Work Text:
It is needless to mention that Quidditch is a big thing at Hogwarts. Always has been, always will be. Even the students who don’t care for the sport in particular still attend the games to support their house teams.
Long-standing House rivalries that may be half-forgotten in the day-to-day make a spectacular comeback during Quidditch season, especially in the weeks leading up to the matches for the Quidditch House Cup.
James is a chaser for Gryffindor since his third year. Now, in his last year, he is even the Captain of their team. They only have one problem: Their Seeker left last year and their new one is... less than spectacular. He’s not bad just... they lost almost all games this season. It’s almost like they’re cursed. James and the other chasers keep fumbling and losing the Quaffle, and the other teams evade almost all of their bludgers.
The Slytherin team on the other hand is at their fucking best. They have Regulus Black as their seeker – they have been unbeatable since Regulus’ second year. That scrawny 12-year-old with his huge grey eyes and bowl-cut bangs only needed a humiliating 14 minutes to humble an entire school and devastate the Gryffindors in particular.
James has accepted long ago that they won’t beat Slytherin for as long as he’s at Hogwarts. But losing all the other matches really fucks him up.
For the first two years, James despised Regulus for his talent and for winning every fucking game so quickly that the others don’t even have a fighting chance. Sometimes he makes a game of it. He sits still and watches the match for a while, giving the other team hope – then he swoops in and ends the match before there is ever a threat of losing.
Then this disdain slowly turned into admiration – maybe it has always been that and James just couldn’t place it. As a fact, Regulus is crazy talented in everything short of socialising. James, who is attracted first to competence and second to intelligent meanies, fell for his rival even before he came back for his fifth year with a new haircut after a growth spurt, and looked absolutely, breathtakingly beautiful.
“Wowza” was the only, corny, embarrassing thing James got past his lips when he saw Regulus like that on the Hogwarts Express. Sirius hit the back of his head for that comment and Regulus simply rolled his eyes at him.
It took months of extensive courting and flirting from James’ side until Regulus took pity on him and agreed to a date. In the end, he won him over with his humour and their shared love for quidditch – and with his senseless adoration and willingness to shower Regulus with affection and little gifts.
The best moment of James’ life so far? Regulus saying, “You should kiss me right now.” When James snuck him into the restricted section of the school’s library at midnight. James had been so caught off guard, he froze. So, Regulus laughed quietly and kissed James instead. James died and came back to life all at once with that kiss. It meant instant addiction for him. And because the universe is good and James is lucky, Regulus agreed to be his little drug and gives himself to him willingly as often as he can.
James has never tried to play it cool with Regulus and he never will. He makes sure Regulus knows every detail of his love and devotion for him. Regulus is quieter in his affection. He lets his kisses speak for themselves, a thousand little butterfly kisses on James' face saying “I love you. I love you. I love you” over and over again until James can feel the unspoken words in his bones.
They are getting close to the end of the Quidditch season before Christmas.
The end phase of every Quidditch season is special. It is traditionally the time of giving away the Quidditch jumpers. Every year Peter and Remus are making a game of the gossip. They are even taking bets on who gets which jumper.
Since Sirius joined the team in his 4th year, most girls hoped to get his jumper for every season – it went to Remus every time which sparked new waves of gossip of course. They waited until the end of the 6th year to finally confirm their relationship for everyone.
This season the numbers are high for Marlene’s jumper to go to Emmeline – James has a trustworthy source that this won’t happen. For James, most bet his jumper will go to Lily, though they have been wrong for the past school year with that and will be with this.
Regulus and James kept their relationship quiet and didn’t swap their jumpers. Regulus has, however, stitched his initials into James’ jumper.
It’s that jumper which James presents to him now, on the evening before his match against Ravenclaw.
“I need a good luck charm, Reggie.”
“A good luck charm? I know a luck potion, but I’m not confident I could brew it in time for your match.”
“No,” James holds the jumper out to him. They are sitting half naked in Regulus’ bed in the Slytherin dorms. “I need you to be my good luck charm. Wear my jumper, Love, please. Please.”
Regulus frowns at the piece of clothing. “I don’t follow.”
James sighs and lets himself fall into the pillows. “We’ve been losing and losing every match – even the friendly ones.”
“I know. Your Seeker is young, he’ll get better.”
“It’s not just him. We should be able to get enough points to win without him – or at least get a chance. But we are so bad, and I don’t know why. I’m trying to get new maneuvers in to break the routines and catch the others off guard, but it isn’t working! It’s like we’re cursed – always loosing that stupid quaffle. Do you think someone cursed us?”
“No. I’m the only one talented enough to pull that off and I would only curse other teams to make sure you win,” he says and kisses James’ hand. He’s so fucking sweet, this boy. “But from what I’ve seen, I’d advise you to go back to the simpler stuff that your team is truely excelling in. You want too much in too little time, James.”
Maybe he is right... James made a lot of changes in only a little bit of time. Regulus has warned him about this for a while, but he wouldn’t listen.
“Still... Wear it for me? It would mean a lot to me...”
And James knows Regulus cannot resist those words. He pouts for good measure.
“James, you’re pouting. Don’t pout.”
James pouts even harder. Regulus rolls his eyes and presses a kiss to the pout until it melts away.
“I guess I can wear it... under my jacket and my own jumper.”
James slides his hand into Regulus’ curls. “Reggie...”
“What? I’d be wearing it.”
“I want to see you in it. I want to look out to the crowd and see you wearing it.”
Regulus gently kisses his lips and then settles in next to him.
“People would notice.”
“I don’t care. Let them know, Reggie. Please, let them know that I love you.”
Regulus closes his eyes and turns his head to kiss his shoulder. “Your friends won’t like it.”
“So?”
“They’ll have things to say. My brother will have things to say. They will try to break us up.”
“They won’t. Okay, they will talk shit. But they’re no threat to us.”
“You care what they say and think. I know you. You care what they will think of us. Especially my brother.”
“I care more about you.”
“You say that now. But how long will you endure them getting into your face about me? And Sirius... he’s not been my biggest fan for years, especially not since he left, and I didn’t go with him. I know what he thinks and says about me.”
“He’s hurt. He thinks you chose your parents over him.”
“Well, I did.”
“But I know you don’t share their opinions and ideologies. I know you just wanted to give him a chance at getting away... he’ll see that, too. Especially once he knows about us.”
Regulus sighs. “I don’t want them to start talking badly about you, James. If you think my brother should know... tell him. But the others? They love you. Everybody loves you. This will scandalise them. You’re supposed to be with Lily in their eyes. They’ll say shit like ‘what do you want with the snake’ and ‘He’s evil and his family are maniacs, he bewitched you!’ and ‘Potter, he’s only trying to get into your bed to steal your quidditch plans’ and ‘A Slytherin, really, have you no self respect?’ – I don’t want that for you.”
“Okay, with the last two you just quoted Barty. My friends aren’t like Barty.”
“No, Barty was just poking fun. He thinks that I’m too good for you. Your friends don’t think that you’re too good for me but that I’m not good enough for you. There’s a difference.”
“Is there?”
“Yes, James. And you not knowing that is part of the problem.”
James rolls to the side and wraps his arm around his boyfriend. “I don’t care what anyone says. It’s our last year together. I want to be open about it. I want everyone to know how much I love you.”
Regulus turns to mirror him and brushes his fingers over James’ face, tracing the cheekbone and the line of his lips.
“And what about me? My house is probably a bit less open to gays.”
“I know for a fact that Barty will beat up everyone who says something. And I will do the same if he leaves me some scraps.”
“And my family?”
“Oh, your family will hate it. You can’t go back home. You should come live with me.”
Regulus buries his face at the juncture of James’ neck and shoulder. He presses kisses there instead of answering.
“I know you worry,” James whispers and wraps his arms tighter around him. “I won’t force you. I want you to be happy. You’ll have to stay in school for one more year than me. We’ll go your pace. Better that than losing you.”
Regulus kisses James’ neck, letting his lips linger there for a few seconds. “You are too good for me.”
James closes his eyes and squeezes him in his arms. “I love you. There’s always a place for you at my house.”
Regulus presses kisses to his neck, slowly working his way up to his cheek until James slightly turns his head to finally – finally – catch his lips with his. There is his little drug. Please, never go away.
“Will it help to know I’m wearing your jumper even if you can’t see it?” He whispers.
“Maybe.”
“I’ll wear it. And you’ll win. I don’t want to beat anyone other than you in the final match.”
James smiles and runs his fingers through his satiny curls, making one of them plop. Regulus indulges him with an eyeroll and kisses him again.
***
Regulus hates the cold. He wouldn’t stand out here in December watching the match if it wasn’t for James. What Jamie wants, Jamie gets. It’s a rule Regulus established after they decided to keep their relationship secret – James was torn about it. The boy loves so loudly; he wanted to sing about their relationship to everyone. Regulus couldn’t give him that. Regulus can’t give him the openness he craves. But everything else – everything in the world that Jamie wants, Jamie gets.
So, Regulus is in the Slytherin stands, leaning against the railing and watching the match. The Slytherins are rather low in attendance. Regulus is flanked by Barty and Evan. Pandora is with them; she is rooting for Ravenclaw, of course, as it is her house. Evan is also team Ravenclaw for the sake of his twin. Barty is just here to chant slurs at the Gryffindors.
It’s not looking good for James. He is trying to do simpler things with the chasers. The Seeker is having a hard time, but on paper, they and Ravenclaw should be on the same level of skill and odds.
The quaffle goes from Marlene to James – and he fumbles it, drops it and has to make a swoop to catch it again. This doesn’t go unnoticed by the Ravenclaw chasers who immediately flank James and in a matter of seconds are in possession of the quaffle.
“Damn, Potter’s not doing well,” Evan says with a smirk. “Maybe he was kept up all night.”
Regulus rolls his eyes and concentrates on the match again.
The Ravenclaws score. A few minutes later, the Gryffindors do too. It’s 90 to 50 for Ravenclaw.
Barty leans close to Regulus, so he won’t be overheard by the other Slytherins. “Your boy is doing a shit job.”
“They have to win. The finales are only fun if I get to beat Gryffindor.”
“Kinky.”
Regulus hits his arms.
“So, what’s your plan: Confundus charm? They’ll ban you from the next match if they catch you.”
James loses the quaffle yet again and their keeper stops the Ravenclaws from scoring again.
Regulus isn’t superstitious. Whether he wears his stupid jumper or not isn’t going to make a difference. James is simply unfocused. He thinks too much about manoeuvres and what everyone else is doing. He needs to go from his captain brain to his chaser brain.
“Fuck it,” Regulus mutters, “Barty get behind me.”
“Here, in front of everyone?” Barty smirks dirtily and chuckles when Regulus glares at him.
Regulus takes off his jackets and reveals the red and gold jumper with the lion emblem on the chest. The back says POTTER in bold, golden letters.
“The fuck?” someone exclaims in the ranks.
Regulus doesn’t care. He leans over the railing and yells “Potter!”
James, who is hovering close by, turns. His eyes go wide when he sees the fleck of red in all the green and black.
“Get your shit together!” Regulus yells across the pitch.
His friends are snickering and chuckling beside him. James is grinning so brightly every single student can see it. Corny as he is, he blows Regulus a kiss and then gets his head back into the game.
Someone pulls on his arm and hisses “What the fuck, Black?!”
Barty merely shoves them away, shielding Regulus’ back and side.
“That was bold,” Evan says and shields his other side. “You didn’t just seriously come out for a Quidditch match, did you?”
“No, I came out for him,” he says simply and points at his boyfriend, who right at that moment scores. Regulus even allows himself to cheer a bit.
He puts his jackets back on after a few minutes but keeps them open so James can see he is wearing it to the end.
James scores again and again. No fumbling, no losing the quaffle. He’s back, and the team is working as well as it should. The Seeker is still no match for Ravenclaw, but just when the Ravenclaw Seeker catches the snitch, Gryffindor is 160 points ahead – meaning they win after all.
"Ha! Look at that, stripping worked!” Barty exclaims. Regulus hits his chest but pushes past the others with a grin. The ranks are loud with cheers and songs. The players are jumping up and down and into each other’s arms on the pitch. The Gryffindors are slowly spilling onto the field to jump-hug their friends.
James is surrounded by his mates, clapping his back and chanting his name.
Sirius looks rather unhappy. He is looking over to Regulus, staring at the jumper as if he were trying to work out a particularly complicated puzzle.
Regulus pushes through the masses of red until he reaches James. His nerves are singing, hyper-aware of every stare and every movement in his vicinity.
James catches sight of him and abandons everyone who is just hugging him. He laughs brightly when he pulls Regulus in to hug him tightly.
“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,” he chants into his ear.
“I don’t think I should go back to my common room today,” Regulus mumbles and places a little kiss against his neck.
“Stay with me forever,” James says like it’s the simplest and most obvious thing in the world.
James finally pulls back from Regulus but keeps one arm tightly wrapped around him. “Party in the common room, people!” he yells. The students around them roar, only some seemingly put off by Regulus’ presence.
“GRY-FIN-DOR GRY-FIN-DOR !” they keep cheering and yelling all the way back to the castle and up the tower. James keeps his arm protectively around Regulus. He is still on high alert, and hyper-aware of the way Sirius looks at them.
Up in the tower, James takes Regulus upstairs while the others get the party started.
“They act like you won the house cup already,” Regulus says while James changes his clothes.
“Well, we all know that we can’t beat you in the finals, so this is as good as it gets.” He pushes Regulus’ jackets off and pulls him flush against him. “I fucking love you, Regulus. Also, you look really handsome in red.”
Regulus looks down at the jumper. The sleeves slip over his hands and the dark red does look nice against his pale skin.
“I also like you wearing my name,” James mumbles and kisses his forehead. Regulus’ eyes flutter shut.
I love you, Regulus thinks.
He looks up at James. His eyes are so beautifully warm, like hot chocolate in winter. Everything about James is warm and comforting.
I love you. I love you. I love you. Regulus sings in his head. Say it.
Personally, Regulus thinks he said it enough by effectively telling the entire school that he is dating James Potter with his jumper reveal. But James says it all the time to him, making his heart positively swell in his chest. James should hear it, too, in words.
I love you. I love you so much. Regulus cups James’ cheeks and kisses him softly.
He feels James smiling against his lips. Regulus plays with his hands in James’ nape. He leans their foreheads together, keeping his eyes closed. James hums contentedly and runs his hands over Regulus’ back.
“I love you,” Regulus whispers.
James inhales sharply. After a few seconds of trying to calm himself, James squeezes him in his arms. “I love you, too.”
Regulus slides his hand against James’ neck, easily finding his quickened pulse. He smiles to himself.
“Gods, I’m trying so hard not to make a big deal out of that right now,” James mumbles, unaware of how much his own body is betraying him.
“Thank you. You’re doing well.”
James chuckles and kisses him again.
There is a commotion outside the room which Regulus pointedly ignores until the door is forced open and Sirius stumbles inside with Remus pulling his arm, trying to get him to leave.
“Ha!” Sirius exclaims, “Caught!”
James turns around to his best friend. “What do you mean caught? We aren’t doing anything.”
“You’re kissing. Why are you kissing? What the fuck – Moony, let go of me!”
“No. Let them be, come back downstairs.”
Sirius wiggles his arm free and dashes through the dorm so Remus can’t touch him anymore.
“As I was saying,” Sirius clears his throat, “What the fuck? What is this? Since when are you even gay, Reggie? Also, why didn’t you tell me? Also, what the fuck were you thinking revealing this to everyone – do you have any idea what mother will do to you once she finds out? And what the fucking fuck in fuck’s name are you doing with my best friend?”
Regulus lets out an exaggerated sigh and detaches himself from James. “I’m gay since birth. I didn’t tell you because you’re an annoying wanker. I do know what mother will do to me, yes. And what I’m doing with your best friend is none of your business but since you asked: I suck his cock almost every day and then I let him fuck me until we break our silencing charms.”
He knows, James is blushing furiously at this. Sirius is staring at him in naked horror, his face took a weird greenish colour. He swallows heavily.
“Thank you for your honesty. It seems I’ve been directing my anger at the wrong person.” He takes a deep breath. “James, I will kill you. I will murder you, cut you into pieces and send them as Christmas gifts to your mother – you are fucking my brother? My little baby brother? Are you out of your mind?”
James, who may or may not be using Regulus as a body shield at this point, bites his lip. “To be fair, you said he isn’t your brother anymore before I ever touched him, so… it doesn’t really count!”
“He’s still my brother, James! Mates don’t fuck each other’s brothers! And they definitely don’t endanger them by making them wear your sodding quidditch jumper in front of their fucking house and in front of people that will tell our parents!”
“See, I told you he cares about you,” James says to Regulus. “And don’t worry about that part. Regulus will come with us for the holidays, right?”
All the agitation melts out of Sirius's voice in an instant. His eyes snap back to his little brother. “You’ll leave them?”
Regulus nods slowly.
Sirius bites his lip and blinks furiously. He turns half away from him in a sudden fit of emotion Regulus didn’t expect and can’t place.
“You leave for him but not for me?” Sirius finally presses out.
Oh. Regulus bites his tongue and lowers his eyes to the floor.
“I stayed for you.”
Sirius’ head whips around to him. His eyes are slightly reddened. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Regulus shrugs. “Do you think they would have let you go without much fuss if they didn’t still have me?”
Sirius’ face twists in emotion again. James rests his hands on Regulus’ shoulders from behind, squeezing in support.
Sirius slowly sets into motion, until he stands directly in front of Regulus. The day has been entirely too emotional and vulnerable as it is. He doesn’t need a long, dragged-out conversation with his brother to top it all off.
Neither does Sirius, apparently, because he simply puts his arms around Regulus and gives him a careful hug.
He feels a lump forming in his throat. The lonely child inside of him clings to his brother and wants to cry and cry and cry for finally being hugged like this by him again.
“I’ll fight them for you if I have to,” Sirius whispers, and if nothing else could, this tipped him over the edge. Two thick tears spill from Regulus’ eyes and roll down his cheeks. He hides his face in Sirius’ shoulder.
“Me too,” James whispers. “We’ll protect you, Love.”
Sirius huffs. “I can’t believe you’re really dating my brother, James. That’s so weird.”
He pulls back and cups Regulus’ face, rubbing at the tears without a comment. “He make you happy?”
“Yes.”
“Good,” Sirius sighs, “Then get your arses downstairs and show off that jumper to all the girls lusting after your boyfriend. Trust me, it is very effective.” He smirks at Remus, who is watching the scene from the door.
James laughs light-heartedly and pulls Regulus to him, pressing a kiss to his forehead, before leading him back downstairs.
The common room is now decorated with red and gold banners. The team is standing on tables, cheering the others on, celebrating their victory.
Peter sits on a couch distributing money made from various bets.
The noise notably drops a few levels when James comes in with his arm tightly wrapped around Regulus’ waist, who is more or less involuntarily showing off the Gryffindor jumper with James’ name on the back.
The students are staring – everyone knows the Slytherin seeker. They know his reputation at any rate. The room is thick with one question: What on earth does James Sunshine Potter want with this prickly, evil snake?
It is Lily, who finally says something. She detaches herself from the crowd and with a laugh throws an arm over Regulus’ shoulder. He would have flinched away if James didn’t hold him in place.
“So, you two just cost me a shit-ton of money.”
The tension slowly oozes out of the room, and the students begin chuckling and laughing with her. The attention quickly shifts to the bets made about matches and jumpers, and some more people Regulus doesn’t know by name come up to them to make playful comments.
James is grinning from ear to ear, laughing with his friends and boasting about his victory. He doesn’t let go of Regulus for a moment. He keeps rubbing soothing circles into his skin, paying attention to every person coming up to say something to Regulus, ready to defend if needed.
“I love you,” Regulus whispers again when they sit on the couch in the common room hours later, only surrounded by James’ best friends and teammates. “Do you want me to go with you for the holidays?”
“Want? Love, I’m begging you.”
Regulus smiles and nods softly before kissing him.
Peter clears his throat from the other side of the room. “I just want to say. I’m very happy for the two of you. Also, you won me so much money, you have no idea.” He shakes a little pouch filled with Galleons and giggles at the sound of it. “I’ve been betting for him to get your jumper for a year, and it finally paid off.”
“A year?” Sirius exclaims.
“You knew?” James asks, surprised.
Peter rolls his eyes. “Prongs, my friend, you are not capable of subtlety. Anyone who paid an ounce of attention to how you looked at him knew. Those two knobheads over there are just too busy with each other to see.” He lazily points at Sirius and Remus.
The shrug of “yeah, fair” from Remus and the face of pure offence from Sirius sends Regulus and James into a small fit of laughter, leaning into each other and hiding their faces in each other’s shoulders.
Yes, Regulus will go home with James, and he will wear this fucking jumper until it literally dissolves. He loves him so fucking much he might even give Gryffindor a fighting chance for the final of the Quidditch season.