Slash September: James

Prompt of the Day: Jamulus

Disney: "As long as he remains with you, he's in danger!"

Book Club, Marty: brothers, "I'd really appreciate it if you wouldn't swear.", handsome

Amber's Attic: "You left and the world didn't crumble. I owe the universe a dollar."- Rudy Francisco

Count Your Buttons: magazine

Auction: Jamulus

Word Count: 586


"What the fuck do you think you're playing at?"

Regulus doesn't bother to look up from his magazine at his brother's voice. "I'd really appreciate it if you wouldn't swear," he says as he turns the page.

Sirius snatches the magazine from his hands and sits across from him. "You really think it's a good idea to be with James?" he asks. "No offense—"

"Somehow, I doubt that."

"—but you're hardly on the right path."

Regulus snorts. His brother never cares about his life choices. If Regulus hadn't spent the past four months sneaking out with James, Sirius still wouldn't give a damn.

"As long as he remains with you, he's in danger! Merlin, just because you've fucked your own life up, doesn't mean you have to ruin everyone else's lives!"

Regulus looks up at that, grey eyes narrowing and thin lips twisting into a scowl. A million insults stick in the back of his throat, but he swallows them down. It is not worth the fight.

Instead, he climbs to his feet, still scowling, and snatches the magazine back before turning on his heel and stalking off.

Regulus is a selfish bastard. He's well aware of this. Why else would he cling so desperately to a boy who is far too good for him? Does it really matter that James says he loves him?

Regulus can't help but doubt it. How can love with someone like him be anything but corrupted, foul, and horrid?

But he cannot let go. He is so scared of giving in to his thoughts and being alone.

Maybe it would be for the best, but Regulus doesn't care.

He only wants James.

It still amazes him how handsome James is. Regulus wants nothing more than to just hold him and never let go.

But there's something in the air that tells him it won't be that easy. When James kisses him, he feels so distant, like he isn't quite there.

"Something wrong?" Regulus doesn't want to know the truth; he is scared to death of the answer.

James doesn't answer right away. He holds Regulus' hand, his thumb brushing over Regulus' knuckles. His grey eyes shift toward the sky. "Do you ever wonder why we're doing this?"

"What do you mean?"

His heart sinks. All he can do is move a little closer, hoping against hope that this is not goodbye. Of course it is. Sirius has undoubtedly gotten to James.

"We shouldn't work," James murmurs, his free hand pushing through his dark, unruly hair. "We're… Merlin, Reg, we're the most improbable couple ever."

"But we do work," Regulus points out, his voice small.

"Yeah. We did."

Did. Past tense. It's strange how one syllable seems cut so deep.

"It's for the best," James says, and it sounds like he's trying to convince himself just as much as he's trying to convince Regulus. "We weren't made to last."

Regulus almost smiles, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Whatever you say."

He doesn't know if he hates James or loves him for kissing one last time before turning his back on him.

Somehow, the world still turns. Regulus is on edge, waiting for the world to fall apart.

It doesn't. Each day, he still hurts, but he finds a way to function despite the pain.

When he sees James walking down the corridor with the Evans girl, it feels like a knife has been wedged into his chest.

But he carries on, and the world still turns.