ENCHANTED ⇒ jegulus

TWENTY TWO

James awakes to Regulus moving a little, his breathing shallow. James blinks. "Regulus?" He croaks, his voice sleep ridden. He squints at the late morning brightness. They had accidentally slept in. It is stretching towards the early afternoon. "Why're you moving about so much? Stop it," He comments.

Regulus hisses, turning to face him. "Fucking braxton hicks," He mumbles. "That's why," He bites back a groan.

James rolls over to face him, taking in his strained expression. He feels panic take over himself. This is where it all went so horribly wrong for Lily plays like a chant in his mind. James doesn't want to panic; but experience has thought him no other solution. He takes a deep breath before composing himself enough to reach over hesitantly to gently brush his hand off of Regulus' shoulder before opening his mouth.

"Do you need anything? Can I do anything?"

Regulus shakes his head quickly. He blinks his round silver eyes in a slow manner. "Just...just keep talking," He says quietly.

James nods in response. He watches Regulus clench his eyes shut tight. Cautiously, James trails his hand that had been resting upon Regulus' shoulder down towards Regulus' baby bump. He hums quietly before he speaks again.

He knows realistically that this won't do much, but it is worth a try. "Hey, darling," James mumbles softly. He caringly runs his fingers along the stretch of Regulus' bump. "Just a little while longer, honey, then you can come out, whenever you're ready to, yeah? We'll be waiting here for you when you are," He murmurs.

Regulus makes a soft, humming sound. "Keep going, it's...it's oddly calming," He mumbles sleepily. He laughs a little, a soft, discreet sort of sound before shaking his head slightly. "I...I never thought I would ever say that your voice is calming. Usually it is the opposite,"

"One more word and I'll remain silent and just let you suffer," James smirks a little, teasing. He adverts his attention back to Regulus' round belly.

James sighs softly, blissfully, humming a little. "You're going to be so pretty, aren't you? I have a nursery all set up for you, with some clothes for you, some blankets to keep you nice and warm; some of them are even mine, y'know? My...my mum made them for me before I was born," James informs quietly, feeling his voice catch itself in the back of his throat.

"They're probably really old now. But they'll keep you just as warm and snug. Think of them as a present from your nana Effie, mmh? She...she would've loved this, she would've loved to meet you. So would your grandad. They'd of loved you," James whispers.

He feels a gentle hand connect with the threads of his dark hair, stroking soothingly. Regulus' hand. James sighs, looking up to the younger man.

"I...they would have loved to meet her," James says quietly. More so to Regulus than his daughter.

"I'm sure she would have loved to meet them too," Regulus replies shortly. "I...I'm sorry about your parents, Potter. They....they sound great, like great parents,"

"They were. Every Sunday, we had a big brunch sort of a thing; just the three of us. It was always just us three. Ever since I can remember, I'd looked forward to simply waking up on a Sunday. It...it was really nice," James reminisces. He pauses for a moment before, "My mum and dad are never going to see me become a dad,"

Regulus' hands comb through James' hair soothingly as he listens patiently. He sighs quietly. "I was fourteen when uncle Alphrad died. He left Sirius more than he left me, but...but I understood that. I was one of the last people to speak with him before he passed on," He pauses. "It's...it's strange the way death seems to just take," He mumbles. "Your parents are in a better place, probably having far more Sunday brunches than they could ever fanthom,"