Discaimer: I own absolutely nothing recognisable.
Warning: Mentions of homophobia in society.
The pair were bathed in starlight as they lent against the railings of the Astronomy Tower, slowly sipping at a bottle of Firewhisky they passed between themselves. The castle had become almost suffocating from the many eyes that followed them. The duo had slipped away under the cover of the night sky, away from the persecuting looks and the constantly wondering thoughts.
Neither had expected the other to be there, on the balcony, and yet they weren't surprised. It had become a safe haven for them, a place where they had slipped away to in the dead of night for secretive meetings. It was the one place in Hogwarts where neither had to hide who they truly were from others. The safe haven of the Astronomy Tower was ingrained in their minds, and they had both found themselves there once again, through muscle memory, together.
"I didn't mean for any of this to happen you know," James murmured under his breath softly, as if hoping the words would be swallowed by the darkness and Regulus would never hear them.
"Don't do that to yourself," Regulus muttered back. "Don't blame yourself for what happened, it wasn't your fault."
"It shouldn't even be an issue though Reggie. It shouldn't be either of our faults because we didn't do anything wrong," his voice had begun to grow louder as he spoke, anger filling his words as he stood taller.
"Of course we didn't do anything wrong. It's society that's wrong James." His words were strained, laced with pain and sadness. They both knew where this was heading.
"I suppose we have to make a decision then," James pinched his nose and sighed, knowing that this was going to be the hardest decision he'd ever have to make. "I love you, and I don't want to ever have to let you go Reggie. I know things are different for you though, your family is less accepting and it'll be harder for you."
"It'll be difficult, but I don't think I could sit back and watch you fall in love with someone else," Regulus murmured softly, moving closer until he could feel James' breath in his skin. "It's selfish, but I don't want you to have what we have with another person. I don't want to live out the rest of my life alone because I gave you up when things got hard. I want to be by your side no matter what, just like you've always been by mine."
His voice rose as he spoke so passionately about the love he held for James, the future that they had both dreamt of, but never dared to speak into existence. Both knew how cruel the world could be, and neither wanted that hope to be tarnished.
They had reached the point of no return. Neither could go back to the way things were before, pretending that they were at most friends, and at worst enemies. Neither could stand to watch as the other moved on with their lives, with someone else. They were stuck together, and neither one wished to ever be torn apart.
"I love you, and you love me. Nothing else matters but that," James could feel his lips spreading into a smile, the tears trickling from the corner of his eyes, and he finally felt free. They could finally be fully happy, sharing their love for one another outside of the Astronomy Tower. There would be no more secret rendezvous, no more hidden kisses that felt so criminal, they could finally be James and Regulus. Two boys in love, and looking forward to their future together, the way it should be.
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