James Potter goes behind enemy lines into a much darker world.
OR
James and Regulus are practically strangers.
That changes in an instant when Regulus asks James to help him destroy Voldemort.
As a spy for the Order of the Phoenix, James is right in...
chapter title: fool me a good night by labi siffre (the period-inaccurate but indisputable song for this chapter is Anything by Adrianne Lenker.
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the artwork above that inspired one of the scenes in this chapter is by casperr_vi on twitter)
"Come on, lover boy."
"Lover boy..." James repeated. "Usually people use that as an insult. Are you trying to insult me?" Lunch was about to start. They sat at the Gryffindor table. James quietly hoped Remus would be too busy to sit with them. It had been kind of nice to be in exile, if only because he got to spend so much time with Regulus, just the two of them.
"I'm always trying to insult you." Regulus slid into the seat opposite him and held his hand over the table, fidgeting with his fingertips. "Haven't you figured that out by now? It's one of my love languages."
"Mhmm." James kissed his knuckles and watched him turn red. He pressed the back of his hand into his cheek. "You're so cold. It's nice." His pale face burned pink and crimson. Two spots of colour in the apples of his cheeks, under his dark eyes. Regulus turned his hand and held James in his palm, affection and warmth blossoming on his externally remote, sullen face. His eyes lingered on his neck. He touched something there.
"Oh, sorry."
"For what?" His cool fingertip drew a little circle on the side of his neck, under his jaw.
"I left you a... memento." His allusion to James' words when he wiped his hand off on his sheets made his face get hot enough he worried his blush would actually show. Regulus' lips curled into an uncharacteristically sweet smile. "Don't worry, it's not obvious."
"Like I'd care if it was." James took his hand in his again. Food appeared on the table between them, and more people started filing in. He halfheartedly peeled an orange. Regulus sighed and piled food on his plate for him. Sandwich, fruit, coffee in the cup in front of him. Cream, no sugar.
"Eat," he ordered. James complied without complaint. He knew he had to, no matter how much his appetite shrank at the prospect of what they were planning to do. James motioned to his empty plate.
"You have to eat too, you know." Regulus rolled his eyes. "I'm serious."
"Whatever." He didn't move, so James put food on his plate just as he had done for him. One half of the orange he'd peeled found it's way onto Regulus' plate. Was this love? They were taking care of each other. Regulus took a bite of a pastry he'd given him and he felt his heart get a little warmer. "Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked, his dark eyebrows furrowed.
James had his elbow on the table, he leaned his face into his hand and sighed.
"I'm in love with you."
"Real love," Regulus said softly. He smiled impishly. "Love has many faces, two of them are ours."
"Mhm." James hummed. He felt strangely content, the anxiety in his chest was unfurling a little. For some reason Regulus made him feel like everything was going to be okay. He flicked a blueberry at him, hitting him right between the eyes. Regulus blinked. Once. Twice.
