I adored you Madly, Extravagantly, Absurdly.

Chapter 7

"Fate, Iago-like, had clearly shewed me that if I would damn myself, I could do so in a more delicate way than drowning." Teleny 129

James enjoys taking people to the theatre far more than actually going to the theatre himself. He especially enjoys taking Regulus.

Lyopot has a small, local theatre with homemade costumes and part-time actors and actresses who usually sew dresses and cobble shoes. When James took Regulus there for the first time for a rendition of Romeo and Juliet, he seemed unimpressed yet enjoyed it.

A grand production at St James's Theatre puts a wholly different kind of excitement on Regulus' face. They go to dinner first, and Regulus keeps stressing about not getting to the theatre in time. In response, Sirius ate even slower.

"It's nice to see you so excited," James whispers while seated in their box. "I've barely seen you like this since before Christmas."

"Considering that our families practically turned the dining room into a theatre stage, I should have enjoyed it more."

"Now, you're comfortable, so maybe you'll enjoy it more. Right?"

"Right," Regulus says with a smile directed at him, and James calls himself lucky. "I've always loved the theatre."

"Did you want to become an actor as a child? I always thought it would be fun."

"That doesn't surprise me. I wanted to write the plays. When we were children, I wrote little stories and made my brother, Nanny, and a maid perform with me."

"I can't imagine that going over well with your parents."

"It didn't. Which was fortunate because I made writing my rebellion. While Sirius wandered off to Paris, spending the family's money and stealing foreign undergarments, I decided to write a novel."

Sirius leans over to them. "Hey, I'm here, you now? I can hear you."

"You're a slut." Regulus says to him. "I thought you knew that."

James chuckles to himself, which Sirius glares at him for, and decides to be offended. Regulus looks back at James and rolls his eyes theatrically.

"Did he willingly participate in your plays?"

"Of course he did. I always found a way to convince him sooner or later."

"Well, I'd gladly act in a play you wrote."

Regulus smirks. "Let me guess, you want to be the handsome Prince Charming who saves the kingdom and gets the girl in the end."

"Is that how you see me? Am I your Prince Charming?"

Regulus looks him up and down. "You are definitely the kind of man that gets the girl in the end."

The way he says it makes it not quite sound like a compliment. James is about to ask what he means when Regulus shushes him and turns to the stage to watch the play.

How on earth does Regulus get the impression James would get all the girls in the end? The only woman he truly wanted rejected him several times. Regulus is generally strange when the topic of women and Lily comes up. He always speaks of the matter in a weird tone James can't place.

Regulus encourages him to continue seeking love and companionship from women during their marriage, but James isn't even sure he wants it. If he is honest with himself, he rather enjoyed the last months of not thinking about brides and romance.

His history with Lily is long and sad. Sad for him, at least. He wanted her so badly, and she didn't want him back. He was like a child who was told "no" for the first time in his life, and it made him only more persistent that she should be his wife someday. It was stupid and disrespectful – he knows that now. She grew up to be so beautiful James loved her even more. She also grew up to be clever enough never to cave in and agree to marry him, not without losing part of her character, at least. She talked about politics and art, so James became interested in politics and art. Knowing her to be his soulmate, he never gave up on his love.