ENCHANTED ⇒ jegulus

THIRTEEN

Sirius persuades him into attending celebratory drinks despite how James protests. Regulus had disappeared back to James' house and James so desperately wants to check on him, to ensure that Regulus hasn't attempted to drown himself within the duvets of the room James had given him.

Peter hands James an old fashioned. "Here, mate. You're on edge, what's up?" He beckons James to sit at the bar with him.

James takes a seat, shaking his head. "I'm fine, Wormtail," He promises.

"Nah, you aren't." Peter sips his drink. "You're thinking about Regulus, right? And the trail?" He utters.

James shrugs. "I don't think I should've let him go home to mine alone. I...I probably should have gone home too. Today was heavy, I don't want him to feel like I don't care." He says.

"You do care, Prongs," Peter says. "You always care,"

James frowns. "Do you think Regulus knows that then?"

"I think Regulus knows everything about everyone, mate," Peter scoffs with a laugh. "I'm sure he's fine. He probably needs his sleep, he's growing a baby after all, eh,"

James nods. "I...I think I'm gonna call it a night anyways, the trail was fucking rough, I'm tired,"

"Yeah, after you saved the bloody day, eh, James?" Dorcas grins, a pink gin in her grip, Marlene's hand in her other grip. "Wicked, mate, I'm so proud of you,"

James laughs, shaking his head. "I didn't save the day, Cas," He says firmly.

Marlene laughs, sipping on her concoction of brightly colored cocktails. "You really went all out for Regulus. How badly do you want that baby, mmh?" She giggles, far from sober now. Dorcas wraps her arm further around her giggling girlfriend, stabilizing her.

"This...Marls, that wasn't about the baby," James shakes his head. "I just didn't want to see anything bad happen,"

"You never do though, do you?" Lily joins them, rolling her emerald eyes. "Always the savior, aren't you?"

James looks at her. His eyes fall to the drink in her hand. "Lils, c'mon," He shrugs her remark off. "How are your parents doing? We should catch up, this isn't right, Lily," He shakes his head, speaking to her in a quietened voice. He doesn't want this to blow up.

Lily sighs, resting a hand to James' chest. "You know I love you, don't you? Like, I really do. And I really tried for us. But here you are, heading home for an early night with fucking Regulus Black. That's...that's what baffles me about all of this,"

"Lil...don't, please. We've all had a tough day." James tries.

"You didn't even try, James," Lily whispers. James can see her bottle green eyes watering as she stares up at him. "It took one stupid, pregnant boy and we're living separately-" 

"A decision that you made, Lily,"

Lily shakes her head in a quick motion. "I can't live with him. I can't watch you live with him,"

"Lily-"

"No," Lily interrupts. "He's...he's pregnant. That's all you need. You don't seem to care how many lives he must have taken in the war as long as he creates a new life just for you, all for you,"

"That's unfair," James mutters. "You...you always say the most unfair things to me,"

"You do the most unfair things to me, James Potter!" Lily snaps suddenly. "You...our home! You let him come into our home! He sleeps in our home, he...he sleeps down the hallway from the nursery where our baby was supposed to sleep! Now his baby is going to sleep there, and by the end of this, I wouldn't be fucking surprised if Regulus is sleeping on my side of our bed,"