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James is a liar. There’s no excuse for it. He made a promise and he broke it. To his credit, James intended to keep his promise. He saw the look on Regulus’ face, the desperation in his eyes, the pleading tone, and he knew he would do whatever it took to keep the damn promise.
Regulus just took too bloody long.
“James,” Peter sighs again, casting a glance over his shoulder. He’s on lookout duty while James sets up the final touches in the room. “You better hurry up.”
“Is he coming?” asks James, panicked. His hands freeze over the flowers he’s arranging as he stares at the door, a deer in headlights.
“Not yet,” Peter grumbles. James doesn’t know why he’s so annoyed. “He never stays out for long.”
“That’s why you’re here, Pete,” James reminds him tightly. He focuses on the bouquet, rearranging the lilies another two times before he’s certain they’re good.
The room is spectacular. James set up their sitting room with fairy lights, white rose petals across the dark wood floor, endless bouquets of white flowers on every surface. On the record player, Frank Sinatra croons the familiar melody of Regulus’ favourite songs. James has his most decadent roast in the oven, the expensive bottle of red Sirius swears Regulus will adore sits on the counter aerating. The ring is in the pocket of his suit, the very suit Regulus chose for him before they got together. James was Sirius’ best man, obviously, but that left him panicking to ensure he looked up to snuff at his friend’s side. Regulus had marched him into “our family’s tailor, his family has worked for the Blacks for ages” and declared every option but this one horrible and offensive. Everything is perfect.
James is going to shit himself. “Quick,” Peter hisses and ducks from where he has been watching out the front window. He instantly starts inching toward the back door where he’ll sneak out. “His car just pulled up.”
James is sweating. Was it this hot before? Is it too hot? Will Regulus be sweating? No, no. Regulus runs cold. James doesn’t want Regulus to be cold during this. The timer for the oven goes off and James suddenly can’t breathe. Is there a gas leak? Is James going to kill Regulus the moment he walks in?
“James!” Peter grabs his shoulders and squeezes him. His attention returns. “It’s all right. You’ve been planning for weeks. There’s nothing left but to do it.”
Uncharacteristically scared, James forces a tremulous smile. “It will be fine,” he says and it’s not believable to his ears either.
Peter huffs but glances at the front door. “I’ve gotta dash or I’ll be here when he comes in. Call us with the good news, yeah?” James nods and feels outside of himself. “Love you, mate.”
What if there isn’t any good news, he suddenly wonders. What if Regulus gets so angry that James lied and broke his promise that he breaks up with James instantly? What if–
“James?” Regulus’ voice calls from the sitting room. James doesn’t know when he got to the kitchen but he’s pulling the roast out of the oven and letting it cool. In a daze, he joins Regulus. The expression on his boyfriend’s face is unreadable. He looks around at all the details James agonized over, blinks at the outrageous number of white flowers, and swallows. Then Regulus looks at him. James isn’t sure what he must see on his face, but Regulus’ own goes flat.
“Regulus,” James says, breathless.
His boyfriend purses his lips before glancing down at the fancy Oxfords James has laced up. He makes another sour face at James’ lack of tie. “Don’t tell me,” he starts but never finishes.
Desperate, James crosses the floor. Grasping Regulus’ hands in his trembling ones, he mutters clumsily, “I love you.”
Regulus’ lips twitch. “You promised,” he says pointedly rather than saying it back.
James is pretty sure his heart just dropped out of his arse and straight into his pants. “I lied,” he confesses, guilty and wrecked. He feels the tears well up in his eyes and it’s all so embarrassing. The sitting room is a mess and he went too far with the white flowers and his mother’s roast only comes out at Christmas and Frank Sinatra was playing when James first asked Regulus to be his boyfriend but it’s such a cliche to bring that up all these years later and–
“Well?” Regulus prompts him, squeezing his hands. When James looks down at him, he’s flushed and looking up through his lashes. With a shy smile, he wonders, “Aren’t you going to ask me?”
It’s less than a second later that James hits the floor with a resounding thud. Regulus gasps and it’s both disappointed and surprised. James doesn't care that his knees will be cursing him tomorrow. James, overcome with confidence now that he knows he hasn’t ruined everything, flips open the ring box. Regulus’ attention catches at the same time light reflects off the gems. The silver matches his wet, shining eyes. “Regulus Black,” James begins after a deep breath. Regulus meets his gaze as a hand comes up to cover his mouth. “I have loved you since the moment you bullied your tailor for my benefit. I have worshipped you since the moment you allowed me to take you on a date. I have known you were the one the moment we kissed. I love you more than everything in this life and the next. If I don’t marry you now, I’ll die, I’m sure of it.” Regulus scoffs and it’s a really wet sound. He’s crying but he’s so beautiful doing it James thinks he might just die anyway. “So please, will you do me the greatest honour of all, and marry me?”
Regulus grabs his wrist, no care for the ring that cost him thousands of pounds or the awkward angle, and yanks until he stands. He cups James’ face and kisses him urgently. “Yes,” he says against his lips. “Yes, yes, a thousand times.”
They part just long enough to fumble with the engagement ring and slip it onto Regulus’ finger. James laughs into his mouth and kisses him with the kind of reckless abandon he hasn’t in years. James has never been this happy before. He feels like he might take off into space. He feels like his body might simply burst into glitter. It’s indescribable. Regulus grins up at him and it’s like James is seeing him for the first time. His features, usually so sharp, are softened in the candlelight, all of his edges smudged into lovely curves. The apples of his cheeks are full, round and rosy with the evidence of his pleasure. He’s perfect. James has never loved Regulus more than he does now. It should be impossible because James’ body is so full of love he’s pretty sure it’s the only thing keeping him alive at this point. But somehow there’s even more room in there.
The song switches in that moment. The light makes Regulus’ eyes look like they’re sparkling and casts him a warm glow. He’s already gripping James’ arms. He’s chewing his lip. The song switches to Love Is Here To Stay and he’s struck. “Dance with me,” James whispers, aching.
Regulus smiles shyly and drops his gaze. His hands slide up to rest around James’ neck. Without speaking, James snakes his arms around Regulus’ waist and leads them in a gentle sway. The moment feels so delicate as Regulus lays his head against James’ shoulder as James brings his lips to his hairline. He takes a deep breath, the scent of Regulus’ woodsy shampoo and the roast cooling on the countertop brimming him with peace.
The song is short and their dance feels even shorter. As it slowly ends, Regulus murmurs, “Our first proper dance as fiancés.”
The words send a shock of electricity down James’ spine. “Oh my God,” he says but it shatters the moment. Regulus laughs and it shakes his whole body. “I have the—I made a roast,” he stutters, awkward now that he realises what they are to each other.
Regulus’ smile is brighter than the sun. “I know, I can smell it.”
“Are you hungry?” asks James and he’s a bit lightheaded.
Regulus cups his cheeks and smooths his thumbs under James’ eyes. Lovingly, he presses a tender kiss to his lips. “One more dance,” he requests quietly.
James will do anything for Regulus. He has the rest of his life to do anything for Regulus. “Yes, of course. Whatever you want, sweetheart.” The sight of Regulus’ blush will keep him going for all of his days.