Submitted for The Houses Competition Forum - Round 8

House: Ravenclaw

Subject: Ancient Runes (stand-in)

Category: Standard

Prompt: [Trope] Idiots to lovers; [First Line] If all days started like this, I'd never get out of bed.; [Colour] Green - New Beginnings

Word count: 1203

Warnings: Canon Divergence


Reckless Gryffindors' Matchmaking Scheme

If all days started like this, he'd never get out of bed. The embarrassment that followed him around that day was too much for him to handle. But maybe, just maybe, the mortification of what happened could be the start of a new beginning.

The day started out normally. Regulus woke up, brushed his teeth, and combed his hair for exactly nine minutes and thirty-two seconds. He was very precise about the time he spent on his hair; it was a trait Father had instilled in them as a child, and both Sirius and Regulus were meticulous about their appearance. After he was done making sure his hair was perfect, Regulus pulled on his ironed uniform and turned to finish getting dressed.

It was then that he realised something.

His emerald-green tie, a colour that people always said made the grey in his eyes pop, was nowhere to be found.

Regulus looked around his room, wondering where it could have gotten to, but he couldn't find it. He didn't let the thought bother him too much; he just hoped he'd find it soon.

And he did. But he wished he hadn't.

Why in Salazar's name was Potter wearing his tie as if it belonged around his neck? Who cared if Regulus had spent some time—alright, a lot of time—staring at Potter's delectable throat and imagining doing all kinds of wicked things to him with that tie?

Not that Regulus would let anyone know about that. He had a reputation to protect.

"Why is James wearing your tie? Are you two doing something I need to know?" Sirius asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

As far as siblings go, Sirius wasn't the worst one. Except when he was teasing Regulus, of course.

"I don't like what you're implying," Regulus snapped at him. "Besides, I don't know why Potter is wearing my tie. I hadn't even realised I had lost before I saw it on him."

"Too busy doing the deed to care where your clothes went? I get it," Sirius drawled and Regulus had half a mind to hex him.

"Ew, shut up! I don't want to know what you do in your free time! And I don't want to talk about what I do in my free time either!" Regulus snapped, making the grin on Sirius' face grow.

"So you have been doing the deed? I'm so proud of you, baby brother!" Sirius hugged Regulus, almost cutting off his air supply. "Though, I don't know if I should be celebrating this or gagging with disgust. You're my brother, and James is like my brother—is this a kind of indirect incest? We Blacks are known for being ridiculously into each other, after all, so maybe it's not weird, you shagging my other brother from another mother."

Sometimes, Regulus wondered how Sirius and he could be related.

"Stop talking, Sirius! Can't you see that something else demands our attention at hand? How the hell did Potter get a hold of my tie?"

Sirius had the decency to look sheepish, and somehow, Regulus just knew his brother was involved in whatever this was.

He tried not to let it be known that he may or may not have a crush on James Potter. Unfortunately, it was the worst best-kept secret in Slytherin.

"I might know something," Sirius started, which made Regulus raise an eyebrow at him. "What? You don't tell me your secrets, so why should I tell you mine?"

"Sirius, tell me. What did you do?" Regulus demanded, reaching over and grabbing Sirius' collar.

"Hey, no messing up my clothes. You know I don't like that," Sirius whined, swatting Regulus' hands away.

"Just tell me," Regulus hissed, standing up on his tiptoes ready to go head to head with his idiotic brother.

Just then, James approached them, a wicked smirk playing on his lips. He played with the green Slytherin tie casually wound around his throat so seductively that Regulus had to force his eyes away from the sensual motion. James purred, "Well, hello there, Regulus. Looks like I found something of yours."

Swallowing down his embarrassment, Regulus demanded, "And why do you have my tie?"

"I don't know," James said with a leer. He pulled out another tie from his pocket, unwrapped it and then stepped even closer to Regulus.

Regulus' heart leapt into his throat like an overexcited frog. He held his breath when James raised his arms to slowly place the tie around his neck and yank him so close that their chests bumped. Regulus' breath was still stuck in his throat.

"Woah, sexual tension alert!" Sirius cried from where he was standing a few feet away from them, waving his hands as if he were fanning the flames.

Regulus wanted to do something. Maybe he could push James away? But James was so close to him and Regulus didn't have it in him to distance himself. Maybe he should yell at James or Sirius instead to show them that he wasn't happy with whatever they were up to (even though he was mentally squealing and rolling on the floor like a complete mess).

But before he could lie through his teeth, James smirked and began tying the fabric. His fingers brushed against Regulus' bare collarbone, sending jolts of arousal shooting throughout his entire body. Regulus barely held himself back from shivering at the accidental touch—or was it not accidental? Could James have made such a suave move on purpose?

He wanted to ask him what he was up to, but it was as if someone had cast a Drought Charm on his throat.

James' smirk widened and he leaned down just enough to brush his lips against the side of Regulus' mouth, stealing any oxygen Regulus might have had left in his lungs. James whispered, "Keep the tie on for the rest of the day, yeah? You can get your tie back tonight after dinner."

Bewildered, Regulus blinked as James stood straighter and pivoted on his heels before sauntering off, whistling as he slid his hands into his pockets. He practically clicked his heels as he strutted away.

Wow, that was smooth…

Regulus had spoken too soon.

Just then, James tripped over his own shoelace and went flying toward a group of first-year Hufflepuffs, who were all knocked down in one uncoordinated move. They squealed and tried to get up, but James' weight kept them pinned to the floor.

"Okay, that wasn't planned," Sirius muttered as he hurried over to help his best friend up. "Prongs, you absolute menace! Get up, my brother's watching!"

Regulus watched as James got to his feet and turned to glance at him, an awkward smile on his face. He waved at Regulus, his teeth bared sheepishly, and called out, "I'm okay!"

Regulus pursed his lips to stop them from turning up in a smile. James could be as charming as he wished to portray himself as, but Regulus could see he was just a dork—an adorable dork, mind you, but still socially inept.

When Sirius and James had disappeared around the corner, Regulus looked down at the tie around his neck. The Gryffindor-red tie flashed a deep emerald-green—as if it were winking—before returning to its original red.