I Will Follow You Into The Dark || Jegulus

32. Shut Up and Dance

Regulus was sitting in the astronomy tower yet again when a drunk James Potter staggered in.

"What happened to you?" Regulus frowned, "you weren't enjoying your big party?" He asked.

"Fought with Lily, what about you?" James asked.

"Fought with Sirius." Regulus frowned. He sat down on a step, James joining shortly after.

"Term is almost over. How do you feel?" James asked. All his attention was on Regulus, but Regulus knew it wouldn't last.

Regulus shrugged, "I wish I could stay here forever." He sighed, but he knew he had to go home.

He had to...

"I always have a place for you if you somehow escape." James offered, "once you're 16, they can't get the ministry involved." 

"I know," Regulus looked down. He noticed James's nails were painted a beautiful shade of dark green, it looked almost black in the moonlight. James's face was far too close, skin tinted a light pink color, either from the alcohol or from the cold.

"You shouldn't be here. You should go talk to lily, have fun with your real friends on your birthday." Regulus muttered.

"I want to spend my night with you." That line alone took all the air out of Regulus's lungs. He nearly choked. Regulus frowned. James made everything so hard. Why did he always have to be so...

Nice?
Caring?
Thoughtful?
Stupid.

"Hey do you want to walk around the grounds a little?" James asked. Regulus never really walked around after curfew, but he figured fuck it, and followed James. James effortlessly maneuvered his way through the corridors, past Mrs. Norris and filch without them noticing a thing, Regulus was impressed.

"So how often do you do this?" Regulus asked once they were both outside and in the clear.

"Often enough to know Filch's patterns." James smirked.

"While drunk." Regulus muttered. He noticed droplets of water starting to fall. "Potter, its starting to rain."

"So what? Dance with me" James grinned and grabbed Regulus's hands, placing them around his own shoulders, wrapping his arms around Regulus's waist. Regulus's face went cherry red.

"What the hell are you doing Potter?" He recoiled.

"Shut up and dance with me stupid" James laughed, hair already ruined from the rain. "You look so cute when you're mad."

"I'm always mad"

"Exactly." He giggled, tightening his grip on Regulus's waist. Regulus complied and moved alongside James, he didn't know why he decided to, he barely liked being close to anyone other than Barty, but he danced. Eventually Regulus stepped in a puddle and slipped, falling under James, accidentally pulling him down as well. James landed next to Regulus in the mud and just looked at him with his usual stupid, goofy grin. 

"Reg... you really are the prettiest star" He whispered

Regulus knew it was wrong to be this close with James. He was drunk and Regulus was sober, it was up to him to make corrections choices, but he did nothing as James leaned closer and kissed him. He kissed back even, ruining his life. Regulus had been trying so hard to hold back. He wasn't allowed to like Potter, he was supposed to hate him.

He was supposed to hate him but his lips were so soft, and James held him so firmly, and even in the mud and the rain, it was a wonderful feeling. And so Regulus didn't fight back as they snogged, and he ignored the voice in the back of his head telling him how wrong it was. He wanted James to want him, if even for a minute.

"Reg..." James pulled away.

"You shouldn't have done that." Regulus sat up, already hating the feeling of the mud covering his back. "What about Lily?"

"Lily doesn't like you. She threatened to break up with me because I wanted to be your friend." James leaned in again, but Regulus turned his face this time, instead getting a smooch on the cheek.

"Please stop James." Regulus frowned, "you have a girlfriend. You love her and you are obsessed with her." He said.

"I think I was just obsessed with the idea of her. I've had this whole fantasy since first year, it's hard to break that once you commit to it for years, and have you seen the way she looks at Mary?" James sighed.

"Potter, you're talking nonsense. How about I walk you back to your common room and you get some rest. I'll see you at our next tutoring session" Regulus stood up and offered James a hand.

"Oh yeah... potions." James mumbled and took his hand, trying to continue holding it as they walked, but Regulus yanked his away. James barely made his way up all the stairs, but they eventually made it to Gryffindor tower and Regulus walked him in, luckily Sirius was nowhere to be seen, but Remus was in the common room sitting by the fire with Pandora, both leaning over a book.

"What are you guys looking at?" Regulus asked.

"Why are you guys covered in mud?" Remus asked.

"James can tell you in the morning, make sure he showers" Regulus pushed James to Remus, who wiped some mud off of James's face like a mother would to her kid.

"I love your relationship with all your friends. I can tell you all care so much about each other!" Pandora grinned, "Reggie doesn't let us show affection, except for Barty."

"Speaking of, we should go make sure Barty and Evan are alive." Regulus said.

"Thanks for your help Pandora." Remus said, and waved the Slytherins goodbye before leading James upstairs.

"So were you guys looking at...?" Regulus trailed off, not wanting to say it out loud.

"Yeah, we figured out what he should ask Slughorn to get the most answers out of him. The slug club actually meets tomorrow so it'll be very convenient for us." She smiled.

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Regulus lied in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. All he could think of was how James would eventually forget all about him, get married to Lily and have the most beautiful kids, and Regulus would probably be dead. He could see it playing out that way, because as much as Regulus had always been enamored by James, James would never feel the same way about him. Just once, Regulus would like to be the poem, not the poet, but he was forever to be the artist, and James his muse.

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GUYS IVE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CHAPTER FOR SO LONG IM SOBBING (mentally, u wont catch me lacking)

I wrote up the idea for this chapter FOREVER AGO and i wanted it to happen so much, and if u know me, u know im an impatient ass bitch, and making this story deep and putting every detail is taking me so much patience, but I love this story so much, and it's the most committed ive been to something (minus my relationship i love you pookie) omg anyway nah i only call my friends pookie and i need to stop.

anyway, the school year is coming to an end soon. For anyone confused (Bc i dont think i ever said this) but The marauders, Lily and her friends, and Snape are 6th years, and the slytherin skittles are all 5th years (rip) its a little weird thinking about how young they are but uhhh just go along with it??? theres no avoiding the fact that they were literal children in the beginning of the war, but writing the romance is a little strange (but fuck it we ball)