KNOWING ME KNOWING YOU ⇒ jegulus one shots

JAMES AND REGULUS AND THE SCARIEST NIGHT OF THEIR LIVES

James wakes up to Regulus making a soft, breathy moaning sound. He had been dreaming about some kind of quidditch match, but it is gone in a flash when he sits up and notices his boyfriend doubled over their dresser with his head down in the dark.

James untangles himself from the duvets instantly. He approaches Regulus, who seems to not have even noticed his waking. Regulus grabs his hand and squeezes it, sucking in through his teeth and letting it out shakily.

"Reg, honey, what’s wrong?" James asks softy, ignoring the tight grip as he puts his other hand on Regulus back. He leans over to get a better look at Regulus' face, which is sweaty and screwed up. "What hurts, Reggie? You have to talk to me, babe" He doesn't mean to raise his voice that much, but he is starting to panic.

Regulus is breathing hard and loud, in through his nose and out through his mouth. His grimace of pain begins to relax a bit, and he slowly straightens up from his hunched-over position. He still has a hold on James' hand, but that has lessened too, as the intense feeling in the pit of his belly subsides.

"Reg?" James sounds so worried, Regulus felt a little bad. How many times was he going to freak his poor boyfriend out before he finally cracks?

"I didn't......" Regulus begins in a low voice, still concentrating on whatever is going on inside him, "I didn’t think it was that bad, so I didn’t want to wake you."

"What’s bad? What’s going on, Reg? Is it the baby?" James slowly reaches over and flicks the light on, squinting at it's sudden brightness but he keeps his eyes on Regulus. "Sit down." He starts to pull him over to the bed, but Regulus remains gripping the dresser.

"No, no! I don’t wanna sit down! It hurts more," Regulus' voice breaks, and a few tears well up in his eyes and begin to fall. He takes his hand out of James' and wipes at his face. He turns and leans back over the dresser, feeling the pain start to stir again. He let's out a low groan.

James is by his side in an instant, rubbing his back and trying to keep from panicking even more. His eyes are blown wide and a million things begin to race through his head. He searches his brain for something to grasp onto, anything that would explain what the hell is happening. When it seemed like Regulus had reached a plateau, he asks, “Is it contractions?”

Regulus is panting through another sharp pain, trying to move his heavy body. “I don’t know,” He moans.

“What does it feel like, lovey?”

At least Regulus is able to talk, which James takes as a good sign. James strokes his fingers through his hair and gently presses his lips to Regulus' temple.

“I don’t know! M-my tummy is cramping......It hurts, J-James.” Regulus whimpers.

James can't stand this. Regulus is shaking and the large T-shirt he's wearing is soaked through. James slowly realizes how direly he needs to do something.

“Did you floo call the healer, babe?” James doesn't stop his hand massaging Regulus' back and shoulders. He needs to get his boyfriend out of these clothes.

Regulus nods then adds, “He didn’t pick up. I tried twice.”

Regulus is exhausted. He has been awake since he had felt the first twinge. That had been an hour and fifteen minutes ago, and that little twinge has increased in intensity off and on.

James shakes his head and curses softly. “I’m gonna try him again. Do you think you can get dressed?”

Regulus looks up at him, he isn't really focusing on anything besides his internal panicking. “Why?” He inquires softly.

James has already begun pulling on his shoes and a sweatshirt. He tosses Regulus some joggers and a fresh shirt. “In case I don’t reach him, I want to take you to the hospital.”

“What? No! We don’t-"

James whips around and takes Regulus by the shoulders, squeezing his boyfriend's shoulders lightly. “Reg, angel, we're going. Put those on.”

Regulus stands still for a moment, he feels as though he could be sick, but he feels oddly comforted by James stepping in and taking control. That's his James; brave and comforting, caring and loving.

Regulus places a hand to his huge belly. There is no movement, just the dull ache of pain shooting into his core. Was this it? Was this how it started? And if not, what would happen to the life inside him?

“It’s okay, baby. It’s gonna be okay,” Regulus whispers tearfully.

They arrive arrived at St. Mungos, Regulus is barely able to walk.

Between his brief and soft cursing and crying, James has to take him aside and talk him out of ripping every nurse a new one. James jokes that it's his Black entitlement, he's sure Regulus would appreciate his joke at any other time.

They sit Regulus in a wheelchair and rush him off to the emergency room, with James trailing alongside the whole way. But Regulus wouldn’t have it any other way. Hearing him demand the father of his child not leave his sight, had made James swell with pride for just a moment because there was still the question of what was going to happen to Regulus and that child.

James held his hand when they had to put an oxygen mask on Regulus, while mumbling; “eyes on me”, when it looked like Regulus was freaking out.

He could tell Regulus hated hearing everybody else tell him what to do. He only listened and believed when James said it, talking to him in a calm low voice because he only wanted Regulus' to hear him. He wiped his tears and even ran the back of his hand through some of his own.

It all seems like a blur, now that they are in a different room and everything is okay. It is semi-dark and the t.v. is on low, flashing some action movie across the screen. Monitors beeps and whirs beside the bed where Regulus is drifting off in James' arms.

Regulus' head is on James' chest, as James cups and holds his belly, rubbing it slowly. Regulus finds himself to be drowsy after the ordeal and the medicine they had pumped him full of forces him to yawm. His breathing is slow, almost matching James'. James tilts his head up and looks at Regulus a minute, before bringing their lips together softly.

“You scared me,” James says so quietly, Regulus almost thinks he has dreamt it. James kisses him again, longer and harder, caressing his face. “You scared me,” He repeats, holding him a bit tighter.

“I know,” Regulus whispers.

He wonders how he can be so out of it, and yet still coherent enough to form words. Regulus is so tired. Even though it is all over, he still feels a little bit scared to go to sleep, like it could all happen again.

Their healer had finally showed up and set everything right, explaining it all away with something about blood pressure. It is so far away now, even though it had only been two hours. They set them up to stay overnight so they could keep an eye on things, and that was that.

Eventually, Regulus' breathing evens out and James assumes he has fallen prey to sleep. He softly rubs his large hands against the younger man's bump. 

James is also exhausted, but he doesn't want to go to sleep.

Probably for the same reason Regulus had kept himself awake with up until he just couldn’t anymore. That is fine with James. Regulus needs the rest, James can watch him all night if he has to.

He pulls the covers higher up Regulus and wraps his arms around him as much as he can, as much as Regulus' belly will allow him to. He missed him again and again all over his face and hair, making Regulus smile slightly and James realizes he has never been asleep, simply resting his eyes. It is now a new day, and they can hear birds start to chirp outside the window.

James makes Regulus look at him, locking their eyes together. “Don’t do that again,” He says seriously, his voice cracking a little.

James' eyes grow wet, but he refuses to acknowledge it.

Regulus reaches up and cups James' face, stroking his thumb on his cheek. James leans into his hand and closes his eyes.

"We promise," Regulus mumbles.