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resident-gay-bitch · 11 months

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"You're going to be okay, Reggie." Sirius said, combing his fingers through Regulus's hair.

"How do you know that?"

"Because I am." Sirius said simply, "I'm okay, so you will be too."

"We're not the same... not anymore."

"We never were." Sirius said, "You and I- we... we were never the same. You just admired me a lot, and stole my clothes."

"Yes, well..." Regulus cleared his throat, "I much preferred your trousers over my bloody dresses."

"Shame I don't fit into your old clothes anymore." Sirius smiled at Regulus through their reflection, "We could have swapped wardrobes. You did have some lovely dresses... do you remember that black velvet one mother made you wear to Cissa's engagement party?"

"Yes." Regulus frowned, "Vividly."

"Yes, you looked quite shit." Sirius said with a teasing grin, "I would have looked much better in it."

Regulus rolled his eyes, "You know what? As much as I hate to admit it, you're right."

"Thank you." Sirius said proudly, "I'm taking all that I can get with you, Reggie- Is that still what you'd like to be called?"

"Yes." Regulus nodded his head and let Sirius dab a wet cloth under his nose some more, "I like my name... it's the one good thing father has given me."

Sirius huffed, "I can gladly say the same."

"Ouch." Regulus winced as Sirius' bony finger bumped his tender nose, "Careful, wanker."

"Oh, he rebels more!" Sirius declares, "First you become one of those people, and now you call me unsavory names? Grandfather would be rolling in his grave."

"Good." Regulus nodded, "I hated that wanker."

Sirius laughed, "Didn't we all?"

Regulus smiles.

"So." Sirius nodded, standing behind Regulus now, her hands on his shoulders, "What would you like?"

"Not too short." Regulus nodded, lifting his hand to show the shape, "I want length on the top, but no longer than my ear, I'd say... and have it fade up from the bottom- but don't do that stupid shit where it's so short you can see skin through it. I still have class."

"Obviously." Sirius nodded and ran his fingers through Regulus's hair again, "We've swapped."

"Yes, we have..." Regulus nodded, "And thankfully. You look dumb with short hair."

Sirius tapped him on the top of the head to scold him, "You're far too mean to me, you know? I am about to take a pair of scissors to your hair, you might want to be more polite."

"Sorry." Regulus said, not sounding sorry at all, "You look inadequate with short hair, oh, dear sibling."

Sirius glared at his reflection before reaching for the scissors, "You're lucky you're my little brother, you know... I have this moral obligation to never severely hurt you, no matter how fucking annoying you are."

Regulus grinned, "Yes, I know... I like to take advantage of it."

Sirius shook her head and opened and closed the scissors a few times, "I thought maybe finding comfort in you're identity would fix your sour attitude, but I'm starting to think you're just a cunt."

"Oh, Sirius..." Regulus gasped, "You kiss you're mother with that mouth?"

"Ha!" Sirius laughed, "How dare you insinuate I even care for the woman."

"I live to piss you off, sibling." Regulus said simply.

"Clearly." Sirius huffed and grabbed the front of Regulus's hair, "Here?"

"A little shorter, I think."

Sirius nodded, "I'll just cut it here, and then once I'm done, I can always make it shorter." They said and pinched his hair between her fingers, "Better to be safe than sorry... and as much as I love pissing you off, I don't want to fuck this up."

Regulus glanced up at Sirius and smiled, "Thank you."

"Don't get all sappy on me, this is unnatural." Sirius grinned and got to work, "Turn the emotions back off... be a bitch!"

Regulus couldn't help but smile more, "You know, this is probably a good time to tell you I'm gay."

"Yes, it would be, wouldn't it?" Sirius sighed, "Well, that's if I cared... we're all a bit fucking gay, aren't we?"

"I suppose..." Regulus hummed, and watched Sirius cut his hair for a while, working in silence. Their usual. It was serene. Sirius' had just about cut off the bulk of it when Regulus decided to speak again, "Well, when you say everyone, do you really mean everyone?"

"Obviously." Sirius shrugged, working on straitening out the cuts, "I mean... sexuality is a vast spectrum, as is gender, and it's all a bit of a mind-fuck, if you ask me... it took me years to understand my fluidity, and to be honest with you, Reggie, I still don't."

Regulus nodded, "I'm definitely a boy... and I definitely like men."

"Good for you." Sirius smiled, "It feels good to figure it out, doesn't it?"

Regulus hummed.

"If it ever changes, don't freak out... it happens. I used to think I was bi... then I was gay, then I was pan, and then I was gay again, and now I'm just... queer, because I simply can't be fucked trying to label it, and it feels good. I like who I like, and I fuck who I wan't..." She shrugged, "And who I wan't is Remus, so that's about it."

"You fuck him?" Regulus gasped.

"As if I don't!" Sirius laughed, "He's the very definition of all things beautiful... plus, you haven't seen them in a skirt. Pure sex, Regulus."

"I don't want to know about that." Regulus shook his head.

"You asked!"

"I mean't..." Regulus shrugged and quieted his voice, "You- you're twenty next week."

"Yes." Sirius said and before Regulus could make his next point, Sirius gasped and said, "I'm having a party, if you'd like to come... you know, since we're... family again."

"Sure." Regulus waved it off, "But I'm not getting you a gift."

"You're presence is enough." Sirius laughed, "But your point?"

"Yes." He nodded, "You're twenty... barely, and... you- you have sex?" he whispered the last word.

Sirius looked at his reflection in the mirror, dead pan, "What have they done to you?"

Regulus laughed, "We're not supposed to have sex until marriage!"

"As if I'd abide by that rule, have you met me?" Sirius shook their head and got back to trimming Regulus's hair, "Plus... Remus was just too good to deny... forbidden fruit and all that."

"You disgust me." Regulus said simply.

"That's what I was born to do, dear brother..." Sirius smiled, "That feels strange to say... but I like it. I've always wanted a brother."

"Well, happy birthday, there you go." Regulus smiled, flourishing his hand in the air, "I got you a gift after all."

"Blessed be the day!" Sirius declared over joyously, "But you haven't?"

"No." Regulus shook his head.

"That's okay." Sirius sighed and continued cutting, "I didn't have sex until I was nineteen... Remus had had it before me, with another guy. And, he and I were together for... six or seven months before I felt comfortable doing it, but... that was more so to do with my sexuality than anything else... we'd done other things a little while before that- but we took everything slow."

"Oh." Regulus nodded, "Had you been with anyone before Remus?"

Sirius thought about it for a moment, "I dated Mary McDonald for two weeks at fifteen, and she was my first kiss. But that's it."

"You had your first kiss at fifteen?" Regulus asked.

"Yes..." Sirius nodded, "Have you?"

Regulus nodded, "Only... well, about three weeks ago."

Sirius stilled, looked up to catch Regulus's eye in the reflection, "You only had your first kiss three weeks ago?"

"Yes." Regulus nodded once, "Don't stop, please, it looks good."

"Thank you." Sirius nodded and continued to work, "And that's okay too... I'm just shocked, I suppose... no matter what gender you were presenting as, you've always been quite dashing... take after me, of course. Not quite as gorgeous as I, but-"

"Oh, do shut up." Regulus rolled his eyes, "You're so full of yourself."

"Yes, well," Sirius shrugged, "when you go you're whole life with a family that constantly down play's you're achievements and tells you that you suck, you have to learn how to support yourself."

"I'm sorry." Regulus said past a swallow.

"Don't." Sirius shook their head, "I don't want to hear it. Without all that... drama, I wouldn't be the person I am today... and I happen to love myself very much."

"Well that's good."

"I do hope you love yourself too, Reggie." Sirius leant over to kiss the top of his head, "Life is so dull without self love, and you are wonderful."

"I thought you didn't want me to be sappy?"

"Yes, well..." Sirius shrugged, "I'm your big sibling... It's my job to make sure you're safe."

"It's not-"

"But it is." Sirius said with a simple smile, "And I do enjoy my job very much, so don't try to take it away from me. Besides, I was about to tell you how stupid you look with that chunk of hair sitting on your nose."

"Fuck off." Regulus rolled his eyes and flicked the hair away from his face.

"Gladly." Sirius pet his head with the scissors and continued to work, a new silence lulling over them.

"What about you're friends?" Regulus asked.

"Gosh." Sirius gasped and shook her head, "You're awfully talkative tonight."

"Sorry..." Regulus hung his head low, "Sorry, I'll stop-"

"Don't be stupid." Sirius scolded, "It's just in-ordinary for you... strange. You've always talked so little lately, I'd never been able to memorise what your voice sounded like... but now-"

"I get it." Regulus sighed, "I like having my sibling back... okay?"

Sirius whispered with a happy smile, "Okay."

"So... your friends?" Regulus asked, "Are they all... like you?"

Sirius shrugged, "Remus is... well, he doesn't really have a label for anything now that I think about it. Any time someone asks their gender he just tells them to fuck off, and if they ask his sexuality, he asks if they're trying to fuck them."

Regulus cracked an amused grin.

"Peter... he's bi romantic, which to him means he feels romantic attraction to multiple genders, but he only feels sexual attraction to men." Sirius hummed, "And Lily's lesbian... and, oh, Marl's is pan and polly- Mary's trans fem and I believe bisexual, but I don't know for sure since her transition started... oh, and James is 'unlabled', but he's just trying to be more aloof than I."

Regulus nodded and smiled, "Unlabled... but... does he..."

Sirius shrugged, "He takes whoever he fancies, and usually that's just a pretty person who has zero interest in him, whatsoever... take Lily for example. He was in love with her for years, but she's a lesbian. And he had a crush on Remus a year or two ago, and... well... Remus wanted me- it was no hard feelings. It was quite funny, really, he was just attracted to Remus and had no intentions on getting between them and I... it was a whole thing."

"So he likes... masculine people?"

"Yes, you can say that." Sirius nodded, "Why?"

Regulus turned a little pink.

Sirius kept cutting his hair, so she didn't notice.

"No reason." Regulus swallowed.

Sirius poked their tongue out as he chopped the last bit of hair, then fluffed it all out, "What do you think?"

Regulus swept some back from his eyes and smiled. He looked like himself, "I love it... thank you."

"Glad I could help." Sirius smiled brightly and grabbed a cloth to dust the hair off Regulus's shoulders, "Jame's should be home in a moment- Oh, he and Effie are going to freak out!"

"Oh, should I-" Regulus swallowed, "I thought you said they'd be okay with me living here for a while?"

"Yes." Sirius nodded and swatted Regulus with the towel, "They're all fine with it... I just didn't tell them much, yet... I just said you needed a place to stay for a bit. By the way, you are staying in my old room whilst I bunk with James, so... all my things will still be in there, so don't snoop."

Regulus smiled, "I would rather die than risk touching anything you and Remus have kissed near."

Sirius snickered, "Good luck sleeping on the bed then."

"Oh!" Regulus stood up with a huff and glared at Sirius, "You disgust me, you filthy animal!"

"Hey, that's what James said when he caught Remus and I making out on his bed."

"Oh, bloody hell." Regulus shook his head, "You're impossible."

"You love me." Sirius said with a proud lilt, "Anyway, what's this about you caring so much about James liking men, Reggie?"

"Nothing." Regulus pressed, turning red again.

"Regulus."

"He's pretty, alright!" Regulus almost shouted, "He has nice... eyes, and he's... fit."

Sirius looked at him blankly, "He's fit..? Jesus, Regulus. That's basically a marriage proposal for you, you like my best friend?"

Regulus rolled his eyes, "Were not doing this."

"Oh, yes we are." Sirius said.

"Nope." Regulus shook his head and walked out of the bathroom.

Sirius followed, "Absolutely we are."

"I'd rather die."

"So it's deeper!" Sirius gasped, "How long have you been ogling my best friend?"

"None of you're business."

"It absolutely is!" Sirius pointed a stern finger, following her brother around the place, "You are my brother, and he is my best friend!"

"Build a bridge, Sirius."

"Oh, fuck you, Reggie!" Sirius laughed, "Come on... tell me! Why won't you tell me? I'm just going to keep asking until you tell me!"

Regulus stopped dead in his tracks and turned around to look at Sirius, lent his hip on the kitchen island, "You really wanna know?"

"Yes." Sirius nodded.

"Everything?" He asked again.

Sirius grinned and nodded more, "Oh, absolutely."

"Fine." Regulus folded his arms and turned his chin up, "I've quite liked James for a while now... since you snuck him over for the first time when I was fourteen."

"Four-" Sirius shut themselves up and glared at Regulus, "You've been drooling over my best friend since fourteen?"

"Do you want to know, or not?"

"Yes, sorry." Sirius huffed.

"Well, I really quite like him now, and I think he may like me- which is why I asked if he liked men because... well, because I want to know if it was just because he thought I was a girl."

"Fair enough... go on." Sirius pushed, unsure weather he actually wanted to hear the rest of this because... well, because Jame's didn't like his brother... did he? Surely he would have told Sirius about it.

"And then..." Regulus huffed with a little smile and laugh, "Three weeks ago we bumped into eachother and he took my first kiss."

Sirius stared at him blankly.

"Well, my first... ten, or something." Regulus shrugged, "We made out, is what I'm trying to say."

Sirius still stared.

And luck would have it... the front door swung open and in strode James and Effie.

Sirius still just stood there like a fish out of water.

"Oh, Regulus-" James had started, but stopped with wide eyes when he noticed Regulus.

"Hi, James." Regulus smiled with a slight blush in his cheeks.

"Oh, dear," Effie walked over to him with a big smile, "it's lovely to have you here with us. I'm loving the new cut- girls that can-"

"No, Effie." Sirius managed to snap out of her trance enough to say, "Erm, Regulus is my brother."

"Oh." Effie said and looked back at Regulus, "Well, the hair cut suits you well, dear... highlights these lovely cheekbones- I keep telling Sirius she needs to pin their hair back sometimes to show them off more."

Regulus smiled, his heart feeling a little warmer at her instant acceptance, "Thank you."

"You like pumpkin soup, dear?"

Regulus nodded.

"Wonderful." Effie smiled and headed off to her room to freshen up.

"You're..." James was staring, just like Sirius had been- oh, nope, Sirius still was, "It looks- you look- erm..."

"Thank you, James." Regulus nodded, because he knew what James was trying to say.

"Oh, and congratulations." James quickly said, "For... figuring it out, I guess."

"Thanks." Regulus nodded again.

"Erm... why is Sirius staring at us like she's about to commit murder?"

"Oh, because I told him we made out." Regulus said with a simple shrug.

"Wh-"

"You betrayer!" Sirius shouted, charging at James, "You brother-fucker!"

James screamed and started running for his dear life, "I haven't fucked him yet!"

Sirius stopped dead in his tracks, "You haven't fucked him... yet?"

James swallowed, "Oh, shit."

Sirius was chasing him again, and Regulus found this to be the most amusing moment of his life.

Sirius managed to tackle James to the ground at Regulus's feet, and then they just started... play fighting?

"Do you mean it when you say yet, James?" Regulus asked, peering down at them by his feet.

James, who was pinned down on the ground and looking up at Regulus with Sirius's hands on his face, smiled wide and nodded, "If you'll have me-"

"No!" Sirius screamed, "He's just a boy- it's his first day of boyhood! You can't- Jame's... you're too much for him!"

James' winked up at Regulus and he felt his insides flutter.

Sirius shook James' face in her hands, "James you can't do this! I know you, you filthy creiten- he's pure! He's too pure for you!"

"Well, if you just-" James had started.

"Oh, Sirius..." Regulus said with a simple hum, "Is that not Remus outside?"

Sirius' head darted up and then they were on her feet and running for the door, "Remus?" He stepped outside, and then the door was slammed at his back.

He was trapped outside, with no Remus.

"Anyway." Regulus said, giving the door he just closed a few pats, "Now that they're gone, how about you show me your room, James?"

"Oh, yeah, sounds like a good idea to me." James scrambled to his feet and held out his hand for Regulus, "Wouldn't want to keep a beautiful man like you waiting."

"Thank you." Regulus smiled and nodded and let James lead him away.

"Mum will let you in!" James called out to Sirius, who just banged on the door with a dramatic whine in response.

Maybe Sirius was right... Regulus was going to be okay, after all. He had his sibling back, a house to call a home, and James on his arm... what more could he want?

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xjustakay · 26 days

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✺ (4/5) ✺ @jegulus-microfic prompt: slap — 1,630 words (dad james and librarian regulus - flirting edition; pt.1)

It’s become a habit over the course of a couple of months.

James takes Harry to the library more than Lily does these days. It was a simple ‘the library is closer to my place anyway, no sense in going out of your way when you don’t have to, Lils’ that he’d offered as his reasoning. Of course, he knows Lily isn’t stupid. She likely sees right through him, but she’s yet to say anything or try to slap some sense into him, so he’s taking the small favor for what it is.

Harry, in all his six year old excitement to visit one of his favorite places, remains oblivious to there being any other intention to their trips to the library. And really, James is glad that he gets to do this with Harry —it’s not completely selfishly oriented that he suggests they go. Harry loves reading, loves exploring different fictional worlds on page, loves getting new books suggested or read to him when they’re there.

It’s just that, well. James is reaping some additional benefits, that’s all.

Except, they’re not exactly benefits, because while seeing Regulus is its own treat, the two of them still seem to be dancing in circles around each other. Some days James isn’t sure if he’s picking up on genuine signs or simply concocting them for himself —a story with a happy end that he’s telling himself in his head like the ones he reads to Harry before bed.

He feels a little crazy, admittedly, cataloging their interactions like it’s his job, like every little thing potentially means something. It’s like he’s got a schoolboy crush all over again at the age of twenty-seven. But if there’s one thing in this world that James Potter seems to be good at, it’s romanticizing that which may in the end mean very little.

Still, he’s got his list.

A story time in the children’s room one week where Regulus, in the middle of answering and asking questions of the kids about the book he’d read them, had stolen more than a couple glances James’ way at the back of the room. Days where grey eyes brightened upon looking away from greeting Harry to find that James was the one that brought him to the library that day. Questions about what James does for work and for fun, or what sort of thing James likes to read, followed by book recommendations.

James has also noticed, though, that every time he sees Regulus, as much as there’s something lingering there between the two of them, there’s something else, too.

Regulus always asks about Lily. Asks how she’s doing, what she’s been up to, if Harry read his most recent check-outs with her. There had even been a day where James and Harry had come up to the counter to check out Harry’s new selection of books and Regulus had pointed out that he’d held onto a book specifically for Lily, remembering she had been waiting a while for it to be available.

And sure, maybe it’s just that Regulus met Lily first, that he’s nice and is considering Harry’s mum even when she’s not there, but… Just as he’s over-thought every one of their own interactions, James can’t seem to help overthinking this, as well.

In a rather rare turn of events, James is at the library today without Harry. Harry’s at his mum’s, but he’d left his books at James’ place. A borderline distraught phone call had been received that morning, Harry lamenting ‘I can’t have overdue books, dad! I’ve never had overdue books!’ Lily doesn’t have time today to come pick them up and bring Harry to take care of them, so James had promised to turn them in for him.

It works out perfectly that when he enters with the few books tucked under his arm and approaches the front desk, Regulus is the one sitting there. One person is in line in front of James, but he notices how Regulus clocks him walk up behind the woman, an unhelped twitch at the corner of his mouth. He says a polite thank you and wishes a good day to her before it’s James’ turn.

Regulus tilts forward to peek over the edge of the high desk, his brow creasing. “Where is he?”

James lets out a quiet laugh. “So sorry that I’m not enough for you, Regulus.”

“Oh, shut up.” He rolls his eyes but James doesn’t miss the pretty pink color his cheeks turn even as he tries to distract from it by wiggling his fingers for the books James holds. “You just don’t usually come alone, that’s all.”

James hands over the books, his grin inching wider. “I can come alone more often if you want me to. Just say the word.”

Regulus huffs an unsteady laugh, cheeks reddening even more. He won’t meet James’ eye as he starts scanning book barcodes and entering return dates. It’s quiet for a few long moments, Regulus doing his job and avoiding James’ gaze while James continues watching him in fond amusement.

After the pause has gone on for a bit, Regulus ends up asking, “Is Lily no longer going to be bringing Harry in?”

Ah, there it is.

James sucks his teeth and shakes his head. “No, I’m sure she’ll be around again. She’s just—been a bit busy with work and such.”

“I see.” Regulus nods, glancing up from scanning a barcode to flicker his gaze over where James stands. “Well, at least Harry’s got you to bring him, right?”

“Right.” It comes out shorter than he meant it to, and Regulus notices if the arch of one dark brow is anything to go by. He doesn’t know why he says it, doesn’t know why the thought even crosses his mind, but before he can stop himself, James offers, “I can give you her number, if you’d like?”

Regulus slows in setting the returned books aside. “Why would I need Lily’s number?”

“I just—assumed you were interested.” James shifts from one foot to the other.

A comically confused expression twists up Regulus’ features. “In Lily?”

James blinks. “Um, yes?”

“You think I’m interested in Lily?” Regulus repeats; he looks less confused now, more as if he’s barely containing his own laughter.

“Well, you ask about her all the time!” James points out, a touch too loud —there’s a quiet shushing in warning from another librarian further down the desk that earns an apologetic look from him.

“James.” Regulus can’t seem to help laughing this time, has to press a hand over his mouth for a moment, eyes pinching closed and head shaking as he collects himself. When he’s done so, he clasps his hands together on the desk in front of him and meets James’ eye evenly. “Did you ever think, maybe, the reason I ask about what Lily’s up to and if she’ll be coming around again is because when she doesn’t, it means that you do?”

It’s James’ turn to look confused, a disbelieving huff coming out of his mouth. “And you didn’t think to, I don’t know, just tell me that you like seeing me?”

“I could have, I suppose.” Regulus leans back in his swivel chair, arms crossing over his chest. The corner of his mouth ticks upward, eyes shining with mirth. “But you were already being so painfully obvious, I thought at least one of us should be a little more subtle.”

James manages to make an affronted noise, but it’s almost more startled laugh than actual offense. “You’re fucking with me right now.”

“Language, mister Potter.” (James is decidedly not blushing at the joking admonishment, thank you.) “This is a family friendly establishment.”

He lifts his hands in mock surrender, grin stretching wide across his face. Regulus eyes him for a moment, drumming his fingers against the bend of one elbow.

“Well, now that we’ve cleared that up—”

“Have we?” James snorts.

“I’m not interested in Lily, you’ve been hopelessly interested in me from day one. I think we’re clear,” Regulus confirms.

Hazel eyes narrow in playful challenge. “You’re just as interested in me, too, don’t forget that.”

An absent hum. A tilt of his head. “And what are you going to do about it?”

It’s an excellent question, James wasn’t prepared to get this far today. He wasn’t totally positive he’d ever get this far, if he’s honest. Now that opportunity has arisen, however, he’s not foolish enough to waste it.

“What are you doing Saturday night?” He asks, leaning his forearms against the edge of the desk.

“I don’t know. Where are you taking me?” Regulus quips, dark brows lifting.

“I think I’ll keep it a surprise. Can’t be too obvious now, can I?” James toys.

Rolling his lips together barely hides Regulus’ growing smile. He hums once again, nodding in agreement. James thinks that’s it, that they’ll say goodbyes for now and go the next few days in building anticipation for an awaiting first date. Except, Regulus holds up a finger to tell him to wait and wordlessly slides off his chair to go to one of the shelves behind him used for reserved books.

When he turns back around, he drops another of the Magic Treehouse books Harry’s been so invested in as of late onto the counter with a quiet slap. James glances at it then at Regulus again with an incredulous smile.

“It’s the next one in the series for Harry. We only have one copy on hand. I didn’t want him to not be able to get it when he brought his returns in,” Regulus explains.

“No wonder he likes you so much, you spoil him,” James teases.

Regulus smirks and, without missing a beat, he replies, “And what’s your excuse?”

#jegulus #jegulus microfic #andddd part 2 the end -jazz hands-#little shit regulus my beloved #have i mentioned that i love them?#kay’s microfics #kay’s writing

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