Jegulus One Shots <3

#17 Nightmares

Request from one of you guys:
@LooneyLovegood133 I'm so sorry I just realized after writing this you wanted Regulus to be the one reading 😭 I still incorporated the nightmares though, so hopefully that makes up for my lack of reading skills 😂

James sprawled out on the Gryffindor couch and opened his book, an unknown fact about himself was that he loved to read and frequented the library often when the other students had left.

However on this night he found himself not reading alone, midway through his book he heard a loud thud and quickly fumbled off the cushioned seats to see who it was, the common room door closed and there stood Sirius' brother Regulus Black.

James and Regulus stared at each other for what felt like forever, James looked him up and down, noticing the heavy breathing and sweat that was dripping from his face. Regulus stared at James, not impressed that he was seeing him like this, he was hoping Sirius would be downstairs.

"Are you alright Reg?"

"I've told you not to call me that"

"I'm sorry... Reggie" James tilted his head at Regulus to see if that would issue a smile

"Move over I'm cold" Regulus sat next to James warming himself by the fire, trying his best not to make eye contact.

"Seriously are you alright though?"

"I'm fine, just tired" he moved his arm away as James tried to touch his shoulder

"If you're tired, why are you here?"

Regulus contemplated telling James, Sirius wasn't awake and probably wouldn't be for hours. He didn't want James thinking he was weak, he wasn't sure why he cared what that Potter thought of him anyway but it still bugged him.

"Nightmares."

"Nightmares?"

"Did I stutter?" Regulus hissed back in annoyance

"What are you nightmares about?" James looked at Regulus with a soft gaze, tilting his head a bit to let Regulus know he could tell him.

"In a hypothetical situation, I tell you, what do you do?"

"Depends, is it something that's still happening? Is it something I can help you with?"

"No, there's nothing you can do about it"

"Then in that hypothetical situation I suppose I'd just be here to listen, be someone you can talk to, hypothetically of course" James smiled at Regulus who's lips had lifted a little.

"They're about our parents house"

"Your home?"

"I don't know if you can really call it a home, it's a house with people Sirius and I have to tolerate because they brought us into the world"

"Personally I don't think that matters, you can be a asshole and a parent"

Regulus stared at him, James backing in his seat in case he had gone too far, "I suppose you can barely call them parents so they're just assholes"

James grinned, "so what happens in your nightmares?"

"Lots of things, I'm forced to watch Sirius be tortured, I'm screaming but I'm chained back and there's nothing I can do to save him. I suppose Sirius has never explained why despite that flamboyant persona he avoids changing in front of people"

James thought back to the change rooms after quidditch and realized Regulus was right, Sirius always ran to one of the stalls to get dressed and if they were occupied he'd wait. He wondered if Sirius had ever told Remus.