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Chapter Text

As every Christmas Eve since James was a child, he was helping his parents cook the Christmas meal they would eat the next day with all their guests. Sirius was trying to help them, too, but he wasn't as great as James, Effie, and Fleamont with all those spices, so he mostly watched them and tasted what they were cooking, while he decided the music playing from a little wireless music box.

The opening notes of Slipping through my fingers by ABBA were playing, and the doorbell ringed loudly through the house. 

"Sirius, dear, would you go and see who it is?" Effie asked.

"Sure," he replied

He expected to see Marlene or Peter, their neighbors, but, instead, in front of him, there was neither of them.

"Reggie." He said.

"Sirius," he replied, crying. "I missed you so much."

"Oh, Reggie, I missed you, too." 

They hugged, and Sirius kept talking. 

"You're here, and you're real. You're real, right?"

Regulus nodded against his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry. Please forgive me, I'm so so sorry."

James heard the sobs from the kitchen, so he washed his hands and went to look at what was happening at the entrance. 

Sirius was there, and he was hugging someone.

"What's up there?" He asked, trying to be silent at first but failing his mission.

They both turned and looked at James so that he could see that the person Sirius was hugging was a girl, with dark, curly hair elbows-long and grey eyes, a few inches shorter than him.

"Who's her?" He said again.

The girl stared at the floor, and Sirius answered for her.

"He is my brother, Regulus." He said, highliting the pronoun. "Reggie, he's James."

Regulus looked straight at him, and he could see a red spot on his cheek, an eye that was growing bigger and that his bottom lip was broken. Regulus sucked the blood from it, still looking at James. He didn't say anything, but, at least, he wasn't crying anymore. 

"James, bring me an ice bag, please."

James nodded and went back to the kitchen while Sirius brought Regulus on the couch. 

"What did they do to you?" Sirius took Regulus' hair away from his face and started examining his bruises.

"They..." He began, but then James walked in. 

"Here, your ice bag and a cream for your bruises." 

"Thank you." Regulus said in a barely audible whisper.

"Thank you so much, James." Sirius echoed.

"Not a big deal. My parents want me to help them in the kitchen, so... I'll go."

He left the brothers alone, going back into the kitchen, and Regulus told Sirius everything: that he tried to cut his own hair shorter, but their parents found him while he was trying. They said that girls don't wear their hair that short and violently brought the scissor away from him ("That's the reason for this." He explained, pointing his lip),  and he's been brave enough to say that he never wanted to be one. Their reaction was even more terrible than as predictable. They hit him and kicked him out, saying that their children were one more disappointing than the other, and he didn't know where to go if not where Sirius was. He just hugged Regulus again, telling him that all they said was bullshit, that he was perfect as he was, and he was really lion-hearted, just like the star he named himself after, during a warm summer night, when he came out to Sirius a couple of years before.

After a while - maybe an hour or two - maybe just some minutes - Effie came in.

"Hi, sweetheart. Sirius told us a lot about you, I'm happy you're here. Would you spend the night?" 

"I'll stay with him." Sirius said before Regulus could even answer. 

"Of course, you will. I'll prepare Sirius' old bedroom. You could sleep there." 

"Thank you, Effie." 

"Thank you, Mrs. Potter."

"Nothing, boys. You're welcome to ask for help at any moment."

"Effie," Sirius said, "let me do the bedroom, don't worry."

"Thank you, Sirius dear. You already know where the sheets are." 

Sirius and Regulus went upstairs. Sirius took the sheets, the covers, and the pillowcases from a closet, and he made Regulus bed. 

"How are they?" Regulus asked.

"Who, the Potters? They're fantastic. Effie is kind and nice all the time, and Monty knows everything about history and philosophy: everything he says is very interesting... often he's too smart for me and I find it boring, but I think you would enjoy it."

"And what about James?"

"He's my best mate. We knew each other at school, but you already knew it. What you don't know is that we bought a flat in London, and we moved in together. You could come and live with us in the guests room for a while."

"Could I? Really?"

"Yes, of course! Now, it's been a long night. You need some rest, and I'll be on your side all the time, I promise." 

"I'm gonna bathe, first."

"Yeah, sure." Sirius said. "I'll let you some clean clothes on the bed." 

Rigth when he left the room, Sirius realized he had left none of his clothes at Potter's, so he went to the kitchen.

"Do we have any clothes Regulus could borrow?"

"We left some of James' old clothes in the wardrobe in his old bedroom." Fleamont said, without looking up from the pan he was cooking something that smelled really good in.

"Thanks." Sirius was upstairs, again, as fast as possible.

He took one of James' old pajamas, a jumper, and a pair of sweat pants, and he brought them on Regulus' bed.

"Sirius, is that you?" Regulus asked from the bathroom. 

From the other side of the door, Sirius smiled.

"I am." He replied.

The morning after, Sirius woke up on the chair next to his old bed. It was early in the morning, and Regulus was still asleep. Sirius listened to his breath in silence, thinking about how hard the night had been: Regulus kept waking up screaming and crying, and it was really difficult for Sirius to make him fall back asleep. Actually, he was afraid of Regulus nightmares, too, but he knew for experience that, if he wouldn't sleep enough, they would follow him even in his real life, and he didn't want his little brother to experience that. He remembered how terrible it was. 

When Regulus woke up, Sirius was there. 

"Good morning. How are you?"

"I feel like a bag of shit."

"Well, Merry Christmas, bag of shit. Wanna go downstairs to have breakfast and see the Christmas presents under the tree?"

"Yeah, sure." Regulus said being both unsure and sarcastic.

"Let me shower, first." 

Sirius was about to exit the room and go borrow something from James' old room again, when he noticed something on the top of his old chest of drawers. It was a wrapped present, soft at the touch. There was a sticky note written in Effie's and Monty's calligraphy.

We wanted you to open this with everyone, but you could need it now. 

Merry Christmas, Sirius dear. 

Monty & Effie 

He looked at it smiling, and he unwrapped the present. It was a knitted jumper with a grey and black triangles pattern, and when he wore it, it was soft and warm.

When he came out of the bathroom, Regulus stared at him, and he looked almost... sad? Jealous? Envious? Sirius could just tell he wasn't happy, and all he wanted all his life was Regulus to be happy.

"I've got some Christmas gift for you, at the flat. I made them almost every year, and I really wanted to let them at our parent's door for you, but every time I tried to go, I just... couldn't make it 'til the door. My legs always stopped at some point half in the way. But I still got them all. When you'll come, tonight, you'll see." 

"You... you really did?" 

Sirius nodded. 

Then, he looked at his brother a little more before speaking again. 

"We need to adjust your look, yet." 

Regulus looked at Sirius confused until he took a pair of hair scissors and guided him into the bathroom. There, he started cutting his hair. At first, shoulder length, then, he started to ask Regulus how he wanted to look like.

Sirius wasn't certainly a hairdresser, but he'd been good with Regulus.

"Where did you learn how to style hair like that? You're good at it!"

"When I was at school," Sirius started, cleaning the mess on the floor using a broom he found in the closet, "there was this girl, Marlene, who loved to cut and style hair, so we always let her do it. Well, the other did. I never let my hair be touched by someone, and I never will. So, I watched her doing it, and I just... learned? I mean, I will never be as good as her, but... I'm not that bad."

When he finished, they went downstairs together.

Regulus sat at the counter while Sirus made two cups of coffee.

"Do you like coffee, right?" 

"I love coffee." 

"Nice. Do you want something in it? Milk? Honey? Sugar?"

"No, thank you. I like it black."

They sat next to each other, without speaking for a while.

"Today, there is Potter's Christmas party. There will be a lot of people, like Marlene and Peter, my old classmates, and James' relatives as well." Sirius said at some point to break the silence. "But we don't have to stay. We can just stay at the flat and drink hot cocoa or tea and eat biscuits and do whatever you like."

"Do you want to stay?  

"I want you to be okay."

They finished  their coffee, and Sirius made two other cups, but they moved to the living room to consume them. 

"Give a look to the bookshelf." Sirius suggested. "If you don't find anything you like, we can go to their library." 

"They have a library?"

"They have." 

Regulus nodded. "I'll take a look at the titles."

Sirius made his way to the kitchen, where Effie was already taking the pancake bowl from the dresser, while Monty collected the ingredients on the counter. 

"Merry Christmas," Sirius said. "And thank you for the jumper."

"Merry Christmas, dear." Effie replied.

"I knew you would like it." Monty said proudly. "I'm sorry we haven't anything for Regulus, though."

"Don't worry, I have something for him at the flat." 

"How is he?" Effie asked. 

"He seems... good. But I know him too well. I'm afraid he's closing inside himself without letting anyone in. I hope this won't... hurt him."

"He'll take his time, Sirius. You took yours, too. You didn't talk at all for the first days, and then the only thing you said for almost two weeks was repeating and confusing. James was worried for you, but I told him to wait until you healed, and now here you are. You just have to be patient."

Sirius seemed to think about what Effie just said, and when he spoke again, the air smelled like cinnamon.

"We won't be here for the Christmas party, I'm sorry. We'll stay in the flat. Regulus doesn't like strangers. We'll both stay in the flat and... heal. Or, at least, We'll try to."

Effie nodded, smiling, and Monty flipped a pancake. 

"Will you stay for breakfast? It isn't Christmas without my special cinnamon pancakes." Effie gave him a heavy look, but Sirius knew what he was trying to do. Sirius often forgot to eat when he was nervous,and in that moment, he really was, so he made sure he would eat as much as  possible.

"Yes, we will. I think Regulus would like your pancakes. He loves cinnamon." 

"Go and call him, then." 

At that, Sirius woke up from his chair and went to the living room, but he just leaned on the door to see that James was inside talking to Regulus. Actually, he was looking at the book on higher shelves, telling Regulus because he couldn't reach them.

"James, hi. Merry Christmas, mate."

"Merry Christmas." He turned his head with a book in his hands. 

"The breakfast is ready." He said. "Monty made cinnamon pancakes." He added, just for Regulus to know. 

They had breakfast, James and his parents opened Sirius' presents and then he went to the flat with Regulus, who had the book James took him under an arm.

"So... do you like it?" Sirius asked, after showing Regulus the whole place, telling him everything he thought he had to know. 

"Yes. It's nice, really nice. Thank you." 

"I'm happy you enjoy it. Now, wait for me. I'm picking up your presents. You deserve those, and I waited for this moment for months. Do whatever you want while you wait. Make tea, or hot cocoa, or another coffee, whatever. Just don't go away."

"Sirius?" 

"Yeah?"

"I won't." 

It was true. He never did.

Chapter Text

"What are you doing here, Potter?" Regulus asked, coming into the kitchen. 

"Chocolate chips biscuits for the new neighbor. A classic." He replied, adding: "Will you ever stop calling me 'Potter'?"

"Mmmh... no." 

"But why? You even call my parents by their names!"

"I'm sorry, I just like them better." His face crunched to make a grin, and James rolled his eyes, faking an annoyance he didn't really feel.

 Since Regulus appeared at his door, his life inevitably changed. Regulus' presence wasn't really noticeable at first, but Sirius' absence was: he barely even ate, so James had to cook for him and leave food in the guests room, that became clearly Regulus' after some changes made during the last months. At some point around second month, Regulus started coming at the table and eating with the other two, and now he could be seen everywhere around the house, with a book in his hands and a pair of earphones, or sipping on a cup of tea, teasing or being teased by James as they became... close? Confident? James wasn't so good at understanding Regulus. 

"Would you help me with this?" He asked.

"Sure." 

Regulus secretly enjoyed making biscuits with James, mostly because he kept eating pieces of dough, and he couldn't tell him to stop because he did the same.

"When will Sirius come back?" Regulus asked, throwing a piece of dough into his mouth before adding the chocolate chips.

"I don't know. He's with Peter and Marlene. They're working on a new song, but he keeps complaining about something missing. They made me listen to it,  but my ear isn't good enough, I'm afraid." 

"Do you think..." he started again, picking up the baking trays and putting them on the counter, " Do you think they need a guitarist? I mean, I know Sirius plays guitar, and he's also pretty good at it, but he can't be a lead guitarist and a background guitarist."

"Maybe they do. Do you know a guitarist who could join them?" 

"Yeah, I've got a friend. Evan Rosier, have I ever mentioned him to you? I'm pretty sure I did, at least once or twice. We were in high school together. He's Pandora's twin. Anyway, he's been playing guitar since he was very young - maybe thirteen or fourteen. I could ask him if he would like to be in a band and talk with Sirius about him. I'm actually going to." He finished displaying the biscuits on the trays. Then, he put them in the oven, he went at the entrance, and started putting his shoes on.

"Wait, where are you going?" 

"I thought about going to a café with Evan. I haven't seen him in a while and this is a great excuse."

"Leaving me all alone? I hate being alone." 

"You sound like a child."

"Yes, maybe, but still. Don't let me alone. We can ask him to come for dinner someday, can't we?" He sat on the couch, patting the place next to him, inviting Regulus. The boy put the shoe he was lacing off with a sigh and sat next to him.

"I guess we could, yes." He curled a little more against James' chest, and James wrapped an arm around him

"What are you doing?" He asked James, almost freezing for a second.

"Getting you closer."

"Why?" 

"Because I like it when you're close to me." 

"Shut up." He left out a muffled laugh, letting him do whatever he wanted. "I'm taking a nap." 

"Okay." 

"Don't let the biscuits burn." 

"I won't." 

Later, he almost did. How could he even wake up when Regulus was so adorable and comfortable, curled up next to him, with such a vulnerable and lovely expression on his face?  But he had to. He should've not been thinking such thoughts about his best friend's brother. Because that's what James was to him, Sirius' best friend. 

"Why are you staring at me instead of taking the biscuits out of the oven?" Regulus sat up, looking at his face.

"Because you are adorable when you sleep."

"Shut up."

"Make me, if you really want it." He had a challenging look, "Because I will never shut my mouth about how lovely you - mmph..."  

Regulus had covered his mouth with a hand, and James licked it. 

"What the..." He removed it with a disgusted expression on his face.

"Don't curse."  

"... fuck. What the actual fuck, Potter. Are you a child?" 

"Why are you so mean to me?" 

"How couldn't I, having to deal with you?"

"I'm not that bad."

"Yes, you are, I assure you."

"Nahh, you actually love me so bad."

"Maybe."

"What? Really?"

"Only in your dreams, Potter." He woke up, "Now, we have to pick those biscuits out of the oven, or they'll burn." 

James went after him with a sigh, and he watched as Regulus put the trays out of the oven and on the counter humming a song under his breath. 

"Quality taste." He said with a smile after the buiscuits chilled a few minutes. He took a bite from one of them, making a satisfied noise, and for a second, James thought about that same noise made because of him, but he called himself out right after. He shouldn't have been thinking about Sirius' little brother like that. But yet, he watched Regulus and couldn't stop imagining his hands cupping his cheeks for a soft kiss, how it felt like touching Regulus' lips with his, the taste of his mouth, the shape of his body... Stop this right now a voice that sounded slightly like Sirius' said in his head. He really had to follow it.

He took a bite from the same biscuit as Regulus, tasting it. 

"They're really good."

"Oh yes, they are delicious, just as always."

"We're a really good team in the kitchen, aren't we?"

"We are, of course, but we could be even better if we didn't eat half of the recipe during the process." 

"Come on, that's our best trait!" 

Regulus laughed in response, and that sound was the best James had ever heard. He would keep telling stupid joked just to hear his laugh, but he knew that Regulus would get annoyed by that easily and don't laugh, so he never did. He hated to annoy Regulus, yet he seemed to have a wonderful talent in that. 

Sirius could smell the buiscuits from the bottom of the stairs, so he went to his flat as fast as he could with his guitar laced on his back. While taking a turn, he almost ran into someone.

"Sorry, I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention." He said, then he looked the person he ran into, forcing his mouth not to shut open. He was taller than Sirius, with greenish-brown eyes and light hazel hair. He had a light scar running through his face and a galaxy of freckles on his nose and cheeks. And this composition made him extremely hot. 

"Don't worry, I appeared out of nowhere." He had a Welsh accent, and Sirius didn't realize how much a Welsh accent could be attractive until that moment. He also realized he probably looked like a psychopath, just standing here and staring at the man in front of him for no reason. He needed an excuse.

"I... are you new here? I have never seen you before, but maybe it's just because I'm always with my mind elsewhere so maybe I didn't notice you. Not that you are unnoticeable, I am just... very, very dumb." 

The man let out a light laugh. "No, you're not dumb. I just moved here, I'm moving up my stuff."

"Oh, so the boxes downstairs are yours. Nice. Uh... do you... do you need some help?" 

"Uhm, sure. If we are two, we will be faster."

And with that, Sirius abandoned his guitar laying on the floor and helped the young man with his boxes, going back and forth from the entrance to his flat, forgetting the biscuits waiting for him in his own.

The man's flat was on the second floor, opposite Sirius'. The building didn't have an elevator, so, when they finished almost an hour later, they were exhausted. 

"Thank you..." the man started as Sirius reached the second floor for the last time, this time with his own guitar laced on his back.

"Sirius."

"Well, thank you, Sirius. I'm Remus." 

"Pleased to help and meet you, Remus. Would you like a refreshing glass of water?"

"Yes, please. The bottles I've got with me weren't in the fridge, so they are warm for sure. Thank you." 

"Come on, then. I live right here." He said, opening the door.

Remus followed him in, cleaning his feet on the door mat as he entered. 

"James, Regulus, are you here?" He called once he was inside, letting his guitar against a wall and smiling at Remus. 

"In the kitchen." They replied as one.

"They are my best friend and my brother." He explained entering the kitchen.

"Hi, I'm James." James introduced himself, shaking Remus' hand as soon as they came in. 

"Remus." He replied, shaking it back and doing the same with Regulus. 

"What were you two baking here? There's such a good smell."

"Chocolate chips biscuits." James said.

"But they were not for you." Regulus added. "They're for Remus, actually. Do you like them?" He looked at Remus, saying the last question.

"Wait, you made me biscuits? You don't even know me!"

"That's true, but we know Minnie. She lives underneath us and she's the building admin, so she knows everything that happens here. Since we're on the same floor, she told us about you, so we wanted to greet you. And, actually, Regulus wanted an excuse to bake something with me." James explained.

"That's not true. It was your idea. I just helped you."

"Don't lie. You love baking with me." 

They were looking in each other's eyes, while talking, then Regulus broke the eye contact before replying: "I just love stealing chocolate chips and pieces of dough while you bake, but keep believing it if it makes you feel better, Potter." 

"Oh, thank you. I love chocolate chips biscuits." Remus said, a little amused by James and Regulus, as he picked up a biscuit from the plate in front of him.

"Would you like some tea, too?" Sirius asked, standing up because he knew that, even if Remus didn't want it, Regulus did. 

"If it's not a problem, yes, please."

"It isn't. Reggie, do you want some?" 

"You don't even have to ask." 

"Right. James?" 

"No, thank you." 

Sirius made the water boil, picked up three cups, and filled them with it, serving them on a little plate with a teaspoon. Then, he put all the types of tea they got in a cute bowl on the table.

"These are a lot of different varieties of tea." Remus commented.

"Yeah, Regulus loves tea and he has a very specific variety for every mood or time of the day or whatever."

He glanced at Regulus, but he wasn't paying attention. He was more occupied not letting James drink from his cup of tea, but when he put it down to take another biscuit from the plate, James picked it up and took a sip. Regulus looked both, annoyed and amused by it, and took a bite from James' biscuit, ignoring the fact that he already had one in his hands. 

Sirius was happy that they went along well because it would be hard for both him and Regulus if it was otherwise, and he didn't want anything not to be good for Regulus. He deserved the world after everything he went by during his childhood and his teenage years. 

"What brought you here, Remus?" Sirius asked.

"There isn't a real thing, actually. I started working at the local bookshop around a month ago, but now I have graduated, and I found this apartment that isn't too expensive, so I can handle it by myself."

"What did you study?" 

"Psychology."

"I've always wished to study psychology, but my parents always said it was just a bunch of bullshit. They wanted a lawyer, not a psychologist or whatever. I gave up after a year of uni studying laws and ran away. They made it too stressful." Regulus said, and while he talked, he touched James' hand with his own, playing with it in his lap, under the table.

Regulus took a sip from his cup, and then spoke again.

"Do you work at the bookstore? I don't think I ever saw you."

"I had mostly late afternoon turn  to fit with my school schedule since I had my lessons in the morning." 

"Oh, I'm at the flower shop in late afternoon. That must be why. Speaking of which," he checked the time on his phone, then stood up. "I have to go, now. I'm sorry, but Pandora will bite my fingers away if I'm late. It was really nice to meet you, Remus. Bye!"

"Wait" James said. "Would you prefer me to bring you there? So that you can finish your tea."

"No, thank you. Finish it yourself. You've spent the whole time trying to drink it." 

He put his shoes on and went outside

"And what do you two do?" Remus asked.

"I play in a band with my friends, and sometimes we play at fairs or bar nights. When we don't play, though, I work part time at the only café we have downtown."

"I am an actor. Not a big one, of course, at least not yet. I usually participate at some theater plays they do here, mostly the ones for children at said fairs, but I made little appears in a few movies, too."

"That must be where I already saw you!" Remus said, and James was more than happy to hear that someone casual, not a journalist or a very big fan or whatever, remembered seeing him. Maybe he could've become a big actor soon.

They talked for a couple of hours more about everything and nothing, and as much as Remus added small pieces of himself in James' and Sirius' heads, James couldn't stop thinking about how much he and Regulus were similar. He could bet that they would become friends quickly and be sure of winning.

"He's handsome." Sirius said as soon as he closed the door when Remus went to his own flat, then he disappeared in his room with his guitar.

James tried to spend the afternoon alone, waiting for Regulus to come home and for Sirius to come out of his room. He cleaned the whole kitchen, watered the plants on the balcony, tried to find something good to watch but the only thing that seemed good was the series he was watching with Regulus, and he didn't want him to miss any episode, so, in the end, he decided to go for a walk downtown. 

"I'm going out." He announced out of Sirius' door. "Need anything?"

"No, I'm alright. See you later." He replied.

James walked around randomly until he found himself in front of the door of the flower shop. He walked in, nonchalantly saying "Goodmorning." 

"Hi James." Regulus replied, without looking up from the bouquet he was preparing. 

"You recognized me?" 

"It's hard not to, since we live together and I have to hear your voice all the time when I'm home because you never shut up." He was looking at him now.

"You never complain, though." 

"I don't." 

Regulus' look was mesmerizing. And heavy. James had to look away if he didn't want to melt right there.

"It's beautiful." He said, looking at the bouquet. 

"Do you think so?"

"I really do. Would you make me a bouquet like this someday?"

"Yours is a funny request, Potter. But I forgive it because you clearly don't know anything about flowers."

"Why is it so funny? It's a beautiful bouquet."

"Well, this morning, before I went home for my break, a girl went here. I don't remember her name, but..."

"Wait, a girl came here and told you her name and asked you a beautiful bouquet, and you didn't bother to tell me or remember her name?" 

"Did I say this is what happened? No, I didn't. Pay attention. And I'm telling you now, so don't complain. Anyway, she didn't come in and told me her name, Sirius did. I mean, he told us her name, showing a picture or something. That girl was his fucking girlfriend. Or ex-girlfriend. Or whatever. She came in and said 'How do you say fuck you in flowers?' And I tried not to laugh, but she seemed so fucking serious. So I started naming some flowers and the reason I would pick them and she asked if you can even find a flower for the Sirius star and I was rather confused but then I realized and wanted to laugh even more, but she was clearly upset by all this and I was pretty scared by her, actually. I told her I was about to close but the store re-opened in the afternoon so here I am, preparing a bouquet that says 'Fuck you, Sirius', that will be left in front of the door of our flat at some point by some girl I can't even remember the name."

"It sounds like a soap opera." James said when he finished laughing. 

"It really does. Damn, I never thought working in a flower shop would've been so amusing. You have to cover me, now. He doesn't need to know I contributed all this." 

"I'm a closed book." He mimicked locking his mouth and throwing away the key. 

"Hi James!" Pandora said, coming out of the greenhouse. They were wearing a long white skirt, a green short top that showed their belly button freshly pierced, and a short pink crochet thing that only covered their arms and a little part of their chest, letting everything seen anyway by the holes between chains. They were wearing a beautiful funky make up which made them look like a fairy, with all those flowers around them and braided in their hair. "How are you doing?"

"I'm really fine, thank you." 

"I was telling him about the 'Fuck you, Sirius' bouquet." 

"Oh, does he remember her name?"

"Wasn't it something like Emma?" James said.

"Or Emmeline." Regulus suggested.

"Didn't he broke up with Emmeline about a month ago?" Pandora asked. "You told he found someone new."

"Oh, right. Well, I think we will find out one of these days." 

"Tell me everything as soon as this happens to be on your doorstep." 

"Sure." 

A car arrived out of the flower shop, and the driver honked twice. 

"I guess Evan is here." 

They waved at him from the dispay windows, then left Regulus a kiss on the top of his head and greeted James.

"Wait, Panda. Don't forget to tell me if you're free tomorrow night for dinner." 

"Yes, I'll text you. Bye." They left the shop, leaving Regulus and James alone.

"Did you invite them and Evan at dinner tomorrow?"

"Yes. I hope it isn't a problem for you and Sirius. 

"It isn't, don't worry."

James sat on the only stool present behind the counter and watched as Regulus finished the bouquet he was working on.

"Now," He said as he finished writing every flower he used and its meaning on a card, "we just have to wait for her to come here."

"You can sit down while we wait." James said.

"You can go home, you know?" 

"I don't want to."

"Okay, stay, if you like it. That stool is all yours."

"Or maybe it can be ours." James stretched out his arms to take Regulus by his own and bring him onto his lap.

"James, what...?"

"Comfortable?"

"I don't think this is how to properly sit on a stool."

"Maybe. But are you comfortable?"

Regulus fought the smile on his lips. Of course he was, between James' arms, sitting on his lap. But he didn't have to know it. He absolutely shouldn't know about it.

"What if someone sees this? Like a paparazzi or whatever."

"I don't care. Are you comfortable?"

"Potter." Regulus said coldly, waking up.

"What?" 

"Stop this. Right now."

"I'm sorry." 

Regulus was clearly annoyed by all that. James hated it, but it didn't change things. He really had a fucking talent in that.

Chapter Text

When the doorbell rang for the first time that evening, the flat was everything but ready: James was still cooking, Regulus was helping him or teasing him or both, and Sirius was getting ready. He was the one who went to open the door anyway because the other two didn't seem to hear over the music and the closed door. 

Luckily for them, it was Remus.

Unluckily, Sirius was wearing just a pair of boxers and a hoodie, and his hair was in a towel on the top of his head.

"Oh, hi."

"Hi."

They stared at each other without saying a word for a few moments.

"Were you... is this a bad moment? I can come back later or tomorrow or-?"

"What? No! Sorry," Sirius blushed a little, "I was just... We have guests tonight... Not that I usually welcome my guests like this, of course. But they are some of our closest friends, and I was getting ready, while James and Regulus are in the kitchen with the music at full volume and door shut... I don't even understand why they don't open it, actually."

Remus laughed lightly. "Don't worry. I just wanted to ask if you had a calendar to know when to take the rubbish out. I know I don't need it right now, but I thought about it and I had to ask you before I forgot."

"Right. Err... I'm pretty sure it's in the kitchen. Come in."

"I can wait here."

"Don't worry, Regulus and James have their pants on." Sirius joked with a smirk. "Or, at least, I hope so." 

Remus decided to follow him in for the second time in two days. 

When they opened the door, they saw that Regulus had a cutting board with some vegetables in front of him, and he was treating a very loud James who sang out of tune with a knife. 

"Don't kill my best friend!" 

"Only if he shuts up."

"I don't think he ever will."

"I definitely won't." James agreed. "Hi Remus, missed us already?" He cut in.

"He's here for the rubbish calendar. And that, too." Sirius said with a smirk on his face while opening different drawers to find what he was looking for.

"Here you are!" He passed it to Remus. 

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" James asked, picking up the vegetables that Regulus had just finished cutting and pouring them into the pan he had been working on since before Remus entered. 

"Oh, thank you for the offer, but I really can't.  Tonight my best friend is coming here to see my new house and help me decide how to arrange it and we have to eat takeaway and drink low quality alcohol in the good plate set, it's a tradition."

"Sounds like you have good plans. We'll do another time, fine?"

"Yeah, we can. I'm so sorry to decline."

"You don't have to." James assured him, "Who are we to crash traditions? Have fun with your friend!"

"Thank you so much. Enjoy the dinner with your friends as well!"

Sirius led Remus to the door and went back to the bathroom to style his hair after saying goodbye.

"Hey Reg, try this." James called Regulus after tasting the sauce he was stirring. 

Regulus went to him, and he gave him a scoop holding a hand under his chin in order not to make anything fall out. 

"Mhm... it's... it's really, really good, but..."

"There's something missing," James cut in, taking another scoop himself.

He looked in a few cabinets, added some spices and a pinch of salt, and started stirring again.

"Stay here." He stopped Regulus by his shoulder when he turned to go and let the hand resting there.

Regulus refused to move a muscle, worried that it could make James take it back. He liked its weight on his shoulder,  its warmth against  his skin under the fabric, even if he wouldn't admit that outloud. 

In the past months, Regulus discovered that he didn't mind James as much as he thought he would've have at first. He didn't blame him for Sirius' escape. Instead, he understood why his brother went right there, to him, when he had nowhere else to go. 

The thing is, James Potter isn't easy to despise. He's nice, comforting, and trustworthy. It's easy for Regulus to feel safe with James, although he doesn't say that.

When James  finished to stir, he gave Regulus another scoop, still keeping a hand under his chin.

"Better now?" 

"Definitely. Trust me when I say I've never eaten anything this good." 

"Is it so?" 

Regulus nodded vigorously, and James almost let the hand under the chin fall down. Almost, because Regulus stopped it with his own, and he leaned his face against it. James gently cherished the pale cheek with his thumb, maybe following his will or maybe following Regulus' fingers, and they stayed like that, looking in each other's eyes as James' started shining and Regulus' face started turning pink.  

When they heard the doorbell ring for the second time that evening they pulled apart as if nothing happened and they heard Sirius going to see who that was while James tried his sauce and checked on something else he was cooking and Regulus changed the vinyl playing, since the one they were listening to finished at some point between Remus entering and whatever just happened. 

"Do you have any special re-"

"Hold on, I'm trying to listen." James cut in, shutting him up with a finger held mid-air. 

They couldn't hear a thing from the living room after  Sirius opened the door. Anyone else would think that it wasn't a big deal, but Regulus and James knew something had to be wrong: neither the friends they invited over nor Sirius were the type to be that silent.

"Guess who just got a beautiful bouquet?" Sirius retorically asked, entering the kitchen with a flower bouquet Regulus and James both found a little too familiar.

"I wouldn't say 'beautiful,'" Regulus commented. "It's bad preserved, see? These flowers are almost dying. They look like they've been too much exposed to the air and then into water, without enough sunlight." 

James glanced over at Regulus, who glanced back with a small smirk when Sirius didn't look. A quiet giggle came from him. Sirius didn't notice that either, or maybe he did but didn't say a word. 

"Wait, there's a card." Regulus pointed out innocently.

Sirius read it out loud: " It says 'Fuck you, Sirius', and there's a kiss left with lipstick on it." 

James left out a laugh without looking away from the cookers. 

But that wasn't all. Sirius tried to find something to put the flower and Regulus started cleaning up what he and James messed up while cooking, and right when nobody expected that, thinking that the only bad  thing about the bouquet was how it had been kept, Sirius let it fall with a scream. 

"What the-"

"James, there are spiders!" 

"Where?" 

"In the bouquet! That little bitch... She knew I hate them. Such a mischievous mind that one... Oh, please, James, take it out!"

James sighted and moved away from where he was cooking. He took the bouquet and brought it out on the balcony, letting all the spiders hidden inside escape freely.

Inside, Regulus was trying to hold his laugh while arguing with Sirius.

"Maybe it isn't entirely her fault. Some of those flowers attract spiders." 

"And how do you know?" 

"Sirius." He looked straight into his eyes. "Do I have to remember you that I grew up in the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black as a girl, I work in a flower shop and for some reason I know everything about any plant?" 

"Yeah, no, you made your point. But still, she chose the flow -"

"What if I stop you right here?" James said, bringing Sirius from his shoulders and dragging him outside the kitchen toward the bathroom so he could finish to style his hair before guests arrived. 

"Prongs, don't you think we should have our revenge against her?" 

"Yeah, of course, Pads, we'll think about something when Peter is here, too. Well, maybe not during dinner, but another day we will." 

Sirius spent almost another hour in the bathroom, while James and Regulus finished to prepare dinner, arranged the table and cleaned up the kitchen, then they changed into new clothes as the ones they were wearing were stained of food.

When the doorbell rang the last time that evening, they were all ready.  

"Hey fuckers, I'm here!" Marlene yelled when she entered the room, then proceeded to hug every single one of them with a different nicknames. 

It was James first, and they swang around a few times just like they did every time since... well, since they were four years old.

Then she came to Sirius, ruffling his hair enough to annoy him, but not enough to make him scream about how much effort he put in that. 

Lastly, she went to Regulus and hugged him too. "Hi baby Black, how do we feel about living with these two mad men?" She asked.

"It's exhausting me, honestly. I think I need a holiday."

"Yeah, me too." Marlene agreed. "What do we think about a nice trip in Spain?" 

"Mh, still too close."

"And what about Maldives?" 

"Already better." 

"And since you're like super rich, and we're running away from your brother, you should finance it all." 

"I'll see what I can do." 

"Oh, Reginald, you're definitely my favorite Black brother." 

"Wait, I thought I was your favorite Black brother!" Sirius said dramatically, throwing himself on a chair.

"Too late, dear." She answered, leaving a red, lip shaped lipstick stain on Regulus' cheek as to seal what she just said.

"Betrayed, this is what I feel."

"Aw, why is it so, Pads?" Peter said entering the room.

"Wormy!" Sirius and James said as one, running to hug him as if they didn't see each other in months and not in less than twenty-four hours. 

Peter never knocked or rang before coming in, mainly because he used to live there too, before finding his own apartment nearer his sister's house. He moved there after her boyfriend left her alone and pregnant in order to help her with the newborn baby.

"What is this nice smell right here?" Marlene wondered, making her way to the kitchen.

"You'll have to wait to know that. We have two more guests tonight." James scolded her kindly.

"Who?"

The doorbell rang one last time. "You're about to know." 

Regulus opened the door, letting the Rosier twins in. Pandora hugged her excitedly, while Evan just settled for a friendly nod and a bright smile. Then, the two introduced themselves to the group. 

The dinner went on smoothly. The components of the band were delighted at the idea of a new member playing with them, so they invited Evan to their rehearsal the day after. Pandora kept complimenting the food and, mostly, James for being able to teach all that to Regulus.

"Oh, he's just a natural learner. A really good student." 

"All his teachers used to say the same, back when we were in school." Pandora revealed, accompanied by a vigorous nod from Evan.

The conversations went on naturally, until they were interrupted by James' phone ringing.

"Excuse me, I have to respond." James said, getting up from his spot with a small glint of hope in his glare before heading to the balcony. 

The call didn't last long. Almost all of them, or at least the one closer to James, with a vague idea od what might've been going on, tried to hear something while still chatting with the others. It didn't work out well, but that didn't matter because James ran back in with a wide grin on his face and yelled "Hell yeah!" 

"What? Who was... what?" Sirius seemed unable to compose a sentence.

"James, was it the casting director of that movie you audited for?" Regulus asked, being the calmest and most composed of the room, as always.

James simply nodded, still speechless. 

"And what did they tell you?" 

"They... they want me to do another audition. They recalled me!" 

"And this is... good?" Peter cut in.

"This is wonderful." Sirius stated, while Marlene filled everyone's glass with the wine on the table. 

"We should all raise a glass to celebrate." She announced, and everyone raised their own to make them clink together.

"Cheers to James and his wonderful acting!" Marlene declared before everyone downed their drink.

After that, Regulus and James cleaned up the table and loaded the dishwasher while Marlene had her fun at making colorful, very alcoholic cocktails for everyone. 

A few hours later, Marlene collapsed on the couch with Sirius, Peter came back home on foot, as it was just a block away, and Evan, somehow still sober, got himself and a very drunk, very sleepy Pandora ready to go home. 

"Rosier, did you say how come you didn't have a single drink tonight?" Regulus asked, his cheeks a bright tone of pink and his eyes a little glazed. 

"She drank enough for both of us. Moreover, I have to drive us home."

"Seems fair." he followed them on their way out.

"Wait, Evs!" 

"What, Panda?"

"I think... I really need to take a piss." 

"Oh, come here with me." Regulus offered his hand. 

"Thanks, Reg." 

They came back into the apartment, leaving Evan outside, waiting all alone until someone opened the door of the apartment right opposite to the one he just exited from. A tall, young, and rather fascinating man appeared on the floor. 

"Hi there, pretty! You lost?"

"No, actually I... I was going back home, yes. Just waiting for my sister."

"D'you live here? Lucky me." 

"No, just visiting a friend."

"Unlucky me." 

"Remus! Where are you?" the voice of a girl came from inside the apartment, followed by its owner's appearance on the door.

Pandora and Regulus came out of the apartment just then, and Pandora got immediately distracted by the piercing green eyes of the red headed girl in front of them.

"I think it's time to go home." Evan declared, helping Pandora with the stairs.

Regulus gave Remus and his friend a wave and wished them a goodnight before coming back inside and locking the door behind him. 

He went into the kitchen, where James was apparently waiting for him.

"You did such a good job." Regulus told him before giving him a half hug. "Let's go to bed. Goodnight, James."

"Goodnight, Reggie."

Regulus was far too drunk to care about the nickname.