unspeakable | jegulus

wounded in love, wounded in hatred

chapter title: a hard rain's a-gonna fall by bob dylan

"My, my, my. What do we have here?" James blinked blearily into the dim, watery sunlight under the lake. He could feel something warm against his chest. His head hurt, and his mouth felt dry.

"Looks like a pair of degenerates to me, Barty." He opened his eyes, squinting up at Barty and Evan, who stood over him with their arms crossed and twin smirks on their faces.

"L'me sleep," Regulus grumbled into his chest. His black hair was pressed into James' chin, and for once, he felt warm. "Tired."

"You can't just sleep the day away. It's a Tuesday, you've already missed your morning classes." Barty tossed two cold potion bottles onto James' chest. "You can have ten more minutes, then I'm spelling you out both of that bed."

"S'alright Barty, I'll miss today." James pulled the blanket over Regulus' face, all the way up to his chin.

"Ten minutes." Evan repeated, then shut the curtains.

James felt around the bed for the bottles Barty had given them. It looked like they had a familiar, slightly shimmering red potion inside. He popped the cap off of one and drank it. His headache and his dry mouth disappeared, and his body didn't feel so spent. Whatever hangover cure the Slytherins had was much better than the abominations he and Sirius had managed to brew for themselves.

"Have the other one, Reg." He tried to get him out from under the blanket, but Regulus just sunk lower and lower down his chest.

"You can't make me."

"You're right, I can't." James ran a hand through his soft hair. "But I'd really like it if you'd take this potion."

"Too bad." He snuggled into him. "You're like a furnace, it's so nice."

"I'm going to get up if you don't take it." Regulus groaned.

"Fine." He sat up a bit and swallowed the potion. When he tilted up his chin James felt his face get hot. His pale neck was dotted with little purple bruises, one beside his Adam's apple, a collection on his collarbones, one on his smooth, white shoulder. They had only kissed, but it didn't look that way.

Regulus curled into his chest like a cat, his eyes already sliding shut again. James kissed his forehead.

"Maybe now isn't the best time to ask, but, what are we?" He whispered.

"I don't know yet." Regulus said, his eyes were closed. He smiled a little. "But isn't it nice, not knowing?" He kissed his chest, where his bandage was.

"Wake up, love birds." Evan threw open the curtains. "You need to go eat something and get to your classes, this is important stuff. It's vital for your future! You're missing an important educational opportunity boys." He sounded like his mother.

"Alright, alright." He stretched, and sat up a bit. Regulus made a wordless noise of protest, squirming closer to him. "We have to get up, Reg." He wrapped his arms around him, and James kissed his dark hair.

"I don't want to."

"Too bad." James wiggled out of his grip and stood up. Barty's face turned pink, he averted his eyes.