favorite liar | jegulus

nine

james sank back into his pillow. he was happy. he was satisfied. he was content. and he felt he could conquer the world. it had been a really great day to say the least

as he laid in the dark, with only the moon providing light, he remembered the way regulus smiled at him and twisted his fingers in james's hair and opened up to him

moments later he heard light footsteps coming towards his bed. turning his head to the side he saw a hand pull the curtain open slowly. they poked their head in, it was sirius

"prongs, can i come in?" sirius whispered desperately

"course," james answered low

sirius pulled the curtain back further before quietly making his way inside and pulling the curtain closed again

"muffilato"

"what the hell is going on between you and my brother," sirius hissed

"nothing," james stated quickly, frightened by sirius tone. "i mean nothing serious, were friends s'all."

"just friends?" sirius crooked his eyebrow. "sound familiar?"

james sighed, hed had this exact conversation with sirius about remus just a year ago. sirius was whole heartedly convinced he felt nothing for remus. that was until james pointed out several things that shower sirius he was actually mad about remus. so its only fitting that sirius is the one knocking sense into james about regulus

"dont fucking lie to me, potter." sirius threatened through gritted teeth. "i saw you two today. that wasnt nothing."

"look were not together. weve never even clarified anything related to that," james explained. "i just like his company and i think he likes mine."

sirius sunk backwards a bit, relieved

"do you like him though?" sirius asked genuinely

james smiled to himself, "yea. i do."

"bloody hell," sirius whispered loudly. "and all this time i thought lily would be the only one to have you."

"how do you think i feel mate? can barely believe it myself," james chuckled

"its funny, actually. youre the reason it all happened when i think about it," james added

sirius eyed him, "really? hows that?"

james shifted sitting up taller and leaning closer to sirius, "ever since that day when you told me to leave off evans for a year. this voice in my head keeps saying 'to be a better you' and i had a whole list of things i thought would help."

"not following," sirius interrupted

"its because of you i spent so much time in that damn library, it was apart of my plan to reinvent myself," james carried one. "id do better in school, id stay in shape, id only pull harmful pranks of snivillus, id right my wrongs, hell id read a book for fun."

"and because i was in the library that day i started spending time with reg," he kept going

"we would just sit there silently doing our work. it was nice really. and then one morning, cause you know i cannot sleep in, he joined me while i was sitting under a tree. we talked for the first time, and well it sort of just went on from there."

"godric potter," sirius gasped. "you really do fancy my brother."

"yea, so what. its lovely. hes lovely," james grinned

"eww, gross. now i have to listen to you swoon over my baby brother," sirius groaned. "can you go back to liking lily now?"

james couldnt hold in his smile anymore as he shook his head at sirius. god did he enjoy sirius in moments like these

"he looked really happy with you," sirius said suddenly. "that means a lot to me, you know."

"yea, i know." he smiled. "its like i told him when he thanked me for being the brother he couldn't be to you, happy to do it."

"he said that?" sirius questioned not buying it

james nodded, "totally. made a big deal of it and everything. even asked if you were happy now that youre out of that house."

"and?" sirius wanting to know what james told reg

james shrugged, "i told him your only regret was leaving him behind, that you were happy in every other way."

"you know me too well," sirius laughed

"ah well, what can i say? its what i do," james smiled

with the moonlight shining down on sirius's face his elegant smile was radiant in this moment. as james laughed with him he felt like crying, happy tears that is. he was incredibly proud to be not only sirius's best friend but his brother too. and he was even prouder of sirius, all he is and became despite the circumstances he was in

james could see how different sirius looked tonight. he wasnt the scrawny rebellious snobby prat with a million problems he met on the train their first year, but rather a young man who was happy, and healthy, and loved, and brave, and free

tonight james finally saw just how much he'd truly done for the boy

"mate," sirius states suddenly. "what in merlins name are you crying for."

james sniffled, smiling through his tears. "im just so bloody proud of you sirius, really."

"come here you soft git," sirius beamed embracing james into a bear hug

james held sirius for awhile, not wanting to leave this moment. if it was possible james wouldve put this moment in a bottle so his memory would never cloud, never fade, and hed always be able to relive it whenever he needed a reminder of 'why'