Jegulus - I'll be good

Part Thirty-Two

Finally a new part! Thank you for your support and your patience. The chapter is a bit short, but I'm glad I finished it at all. Enjoy, hope you like it 

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That was uncomfortable. Regulus almost didn't dare to look up from the round table in the middle of the three of them, Lily sat across the table, James left to him in the middle of them. He didn't know if he was the only one feeling a bit tense, but the others seemed quite relaxed to him.

"So, this is a quite unusual situation, but it's worth a try", Lily broke the silence, looking from James to Regulus, on whom her green eyes stayed to rest, "but only as long as I can be sure that you don't have shady intentions. You're a Slytherin, a Black and you're consorting with deatheaters, after all. So I need your honest word that you're not just using James for information."
Regulus couldn't blame her for her thoughts, nobody with a working brain would blindly trust someone with his background and he respected her for the presence of mind, but it still stung a little bit.
"I don't. I'd rather have him not involved at all and if you would ask me again with Veritaserum, my answer wouldn't be any different", the Slytherin replied in all honesty and was surprised about the determination in his own voice, while he felt like dying from embarrassment and nervousness inside.
"I'm also present", he heard James mutter slightly sulking and snapped against Lily's and Regulus' arms.
Lily grinned: "Of course you're present. And for Regulus, I trust your word, but if it turns out to be a lie, you have a problem."
Regulus barely could keep a small smile hidden: "I'm aware of that. You're a very impressive person, resembling to a lioness, so I would be very stupid to risk awakening your anger."
"Smart words", the redhead nodded and leaned back in her chair, "coming back to the point, if this should work out, we will need rules. I think none of us is used to...share their partner, so it surely will need time until we have something like a routine in it. The most important part of it all is honesty and communication. When you want to spend time with each other, openly say that and don't try to find excuses. If something bothers you – especially regarding the relationship or behaviour of one or two of us – speak about it to the person and not behind their back. Time management will be necessary. It won't be possible to share it exactly equally, so that shouldn't be expected."
James and Regulus both looked at her a bit baffled, but it was James who spoke first: "Why do you sound like you know what you're talking about?"
The head girl only shrugged: "Research. And common sense. I think a lot. And if you have any more suggestions, just out with it."
For a long moment, silence settled between them again. Regulus tried not to panic over the communication and honesty point as he wasn't good in either of them, but if it wasn't about his life and plans, maybe it was easier.
He felt James' eyes on him and he shyly looked at him: "What? Do I have something in my face?"
The Potter shook his head with a grin: "No, nothing but adorableness. But I'm wondering how we should act about it in public."
That was a very good question. Nothing of this whole thing was conventional or even accepted in society and not long ago, Regulus would've absolutely despised this too. He could only imagine the reactions being openly committed would bring.
"We don't. This is breaking so many social rules, it would be our social death."
"You mean it would be your social death", James interrupted with a raised eyebrow, "I'm not a fan of secrets."
Reggie bit his lip. They really were polar opposites in some points, not that he was a fan of secrets, but some needed to be kept. His eyes wandered over to Lily for a brief moment, hoping for her advice or anything like that. But the redhead only stared back, her face clearly stating that he had to do that on his own.
"I...I know. It wouldn't be forever, just...for a few weeks? Until we have some routine and we know it can work? I don't want to risk it all if it turns out to be the wrong thing, or more, not working thing...that sounds so awful, but do you know what I mean?", the young Black stuttered and cursed himself for being so bad with words when it was necessary to be good with them.
"Okay, fine. I can live with that and maybe it's not the worst idea. Seeing if it works out first", James nodded after a moment of thinking and the Slytherin sighed relieved. He definitely needed the time to figure everything out; not only because of his parents and the deatheaters...he was also scared about Sirius' reaction. He wasn't worried about him being interested in boys, but this was Sirius' best friend and Lily was involved...
"Okay, now that we have cleared the basic points, I'm meeting with Marly and Dorcas", Lily solemnly said and got on her feet, pressing a kiss on James' lips, "don't forget the meeting after dinner for the graduation ball planning."
"Do I really have to join that? I don't know what I even should do there", the Gryffindor sighed. Planning school festivities really wasn't one of his favourite things to do. It was something the girls were definitely better at.
"You're head boy, so yes, you do have to join that. And the prefects will be there too", the redhead pointed out, shortly squeezed Regulus' shoulder and left the room.
The sudden silence made the Black feel a bit timid, as he realised that he was in the same room with James. Alone. For the first time after admitting their feelings for each other. That really made him nervous and he didn't know what to do or what to say now.
"Planning the graduation ball...I can't believe I'm forced to do that", James sighed and let himself fall back, "hey wait, you're prefect, so...are you going there too? To the planning?"
Thankfully Reggie took the small talk topic and smiled slightly: "Well I guess I have to. Maybe I'm actually a help for once. I helped my mother planning her festivities now and then."
"Really? That's cool, that's surely a big help then", the Potter agreed and kept his eyes glued at Regulus, which caused his heart to beat faster than it should. Was he the only one feeling giddy and flustered? It was just too good to be actually real.
His crush liked him back.
They had Lily's blessing and her support.
It wouldn't hurt anyone to be close to him. Suddenly, such a simple thing like holding a hand grew with meaning and a whole goddamn zoo seemed to make itself a home in his stomach. Should really something good go right for once?
"What are you thinking about? You look like you just won the Quidditch cup", James wanted to know amused and nudged him with his knee, but not hard enough for Reg to lose his balance.
The Slytherin blushed and shook his head: "No...something better than that. Much better than that."
"Oh? Do I get a hint of what's better than Quidditch?", the Gryffindor laughed and looked at him with a challenging hint on his face.
For a moment, Regulus hesitated. He was unsure what to say, no words seemed to be fitting enough for what he wanted to emote. But sometimes, actions mattered more than words and before he could chicken out, he let himself drop next to James on the floor, close enough to feel the warmth that was coming from James. Almost funny how a pair of rolled up sleeves could make someone feel weak. He didn't understand what happened that he reached that point, but he knew if he wouldn't jump over his shadow now, he would never do it.
Excitement, fear and craving running through his veins, he leaned over and finally, finally gave in and kissed James. Trying not to think was easy, his brain stopped working the moment James grinned against his kiss, before he kissed him back. It was a cliché, Regulus had always believed, but the world really stopped spinning and time stopped existing.