I adored you Madly, Extravagantly, Absurdly.

Chapter 31

Warnings: Smut (which is why this took so long, sorry. there was supposed to be Wolfstar smut in this too but I gave up)

_____

"I felt his glances greedily fall everywhere; they sank in my brain, and my head began to swim; they pierced through my heart, whipping my blood up, making it flow quicker and hotter through all the arteries; they darted within my veins." Teleny 115

Christmas 1893

Regulus had his surgery ten weeks ago. This meant no sex for about a month. None. Regulus was in too much pain and barely slept. James isn't entirely sure how he survived this draught.

James was finally allowed to touch his husband again when he started feeling better after the first five weeks. He kept his chest bandaged, though.

It was a strange time because Regulus had to dress up as the Viscountess to go to the small hospital in Lyopot and have the doctor look at the surgical wounds. This put him in a sour mood, from dressing up to being touched by a random man and then looked at with pity. He always returned huffing and scoffing and complaining in angry French while instructing every servant he met on the way to call Pandora so she would get him out of his dresses.

On the other hand, he spent his days buying new suits and looking at his profile in the mirror, smiling and touching his body. James likes watching him do this. He is so handsome when he smiles.

They are approaching the end of December. Snow covers the hills around them, and the servants build fires in the bedrooms to keep the residents warm at night. Regulus demands to be held in James's arms through the night– a demand James fulfils gladly.

Tomorrow, James's parents are set to come to Lioncrest. Sirius should return from Algeria, too.

This might have been their last calm day for the rest of the year. They spent it riding in the snow and reading by the fireplace with hot chocolate. Barty didn't intrude too much on them, being too busy with the coachman.

In the evening, James comes from the antechamber to the bedroom. Regulus sits at the vanity, pulling a comb through his curls.

James kisses his cheek, smiling at him through the mirror. The fire fills the room with comfortable warmth and the sweet smell of wood.

He removes his robe and quickly slips underneath the blanket, waiting for Regulus to join him.

"Come, my darling," he says when Regulus still sits at the vanity after a minute. "I'm cold when I'm alone."

"You are never cold. You are sunshine," Regulus says, smiling and standing up.

He goes to his side of the bed and takes a bag of treats for the cat. He then opens the bedroom door and calls on the kittens, dropping a few treats on the floor outside.

Thanatos appears from under the blanket – James didn't even know he was there. The three kittens emerge from various hiding spaces and dash for the treats.

"There you go. Now, forgive me, but you must stay out here," Regulus says, closing the door.

"Mean," James comments. "But I assume this will be good for me."

"Possibly." Regulus shrugs and slowly walks over to the bed. "Sit up."

James does as told, scooting to the edge of the bed and swinging his legs over the edge to sit in front of him.

He only now notices that Regulus isn't wearing pyjamas underneath the thick dressing robe. His legs are naked, and his poor feet must be freezing.

Regulus places a finger underneath his chin to make him look up.