ENCHANTED ⇒ jegulus

FOUR

James orders a sandwich with a small salad on the side and Regulus settles for a bowl of soup. The kind waiter leaves them in a sullen silence. James clears his throat.

"Do you want to go collect your potion prescriptions after lunch?" James offers. "I could come with you, if you want," He says.

Regulus glances at him. "Potter, I really don't require your pity," He retorts shortly. "So stop trying to bloody baby me just because you feel guilty. Go baby your wife, you've seem to done it enough already," He drawls slightly, irritated.

James sighs. He wants to remind Regulus that he isn't fucking married but instead settles for protesting. "I'm not trying to pity you!" He breezes. "But I do think you put pressure on the Vow to prove some kind of point-"

"Fuck off," Regulus snaps. "You don't know anything about me, so you can't sit here and tell me what I did or didn't do,"

"Well, I've been trying to learn something about you for the past week and that's been entirely ineffective for me!" James snaps right back. Regulus isn't the only one who's in a mood today. At least Regulus didn't have to put up with a brooding Lily this morning.

Regulus chuckles bitterly. "We're strangers, Potter, we'll be strangers once this baby is out. So why waste anytime becoming anything other than strangers?" He promots.

James shakes his head. "Fine," He says. "If that's what you want,"

"What I want is for everyone to just leave me alone," Regulus barks. "Honestly, Sirius, Remus, all those women that keep coming through the floo-"

"Mary? Marlene? Dorcas?" James wonders.

"I don't know!" Regulus responds, frustrated. "All I know is that Marlene's girlfriend brought me some sweets from Honeydukes and I didn't completely hate the exchange all too much," He sighs.

James nods. "I...I understand that you're overwhelmed," James pauses for a minute to take a breath, choose the correct words. "I would be too if everyone was trying to coddle me," He says softly. "I'm sorry if I babyed you. But you have to work with me, it's just me, alright? Lily...well, she's busy today,"

"I'm not fucking overwhelmed. Stop psychobabbling me!" Regulus rolls his silvery eyes. "If I remember correctly, she's a potions whizz, right? She has that shop in Hogsmeade?"

James nods once more. "Mmh," He hums.

It appears to be Regulus' turn to nod. "Well, Slughorn always told me she wasn't as good as she could've been. She studied, but not enough, in his words," He remarks smugly.

Their food arrives and James takes a bite of his sandwich, swallowing before, "She wouldn't appreciate that comment,"

"Yeah well, she doesn't appreciate a lot of things," Regulus tuts.

James sighs softly. "Can't you just tolerate her a little bit? She wants the best for this baby, just like I do. She's no different from me. You're able to at least speak to me, why won't you speak civilly to Lily?" He asks.

Regulus' eyes flicker. He stares at James for a moment before shaking his head. Regulus swallows before, "Why should I speak civilly to her when she doesn't speak civilly to me?"

James blinks. He had half been expecting Regulus to retort that none of that sort of thing was James' business. James clears his throat slightly. "Um....I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that of you,"

Regulus nods. "No, you shouldn't have," He agrees.

"Does it bother you? I mean, that she's a little hostile towards you?" James asks.