KNOWING ME KNOWING YOU ⇒ jegulus one shots

HOW TENDER REGULUS BLACK REALLY IS

For pluto_plutonium 💓

James is out with Sirius when it happens. However, it isn't exactly the first time it has happened, so James ignores it. He's about to enter his third trimester, it seems only right that he's in pain every now and then, it seems only fitting.

Besides, his mother had told his about braxton hicks, so James feels he is almost too informed on what is to come for him. He rests a hand on his bump. "Woah, take it handy in there," James mumbles under his breath, his voice barely a whisper.

"Mmh?" Sirius hums. "You say something, mate?" He asks, glancing away from the quidditch match to gaze at his best friend. "James..." He trails. So rare and so few is it that Sirius Black uses James Potter's given name. "You don't look very good....you're gone all ghosty white-" Sirius cuts himself off with a slight, stiff noise as James leans his head against his friend's shoulder.

James blows air out of his nose. "M'fine," He mumbles tiredly. "Baby's just really active right now," He can't help but let out a groan.

Sirius stares at him. "Prongs, I'm...I'm going to get you home, yeah? To Reg?" Sirius' tone is nervous. "He can have a chat with the baby and tell her to stop giving her poor mum hell, eh?"

James nods exhaustedly. Before he can reply, a sharp pain in his abdomen has him groaning. "Mmh," He hums. "Yeah, home to Reg." James sighs softly. "God, my lovely Reg. He's so good with the baby, he's already so great with her," James says quietly.

Sirius smiles, tightening his grip on James. "Right then, let's get you home and snuggled up with Regulus then, yeah? Sound nice?"

James is about to tell him just how nice it sounds when an even sharper cramp stabs him in the abdomen, a hot flash of white pain tackles him and he feels his eyes grow teary. "Sirius..." He whispers, frightened. "H-hospital," He utters urgently.

"What? James-"

"Hospital, n-now,"

"The baby? She's coming? Is it time, oh fuck-"

James shakes his head, tears streaking down his face. "N-no," He confirms. He hears Sirius sigh in relief but James' next words have him hanging his mouth wide open. "But something isn't right, d-doesn't feel right," He mumbles. "Something's happening in there, s-she's not doing good," James looks to Sirius with clouded vision as another pain strikes him.

Sirius is about to inquire what exactly about this doesn't feel right when James' eyes roll back in his head, the shaking hand that clutched his bump falls limp and Sirius instantly casts a patronous to his little brother.

Regulus enters the hospital, the sterile scent filling his nostrails. "Sirius? Sirius?" He calls as he strides into the waiting room. Remus is seated with Sirius and Regulus feels his face pale. Sirius stands up to greet him, however panic arises within Regulus, taking him over. "Where...where is he? Where's my James?" He quizzes.

"Regulus-"

"No...no," Regulus interrupts, his voice raising higher. "Sirius, where's my husband? What bloody happened to him? Tell me he's alright, tell me my husband and my baby girl are fucking alright,"

Regulus is shaking by now, barely able to get his words out as they seem to stammer together and Sirius gently grabs his wrists, almost reassuringly. The action would be reassuring if Regulus knew how James is, where James is.

"Reg, mate, shush. Take some deep breaths for me, mmh?" Sirius utters encouragingly.

Regulus swallows, shaking his head, as he looks into his older brother's pair of stoney eyes. "How are they? James and the baby?" He gulps.

"They're good. They're stable, Reg. James had low blood sugar, they want to monitor him for a little bit, but he's doing okay," Sirius informs.

"More then okay, Reg, last time we saw him; he was eating a little chocolate pudding cup," Remus raises to his feet. He rests a hand to Regulus' quivering shoulder. "It's alright, they're both perfectly fine, just a little scare,"

Regulus sighs in relief, his chest heaving. Sirius loosens his grip on Regulus' frail wrists and drops his grasp. "James is awake, do you want to go in and see him? He hasn't shut up about you since he woke up, even the nurses are looking to see just how charming you are, eh?" Sirius half smirks. "I think James has even shown them a photograph of you,"

Regulus nods firmly. "I got here as fast as I could, Merlin, I should've been with him," Regulus mutters and Remus sighs.

"Hey, absolutely none of that, Regulus Black. I won't hear of it," Remus chastises. "They're both doing good. But mummy and baby could probably do with some cuddles, mmh? So get your scrawny arse into that hospital room and cuddle your husband," Remus smirks with a cheeky wink and Regulus feels so reassured that he smiles at his brother's boyfriend.

Regulus leaves the couple to their own devices before staggering down a narrow hallway towards James' room. He slowly opens the door and steps inside. James is sitting up with the help of what seem to be a thousand pillows, and possibly no less than a thousand.

James' hand are resting on his belly, rubbing small circles around it; easing their girl to serenity. He looks up as soon as the door opens and smiles softly. "I was wondering when you'd get here, I've been bored without you, darling,"

Regulus can't fight his grateful smile. If James is joking, everything is as it should be. Everything is well. "James, love,"

"Get over here, I missed you," James mumbles gently. "I always do," He adds in a quiet tone.

Regulus reaches the small, narrow bed and sinks into it, James pulling him beneath the thin hospital bed sheets. James breaths in his comfortingly, familiar scent as Regulus envelopes James in his arms, letting one arm remain slung around James' shoulders while his free hand comes to rest over James' on the older man's belly. 

"How're you feeling, Jamie?" Regulus asks with a soft yawn. They snuggle further into the blankets.

"I'm okay, baby's good too," James replies. "We're good, Reg," He sinks further into Regulus' protective, loving embrace. The feel of Regulus' hand on his belly is all that James requires to be grounded after his scary afternoon. He blinks before, "Shit, I....I thought I lost her," He whispers quietly.

Regulus shakes his head. "But you didn't," He reminds. "You're brilliant, love, you keep our girl so healthy," He utters tenderly as he softly kisses James' temple.

James swallows before looking to him. "Love you,"

"Love you too,"

Regulus confines James to their double bed for weeks on end. James thinks he's spent more time in their shared bed during the previous weeks than he has throughout the entire duration of their seven year marriage.

James still has a few weeks to go, less than three. But he feels as though he should be allowed leave his bed, for God's sakes.

"If you're going to hold me prisoner here, at least get into this godforsaken bed with me, Regulus Black!" James curses. He looks up to Regulus, who's setting a tray of tea and toast on his bedside table. His hazel eyes are hopeful, they're longing and yearning for Regulus' cuddles and who would Regulus Black be to deny him that?

Regulus smirks softly. "Scoot over then, babe," He murmurs as he pulls back the cotton covers and slips beneath them, laying next to his very pregnant husband.

Regulus wraps his arms around James' waist, feeling their daughters kicks under his palms. "Mmh," Regulus hums. "She's kicking," He comments.

James rolls his eyes fondly. "Yeah, she is,"

James doesn't think he'll ever get fully accustomed to the feeling that is his daughter moving around inside of him, but for now; he's just glad she's doing it; moving.

James and Regulus both think it is a much more fitted hobby than scaring the living daylights out of her parents.