KNOWING ME KNOWING YOU ⇒ jegulus one shots

REGULUS BLACK AND THE EVENTS OF APARTMENT HUNTING

James feels his hands shake as he reaches to knock on the miserable door of room one four eight. The hallways are littered with noise and James finds himseld turning his nose up at the apartment building. He feels nauseous. He can't do this.

He's had a few weeks to consider this. James is entering his sixteenth week now. He's certain that he looks different already.

"Just a second," A stoney voice calls from the other side. James swallows. That swift, casual drawl.

James can not help but find Regulus somewhat alluring after their shared evening. He hates Regulus, but he's a good time. He fucking hates him. Regulus Black is snotty and arrogant and pious and witty in the wrong kind of way. But James has never been with someone in the way they were together. They had created a child, new life. New life that grows inside of James right this second. They had done that. God, James hates Regulus Black.

The door swings open. Regulus has a toothbrush held between his teeth, a frown on his face, his eyebrows furrowed. He's wearing a pale blue t-shirt and sweatpants and James is stunned to see Regulus Black, who is hideously organized, wearing mismatched socks.

Regulus raises his both of his eyebrows, reaching up to take the toothbrush from his mouth. "What?" He says around a mouthful of what James imagines to be toothpaste based on the new minty aroma that's filled his nostrils. Regulus has a small line of toothpaste smudged across the corner of his lips and if James didn't loathe him, he'd tell him.

James opens his mouth to speak but nothing comes out. He shakes his head before clenching his jaw. He's made it clear that he isn't afraid of Regulus, he's absolutely not going to give Regulus any stuttering reason to be even more ignorant. "I need to speak to you,"

"Well, what is it? How'd you even get my address? Golden boys like you shouldn't be around these parts, idiot," Regulus almost snaps, almost warns. James doesn't miss how his eyes dart along the corridor quickly.

"Sirius gave it to me," James snarks, just a little. "And why shouldn't I be here? I'm...I'm not a golden boy-" He insists.

Regulus snorts. "Well, if you must know, Potter-" Regulus starts but he cuts himself off with a shake of his head and a pursing of his lips. "You know what, none of your business," He retorts quickly. "What do you want?"

"Uh..." James trails. He wants to shout at Regulus. He wants to scream at him for knocking him up. "Can I come inside? Would that be so...horrible? I think you should sit down for this,"

Regulus shrugs. James imagines you could have a heart attack in Regulus' presence and he would simply scowl and shrug nonchalantly. Nothing fucking bothers him. James despises that.

"Why not," Regulus sighs as he opens the door a little wider and trails back inside his apartment.

James peers in at the small, boxy room before entering. It certainly is no palace. There's a small corner dedicated to a little kitchen area and on the other side is Regulus' bed. It's narrow and unmade for someone who is so neat and tidy.

"Sorry about the mess. M'getting ready for....for um....for work," Regulus says, much more bashfully than one would expect from him.

"S'okay," James replies stiffly. "I didn't know you were working again. Sirius said the ministry would rather no ex death eaters worked," There James is again, disobeying Sirius and bringing up Regulus' endearing shenanigans as Voldemort's pet.

Regulus visibly stiffens his posture at this as he switches on the kettle. "Tea?" He offers and James nods. He might as well. Regulus sighs. "Yeah, well I'm sure the ministry would much prefer I do what I do currently rather than steal prestigious jobs from the likes of you, eh?" He mocks.