MAROON

XLIV. Fifth Year: OWLs Will Be The Death Of Regulus

April 22, 1977 (Friday)

JAMES FLEAMONT POTTER

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"All of you pick up the pace!" He yelled at his team. "With the rate that you lot are practicing, we won't win the cup this year!"

"I'm going to kill you after this, Potter," Delina muttered.

Regulus suddenly fell to the ground and started to puke. "Shit, Reg!" James cursed as he rushed to his boyfriend's side. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just haven't felt well today," Regulus answered.

James frowned. "Why didn't you tell me? I wouldn't have made you practice today."

"It's really not a big deal, James. It's just the OWLs being next week."

"Reg, when was the last time you took the time away from studying to eat? You have been studying at bloody meals."

Regulus bowed his head. "I'm fine. I'll be fine."

James turned to Marlene who was hovering by them. Sirius was standing next to her with a concerned look on his face. "Marlene, I need your apple. You have one right? That's a stupid question, you always bring an apple to practice."

"Yeah, I have one," she answered. "It's in the locker room."

He turned back to his boyfriend. "Come on let's get you in the locker room, Reggie. Can you walk?"

"Probably not by myself. I still feel dizzy," Regulus answered him.

He slipped an arm around Regulus as he helped him stand. "Marlene come with me. The rest of you can take a quick break until I get back out here."

When they got into the locker room, James lowered Regulus onto one of the benches. Marlene grabbed her apple and handed it to him before leaving the locker room.

James sat down next to Regulus and handed him the apple. Regulus took a bite of it. "I know the OWLs are stressing you, but you still need to remember to take care of yourself, love."

Regulus frowned at him. "I know, but it's just... my parents. If I don't have one of the best OWLs scores out of all the students in my year, they will kill me. I'm their perfect son. I can't fuck up my OWLs."

"Reggie, you can't just start starve yourself to the point that you get sick and almost pass out and throw up. Please, don't let them do that to you."

"I know, I promise I'll try harder to balance studying and taking care of myself," Regulus promised before he bowed his head and stared at his lap. "I'm sorry for upsetting you."

James frowned and he lifted Regulus's chin so he was looking at him. "Hey, don't say that. Please don't say you have upset me. I'm not upset at you I'm just concerned, my love. I just want you to be safe. It's probably my fault I wasn't-."

"James."

James ignored him. "-Paying attention to you. I should have realized that you weren't o-."

Regulus cupped his face in his hand. "Jamie."

"What?"

"This isn't your fault. Don't blame yourself. It's not your job to watch my every move and make sure I'm taking care of myself," Regulus reassured him.

"But isn't it? I'm your boyfriend."

Regulus frowned at him. "Sure when you are dating someone you make sure they are okay, but that doesn't mean you have to be my fucking babysitter. Its my fault it got this bad. I promise I will do better, you don't have to put my needs over your own and babysit me every five seconds."

James leaned forward and rested their foreheads together. "We both really do like to find a way to blame ourselves for everything don't we?"

Regulus let out a little laugh as he cupped James's face in his hands. "I'm afraid we do."

The door to the locker room opened and they both quickly scooted away from each other. "Too late, I already saw you," Marlene stated.

"What are you even doing back in here?"

She held up her gloves. "Forgot my gloves. In case you forgot because you were too busy being all coupley with your boyfriend, you are the captain and you were just about to make us do a practice match."

"Alright, I'm going out there now," he replied with sigh before turning back to Regulus. "Come on, let's get you into the stands. Can you help, Marls? I don't think I can help him up the steps all by myself."

"You won't tell anyone right, Marlene?" Regulus asked changing the topic. He looked so scared and James felt terrible for not checking on him after Marlene caught them.

Marlene gave him a small smile. "Of course not. Am I the only one who knows?"

"Hezekiah and Ezra know," James answered.

"Well we should probably get out there before Sirius comes in here next," she suggested.

With that, they left the locker room and helped Regulus into the stands.

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Words: 810