Focal Point

by moonkissedstar

Summary:

When grumpy photographer returns to his hometown to shoot fall leaves, the last thing he expects is to keep tripping over golden retriever-in-human-form James - his brother's best friend and a walking ray of sunshine. Could being forced to collaborate on a community project (and possibly feelings) change their relationship for the better?

Sirius was doing well. Great, even, by his standards. He had escaped his parents' grasps. He'd gotten every tattoo he'd ever wanted. He had opened his own mechanics shop. He'd reconnected with his brother. Who knew that a tall, gorgeous, and slightly socially-awkward man (who owned a bookstore, of all places) was exactly what he needed to feel complete?

Notes:

Hi guys! I'm planning for this to be a very cute, easy read. Obviously there will be some angst, but it's mild. I personally think that James and Regulus have enough tragedy in every other universe and deserve to be happy in this one.

Also, Regulus is a photographer. I did some research but I apologize deeply for my lack of knowledge about it.

This fic has multiple point of views (and lots of wolfstar) but is heavily Jegulus leaning. Keep in mind that they are in fact adults in this story, so expect adult (ish) content.

With that said, this story is meant to take place in a small town in fall. This is honestly slightly giving halmark (but in the best way possible).

Also, this story may or may not be based off one of my top three Taylor Swift songs ('Tis the Damn Season), so there's that.

I have the first few chapters of this written already.

Thank you guys so so much for reading, all feedback and comments are appreciated!!

Enjoy reading lovelies <3

CW for this chapter: Mentions of past abuse (very light and basically not there)

Chapter 1

Regulus 

 

He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as he tried to calm his nerves. He would be returning to his hometown to move in with his brother for the next month or so, or however long it took him to finish the photography project he’d been assigned. Saying he was nervous would’ve been an understatement. He hadn’t seen his brother in years. Sure, they’d started reconnecting after he’d finally escaped his parent’s grasp. But that had just been conversation over the phone, the occasional facetime call. After escaping his parents, Regulus had moved to a town over three hours away. It had been fine, because he’d never had a reason to come back. Until now. 

 

This area of their hometown was different from what Regulus had remembered. Not that he had been to the main part of town much as a child. His parents kept him away from the area, claiming he would “get the wrong ideas.” He had really only been there with Sirius, before he’d left. Other than that, he was strictly isolated to their house that resided on the outskirts of town and school. 

 

The neighborhood that Sirius’ house was in was nice. It was cozy, in a way. Large houses pressed together, leaves littering the lawns and halloween decorations outside nearly all of them. It was early October, meaning Autumn was in full swing. He could already imagine the photos he would get, with the evening light illuminating the trees just as it was now. 

 

He took a deep breath as he pulled his car in front of the address Sirius had given him, allowing himself until the end of the Taylor Swift song he’d been listening to to compose himself. 

 

After his song had ended, he opened his door and stepped out of his car. He shivered as a gust of wind hit him. He could feel the night air on his skin, in his lungs. It made him feel slightly more like himself. Maybe that was why he’d picked a job that involved him being in nature consistently. 

 

He hauled his suitcase out of the trunk, and the bag with his camera next. He paused before he made his way to the front door, a million thoughts rushing through his head. What if it’s awkward? What if he had just offered to let him stay to be nice? What if coming back here brought up bad memories?

 

He took a deep breath, willing the thoughts out of his head. Sirius wouldn’t have offered if he hadn’t meant it, and he’d been doing well recently. He’d worked through a lot of the resentment he held for this town in his therapy sessions. That didn’t mean some of it hadn’t lingered, though. 

 

Assuring himself that everything would work out, he made his way up the driveway and took in the outside of the house. It was large, but not intimidatingly so. The outside was made up of brick, wood, and stucco. There were a couple of large trees in the yard, no doubt the culprits of the leaves that littered the front lawn. There were also a number of ridiculous halloween decorations in the yard, including a gigantic blow up pumpkin. He rolled his eyes at the sight. It was so very Sirius. 

 

He walked to the front door, leaves crunching under his feet as he dragged his suitcase behind him. He raised his hand to knock, but the door suddenly flung open. 

 

“Reggie!” His brother yelled, capturing him in a hug so enthusiastic that it caused him to drop the handle of his suitcase. Nobody had called him that since he was a child, and he usually hated it when people did. He let it slide, though, because Sirius just seemed too happy to see him to bring it up. It warmed his heart a little, his earlier worries slowly slipping away. 

 

“Hi, Siri.” He greeted, using the name he called him when they were little. His brother pulled back and grinned, holding him at arms length. 

 

He took that moment to take him in. He looked different than the teenager he’d been the last time he’d seen him. His black curls cascaded down his back, half of them in a bun. He was wearing a sleeveless tanktop, which showed the plethora of tattoos he apparently had. He thought that he should introduce him to Barty (his friend that owned his own tattoo and piercing studio back home).

 

Apparently, Sirius had been taking in Regulus as well, as his next words were, “You look different.”

He snorted in response, “I’d hope I don’t still look fourteen.” It wasn’t until then that he realized how unreal it sounded when he said it out loud. He hadn't seen his brother since he was fourteen. Fourteen was a rough year for Regulus. It was the year that Sirius had run away and cut all ties with their parents, and therefore Regulus as well. He now understood why he did, but the memories still hurt sometimes.

Sirius smiled in response. It looked a little sad. “I’m really glad you came back, Reggie.”  He said it so earnestly. It was a raw statement, filled with emotion.

Regulus couldn’t bring himself to bring up the fact that he wasn’t back permanently, only for a few weeks until his photo series was finished. So, instead, he said “Yeah. Me too.” 

 

That answer seemed to satisfy Sirius. He clapped his hands together, as if remembering something. “Oh, yeah! Let me show you your room.” 

 

Regulus gestured for him to lead the way. Sirius picked up his forgotten suitcase and began to lead him through the hallways, rambling about nothing that made any real sense. That part of him had stayed the same, he supposed.

 

They stopped outside of what he assumed was his room. 

 

“This is it!” Sirius said, putting his suitcase on the floor gently as he turned to him. “I hope it’s okay. I cleaned everything, obviously, but if you need anything just let me know, alright? My room’s just down the hall.” He looked nervous, like he was scared that it wouldn’t meet Regulus’ standards. 

 

Regulus gave him what he hoped was a reassuring smile as he stepped further into the room. It was large and homey. There were plaid bedsheets as well as a bookshelf with mock books. Naturally, there were stray halloween decorations placed around the room. Regulus had never been the biggest fan of the holiday, but he found he didn’t mind. 

 

“Thanks, Sirius. It’s great.” 

 

That caused Sirius to break out into a grin. His smile hadn’t changed, either. “Perfect. Are you hungry? I can order takeout. I would offer to cook, but we both know I can’t do that.”

Regulus huffed out a laugh, “You haven’t eaten yet? It’s like ten o clock.”

He shrugged, “Nah. I figured you’d be hungry when you got here, so I decided to wait. What do you want?”

Regulus would be lying if he said the sentiment didn’t warm his heart a little bit. “Thai?” He suggested. 

 

Sirius threw him a wink, pulling out his phone, “On it. Settle in, I’ll let you know when it’s here.”

Regulus smiled as he watched his brother walk away, then began to unpack his suitcase. Maybe this wouldn’t be as bad as he thought. 

 

He made himself comfortable on his bed and decided to mindlessly scroll through instagram until Sirius came to get him. It’s not like he could do any real work at this hour, anyway.

 

When dinner came, he and Sirius sat on the couch and ate Thai food. Conversation flowed surprisingly easily. They talked about their jobs (Sirius worked as a mechanic), their relationship statuses (both painfully single, although there seemed to be someone Sirius was interested in), and how general life had been since they’d seen each other. 

 

They didn’t avoid heavy topics but didn’t dive too deep into them either. Sirius told the story of the family who had taken in him after he ran away (The Potters), and how he and James Potter were still best friends till this day. He expected to feel more resentment towards the Potter family, but he was shockingly grateful for them. He and Sirius had spoken about how Sirius likely wouldn’t have survived had he stayed in that house. Regulus was thankful that he had left, even if it was painful for him at the time. If he hadn’t, then they wouldn’t be sitting on the couch and eating Thai food. 

 

Regulus eventually excused himself so he could go to bed. Usually he had trouble falling asleep, but tonight, back in his hometown and with his brother across the hall, he dozed off right away. 

 

That's probably why he woke up feeling more refreshed than ever. And earlier than ever, apparently. What kind of sane person naturally wakes up at seven in the morning? He groaned as he checked the time, running his hand down his face.

 

After accepting that he wasn’t going to fall asleep again, he decided to get some work done. It was best to get it done early so he could get home as soon as possible, anyways. 

 

The window was open, and he could feel the morning air seeping into his room as he got ready for the day. Looking in the mirror, he could see that he had even looked well-rested. Not that he thought he looked particularly bad with eyebays. In fact, Pandora had said that it was “part of his charm.”

 

After pulling on a thick leather jacket to combat the cold and grabbing his camera, he made his way downstairs as quietly as he could. He knew that Sirius would still be asleep. Some things really don’t change with time. 

 

It was cold outside, but not unbearably so. He left himself stand outside for a moment, just taking it all in before he pulled out his phone, where he had mapped a few forest trails he could scout for his shoot that were within walking distance. 

 

The nearest one was only a seven minute walk, and he found himself adventuring through the woods before he knew it. 

 

He was surrounded by trees, the sunlight glinting through the branches and making patches on the ground. The air smelled fresh, that distinct scent you could only smell in the forest. He took off his headphones and found that he could hear the birds chirping, making him smile to himself. It was beautiful, even if there weren’t many leaves left on the trees and the ground was coated with hues of red and orange. 

 

He had missed this. There was no fall where he lived, just summer and winter. He lived by the beach, so it was foggy year around regardless.

 

Eventually, he came across something he dubbed worth photographing. It was a small creek, rocks and leaves surrounding it. His hands were so cold that he fumbled with his camera as he took it out. He made a mental note to buy gloves at some point. 

 

He had gotten a couple good shots. He was crouched down by the creek, trying to find an angle where the sun hit the water just right. 

 

Suddenly, he heard the unmistakable sound of a branch cracking. He whipped his head around, trying to make out who- or what - else was with him.

All he could make out was a figure running towards him. It was definitely a human, though, so that was a good sign. 

 

“Hey!” The figure- a man? Greeted as he got closer. Regulus stood up, feeling vulnerable. 

 

He was jogging closer, and Regulus could finally get a good look at him. He looked to be around his age. He had tan skin and messy black curls. The closer he got, the more Regulus could make out. He wore round, golden glasses. He was also gorgeous. 

 

He mentally willed himself to pull himself together. Now was not the time, and he was not in a Hallmark movie. 

 

“Hey!” The stranger yelled, panting slightly as he stopped in front of Regulus. 

 

“Uhm, are you okay?” Regulus questioned. Okay, maybe he didn’t question. Maybe he said it in an ever so slightly mocking tone. So what? This random, gorgeous stranger had just ran up to him in the middle of the woods, fully interrupting his shoot. He had a right to be bitchy. 

 

If he was taken aback by his tone, the man didn’t show it. He simply continued to stare at Regulus, as if taking him in. Regulus cocked an eyebrow. 

 

“What? Oh yeah, no, I’m great.” He grinned at Regulus, a crooked smile. Even his smile was perfect. 

 

Regulus blinked back at him for a moment before responding, “Did you need something?” Okay. So, maybe he wasn’t aware of the proper protocol when someone runs up to you in the middle of a forest. Sue him. 

 

“Yeah. I mean no, not really. It’s just, this is kind of private property.” He ran his hand through his hair as he explained, and Regulus absolutely did not look at the way his biceps flexed with the movement. 

 

“Is it? I didn’t see any signs or anything.”

The stranger huffed, “Well, technically, no. But-” 

 

Regulus cut him off, “So, I can continue shooting?”

His eyes widened, as if he thought he meant the actual shooting of animals, until he noticed the camera in his hand.

 

“Well, I’d rather you didn’t. You see, I run a non profit, and we do a lot of volunteer work here.”

Christ. Why did all beautiful men have to be so stupid? “Right. Still not seeing how me taking pictures affects that.” 

 

He opened his mouth and closed it, as if he hadn’t even considered that part of the equation before.

“ Dumbass. ” Regulus muttered under his breath.

 

The stranger pulled a face at him, as if he wasn’t used to that kind of disrespect, “No need to be rude.” He grumbled. 

 

Ignoring him completely, Regulus just turned around and resumed his earlier position, attempting to find the right angle again. 

 

Apparently, this guy couldn’t take a hint. Honestly, who did he think he was?

“Can I see the pictures?”

Regulus snorted without even looking at him, “If you’re gonna pay, sure.”

It seemed like he was genuinely considering this for a second, so Regulus turned around and shot him a look. Apparently, that got through to him. 

 

“Right. Sorry. I’m gonna go. I’ll see you around, yeah?” He sounded flustered. 

 

Regulus didn’t even dignify that with a response, returning to his work. If everyone here was like this, maybe it would be just as bad as he thought. 

Chapter 2

Notes:

Hi guys!

This chapter includes James and Sirius's point of views. Get ready for pining to ensue.

Any and all feedback and comments are appreciated!

Happy reading loves <3

CW for this chapter: Mentions of past abuse ( but they're barely there)

Regulus

 

“Reggie!”

 

“No.” He quipped, not even looking at his brother. He was too busy editing to do whatever he was going to ask him, anyways. It had been a few days since the incident with the stranger in the woods, and he was lucky that the rest of his shoot in that area had gone by without problem. 

 

Sirius pouted, “You didn’t even know what I was gonna ask.” 

 

Regulus rolled his eyes, finally turning around to face his brother, “If it has anything to do with the guy in the bookshop you’ve been ogling, the answer is no.” 

 

“I prefer the term 'yearning for,’ actually. It’s much more romantic.” Despite the joke, Regulus could see the flush that painted his face. He was happy his brother had found someone he was interested in, even if it was a random man that Sirius was afraid to have a conversation with.

 

Sirius sighed, “But, no. I wasn’t gonna ask for help with that this time.” He ran his fingers through his curls before continuing, “My friend is running the local pumpkin carving contest this year.”

 

Regulus opened his mouth immediately to say absolutely not, but Sirius held a finger up to shush him. 

 

“You’ve barely been out of the house the whole time you’ve been here, Reggie. It would give you a chance to meet new people, and I want you to meet the people that I’m friends with. Plus, I think you’d be fantastic at pumpkin carving since you're such a pretentious asshole.”

 

Regulus narrowed his eyes but decided to ignore the insult, “Still, no. I already met one of your friends.”

 

Sirius snorted, “Yeah, but Marlene doesn’t count. She’s just me in another body.”

She really was. He’d seen her a handful of times since he’d moved in. She was loud and energetic, with absolutely zero filter or care for what others thought. She even had the same vibe as Sirius, with a blonde mullet, nose piercing, and tattoos across almost every part of her body that was visible. On top of that, she worked with Sirius at the mechanic shop. She was nice enough. Funny, too. 

 

Sirius continued after realising that Regulus wasn’t planning on responding, “It’s for charity, if that helps.”

“Fine,” he said, with a resigned sigh, “but only because it’s for charity.” Not because beating everyone in a pumpkin carving contest and drinking warm apple cider sounded fun. Definitely not. 

 

He watched as Sirius’ eyes filled up with a childlike joy, “It’ll be worth your time, I promise.”

Regulus just rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t help the fond smile that made its way onto his face.

 

James

 

James was already starting to regret not wearing a jacket.

 

They had just finished setting up for the annual pumpkin carving contests. And they’d done a damn good job if you asked him.

 

There were a handful of tables set up, all complete with an ungodly amount of pumpkins and carving materials. There were a couple of stands, offering food, cider, and hot chocolate. They were hosting it right in the middle of the town, which meant there were string lights wrapped around the trees and decorations in front of the little stores.

 

The only problem was how cold he was. He didn’t even have time to run and grab a jacket from his car, because people had already started arriving. He opted to get a hot chocolate to warm himself up instead.

 

He moved through the ever growing crowd of people efficiently, hot chocolate in hand. He greeted everyone he knew and tried to introduce himself to as many new faces as he could. There were a lot of families, a decent number of his own friends (most of which were volunteers for his organization, so he supposed they didn’t really count), and a handful of kids there by themselves or with their siblings. He made sure to talk to them for longer, making sure that they knew he was glad they were there and even offering them free hot cocoa and cider.

 

Okay. Maybe he wasn’t technically supposed to be giving out food and drinks for free. Those were the only things they made money off of, as the actual event itself was free. But, James had enough money that it didn’t really matter. Also, it was his organization, so he decided he was going to do whatever he wanted with it. 

 

He continued to move through the crowd with ease, until his eyes landed on a familiar face. He broke into a grin and almost sprinted up to his best friend, tackling him in a hug. 

 

“Padfoot!”

His best friend returned the hug with equal enthusiasm. Sure, they hadn’t even been apart for a week. But even a day apart was impressive for them. They were practically attached at the hip, and had been since they were eleven. You couldn’t have one without having the other.

 

They just hadn’t had time to hangout the past few days, with James and his non profit and Sirius with his brother moving in. 

 

“Hi, Prongs.” Sirius grinned, pulling away from the hug. Someone next to him cleared their throat, clearly demanding attention. “Oh, yeah. This is my brother, Reggie.”

James realized there was someone next to Sirius for the first time. He extended his hand to introduce himself, and – oh. 

 

The someone standing next to Sirius, his brother , was the guy from the woods. Who James may or may not have thought about every day since their little encounter. He couldn’t not think about him. He might’ve been the most beautiful person James had ever seen. 

 

He looked like a different person than when he had seen him in school. Not that James had seen a lot of him in school, being two years above him. It didn’t help that Reggie had never been the type to warrant attention, always keeping to himself. James had never even known his name, just of his relation to Sirius.

 

He was surprised he hadn’t seen the resemblance between them earlier, honestly. They had the same high cheekbones, the same black curls (though Reggies’ were shorter). They had different eyes, though. Sirius’ were more of a piercing blue and Reggie’s were more of a storm grey. James would gladly let that storm consume him. 

 

“You okay, mate?” Sirius asked, concern written all over his face. He realized he’d been staring, and he felt a flush creep up his cheeks. 

 

“Yeah, no. I mean, yes, sorry. I’m okay.” He chuckled out loud, but he winced internally as the words tumbled from his mouth. James wasn’t sure he had ever sounded so pathetic in his life. 

 

He also realized he had dropped his cup of hot chocolate all over his feet.

 

He looked back to his brother - Reggie? Who was raising an unimpressed brow, clearly not at all happy about seeing James here. Or judging him about dropping his drink. Or both.

 

Sirius looked between them suspiciously, “Have you guys met already?” 

 

James answered “Yes.” 

 

At the same time Reggie answered “Not exactly.” 

 

James was doing a terrible job of holding back a grin as Reggie rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed. He turned to his brother.

 

“The day after I moved in, he tried to kick me out of a forest for trespassing when I was taking pictures.” He explained.

 

Sirius promptly burst into a fit of laughter and James groaned, running his hand down his face. He didn’t miss the way that Reggie' s eyes tracked the movement. He decided that he could work with that. Even if Reggie didn’t necessarily like him, he noticed him. And that was enough.

 

“That’s not how it happened.” 

 

Reggie snorted, a sound much more endearing than it had any right being, “Tell me how it happened, then?” 

 

Sirius looked at James expectantly, barely recovered from his laughing fit. James sighed, “I was looking at spots for our next outing, then I saw him crouching by the lake. I was wondering what he was doing, so I went up to him.”

Reggie cocked a brow, “Where does the part where you told me I was trespassing and tried to kick me out fit into your retelling?”

That caused Sirius to snort, and James immediately shot him a glare before turning back to Reggie.

 

“Fine. Maybe I didn’t go about it in the best way. Let me reintroduce myself.” He coughed into his hand and stood up straighter, plastering on his award-winning grin, “Hi. I’m James.” He stuck out his hand for Reggie to shake it. 

 

Reggie looked him up and down, unimpressed. James was sweating under his gaze. He considered taking his hand back until Regulus reached out with his own and shook it lazily. The coolness of Reggie’ rings sent a shiver down James’ spine, and not in a bad way. 

 

“Regulus,” he said, and then with a pointed look at his brother, “ not Reggie.”

James grinned harder, feeling unrighteously victorious, “Pleasure to meet you, Regulus. ”

Regulus rolled his eyes at him in response. He did that a lot, apparently. 

 

Sirius clapped his hands excitedly, “Great! Save us a seat at your table, yeah? I want Reggie to meet Dorcas.” 

 

James gave a mock salute in return. He retreated back into the crowd, hot chocolate all but forgotten. Not without a final stolen glance in Regulus’ direction, though. He was pretty sure he was grinning like an idiot, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.

 

Because Regulus was looking right back.

 

Sirius

 

“You didn’t tell me he was going to be here!” His brother hissed as they walked.

Sirius snorted, “I’d sure hope he’s here. It’s his event, after all.” 

 

Regulus stopped in his tracks. He looked shocked, as though the puzzle pieces had just clicked in his brain. Sirius waited patiently for Regulus to tell him exactly what the pieces were.

 

“Is James…James Potter?” He chewed on his lip, deep in thought, “Is he that James?” 

 

Sirius knew that he’d never introduced them. He hadn’t wanted it to be anything formal, lest Regulus had any lingering resentment for James and his family because they’d taken him in after he’d ran away. He also may or may not have known that Regulus was almost James’ exact type and wanted to embarrass him. He hadn’t expected for them to have run into each other already, but it was good entertainment nonetheless.

 

“Yeah. He’s that James.”

Regulus looked upset, worrying him. What if he had made the wrong choice? Should he have warned Regulus? Should he have kept them away from each other all together?

His thoughts were interrupted by Regulus pinching the bridge of his nose and letting out a groan, “And he does charity work?”

“...yeah?” Sirius replied, confusion lacing his voice. That wasn’t at all where he thought the conversation was going. 

 

“Does he have to be such a good person?” Regulus sounded genuinely distressed, and Sirius couldn’t help but bark out a laugh. 

 

“Yeah. He’s quite literally sunshine in human form.”

Regulus crossed his arms, “I don’t like him”

He smiled at his brother, “I don’t doubt it.” He did, in fact, doubt it. It looked as though his brother had to work to keep up his icy exterior around him, instead of it coming naturally like it normally seemed to. He had no doubt that James would melt it. 

 

They made their way over to the table. James had saved them seats, as promised. He introduced Regulus to Dorcas. The two were currently sitting next to each other, pumpkins all but forgotten as they discussed something media related. Sirius didn’t understand what they were talking about, nor did he want to. He was just glad they got along, and that Regulus would finally have someone other than himself in the time he was here. 

 

Throughout the past few days, Sirius found himself having to continuously remind himself that his brother wasn’t back permanently, only for a few months. The thought made him sad. It was better than he’d expected to see his brother in person. They acted like real brothers again. Pushing each other around, ruffling each other’s hair, trading embarrassing stories. 

 

He pushed the thoughts out of his mind. He had him here for now, and that was all that mattered. Plus, maybe Regulus would come back and visit. Or maybe he could go visit him. 

 

With one last glance towards his brother, making sure he was okay with Dorcas, he turned around and began searching for James. When he and James were apart for too long, he felt like a part of him was missing, and he knew that James felt the same. Maybe they were a little codependent. Sue them.

 

Finding James in the crowd was easier than expected. He spotted him smiling and waving his hands around, clearly in an animated conversation with someone. He couldn’t tell who the someone was, as their back was turned to him. 

 

James caught his eyes and grinned, gesturing him over. The someone he was previously having a conversation with turned around as well.

 

Sirius was pretty sure his feet had stopped working and had become one with the ground, because the person James was talking to wasn’t just some random stranger. It was the guy from the bookstore. Also known as the most gorgeous man Sirius had ever seen. 

 

Granted, he’d never seen him up close. He was just slightly infatuated with him. 

 

He owned a small bookstore a few minutes away from Sirius’ house. Sirius popped in at least once a week, pretending that he was looking at books and records. He didn’t even like books. Every time he went, he would try to work up the courage to go up and talk to him. Ask for his number. Hell, he’d even considered buying something as an excuse to talk to him. 

 

And, every single time, he couldn’t bring himself to do anything. 

 

It hit him suddenly that this was his chance, and he pushed the embarrassment aside as he made his way up to them. 

James grinned at him with a mischievous glint in his eye. He knew about Sirius’ little crush, obviously. Sirius had spent several hours thrown over James’ couch complaining about it while he was trying to work. 

 

“Hey, Pads.” He was grateful that James greeted him normally, with a small nod of his head. 

 

Sirius returned it, grinning, “James.”

He turned his attention to the other man. He reminded himself that he did in fact know how to flirt, and was usually quite good at it.

 

“Hi.” He hoped the word didn’t come out as breathless as he suddenly felt. 

 

He looked at Sirius with amusement and decided to humor him. “Remus,” He offered.

 

Sirius grinned up at him. Yes, up at him. Because Remus was so tall that he had to physically crane his neck to look him in the eye. “Sirius,” He replied, sticking out his hand for him to shake. He swore he could feel real sparks flying when their hands met.

 

Sirius took that moment to take him in. He’d known Remus was gorgeous, but he was breathtaking up close. There was a scar running down the length of his face. His eyes were a deep brown, like chocolate. His hair was slightly messy, but still well-kept. It was light brown, a color similar to the beige sweaters he seemed so fond of wearing. Even after all his ogling, Sirius had never realized that Remus had an eyebrow piercing. He liked it. Maybe a little more than he should’ve.

 

“You have a bookstore.” Sirius blurted out. He regretted it the second he realized he'd said it. 

 

Remus looked at him, clearly amused, and cocked a brow, “And you’re always in it.”

Sirius felt a blush creep up his neck and silently prayed that Remus wouldn’t notice it. As he opened his mouth to respond, James interrupted.

 

“Alright,” he clapped his hands together, much like Sirius had done earlier that day. When James spoke, Remus startled like he had forgotten he was there. Sirius would be lying if he said it didn’t send a thrill through him. 

 

“I’m gonna make sure pumpkin decorating is going smoothly. You two have fun .” He added, throwing a wink at Sirius.

Sirius rolled his eyes fondly, “Yeah, yeah. Have fun.” 

 

He met Remus’ eyes again and broke into a grin. “Cider?” 

 

Remus smirked, “I’m more of a hot chocolate person.”

They ended up getting both, naturally. They got along better than he expected. They talked about their jobs, and about Sirius’ tattoos. They talked about their favorite seasons (and argued whether fall or spring was better), and about Remus’ love for dark chocolate. Sirius even ended up talking about his brother, and about the fact that they had only started talking again a couple of years ago. He didn’t tell Remus why, and Remus didn’t ask. He just listened thoughtfully, humming in all the right places. 

 

They eventually sat down (in the seats James had so graciously saved for them) and started doing what they were actually supposed to be, which was carving pumpkins. 

 

He went to go check on Regulus, who immediately told him to fuck off. He was still sitting next to Dorcas, but they were no longer talking. Just sitting next to each other in silence and carving pumpkins like their lives depended on it. Sirius suspected there was a competitive aspect there for both of them. 

 

He also suspected that he was correct in his earlier assessment of Regulus being James’ type. James was constantly stealing glances at him, or pretending to need tools that were next to Regulus as an excuse to be closer to him. Sirius found his pining equal parts disgusting and endearing. In all honesty, he didn’t have a problem with the pairing. He knew that James would treat Regulus better than anyone, and he knew that Regulus would have no problem bringing down James’ massive ego. Match made in heaven, honestly.

 

He plopped down next to Remus with a sigh. Their knees were touching, but neither of them tried to move. 

 

Sirius gestured to the pumpkin that Remus was working on, “What’s it gonna be?”

Remus turned to Sirius and grinned. Sirius wanted to eat it, “A werewolf.”

A disgruntled noise fell from his lips, “Don’t tell me you’re team Jacob.” 

 

Remus looked genuinely offended at the statement, “You’re team Edward?”

“Yes!” Sirius exclaimed, flailing his hands around.

 

“Edward is creepy! He’s like, a hundred years older than Bella and watches her sleep.”

 

“Eighty Seven years, actually.” He stated matter of factly, “And it doesn’t matter if he’s creepy. He literally sparkles, Remus.”

Remus rolled his eyes, but Sirius didn’t miss the way his face softened when he’d used his name. “You’re ridiculous.”
He turned his nose up and scoffed, “Fine. Make your werewolf and I’ll make my pumpkin a vampire and we’ll see who wins.”

 

Apparently, turning a pumpkin into a vampire was a lot more difficult than Sirius had anticipated.

In the end, it hadn’t mattered that his pumpkin looked deformed. Because neither he nor Remus won. 

 

Instead, Regulus won. Sirius thought it was a bit biased, because James was the one judging it. He put his own pumpkin in second (which just had googly eyes glued on it) and Dorcas’ in third. He thought that Dorcas’ should’ve been in first.

 

Remus walked him to the car park. 

 

“This was fun.” Sirius said, leaning against his car. 

 

“It was.” Remus agreed softly, tentatively. He closed his eyes, as if he didn’t want to let the moment go. 

 

Sirius gave him a small smile as he opened the door to his car, “Bye, Remus.”

Remus returned his smile, “Bye, Sirius.”

 

He got in his car and let out a noise that was almost a squeal. He hadn’t known that Regulus was already in the car. 

 

Sirius looked over at him and grinned, opening his mouth to tell him something. He hadn’t known exactly what it was, but he had no doubt it would be about Remus. 

 

As if he sensed this, Regulus held up a hand, “Nope. Don’t wanna hear it. Just drive.”

Sirius did exactly as he said, far too happy to fight back. He opened his window, letting the cool  autumn air fill his lungs. He even let Regulus play his music on the way back. That’s how happy he was. 

 

Key word, was . Because he came to a horrifying realization halfway through the drive home.

 

He hadn’t gotten Remus's number. 

 

 

Notes:

JAMES WOULD SO DROP HIS HOT CHOCOLATE AFTER SEEING REGULUS.

Also Sirius usually being able to flirt with anybody and everybody but getting nervous around Remus>>>

And yes he is a dumbass and forgot to ask for his number, and now he's going to go complain about it as dramatically as he possibly can.

I wrote the word pumpkin so much in this chapter that it doesn't even look like a real word anymore.

As always, thank you so so much for reading and all comments are appreciated!!

Chapter 3

Notes:

Hi guys! I'm so so sorry for the late update. School just started and I've been insanely busy recently. I promise updates will be coming out weekly (or close to) from now on!!

With that out of the way, I absolutely adore this chapter.

And, yes, I have to make Wolfstar get together at the first opportunity I can because they're my babies and they're adorable (I know they're still not technically together, but just look at them).

Anyways, Thank you guys so so much for reading! All comments and interactions are appreciated.

Also, this fic is going to be much shorter than I orignially anticipated, purely because I want to keep it sweet and not bore you guys. (I also may or may not have another much more angsty fic idea brewing).

As per usual, I love you guys and happy reading!! <3

CW for this chapter: None!

Regulus

 

“I can’t believe I never got his number.” 

 

Regulus sighed. His brother had been sprawled across his bed bitching about not getting Remus’s number for the past half an hour. Honestly, who spends an entire day with someone they’re interested in and doesn’t ask for their number after?

 

“You literally know where he works. Just go in there and ask him.” 

 

Sirius flailed his arms around, “But what if he thinks that’s weird?”

 “Sirius. You spent the entire day together. You guys were holding hands. ”

 

Regulus had thought that since his brother had finally talked to him, his little crush would’ve gone away. 

 

He should’ve known. Dramatics had always followed Sirius around like the plague. Unfortunately, he was good at bringing Sirius into them. 

 

“Fine,” Sirius started, eyes lighting up, “but you have to come with me.” 

 

Regulus let out an annoyed sigh. He didn’t want to go anywhere with Sirius. Not after the last time he’d let Sirius convince him had ended up with him having to spend a terrible few hours with James Potter. 

 

In some distant part of his brain, Regulus knew that he had no reason to dislike James. In fact, James was a very likeable person. He was basically a golden retriever in human form, and it was reflected in every aspect of him. His unruly curls and perfect smile. The way he seemed to live to please, and the way he seemed to care so much about everything and everyone around him. 

 

He was so good that it made Regulus upset. He felt like he didn’t deserve to be in James’s orbit. It was a foreign feeling to him, seeing as he had learned to be very confident in himself and his worth. He had to be.

 

Apparently sensing his distaste for his brother’s offer, Sirius spoke up. 

 

“I’ll buy you any book you want.” 

 

That caught Regulus’s attention. It wasn’t as though he couldn’t afford to buy his own, but spending his brother’s money just felt so much better. Plus, he was in need of something new to read. 

 

Never one to be won over easily, Regulus smirked at his brother, “Coffee too.” 

 

Sirius grinned and shook his hand, as if finalizing a business deal, “Done.” 

 

That’s how Regulus found himself in the car with a comically distressed Sirius. He was really starting to question his life choices. 

 

“What if it’s awkward? What if he just wanted, like, a one night stand?” 

 

Regulus let out a low whistle. “Didn’t know you still had it like that, Sirius.”

 

Sirius groaned and banged his head against the steering wheel with a low thump .  Regulus could see the flush that crept up his neck, as if he was flustered by just the idea.

 

His brother really was hopeless. 

 

“I didn’t mean it like that.” Sirius said, and it was muffled from where he was still hiding his head behind his hands. 

 

Regulus hummed thoughtfully, “Good. I wouldn’t imagine Potter would want the kids seeing that.”

 

Sirius let out a breathless little laugh. Even though Regulus rolled his eyes, he was secretly glad that he could still make his brother laugh. Not that he would ever admit that, though. 

 

“Is my outfit okay?” His brother stressed. Regulus leaned back and looked him up and down, pretending to scrutinize it. He was wearing bell bottom jeans, a large belt, and a leather jacket. He had paired it with his doc martens, as always. 

 

“Yes. Now come on before it starts raining.” 

 

Sirius exhaled loudly before opening the car door, and Regulus did the same on his side. 

 

The cold air hit him suddenly as he stepped outside. It was a chillier day, and he swore he could smell the rain in the air. Not that he minded, though. He had always enjoyed the cold. 

 

They walked towards the store, leaves crunching under their feet. Nobody had swept the sidewalk yet, and it was covered by a beautiful array of red and orange leaves. He couldn’t help but think that the colors would be perfect to highlight in his next shoot. They seemed symbolic of something, though he couldn’t quite figure out what. 

 

They rounded the corner, and Sirius came to an immediate stop outside of what he assumed was the bookstore. 

 

It was slightly larger than he expected, and the outside was made out of dark wood. There were a couple of windows in the front, and the store didn’t look busy at all. In fact, he could only make out one person other than Remus in the store. He supposed that wasn’t too shocking. It was a Monday, after all. 

 

Looking in the store through a window, he accidentally made eye contact with Remus, who was leaning against the checkout counter. He opted not to tell his brother that he was aware of their presence, grabbing his arm and dragging him through the front door.

 

Remus 

 

He didn’t even bother trying to make himself look busy. He was too busy staring in shock, because Sirius had come back.

 

Okay, maybe he was being dragged back. Like, quite literally dragged. 

 

But that didn’t matter, because he had come back. 

 

Remus purposefully hadn’t given him his number. Sirius hadn’t asked, so he assumed that was that. 

 

He assumed that after they had spent the day together, (which might’ve been the best day of Remus’s life), Sirius had decided that Remus wasn’t as interesting or attractive as he’d originally thought. That maybe talking to Remus had changed Sirius’s perspective of him. Maybe he was just someone that Sirius wanted to see from a distance, and that was why he was constantly in his store. Looking but never talking. 

 

Remus was okay with that. He had a sickening feeling that he would give Sirius anything he wanted, even if it meant ripping his own heart out and serving it to him on a silver platter.

 

Now, he doubted that would be necessary.

Because Sirius was standing in front of him, twinkling blue eyes looking into his mundane brown ones. 

 

“Hi,” Sirius breathed out. They were standing close enough that Remus could smell him. He smelt slightly of smoke, but mostly like sweet cologne mixed with rain. Remus wanted to devour him whole. 

 

“Hello,” Remus let out, definitely sounding just as breathless.

 

Sirius just blinked up at him, as if he couldn’t believe that he was real. Remus would be lying if he said it didn’t stir up a warm feeling deep in his chest. 

 

“You’re back,” Remus offered, and it was mostly because he desperately needed Sirius to stop looking at him like that. It was intoxicating. 

 

“I am.” 

 

“I didn’t think you would come back,” Remus admitted. He could feel the flush creeping up his cheeks, and he had to consciously stop himself from wincing at how vulnerable the statement sounded.

 

Sirius didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he was practically beaming with a mixture of pride, admiration, and something else Remus didn’t want to put a name to. 

 

“‘Course I came back. I’m not a very easy person to get rid of.” 

 

Remus smiled softly as he felt his heart swell in his chest. Sure, he’d gotten good at letting people go over the years. Friends, lovers, even his own parents. But this felt different. Even though he’d barely met Sirius a week ago, he felt like his soul had known his forever. Like as soon as he entered a room, nobody else even crossed his mind. Like there was an invisible string pulling them together. Remus was damned if he was foolish enough to let go of someone who made him feel that much. 

 

Remus couldn’t just say that, though. 

 

“So you’re like a pest?” Were the words that came tumbling out of his mouth instead. He almost regretted them immediately. Almost. 

 

Sirius choked out a laugh, a look of pure disbelief on his face. As if he couldn’t believe his response. 

 

He turned on his heel, a flash of mischief visible in his blue eyes. “Y’know what? I regret my decision. Have a good da-” 

 

He was cut off by Remus grabbing onto his wrist far too tightly and practically yanking him back.

 

“No!” He heard himself yell, far too loudly. 

 

Sirius turned around slowly, eyes drifting to the place their hands were connected. 

 

Remus felt redness creep up his face, but he couldn’t bring himself to let go. He didn’t want to let go. 

Sirius’s wrist was warm in his hand, and he swore he felt sparks crawl up his arm, starting at the place where their skin touched. 

 

Sirius promptly broke into a fit of laughter. He doubled over with the force of it, disconnecting his hand from Remus’s. He froze for a moment, basking in the sound. It sounded like the rain. Soft but strong. Just like the rain, it brought a feeling of calm over Remus. He thought that it might’ve been the most beautiful sound he’d ever heard, and he wanted to bottle it up and keep it forever.

 

Remus couldn’t help it. He began laughing as well, tears forming in the corner of his eyes from how hard he was laughing. Nothing had ever felt as right as being in that moment. As being around Sirius. 

 

After they had calmed down, they had decided to go to lunch. There were no customers in the store, so Remus just deemed it closed until he got back.

 

They had decided on taking Sirius’s car as it had started to rain relatively hard, and Remus had walked to work today.

 

Naturally, Sirius had doted on Regulus for a full ten minutes before they left. Asking him if he had a ride, if he would be okay getting home in the rain. Regulus insisted that he was fine, and a grown man, and was more than capable of going home by himself. Remus had practically needed to drag Sirius away. 

 

Despite Regulus’s previous protests, Sirius had still decided to call his friend- James?- to pick Regulus up. 

 

Regulus 

 

The store was quiet, save for the sound of the rain against the windows.

 

Regulus was thumbing through the small selection of records towards the back of the store. He had already picked out two. One of them was, naturally, Lover by Taylor Swift. He had all of the other records of her albums. He hadn’t been able to find it anywhere online, and if he had to spend a few extra bucks to buy it in a store, then so be it. 

 

He sighed. If he was going to be stranded, at least he was stranded in a bookstore, he supposed. 

 

He wandered through the bookshelves, occasionally reading the back covers or flipping to a random page of the books he found interesting. It felt slightly freeing, reading about so many different lives at once. It almost made up for his own slightly miserable one. 

 

Not that he was necessarily miserable. He’d just always felt like there was something missing from his life. At first, he’d thought that he just needed to get out of his house and away from his parents. 

After that, he’d thought that he just needed to get back on his feet. Then, after he got back on his feet, he’d thought that he just needed his photography career to take off. 

 

It was a never ending cycle, really. Always searching for more. Always wanting for something that was slightly out of grasp, thinking it would fulfill him. 

 

His friends helped. They made him feel a little less alone, like he had other people who shared his pain. Photography helped, too. It gave him a purpose and something to be good at.

 

Reconnecting with Sirius had helped as well. It felt nice to have his brother back, and it made him feel less guilty for staying. 

 

He felt like he was slowly collecting all of the pieces of the puzzle of being okay, but there was always one that he could never name and was out of his reach.

 

Regulus had never liked puzzles.

 

“Regulus?”

Regulus jumped. Honest to God jumped when he heard someone say his name. He was acutely aware that whoever it was was definitely not Sirius, and was also standing far too close to him. He could feel the tingle of their breath near his neck.

 

He squeezed his eyes shut and prayed to whatever divine entity was listening that it wasn’t a serial killer of some sort. He was far too young and pretty to die. 

 

He spent a few seconds fighting off the urge to run away before he turned around. Whoever it was had to have known Remus or Sirius, because they would have to have a key to get in.

 

Because the universe seemed to hate him, none other than James Potter was standing in front of him. He would’ve preferred the serial killer, honestly. Both options would likely end in his death, anyways.

 

Regulus let out what he had intended to be a bored sigh, but came out more relieved than anything. He tried to step further back in attempt to put some space between them, but his back collided with the bookshelf. 

 

James was still far too close, and his presence was intoxicating. It was more annoying than anything. He was far too good of a person for Regulus, and Regulus wasn’t sure what made James think otherwise.

 

Not that Regulus thinks he’s an inherently bad person. He’s just not made for people like James. He’s made for his town, that’s full of pretentious businesses and asshole people, all pretending to be something they’re not. He’s made for his friends, who are the only grounding thing in his life. He’s made for late night cigarettes, for going home with strangers after the bar and sneaking out of their beds in the morning. And he’s okay with that, because that’s just who he is. 

 

He didn’t think he was worth any less than James. He was just a different kind of person, and he wasn’t sure what made James believe that they could ever mix.

 

“What’re you reading?” James asked cautiously, clearly trying to defuse the tension. His brown eyes searched Regulus’s face, as if he was trying to see through him. 

 

Regulus became acutely aware of the book he’d been holding. He hadn’t really been reading it, anyways.

 

Forcing an indifferent expression, he replied in the most even tone he could. “What are you doing here, Potter?”

James was still watching his every movement. For a moment, Regulus was scared that he would see right through the cold exterior he was feigning. He had never had to fake it before. It usually came easily to him. Regulus was concerned about how affected he was by James’s mere presence. 

 

Apparently, James couldn’t see through it, because he just looked utterly confused.

 

“Sirius didn’t tell you?”

 

Now, it was Regulus’s turn to be confused. What did his brother possibly have had to do with this unfortunate encounter?

 

“Tell me what?” 

 

He would be lying if he said that he didn’t feel a little smug regarding the flush that was painting James’s tan skin. 

 

“He asked me to come pick you up. Said he was going out with Remus and didn’t want you to have to wait for him or walk home in the rain.” James shrugged as he said it, as if being asked to pick Regulus up wasn’t an inconvenience in the slightest.

 

He blinked at James. Of course his brother had enlisted James to give him a ride. He wasn’t sure what part of him being a grown man and therefore able to take care of himself that Sirius didn’t understand, but he couldn't find it in himself to be upset at him. He knew he was just trying to make up for lost time. 

 

Plus, Regulus really should be getting home regardless. They ran out of light early in the fall, and he still had to take a few photos today if he wanted to get back home on time. He was aiming to get photos of the rain. He wanted to convey the melancholia he felt being back here, and how he felt as though his hometown was built off of bad memories, they were slowly being cleansed and replaced by better ones. Even if nobody else would know the deeper meaning, they would still be nice pictures.

 

So, he shrugged. “Okay,” He said, mustering as much indifference in his voice as he could. He turned back around, carefully placing the book back on the shelf and making his way out of the shop. He made sure he grabbed his records on the way out. 

 

If James was put off by his lack of thanks, he didn’t show it. He just followed him dutifully out of the store, locking the door behind them as they stepped outside.

 

It was still raining just as hard, if not harder, then earlier. Regulus instinctively tucked his records underneath the hem of his sweater, trying his best not to get them wet. James fixed him with an amused look and opened his mouth to say something, but clearly thought better of if after the death glare Regulus gave him. 

 

He silently followed James to his car. He could tell the lack of conversation was making James squirm, and a part of him was relishing it.

 

James unlocked his car, and Regulus huffed out an unbelieving laugh. Of fucking course he drove a truck, and of course it was red. It wasn’t an unpleasant red, not too bright and not too dark. Regulus didn’t hate it as much as he would’ve expected.

 

James turned to look at him, twisting his face in confusion.

“What?”

 

Regulus waved a dismissive hand. “Nothing. Your truck is just so… you.” 

 

James looked equal parts delighted and amused. “You barely even know me.”

 

Regulus scoffed. “You’re not a very difficult person to figure out, Potter.” 

 

Something passed behind James’s eyes. It was quick, fleeting. It couldn’t have been there for over a second or two, but Regulus saw. He stood there, blatantly staring. Calculating. Trying to read James’s face, just like James had done to his own not even fifteen minutes ago. He felt a wave of anxiety wash over him, scared that he’d misread or offended him. More than anything, he was scared that James Potter was more than just a pretty face and a sunny disposition. It would make him too real, and Regulus wasn’t sure he could the feelings that would come with knowing him.

 

The feeling went as quickly as it had come, though. James threw him a goofy smile, face devoid of whatever emotion Regulus had thought he’d seen. He felt his shoulders drop in relief. 

 

“Shit,” he cursed, the realization hitting him that they were still standing in the pouring rain, “my hair.” 

 

He was sure his curls were drenched and frizzy, all traces of the products he’d meticulously styled them with this morning gone.

 

Regulus went to open his door, but James beat him to it. He all but sprinted in attempt to open it before Regulus did it himself. James barked out a laugh, hand on the door handle. Their pinkies were touching, just barely. Regulus felt his whole body warm at the slight touch. He decided to blame it on James’s body heat. 

 

Regulus pulled his hand back immediately, desperate to get away from the sensation. 

 

“What’s wrong with you?” Regulus all but yelled. He was almost upset with James for extending their time in the rain. 

 

Key word, almost. Because when Regulus looked up, James was still wearing that goofy grin. He looked absolutely wrecked by the rain, hair plastered to his forehead and shirt to his skin. Regulus’s eyes betrayed him for a moment, taking in the way his muscles strained against the thin material of his shirt. His brown eyes shone with amusement behind their golden frames, looking at Regulus with a fondness that he had absolutely no reason for.

 

Regulus couldn’t find it in himself to be mad at him when he was looking at him like that. Even less so when he threw him a wink as he opened the door. 

 

“I’m being a gentleman,” He stated, gesturing dramatically as he pulled the door fully open. 

 

Regulus rolled his eyes and silently prayed that James couldn’t see the flush creeping up his cheeks as he got in the car. 

 

James shut the door behind him, and Regulus could finally breathe properly. 

 

He was still cold, his clothes thoroughly soaked, but it was pleasantly warm inside. He pulled his record out from where he had been hiding it, placing it on his lap as he took in the interior of the car. It wasn’t anything too special. It looked rather old, actually. But there was an air freshener that smelt of fresh pine as well as a plastic pumpkin sitting on the dashboard, and Regulus found himself sinking further into the car seat.

 

James got in and turned the engine on after fumbling around for his keys. He turned around as he backed out of the small parking spot, one hand on the wheel and one hand on the back of Regulus’s headrest. 

Regulus froze. James’s forearm was far too close to his face, and it took everything in Regulus not to just move his face a couple inches and bite it due to how infuriating James was.

 

James must’ve read this as Regulus being uncomfortable, because he immediately pulled his arm back and mumbled a sheepish “Sorry.” 

 

“‘S okay,” Regulus gestured dismissively, aiming for nonchalant. 

 

James flashed him a blinding smile in return, unlocking his phone with one hand and handing it to Regulus. Regulus raised an eyebrow. 

 

“Is this your way of asking for my number, Potter?” 

 

James whipped his head around to look at him, gawking. Regulus fought back a smirk as James forced himself to keep his eyes on the road. 

 

“No!” James sputtered, gesturing wildly with the hand that wasn’t on the wheel, “I was just going to suggest that you put some music on.” 

 

Regulus hummed thoughtfully as he navigated to the Spotify app on his phone. He was surprised that James trusted him with his unlocked phone. He probably shouldn’t have been. He was pretty sure James would trust a rock if he got good vibes from it.

 

He thought for a moment about what type of music was appropriate before deciding on what he declared to be a safe song. 

 

‘Cause when the lovin’ starts and the lights go down

 

There’s not another living soul around 

 

Regulus peaked out of the corner of his eye, trying to study James’s reaction. His eyes were still focused on the road, but there was the ghost of a smile on his face and he was tapping his fingers against the steering wheel along with the beat. It elicited a matching smile out of Regulus.

 

“So,” James started, fingers never ceasing in their rhythm along the steering wheel, “I have a trash pickup down in the forest organized for later.” 

 

You woo me until the sun comes up

 

And you say that you love me

 

Regulus furrowed his brows, confused as to what this had to do with him, “Okay?”

 

James let out a soft chuckle that Regulus definitely did not find at all endearing. 

 

“I was wondering if you wanted to tag along to get pictures. You know, so you don’t have to walk in the rain. We could stop by your place so you could get your camera,” James explained. 

 

Regulus paused for a second, considering his offer. Even he himself was surprised that he didn’t decline immediately. 

 

Baby, baby, hope you’re gonna stay away

 

‘Cause I’m getting weaker, weaker every day 

 

“Okay,” He agreed carefully, and James looked equal parts delighted and shocked. His fingers tapped against the steering wheel with a little more enthusiasm. 

That’s how Regulus found himself crouched by the creek, sandwiched between Dorcas and Marlene. 

 

“Marls, what part of trash clean up do you not understand?” James came up to them, and Regulus instinctively angled his camera up to focus on his face. He wasn’t going to take a picture of James , obviously. Just wanted to test the angle out.  

 

Marlene pouted next to him, “You’re not making Cas do anything!” 

 

“That’s because Regulus needs moral support.” 

 

Regulus narrowed his eyes at him, although it probably didn’t look nearly as threatening as he wanted it to from his place on the floor. 

 

“I do not need moral support. This is literally my job.” 

 

Regulus actually wouldn’t have minded some moral support, especially from Dorcas. He had taken quite a liking to her after they’d met at the pumpkin carving contest. She could be witty and sarcastic, but she was a warm and kind soul deep down. Her and Regulus had a similar sense of humor and matching competitive streaks. Not to mention, she was drop dead gorgeous. If Regulus was into girls, he would’ve picked her without a doubt. He supposed he couldn’t blame Marlene. 

 

James looked down at him then, and Regulus shivered because he saw something that looked far too close to desire written on his face. 

 

“Don’t be bitter, Reggie. We all know you wish it was me keeping you company.” James retorted, shooting him a wink. 

 

Dorcas wrinkled up her nose beside him and made a fake gagging sound, “Ew. You really need to work on your flirting skills, James.” 

 

Regulus rolled his eyes at the exchange, ignoring the giddy butterflies that had taken place inside his stomach. 

 

If James was at all offended, he didn’t show it. “I’m better at showing than telling,” he said, shrugging. 

 

Regulus willed the thoughts of what James would show out of his head. He couldn’t afford to consider them. He was sure that James’s flirting wasn’t really flirting at all, and was just who he was as a person. Even if it was more than that, nothing could come out of it. Regulus was leaving in a few weeks, and he would finally go back to his normal life. 

 

Marlene, apparently, was enjoying the visuals much less. 

 

“That’s nasty, James,” She exclaimed, closing her eyes and shaking her head as if that could erase his words from her brain. All she succeeded in was falling on her butt, landing colliding with the wet ground with a loud thud and a groan. 

 

All three of them broke out laughing, Regulus included. He chanced a glance at James, who was laughing freely, head thrown back and eyes twinkling. 

 

Regulus hastily grabbed his camera from where it was hung around his neck and snapped a picture of James in the same position he had angled his camera in earlier. 

 

It should’ve been embarrassing how quickly he pulled the camera up to his face to examine the photo, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to care. 

 

Because James was beautiful. 

 

His head was thrown back slightly, making him slightly off center in the photo. His tan skin glistened with the rain drops that coated it lightly. The sun had just come out, and it was shining through the trees and hitting James in a way that made his eyes look more golden than brown. 

 

Most beautiful of all, he looked so carefree. A perfect grin plastered on his face, shoulders devoid of all tension. He looked as though he genuinely enjoyed life and all it had to offer. 

 

It was a beautiful shot, through and through. James was the perfect model, the perfect muse. Sunshine reincarnated as a person.

 

Part of Regulus hated just how much he was entranced by it. By him. 

Notes:

Wolfstar my babies I love them so much.

And yes, everything I do has to have a Taylor Swift reference between I love them.

TELL ME THAT SAY YOU LOVE ME IS NOT SO JAMES AND REGULUS CORE.

The truck that James drives is a f-100 in Cherry Red by the way. Just felt like that was an important detail ;)

Also, I'm sorry for no James or Sirius point of view in this chapter, but I did say it would be more Regulus-centric. He's just such a fun point of view to write from.

The next chapter should be out sometime next week! Enter Lily, Peter, and possibly some others. It should be a fun one.

Thank you guys so so much for reading and commenting (aka motivating me to actually continue this fic)!!

Notes:

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I personally live for tattooed Sirius. And for Regulus finding James annoying at first glance.

This chapter was fully in Regulus' point of view, but we introduce James and Sirius' point of views next chapter.

I apologize if there's any grammatical or spelling mistakes in here :)

Thank you guys so so much for reading, any and all feedback and comments are greatly appreciated! (No seriously please comment they make my day).