiver into the tip jar.
"It can't be that good."
"Not what I meant," James said, Regulus turned to see James looking at him with those fucking eyes. He had to look back away to compose himself for a moment.
"You know I'd still be here even if you ordered a regular coffee," Regulus said after a moment of hesitation, because as upfront about his feelings James was- Regulus also never quite knew for sure whether he really meant it or not.
James had always been honest about his feelings towards Regulus. He'd had a frankly embarrassing crush on Regulus since he was seventeen, when Regulus started to grow closer to Sirius again after he'd come out to them, and shortly after, his parents- who were oddly okay with it- most probably because they'd rather a trans Regulus as an heir than no heir at all.
He'd known James prior, of course, but they'd never really had a chance to connect until then. James had always been James, Sirius's best friend, entirely unpredictable and slightly intimidating and everything Regulus had admired between the ages of eleven and fourteen.
James loved honestly and he loved hard. He also loved unremittingly- which is what leads them to five years later, and James still pining, the poor bugger.
Regulus feels the same way.
He knows he's waiting for something, some catalyst, to tell James. But he doesn't quite know how to just say it either. Not that he's even sure he wants to, because it's James, and he's... Regulus.
"But it wouldn't take as long to make," James rudely interrupted Regulus's train of thought. Fucking prick.
Regulus turned to James, who was giving him a very meaningful look. He meant every word he said, the soppy bastard.
"James."
James gave a lopsided smile and shrugged, "I'm just being upfront and honest about my nefarious intentions."
James's eyes shone, glittered, danced with a fiery blaze of inane good. Regulus was fucked if he looked into them any longer than five seconds, which he certainly had by now. Regulus suddenly ruffled.
"You're nefarious intentions," he bit back, stupidly.
"You're shit at insults in the morning. It's adorable," James downright cooed. Regulus panicked.
"You're adorable." As soon as the delinquent words left his mouth, Regulus groaned. James looked like his face was about to split in half- he opened his mouth, no doubt to make some snarky comment.
"Stop. Shut up," Regulus interrupted. James's mouth obediently snapped shut, but the smile never left.
Regulus handed James's drink to him. Trying not to focus on the tiniest brush of their finger and instead on the way Jame's body seemed to melt after a sip of The Atrocity. James flicked Regulus's cheek.
"I love you, starshine, you're incredible," James said, Regulus tried to grimace, but James was absentmindedly tracing a hand over his jaw, and Regulus was sure his fingers were magic- because nothing had ever felt as good as this.
"I know," Regulus muttered instead. James smiled, and then his hand was gone and everything was horrid again.
James was digging about in his bag for something. "Here, I bought you leftovers from Mum's dinner." James produced a tupperware container of pure fucking heaven. Regulus greedily snatched the box from James. Euphemia was nice enough to include Regulus in their meals somehow, even if he was still reluctant to actually attend. Euphemia and Fleamont had also accepted Regulus as one of their own with open arms, which Regulus appreciated greatly.
"Tell Euphemia I love her. And her food," Regulus said, and cracked the top of the container open to have a smell. It was gorgeous.
"And yet you still won't tell me," James pouted, Regulus pouted back- because James was being a baby and he deserved to know how stupid he looked.
"You don't make me food," Regulus stated, he could practically see the cogs in James's head whirring as an idea seemed to dawn on him. "That wasn't me asking-"
"No take-backs, Reggie," James beamed and whirled around, yelling as he left the door, "I'll see you tomorrow!"
-----
"Morning, Starshine."
"Die."
James blew on Regulus's nose, which was weird. James was weird. And annoying.
"I made you a blueberry scone," James said, after a moment of rummaging around his bag. It was in a wrapped in tin-foil, and James had stuck a note on the top.
Only one way to a man's heart.
"I told you you didn't need to make me food," Regulus tried to protest, but took the scone anyway. "Thank you, James."
James grinned knowingly, blew on Regulus's nose again, and recited his order to Regulus- who had already begun making it.
"How shocking," Regulus deadpanned.
"You're the one that insists on making me say it every day."
"Tell me you don't enjoy the routine."
James faux-gasped, pressing a hand to his chest. "Never! To admit such a thing would be a heinous blasphemy."
"To which god?" Regulus asked.
James wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, Regulus groaned inwardly. "You."
"Makes no sense," Regulus said, trying his hardest to disguise the fact he felt awfully and disgustingly flattered.
James stuffed a large handful of money into the tip jar. "I got my point across."
"You're implying I'm an immortal, omnipotent being with all encompassing power?" Regulus queried. James gave him a look as if to say 'what else' and shrugged. Regulus couldn't help but huff out a laugh. "You're ridiculous."
"And you're gorgeous," James shot back, probably smirking to himself.
"Ridiculous."
"Ridiculously sexy."
Regulus huffed out another laugh, turning around to hand James his drink. "That's debatable."
"I know which side you'd be debating. I've seen you ogling these arms," James said, and flexed his bicep.
God-fucking-damn-it.
Honestly.
Regulus tried his very best not to ogle. But James was also looking at him with those fucking doe eyes. And his hair looked so fluffy and soft- tousled like he'd just gotten out of bed. And he had a mole just where his neck met his shoulder and there was really nothing Regulus wanted more than to-
Regulus looked away from James entirely.
"Ogling is not the right word," Regulus said weakly, and picked up a cloth- just to have something to do other than ogle.
"You wanna feel?" James asked. Regulus stopped wiping down the counter to give James a most incredulous look. James conceded, giving his arm one last flex- more for himself than anything- and picked up his drink. Regulus watched as James let out a frankly pornographic groan of delight and smacked his lips together.
"I love you and your delicious coffee," James said, and blew on Regulus's nose. Again.
"Flattered as always."
James turned to leave, blowing a kiss before he left and doing a little twirl out of the door. "I'll see you, starshine," James yelled behind him and let the door close.
"Bye, James."
Regulus ate the scone. It tasted like shit. James was not a good baker.
-----
"Morning, Starshine," James announced himself to the room of other customers. James was late, the prick.
"J'espère que tu mourras dans un fossé," Regulus stated when he got to the counter, James made a choked noise and blushed.
Fucking prick.
James should not be allowed to blush like that. He looked like a deer caught in headlights, mouth slightly open and eyes wide- brown skin tinted softly pink. He ran a fretting hand through his hair and then smiled softly at the floor.
James swallowed and met Regulus's eyes. "You're unbelievably attractive," James managed. Regulus short-circuited.
Many moments passed before Regulus remembered to speak. A small queue of customers was building behind James.
"You're late," Regulus said, and reached behind him for James's drink, which he'd made in the morning and was now cold- but he deserved a cold drink, for being a prick.
James grinned and took his drink."Did you miss me?"
"Bite me," Regulus shot back, James stopped grinning to chew on his bottom lip.
"Only if you bite back," James said- dangerously close to smirking again. He took a sip of his drink instead, grimacing- probably upon learning it was cold.
"With pleasure."
James winked. He smiled again and sighed, taking a step back from the counter and throwing up a hand to wave at Lily, who'd been side-eyeing James and Regulus the entire time while staring at the building queue with mounting disdain. "You're busy love, I won't keep you."
"Okay."
James stayed until Regulus got off at noon, he had two more coffees and seemed to have brought a literal mountain of school work to do when he wasn't bugging Sirius or Lily or, much to his general disdain, Regulus.
Regulus looked over at James after getting his stuff from the break room. He decided to say goodbye, to be nice.
"James," Regulus approached James. He'd tucked himself into a corner with two tables each piled high with various sheets of paper and books. James glanced up from where he was staring mournfully at a rather large textbook and beamed at Regulus. He removed the pen he was chewing from his mouth and pushed his glasses up his face.
"Sup Reggie," James replied.
"I'm leaving now," Regulus tried, James blinked and then seemed to recover slightly. He glanced at his watch and his eyebrows raised in shock.
"Where are you going?"
"I've got a dance studio booked for a couple hours," Regulus replied. Completely unsure as to why he was telling James this.
"Can I come?" James asked, a slow smile creeping up the corners of his mouth. Regulus paused.
"Why?"
"I remember you promised a few months ago to teach me the Ballet Basics," James said. Regulus did have a vague memory of a discussion about the importance of balance and grace in rugby- and how those were both traits James lacked in a great deal. Regulus considered it at the time only because it meant he'd get to boss James around a bit, and if there was one thing Regulus loved- it was getting to tell other people what to do.
James was staring up at Regulus, pen returned to his mouth and nibbling on the lid. Regulus wondered if James even realised he was doing it. "Unless you wanted-" James started nervously- obviously offput by the long silence.
"No. Come," Regulus said, clutching the strap of his bag tighter and shifting his weight from foot to foot. James's face broke out into an impossible grin and he rushed to start packing his masses of school work together.
"Cool. Cool cool cool." James muttered to himself, still grinning. "Text me the addy and I'll meet you there."
"Addy? James. Really?" Regulus scoffed. James shrugged, throwing a heavy looking bag over his shoulder and turning to leave.
"Love you too. Hey Marls!" James waved at Marlene over the counter, who'd come to take over behind the counter for Regulus.
"Hey James!"
"Bye Marls!"
"Bye James!"
Regulus watched James leave with a small smile on his face. Marlene managed to look over just before he managed to train his face to its usual inexpressive state. He watched her nudge Sirius and mutter something. Sirius gave her a knowing look and then nudged Lily. They muttered something to Lily, who gave them the same knowing look. All of them then looked at Regulus with aforementioned knowing look.
Regulus flipped them all off and left.
-----
"Leg up. Up, James. Up! That is not..." Regulus watched James fail to bring his foot up, somehow managing to place it lower on his calf instead. Regulus resisted the urge to fucking kill himself and instead slowly demonstrated a pique turn again.
James watched in silence.
This was their fourth session. James had started renting out the studio for a few hours every week. Regulus was never going to say no to some studio time- even if it meant putting up with James's inability to coordinate his body in any way that most people would consider normal.
James tried again. This time he forgot to do anything at all with his arms. Or his leg.
"Sometimes I feel like you're trying to get me to be mean to you on purpose," Regulus gritted out when James turned to give him an embarrassed look. The corner of his mouth raised into an idiotic smirk.
"So what if I am? I like it when you're mean to me," James admitted, gaze intently focused on Regulus behind his glasses. Regulus wanted- he wanted-
Regulus wanted to throw himself at James and perhaps kiss him until he couldn't breathe.
Instead he stood there with a stupid blush rising to his cheeks while James slyly smiled like he knew exactly what he was doing. "Why?" Regulus managed in a softer voice than he'd intended.
"Dunno. Ask my therapist," James replied. Regulus let out a surprised laugh and proceeded to flip off James when he smiled like the heavens had just opened for him.
"Idiot."
Regulus sighed and strode over next to him. James lifted his arms, Regulus gently adjusted them, considered for a moment, and adjusted James's head slightly. Regulus then poked him in the small of his back, James straightened.
Regulus thought for a moment- or rather, didn't think at all, and decided to try a new approach to teaching.
Regulus rested his head on James's shoulder and watched his reaction in the mirror. James was blushing, "Remember your leg this time, James," Regulus murmured. He felt James shiver next to him. Regulus took a step back to watch, feeling rather proud of himself.
James tried. And it was probably the best turn he'd ever seen James execute. Not that that was saying much.
"How was that!"James whirled around to face Regulus- he was grinning like a genuine madman.
"Good. That was good, James," Regulus said. James chewed on his bottom lip, still smiling.
"Break time. Let me watch you for a bit," James said. He made his way over to sit in front of the mirror- water bottle in hand.
This was another thing, James seemed to have some fascination with watching Regulus dance.
Regulus did dance. It made James smile.
Regulus finished and settled next to James in front of the mirror, taking a deep swig from his water bottle. James watched him. "How are you so good?" James asked.
Regulus smirked to himself. "How are you so bad?"
"Oi," James said, and poked his shoulder. "It's not easy, reckon you'd struggle if I plonked you in the middle of a rugby field."
"I'd be fine. I think I could tackle you, you know." Regulus prompted, James reacted exactly the way he'd expected.
"You could not," James sputtered.
Regulus looked him in the eyes and said, in a voice he'd been perfecting since a childhood with Sirius, "Could so."
"It's on. It's so fucking on. Get up. I can't believe you think- You. Me!" James prattled, readying himself in the middle of the room, legs squared and arms out. Regulus rolled his eyes and stood facing James.
He didn't actually believe he could tackle the brick wall that called itself James. But Regulus did like getting a rise out of him.
Regulus gave James one last look and crouched down, ready to run.
"You ready to meet your maker, Potter?"
"Ready as I'll ever be, Black."
Regulus ran at James. Pushing his shoulder as hard as he could into his stomach. All he earned was a soft laugh, the man didn't even fucking budge. Regulus tried again, desperate to prove he could do this.
Nothing.
James threw his arms around Regulus and hugged him instead.
"I hate you," Regulus said, voice muffled against James's unfairly large chest.
"You're adorable," James cooed and stroked Regulus's hair.
Regulus squirmed in James's grip, but he was unrelenting. And comfortable. So fucking comfortable. Regulus doubted anything could ever feel as warm or as safe as one of James Potter's hugs.
He remembered the first time he'd gotten a hug from James. When he was seventeen, and he'd shown up at the Potters' only to be greeted with tea and assurances that Sirius would be home soon from Fleamont.
He'd had a long chat with Sirius. Eventually gotten tired of them, and then he'd wandered downstairs, utterly unsure what to do with himself until James greeted him with tea and a hug and assurances that it was all going to be okay. He remembered tucking himself away into James's arms and letting himself be hugged, because it wasn't something he'd often got to do up until then.
He thought maybe that was the moment that angsty seventeen year old Regulus decided that maybe some things were going to be okay after all. He'd gone back home, had a long chat with his parents, and stayed in vague touch with Sirius until he dropped out of Uni.
"Let me go."
James obediently let him go. And then poked his shoulder.
"You're a prick," Regulus said, James only grinned wider.
"And you're arrogant."
-----
"Morning, Sta- oh." James waltzed into the café, only to find Regulus was not there. "Morning Moony! Where's-"
Remus gave James a sly grin and handed him a coffee.
"Happy birthday Prongs! We'll all celebrate later. But someone-" Remus gave a look to the break room. "Had other plans first."
Sirius waltzed out of the break room, as if on cue. James gave his best grin, Sirius wasn't a big fan of birthdays, but it was nice that they made an effort on James's because he- as nearly everybody knew- was a huge believer and avid fan of birthdays.
"Oh!"
"Prongsie!" Sirius gave James a great big hug, as was birthday custom between the two of them. James held Sirius ever-close and pressed a gentle kiss to the crown of their head. Remus chose to ignore that.
"Padfoot."
They released each other, James stopping to stare down at Sirius with an absentmind smile. Fuck he loved his best friend. Then Sirius was leaving.
"Happiest of birthdays to you, my dearest. Have fun. I love you. Talk later," Sirius was whisking out of the café, stopping to press a soft kiss to the back of Moony's hand.
"What's- aren't you the one with plans for me?" James asked, suddenly confused by this whole ordeal. Why wasn't Sirius spending the day with him?
"I have so many plans for you, Jamie. But someone-" Sirius said, leaning against the doorframe and throwing an exasperated look to the break room. "Had other plans first."
Sirius left. Regulus emerged from the break room and gave James a scathing glare.
"Reggie!" James beamed. This may have been the best day of James's life. Regulus had plans for him- him- on his birthday.
"No."
"Bowling alley?"
"No."
"Park?"
"No."
"Arc-"
"I swear to god if you ask me where we're going on more time I will leave you on the side of the road," Regulus snapped. James leant back in his seat and raised his arms in defence. Regulus tightened his grip on the steering wheel, foot hovering over the clutch ready to brake if James-
"Okay," James conceded, probably because he knew Regulus was not kidding. It was already taking most of his will to even be doing this. They were nearly there anyway, in a smaller town near the city.
"I figured you'd be the type to love surprises," Regulus mused- half to himself. James hummed, and thought for a moment.
"No. I love surpising other people. But they make me too excited and I end up feeling like I'm going to explode," James said.
"Well we couldn't have that could we," Regulus replied and they settled into a comfortable silence. Silence of course, except for James's music (abysmal, by the way, it seemed to consist of nothing but showtunes and late 90s American rap). Regulus only let him play it because it was his birthday- other than that he took pride in his music, and his car, he fucking loved his car.
Regulus pulled into a parking spot. "We're here."
James stared out of the window curiously, "Community hall eh. Can't wait to see what this might entail."
Regulus led James to the door and before he opened it, turned to face James- who was an idiot, and therefore had not seen the many posters signalling what they were going to find inside.
Regulus shuffled from foot to foot and picked aggressively at the skin next to his thumbnail.
"Please don't be weird about this," Regulus asked quietly. James pulled a face and gently brushed the back of his hand against Regulus's frantic one.
"I won't, darling," James promised. Regulus did not to do something stupid like kiss James absolutely silly and instead opened the door behind him.
He gave James a moment to adjust to the room filled with art and a numerous amount of old people admiring said art. Regulus led James to one corner of the hall, where his own paintings resided, and watched James react.
Regulus had taken, more recently, to surrealism, and found that one of his favourite subjects was the people he knew. In particular, the people he knew in moments of heightened emotion.
Sirius and Remus both pulling the same petulant face sitting back to back after an argument. Marlene trying her best not to hit a customer in the nose. Barty, the moment he'd found out he got into Cambridge. James upon finding out his parents were visiting. James comforting Sirius and sharing the same pained expression as them. James during a dance session, willing his body to move as he wanted it to.
James now stood silently in front of Regulus's paintings, which involved a lot of colour- and were something he was extremely proud of. He slowly made his way to each one, mouth slightly open as if in awe. James looked like he was about to cry, Regulus selfishly tried to remember his expression, it was perfect for a painting.
"Reggie," James choked once he'd finished with the last one and turned to face Regulus, who'd been waiting anxiously the whole time.
"Happy birthday," Regulus said. James smiled blearily- like he'd just remembered why they were here and hugged Regulus.
James tucked his head atop Regulus's and muttered, "They're beautiful. You're- you're incredible."
Regulus threaded his arms around James and hugged back. "Thank you, James."
"This was the best birthday present I could have asked for."
Regulus could think of something better.
James's party was perfect. Perfect for James, that was.
Sirius and Remus had planned it, and it involved renting out a park, a large amount of balloons, a rather extravagant cake, and a bouncy castle.
The bouncy castle was a hit.
Regulus sat on the sidelines for most of the party, having been pulled away only once by Pandora to bounce. He tried to have fun, mingle as little as possible, but people seemed insistent on coming over to talk to him on his little spot on the grass.
The party was nearing an end now, and James hadn't come over. Which wasn't surpising, James had been busy bouncing. And eating cake, and talking to his frankly ridiculous amount of friends.
But now, as the sun was setting and Regulus had turned away to watch it set, he felt James thunk down on the ground next to him.
"Hello, Starshine," James said. And laid back to match Regulus's pose.
"Hello, James," Regulus said, and they fell into a comfortable silence.
Regulus's heart was beating a mile a minute as his hand slowly reached out to find James's. Regulus heard a sharp intake of breath once their hands met before James threaded his fingers between Regulus's and squeezed.
"Reggie," James murmured into the cool night air.
"Yes."
"I like you. You know that, right?" James asked, turning his head to look at Regulus. Regulus looked back. James's eyebrows were furrowed and he was chewing on his bottom lip.
"Yes," Regulus affirmed, giving James's hand a gentle squeeze.
"Okay." James's eyes drifted down and his smile fell slightly.
"James."
"Yeah."
"I like you too," Regulus said, without any trace of hesitation. This was what he'd wanted for so long, this was the right thing to do. He watched James's expression morph- confusion, surprise, and then joy. His face was glowing with joy, uninhibited, hopeful, lacking anything excpect pure exultation.
James kissed with fury, with longing and a desperate, constant desire for more. He kissed like hell had risen on Earth and these were his last moments alive. When he kissed, a million stars exploded somewhere inside Regulus and he finally felt alive.
He let James's hand go and grabbed the front of James's shirt, and James responded in turn by clutching at the back of Regulus's neck, bringing them impossibly closer, and all the while they were still kissing, growing more and more desperate. Regulus was sure something as simple as the press of someone else's lips could never make one feel truly addicted, but that's what this was. James was addicting, unlike anything else he'd ever experienced before, James was every thrill, every delight, all rolled into one. He was freedom, glory, fury, triumph. James just was.
He didn't ever want to stop, didn't want to leave the insistent and unrelenting press of his lips, beautifully soft in some way which he'd never experienced before. But Regulus couldn't breathe, so he pulled back, to take a few strangled breaths, James did the same. And then Regulus kissed him again, a slow, delicate touch, barely a moment long.
"Fuck."
"Happy birthday."