The Day the Music Died | Jegulus, Wolfstar

John's Responsibilities

   "Prat!"

    "Tosser!"

    "Oh come here you little shit!"

Remus and Peter shared knowing looks, and right there, they started wrestling, like they always used to do, they were brothers once again.

***

After lunch, Remus and Sirius went to detention, since they apparently skipped a few classes to snog, and hopefully —for James' sanity—, nothing else, and Peter decided to actually finish studying, once and for all, 'without interruptions, James,' he left clear. So he was there, all alone. Since the winter was starting to get closer, the air was colder, like lots of knives stabbing their way into your ears and nose, going outside wouldn't be a good idea, he decided to go and check if Regulus was still up the astronomy tower. He climbed the nearly endless stairs, and once again, found the dark-haired boy looking at the sky, a few stars already starting to show up.

"Hello, Regulus."

He turned around, his chin was covered by a thick, green scarf, and his nose was bright pink, his eyes were blue like a cloudy day, like the sea before a storm, and his dark eyebrows only made them stand out more over his fair skin, James noticed he had high cheekbones, likewise Sirius', he was just as handsome, their whole family was.

"You again?" He blustered, but not as nastily as usual, this surprised even himself.

"Me again, missed me already?" James made his way onto Regulus' side, he flopped his arms on the railing, they were in the highest tower of Hogwarts, the air was brisk and chilly, but the sky was beautiful, Regulus finally accepted his fate and got closer to him.

"It's honestly quite amazing that we can see the moon and the sun at the same time, isn't it?" He said, less posh-like than usual.

"Mhm," nodded James, looking at the half-crescent moon, he'd grown to hate it because of Remus, the full moon, beautiful to others, just made him sad, knowing the pain his friend would be in.

"Do you like stars?" Regulus asked, he didn't quite understand why he wanted to speak when he was around James, Merlin, it was his brother's best friend after all, not his.

"Yeah, I dunno much about them though, I've always been bad at astronomy," he sniggered.

"I was named after a constellation, my whole family has," Regulus sighed, he had no idea why he spit that out, why to James? Not even Barty knew about it.

"I like your name, Reg," This made Regulus' stomach do a flip, and I he wasn't even mad to be called Reg.

"I couldn't care less, tosser."

"Alright, I don't like it then —I'll tell you what, I hate it."

Regulus elbowed him.

  "I still don't care — and as a matter of fact, your name is over ordinary, seriously, I don't know how you live with it."

"I guess I am ordinary. Nevertheless, us inferior people don't really care about that, don't we?" James laughed, and Regulus couldn't help but smile back.

"Mhm..." Regulus' husky voice made James smirk, for some reason.

"At least you don't have to keep up with your name, I'd much rather be a John, living in a tiny flat, no responsibilities."

Suddenly, James' smile vanished.

  "I... are you okay?"

The change of mood made Regulus clench his jaw, he didn't know if it was out of spite, but he hated people pitying him.

"It's not of your bloody business s'it?" He snarled.

"I... sorry, didn't mean to."

"Of course," he gazed to the sky, turning a deeper blue, "what is your deal with me, Potter?"

James shrugged.

  "I've no clue, jus' wanted to talk to you, and you turn out to be a great adviser."

"So you only want me to fix your pathetic life?"

"Oi, don't step over the line," James spat, Regulus stood straight, he'd never seen James as a threat, but he was quite sure he could become one if he wasn't careful, "I want to be your mate, or are you too posh to have friends? Mister Star-boy?"

That nickname, that would be the death of Regulus Arcturus Black, because he didn't know, right there... he'd fallen in love.

"I am certainly not, James. I don't know if I can be your friend, though"

"Why not?"

"Wouldn't Sirius mind?" Yeah, that was the reason. Definitely. Not because his mother would punish him if she found out.

"He doesn't have to know... at least for now, yeah?" James lowered his eyes to the lake, blistering with the light of the moon.

Regulus decided not to mention what he said before, they didn't keep secrets... Regulus would be James' secret, that sounded exciting.

  "Alright, you will be my test-mate"

"What does that even mean?"

"If I don't like you, I'll toss you away like the wrap of a candy," he almost couldn't help laughing at this statement, James did though.

"Didn't know you were into candy," he snickered.

"I'm not, I hate sweets"

***