just lovers like we were supposed to be

ACT FOUR: Part Three

Chapter Notes
well, im posting a day early. sue me.
warnings for this chapter: angst! tears! some fighting! basically, no one's having a good time! there is a bit of fighting in which some characters get punched (no one you
like, so it's fine), but it's brief. enjoy, i guess???
EDIT: additional warning for regulus' friends being shitty to james, which is WRONG. they won't listen to him (which, from their POV, of course they wouldn't), and they say things that aren't kind, and when he continues to try to follow them when they've told him to leave them alone, they physically keep him away. this comes from a place of defending/protecting regulus, no different than anyone would do for their own friends. is it right, especially knowing james' POV? no, not at all. it also comes from a place of betrayal as well, because they actually like him. i can promise you that this is the LAST time anything like this happens.
See the end of the chapter for more notes

Sirius, Peter, and Remus are loud when coming into the dorm, bright and vivacious with laughter, chattering away about the massive tournament of gobstones that just took place in the courtyard, an activity the three of them have participated in since third year, of which James has been banned from since first. Peter is the best, and it sounds like he won.

"Prongs, you're not going to believe it!" Sirius bursts out loudly. "You should have seen Peter, mate, he was fucking brilliant. He was—" Sirius stops suddenly. They all do, the long line of them all holding onto each other, and James watches as their smiles fade one-by-one. "James?"

"Hi, no, go on," James croaks, scrubbing furiously at his cheeks and doing his absolute best to smile. It feels wobbly on his face, but he's trying. "Sorry, you were—you were saying? Pete, did you win? I'm sure you were brilliant."

"James," Remus says quietly, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing," James replies reflexively, his ribcage feeling too small for all the turmoil in it. "It's fine. Everything is fine. I'm listening, Wormtail. I know you were excited about the tournament, and I'm sure you—"

"Fuck the tournament," Peter cuts in firmly, pulling away from under Remus' arm to move towards him with a frown. "That's not as bloody important as whatever reason you're…" He halts as he stops beside him, gaze flicking over him. "Merlin, you're a mess. What's—did something—"

"I—" James sucks in a sharp breath, feeling it hitch in his throat, and his eyes are so puffy and itchy already, yet they still have the capability of filling with tears.

"Oh no, please don't do that," Sirius blurts out, strained, and he moves forward to crouch down in front of James where he sits over the side of his bed. Sirius grabs both of James' hands in between his own palms like he's trying to hold them still, and maybe he is. They're shaking. "Fucking hell, what is it, James? I've never seen you—is it Effie? Monty? Are they—"

"No, no, Mum and Dad are fine," James says quickly, a shudder rippling through his body at the mere insinuation that they're not. "It isn't like that. I—it's stupid, really."

"I'm sure it's not," Peter offers.

"We left you with Regulus," Remus murmurs, moving over to sit on the bed across from James, which prompts Peter to sit next to him. Sirius shifts to sit beside James, still holding onto his hands. Remus scans James' face. "Is he alright?"

"He's fine," James replies, and his voice cracks, and then there's nothing for it. He promptly bursts into tears.

"Shit, James," Sirius breathes out, sounding horrified. His hand flings up to cup his neck, and James folds over into him, pressing his face against Sirius' shoulder and hair. He's fucking hyperventilating. "Okay, mate, that's—that's alright. Just lean on me, yeah? Breathe. It's alright."