KNOWING ME KNOWING YOU ⇒ jegulus one shots

LITTLE BLACK

They grow closer, considerably closer for James to notice that there is an obvious curve to Regulus now. He notices it one afternoon as Regulus is scribbling down James' potions homework, he's amazing at potions and James appreciates the extra help.

He runs his hand over Regulus' lower bavk as he works away at neatly writing down the essay. "Mmh." Regulus hums as he does so. "That feels nice," He mumbles as he concentrates.

James smirks softly. "Your lower back hurt?" He asks. Regulus shrugs in response.

"Sometimes," Regulus hums in reply. "Pomfrey says it's because  I'm filling out more so the front half of my body is weighing down my back, I guess,"

"Oh?"

Regulus looks up. "Uh, yes?" He arches an eyebrow.

"So um, you've got a bump, then?"

"Suppose I do," Regulus eyes him. "S'what happens when you're carrying a baby, James," He says pointedly. He looks into James' wide brown eyes and it hits him. "Oh!" He gasps softly. "You er want to see, don't you?"

James nods slowly. With a soft sigh, Regulus rolls up his jumper. "See?" He says gently, his cheeks blushing faintly.

James' eyes softened and glaze over with a look of awe. "Oh, wow, Regulus," He whispers softly, his fingers grazing over the slight bump. Regulus has lost all of his definition from quidditch and generally just rambling around the castle at all hours.

The corners of Regulus' mouth turn upwards. "S'not a big change. But it definitely wasn't there before," He mumbles, his blush deepening as James' grin grows wider. "Don't get that starry look on your face, it's just a pudgy tummy," He chuckles softly but he somehow doesn't mind James looking at his abdomen.

"It's not just a tummy," James mutters quietly. "That's our baby,"

They find out the baby's gender when Regulus had turned three months towards the beginning of June. The baby is not just a baby boy, but two baby boys.

Regulus had stiffened in alarm and James had simply gaped at Pomfrey in shock. When James had dropped Regulus back at his dorm after the initial shock had set it, Regulus had asked to go to the classroom. The abandoned one, but he hadn't needed to specify. James knew.

So that is where they find themselves. Regulus is characteristically silent, his head resting against James' shoulder as they glance out the window, the sky already darkening. He speaks after a long time, "Do uh twins run in your family?"

James shakes his head. "No. Our boys would be the first,"

"Sirius and I are close in age, so Cissa always called us 'the twins'," Regulus says quietly.

Speaking of Regulus' family, his parents had not made one ounce of contact nor any attempt to do so. But Regulus knows they know, he said he can feel it. Regulus had admitted to James that he knows they'll be waiting to tramble him with it as soon as he walks in the door for summer holidays. So James decides now is as good a time as any to bring up the burning question he has.

"Regulus?"

"Hmm?"

James sighs softly. "I was thinking, about your parents and the boys and summer-"

Regulus takes his head away from James' shoulder and looks up to him. "What have you been thinking? You know they're going to lash it all at me the second I set foot in that house," He grits.

James gently cups his face, stroking his thumb across Regulus' cheek. "I want you to come stay with me, will you do that?"

Regulus shakes his head. "No," He says firmly. "They'll make it even worse and it'll come back to get me if I don't come home,"