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“Are you following me?” James teased, glancing over his shoulder at the tiny black kitten chasing his heels. "You're adorable."
He'd noticed the little straggler following him up the stairs half-way to the tower and found it amusing to watch the furball hop up each step. James was a dog person usually, but there was something about this kitten that endeared him on sight. The animal radiated an eager energy that he recognised and related to.
The gaze that met his was filled with desperation and longing, far more emotion than an animal should be capable of showing. He slowed his steps to allow the little legs running full speed behind him to catch up. When the kitten skidded to a stop, James reached down and scooped it up.
"Hold on there. Are you lost, little one?"
As he studied the kitten, it began rubbing its face against his fingers affectionately. The tiny creature nearly fit into the palm of his hand. James rolled the kitten onto its back and examined it carefully for injuries. The kitten was male, solid black, and had grey eyes. Thankfully, he appeared to be fine, but didn't have a collar or any identifying marks.
"Well, you're a boy and look healthy," he noted, rubbing the kitten's belly. "Let's find your owner, hmm?"
James tucked the kitten into his chest and searched the hallway and stairs. There wasn’t anyone actively searching for him, which was a good sign. He could be a stray.
"Fingers crossed you’re a stray, so I can keep you!"
The kitten seemed to like the idea as much as James did. He purred happily and burrowed into James's shirt. His heart leapt at the thought of having his own furry little friend. The closest he’d ever come to owning a pet was Padfoot, who was fun, but a real pet would be even better.
“Green chiles,” he said distractedly.
As the portrait swung open, James climbed through the roughly cut hole in the stone wall. He tried his best to keep a firm hold on the squirming body in his arm. The kitten was wriggling like mad as he crawled through the passage.
“Potter? What are you doing?”
He glanced up and grinned automatically when he spotted his childhood crush, Lily Evans. “Oi Evans, mind giving me a hand?”
“Is that a cat? Where did you find it?” she asked, rushing across the room.
“Yeah, I found him on the stairs.”
Lily lifted the kitten into her hands and cuddled him close while James hopped down. “So soft! I don’t think I’ve seen him around the castle before.”
“Brilliant! I’m hoping he’s a stray,” James gushed. He stroked his thumb over the kitten’s head and ears. “Isn’t he adorable? I’ve always wanted a familiar.”
“Cats are wonderful pets. If my Tiger wasn’t such a twat around other cats, I’d introduce him to yours.”
James chuckled and shook his head. “This one is pretty energetic, but friendly.”
“I have my camera with me,” she suggested, pulling the Polaroid out of her purse. “Why don’t you take a picture of him and we’ll post it to the bulletin board. If no one claims him, he’s all yours.”
“Yeah, all right. I don’t want to steal anyone’s cat.”
After several camera flashes, the kitten covered his face with both paws and hissed. James hurriedly tucked one of the photos in his pocket and handed the camera back to Lily. He rescued the annoyed feline and crooned in his ear to calm him. The grumbling softened to sweet little mews as the kitten leaned into his chin and cheek.
“Sorry about that, love. I wanted to make sure that you looked your best.” James pressed a kiss to the top of his head and stroked his thumb over the kitten’s back.
He settled onto the sofa and sighed contentedly. The soft fur brushing his cheek and the gentle vibrations of his purring made him grin. If he did keep the kitten, James would happily convert to a cat person. Especially if it meant he could enjoy this soothing sound all day, every day.
“A cat? What the fuck?” Sirius shouted. He stomped down the last few stairs and pointed at James accusingly. “You can’t keep it! Absolutely not!”
James covered the kitten with both hands protectively and leaned into the sofa. “Why not? He’s really sweet and soft.”
“You know why not!” Sirius gestured dramatically at himself, then waved vaguely at Peter. “Guess which animal doesn’t belong in a dorm with a dog and a rat?”
“He’s too little to bother Wormtail or Padfoot. Besides, you’re fully capable of being kind to a kitten, even in dog form.”
Sirius huffed indignantly and crossed his arms over his chest. “I shouldn’t have to. It’s my dorm too. That little hairball will just scratch everything up and make a mess.”
“No he won’t. I’ll keep him with me,” James insisted. “I won’t let him destroy anything.”
Peter eyed the pair warily over the top of his novel. He clearly wasn’t prepared to enter another one of their inane arguments. Generally, he kept his opinions to himself when his friends’ emotions ran high. James appreciated and admired his self-control.
“That’s not actually possible though, is it? You’ll have to go to the loo, or to class, or detention. It can’t stay with you the entire bloody time!”
“Yes he can, and he will.”
“No! Get rid of it, or I will,” Sirius threatened, miming a knife plunging into the air.
“Say that again?” Lily snapped, propping one hand on her hip and pointing her wand with the other. “You’ll do what now?”
Sirius turned around as though he were in a slow-motion sequence in a movie. It was almost comical how wide his eyes grew when he spotted the redhead. He spluttered nonsensically for a full thirty seconds before bolting back up the stairs to the dorm.
“Moony! Save me!” he squealed, dodging a hex that hit the wall behind him.
“Nervy twat.”
James sighed heavily as his head fell back against the sofa. “He’s going to be a nightmare, isn’t he?”
“Probably,” Peter said without looking up. He flipped a page in his novel and continued where he’d left off.
“A kitten? Where?” Remus’s voice carried through the quiet space. When the lanky bloke appeared at the top of the stairs, he searched the Common Room frantically. “Pete, Pads said there was a kitten in here…oh!”
Remus bounded down the stairs three at a time with his hands held out in front of him. “Let me hold it, Prongs! Please?”
“Sure, Moony. He’s really sweet.” James handed the kitten to Remus with a bright smile. “If he’s not claimed, can I keep him in the dorm?”
“Don’t be stupid, of course we’re keeping him in the dorm.”
The taller bloke lifted the kitten into his hands and grinned at him. James was delighted with the vote of confidence from his dorm mate and turned toward Peter with an expectant look. An eye roll from the clever fellow was confirmation that he agreed. He shimmied excitedly and spun in a circle.
“You’ve been outvoted, Pads! The kitten stays!”
Sirius leaned out of the dorm room and flipped him off with both hands. When Lily cleared her throat, he ducked back inside. James pressed his palms together to contain himself. He realised that giving in to the urge to flail his hands wildly around the kitten would likely frighten him.
“Let’s take him up to the dorm, yeah? I need to finish reading that section on patronuses for class tomorrow.”
James nodded and followed him up the stairs. He waved at the kitten when it peeked over Remus’s shoulder. Those bright eyes pleaded with him, but James didn’t have the heart to steal him back from Remus yet. He owed him a little cuddle time with the kitten after taking his side in the row with Sirius.
“Moony! No!” Sirius protested, pounding his fist on his bed. “Don’t bring it in here.”
“Shut it. I haven’t held a cat in months. Lily’s tabby is a cunt and bites me every time I try.”
“Cats are evil! That one will turn on you too, just wait!”
He scoffed and waved Sirius away dismissively. “So what? Cats are natural predators. They play rough to hone their hunting skills. This little thing couldn’t hurt anyone, but Tiger’s bites actually hurt. He just hates me because I’m a werewolf, I think he can tell somehow.”
At the mention of Remus’s lycanthropy, Sirius shut his mouth and dropped his gaze. All of them knew it was a sore subject for Remus. It was better not to comment on it, even if Remus brought it up himself.
Remus settled onto his bed and set the kitten in his lap. “Hello, little one. Want to play for a little while?”
The kitten eagerly chased his hand around the quilt. He attacked the long, knobby fingers as they scrambled around Remus’s legs. James couldn’t help but laugh at the adorable little growls that rolled out of the animal as he pounced again and again. When he finally caught Remus’s arm and took a bite, he was summarily handed back to James.
“All right, that’s enough excitement for one night. Take your little menace.”
James carried the “little menace” to his own bed and climbed inside. Once his curtains were closed, he added protection spells to keep the kitten contained and Padfoot out. The last thing he wanted was for Sirius to sabotage this experiment before it had really begun.
He set the kitten on the pillow and stripped down to his pants. Tossing the clothes at the foot of his bed, tucking his glasses under the pillows, and sliding under the cool sheets was as much a part of his evening routine as reading was for Remus. James loved the cosy, intimate feel of his bed when the curtains were closed. It was as though he was wrapped up in someone’s arms, safe and content.
The thought made him chuckle as he stroked his fingers over the kitten’s back. “You will be the only one who’s ever slept in this bed with me. Can you believe that? No one ever wants to stay and cuddle. They always sneak off after a bit of fun like it’s a crime they’ve gotten away with.”
A soft “ekekekek” sound came from the kitten as he leaned into the affection. James leaned forward and kissed him on the head again. It was nice to have someone to talk to in the evening, like Sirius and Remus did. Often he listened to the two of them whispering together enviously. Their relationship was a tad adversarial, but James couldn’t help wishing he had someone like Remus too. An intelligent, snarky partner that could match wits, hold him accountable, and comfort him.
“That’s pathetic, isn’t it?” he whispered, scoffing derisively. “I’m good enough to shag, but not good enough to keep.”
The kitten mewed quietly and curled up in his arms. He seemed happy to be there. That was a nice change. James sighed as he rested his cheek against the furry head. If this was the only source of affection he could have, he’d take it gladly. There was no point in wishing for something that probably didn’t exist.
James wanted to believe that there was someone especially for him. He’d clung to that hope for years as he tried and failed to find a partner. Remus chose Sirius over him, Lily wasn’t interested, Regulus barely spoke to him or ran off when he approached, and everyone else just wanted a quick lay. It was likely time to accept the fact that he wasn’t as loveable as he thought. The version of himself that he saw in the mirror was a lie. That was the James he wanted to be, but clearly not who he actually was.
“If it's meant to be, it will happen. Right? That’s what they all say anyway.”
*****
Regulus had never been more grateful for the kitten’s night vision than he was tonight. While he watched James drift off to sleep, he admired the bloke’s features closer than he ever had before. His heart raced as he fought back the urge to shift immediately to human form. He wanted to embrace this gorgeous bloke and kiss him senseless. He wished he could tell him how lovely he was, and that he deserved all of the love and affection the world had to offer.
It was too soon though. Regulus needed to hear how James said his name before he could allow himself to indulge in the foolish feelings he’d harboured for so bloody long. Just because James wanted someone to “keep” him didn’t mean he wanted it to be Regulus.
He wasn’t the person that James wanted, really. That was Lily Evans. Regulus was James’s last ditch effort to seek out a partner once all of the others turned him down. That tracked, in his experience. Regulus wasn’t anyone’s first choice. Not his parents’, his brother’s, or James’s. He was the one they were left with. The consolation prize that no one asked for, or needed.
This was the first time that he didn’t care. Regulus would take whatever James was willing to give him, even if it was the leftover scraps of love that he felt for others. He adored James with every fibre of his being and was determined to find a way to share it with him. As nasty and mean as he could be, Regulus wanted to be good enough for him. It would be worth it for James.
He listened intently as James’s breaths evened out and a soft snore began. The others were either asleep or under a silencing charm and the dorm had fallen quiet. If he wanted to implement his plan effectively, now was the time. Regulus hoped to encourage any interest in him that James already had through osmosis. Perhaps if he could expose James to a little more of him, James would soak it in like a plant absorbed water from the soil.
Regulus desperately wanted to know what James really thought of him. If he was attracted to him as well as intrigued by him. He knew James was curious by nature, but it might well rip him to shreds if that’s all it was.
James overflowed with a warmth and an eagerness to please that Regulus didn’t deserve access too. It was self-serving and arrogant to pursue it even. The harder he tried to push away the need for it, the deeper that need buried itself inside him. Regulus didn’t deserve James, but he was selfish and wanted him anyway.
When he was sure that James was asleep, Regulus slowly shifted to his human form. He gently leaned into James’s embrace and rested his cheek on the bloke’s firm chest. The heat radiating from his body seeped into Regulus’s skin. He wouldn’t ask for anything more than this. If James didn’t want to shag him, this would have to be enough. He would bury that desire to have his mind, body, and soul just to have this connection to him. Being the person that James held when he needed comfort meant more to him than anything else.
Regulus froze as the bloke sighed in his sleep. He was prepared to shift back in a moment’s notice, if necessary. The last thing he wanted was for James to wake up and find an invader in his bed. Even if that’s precisely what he was.
“Mmm, mine,” James mumbled, wrapping his arms tighter around Regulus’s shoulders. He pressed his face into Regulus’s hair and inhaled deeply. “All mine.”
“All yours,” he whispered as softly as possible. “Always yours, James.”
He felt James smile against his hair and nearly burst from the joy surging through his body. His nerves tingled with it and his face flushed. Regulus could only imagine how happy he would be if James actually meant it. If those words were intended for him, and him alone, instead of whatever fantasy was playing in his dreams. The cold, withered stone that passed for his heart would blossom into a vibrant vessel to pour James’s love into. He would protect and cherish that love like the rare and beautiful gift it was.
Regulus allowed himself to wallow in James’s embrace for an hour, but shifted back before he fell asleep. This was a delicate operation and he wouldn’t risk its failure on the first night. After he returned to kitten form, he crawled into the crevice in the centre of James’s chest and pressed his ear to the smooth skin. The steady tempo of James’s heartbeat slowly lulled him to sleep.
*****
Peter: Now, gentle reader, this would be the place for an angst-filled scene that would force our pining heroes apart. Forces beyond their control dragging them kicking and screaming into the climax of the story where they must fight to reach each other again. A scene that would wrench your heart into bits as you plead with the author for a happy ending.
Pandora: Fear not! These heroes deserve a kinder story than most. They have spent lifetimes in the trenches of canon and fanon alike, subjected to a myriad of pain, torture, denial, and death. Instead, this fic will plaster together your shotgun blasted heart and give them (and you) the love story they’ve earned.
*****
The first rays of sunlight that breached his cosy haven nudged James awake. Normally, he would stretch out his body first thing to relieve the tight muscles that remained so still overnight. His tendency toward complete unconsciousness when he slept meant that he rarely moved at all and often had to reacquaint his body with the concept upon waking.
Today was different. For the first time in his life, James remained still as a stone when his eyes fluttered open. There was a scent lingering in the air that prompted the vivid, yet wonderful dream to reappear in his mind. He was so taken with the images of Regulus wrapped around his body and the feel of his slim form in his arms that he refused to move a centimetre in case he broke the spell.
That was, until a furry little body grumbled as it stretched out all four paws against his chest. The kitten was tucked in tight, but his claws extended and retracted against James’s skin. He seemed to be on the edge of wakefulness himself with far less interest in prolonging the process than James.
Releasing the delicious dream into the ether was painful, but necessary. James lifted a hand to stroke through the kitten’s fur as he coaxed himself closer to reality. It was going to be a long day and wasting time in bed wasn’t going to accomplish anything.
“Morning, love,” James murmured, pressing a kiss to the kitten’s head. His voice was scratchy and deep with sleep, but the kitten didn’t seem to mind. He purred and rubbed his face into James's neck as though he wanted to feel it more than hear it. “You’re in a good mood.”
The kitten purred louder and gripped James’s neck in the best hug his tiny paws could manage. It prompted a wide grin from James’s lips and melted him instantly. This was the sweetest kitten he’d ever had the pleasure to meet. So sweet that he was tempted to hide that photo in his pocket inside of a drawer and pretend he’d pinned it to the bulletin board. Whatever was necessary to keep this kitten as his own.
“All right, you little love bug,” he teased, stroking the soft fur with his fingertips. “As much as I’d enjoy snuggling with you all day, we have to get moving.”
James cupped a hand over the kitten and held him in place as he sat upright. The world was awfully blurry without his glasses, but there wasn’t much point in putting them on before he showered. He dispelled the locks he’d set on the drapes before shoving them aside. With a deep breath, he planted his feet on the floor and surveyed the dorm.
Everyone else was still asleep, as usual. Sirius and Remus wouldn’t wake until the last possible moment. They were likely clutching each other as if one of them might change their mind and wander off. He shook his head and released an amused breath through his nose. Utter nonsense.
As he lifted to his feet, James gave in to the stretch his body needed while keeping the kitten securely tucked into his neck. He could feel the warmth of his furry form shift slightly as he moved from side to side cracking his back. The kitten continued his steady hum of purring.
“Quick shower and then breakfast,” James whispered, heading toward the loo.
Once he stood in front of the toilet, he winced at the thought of peeing with an audience. He kept the kitten’s face tucked into his neck and manoeuvred one handed to reduce his own awkwardness. It wasn’t like he needed to hide anything from a cat, for Merlin’s sake, but that felt like a step too far.
James washed his hand and squinted at his fuzzy reflection. “Today feels different, you know? Better. Maybe you’ll be my good luck charm and I’ll finally convince him to talk to me. That would be nice.”
The kitten’s purrs grew louder as he pressed his paws rhythmically into James’s collarbone. His biscuit-kneading technique was sound and eased the tension in his shoulders. It wasn’t until he saw them drop in the mirror that he realised how effective the move was. Clever git.
“He’s so pretty that I forget how to function like a normal human being,” James admitted to his reflection. “How am I supposed to act like Regulus doesn’t suck the air out of every room he’s in? I can hardly breathe, yet still manage to fuck it up every time.”
James’s gaze dropped when he realised the kitten had stilled. He tilted his head to the side and leaned forward to see him better. Those grey eyes glittered in the sunlight that streamed through the window as he stared back at James’s reflection.
“You think I’m an idiot, don’t you? Pining for a bloke that has never shown the slightest interest in me?” he asked with a deep sigh. “I wish I could explain it to myself, but I can’t. Regulus is special. I don’t know how or why, he just is.”
The kitten raised one paw and held the curve of his jaw firmly. He lifted up and licked James’s chin with a rough, scratchy tongue. It surprised him how tenderly the animal was treating him. James wondered if all cats were this way, or if this one was as special as Regulus himself.
“Your pity kisses are appreciated,” he teased, nuzzling the kitten’s head with his nose. “Now, I’m getting in the shower and you’re going to behave yourself.”
He set the kitten on the floor and patted his head. The pure adoration in the creature’s eyes warmed his whole chest. James mentally noted the intention to spoil him at breakfast. The kitten would get whatever he liked from his plate.
James turned and fiddled with the taps until water streamed from the showerhead. It always came out cold for a good five minutes before it warmed up, but if he added a warming spell to the faucet, that usually sped things up. He dropped his pants and stepped into the tub carefully. As he pulled the curtain closed, James caught the wide-eyed expression on the kitten’s face and laughed. Poor thing was exposed to far more skin than he’d likely ever seen in his life.
“Sorry, love. I can’t let you run loose in the dorm. If you cause havoc, Sirius will throw a fit.”
The kitten blinked rapidly and shook his head, then dropped his gaze to the floor bashfully. It was an odd move for a cat. James had never seen an animal show discretion, or shame, at staring. More often than not if he talked to a cat or dog, it stared even harder. For this one to duck his head and keep it there felt more than a little unusual. That instinct to hide and those haunting grey eyes were a little too familiar this morning.
James hummed thoughtfully as he studied the kitten through the sliver of space he'd left open. His curiosity outweighed his common sense on a fairly regular basis and today was no exception. If this was just a cat, his test wouldn’t cause any harm. If it wasn’t a real cat, the culprit would be forced to shift back or act entirely out of character for a cat. Either way, he’d know what he was dealing with.
*****
Peter: In order to keep this fic fluffy and light, the fade to black is necessary to preserve the general audience rating. I hope you understand-
Pandora: Absolutely not.
Regulus: Agreed. Smut scene. Now.
Peter: Oh come on! I can’t write a smut scene about my best friend and his boyfriend. That’s weird!
Regulus: Suck it up and get on with it. You started this, now finish it.
James: Please, Pete? We deserve a happy ending, you already said so.
Peter: Damn it.
Pandora: Thank you, Peter.
Regulus: Grand, now hurry up.
Peter: I’m only giving you a handie, nothing more.
James: I would rather it was Regulus, but-
Peter: Do NOT finish that sentence.
Pandora: Probably best to shut it. For your own safety.
Peter: Fine. Apparently it’s a mature fic now. For fuck’s sakes. If you’d prefer to use your imagination, feel free to stop here and add your own fluffy ending to the-
Regulus: Don’t be a coward, read the smut too.
*****
Regulus was dying inside. His entire body was on fire and given another thirty seconds in this tiny bathroom with a very naked James Potter, he was likely to combust. He hadn’t planned to be the first person to die from spontaneous combustion, but that’s where he was headed.
The moment James casually dropped his pants and exposed every centimetre of his beautiful body would be forever ingrained on his mind. For as long as he survived, be it years or mere minutes, Regulus wasn’t likely to forget it. Not that he wanted to, but it felt noteworthy.
Getting caught staring was bad enough, but this was another level of embarrassment. Regulus was struggling to breathe as he listened to the lewd sounds of James pulling himself off. It took every ounce of self-control to maintain kitten form and keep his eyes averted. James wasn’t performing for an audience of one. He thought he was alone.
What broke him was the deep, heavy moan that rolled out of James’s chest. Regulus hyperventilated when he felt his body shifting on its own. No matter how hard he tried to fight it, the tenuous hold on his sanity was snapping like a frayed string pulled too tight. He squeezed his eyes closed and desperately tried to block out the noises, but it was too late.
“Oh fuck!” James spluttered.
A loud thud and resounding splash forced Regulus’s eyes open and his head up. James was clutching the sides of the tub as he struggled to sit upright. He’d fallen on his arse amid the confusion of a complete twat appearing in the loo with him.
“Are you all right? Merde. I didn’t mean for it to go this far, I swear. I wasn’t trying to spy on you naked,” he rambled, rucking his hair back from his face. “I just wanted to be near you and not create an awkward scene for once. Clearly I failed.”
Regulus waved vaguely in James’s direction as he pushed to his feet. His hands trembled and his face burned. “I’m sorry. If you never want to speak to me again-” he choked on the words before ploughing on, “-I understand.”
“Hold on, hold on!” James huffed, still trying to regain his balance. “For fuck’s sake, Regulus, I knew it was you.”
His head snapped up and his mouth dropped open like a fish gasping for air. Regulus could relate. He definitely wasn’t breathing either. As a matter of fact, every molecule of the stuff was sucked clear out of his lungs.
“You knew it was me and decided to wank anyway?” he said, his voice cracking in the middle.
“All right, fine. It was a theory and I tested it.”
Regulus frowned as he toyed with the rings on his fingers. “Oh. You were trying to embarrass me into admitting it was me.”
“More or less.”
“Fair play, I guess.”
James folded his arms and leaned over the side of the tub. “That was my initial reasoning, but I'm open to redefining the intent. Did you want to join me? No pressure, of course. I mean, I did just spill my heart out to you before I hopped in here, but-”
Regulus didn’t let him finish. He dropped to his knees and attacked James’s face with a brutal kiss. His arms wound around James’s neck as their mouths devoured each other. James’s hands were everywhere as he pushed Regulus’s shirt off of his shoulders and pulled him closer. Before he knew it, he was draped over James in the tub with the water raining down on them.
“I didn’t know you wanted me,” James breathed out, pressing soft kisses down his neck. “You never said anything. I would have-”
“I know, but I do, more than anything.”
James slid his hand between their bodies and stroked Regulus firmly. “Yeah, I gathered that.”
Words fled his brain faster than the blood rushed south. His head fell forward against James’s shoulder as he rolled his hips encouragingly. James added his own to the steady squeeze and slide of that strong hand as he disintegrated every brain cell Regulus had left.
The velvety skin pressed against his own was intoxicating. When his thumb smoothed over the tip, Regulus lost control entirely and spilled over his hand with an intense shudder. James groaned and followed right behind him.
“It was real, wasn’t it? Last night, the dream? It was you,” James whispered, releasing his hold and rinsing his hand in the tepid spray.
“Yes. I couldn’t help myself.” Regulus buried his face deeper in James’s neck. “I just wanted you to hold me.”
James grinned against his temple, then nuzzled into his hair. “Good. That was one of the best dreams I’ve ever had.”
“One of…oh. Never mind, I probably don’t want to know who else-”
“Because the best one,” James continued, “was when I shagged you relentlessly until we both passed out.”
Regulus peeked up at him. “Really? It was about me?”
“Obviously, have you seen you? Bloody hell.” James smoothed both hands down his back and squeezed his arse. “I can’t think of anyone I’d rather shag.”
“Not even Ev-“
“No. One.” James pecked at his lips and smirked. “I think you’re in love with me too.”
Regulus’s eyes widened. “How…what?”
“It’s in your eyes, love. Can you see it in mine too?”
A huff of incredulous laughter accompanied Regulus’s shift in his lap. He cradled James’s face in his hands and searched his eyes hopefully. There was a sparkle in those deep brown eyes that he’d never noticed before. Was that love?
“Do you love me, James?”
“Yes.”
“Say it,” Regulus demanded, squishing his face. “I won’t believe you until you say it.”
James laughed and pulled his face free. He dipped his head to nibble at Regulus’s ear lobe and whispered, “I love you, Regulus Arcturus Black.”
“How long?” Regulus sighed.
“You had me at ‘meow,’”
“I hate you.”
James chuckled and nipped at his neck. “Too late. You loved me first. No take-backs.”
*****
Pandora: See, was that so hard?
James: Hey! You stole my line!
Peter: Prongs, I will slap you senseless if you don’t shut it.
James: Ooh, kinky.
Regulus: Bold of you to assume that wouldn’t turn him on.
Peter: Never again. Never. Again.
Pandora: So, for our next collab…