it's tradition

Regulus held his hands out to the fireplace, trying to coax some warmth back into his icy fingers. He had agreed to leave the sanctuary of the flat he shared with his brother to come on a Christmas break with James (if only just to get some respite from Sirius). He hadn't expected the log cabin to be so cold.

James had left the cabin about half an hour ago with the intention of 'bringing something in from the car', and Regulus was starting to wonder where he'd got to. He moved away from the warmth of the fireplace to peer through the foggy window, where he could see James bent over the back of the boot of his old Honda Civic. He looked like he was struggling with the baggage, but he'd already refused Regulus's offer to help him.

He sat in the chair by the Christmas tree—a seven foot monstrosity that James had insisted on putting up and decorating before they even arrived—and watched the twinkling fairy lights. After another ten minutes, James finally burst through the door with his scarf looped high around his face and his glasses misted over.

"You look like you're about to rob me," Regulus commented. He stood up and helped James disentangle himself from his scarf and coat. "Where's all the luggage?"

"Oh, I'll get all that later. I was looking for something else. Here, let me show you." He dug around in the back pocket of his jeans until he retrieved a tiny box, covered in yellow wrapping paper. "This is for you."

Regulus raised his eyebrow at James. "What's this?"

"It's a hammerhead shark, obviously." James rolled his eyes. "It's a gift."

"I don't really want a gift," Regulus said warily. "Anyway—Christmas is tomorrow."

"Don't be ungrateful!" James pressed the present into Regulus's hands. "It's a new tradition I've decided we're going to do. We're going to start opening a present on Christmas eve."

"Well, I haven't brought any of your presents here for you to open one now."

"Doesn't matter. I really wanted you to have this now." James grinned.

"What is it?" Regulus held the box to his ear and shook it gently, trying to gauge what could be inside.

"That's for me to know and you to find out. Don't shake it, it was expensive—just open it!"

Regulus sighed defeatedly, and started to carefully peel back the yellow paper, revealing a small velvet box. He gasped in shock and dropped the box, causing James to shriek and lunge down to pick it up, cradling the box carefully in his hands. "James—is that—what are you doing?"

James looked at Regulus blankly. "Be careful, it cost a lot of money!" He tried to pass the box back to Regulus, but Regulus backed up, looking horrified.

"James…"

James looked completely dumbfounded. "What's wrong with you? It's just a Christmas present."

"Is it a Christmas present though, or a...Christmas present?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Just open the box, for god's sake."

Regulus swallowed and took the box back from James, then opened it carefully. There, on the velvety bottom of the box, was a simple black ring.

But not any old ring. Not the kind of ring that would go on a finger. It was bigger than that, wider, and made from some kind of soft rubbery material. Regulus pulled it out of the box and held it between his finger and thumb. "What the hell is it?"

James grinned, flashing his teeth cheekily. "It's a ring."

"What kind of ring, genius? And how did this tiny bit of rubber cost a lot of money?"

"Isn't it obvious?" James took it from Regulus and stretched the rubber out. "It's a cock ring. Apparently it's a limited edition, or so the woman in the shop told me. That's why it was expensive."

"It sounds like you got duped. What the fuck is a cock ring?" Regulus breathed out a sigh of relief as he spoke. "Actually, I don't care. I thought you were going to propose to me."

A crestfallen look passed over James's face. "You sound glad that I didn't."

"I don't mean it like that!" Regulus rushed forward and put his arms around James's waist, pressing his cheek to his chest as he hugged him, then tipped his face up to look at him. "I just don't know if you would have survived until we actually got married. You know…"

"Sirius," snorted James.

"Sirius."

"You're right. He would murder me in my wedding suit."

"He'd murder you long before that," Regulus replied, and pulled away from James, snatching the rubber ring out of his hand. "Anyway, I think my night just got a lot better. You need to show me what we do with this thing."

James kissed Regulus lightly on the lips, smirking. "Well, in that case…meet me in the bedroom," he murmured. "Clothing is optional."

Written For:

- Assignment #13/Culinary Arts Task #13: Write about something expensive.

- Winter Funfair/Naughty Elf on the Shelf: 8. (dialogue) "Meet me in the bedroom. Clothing is optional."

- Winter Funfair/Naughty or Nice: Naughty 15. (dialogue) "That's for me to know, and you to find out."

- Winter Funfair/Guess the Name: Reindeer 1. (action) Opening a gift early on Christmas Eve

- Winter Funfair/Decorate the Christmas Tree: House Decorations 5. (character) James Potter

- Winter Funfair/12 Days of Shipmas: 5. (object) Ring

- Winter Funfair/Magical Mistletoe: 2. (object) fireplace

- Writing Club/Gotta Catch Them All: 11. (colour) yellow

- Writing Club/Showtime: 4. (dialogue) "Here, let me show you."

- Writing Club/Film Festival: 24. (action) hugging

- Writing Club/Elizabeth's Empire: 8. (object) fireplace

- Writing Club/Sophie's Smut Bucket: 13. (dialogue) "My night just got a lot better."

- Writing Club/Throwback: 12. (item) fairy lights

- Writing Club/Buttons: Objects 2. Wrapping paper

- Writing Club/TV Spree: 17. (dialogue) "I don't really want a gift."

- Christmas Fight Club/Fight: 8. (item) Tree

- Moony's Neon Cafe/Drinks: 1. (plot point) warming your hands by the fire.

Word Count: 821