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James was at the shops, picking up some last-minute items for dinner when he first got the feeling that something wasn't quite right. He stopped in the aisle as he picked up a box of rice and just froze. It was like a switch went off that sent a shiver down his spine. Then there was a crash in the next aisle over and a child was crying. James poked his head around the corner but their mother seemed to be calming them down. There was a jar of pickles on the ground next to them. James shrugged it off before he went back to his shopping.
Regulus had wanted a specific type of pie crust for the pies they were planning on baking tomorrow and James refused to leave the shops until he had it. Unfortunately for him, that particular shop didn't have it and he would have to make another stop. He really didn't fancy Regulus getting upset with him for neglecting to get the one item he asked for.
James was in the checkout line of the second shop when he got the feeling again. He looked around but he couldn't see anything that seemed to have triggered it. He was debating on calling Regulus to see if he was alright when he noticed somebody watching him or at least it seemed like they were watching him. James tensed up but pretended to act as normal as possible. Nobody would do anything inside the shop with children present. No, they would wait until he was alone. That was the danger of his profession.
James paid for his items and walked to his car. The guy he saw earlier didn't follow him. James took a subtle breath before he inserted his key and turned the engine over and drove home. Sitting at a stoplight was the third time he got the feeling but this time it was even more intense. Regulus. It was his only thought before he threw his car in reverse and darted down a back alley. Luckily there weren't any other cars around him.
He made it home five minutes later and didn't even bother to bring in the groceries. James took the stairs two at a time until he reached their front door and shoved his key in the lock to unlock it. It took a couple of tries since he dropped the damn things the first time and cursed under his breath. Once he was in the house, the feeling seemed to ease a little but it didn't disappear entirely. James took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He didn't need Regulus to see him frazzled if he was okay.
"Reg?" James called and waited for an answer. There wasn't one so he called again, a little louder, "Regulus?"
"In the bathroom," Regulus called back and James let out a sigh of relief before he made his way to the bathroom just down the hall from the living room.
"What are you doing, lo-" James started to ask casually as he walked in until he froze when he saw the blood. "What happened?"
James was beside Regulus in a second as he turned Regulus toward him so that he could see where the blood was coming from. He looked all over frantically but he couldn't find the cut.
"Will you relax?" Regulus grumbled as he pushed James away slightly. "I'm fine."
"Love, you don't look fine. What the fuck happened?" He could feel the anger start to bubble in his gut.
"Nothing that I couldn't handle," Regulus shrugged nonchalantly as he reached up to open the medicine cabinet and winced.
James was on high alert again as he grabbed Regulus' shirt and lifted it up so he could see his side. There was a large gash in his side with a hastily thrown-on bandage and gauze. It was as if he threw it on in the spur of the moment during a fight of some kind.
"You are not fine," James nearly shouted as he moved Regulus over to the toilet. "Sit down and let me see."
Regulus sighed heavily as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "James, I'm fine. I already took care of the worst of it anyway."
"The worst of what? Reg, you look like you got into a fucking fight which is odd since you said you weren't leaving the house," James scolded as he looked at his husband, who at least had the sense to look a little guilty.
"I wasn't planning on it. It kind of just happened."
"What did? What the fuck could have just happened for you to now have a new fucking gash in your side?" James' nostrils flared as his anger started to rise to the surface. "When I find out who did this, I'm going to make them pay," he snarled as he examined the wound closer.
"No, you're not because like I said, I'm fine and it's nothing to worry about. I don't need you storming out of here on a rampage with no clue what is actually going on."
"Then tell me, Regulus. Tell me what the fuck is going on." James threw his hands up in the air in aggravation. "I wasn't even gone for half an hour and when I left, you were sitting on the couch in the living room and looking for something to watch on the telly as you reminded me about the damn pie crust."
James was fuming now and it was taking everything in him to not storm out of that bathroom and go on a manhunt for whoever dared to lay a finger on his husband.
Regulus sighed again before he cupped James' face gently in his hands and made James look at him. He waited until James was paying attention before he spoke.
"I got a phone call from Dora. She was at the park down the street. It was only supposed to be a quick 'run and intimidate somebody and run back' type of deal." Regulus started to stroke James' cheek with his thumb in a soothing manner before he took a deep breath. "Dora was practically screaming for the guy to leave her alone when I got there. Unfortunately, the asshole had a knife and I didn't see it in time to dodge him. I swear, there is nothing else that you need to do. We took care of it and as far as I know, the guy took off as soon as the sirens were heard. Dora and I came back here before she called Evan to come and pick her up. That's all, okay? Now, can you please help me change this bandage before we make dinner? I'm starving."
James blew out a breath of air through his nose. He was still angry but Regulus was safe and James could hunt the guy who hurt him down later and take care of him. He had no intention of letting this slide but he would wait because Regulus was practically begging him to as he looked in James' eyes.
"Fine," James replied through gritted teeth before he softened and got the medical supplies to properly clean up the cut on Regulus' side.
Once he was properly cleaned up and in clean clothes, James made Regulus sit on the couch while he finished cleaning up the bathroom and disposed of the bloody items. They made dinner after James grabbed the groceries from the car and settled in to watch a movie on the telly.
After Regulus was asleep, James grabbed his phone and crept back out to the living room to call Pandora and find out exactly what happened and who the guy was. It wouldn't take him long to hunt him down once he figured out who he was. The guy better hope that James doesn't find him because when he does, he won't be seeing the light of day again. Nobody can lay a finger on someone he loves and get away with it, especially not his husband.