#regulus doesn’t hate him

[pandorasopenedbox3]

Regulus pushing all of James buttons because he hates James positive attitude on everything.

And suddenly James snaps and he’s yelling at Regulus and Regulus can’t tell if he’s turned on or wants to cry bc being on the other side of James potters anger is both hot and scary.

[jjkyaoi]

the headcanon of regulus just being able to cry on command is horrifying but also the funniest thing i’ve ever fucking heard. like i imagine regulus is hanging out with the marauders, post black brothers reconciliation, and him and sirius are bickering and sirius JOKINGLY goes “well it’s not MY fault it’s impossible for you to show any emotion” and regulus blinks. and then just fully starts sobbing.

and james and remus and peter are all like ?!?!?! what the FUCK . RIGHTFULLY SO. and james’ heart is hurting so bad because he’s never seen regulus cry before and he’s trying to comfort him and hold him and regulus, (who is gay and a little shit) is just letting himself be hugged and letting james pet his hair or whatever and remus is like. sirius what the fuck apologize to your brother??????? because sirius has been sitting there the entire time unmoving and he just raises his eyebrows, completely unimpressed and deadpan when he goes, “you guys do know he’s faking right”. and then when remus and james both are like HUH??? torn between bewildered and angry with this reaction, regulus just extracts himself from james, face completely neutral but with tears drying on his cheeks, no sign of the heaving, hyperventilating sobs he’d fallen into literally a second ago and says “i win”. it terrifies peter so bad that he can’t look him in the eyes for a week

[realmasteroogway]

I need a fic where reg’s touch aversion doesn’t magically disappear the moment he meets James

[deathnguts]

Tried thinking about how Evan would react if regulus told him he’s pregnant in either Evanreg or Rosestarkiller and all I came away with is that he’d be hyped to eat some placenta

[faggylittleleatherboy]

The reason Jegulus got so big and why everyone fucking loves Regulus is because he represents a character that did everything wrong until the last minute and who on top of that feels like he’s unlovable and has a deep self hatred; and in spite of all those things there’s still someone who loves him unconditionally.

Regulus doesn’t need to put in the work to become a better person, to not treat people like shit, to think about the consequences of his own actions on himself and others. He doesn’t need to think or do anything, because there’s someone who takes the blame and responsibility for everything wrong he does and there’s someone who loves him like that (even when he treats that person like shit before and during the relationship).

It’s just because he represents feeling loved even when you fuck up in every possible way and feel no one could love you. It’s a massive self insert, he represents a free pass, that’s it.

[rosiejunie]

Regulus annotates his books.

James is super curious about what he writes and is constantly peering over Regulus’ shoulder to read, and Regulus hates it when people do that, so he eventually just starts making James read the book after him and leave his own little annotations.

He spends all night reading through James’ annotations beside his, seeing James’ thoughts and what they agree and disagree on. James doesn’t know that Regulus rereads the books after he’s done annotating.

Regulus flips to a page of a romance scene in the book to find a detailed drawing of himself and James together. He had no idea James could draw so well. He spends all night staring at the drawing and blushing.

[my-castles-crumbling]

amortentia - January 17 - black brothers - wolfstar - background jegulus - @black-brothers-microfic - word count: 468

“How did you know you were gay?”

Startled by the question, Regulus nearly lost his grip on his broom, and had to take a moment to collect himself before turning to his brother, who was flying next to him. “Pardon?” he asked, still shocked.

“I - how did you know you were gay?” Sirius repeated himself, still infuriatingly unclear.

"Well after about the fourth time kissing a bloke, I realized I didn't hate it," Regulus replied, completely deadpan.

But Sirius just sighed, not laughing at all.

It was at this point, Regulus decided they needed to have this conversation on the ground, so he flew to the stands and sat, Sirius following him. “What’s wrong, Sirius?” he asked, safely seated on the uncomfortable benches.

“I…we learned about Amortentia in potions today,” Sirius mumbled, staring out into the pitch.

Ah, the Love Potion. “And?” Regulus probed, pretty sure where this was going. Because anyone who had eyes could see how Sirius looked at a certain tall, slightly-clumsy werewolf.

“My Amortentia…it smelled like…” Sirius whispered, like he couldn’t fully say it.

“Amortentia can smell like platonic or familial love, too” Regulus reminded him comfortingly. “Amongst other more…confusing things, I can smell the Quidditch pitch and your hair potion in mine…” he offered, trying not to cringe at the vulnerability of the statement. 

“Yeah…but I don’t think it’s like that,” his older brother confessed, finally looking at Regulus with tears welling in his eyes. “I think I’m just a bit thick and I didn’t realize.”

“Well, you are that,” Regulus chuckled. “Sirius, you know liking Remus doesn’t make you gay, right? You could be bi, or pan, or…whatever.”

“Yeah. I just…it’s a lot,” Sirius sighed, turning away again. “Do you think he’ll hate me?”

Imagining the way Remus looked at Sirius, the equally-adoring stares and heart eyes, Regulus chuckled. “No. Pretty sure his Amortentia smells like your disgusting socks and stupidly expensive cologne. I’d bet money on it, actually.”

Sirius’s face turned red. “You think?” he asked hopefully, eyes wide.

“Remus is gayer than I am,” Regulus assured him. “And I’d bet my broom he’s especially gay for you.”

Looking unsure, Sirius nodded. “I…yeah, I just…okay. I…thank you.”

“Look at you, disappointing out parents again,” Regulus joked with a wry smile. “You keep outdoing yourself.”

At this, Sirius laughed. “It’s a talent,” he quipped.

Unsure of what else to say, Regulus murmured, “If you ever need to talk..”

“I know, get you drunk, and then get emotional,” the older boy grinned.

Regulus smirked. “Exactly. Now, where were we?”

But as they both stood to again take to the skies, Sirius turned. “I steal it from James, by the way. The hair potion. If you ever wanted to use it too, or whatever.”

And then he shot off, leaving Regulus completely stunned.

[iamgonnagetyouback]

ㅤㅤㅤㅤ⠀────۶ৎ christmas

synopsis: ever since you married regulus, you knew holidays were a bit complicated for him. so when the potters invite you both for christmas, he panics the whole way there, convinced sirius secretly hates him. but between toddler harry’s antics, warm welcomes, and an unexpected gift, maybe this christmas isn’t so bad after all content warnings: heavy emotions, crying (so much crying), brotherly angst & reconciliation, regulus overthinking everything, fluff overload author's note: i literally sobbed while writing this

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ᡣ𐭩 words.ᐟ 2,301

Regulus Black rarely trembled. He was a man of precision, poise, and well-practiced restraint. Yet here he stood, fidgeting with the cuffs of his tailored coat, staring at the warmly lit Potter residence as though it were a dragon’s lair. His free hand clasped yours tightly, clammy despite the biting chill of December air.

“Amour,” he began nervously, his tone a mixture of urgency and dread, “are you certain the invitation was for me too? Perhaps Lily and James only meant you, and it would be terribly awkward if—”

“Reg.” You squeezed his hand, cutting through his spiral. “You’re overthinking this. They invited both of us. Lily wrote your name herself, remember? In that beautiful gold ink? You’re family.”

His jaw tensed, his grey eyes darting to the door and then back to you. “Family,” he echoed softly, the word heavy with doubt and hope intertwined. “It’s been years. Sirius—he’s—what if—”

“What if he’s been waiting for this moment?” you interrupted gently, reaching up to cup his face. His eyes softened, the worry in them breaking your heart. “You’re here because they want you here. And so do I. Sirius will come around, love. And if he doesn’t, you’ll have me to hex him. Alright?”

A ghost of a smile flickered across his lips, though his fingers still fidgeted. He leaned into your touch for a moment, taking a deep breath before he muttered, “I still think this might be a mistake.”

“It’s not,” you assured him, squeezing his hand again as you turned to knock on the door. Before your knuckles could meet the wood, his voice stopped you.

“Amour, wait,” he said quickly. “Are you absolutely certain? What if—”

You silenced him with a pointed look, raising an eyebrow. “Regulus Arcturus Black, if you ask me one more time, I’ll drag you inside myself.”

He opened his mouth, then closed it, nodding reluctantly. “Alright,” he whispered, though his grip on your hand tightened as the door swung open.

Lily stood there, her radiant smile lighting up the wintry evening. “You’re here!” she exclaimed warmly, pulling you into a hug before turning to Regulus. Her arms wrapped around him without hesitation, her genuine affection clear. “Regulus, welcome.”

He stiffened at first, his posture rigid and uncertain. But then, slowly, he returned the hug, a quiet “Thank you” escaping him. You could see the way his shoulders began to relax, the faintest sheen of tears in his eyes as he pulled back.

“Come in, come in,” Lily urged, her excitement genuine as she ushered you both inside.

James appeared next, his grin as boyish as ever. “Look who decided to join the fun!” he teased, clapping Regulus on the shoulder. “About time, mate.”

“James,” Regulus greeted stiffly, his voice carefully polite but uncertain. He glanced at you, and you smiled encouragingly. James didn’t seem fazed by Reg’s formality, stepping aside with a welcoming gesture.

Before anyone could say more, a small figure darted out from behind James, a mop of black hair bouncing as the toddler jumped forward with a loud “BAH!” aimed directly at Regulus.

Regulus froze, staring down at the child with wide eyes. Harry, oblivious to the tension, pouted, his tiny face scrunching in disappointment. “He’s not scared!” he whined, looking up at James for confirmation.

“Oh no,” Regulus said suddenly, his voice low and serious. He stepped back dramatically, clutching his chest as though struck. “You’ve frightened me terribly!” His grey eyes widened in mock terror, and his hand shot to yours for support.

Harry’s pout disappeared instantly, replaced by an elated giggle. “I scared him!” he cried, jumping up and down with glee. “Mum, I scared him!”

“You sure did, darling!” Lily laughed, beaming at her son.

James ruffled Harry’s hair with exaggerated pride. “Great job, young man. Now, go on, bring your uncle and aunt inside.”

Regulus froze at the word, his gaze snapping to James. He seemed to falter for a moment, swallowing hard as emotion flickered across his face. Then, a tiny tug on his coat brought him back.

“Come on, Uncle!” Harry demanded with a toothy grin, his little hands pulling insistently.

Regulus stared down at him, his breath catching. Slowly, hesitantly, a small, soft smile crept onto his lips. He bent down and lifted Harry into his arms, the toddler laughing as he looped his arms around Reg’s neck.

You watched, your chest tightening with emotion as tears pricked your eyes. The sight of Regulus, holding Harry so tenderly despite his nerves, was enough to overwhelm you. He turned to you, his smile shy but genuine, and you couldn’t resist leaning in to kiss both his cheek and Harry’s.

“See?” you whispered against his ear. “You’re exactly where you belong.”

Regulus didn’t reply, but the tear that slipped down his cheek as he carried Harry inside said everything.

The warmth of the Potter home enveloped you as you wandered into the kitchen, leaving Regulus in the living room with Harry still babbling excitedly in his arms. The sound of laughter and soft music filled the air, and the smell of something sweet baking teased your senses. You stepped inside, only to pause at the sight before you.

Peter Pettigrew and Mary Macdonald stood by the counter, hands brushing as they decorated a tray of cookies. Peter was a blushing mess, his usually pale cheeks bright pink as Mary whispered something that had him grinning like a schoolboy.

You cleared your throat loudly, hiding a smirk as they jumped apart, the spatula Mary had been holding clattering onto the counter. Peter looked like a deer caught in headlights, and Mary’s blush matched the rosy frosting she was piping.

“Am I interrupting something?” you teased, leaning against the doorframe.

“Bun!” Peter exclaimed, his voice a bit too high-pitched as he tried to regain his composure. “You’re here! We were just… uh, baking! Cookies!”

Mary rolled her eyes fondly but recovered quicker, smiling warmly at you. “Welcome, sweetie. It’s so good to see you again.”

“Good to see you too,” you replied with a chuckle. “And no need to explain. You two are adorable, by the way.”

Peter fumbled with the tray of cookies, muttering something under his breath as Mary handed you a warm one to taste. “Here, try these,” Peter said eagerly, watching your expression with nervous anticipation.

You bit into the cookie and hummed appreciatively. “Delicious. Seriously, you two make a great team in the kitchen. And overall.”

Peter blushed, but before he could say anything, Regulus stepped into the room. His presence seemed to shift the energy, quieting Peter’s usual bumbling nature.

“Regulus,” Mary greeted him brightly, her grin widening as you gave her a nod. She quickly plated a few cookies and handed them to him. “Here, try one. We’ve been working on these for ages.”

Regulus took the plate with a small, reluctant smile, glancing briefly at you as if for guidance. He picked up a cookie and took a careful bite, pausing as the flavors settled. Then, to everyone’s surprise, his lips curved into the faintest smile.

“They’re wonderful, Mary,” he said softly, nodding in approval.

You raised an eyebrow playfully. “And?”

Regulus hesitated, his gaze flickering to Peter, who was looking at him with wide, hopeful eyes. “...And Peter,” he added with a slight smirk.

Mary and Peter both grinned, looking utterly pleased with themselves. “Thanks, Regulus,” they said in unison, earning a chuckle from you.

The lighthearted moment was interrupted by the sound of the door creaking open. You turned to see Remus stepping in, his tall frame illuminated by the kitchen lights. He smiled warmly, his gaze soft as it landed on you.

“Dove,” he greeted, pulling you into a quick hug. “You look lovely as ever.” Then, turning to Regulus, he nodded. “Glad you made it, Regulus. Sirius will be joining in a minute.”

Regulus stiffened at those words, his hand instinctively seeking yours as his usual calm façade faltered. After exchanging pleasantries with Remus, he pulled you aside, his voice dropping to a frantic whisper.

“Did you hear him?” Regulus asked, his panic barely contained. “‘Sirius will be joining in a minute.’ That’s code for ‘he’s furious I’m here.’ I knew this was a mistake. Oh, Merlin, I should leave. I’ll just make an excuse—would they believe me if I said Barty accidentally set Evan on fire?”

You tried not to laugh, gently placing your hands on his shoulders. “Reg, no one’s furious you’re here. Sirius might be dramatic, but he doesn’t hate you. And yes, they would believe that excuse, love. But just stay with me, okay? You’re doing fine.”

Regulus opened his mouth to argue, but the sound of a door opening again silenced him. Both of you turned as Sirius stepped into the room, his grey eyes instantly locking onto you.

“Doll,” Sirius greeted with a grin, pulling you into a quick hug and pressing a kiss to your forehead. “Missed you.”

“Missed you too,” you replied, giving him a warm smile.

Then Sirius’s gaze shifted to Regulus. His expression softened slightly, though his tone held a quiet intensity as he spoke. “Can I talk to you alone, Regulus?”

Regulus tensed beside you, his hand gripping yours like a lifeline. His wide eyes darted to you in panic, but you just smiled reassuringly and leaned in to whisper, “You’ve got this.”

You blew him a quick kiss before stepping away, leaving him and Sirius alone in the kitchen. As you walked out, you caught Sirius glancing at you, his face unreadable, before turning back to his brother.

Sirius leaned against the counter, his arms crossed as he studied his brother with a carefully neutral expression. Regulus, for his part, was stiff as ever, his fingers twitching slightly as he tried to suppress his nerves.

“So…” Sirius began, dragging the word out. “You’re here.”

Regulus raised an eyebrow. “I am. And you’re here.”

Sirius’s lips twitched upward in a small, begrudging smile. “Merry Christmas, by the way.”

Regulus shifted on his feet. “You too.”

An awkward silence settled between them, the kind that years of estrangement couldn’t quite fill. Sirius scratched the back of his neck, clearly searching for the right words. Finally, he cleared his throat.

“I actually have something for you,” he said, his voice softer than usual.

Regulus blinked, startled. “You… do?”

Sirius nodded, his usual bravado muted as he turned and disappeared into the hallway. Regulus stood frozen, glancing back at the kitchen door as if considering fleeing, but before he could, Sirius returned. In his hands was a small package, wrapped haphazardly in parchment and tied with a crooked ribbon.

“Here,” Sirius said, shoving it toward him. “It’s, uh, not much.”

Regulus stared at the package, his brow furrowing. “I wasn’t aware there was going to be gift exchanging.”

“There’s not,” Sirius replied quickly, waving him off. “Just take it, alright?”

Regulus hesitated, then reached out and accepted the gift with the same care one might use to handle a priceless artifact. He carefully untied the ribbon and peeled back the paper, revealing a neatly folded sweater inside. The soft fabric was midnight blue, and embroidered on the chest was a constellation—the Regulus star, shining bright—and a black dog stitched beside it, looking up toward the stars.

For a moment, Regulus just stared at it, his fingers brushing over the stitching. His throat tightened, and when he finally looked up, his eyes were glossy with unshed tears.

“I…” he began, but his voice failed him.

Sirius, clearly uncomfortable with the silence, began rambling. “I, uh, had some help from Remus, of course. I’m rubbish with sewing—nearly stabbed myself a dozen times. And the constellation—Remus said it should be accurate, so we looked it up in one of his star charts, and—"

The rest of his sentence was cut off as Regulus surged forward, wrapping his arms tightly around Sirius. A quiet sob escaped him as he buried his face against Sirius’s shoulder, his grip firm and unyielding.

Sirius froze for a moment before exhaling shakily. A small smile tugged at his lips as he returned the embrace, his own tears slipping free as he clung to his younger brother.

They stayed like that for a long moment, the tension between them melting away in the quiet of the kitchen.

When Regulus finally pulled back, his face was tear-streaked but calmer. Sirius gave him a lopsided grin and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

“Come on, Reggie,” Sirius said, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m pretty sure dinner’s ready. And you know how James gets when people are late to the table.”

Regulus nodded, wiping his face as he smiled faintly. “Alright.”

Together, they stepped into the kitchen, their bond mended in a way neither had expected when the evening began. Everyone glanced up as they entered, noticing the tear tracks on both their faces, but no one said a word. Instead, they simply smiled and made room for the two brothers to join the gathering.

Regulus slid into the seat beside you, and Sirius took his place next to Remus. You gave Regulus a soft, knowing smile, gently squeezing his hand under the table. He squeezed back, his heart lighter than it had been in years.

The room soon filled with laughter as Harry began reenacting his earlier “scare” on an unsuspecting Remus, who pretended to faint dramatically. James and Lily chuckled, Mary and Peter exchanged amused glances, and Sirius leaned back in his chair, his arm draped casually around Remus as he laughed at Harry’s antics.

As you looked around the table, your hand still intertwined with Regulus’s, you couldn’t help but think that this was what Christmas was truly about—family, love, and finding light even after the darkest of times.

Merry Christmas, indeed.

© iamgonnagetyouback ⋆.˚ please do not copy, translate, or repost any of my work.

[ecstarry]

@into-the-jeggyverse // reporter // 411 words // a love confession @bloodbruise

“You’re getting on my nerves, James.” Regulus storms off into the kitchen, his hands gripping the counter as if the marble could supply the air he needs to breathe right now. 

“Answer my question.” James follows him instantly. Regulus doesn’t need to turn to know exactly which leg James is resting on, that one hand is on his hip and the other on his hair. 

“Who are you? A reporter?” Regulus asks as if it was a punishment. He’s being mean, he knows. If James leaves tonight he can at least point to this moment and tell himself it had nothing to do with him not being enough.  

“Don’t fuck with me.” James is hurt. 

Regulus hates himself right now. James’ voice is stern, deeper in a way he had only heard whispered next to his ear when James touched him. He still wants James.  

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. Regulus used to wonder if there would come a time where there would be no more of him to give to James, maybe this was it. 

“Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to.”

“You fucked him.” James acknowledges quietly, barely loud enough for Regulus to listen. 

“No.” He replies quickly. 

They remain in silence for a moment. Each of them is a soldier stopping in the middle of a battlefield to evaluate their own wounds.

“Then what could be so bad you won’t tell me?” 

Regulus can feel James walking towards him, his arm reaching for the back of his shirt. Regulus is a weak man. Denying James Potter of anything felt like a sin. 

“I broke it off.” He confesses.

“Reg.”

“No! Don’t ‘Reg’ me. Gideon and I are fucking done is that you wanted to hear?” His voice grows with every word because he needs James to know. 

“Reg.” James pleads.

Finally, Regulus turns to face him. 

 “Are you happy now? I can’t even go on a fucking date without thinking about you. I can’t hear anyone laugh without picturing yours. He ordered a stupid drink and all I could think is what you would’ve gotten. I am fucked, James.” He allows himself to breathe for the first time since he got home. “You won.”

“Reg.”

“What James? WHAT!?” He feels his body turn as James pulls him closer, the callused palm that had held his face just this morning holds him just as gently once more and-

“I’m going to kiss you now.”

[dismalflo]

I hate you. I'm sure.

sirius black x fem!reader ✩ 3.6k words

summary: For years, you’ve hated Sirius. But when Regulus and James make an announcement, tempers flare until you reach your breaking point.

for this request here.

cw: angst, unrequited love, sirius was a dick to reader in the past, regulus and reader are best friends,

an: i believe this will have one or two more parts because i can't deny myself a happy ending.

next part >>

Coming home from work should be the most relaxing part of your day. But it’s hard to unwind when you walk in and find Regulus perched stiffly on the sofa, wringing his hands in his lap instead of retreating to his room like he usually does.

It’s immediately clear something’s wrong. He doesn’t even flinch at the clatter of your keys hitting the dish by the door or the way you kick off your shoes with a muttered curse.

“You alright, Reg?” you ask, stepping into the room. He doesn’t jump – just slowly turns his head to look at you, his expression distant.

“I need you to do me a favour,” he says, voice flat and final.

You nod before you’ve even thought about it. “Of course. Anything. What is it?”

You sit on the edge of the couch. Over the years, you’ve learned there’s very little you wouldn’t do for Regulus, and little he wouldn’t do for you. But now he’s looking at you like a cat who's finally caught the mouse. It makes you wary.

“Well, James and I thought it might be nice to have all our friends together and–”

“No,” you say, cutting him off.

“You just said anything,” he retorts, folding his arms.

“I rescind my offer.”

“Don’t be a child, Y/N.”

“I’m not being a child,” you protest, flopping back into the cushions with a groan. “You know I don’t like Potter’s friends.” You squint, as if scrolling through a mental list. “Well, the tall, bookish one isn’t awful–”

“You know Remus’ name.”

“—James is fine, I guess. He makes you happy, and that counts for something,” you admit. “But the other two are dreadful.”

Regulus hunches forward at this, hand raising to pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration. Frustration he had been expecting, but that doesn't make it any easier.

“The other two being Pettigrew and my brother?”

“Exactly,” you say, cheered by his understanding.

To your dismay, Regulus looks up at you with a slow, knowing smile. That trap you suspected? It just snapped shut.

“You’re in luck,” he says, sitting up straighter. “They’re not friends with Pettigrew anymore.”

“So?”

“So you only have to deal with one of them,” he replies, and lifts a finger before you can argue. “Sirius is a prat, yes and I know you hate him. But he’s my brother. And he’s just as important to me as you are.”

Maybe it’s the way he says it. With pleading eyes and a soft tone but you feel your resolve crumbling quickly.

“I want to do this because I love James and we have something to tell everyone,” he continues, “and it would mean a lot to me if you were there. Just one night.”

Hearing Regulus speak so candidly about his feelings when he’s usually so reserved, is what finally breaks down the walls. James is – to your dismay – a good guy, the best for Reg, and what kind of friend would you be if you denied him this.

-

The flat is too warm, too loud, and smells faintly of something burnt – James’ attempt at canapés, probably. You’ve taken two steps inside and already regret agreeing to this. The space is brimming with laughter and the kind of casual affection only people who’ve known each other forever can manage.

You smooth your hands down the front of your clothes, casting a glance around the room for someone tolerable. Remus catches your eye from the drinks table and offers a polite nod, one you return with a quiet sigh of relief. At least you’re not entirely alone in your discontent.

Then, of course, there’s a shoulder brushing your own.

"Evening, poppet."

"You’re like a rash," you say, brushing him away as you move toward the drinks.

Sirius slides in next to you, unbothered. "You know, I've been working on being more tolerable. For you."

You arch a brow. “I’ll believe that when I see it.”

He grins, wolfish and unapologetic. “I’d show you, if you let me.”

You don’t answer, just pour yourself a drink. Fingers tightening around the glass when he doesn’t leave.

You’ve tried hating him quietly these last few years. But some things don’t soften with time. Some people don’t change, not really.

Sirius Black was hell to you in school. All biting remarks and cruel nicknames, too intelligent to be harmless and too arrogant to be ignored. To everyone else, he was a harmless kind of chaos – fun, charming, reckless. But not to you.

To you, he was the boy who’d mocked everything about your name, your family, your house. Who had made being a Slytherin something to be ashamed of – especially when you dared to stand beside his younger brother.

Then, just like that, he vanished.

He ran away after fifth year, leaving Regulus to shoulder the fury of their family alone. Left him to rot under pressure Sirius didn’t have the courage to face. Regulus never said it aloud, but you remember the way he didn’t eat. The letters from their parents, full of venom. The nights he stayed silent, staring at the wall like it might give him answers.

You were the one who sat beside him through all of it.

So when Sirius came crawling back – not even to Regulus, but to you, asking how his brother was – you had no sympathy to offer. Not a word. Just a cold shoulder and a closed door.

He kept trying. The questions turned to small talk, which turned into jokes, which eventually turned into flirting.

Like that was the way back in.

Like trying to charm you out of hating him would make it all go away. And he’s kept it up since. Even now, when he and Regulus have never been closer and there's no need to get on your good side.

"Don’t be like that," Sirius says, bumping your shoulder. "It’s a party. I’m trying to be civil."

"This is you being civil?"

He lifts his hands in mock surrender. "You’re impossible."

"And you’re deluded."

But even as you speak, your voice is tired. It’s always like this. You push, he deflects. You ice over, he melts right through. It’s exhausting, pretending the flirting doesn’t get under your skin just a little. Not because you want it, but because it means he’s here again. Still orbiting. Still trying.

The laughter in the room quiets like a slow, receding wave.

James stands on the low step by the fireplace, holding a wine glass that's been empty for the better part of an hour. Regulus is beside him, standing straight and hands clasped behind his back like he’s about to deliver a press statement, not a toast.

You know it’s coming before James even opens his mouth.

“Oi!” he calls out, cheeks flushed and eyes too bright. “Can I have everyone’s attention for just a second?”

Around the room, the conversation hushes. Remus turns down the music. Lily tucks a bottle under her arm like a baby. Sirius appears at your elbow again like a summoned curse, wine glass swinging dangerously from two fingers.

“We have some news.”

You already know. It's written all over Regulus' face – calm, but barely. His lips twitch at the corners like he’s fighting back something softer.

James, predictably, does not fight anything at all.

“I asked Reg to marry me.” His voice lifts, bright with joy. “And he said yes.”

The cheer is immediate and loud, swallowing the room in a blanket of sound. Someone whistles. Glasses clink. Lily lets out a happy, high-pitched squeal that’s completely uncharacteristic, even for her.

Sirius is already moving, bounding forward with a wide, blinding grin. “You’re joking–Reg, you–Merlin–” He grabs them both in a hug that’s too tight and entirely sincere, and for a moment, just a moment, you see it:

He’s just a brother again. Just a boy who’s happy his family is still here, still fighting for each other, despite everything.

And you?

You feel your chest tighten, not from sentiment, but from grim resignation.

Because of course this means you’ll be stuck with them now. The whole bloody Gryffindor brigade. Their parties, their dinners, their group trips. This is it. Your fate is sealed.

You sip your drink and quietly mourn the quiet life you might’ve had if Regulus had fallen for someone less… social.

Eventually, the chaos settles. People return to their drinks. Laughter bubbles in renewed waves. Sirius glances back at you once, as if checking to see if you’re still watching. You are. You don’t smile.

But after a while, when it’s safe and no one’s looking too closely, you make your way over to Regulus.

He looks pleased but a little wary as you approach, a mirror of how you must look to him.

You hug him wordlessly. He stiffens slightly at first, then relaxes, arms coming up around you like it’s instinct.

“Congratulations,” you murmur into his shoulder. “I'm happy for you.”

When you pull back, James is right there, practically buzzing with anticipation. His hands flap at his sides like he doesn’t know what to do with them.

You glance at him.

“Potter.”

He straightens like a soldier being addressed.

You offer a hand, then pull him in for a quick hug; brief, efficient. Then you step back and give him the barest of nods, voice even.

“Well done. And… Thank you. Really.”

You don’t elaborate, because you don’t need to. He knows what you’re thanking him for. For giving Regulus something he could never find in that house. Something impossible to him when he was young.

James beams so hard it’s almost blinding as you walk away. “Thank you–thank you. That means–bloody hell, Reg, did you hear that? She said thank you! Do you think she likes me now?”

Regulus rolls his eyes. “That’s as close as you’re ever going to get.”

Slipping away from the noise and the commotion of the room, you make your way to the far corner. You’re genuinely happy for Regulus and James – how could you not be? They’re in love, and after everything, they deserve this happiness.

The laughter from the party fades, but it’s soon replaced with a presence at your side. You don’t need to look up to know who it is.

Sirius’ voice is too smooth, too practiced. “Guess we’re stuck with each other now.”

“You know,” he continues, “Regulus is going to be busy now with all this wedding planning, and James will no doubt drag him off on some romantic getaway, If you want some company….” His voice drops to that teasing note, the one he’s been using for years. The one you think you hate.

You freeze, the words stinging in your chest more than you’d like to admit. You push him away, and he flirts. You try to ignore him, and he stays right there, playing that same game he’s played since school.

But not tonight. Tonight, you don’t have the patience.

“Don’t,” you snap, your voice sharp as you turn on him, eyes narrowing. “I’m not in the mood for your nonsense, Sirius. So go back to celebrating, and leave me out of it.”

Without another word, you storm out the balcony door into the cold night air, taking in a sharp breath. The crisp air bites at your skin, and for the first time since walking into the flat, you feel like you can breathe again.

Regulus watches you from the doorway, brows furrowed as he sees you storm off, leaving Sirius standing behind with his usual smirk wiped clean. Regulus watches for a few moments, unsure what just happened.

Then, with a quiet sigh, he steps away from the group and crosses the room quickly. “Sirius,” he calls out, voice low but firm.

Sirius, now with his hands shoved in his pockets, looks over at his younger brother, eyes wide as if he hadn’t expected Regulus to approach him. “What’s up?”

“What did you do?” Regulus asks, with a look of frustration crossing his face.

Sirius shrugs, unconcerned. “I don’t know, I just did what I usually do.  A Bit of fun, bit of flirting. You know how it is.” He offers a half-hearted grin, though it’s clear the spark of confidence has dimmed a little.

Regulus stares at him, his expression growing more grim with each passing second. 

“It’s obviously not just ‘a bit of fun’ to her, Sirius. Do you even realise what you’re doing? She’s not some game for you to play. If you’ve got feelings for her, stop pretending.”

Sirius falters. The grin fades from his face, leaving nothing but the barest hint of confusion and something else; something less confident, maybe even a little ashamed.

“I... didn’t mean to…” he trails off, his voice quiet now, not the usual sarcasm or arrogance that’s so typical of him.

“You never mean to, Sirius.” Regulus sighs, rubbing his temples. “So go apologise. I’m serious. And I mean really apologise. Not some half-arsed joke or charming line. Do it properly. Don’t make this worse.”

-

You're gripping the railing too tight, jaw clenched as the laughter from inside becomes muffled through the glass. It’s not just tonight, not just this moment. It’s years of build-up –years of Sirius acting like it’s all a game, while you’ve had to shoulder the consequences of things he walked away from.

You hear the door open behind you. Footsteps. Hesitant, for once.

He doesn’t say anything at first. Just stands there, as if waiting for you to acknowledge him.

You don’t.

Finally, softly, he says, “Hey.”

You laugh – low, bitter. “No charming quip this time? No pet name?”

“I’m trying to apologise,” he says, voice stiff like it doesn’t fit right in his mouth.

You turn to face him slowly, arching a brow. “Apologise? That’s new.”

“What is your problem?” he snaps suddenly, stepping forward. “Why do you hate me so much? I’ve tried. I’ve tried being nice, I’ve tried–flirting, joking, hell, I even asked Remus how not to be a prick, which he found hilarious, by the way. And it doesn’t matter what I do. You still look at me like I’m nothing.”

You stare at him, disbelief curling in your chest.

“My problem?” Your voice shakes with restrained anger. “You’re a coward, Sirius. Regulus might have forgiven you for what you did to him, but I can’t. I won’t. Because I remember. I remember how he didn’t sleep for weeks. How he flinched when someone said your name. How he nearly destroyed himself trying to be the son your parents wanted because you left him to deal with it alone.”

His eyes flicker, but you don’t stop.

“And you know what else? I remember how you treated me. Like shit. Like I was just another name to spit at because you thought I was everything you hated. Then you left and suddenly decided I was worth something? No. You didn’t want me, you wanted what I could give you – information. Access. Regulus.”

“That’s not true—”

“You used me, Sirius.” Your voice cuts clean. “And now you stand here wondering why I hate you?”

His face twists in frustration. “It wasn’t like that.”

“Then what was it?”

“I was a child!” he shouts, finally breaking. “I was a stupid, angry, scared kid who didn’t know how to love people properly, alright? I was sixteen and I thought running away would fix everything. And maybe it was selfish and maybe I was a bastard, but I didn’t know how to stay either!”

You stare at him, breathing hard. There’s a flash of something wounded in his voice – too raw, too real. But it doesn’t soften you. Not completely.

“I know that, Sirius,” you say, quieter now. “I know you were a child. But you’re not one anymore, even if you still act like you are. You flirt like it’s a joke. Pretend you’re interested like it doesn’t cost you anything. But it does, Sirius. It costs me. It’s pathetic.”

He looks like you slapped him.

The silence stretches between you, tense and ugly. The wind picks up, tugging at your clothes, biting your skin.

Sirius swallows hard. When he speaks again, his voice is different. Small. “I’m not pretending.”

You blink.

He looks away, jaw tight. “I’m not pretending with you. I never was. I know I started this whole thing trying to get to Reg, but that changed a long time ago. I don’t flirt with you because it’s funny. I flirt because I’m in love with you, and I know you’ll never love me back, and I don’t know how else to be close to you.”

The world goes still.

He breathes out, almost a laugh, but there’s no humour in it. “You hate me. I get it. You always will. But I’m not lying.”

You stare at him.

The words hang between you, heavy and terrible.

You should feel triumphant. He deserves this pain; you’ve wanted to see him brought low, haven’t you? Wanted him to feel some fraction of what you felt. Wanted him to understand that not everything can be laughed away, that some things don’t get fixed so easily.

But standing there now, in the sharp silence that follows his confession, you just feel…

Exhausted.

Like your bones have turned to glass under the weight of the years between you. All the resentment. All the words unsaid. All the what ifs.

You take a breath, then another, but it doesn’t help. Nothing helps, because suddenly all the anger is just a hollow thing with nothing left to burn.

“I didn’t ask you to love me,” you say, and it comes out sharper than you mean it to.

Sirius flinches like it’s a slap.

Hating the way your voice trembles, you add, “You don’t get to dump that on me like it’s my problem.”

“I’m not—” he starts, but you hold up a hand, cutting him off.

“No. Just stop.” You exhale, gripping the railing again just to keep your hands from shaking. “You say you’re not pretending, but it’s always been pretend, Sirius. Everything you do is a performance.”

He opens his mouth to protest, but this time you push forward.

“I’m not some fucking penance for you to serve,” you snap. “I’m not your apology to Regulus, or your punishment, or your proof that you’ve changed. I’m not here to make you feel better about the person you used to be.”

He takes a slow step toward you, eyes wide, something frantic blooming behind them. “I don’t think that. I don’t–fuck, I know I’ve messed this up. I know I don’t deserve you, but I do care. I care about you.”

You laugh, bitter and sharp. “And that’s supposed to fix everything? That you care?”

Sirius is silent. He looks like he’s about to say something, but you don’t give him the chance.

“Here’s the truth,” you say, voice low, cruel, because if you don’t kill this now, it might kill you instead. “If you really cared about me, you’d leave me alone.”

And that–that–finally silences him.

His expression shatters, something raw and devastated surfacing in his eyes. He sways where he stands, like you’ve taken the wind out of him.

“Right,” he says quietly, nodding once. “Right.”

And then, without another word, he turns and walks back inside.

You don’t follow him.

You stay on the balcony long after the door clicks shut, letting the cold bleed through your clothes until it numbs more than just your skin. You stand there and try to breathe, but everything tastes like regret.

Inside, the laughter picks back up, distant and warm and untouched by what just happened.

Your hands are trembling now, not from the cold.

He’s gone. You asked him to go. You meant it—didn’t you?

You cross your arms over your chest, curling in on yourself as the guilt begins to settle like dust.

You wanted to hurt him. You did hurt him. And now, standing in the aftermath, all you feel is;

Empty.

Because the truth you didn’t say—the one you couldn’t admit, even as he stood there practically begging for a scrap of hope—is that you don’t hate him. Not anymore. Haven’t in a long time.

You told yourself the resentment was righteous, that holding onto it was protection. But maybe it’s just been fear. Fear that if you let it go, you’d have to confront something worse: the fact that you wanted him to be sincere. That some part of you hoped he wasn’t pretending.

And tonight? He wasn’t.

You exhale shakily, bending forward and pressing your forehead against the railing.

Maybe you were right. Maybe none of this can be fixed with a confession. Maybe his love doesn’t change the past. Maybe he doesn’t deserve forgiveness.

But maybe neither do you. At least not after that.

Because if you're honest, truly honest, in that quiet, brutal way people only are with themselves when no one else is listening, you already know:

You’ll regret what you said tonight.

Maybe not tomorrow. Maybe not next week.

But one day, you’ll think about the way he looked at you before he left and you’ll wish you had said something else.

Done something else.

Been someone else.

But by then?

He might finally be gone for good.

masterlist <3

[pretend-theres-a-name-here]

”james and Sirius would grieve regulus together”

ok but consider: they don’t, they just can’t, they try so fucking hard to be there for each other and maybe they spend the first week killing themselves in their grief for the other but they realize they will never heal as long as there is still an open wound.

The first time they see each other after hearing the news they spend hours sobbing into each other on James kitchen floor. But it’s too hard to be around each other after that, James looks into the love of his life’s eyes and wonders where his freckles went before he remembers, Sirius hates James and hates himself for ever calling James his only brother when he was pushing Regulus away. James starts to resent Sirius for the way he leans on Remus, it’s not fair that he has a person to love him through it and James doesn’t, Sirius is mad at James for not doing more to save Regulus. It’s a whole bad situation before they realize that grief makes them ugly people for each other and the best thing they can do is take some time for themselves to heal.

and maybe in a couple months or a year when it doesn’t hurt as much, at least not every second of every day, they’re able to sit in silence on a threadbare couch that used to be hangout home base and exist in the same room together without breaking down. Maybe in a year they can make the tea regulus liked without shattering mugs and they can talk now too but never about him too much

[resident-gay-bitch]

Just saw a post about Remus really wanting a cat and him being the biggest cat person and all he wants is to take good care of a little kitty cat but he can’t because cats hate werewolves and it breaks his little heart. And the post was a wolfstar centric post but when I started reading I immediately thought MOONWATERRRR

like Remus who’s always wanted a fucking cat but is now making peace with the fact he will never get to own one (he cries himself to sleep over it sometimes) and then he and regulus start going out

And Remus has made peace with the whole no-cat-thing now because he has a boyfriend and his boyfriend is basically a cat anyway so it’s nice.

But then maybe after Christmas break or something Remus comes back to school and starts whining to his boyfriend about not getting to have a cat and him being jealous because their neighbours little girl got one for Christmas “and that little shit doesn’t even know how to care about one like I would Regulus!!!”

And Reggie supposed they’ve been together long enough and maybe his lies about being in love with Remus are starting to weaken, and maybe all he wants in the world is to make his boyfriend happy which is stupid and he hates it but it’s TRUE. and he trusts Remus, with everything, and so he shows Remus his animagus form and it just makes Remus sob.

He sits there for hours with Reggie as a little black cat, just petting him and cuddling him whilst reading and drinking tea, and it’s the best day of Remus’ life. And maybe it’s the best day of Regulus’ life too because Remus keeps touching him and playing with him and snuggling him and as a cat Reggie doesn’t have to pretend he’s embarrassed by all of that. Maybe it makes him fall in love with Remus a little more.

[yasministration]

Off limits pt.3 - remus lupin

summary: when sirius sees you kissing his best friend, he decides to have his first real conversation with you in two years, and you finally reveal what life has been like for you and regulus after he left. wc: 1.1k+ pt.1 \\ pt.2

No matter how much you increased your pace, the volume of Sirius’s footsteps never subsided, hinting that your brother was right on your tail. A harsh call of your name had you wincing, finally stopping in your tracks. There was no pretending you hadn’t heard his angry call of your name. Spinning around with an unimpressed expression on your face, you crossed your arms over your chest as Sirius continued stepping towards you, even when you deemed him too close. His hand wrapped around your bicep, and he tugged you along with him to a dark, secluded area, underneath a spiralling staircase.

Now you were scared.

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw a tall, scar-faced boy round the corner into the corridor, following you and Sirius. Sirius let go of your bicep with a push that had you stumbling back a couple of steps, feeling your back grazing the wall behind you.

“I fucking understand if you want to fuck with me, or make my life miserable, but keep my friends out of it!” You scoffed at Sirius’s words, nodding slowly at him. “Of course you think it’s all about you. Sirius, I don’t. Fucking. Care. About you.” Your brother laughed loudly, gesturing to the invisible audience, and the one boy he didn’t know was listening from behind the staircase. “You don’t fucking care about me. Then why the fuck are you playing around with Remus’s feelings?”

“I’m not playing with Remus’s feelings! I like him! I fucking like him so much, you dumbass!” Sirius took a step back at your sudden outburst, watching with wide eyes as a shiny layer of fresh tears appeared over your eyes. “You’re the reason I haven’t made a move on him sooner! Because I know you hate me! I know you don’t want me near you or your friends!” You inhaled deeply, ignoring the angry tears that silently rolled down your cheeks, wiping them off your face aggressively.

“You-you actually like him?” Sirius spoke in almost a whisper, guilt immediately painting his features. You nodded wordlessly. “I know you want nothing to do with me and Regulus. We’ve known that since you left us. But fuck Sirius, we don’t hate you for it. We hate you for the way you treat us. As though we agree with mum and dad. As though we’ve shown you that we’ve hated you all our lives. Your bullshit behaviour towards us has all been under some delusion that we are happy you’re gone.”

Sirius was silent, spluttering as he took in your words. You’d spoken as though you had a confession, afraid to tell him he was being delusional before. Suddenly, Sirius felt bad. For how he yelled at you now, for how he’s treated you and Regulus for the past two years. He was supposed to be your big brother, your protector. He’d been everything but that.

“Regulus and I aren’t brave like you Sirius. But we also aren’t as treacherous. I would never leave Regulus on his own, even if that meant sacrificing what was left of our relationship. But just because we don’t have a relationship now, doesn’t mean I cannot be involved with people you know. Remus likes me and I like him. And I’m going to go out with him whether you like it or not. If you’re so insecure about your friendship with him, maybe you should speak to him, not me.”

Remus rubbed his eyes from where he hid behind the staircase, not expecting for this confrontation to get so emotional. He dragged his feet over to where you and Sirius stood underneath the staircase, crossing both his arms over his chest. “Oh my god.” You gasped, turning away from Remus to wipe away at your wet cheeks. You glanced at your reflection in the glass window, wiping smudged mascara away from underneath your lower lashes.

You turned back around to find your brother and his best friend stood in the exact same position, neither of them moving, just staring at each other. “We’ve been sitting next to each other in potions all year. That’s how - no one went behind your back, Sirius.” Remus finally spoke, a disappointed look in his eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me? I only asked about a hundred times!” You gulped as the volume of Sirius’s voice increased again, betrayal evident in his voice.

Remus scoffed in amusement, gesturing an arm between the two of you. “Sirius, do you remember what you said to me at Hogsmeade? Don’t fall for her tricks, she’s just trying to get to me! Why would I tell you, when the entire time you were so convinced she was doing it for you?”

Sirius immediately seemed sheepish, a hand coming up to scratch the back of his neck. “I seem to have misjudged the situation.” He admitted, looking between you and Remus, but you weren’t looking at him. Why was it so easy for him to admit his mistake to Remus, but he had to be stubborn when it came to you? Sirius called your name, the soft tone of voice sounding alien to you. “I’m sorry, I-I didn’t realise I hurt you and Regulus so much.”

No response.

He sighed. A part of him was still angry at you, his thoughts clouded by his own defensive judgements. But you had the right to be mad at him, furious even. He knew he would be too. Sirius decided he would give you time to deal with your feelings, trying to regain your trust through his actions. But for now? Well, he decided to leave you with someone you actually trusted.

Sirius walked away, letting Remus take a few steps towards you, cupping your cheeks softly. “Hey, look at me.” You followed his instruction, meeting his worried eyes. “Are you okay?” You nodded, sniffling softly as your eyes filled with tears once more. “I wasn’t planning on letting you seeing me cry, like, ever.” You muttered, deciding to opt out of ‘so we’re going to have to get married then’.

He laughed softly, his thumb caressing your cheek. “It’s good to start a relationship with trust, isn’t it?” Humming softly, you brought your hands up to grip the bottom of his jumper. Remus leaned down, pressing his lips to yours. You sighed in satisfaction, pressing yourself on your tippy toes as your eyes fluttered shut. One of Remus’s arms wrapped around your waist to steady you and you brought a hand to the back of his neck. His lips parted from yours for a short moment to admire at you fondly.

“I don’t want this relationship to involve my brother, please.” You said, voice quiet. Remus chuckled half-heartedly as an uncomfortable image formed in his mind.

“Yeah, I really don’t want this relationship to involve your brother either. You know, I’m expecting us to be the only two people on our dates.”

taglist: @amatoanima @jimeniita @moonyswifee @froggiedragon @ilovesugurugeto69 @lotsostrawberrybear @whoismurphyslaw @navs-bhat @theoraekenslover

@ravisinghs-wife, @amatoanima, @starry-remus, @pain-in-the-ashe, @hiireadstuff, @superlegend216, @treefairy-28, @superlegend216, @kitkatkl, @rory-cakes, @juliet-017

[lasdiechi]

Marauders era characters wake up time in the weekend

James '5am' Potter: Has to do his work out session and then an hour long cold shower

Lily '6am' Evans: Apparently 6am is the perfect time to revise her schoolwork without any interruption

Mary '6am' Macdonald: Her skincare routine takes like two hours and then she has to do her hair too, this girl loves getting ready

Pandora 'wakes up when the sun rises' Rosier: She believes that humans were made the follow the sun, in summer she sleeps like 4 hours and in winter she's awake for like 4 hours

Dorcas '8am' Meadowes: Not too early, but also not too late, she still needs time to make herself look good for the day

Peter '9am' Pettigrew: He could sleep longer but he doesn't cause in the morning he can get some quality time with James without anyone (Sirius) taking up all of James' attention

Evan '10am' Rosier: He swears it's the perfect hour to wake up cause he can stay up till 2am and still get 8 hours of sleep

Barty '10am' Crouch: Evan wakes him up the second he wakes up, Barty hates it

Sirius '11am' Black: He had been awake since Peter woke up but he likes being cuddled up to Remus when he's all sweet and sleepy

Remus '1pm' Lupin: He gets mad at Sirius for not waking him up earlier cause now he has slept half his day away, Sirius keeps telling him that it's good that he sleeps that long cause he clearly needs it

Marlene '3pm' McKinnon: Mary took pity and woke her up, otherwise she would still be sleeping

Regulus 'doesn’t sleep' Black: Nobody knows when the last time was that he slept... Barty is starting to think he might be a vampire

[my-castles-crumbling]

stun - april 13 - black brothers - background wolfstar and jegulus - @black-brothers-microfic - word count: 487

“Sirius, what are you doing?”

Head in his pillow, Sirius almost refused to lift his face up to meet Regulus’s eyes. However, he remembered the time in their youth when his younger brother had poured water on his head when he’d refused to get up for school and decided to at least acknowledge him.

“I’m not going,” he said quickly, fixing him with a miserable stare and then dropping his head back down again.

“Why the fuck not? Have you not been talking about this date for weeks?”

He lifted his head again. “Exactly,” he nodded, grimacing. “And Moony probably doesn’t even think it’s a date at all. He probably hates me, and is just taking me out, out of pity. I’m putting myself out of my misery and not even going.” He slammed his head down again, accidentally licking the fabric of his pillowcase.

Regulus sighed but was quiet, and for a moment, Sirius thought he’d won. But then, the younger man began to speak.

“Reg, I think I’m dying. He looks perfect, Regulus. He always does. I know we’ve been best friends for ages, but how am I supposed to act normal when he looks like that?”

Sirius narrowed his eyebrows, eyes still closed, face still in his pillow. “Wassat?” he mumbled, confused.

“Regulus, he’s stunning. Even when he’s just in jeans and his hair is all up in a messy bun, I can’t focus. I swear I just drooled. Prongs and Wormy are laughing, I must be so obvious. I want him so bad, what do I do?”

Heart beating faster, Sirius rolled over to see Regulus reading from his phone.

“Regulus, I swear to God I’m going to combust. Why did you let Sirius wear that out? I want to snog him senseless, why is life so unfair?” Regulus continued, voice deadpan, a look of disgust on his face.

“Reg, what-”

“Reg, I think I’m in love. I’m not even joking, how do I deal with this?” Regulus said loudly, swiping as he spoke. “Regulus, what do I wear tonight? Regulus, I’m panicking, what if he thinks it’s not a date? Regulus, Regulus, Regulus!” he said, throwing his hands in the air. “Guess who all of those messages are from?”

Sirius took a small breath, trying not to hope. “James?” he asked in a small voice. “He’s leaving you because he’s secretly mad for me?”

“Oh, no. He knows he got the better brother,” Regulus said in a superior tone. “No. That is Remus, and he’s just as mad for you as you are for him. And I’ve been looking forward to this date more than you have, because I finally don;t have to deal with you two pining like idiots anymore. So don’t you dare ruin it by not going! Alright?”

Sirius swallowed, giddiness bursting through his chest. “Alright.”

“Good,” Regulus huffed. “Don’t bother coming home until you at least snog.”

[ultravioletbrit]

“light” - Jegulus microfic - @into-the-jeggyverse - 792 words

“family gathering” - 25 Days of Jegumas - Day 23 - @noblehouseofgay

Regulus is pacing in their bedroom when James walks in.

“Reg?” James tries to get his attention, but Regulus is too far in his own head to respond. James walks towards Regulus and stands at the end of where he’s pacing. “Regulus?” He tries again when Regulus is in front of him. James reaches out but doesn’t touch him. But Regulus quickly wraps his hands around James’ forearms and looks him directly in the eyes.

“Dark green or light green?” Regulus asks, desperately.

James looks equally concerned and confused. “What?”

Regulus walks over to their bed where there are two jumpers, a dark green and a light green.

“Which one do I wear, James?” He asks, and he sounds frantic. “The dark green is too nice; it’ll make me look like I’m trying too hard. But I wore the light green one last week when I hung out with Barty. And that’s all it is. A jumper you throw on to hang out with friends when you don’t care what you look like.” Regulus rants and starts pacing again. “And I have nothing in between. Which means I should probably go shopping, but that doesn’t help me—”

“Regulus?” James cuts him off softly. Regulus turns to him with an exasperated sigh. “This isn’t about the jumpers, is it?” James asks gently.  

Regulus stares at James for a moment then slumps his shoulders with another defeated sigh. “I’m so nervous, Jamie.” His voice sounds small even to him.

James instantly wraps Regulus in his arms, “Love. You don’t have to go. Not if it makes you this anxious. I don’t want—”

Regulus is shaking his head against James’ chest before he cuts him off “I want to go.” His voice is muffled but firm. “I want to go so badly. It’s just that…” He trails off and shakes his head.

James leads them over to sit on the edge of the bed. He takes Regulus’ hands in his and rubs soothing circles. He doesn’t say anything, he just waits and lets Regulus gather his thoughts. After a long moment Regulus takes a deep breath.

“I’ve never been to a family gathering before.” He starts and James furrows his eyebrows. “We had family events, and it was always a production, a performance.” Regulus explains. “I was expected to be silent and invisible. Tonight, I’m going to have to talk and socialize and I don’t know how to do that. Especially with people I don’t know. And especially with important people. And I want to meet your family so badly but they’re so important to you and I’m not going to know what to say or how to act and I want them to like me, but I don’t want—”

“Baby.” James cuts off Regulus’ spiral and cups his cheeks. “I love you so much.” He tells him with a soft smile. “And I hate that it’s making you anxious and nervous. But it means so much to me that you’re excited to meet my family.”

“James! I’m not excited. I’m terrified!” Regulus cuts in.

“I think you might be terrified because you’re excited.” James says and Regulus narrows his eyes skeptically. James looks at him thoughtfully for a moment. “Okay. It’s okay. You don’t have to go if you don’t want to. I promise—”

“I want to go, James!” Regulus cuts him off again. “I want to meet your family. I want to talk to your Abuela about her poetry, because the poems you showed me are beautiful. And you said one of your cousins is going to Cambridge to study Astronomy and I’d love to talk to him. And Effie is so excited to introduce me to her sisters. I want to go, James. I’m just… nervous and terrified and anxious and—”

“Regulus.” James cuts in with a giant smile. “You’re going to be fine, love” He tells him. “And I’m going to be there the whole time. And mom and dad will be there. And we can always step away if you need a minute to yourself… I know you’re nervous, Reg. But I promise, it’ll be okay.” His smile gets impossibly wider. “And they’re going to love you.”

Regulus sighs and turns to lean against James’ side, and he starts nervously fidgeting with his fingers. He thinks about everything he just said and everything James just said and everything he’s feeling. He’s quiet for a few minutes then he takes a deep breath.

“I’m still nervous.” He whispers.

“I know.” James says simply.

“Okay.” Regulus sighs and nods his head. “Jamie?” Regulus says after a moment. James hums in response. “Dark green or light green?” Regulus asks and James huff a tiny laugh then hums again.

“Why don’t you wear the navy one mom got you?” He suggests.

Regulus sits up straight and looks directly at James. “Well, why didn’t you say that before? This whole thing could have been avoided!”