#poly!jegulus fluff

“Your tie, love.” Remus explained gently, but that didn’t seem to clear things up for you.

“But…I have my tie on?” You argued in the form of the question, hand migrating unconsciously to the well-tied knot at your neck when James’ voice permeated the atmosphere.

“Angel!” He called out breathlessly as he made it over to the Gryffindor table. “I, erm, I think there might have been a mix up.” 

Sirius watched you turn your head - which only served to draw further attention to the fact that you were not wearing your own house colours - to see James loosening the blue and copper tie from around his own neck. 

Sirius couldn’t even enjoy the widening of your eyes or the slacking of your jaw when he realised something.

“Wha- wait, no, wait, hang on.” Sirius sputtered as Remus nearly choked on his tea. “Why do you have her tie?”

Your hand quickly began to loosen the tie situated around your neck, though your movements slowed when you realised-

“For Salazar’s sake, Potter.” They heard Regulus hiss as he stalked over from the Slytherin table; Barty, Evan, and Dorcas cackling, seemingly at his expense (to the point that Barty actually slipped off the bench in a fit of laughter), as he ripped the red and gold tie from around his neck.

“What the fuck!?” Sirius shrieked as you finally pulled the green and silver tie off of your person and timidly held it out to your boyfriend. 

“Can’t believe you were so quick to blame it on me, Reggie.” James teased; easily replacing his own house tie to his neck and casually fixing the collar of his shirt whilst Regulus turned a completely new shade of pink and you looked like you were hoping for the floor of the Great Hall to simply swallow you up. “It takes two to tango.”

“Or three.” Remus chuckled under his breath, wincing when his boyfriends ire turned towards him. 

“Did you know!?” Sirius asked his maybe possibly soon to be ex boyfriend (or certainly his boyfriend who would be getting no cuddles or chocolates from Honeydukes for the next foreseeable future). 

“I…had a hunch?” Remus tried.

“The three of you!?” Sirius barked at the three of you then, though you and Regulus seemed to understand the question was for James. 

“Yeah!” James responded easily. “We’re pretty cute together, huh?”

Your shoulders migrated impossibly higher at the attention as you tried to cave in on yourself, and Regulus simply rolled his eyes at what he clearly felt was a Gryffindor brand of nonsense. 

Sirius had no response to that, though it didn’t appear James was waiting for one. James - the sod - simply pressed a kiss to the side of your head before doing much the same for Regulus and continuing back out of the Great Hall for his meeting with McGonagall as the Headboy. 

Regulus let out a frustrated huff and narrowed his eyes at his brother as if just daring him to say anything, though Sirius watched his face soften significantly when he turned his attention to you. 

“D’accord, amour?” He murmured quietly. (translation: alright?)

“Ouais.” You offered quickly. “But, erm, can you go away now?” 

Sirius sort of expected Regulus to huff in offence or chide you for being quite rude, but Regulus seemed to understand that you simply did not like the attention right now and actually smiled at you. 

What the fuck was happening right now!? 

“Tu vas bien, mon amour.” (translation: you're okay, my love) Regulus whispered into the side of your head where he pressed his lips before he departed, but the expression on your face made it look as though you very much disagreed with that. 

“Oh my gods?!” Sirius let out then when it was just Remus, you, and himself. 

“What’s that saying?” Remus asked as he looked back at his newspaper with a satisfied smirk on his face. “Curiosity killed the kneazle?”

“I wasn’t curious, Moons. I was trying to take the piss.” Sirius pouted.

Remus simply hummed at his petulant boyfriend as he winked at you over the Daily Prophet. “Call it karma, then.”

“What have you got for us this time, lover boy?” you ask, pushing your sunglasses back up your nose so you can ogle at his bare chest inconspicuously. He knows exactly what you’re doing, his ego swelling as he subtly puffs out his chest.

James crouches to your eye level, holding his palms flat in front of himself to present what he’s brought from the shore (for the fifth time). He points at various shells, telling you both what he likes about each one, letting you hold any in your hand that piques your interest.

“I’ve saved the best for last,” James says, fishing for something in the pocket of his swim trunks. He proudly displays a sand dollar in his palm, presenting it to each of you in turn so you can admire it properly.

As James holds the poor sand dollar in front of you, your lips curve into a pout. “Jamie, go put that back.”

His eyebrows furrow, tilting his head in confusion when you’re not oohing and ahhing like he expected. “Why?” he murmurs, a flicker of disappointment in his eye.

Regulus takes pity on him, nudging his ankle with his flip-flopped foot. “That one’s still alive, mon soleil.”

James looks perplexed, staring down at the little urchin in his palm. “What do you mean?”

You and Regulus shoot each other a sideways glance.

“Sand dollars are living creatures, Jamie,” you explain gently.

“What!?” James yelps, shoulders going tense, and he’s suddenly unsure of how to hold the thing in his hand. “I thought they were made out of sand!”

Regulus does nothing to suppress his laughter. You do try, but Regulus’ are contagious, and soon you too get caught up in a fit of giggles.

You scoop the sand dollar into your hand, laughter still bubbling from your throat as you say, “Come on, we’ll release the little guy together.”

You look over your shoulder at your other boyfriend.

“Coming, Reg?” you hum.

He’s been fending James off all day, refusing every attempt to drag him into the water. But with both of you watching him expectantly, he knows he no longer has a choice in the matter (and he might have a tad harder time saying no to you).

When you reunite with the rest of your group in the water, James is eager to share this newfound piece of information with his friends.

“Did you know that sand dollars are alive!?”

“Yes, James,” Remus sighs as if he expected better.

You let James do the honors of releasing the sand dollar, guiding him to a still, sandy stretch of ocean, well away from the kicking feet and splashing limbs of the clusters of swimmers scattered nearby.

“Sorry for kidnapping you, buddy,” James whispers to the little creature as he watches it drift down to the ocean floor.

Distracted by watching the sand dollar, none of you notice Sirius’s slow approach from behind, a brightly colored beach bucket in each hand. Carefully, he crouches to scoop up as much water as they’ll hold. Then, in one swift motion, dumps them over James and Regulus’s heads.

You jump back, away from the salty splash.

“Oi!” James shouts, throwing the plastic bucket at Sirius, who swats it out of the way. James has a lopsided grin on his face as he dives for his best friend in retaliation.

Regulus, on the other hand, is not amused in the slightest, looking murderous as he rips the bucket off his head. Before he can start spewing expletives or attempting to seriously maim his brother, you place a hand on his chest and gently push him away from the scene.

“Come on,” you say, using your free hand to brush his sopping hair out of his face. “James has it covered. Come. Come on, we can cuddle up and watch from afar while they try to drown each other in the shallows.”

As a very sleek and refined black cat with piercing grey eyes; what? Regulus wasn’t afraid to admit he was a particularly attractive little feline.

And you certainly didn’t seem to disagree.

“Oh there you are, sweetness!” You exclaimed as he trotted his way over to you; a little brrp escaping his mouth at the endearment rolling off your tongue so easily at the sight of him. “I was wondering when I’d see you again.”

Regulus spent some time rubbing along your shin and hip that he could reach thanks to the way you were currently seated with your back against an old oak tree. 

“Well aren’t you just so handsome, hm?” You cooed, and Regulus felt his heart thrum (or perhaps that was just the sensation of the dramatic purrs you were eliciting from his animagus form).

Regulus somehow found it far easier to give affection in this form; there was something far more vulnerable in offering Sirius a sincere hug, or even asking James to hold his hand than there was in stepping up onto your thigh with his little paws as he used his head to rub against your shoulder. 

That, and his feline form didn’t seem to get so caught up on such human feelings like vulnerability or abandonment issues.

“Such a sweet boy.” You murmured, rewarding him with chin scratches. “Where do you go after you say bye to me? Hm?” You asked him then, and Regulus actually found himself desperate to tell you. Desperate to say “I’m right here! I’m always here! I’m just usually accompanied by a great bumbling sod who is just as crazy about you as I am but is far less gracious about it!”

Regulus wondered then when he became the sort to admit to holding a flame for someone? Agreeing to go out with James had been a sort of relenting “oh shit, yeah, fuck, I’m sort of in love and wildly sexually attracted to my brother’s best friend, aren’t I? Damnit, well, alright then I guess.” 

But falling for you had been an active choice on Regulus’ part; he’d set up the playing field with strategic manoeuvres and expertly playing the hand he was dealt. He manipulated moments where he would get the chance to spend time with the unbridled you; the version of you perhaps only those closest to you ever got to see, and perhaps not even then.

The you that you were when you didn’t feel the need to perform for others. The you that you were when you were completely free to be yourself.

He hoped that the comfort and ease you found in his company like this would one day translate to comfort and ease in his company whilst in his human form, too.

It was official; Regulus had officially lost the plot. He’d become a lovesick fool and a complete sap planning moments for the two of you to meet and dreaming of the day he could tell you just how he felt.

He’d been spending too much time around Gryffindors, it was time to see a mind healer. 

You had been resting with your head back and face pointed towards the sky above you that was partially obstructed by the canopy of branches and leaves above you before you took a deep and definitive breath in. 

“It’s almost time for class, kitty.” You murmured softly, looking down at Regulus with a look of adoration and perhaps some regret that you had to leave his company. 

That’s sort of how Regulus imagined he and James looked every time you left the room, not that you’d ever noticed. 

But before Regulus could be particularly perturbed by that thought, you actually bent down and pressed a kiss to the space between Regulus’ ears. 

And with a grace and assuredness Regulus not often saw on you, you stood and headed towards the castle for your next class.

“Oh my Godric, she kissed you!” James squealed as he removed the invisibility cloak from his person.

Regulus let out a startled hiss and felt his tail poof up in an attempt to make him look far more intrepid than he actually was. 

“Awe, you’re so cute when you think you’re scary.” James cooed as he reached down to give Regulus a scritch only to be swatted away rather aggressively by his boyfriend.

“Regulus!” James chided as he held his hand protectively against his chest. “That was very rude.”

“There were no claws, you tosser.” Regulus muttered as he returned to his human form. “What were you even doing out here?”

James shrugged in nonchalance as he tilted his head up to the sky in much the same way you had but moments ago. “I was bored so checked the map to see where you were, and then saw you were here and wanted to see the magic in action.” 

“You’re so lucky you didn’t sneeze and blow the whole thing.” Regulus spat, though James was either ignorant to his boyfriends grumblings or choosing to ignore them.

“She’s so lovely, isn’t she?” 

Regulus hummed in agreement, ire quickly melting away as he looked longingly (like the lovesick sod he was) in the way you’d left.

As he moved to lean back against the tree beside James, his hand came into contact with something distinctly unnatural. 

“Oh?” He murmured as he pulled an open journal out from under him, the page currently resting on a beautiful sketch of…him?

“Merlin’s tits. Did she draw you?” James breathed out in disbelief as he pulled the journal closer to him.

“Don’t be ridiculous James.” Regulus chided as he tried to ignore the quickening of his heart. “That could be any cat.”

James hummed in clear disagreement as he adjusted his glasses. “‘I wish I could paint; there’s no way I can portray the beautiful grey of this cat's eyes’” He read from a small patch of scrawl beside the image with a little arrow pointing towards him.

“I think I just found our in, Jamie.” Regulus murmured quietly before looking at James with an arched eyebrow.

Yup, he’d definitely been spending too much time in the company of Gryffindors. 

You were fanning the tip of your quill against your lips as you stared off into space again. You couldn’t believe you lost your sketchbook. It wasn’t like you’d been drawing anything particularly crude or inappropriate, but somehow the thought of someone actually looking inside the little world you’d been building had you feeling naked. 

“Is this seat taken?” You heard from above you, causing you to straighten up so quickly that your knee met the bottom of the table with a painful thunk. 

It was Regulus who had asked the question, but it was James who asked “Shit, are you okay, love?”

“Sorry. No.” You mumbled quickly, face heating up to near painful temperatures. “Erm, I mean, no, that seat’s not taken, and sorry, I’m okay.” 

“You don’t have to apologise to me, angel, the victim was that poor knee of yours.” He continued as he took one of the two seats across from you, his furrowed brows pointed resolutely at the span of table you’d accosted moments ago. 

“What is it that you’re working on?” Regulus asked you then, nodding his head towards the blank parchment in front of you and the quill that had spent just about more time in your mouth than it had on paper. 

You felt your shoulders shrug nervously as you stared resolutely at the blank expanse before you. 

“Not much, it seems.” You admitted quietly. “I, erm, I’ve lost something recently.”

“Your sketchbook.” James and Regulus chorused, and you winced at the whiplash you nearly gave yourself in moving your gaze to them. 

“I…yes, my- how did you know I’ve lost it?”

Regulus shrugged calmly as he looked down at the table in front of you. “It’s odd seeing you without it, quite frankly.”

You hardly had a moment to feel horribly uncomfortable to realise that Regulus Black and James Potter had ever noticed anything about you before - let alone something that, for whatever, reason felt particularly sacred and personal to you - before Regulus pulled out your sketchbook from his bag. 

“You…had it?” You whispered, feeling disturbingly close to tears imagining this to be one of the Marauders pranks where they spent one evening flipping through the pages for a laugh.

“You forgot it…down by the oak tree on the grounds.” Regulus offered quietly as he carefully slid the closed book towards you. 

“We didn’t take it.” James added as if sensing your concern. 

“Did you look at it?” You asked quietly then; staring down at your long lost book now gripped tightly in your hand rather than at the two boys.

“Just one page.” James admitted as he shifted in his seat. “It was opened to that page when we found it.”

“I hope you don’t mind,” Regulus began, “but I may have added something to the page we found it on.” 

You looked up at him expecting to see some devious or malicious smile gracing his face, but you were only met with a look far softer than you ever imagined possible on the young Black’s face. It looked…dare you say, hopeful? 

You looked back down at the sketchbook to see a little tab sticking out about ¾’s of the way through and opened it carefully.

The parchment crinkled and groaned as you opened the book; protesting as if it had been subjected to water or rain only to be completely dehydrated again. 

And inside, the sketch of the little feline companion you’d come to love had been transformed into a beautiful water painting, the tail charmed to swish back and forth every so often as its - now the perfect shade of grey - eyes blinked at you. 

“I thought the sketch to be beautiful, but you wanted it painted and I wanted to do that for you.” He admitted quietly; voice no higher than a whisper. 

“You got the eyes just right.” You murmured in awe before your eyes flit up to…a matching pair. “They’re your eyes.” You amended disbelievingly. 

Regulus simply smirked, though even that appeared soft.

You looked back and forth between the two boys, neither seeming to know quite what to say, but neither seeming particularly inclined to leave your company. 

You realised then that they’d been with you like this - in your company, that is - before.

You looked down at your sketchbook and began flipping through the pages before stopping at the one you were looking for and handing it to James. 

James accepted your book and held it as if it was something precious as he smiled down at the page.

It was a sketch of him laying on his back across one of the benches in the quidditch stands as he casually threw and caught a snitch - the snitch and his arm charmed to move. You hoped that wasn’t too creepy - having a drawing of him in your personal book - but you had been up there first before his friends came to hang around, and they hadn’t seemed particularly bothered by your company at the time.

“You’re very talented.” He said simply, and you felt your shoulders relax from the worry of him being uncomfortable. 

“Think you can paint that one, too?” You asked Regulus quietly, and you felt your heart stutter slightly when his face lit up into a beaming smile. 

“It’d be my honour, beautiful.” 

Oh gods…what did you just get yourself into?

“M’fine, Jamie.” You offered with a tight smile as Regulus rolled his eyes. “I think we need a bigger shower.”

Regulus scoffed derisively. “Or we could just stop showering together.”

“Well, okay, hang on.” James started, lowering his loofa and holding out his hands placatingly as if this were a hostage situation. “Let’s not get too extreme here.” 

“James, this side of the shower is a completely different temperature.” Regulus explained impatiently. “And her head has absolutely more bruises than hair at this point.” 

“Well, I don’t think it’s that bad-”

“Absolutely concussed, without a doubt.” Regulus continued as if you hadn’t said anything at all. “I think one of her eyes is even going crossed.”

“You knock it off!” You laughed as you swatted at Regulus, your smile growing wider when the relatively aloof boy smiled uninhibitedly in return as he fended off your assault. 

“Has the shower really been that bad?” James asked then, causing you and Regulus to turn your attention back to your now rather sullen looking boyfriend having long since rinsed the suds from his body. 

“It’s not been that bad.” You relented as you pulled him into you - he didn’t have far to go, mind you, seeing as the three of you were already touching to some varying degree.

“It’s not been that good.” Regulus countered, though he acquiesced when you pinched him in the ribs. “I do like getting to appreciate the two of you naked, though.”

James let out a surprised laugh and you rolled your eyes good naturedly. 

“See? It’s not all bad.” James offered confidently. “Can I wash your hair, angel?” He asked then, lifting his hands to rub the skin at your neck only to earn himself a painful thwack of his elbow.

“Actually, Jamie?” Regulus started in his most ‘I have him wrapped around my finger’ voice that you seemed to be able to pick up on but poor sweet Jamie never could. 

“Yes, my love?” He responded quickly.

“Are you finished washing?” 

“I am!”

Regulus smiled gently at his boyfriend - the final blow. “Mind fucking off, then?”

“Wha-”

“There’s not enough room, Jamie.” You whined then. “Reg and I will be fast, okay? You won’t miss out on anything.”

“But…” James started, looking between the two of you a little heartbrokenly. “But what if you guys kiss?”

“What if we promise not to kiss?” Regulus countered.

“But…what if I want you guys to kiss.” 

“What if we kissed right now?” You offered, pausing for James to consider the offer.

“Can I have a kiss too?” James asked, and Regulus actually laughed.

“Yes, Jamie, you can have a kiss too.” Regulus confirmed.

Appeased, James accepted a kiss from each of you and appreciated the kiss you and Regulus shared before he stepped out of the shower, calling out a promise to place your towels in the dryer before exiting the steamed up bathroom.

“God he’s perfect.” You murmured as you leaned your forehead against Regulus’ chest.

“He’s so lucky that he is.” Regulus agreed, though whatever grumblings he pretended to have about James, you could just feel the fondness oozing right out of him for your loveable boyfriend. 

You were sure a similar fondness was oozing right out of you for your two loveable boyfriends.

“How long ago did he leave?” Regulus asks urgently. “Think we have time to slip out before he finds us?”

“Regulus.” You chide around a laugh.

“Amour.” He counters staunchly. “A surprise from James Potter is never good. It could be a prank! It could be-”

“I found it!” James shouts as he appears from the hallway that leads to your bedroom, a small envelope in his hands that he waves at you before he moves to rip it open. “Can’t believe I almost forgot.” 

“Potter, I swear to all that is holy if that is another glitter bomb I will burn the whole house down and move Amour and I to some posh skyrise that overlooks the Thames.” Regulus threatens - slipping into the use of his last name as he often does when scolding James - though you couldn’t help but notice the pause his threat caused him when he realised how nice that plan actually sounded. 

“You wouldn’t take me to the flat by the Thames?” James queried rather sadly, pausing in his envelope opening as though this Thames flat actually existed. 

“Not if that’s another glitter bomb.” Regulus hissed in response.

Remembering himself, James is back to smiling as he pulls out a handful of pieces of paper. “They’re stickers, Reg.”

“This is what had you stopping me from getting my shoes and jacket on?” You question in faux exasperation as you accept a few of the decorative stickers from him. There was a wide array of celestial themed stickers he had no doubt picked for Regulus’ sake; stars, moons, a few planets, the sun. But there were also quite a few from your favourite fandom. 

“These are sweet, Jamie, thank you.” You offer earnestly, smiling up at him to realise he’s peeling the backing off of one and moving towards your cane. 

“This one was my favourite, but I figured you’d need more than just one.” He explains, mostly speaking to himself as he adheres a sticker you have yet to see on your new cane. So new, in fact, you hadn’t even had time to scuff it or scratch it yet. “And then I couldn’t decide, so I bought some astrology ones-”

“Astronomy.” Regulus corrects tiredly, though his eyes and smirk are soft as he rolls his eyes. 

“Right, astronomy ones, and then you like this series, yeah?” He asks in reference to the stickers from your fandom. 

“I do.” You agree somewhat hoarsely; Regulus picking up on the change in tone while James admires his work before turning the cane to expose the new, colourful addition to it. 

“Mobility aids are sexy” the bold, bubble-shaped script read. You felt your throat constrict. 

“What do you think, angel?” 

You fold your lips over your teeth as you try not to burst out into tears, only able to nod emphatically at him.

“Oh, wonderful, Jamie. Look what you’ve done now.” Regulus scolds playfully. “You’ve brought her to tears.” 

“Awe, baby.” James coos, but between Regulus’ obvious teasing and the watery smile on your face, he could tell the tears weren’t of sadness; not entirely. “Is that true? Have I reduced you to tears? What can I do, hm? How do I make it right?” 

You sniffle around a laugh as you rub the tears away from your eyes. “Can you help me put the rest of them on?” 

James was no sooner shucking his shoes and jacket off right there in the middle of the living room and moving to sit on the carpeted floor - run to the shops forgotten in favour of decorating your newest accessory - as Regulus helped you stand so that you could join him. 

You and Regulus spent the evening in charge of project management (you deciding which stickers to add and him deciding where they ought to go) while James was in charge of execution. All the while hoping that one day you’d come to appreciate your cane for the freedom that it was, not the disability that it represented. 

You wondered, as you looked at Regulus swatting James’ arm for deigning to place such an exemplary sticker so close to the bottom of the cane where no one would see it and James pretending to sway from the force of Regulus’ fingers, if - just maybe - it wouldn’t be impossible for that day to come sooner rather than later.