KNOWING ME KNOWING YOU ⇒ jegulus one shots

WHAT HAPPENS AT WORK

Regulus feels his face drop to a grim demeanor as he enters the elevator and the sight of none other than James Potter greets him; the messy haired man sporting an equally glum face at the sight of his ex.

"Regulus," James' tone is passive and bored.

"James," Regulus says dryly as he does his best to ignore James as he presses one of the buttons on the elevator.

They are both going to the same floor; they used to go to the same home afterwards but that had changed when Regulus had shakily announced his pregnancy and James had dully admitted he didn't want a baby at all, not that Regulus had been particularly thrilled; but he had to carry the damn thing. James just had to be there, simply be there. But he couldn't be.

It had been nine months of narrowly avoiding James at the office and Sirius doing his best to prevent any run ins between the two, and so; Regulus will be taking his maternity leave with a spring in his step, glad to be rid of the entire atmosphere.

He especially can not wait to get home and get his feet up; his son has been doing somersaults all day and his back had begun to ache terribly, his belly filled with dull aches too.

Regulus puts the dull aches down to his protruding belly; his son had dropped lower lately, in the past few days he'd moved downwards in his belly.

It gave Regulus' belly a dropped sort of shape that Lily had been engrossed with, chattering excitedly with him about the arrival of his baby; he hasn't bothered to share the gender.

In truth, he hadn't wanted James to know.

Perhaps James himself didn't even want to know.

Regulus had always pictured James as the dad kind, he had pictured himself as the one to run from it all. But seemingly that was not the case as they had switched roles as soon as James proclaimed he absolutely was not ready for a child. They had parted ways ever since then; James moving out while Regulus tuned his office into a nursery.

Regulus is hauled from his horrifying trip down memory lane as the dull ache in his belly grows, but also because James is staring at him.

"What? What the fuck are you looking at?" Regulus snaps, pointedly, his cheeks growing hot as he grows self conscious at the idea of James looking at him so intently.

His body has changed quite drastically since the last time he was alone with James. Regulus is now sporting a neat bump and what Marlene had dubbed 'a pregnancy glow'. Regulus had merely rolled his eyes at that proclamation.

"Er.....the elevator," James pauses, glancing at the roof for a split moment. "Um...there's been a power outage, the back up lights should come on in a second-" The lights flicker on and James looks dumbfound, his stammering stopping momentarily. "Uh, yeah...um there they are," He says awkwardly.

Regulus is about to scoff and roll his eyes at the older man when he feels a sharp pain in his abdomen. He can't stop himself from doubling over and gasping slightly.

"Shit....woah," James whips his head around to face Regulus, instinctively darting to his side; it is like the habit had never left him, like his mantra of keeping Regulus safe had remained. "What's wrong? Regulus, look at me, what's wrong?" He urges.

Regulus pants and looks up at him through his curtained hair. He opens his mouth to reply but can't find his words as water trickles down his leg. He and James seem to lock eyes and both slowly let their gazes fall to the floor as water seems to pool at Regulus' feet.

"Fuck...fuck....f-fuck!" Regulus pants. "Shit, God, fuck!" He whispers.

"Is this.....holy shit, you're in labor?" James shrieks. "Why didn't you say so before you got into an elevator with me?!" He yelps.