Val

Regulus: What—

James tosses him a chocolate frog.

Regulus: Why did you throw that at me?

James: Because I love you.

Regulus: That's not an explanation.

James: It is if you're me.

Sirius: I am begging you to stop.

James: Sorry. Regulus, my dearest, most beloved—

Sirius: Actually, don't stop. Keep talking. Maybe I'll die.

Remus: Sirius.

Sirius: Remus.

Remus: You're being dramatic.

Sirius: James called my brother "my dearest" before breakfast.

Remus: That's not a crime.

Sirius: It should be.

Peter: I think it's kind of sweet.

Sirius: Peter, don't encourage them.

Peter: They're literally just sitting there.

Sirius: Exactly.

Peter: …What?

Sirius: Look at them.

Everyone looks.

James: 😊

Regulus: 😐

James: 😊😊😊

Regulus: 😐

James: ❤️

Regulus: 😐

James: ❤️❤️❤️

Regulus: 😐

Sirius: You see it, right?

Peter: I don't.

Remus: I do.

Sirius: THANK YOU.

Remus: Regulus is smiling.

Sirius: WHERE?!

Remus: Internally.

Sirius: THAT'S NOT A THING.

Regulus: It is.

James: Reggie smiled at me yesterday.

Sirius: No, he didn't.

James: He did.

Sirius: Regulus doesn't smile.

Regulus: I do.

Sirius: Name one time.

Regulus: Yesterday.

Sirius: Traitor.

James: He smiled so much, actually.

Regulus: I smiled once.

James: It was beautiful.

Regulus: It lasted half a second.

James: The greatest half second of my life.

Sirius: Why are you like this?

James: Because I'm in love.

Sirius: Ew.

James: Because I'm in love with Regulus.

Sirius: EWWWW.

Remus: Sirius, you act like you just found them making out in the Great Hall.

Sirius: That happened last week.

James: We were not making out.

Regulus: We kissed once.

Sirius: IN PUBLIC.

James: It was a peck.

Sirius: IN PUBLIC.

Regulus: You're repeating yourself.

Sirius: Because I'm traumatized.

James: Regulus, can I have your hand?

Regulus: Why?

James: I want to hold it.

Regulus: That's ridiculous.

James: Please?

Regulus: Fine.

Regulus gives him his hand.

James: Excellent.

Sirius: I HATE THIS.

Peter: Why?

Sirius: Because he said that like he'd just won a business negotiation.

James: I did.

Regulus: He did.

James: Anyway, I have an announcement.

Remus: That's ominous.

Peter: Very ominous.

Sirius: If it's about Regulus, I'm leaving.

James: It's about Regulus.

Sirius: Goodbye.

James: Regulus called me handsome this morning.

Sirius: I'M STAYING JUST TO HATE.

Peter: He did?

James: He did.

Remus: What exactly did he say?

James: Word for word?

Remus: Sure.

James: I asked if my hair looked alright.

Remus: And?

James: He sighed deeply, looked at me, and said, "Potter, unfortunately, you're handsome no matter what you do."

Peter: That's adorable.

James: THANK YOU.

Regulus: It wasn't meant to be.

James: He thinks I'm handsome.

Regulus: That's not the point.

James: He called me handsome.

Regulus: Potter—

James: Handsome.

Regulus: Stop.

James: Handsome.

Regulus: Sirius, make him stop.

Sirius: Absolutely not. This is the first good thing that's happened to me all day.

James: Handsome.

Regulus: I regret everything.

James: You think I'm handsome.

Regulus: I am literally holding your hand right now. Of course I think you're handsome.

Silence.

James: …

Peter: …

Remus: …

Sirius: …

James: HE THINKS I'M HANDSOME.

James: Hey Moony we should *insert stupidest idea ever*

Remus: No way, that’s moronic, why the fuck would I put myself through that

Sirius: …

deaf remus surprising his friends with his laugh

deaf remus unaware of how loud his howls are

deaf remus at his first gryffindor dorm party feeling the music through his bones

deaf remus resting his head on sirius’ chest to feel the vibrations of his heartbeat

hiii ru my loveliest love!! here’s what i’m thinking:

remus wakes the second sirius starts twitching. he never shakes him awake though, instead he shifts closer and starts humming or whispering the same low lori (indian lullaby) that he knows sirius’ mum (effie) used to hum to him whenever he had bad dreams / moments as a teenager. it reminds sirius he is somewhere safe now

on the worst nights sirius curls into a tight ball. remus wraps around him from behind like a weighted blanket, one arm across his chest, the other hand splayed over his stomach, so sirius can feel the steady pressure and remember he’s allowed to take up space

remus keeps a tiny spray bottle of sirius’ favorite cologne on the nightstand. he spritzes it once on the pillow so the familiar scent cuts through the panic before sirius is even fully conscious

remus learned early on that sirius hates being told it was just a dream, so instead he narrates the present in a steady whisper, like listing facts on a grocery list: “your legs are tangled with mine”, “the radiator is clicking the way you find annoying”, “my hand is right here on your ribs”

sometimes sirius needs to move, so remus takes him to the kitchen at 3am and they make the most ridiculous elaborate sandwiches together. remus always adds extra pickles because he knows the crunch helps ground sirius back into his body

after the shaking stops sirius often gets embarrassed and tries to pull away, but remus never lets him. he tucks sirius’ head under his chin and says the same sentence every time “stay messy, i love you like this”

sirius sometimes apologizes for waking him up. remus answers by pressing a slow kiss to the top of his head and says not to bother, because he himself couldn’t care in the slightest

sirius sometimes wakes up convinced he’s still small and unwanted. remus counters by pulling him on top of his chest so sirius can feel how easily he fits there now, how remus can hold all of him without strain

remus always makes sure the bedside lamp with the warmest bulb is within reach. he clicks it on low and lets sirius stare at the ordinary shadows of their bedroom until the terror loses its grip

sometimes sirius needs to be reminded he’s sharp and loud and alive, so remus lets him rant about the nightmare in messy half sentences, then kisses the corner of his mouth and says “good, now tell me one real thing you loved about today” so sirius pays his attention to something nice

remus keeps a bar of milk chocolate in the nightstand drawer for after the shaking stops. he breaks off tiny pieces and feeds them to sirius by hand watching the sweetness slowly replace the metallic taste of fear

they end up tangled so tightly that sirius falls back asleep listening to remus count his exhales

after sirius drifts off again, remus stays awake a little longer, just running his fingers through sirius’ hair in the exact pattern he knows soothes the leftover tension in his scalp

barty: on GOD he does

james: what