@jeggyverses-jegulus-microfic

Word Count: 1471

CW: jokes about death and murder, joking use of derogatory terms

__________

Tap tap tap. 

A quiet but steady rhythm filled the room as Regulus’ foot bounced against the floor. 

“You’re nervous,” Sirius remarked with a smile he tried to hide.

Regulus turned his head away from his mirror to shoot him a dirty look. 

Sirius raised his arms in innocence. “I wasn’t criticizing you! I’m just saying, it’s sweet you’re so nervous.” 

“Get off my bed,” Regulus replied. He ran his fingers through his hair for the hundredth time in an attempt to fix the way his curls lay. Somehow, no matter how much time, care, or product he used styling his hair, it never looked as good as his brother’s, despite the older boy claiming he did nothing but let his hair air dry. 

Ignored his brother’s complaint, Sirius rustled through the rings and necklaces in his jewelry box. “These silver rings would go well with your outfit.” 

“Can you find my choker necklace? The black one with the stars,” Regulus replied without taking his eyes off of his reflection. 

“The one with emeralds?”

“No.” 

“This velvet one?”

“No.” 

Giving up on his hair with a sigh, Regulus moved his fingers to his top. His dark green shirt was collarless and slightly billowy with a tie-front. The problem was how low he should tie it.

“Why do you have so many black necklaces with stars?” Sirius grumbled as he opened a few more drawers. “Oh my god, did you buy them for yourself because they reminded you of your name, you narcissist?”

“My friends got me most of them, actually. It’s an inside joke,” Regulus replied. “I know you won’t understand it, since you don’t have any friends, at least not any with enough money to buy you jewelry.”

“Shut up, you bastard. Ooh!” Sirius exclaimed. “You have to wear these earrings.” Regulus hummed, too focused on his top to go examine the earrings.

At the lack of response, Sirius huffed. “Oi, come here, I’ll tie your shirt for you.”

“No.”

“We both know you’re going to show your collarbones like the harlot that you are, but you don’t actually want to bare your entire chest since you don’t have muscles. I can tie it.” 

Regulus rolled his eyes but gave in, letting his brother tie the top while he put on the earrings and rings Sirius had selected. 

Sirius nodded at his handiwork. 

“Ok, you look less like a corpse,” he declared magnanimously. 

Regulus hit him with a pillow. 

“Are you sure this guy is worth all this effort? It’s only your first date, right?”

“Yeah, our first real date, but we’ve hung out before.”

“Ew, slut,” Sirius coughed. 

Regulus swatted him again. 

“Besides, I…” He trailed off with a blush. 

“Aww, you like him!” Sirius grinned. 

“Shut up.”

“You’re so cute!” Sirius bounced on his brother’s bed. “So, what’s he like?”

“I’m not telling you.”

“C’mon, I’ll fix your eyeliner while you tell me.”

“What’s wrong with my eyeliner?” Regulus asked in a panicked voice. 

Sirius laughed. “Don’t worry, baby brother, I’ll fix you right up.”

“Don’t call me that.” He grumbled as he walked over and handed Sirius the jet black liner.

Sirius uncapped it with a pop. 

“So? Who is this mystery date of yours?”

“Yeah, that’s not happening.”

“You gotta give me something to work with. What if you go missing and the police ask me to describe the suspect but I don’t have anything to tell them, so they think I’m the one that killed you since I saw you last while I was helping you get ready for this date, and then I go to jail forever for a crime I didn’t commit, huh? I’m too pretty for jail!”

Regulus scoffed. “I’m not going to die.”

“How would you know? Murderers are very charming, you know. Actually, you should probably share your location with me, so I can make sure you don’t just end up dead in a ditch somewhere. Or what if he strands you on an island in a cave in the middle of nowhere and no one can hear your pleas for help because you’re so far away from civilization? Or-”

“Okay, Sirius, I’m not giving you my location because I’m not getting murdered.” Regulus bit his lip. “I actually think… you’d like him a lot. He’s really kind — kinder than me, that’s for sure.”

“That’s not a high bar though,” Sirius retorted. “Ouch! Don’t pinch me, you gremlin, or I’m going to fuck up your makeup.”

“Drama queen.” Regulus muttered, but held still as Sirius finished his eyeliner. 

“Alright, we’re all done,” Sirius turned to the clock on Regulus’ desk. “With ten minutes to spare! Enough time for you to at least tell me your plans so I know where to look when you go missing.”

“I don’t know where I’m going. He’s planning the date as a surprise,” Regulus said with a small smile. 

Sirius flopped down on the bed with a loud groan. “Are you begging to get murdered? You’re actually an idiot. Why would-”

“He asked me out!” Regulus snapped. Though he knew Sirius’ needling was coming from a place of love, which he really did appreciate given the siblings’ complicated history, Regulus’ patience for his brother’s antiques was running thin. “He wanted to take me out and I said yes. He just told me what time he’d come by my room to pick me up and-”

“Wait, you gave him your address?!” Sirius shot to his feet. “This is so bad. What if- Okay, wait no.” He took a deep breath. “You know what? He’s coming here now, right? This is actually good. I can take a good look at him and remember his face for the police report. And I’ll threaten him, too.”

“You will do no such thing!” Regulus exclaimed in alarm. “Don’t drive him off! I-”

“If he leaves because of that, it means he was trying to murder you, so good riddance!” 

“Did you hear nothing I’ve been telling you? I know him well enough to know that he would never hurt me, okay? He is a miracle of a human being — beautiful inside and out, sweeter to me than anyone else, and way nicer to me than I deserve. He’s like the sun — he’s so bright and cheerful and everyone in his orbit is warmed by his light.” Though his cheeks were red, Regulus spoke firmly.

Sirius froze, dazed by Regulus’ uncharacteristically passionate speech. “Wow, now I really want to meet this bloke. Either he’s really good at brainwashing people or-”

Sirius was saved from his brother’s wrath by a knock. Regulus ran to the door, eliminating any chance Sirius might have had to reach the door before him.

“Hey, Regulus. You look… wow,” came a familiar voice.

“Thank you,” Regulus replied softly.

Like a puppy rushing to greet their owner at the door, Sirius jumped off the bed to meet his best friend. “James!”

“Oh! Hey Sirius,” replied a slightly surprised James Potter. 

“James, you’re just in time. Regulus is going on a date — a first date, no less — and he doesn’t even know where the bloke is taking him! You’ve got to help me threaten the guy so Regulus doesn't get murdered.”

“Shut up, Sirius!” Regulus hissed. He turned to James, mortified. “I told him I would be just fine, but did he listen? Of course not.”

James bit his lip, trying to hold back a laugh. “Remus has been listening to a lot of true crime lately. Although I thought you refused to listen to it with him?”

Sirius huffed. “He always has it on, I hear bits and pieces against my will.” Then, he brightened. “Maybe the universe wanted me to hear it, though, to save my brother’s life! I made him look too good for this date. Murderers love pretty victims.”

“He does look very pretty,” James agreed. 

Regulus rolled his eyes and turned away, though not before James could see the soft pink blush coating his cheeks.  

Sirius obliviously nodded. “Exactly the issue! I shouldn’t have done his makeup or tied his shirt like that.”

James’ eyes trailed down Regulus’ frame, from his long dark lashes and high cheekbones to the black choker accentuating his long neck standing in contrast with his pale skin to where his collarbones peeked out from his top. James gulped. 

“Where is your date, anyway?” Sirius frowned, looking over at the clock. “Being late is not a good quality, Reg. Didn’t you say you were leaving at two?”

Regulus smirked. “You know what? You’re right. I did say that.”

He grabbed James’ wrist. James let himself be led out through the doorway. Regulus tossed a quick “Bye!” over his shoulder without looking at his brother, before shutting the door. 

Sirius blinked. He blinked again.

“Wait, your date is with James?”

__________

“Hey,” James says as soon as Regulus opens the door, hiding the lilies behind his back that he got for him as an apology.

“Oh, it's you,” Regulus says in fake disbelief, and it makes James kiss him right then and there.

James gives him his biggest smile and steps into the apartment.

Regulus doesn't wait for him, he turns his back and goes directly to his desk, which is crowded with his textbooks. He is in his exam week and he is so stressed, and James, the awful boyfriend he is, always manages to send him over the edge even worse. He tries his best trying to be less of a burden on Regulus’ shoulders but he always ends up doing or saying the wrong thing for some reason.

But even he knows being a shitty boyfriend doesn't excuse itself. So this time, hoping for the last time for the love of god, he brought the big guns.

“Were you expecting someone else?” he asks in a cheeky tone, still hiding the flowers.

“I was just hoping it was anybody else but you,” he says as he sits on his desk and then turns his head over James’ direction, “Since you are so adamant about being an asshole all the time.”

Regulus is being mean but it's well deserved, James knows he shouldn't feel bad over it. And it's not affecting him at all, every jab and mean word toward James is handled with care at the moment. His only focus is on one thing and that's making Regulus forgive him. Nothing else. And after all the studying for finals ends tonight, he is going to make Regulus sleep in his arms with a soft smile hanging on his face. He doesn't care how stubborn his boyfriend becomes when he is hurt.

Because tonight, he is even more stubborn than him.

When Regulus realizes James isn't gonna make a snarky comeback, he returns his attention to his textbooks on the desk that are waiting for him and says nothing else.

Here goes nothing.

James walks behind him and he stands for a silent moment, and then he touches one of Regulus’ shoulders, tracing his index finger on his skin until it finds its way to his collarbone. He taps on his bone with his fingertip as he slowly hovers him and levels his head with him. Regulus takes a sharp breath but doesn't say anything.

James smiles confidentially, he just loves his effect on him, because no matter how mad Regulus is at him doesn't matter.

He will always change Regulus’ body language with a singular touch.

James first kisses his earlobe and then licks the side of his ear really slowly, he can see how firmly Regulus is grabbing the edge of his notebook.

It makes him grin.

“I'm sorry for being an asshole,” he whispers and kisses his neck this time and brushes his nose to his sensitive, pale skin. He notes that he is gonna leave a mark before the night ends, “Will you take these and consider making me suffer less tonight?”

He finally shows the lily bouquet he has been hiding ever since he knocked on the door.

Regulus looks at the flowers and slowly picks them up from his hands, smelling them without saying anything. But that doesn't worry James at all. Because Regulus isn't tense under his touch anymore, not after seeing the bouquet.

He kisses his neck again, waiting for a response.

But then Regulus exhales and puts the flowers on the desk, it makes James’ hair stand on end.

Fuck. Didn't he like it? Fuck— did he fuck up that bad?

He opens his mouth to ask what's wrong but Regulus beats him to it, “These are lilies.”

“Yeah? They happen to be your favorite flowers?” Regulus looks at him dead in the eyes and he starts to panic, “or… shit. Aren't they?”

“It also happens to be your favorite ex's name.”

James stares into his eyes for a moment and all the worry leaves his body. And he starts to laugh. Right in front of Regulus’ stoic and non-impressed face.

“What's so funny, Potter?”

“Oh, Reg,” he laughs so much that he fails to notice the annoyed look on Regulus’ face.

“What?!” Regulus snaps.

“Baby,” he slowly stops laughing and looks Regulus in the eye, “Lily hates lilies.”

“Oh,” Regulus says and looks at the flowers again and slowly touches their beautiful petals, “She doesn't like them?”

“Yes.”

“So you didn't buy them because you thought it worked on her before so it could work on me too?”

James melts at the sound of his soft, confused voice. He grabs Regulus' hand on the table and makes him stand up and grabs his face with both of his hands.

“Baby, I only bought them because I know that they're your favorite flower.”

He kisses Regulus softly and luckily, he kisses him back. When they slowly part, Regulus closes his eyes and puffs.

“Don't be annoying during my finals week, take a rain check or something.”

James laughs again but stops when Regulus kicks his ribs.

“I'll try my best, sir.”

“Good, or I can be ten times worse. And next time, even a garden of lilies won't save your sorry ass.”

James checks and double-checks the star shaped silver tag, glancing out the car window at the street sign. “Are you sure this is the right address?” he asks Remus, running a gentle hand along the black cat’s fur. The cat, Lune, purrs and pushes her head into his palm. He smiles, warmth blooming in his chest from her unabashed affection. They’d only just picked her up an hour ago, finding her stranded but clawing gently at their door. James’ heart immediately latched onto her, melting everytime she nudged him with her paw. 

“This is definitely the address from her collar,” Remus mutters, looking at the small flower beds lining the walkway. The home was rather lovely, looking strangely antique but well taken care of. 

James had no clue how Lune managed to find herself halfway across the city. 

He and Remus walk tentatively up to the green-painted door, and James already mourns the loss of Lune, aching with the thought of having to let her go. She’s curled up against his chest, eyes half lidded with sleepiness. James wants to hold on forever. 

The door opens, and James thinks his world realigns itself, or maybe it falls apart and rebuilds into something new, something utterly wonderful. 

The most lovely boy James has ever seen stands before them, pouting and adorable, with flushed cheeks and black curls ruffled against his forehead and around his ears. He looks rather disturbed that anyone dares bother him, and James thinks there should be art dedicated to the glory that is this man standing before him. James thinks he is the art itself. 

His pretty gray eyes widen almost comically as he sees the cat in James’ arms. 

James’s heart flips and turns and squeezes when he grumbles something unintelligible in French, and he’s silent, stuck staring at this beauty in awe. 

Remus clears his throat. “We found her clawing at our door this afternoon. I’m not quite sure how she made it to our part of town, but—”

“My idiot brother, that’s how,” the man says, rolling his eyes and huffing. James wants to touch and feel him under his fingertips, completely enraptured by this downright angelic being. “He was babysitting her this weekend while I was out of town. Obviously, he cannot be trusted with babysitting.” He reaches forward with pale hands to scoop her from James’ chest, but James is transfixed, lips parted as he thinks about the French lilt to the man’s words. He might be falling in love. 

Remus elbows him and he’s sharply brought back to reality, highly aware he was staring for a moment too long. He releases Lune to her owner’s arms, and she purrs again, nuzzling into the man’s neck. James is full of butterflies as he sees the man smile, hands lovingly cradling Lune. He feels less sorry for returning her, now that he sees the love she is returning to. 

James also plans on infiltrating the man’s life, wiggling his way into his beautiful arms, so he knows he’ll see her again. 

“Thank you both for bringing her home. It’s quite a ways from your home, I imagine, but your effort is very appreciated.” He speaks so formally, and James wants to dig his fingers into and tug and tug until something breaks. He’s feeling rather insane about this stunning stranger. “I’m Regulus, by the way. Your names are—?”

Remus chokes, coughing rather dramatically. “Regulus?” he croaks. “As in, Regulus Black?”

What a pretentious name, James thinks, again staring at him wistfully. Then— “Black? Like, Sirius—”

“I am Regulus Black, Sirius Black’s brother.” Regulus says, monotonously. Ah, the French makes sense. “Stupid bastard couldn’t even properly babysit my cat.” He huffs. “Are you all neighbors, then?”

Sirius Black is James’ enthusiastic French neighbor turned good friend. He was also blessed with unnaturally good looks, and James sees the resemblance now, looking at Regulus. 

Beside James, Remus blushes and mumbles, “Not my neighbor—” 

Sirius is James’ neighbor, and Remus’ current European conquest. How fitting, James thinks, for him and Remus both to fall for the Black brothers. 

James is free-falling off the deep end, preparing for a brutal fall. 

“I’m James,” he manages to say. Regulus’ rapt attention turns to him and he burns under it, feeling overwhelmed immediately. “Sirius’ neighbor.” He extends a hand and a smile, waiting for Regulus to take it. 

Take my hand, he begs in his head. Free fall with me. 

Their hands meet in the middle, and James swears he feels a spark ignite between them. He thinks he sees Regulus blush under his gaze. 

Their hands fit together perfectly, like puzzle pieces clicking into place. They both linger in the other’s touch, reluctant to pull away, brown eyes caught on gray ones, stuck in this charged moment. 

“Thank you, James,” whispers Regulus, and James grins, soaking up every second of his attention, feeling a rush of affection towards him. His name spilling from Regulus’ lips feels like a form of worship. 

James takes a leap of faith, free-falling off the very edge of which he was unprepared to fall from. “Can I get your number, Regulus?” Catch my fall, catch my fall, catch my— 

“Yes,” he breathes, hastily running into his apartment and returning with a slip of paper. He’s blushing fiercely, and James wants nothing more than to kiss his pink cheeks. He’s beautiful and soft, worth being cherished. 

James winks on his way down the steps, and when they make it into the car, Remus cackles. “Both of us! The Black brothers, James, both of them!” He’s wheezing. 

They drive off, and James looks back to see a black head of curls peeking through a curtained window. James smiles, and Regulus waves back, a soft smile tugging at his lips. 

If James is free-falling, so is Regulus—and that’s what love is all about, doing the scary things together. They’ll hold each other through the fall, and the crash might not hurt so bad. Maybe the pain will vanish with the first touch of a lover’s kiss. Either way—they’ll come out of it, together.

For however easy you might think that writing is for me, trying to put into words the immensity of my love is never a simple task. What does come naturally though, is loving you. I have done it for as long as I’ve known your name. James, my James. 

I fell in love the moment our eyes met, right before our words did, and again when you blushed at my very terrible attempts at flirting, and then I fell all over again when you asked if you could hold my hand on our first date. James, you could’ve asked me to give you my heart right then and there and I would’ve said yes, just as willingly as I did when you asked me to be your husband. 

I truly believed my days of writing you lame love notes would be well behind me by now. I thought that after our first kiss, I wouldn't have to resort to these ridiculous courting antics. Yet, here we are, and that tiny box you once used to carefully store my letters now occupies a drawer in our room. I want you to have as many words as there are in the English language to remind you of how much I love you. And when I've exhausted those, I'll do the same in French. I'll learn another language so I never run out of ways to say 'I love you'.

Happy 20th anniversary, my love

Your Regulus

this microfic is dedicated to someone who I love very much @malchai

(it was my birthday yesterday so ofc happy birthday to our sweet boy ❤️)

James wakes up to a sweet, soft kiss on his cheek, he's confused for a moment and then grins, remembering what day it is.

"Happy birthday, my love," Regulus rubs up and down James' bare back, "my old love." He snickers.

"M'not that old," James says in a grumbley voice, adjusting his body to wrap his arms around Regulus' neck. "You're just young."

Did James remember? Could he remember the beach towels? Regulus remembered exactly where each bleach spot was. Did he remember that labrador that used to hang from the passenger door from that one car that always parked next to their favorite restaurant? Does James remember the words to the love songs he used to sing him? 

Regulus does. He remembers. He remembers everything. No matter how much he wishes he didn’t. 

It had been ten years since they had broken up. Lives no longer heading to the same path or some bullshit excuse they had given each other. Regulus didn’t wait for James’ regret, he ran away as far as he could, as if distance was all it took for their souls to untangle. He sometimes thinks that they never did. Regulus chose a cold place, hoping that if the sun didn’t reach his skin he could eventually forget James’ warmth. 

A decade is barely a second in comparison to how long it would take for Regulus to forget; lifetimes would be needed for his heart to stop breaking after James Potter. 

Except James does remember. He remembers everything. 

And Regulus now knows that. So here he is, a lonely star standing under the sun, waiting to feel the heat, to melt and get lost in honey eyes once more. 

jegulus microfic - 574 words - warnings/tags: hurt/comfort & sadness.

Regulus hopped into James’ car and flashed him a shy smile. James grinned, picking up his hand to place a gentle kiss across his knuckles. Regulus blushed fiercely, unfamiliar with usual acts of affection. Butterflies and flutters erupted behind his ribs at James’ touch—he always reacted this way, with James. They’d only gone out for two dates so far, and he wasn’t yet accustomed to the warmth of James’ presence. Regulus was sure he watched James with stars in his eyes, some type of puppy love growing ever so steadily in his chest.  

“What’s on the agenda?” he asked James.

“That’s for you to decide. How are you feeling? Any suggestions for what we should do?” James looked at Regulus with an expression so tender, soft and loving, Regulus almost wanted to turn away. But he’d be damned before he rejected any bit of James’ affection. He would soak up every bit of it, melt into him, let it wash over him, even if he overflowed with it. It was precious currency. 

“I think… I’d like to be somewhere quiet. Not a lot of people. But I’m also hungry,” Regulus whispered. He was getting used to voicing his wants, his needs. James made him feel safe enough to be honest. 

James nodded, looking out the window, thinking. “How about we go home and we can make dinner, bake together? Is that alright?”

Regulus nodded eagerly. “Definitely. Sounds perfect.” 

The drive to James’ was quiet, but Regulus basked in the comfort that came with being around James. Their hands were intertwined over the center console and he’d never felt more secure. 

As soon as Regulus hopped out of the car, he was enveloped by big arms pulling him close. He pressed into James, his head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. James was nearly a foot taller than him, but the difference in height made for the best hugs Regulus had the privilege of experiencing. He was surrounded by James in the very best way. 

James led him inside, and Regulus helped him set out the ingredients to make soup and pasta for dinner, and gathered the ingredients to bake banana muffins and orange muffins. 

James would handle the soup and pasta, and Regulus would bake the muffins. James had put on a record, and there was a quiet tune echoing in the kitchen. James wore a bright pink apron with red hearts decorating it, and he gave the plain white apron to Regulus. They idly chatted, about anything and nothing that mattered. Regulus prattled on about his most recent favorite novel, and James told Regulus about a wonderful movie he’d seen. Their date wasn’t life-changing or grand by any means, but it was so sweet, and Regulus could feel the affection permeating and filling the air like the melodic music in the background, love so palpable he could taste it. He was safe, and that alone was something so precious James could give him. 

Dinner was made, and Regulus was shuffling towards the oven with the muffin tray in hand. He shut the oven, muffins placed gently inside, and turned to James, eyes bright and cheeks flushed. “All done,” he announced. 

James smiled warmly, coming close to place wide hands on Regulus’ hips. He kissed Regulus’ nose, trailing kisses all over his face. “I think you made a little mess with the baking,” voice like honey, kisses all over. “You taste sweet like sugar, love,” James whispered, sending a shiver down Regulus’ spine. He grabbed the front of James’ apron to pull him closer, letting himself melt against him, James’ arms the only thing holding him up. 

Regulus was kiss-drunk and sappy, feeling so perfectly warm and content in James’ space. “I think some messes are worth making,” he said, hands wandering and grabbing all over. He’d never get enough of James, skin on skin and stolen kisses, always wanting more and more. He was made of only butterflies, sunshine and love blooming behind his eyelids and ribs, sparks across his skin everywhere James’ hands traveled. They kissed and kissed and kissed against the kitchen counter until the oven timer beeped. Regulus startled backwards, flushed pink and lips kiss-bitten. James had a megawatt grin, blinding and lovely, hair messy and sticking up from Regulus’ fingers. Regulus smiled and kissed his cheek chastely. “The food will go cold. We need to eat.” 

“I could surely survive on kisses alone—”

“Sustenance, James—”

“Kisses, Reg—”

“I’m hungry.” He pouted up at James, and James was a weak man for a pouting Regulus. 

James kissed his nose. “Fine, I’ll take out the muffins. Go sit down, love, have some soup.” James was still sure he could survive on kisses and Regulus alone, but he’d eat soup and pasta and muffins with Regulus for a lifetime, if he needed. He would  spend a lifetime doing anything with Regulus. But James hoped he’d spend a lifetime kissing Regulus, cherishing him, growing in love everyday and—if they spent a lifetime baking and humming in the kitchen together—he didn’t think there was a single thing wrong about that.

-

we shall ignore how late i am, but please enjoy this breadcrumb of my writing