Sweet innocence ~ Jegulus

12.

"So you and Black, eh?"

James already knew which 'Black' she was referring to. He shrugged. Lily clicked her tongue and took a seat next to him on the sofa in the common room. "Who would've though. You and Sirius's little brother." She laughed, though it didn't sound genuine.

Before James could even stop himself, he began talking. "Yeah, I know it was a complete shock to me too. I guess it's because he's been spending more time around us trying to fix things with Padfoot."

"So he's your boyfriend?" Lily asked.

Was that a hint of sadness he detected in her tone?

"Yes." James mentally cursed himself for lying. Why was he saying all of this? He should be saying the opposite, he should be trying to woo her back.

"Oh." Lily stood from the couch, giving him an odd smile. "I'm glad that you've moved on." She said kindly before walking away to her dorm. James watched after, waiting until she was fully out of view before scrambling to his feet.

***

"There you are!" James exclaimed. He had been searching the whole library to find Regulus. The younger boy looked up with a slightly startled look on his face. It only lasted a split second before his expression fell into a reserved glare.

"What do you want? I thought that my brother told you not to talk to me." Regulus said, looking down at his book. James sighed as he dropped to the floor next to Regulus, watching the boy.

"I need you to pretend to date me." He said, bracing himself for whatever was to come.

Silence.

That's what came. Regulus was absolutely silent, seemingly frozen in place.

"Reg?" James reached out to touch the boy's arm but Regulus shrugged him off. "What the hell did you just say?" Regulus snapped, his reserved glare becoming an angry one.

"Please. I need your help, Reg." James pleaded, moving to kneel in front of the Slytherin. "Lily thinks that we're dating and I'm pretty sure that she's jealous. I just need you to pretend that we're together for a couple of days until she takes me back." James exclaimed, hands on Regulus's knees.

"Are you fucking mental?" Regulus spat venomously. "I swear it'll only be for a day or two at most! Please, Regulus I'll do anything."

"I don't want anything from you, you idiot! Just leave me alone haven't you taken enough?" Regulus pushed James away from him.

James paused, his expression going soft. "I'm sorry about that. I didn't know." He muttered, kneeling again. Regulus shook his head. "Course you didn't. There would have been no reason for you to know."

"I swear, all I ask is for two days of you pretending to be my boyfriend and then I'll leave you alone forever. I won't even bother you about Sirius or Quidditch or anything at all. I'll be a ghost." James pleaded.

Regulus really hated his ability- or lack there of- to say no to people. He found himself sighing defeatedly. "Did you talk to Sirius about this?"

***

Of course James hadn't asked Sirius about it.

"Absolutely bloody not!" Sirius shouted, looking about ready to lunge at James. They hadn't spoken since last night and the first thing James wants to ask him is if it would be okay to date his little brother to win back his ex girlfriend.

"You're already on thin ice, James. I would not push my luck if I were you." Sirius pointed a finger at him threateningly. James gulped.

"He's agreed to do it, he just wants your approval. He won't do it unless you're okay with it." James said taking a cautious step closer to his best friend.

"Of fucking course he's agreed to it. He was raised being conditioned not to say no to people!" Sirius yelled. James winced. "Lily sounded genuinely upset when she thought that Reg and I were together. This is my way back in, Pads! It'll be only a day or two." James closed the space between them and grabbed Sirius's shoulders.

"I'm not letting you use my brother for your own benefit." Sirius pushed James off of him. James shook his head. "Not only for my benefit. His too." James said. "There's a bloke he likes. He's been giving Reg mixed signals, maybe seeing him with someone else will make him gather his wits." James explained.

"Fuck this." Sirius grunted, moving to leave but James stopped him before he could. "Two days is all I'm asking then I'll leave you and Reg alone and I won't metal in your brotherly business anymore and I'll be so so good." James pouted his lips giving Sirius his best puppy dog eyes.

There was a moment of silence.

"Reg agreed to this?"