Chapter Text
I think I loved you
In another life
Where I was the sea
And you were the shore
Regulus Black is going to kill Remus Lupin.
He chants it like a mantra while walking up to a quaint café in the outskirts of Cambridge. The café, called Madame Aubert’s Tea Lounge, is tucked in between two massive department stores, looking quite out of place. The front of the shop is decorated with flower planters and a couple tables and chairs, empty in the autumn air. The shop itself, much to Regulus’s distaste, is painted in shades of purple and pink, looking as if Valentine’s Day had thrown up all over it.
This shop is at the top of the list in Places Regulus Black Would Never Visit, which is why he pointedly stares at the ground as he walks up into the shop, shoving his hands in his coat pockets and resisting the urge to turn the fuck around.
The bell above the door gives a sick little tinkle as he pushes the door open–only to be immediately met with the sight of a teenage girl’s wet dream.
In hindsight, he should have guessed the shop would be worse inside, what with its heart-shaped décor over every possible surface and the lingering smell of roses in the air. Regulus is suffocating. Surely this is Hell.
The floor is covered in lavender and rose-colored tiles–making him regret trying to look at the ground again. At least it’s warm in here.
To reiterate, Regulus Black is going to kill Remus fucking Lupin.
Sighing, Regulus takes a couple steps inside, intending on going to a table at the back of the shop to hide, but is interrupted by an older woman, who greets him with a, “Good afternoon! Welcome to my shop! May I help you with anything?” in a slightly high pitched voice.
Regulus looks over this woman. She seems to be in her sixties, and has a round face with gentle eyes. She peers up at him through round sunglasses and gives him a genuine smile. He likes her.
“Er- I am here to meet up with someone, actually. I was hoping I could sit at a table near the back?”
“Of course sweetheart, pick whichever one you like. Shall I be over shortly with some tea and biscuits?”
“Yes, thank you Madame Aubert.”
“Please, call me Elise,” the woman says, patting Regulus’s elbow and bustling off. Regulus sweeps his gaze over the rest of the shop, unsurprised to find three couples seated at the booths along the right-hand wall. There is also a group of older women chatting and laughing by the window. Otherwise, the shop is quite empty and it is not difficult at all to find a quiet table near the back where he can sit and wait.
Regulus is very used to sitting in the back of a room, using this as a vantage point to keep an eye on all of the other people present. Lately, being sure of his surroundings is more prudent than ever. Day by day, Voldemort’s army continues to grow, and surprise attacks are an often occurrence in The Daily Prophet.
Back to Regulus’s current situation.
As of the moment, Regulus is waiting for a blind date. Yes, you heard that correctly. And no, this wasn’t a dare.
Remus Lupin, Regulus’s brother’s boyfriend, had insisted that he set Regulus up with one of his buddies from the pub he frequents. Sirius, Regulus’s brother, has no idea any of this is happening, obviously. Anytime the subject of Regulus dating someone comes up, Sirius immediately leaves the room or changes the topic. Regulus relates to his disgust thoroughly–he does the same thing when Sirius and Remus’s relationship comes up. He would rather not think about it, thank you very much.
Begrudgingly, Regulus has become friends with Remus, and has slowly warmed up to the idea of Sirius and him dating.
Whenever Sirius is not around, Remus loves to play matchmaker and try to set Regulus up with whoever he can. Needless to say, Regulus declines every time.
However, this time, Regulus has agreed, only because Remus threatened to burn his favorite leather jacket if he didn’t at least try. That lunatic would actually have done it, and a part of Regulus respects him for it.
So now, Regulus is patiently waiting for some bloke to walk through the door of Madame Aubert’s Tea Lounge, and is completely prepared to meet the most god-awful, boring man to exist.
What he is not prepared for, however, is for James Potter to walk in.
You have got to be joking… This is a prank right? Regulus thinks helplessly, watching Potter walk in the shop and ruffle his hair. He turns to greet Madame Aubert and she smiles and points a finger to Regulus sitting in the back. No nononono pleasedontlookatme please. Regulus internally begs.
James turns and looks anyway.
Regulus sucks in a small breath as ash grey eyes meet pools of honey brown. Regulus is frozen, he can’t think, he can’t speak. For a long moment, the two men simply stare at each other, unable to break eye contact.
Slowly, as if in a daze, James tears his gaze from Regulus and turns to thank Madame Aubert. As soon as he turns back around his gaze lands on Regulus once again. This time, his eyes are unabashedly looking Regulus up and down.
Regulus does the same, he is not one to back down from a challenge, his mother didn’t raise no bitch! (his mother IS a bitch but that's neither here nor there)
From his bright red converse with little suns painted on them to his 70’s vintage American football jacket, James potter looks every bit the jock he looked back in school. To this day, he wears that casual smirk, and has a dimple on his left cheek when he smiles. His hair, unsurprisingly, hasn’t changed a bit and still sticks up every which way. Regulus wonders what James’s hair would feel like between his fingers. Would it be soft and smooth? Or would it be rough, much like James’s exterior? No.
NO. Stop it right now. Do NOT think about him.
Oblivious to the internal war waging inside Regulus, James begins to walk towards him, taking each step meticulously as if he were approaching a scared cat. Regulus watches his every move, eyes moving up and down his body, and flitting across his face.
“Potter” Regulus greets James, when he reaches the table, attempting to sound cold and sharp. It comes out a bit wobbly anyway.
“Regulus” James utters, sounding a little breathless. Regulus feels a small shiver go down his spine at that melodious voice saying his name. “What are you doing here? It doesn’t really seem like your scene.”
“I’m, uh – I’m waiting for a date, if you must know. And what are you doing here?"
“Surprisingly the same thing, though mine is a blind date.” James reaches up to rub the back of his neck, ears redding slightly. When he lifts his arm, the black t-shirt he is wearing rides up a little, and Regulus–uncontrollably, of course–glances down to glimpse smooth brown skin before it is quickly covered again.
It takes a couple of seconds for Regulus to catch up to what James had just said, but when he does, he lets out a soft groan and covers his eyes with one hand, covering a pained expression.
“Oh. It’s you, isn’t it?” James asks, ears redding even further. “I–I’ll just go then, shall I?” James takes a quick step back, his whole face flushing. “Bye Regulus, nice seeing you.” He spins on his heel and turns to leave.
“Wait! Don’t go!” Regulus cries out, reaching a hand towards James. James slowly turns around. Under his questioning stare, Regulus begins to feel his own cheeks heat up. “You can stay, if you want that is, obviously I’m not forcing you to stay, and it’s you choice an all that, but I just mean that you are welcome to stay, and I would like it if you would, but as I said you don’t have–” Regulus’s embarrassed ramble is cut short.
“Okay.”
“What?”
“Okay. I’ll stay. Because I want to.”
“Oh! That’s great! Yeah of course, um, yeah”
Smiling slightly, James slowly walks back to the chair and takes a seat. As soon as he sits, they lock eyes again, and all Regulus can think about yet again is running his hands through James’s hair over and over.
Oh this is about to be the longest date of his life.