ROCKSTAR ⇒ jegulus

TWENTY TWO

It happens all of a sudden. James is eating cereal on his couch, a Desperate Houswives episode is playing on the television across the room, and he is speaking to his best friends via facetime; with Sirius and Remus sharing a little piece of James' screen, huddled together on their couch.

Peter is talking about a new girl that he had recently begun seeing; a blonde, with a pierced nose and a charismatic personality that evidently has Peter head over heels. "Her names Julie, she likes that I'm a drummer, you know, her last boyfriend was a pianist,"

"A penis?" Remus blurts.

"A pianist, Moony, a piano player, get your head out of the gutter," Peter mocks.

Sirius snorts. "You can't blame him. He's only human," He chuckles, brushing his hand down Remus' mousy fringe. James watches, the scene comforting him somehow, as Remus leans his head onto Sirius' shoulder. James smiles softly to himself. Despite all their dirty talk and innuendos, his friends really are so very in love with one another.

It comes in small waves like this; where James observes a soft, fleeting touch or a quick tender glance between the two, and he is once again feeling a little bit sad.  However, also a little bit happy. It is a confusing, overwhelming mixture of feelings; a cocktail of emotions that James is not yet ready to sort and filter through.

James opens his mouth to make a remark regarding the pianist debate when he feels something, something that he hasn't felt before. His expression falters a little, and it seemingly does not go unnoticed as he brings a hand to his belly.

"James?" Remus pipes up. "Everything alright? You've gone all weird looking, mate," He half muses.

James stares blankly, blinking a few times before he looks down to his belly, covered by an old England team hoodie. "Um," He murmurs, unsure. "I...I don't know, actually?" He offers, voice uncertain. "I...I think she just moved a little bit," He whispers.

"She moved? Like kicked?" Peter inquires, eyes wide with excitement.

James nods quickly, spreading his palm across his belly. "Yeah, I...I can feel her," His voice wavers a little.

"Awh, Prongs, that's so lovely," Sirius beams down the phone, his smile lighting up his handsome face. "This is so brilliant,"

"Yeah," Remus agrees, a soft, delicate smile on his face. "That's...that's really sweet, it's like she's saying hello to all of us,"

It's like she's saying hello to all of us.

Except one person that James thinks that she should be saying hello to right now.

And then, then a small, startling, realisation strikes him; his friends know before Regulus does that their daughter is kicking and moving about, and James begins to feel very, very bad.

James swallows, his mind broad with thoughts. "Hey, I've got to text Regulus, like right now, He says in one swift, hasty breath. "I'll talk to you all soon,"

"Awh, ditch us to text my brother then,"

"I...I just think he should really hear about this, you know?" James rationalises gently. I really want to tell him about this. I really do.

Peter chuckles softly, an amused sound. "Go ring your loverboy then, we'll somehow, with the grace of God, manage to figure out how to hang up without you,"

James smiles softly, before Peter's words register and he is protesting. "Hey," He whines. "He's not a loverboy," He corrects as he begins typing out a text to Regulus.