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Despite everything, Regulus has to admit they make sense. Barty really said it best when he stated, plain and simple, "No one else would have the tenacity to get to know you." That's the crux of it.
Regulus is impossible. He knows he's impossible. He refuses to cooperate when someone asks him questions. He clams up after one too-pointed observation. He disappears like the wind at the possibility of someone seeing him. Barty bullied his way into Regulus' life at thirteen during Care of Magical Creatures. The Slytherins and the Ravenclaws shared it that year. It took Barty two classes to decide he wanted to adopt Regulus socially. He was integrated into the other boy's friend group and the rest is, as they say, history. But that only worked because of Barty's tenacity, insane personality, and refusal to believe the word 'no' exists.
"He's a lot like me in that way," Barty had noted, pissed out of his mind after a pub night with Evan and James.
"What way is that?" asked Regulus, already bored of the topic.
"He'll do whatever he needs to get what he wants." And isn't that the worst part?
⧖⧗⧖⧗
"Hi sweetheart," James greets softly as he comes up behind Regulus.
He glances over his shoulder before closing the book in his hand and slipping it back on the shelf. "I thought you weren't going to be here until late."
James smiles at him and Regulus is half-sure James is in love with him. It's insane but he can't come up with another good explanation for that bloody expression he makes. "It is late," he states and motions to the pitch black sky outside.
Regulus purses his lips and glares at the window. "Shit," he curses. "I was supposed to do so much more today."
Before he can go to yank at his curls, James catches his hands. "Let's go home," he suggests and gently pulls Regulus' hands from his face.
"Home," Regulus parrots, breathless and exhausted and overwhelmed. Why am I doing this? he wonders and can't come up with an answer. "Let's go home," he agrees.
⧖⧗⧖⧗
Despite James' assertion that he will love Regulus, Regulus has a hard time believing that is what's actually happening right now.
"All right?" James checks as he joins Regulus on the sofa. He has a cup of tea in one hand and a mug of coffee in the other. He passes Regulus his mug and folds a leg under himself. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Regulus feels his brows draw together and James' mirrors it. "Are you upset with me?"
"Are you in love with me?" Regulus blurts at the same time. They stare at each other for a long time after that. Well, long enough for Regulus' entire insides to catch on fire and demand he backpedal. "I mean—I don't know why I… Why would I even–"
James cuts him off, "Yes."
"Right?" Regulus laughs awkwardly, relieved that James—"Wait, did you just say yes?"
James' lips twitch and he leans forward to place both their cups on the coffee table. "Of course I am," he says like it's obvious.
It is not obvious. "Why 'of course'?" wonders Regulus.
James scoots closer to him and takes his hands for the second time that night. "Why are you shocked?"
"Because it's… you don't…" Regulus isn't sure. He doesn't know why he's shocked. It's been six months since the reveal. But only six months since James and Lily broke up. And Regulus was certain James and Lily were soulmates. Because they were so serious. Their relationship has only been over for six months. That's not really long enough, he's pretty sure, to fall in love with someone else.
"You have to tell me what you're thinking, love." James speaks softly and brushes one thumb along his knuckles. He's so gentle. He's always so gentle.
Regulus swallows thickly. "You—It's too soon."
James nods like he expected that answer. "You don't feel that way about me yet," he says like it's simple.
It isn't simple. And it isn't that, either. Regulus says as much. "That's not it."
The other man looks at him passively but he knows it isn't. Regulus isn't sure if he's in love with James but he's definitely on his way if not. Barty was right. James is the only person with enough tenacity to get to know him. At every rebuff James is there with a patient smile and easy acquiescence. He stays light when Regulus backs off. He asks about the books Regulus ordered and the ones he sorted and what he had for lunch and if his feet are cold. He asks what Regulus wants for dinner and if he wants a coffee or a tea afterward. He tells Regulus about his day, about what he and his brother got up to, about the silly things he saw that reminded him of Regulus. He doesn't push. He doesn't do too much or go too far.
"Why do you think our soulmarks are an hourglass?" asks James when Regulus must get lost in his head.
Regulus frowns and glances at his lap, at his wrist. He still covers it. Like a compulsion he can't shake, Regulus spends every morning carefully covering the mark he shares with James. "I don't know," he answers honestly.
"I'm horrible at patience," James confesses, chagrined. His smile is self-deprecating as he continues, "I decided Lily must have been my soulmate because she was the first girl I saw on the train that I thought was pretty. After we figured out our marks don't match, I wanted to look for you instantly. I didn't, obviously, but I wanted to. And, of course, Lily found her soulmate first. At every turn, I was forced to be patient, to wait for you."
Regulus doesn't understand what he's trying to say. "I don't know what point you're making." Before giving James the opportunity to answer, he hurries, "Sirius and Remus' is a moon. It's not exactly… a lesson they had to learn."
The other man hums thoughtfully and takes a sip of his tea. It's chamomile. Regulus hates chamomile. He keeps it in the cupboard. "The moon is representative of a lesson they had to learn," he says mysteriously.
Regulus wants to push, wants to get them off track and drive them far away from Regulus' asinine question and James' asinine answer. "I've had to wait my entire life," Regulus says instead. James gazes at him, eyes soft and mouth soft and fingers soft. "I—That isn't a lesson I had to learn."
"Patience," James says quietly.
"Isn't that the same thing?" Regulus retorts in a huff.
His soulmate smiles and brushes over his knuckles again. "No."
⧖⧗⧖⧗
They still haven't kissed. "You what?" Barty demands, shrill and horrified. He's so upset about it he chokes on his beer. Then, after he's coughed it up, he repeats, "You haven't kissed!?"
Regulus shrugs and looks away awkwardly. James has gone up to grab another round at the bar and Barty made a crass joke about how little Regulus is drinking. Something about needing to be sober enough to get his dick wet. So Regulus had said–"We haven't kissed and I shouldn't have to tell you twice!" he hisses it and kicks Barty under the table. "I don't even know why–"
"Here we are." James' voice causes Regulus to practically launch back into his seat. The other man eyes him suspiciously before passing out the drinks to the rest of the table… Barty and Evan, that is. "All right?" he asks as he slides back into the booth, arm draped behind Regulus like it doesn't make him unreasonably sexy.
The thing of it is… Regulus wants to kiss James. He just doesn't know how. They're stuck in this strange limbo—Regulus knows James is in love with him, James makes no effort to hide it; Regulus is pretty sure he's in love with James, James has no bloody idea. He doesn't know how to get out of it either. He wants to kiss James. But what does one say to one's soulmate? Hey, kiss me please? As if.
"Brill," Regulus replies and it's meant to be biting, sarcastic at worst, but it's a bit breathless and James smiles so now he's even more breathless.
"Good." The look they exchange feels heavy, pressing down on Regulus' windpipe and making his breath more like gasps. The moment passes and James looks back at Barty. "Is Pandora planning a party for Evan?" he asks and Regulus doesn't know how he knows Evan's birthday is coming up.
Barty bobs his head and slurps some of his bright red cocktail through the tiny black stirrers. Ordinarily Regulus would snap those aren't straws, but he's a little distracted tonight. "She is, yeah. We all are, Reg included."
James looks at him with a huge pout. "You didn't mention it to me," he accuses.
Regulus swallows thickly. He answers honestly, "I didn't know you would care."
James exchanges an exasperated look with Barty. "Of course I care. He's one of your best friends."
Regulus purses his lips and is almost entirely sure he's arse over tit in love with James bloody Potter.
⧖⧗⧖⧗
"Hi sweetheart," James greets when Regulus swings open the door to his flat.
The nickname warms him straight to his toes. He takes a deep breath to keep from swooning for no good reason. "Hi," he whispers back.
James' brows jump. "Why are we whispering?" he whispers.
Regulus' heart feels like it's going to leap out of his throat straight into James' hands. It's been eight months. Regulus has known James is his soulmate for eight months. That's not very long, in the grand scheme of Regulus' entire life. But in recent years, it's the longest he's deigned to spend getting to know someone. James is funny. He's kind. Thoughtful. Persistent, too, and even though it's arguably his worst trait, it's also likely the only reason they've made it this far. He loves Regulus' cramped flat. He doesn't push. He waits, accepting and nonjudgemental, ready to embrace whatever Regulus is ready for. Which, admittedly, hasn't been much.
To tell the truth, Regulus is waiting for him to get bored. He's waiting for James to grow tired of Regulus' self-sabotaging, his insistence on taking things slower than anyone with any sense would, his sharp tongue and biting insults. James isn't getting tired. If anything, he's as steady as he was the first morning he declared he would fall in love. James has been patient. No matter how long Regulus waits, James remains patient.
He steps aside and lets James in. The lights are off, only sparse, lit candles allow them to see this late in the evening. James had to work later than he expected and called Regulus rather cut up about it around noon. They had plans for dinner. James was going to make a stir-fry. Regulus was looking forward to and had told James as such a few days ago when he offered. It's why the other man was so upset to have to cancel. Regulus insisted he still comes over after he gets off. Hence one James Potter standing in the entryway.
"What's all this?" asks James hesitantly, undoing his laces and taking off his work boots.
Regulus feels hot. He never does anything like this, never goes out of his way for James—anyone, really. "It's… dinner," he finishes lamely, chickening out at the last second.
James eyes him before his face softens into a gentle smile. "What are we eating?"
With a sudden surge of courage that does not belong to him, Regulus declares, "It's a date."
The other man opens his mouth before closing it. He studies Regulus for a long moment. "I wanted to take you on our first date," he says softly.
Regulus' heart kicks up like he's never had another man show him any interest. "Dinner?" he asks, just as soft.
James grins. "Yeah."
⧖⧗⧖⧗
They didn't kiss that night. They don't kiss for another three weeks, actually, and Regulus is nearly driven mad over it. Every time he sees James, in public or otherwise, it's all he can think about. He wonders what James tastes like, how his lips feel, which lip he prefers. Regulus pictures James' calloused hands cupping his face, his arms around Regulus' waist, maybe one in his curls if he's really lucky. He imagines it happening at Regulus' door before James leaves for the night, or when they're sitting together on the sofa, or when Regulus is watching James cook. It's all he can think about. Even now, even at work.
"Circe, Regulus," Remus complains as he comes up to the counter and finds half of the books still unchecked. "What is your problem today?"
"Does–" He catches him just in time. He cannot stoop so low as to ask his boyfriend's (are they boyfriends if they've only been 'dating' for three weeks?) best friend whether his feelings are genuine. Instead he sighs and plants his hands on his hips. "Sorry," apologises Regulus. "I'm having a hard time concentrating."
Remus studies him for a long time. "Just go home," he declares after a moment of hesitation. "I can finish up."
"That's absurd," Regulus declares and it is. "I'm not doing that."
"Regulus," the other man cuts in sternly, "get out of my bookstore."
He huffs and puffs and grumpily packs his things up in the hopes that Remus will understand how unhappy he is with this. "Technically," he begins sharply, wand ready to Apparate him straight home, "half of it is mine." With that, he's gone.
⧖⧗⧖⧗
At the frantic knocking, Regulus swings his door open and expects to find someone there to announce his brother's death or disappearance. Instead, it's James with furrowed brows and a pinched mouth. "You're alright," he notes in relief.
"Why wouldn't I be?" asks Regulus curiously. He steps aside to let James in.
"Remus told me you left work early."
"Oh, no," he groans. "You didn't go there looking for me, did you?"
James' lips twitch despite his anxious demeanour. "Of course I did, love. I've been there almost every night this week."
The other man doesn't seem to notice his slip but by Merlin, Regulus does. "James," Regulus exhales and reaches for him. He grabs the front of James' robes and is vaguely aware he must look a sight, desperate and shameful. "Kiss me," he begs.
James' hands fall to his waist where he squeezes gently. "Are you sure?" he whispers.
"Please," Regulus begs again. "Please, don't make me ask again."
"I've got you," James promises and leans in.
The kiss isn't perfect on their first try but Regulus doubts anyone's is. When they go in for their second (after laughing about knocking their teeth gently together), things improve substantially. And quickly. Turns out James is a fast learner and Regulus is a natural. His soulmate's arms wind around him and tug him as close as they can get. Regulus has thrown his own around James' neck, one hand buried in the other man's curls which he tugs slightly every so often. It elicits a quiet gasp and Regulus is instantly addicted to it. James uses the first one as an opportunity to explore his mouth. He tastes like a breath freshening charm and something sweet—treacle or raspberry or something. It steals the air out of Regulus' lungs.
When they finally part, James smiles down at him. "What was that for?" he asks curiously.
"I've wanted to do that for a while now," confesses Regulus. "I didn't… I was waiting for you to make the first move."
"I don't know what you want or when you're ready for something, sweetheart," James says and brings his hands up to cup Regulus' face. "You'll have to tell me."
Regulus nods and renews a promise to himself that he's really going to try. He's not going to give up, he's not going ruin it without at least trying first. When James moves to take a step back, Regulus grips one of his wrists tightly. "Stay?" he begs.
James leans in for another, brief and tender kiss. He promises, "Always."