Jegulus - I'll be good

Part Seventeen

Here we go with Part Seventeen. Thank you for your comments and love again! I really love reading your comments, they make me laugh ♥ 

While writing this, I was listening to "Do I wanna know" by Arctic Monkeys, maybe you want to listen to it too while reading :) Enjoy!

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Prongs couldn't help but to think how different, how fragile and small Regulus looked in the safety of the empty room, with the cloak wrapped around him like a blanket and the mug of hot chocolate in his hands. There was nothing from the usual cold and pulled up high wall that he was hiding behind at all times and James came to think that this was a moment in which he got to see the real person behind all of this. Regulus was just a boy that tried to carry a burden too heavy for him and the Gryffindor felt bad for him. He definitely wished that Sirius would've taken him to his parents two years ago too.

That they couldn't find a way to help him was also very frustrating. The Potter wasn't used to being unable to really help. And in a situation like this it was even worse. So when Regulus drifted into sleep, he let him and rather started thinking about it. The first thing he needed to do, was to get Sirius and Regulus to talk with each other again. Because as long as they were mad at each other, he couldn't proceed to help Reg without feeling like a traitor. And then...he didn't like the thought of the Slytherin staying part of the deatheaters, just to work against them from the inside. For some reason he absolutely trusted him when he said that he wasn't for them. Regardless of everything the younger one had said and done til this point, a part of him refused to believe that Regulus became a deatheater because he stood behind them. And adding to that, his outburst a few weeks ago in which he admitted that he was terrified was a good point for that too. "Back to the actual problem, James", he muttered to himself and started to pace through the room, in hopes to be able to think better. Okay, if he could get the brothers to make peace with each other, the next thing to do was to create a safe space..perhaps? The Slytherin said he couldn't be seen with him and probably also not with someone else of them at this point, so they would need a place to care for him, that was hidden away from others too. The room of requirements maybe? No, that would be too dangerous, as it needed to pass so many stairs and hallways. The Shrieking Shack? That also wasn't an option, if it collided with the fullmoon. His thought process stopped when he noticed Regulus getting really restless - probably a nightmare. He knew that from Sirius quite well. Quietly he walked back to where the Slytherin was laying. The only thing he could think of doing was to make Reggie aware of the fact that he wasn't alone, so he sat down next to him and carefully wrapped his arms around the smaller body. He was a bit shocked of how bad Reg was shaking, but he didn't dare to wake him up. But that wasn't necessary - the pale boy woke up in the next minute, with a bloodcurdling scream that sounded like he was tortured. James pulled him a bit closer, his own heart beating like he had just run a marathon - different scenarios racing through his head that could cause someone to scream like that. Regulus' abruptly stopped and seemed to try finding orientation. "Are you okay?", Prongs dared to ask after another minute they sat in silence concerned. What a stupid question, of course nothing was okay, but..he didn't really know what else to ask. And he really wanted to know if he was fine. Regulus tensed up a bit and looked down at James' arms that were wrapped around his chest: "I-I..yes. Just..a bad dream..I guess..I'm sorry, I..shouldn't have fallen asleep..why didn't you wake me up?" "Well, you obviously were exhausted, why would I?", the Potter asked back rhetorical, "do you have them often?"Regulus looked at him in confusion, until the knut fell and he understood that he meant the dreams: "Yeah..No..I'm not sure. Can you let go off me? That's really distracting." The next second he looked horrified, like he instantly regretted his words and his face became more colour than James had ever seen on him. "Ah..sorry. Didn't want to make you uncomfortable, it just helps Sirius, so I thought it helps you too", Prongs replied with a smile and let go off him. What a pity, though. It was a good feeling to have him close like that..to have him in his arms. Which of course had nothing to do with the person per se, but with the fact that cuddles were always good. For a few minutes, silence stayed between them, in which James absent mindedly looked at the younger one. Until his growth spurt last summer, he had looked quite similar to Sirius, but now the Gryffindor noticed the differences for the first time. Regulus' face was slimmer than his brother's, his cheekbones a bit higher. His eyes were a bit brighter and even though damaged at the moment, his lips were the biggest eyecatcher in this face and James noticed himself staring at them for a second to long, so he quickly turned away and stared at the wall. He definitely was completely confused tonight too. Of course Regulus looked good, that was part of his genetics, but his brain shouldn't act like it was thinking he was attractive. "Oh by the way..should I heal you? I'm not a professional, clearly, but I've experience with smaller injuries", he offered then, snapping out of his own confusing thoughts and allowing himself to look back at the Slytherin. "Heal me? That's just some scratches, it will be fine", Regulus shrugged it off and he also could do it on his own. He was advanced enough at magic, but didn't think that far until now, as it didn't really bother him. "Yes, but it can also be done faster. Can't imagine you feel comfortable looking like that, since you're always so neat", Prongs pointed out with a smirk and bowed down to him, "come on, little Black. What should your roommates think when you go back like that?""My...roommates? I don't go back tonight, so they won't think anything, clearly." He sounded more defensive than he should and avoided eye contact with James at any cost right now. Which frustrated the Potter a bit. Like he wanted to avoid him for no reason. "Okay, I see. Then I let you looking like you've fought a Hippogriff and leave you here, so you can pout in peace", the headboy decided then shaking his head and grabbed the two empty mugs to take them with him. But he didn't come far, as something held him back. First he thought that his pants got stuck on something, but as he looked down it was Regulus' hand that had grabbed the hem of his left leg: "No please..can you stay here..with me? Just for tonight? I don't want to be alone." What should James say? The shy tone and the insecure, yet hopeful smile on Regulus' face let him melt. And he also felt a bit proud of him; that he reached out for help twice, even though this really wasn't help..but still. "I guess I can do that. Yes sure", he heard himself agree before he even thought about it. But seriously, why not? Regulus obviously was afraid and whatever happened to him that he was injured maybe haunted him. They were friends, so it was natural to be there for him. The Slytherin's face lit up at that answer, like he absolutely didn't expect him to agree and let go of his leg; which left the hem of the pants a bit crumbled, but it was fine. "Thank you..really", he said quietly and again a bit red. He sank back and now climbed on one of the beanbag chairs. James put the mugs back on the table and started to look around in the room, until he found what he looked for. Next to the bookshelf there was the blanket box, so the students could borrow one when it was cold. Astronomy wasn't really a class for cold winter nights, so there needed to be some help with it. He pulled out one of the fluffy dark blankets and let himself fall next to Regulus. James threw the blanket over both of them and leaned against the wall: "There. Now we are settled and warm. Anything else you need?"Reggie shook his head with a little smile: "That's perfect. It almost can't get more comfortable." "I'm really glad you came to me, Regulus. And we will find a solution. First of all, Sirius and you should propitiate. You can't go on in a personal war..it's only harming both of you in an already difficult situation", the Gryffindor said factually and took off his glasses, to lay them aside. Regulus probably didn't want to speak about that right now, but he wanted to get it off his chest. "I know", he said to James' surprise, "I also came to that solution. I was mad at him for the longest time now and I..it doesn't change the past. I wish it would..but it doesn't." His voice became a bit quieter towards the end, but he was still confident in what he was saying. Regardless of how nervous he fiddled with the edge of the blanket, he was absolutely standing behind his decision. "Wow... I expected to have to convince you..but, great. That's good. It will help both of you a lot", Prongs said with a relieved smile. So the first step of making things better would be done. And maybe Remus and Sirius had ideas on how to work on the rest.