Jegulus One Shots <3

#72 How Do You Say 'I Love You'

Not a very long one shot but I'm running on 2 hours of sleep and have been listening to the Epic: the musical soundtrack on repeat all day

So this was a little idea floating around in my head, the idea that Reg doesn't know how to say 'I love you' because of his childhood seemed quite fitting

❤️Hope you're all doing well💚

Regulus and James walked through the underground passageway that led to a waterfall behind Hogwarts, it's where the small boats were stored throughout the rest of the year. They sat down on the small collection of rocks that lay just behind the water and set out the food and drinks they'd brought with them.

Regulus had never seen himself being like this with anyone, he'd never thought anyone would want to commit themselves to him yet here James was making all of those thoughts seem like the start of a bad joke as he stuck his tongue out, trying to dip the strawberries in chocolate without them falling off the stick.

"Do you want help?" Regulus smiled as he watched James frown as one of the strawberries accidentally flung off into the water, a small water nymph coming up to the surface and taking it away, "at least it didn't go to waste" Regulus said pitifully.

"No I'm determined to get this right, could you please get the stuff from Honey Dukes out though"

"Sure" Regulus started taking out the sweets they'd brought with them, ranging from sherbet lollies and fairy floss bars to the fizzy pop chocolates and 'Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans'.

James had finally managed to get the chocolate and strawberries looking somewhat presentable and smiled widely at his success, "perfect the picnic is complete!"

Regulus used a spell to pull back part of waterfall like a small set of curtains that then opened up for the two as a beautiful view of the ocean and sunset. James began rambling on about his day and talking about quidditch, but Regulus was only half listening to him as he watched James' face light up with excitement as he spoke.

The golden hour lighting radiated James' already sun kissed skin tone, the light reflecting off of his glasses and making his bright amber eyes look even more beautiful than they usually did. Regulus smiled at James' dimples, the random freckles across his face, his tan lips and the smile lines near his eyes.

James continued talking and the two kept eating and drinking, Regulus pulling out his notebook and starting to write once more. When they came down here, it was never a grand gesture or for an event, this was just their special spot where they could get away from the world and indulge themselves in each other and enjoy the simplicity.

Regulus looked up from his book to see James now lying down on the rocks, practicing his magic on the water as the small mer-babies jumped through the hoops he had conjured and played with the rocks James had levitated, Regulus couldn't see their mother but he knew she'd be here somewhere watching her children. She must have sensed that James was a safe person, to let her kids so close.

Suddenly the baby merfolk sunk back down and swum out back to the sea, James and Regulus looked to see what had startled them only to see a young kelpie with the rest of its herd swimming not too far away.

"Oh I remember you!" James reached his hand out slowly and the horselike creature rubbed its seaweed-like mane against the back of James' hand, letting James pat him as James threw one of the plain strawberries into the air for the kelpie to catch.

"Remember him?"

"Yeah there's a herd of them that come here, especially during breeding season when they need a safe place for their offspring. I first saw them last year on the boats, and if I fly down here during quidditch they usually chase my broom too" James laughed and Regulus smiled. "Anyway what's happening in your story now?"

"Oh" Regulus looked down at the cursive ink and bit his lip, the parallels were so incredibly obvious that Regulus was sure even James would work it out, "I think the villain is ready to tell the protagonist how he feels.."

"That's going to be good! How did he work out he liked him? They're on opposite sides so what happened? Was it that scene you wrote when they had to work with each other to escape?"

Regulus stared at James who was listening intently, actually interested in this side project Regulus didn't think was even going to go anywhere, "I guess he's just seen the world in a new way since the protagonist came into his life, they're caring and he sees how much they sacrifice to keep their friends and family safe, which seems to include him now"

James smiled, "so what's he going to do about it?"

Regulus looked down at his page, he didn't know what he was going to say, he'd never said it before. James then took the book and went over some of the things Regulus had written down. Regulus went to protest but-

"Reg these are quite poetic, and really sweet. He's saying 'I love you' without saying those words but it's enough to show he cares"

"You aren't another chapter in my story, you're the very ink that writes it"

"If loving you is a sin, then I will gladly walk through the gates of hell knowing I've seen heaven on earth"

"I used to wonder why poets would write about love, why their words ached with something deep. But now, when I look at you, I understand- because I feel it too."

James looked up at Regulus with a warm gaze as Regulus continued to look at James the same way, but Regulus couldn't say those three words. Not because they weren't true, because he'd seen what happened when people in his family said stuff like that, he didn't want to hurt James.

James could see Regulus' pain, he knew Regulus thought he had no idea but James listened to how Regulus felt, he showed up when it counted and he remembered the little things. Something it seemed many people in Regulus' life didn't think to care for.

"Hey Reg?"

"Yes James?"

"I love you as well"

That was all James said, and that was all Regulus needed to hear, to see that James knew even if he didn't have it in him to express that, yet, at least he knew James understood and loved him as well.

Mischief Managed,
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