Hey, im new and i want to learn about jegulus, why do you personally think they're an otp, what qualities do they have that are/aren't similar, what's their chemistry like? No hate, I just recently found this ship and want to learn more about the essence of jegulus 😇. Thanks in advance!❤️
PREPARE FOR A LENGTHY ESSAY ON THE SUBJECT
Why do I think they’re an OTP/ Why are they my OTP?
These two are perfect for each other. They compliment each other so well in every resepct.
Regulus is a wreck whose cry for help is pushing people away. He’s damaged and abused, and he believes his only purpose in life is to please his parents… he’s empty inside and rarely has a reason to smile. He always has a reason to cry, but he never does either of these things. He’s withering away behind a mask of being the graceful pureblood heir he’s told he has to be, his insides are hollow despite the straight posture he keeps.
And beyond that, his thoughts go deep. I bet he writes poetry, a sort of output that just barely keeps him going, pouring the insides of his soul onto a piece of parchment, coded to the point where no one else would be able to decipher his emotions. He’s highly sensitive, he’s constantly hurting and alone, and he needs someone to protect him. - He doesn’t need any protection from others, granted, he’s able to fend off people verbally, intellectually, he’s an extraordinarily talented wizard, hell, he’s even able to physically fight people (Sirius taught him to be a smol ball of destruction); in fact, the one he needs protection from is himself. He’s slowly self destructing.
He has never been taught how love works. He has been touch starved since the day he learnt how to walk and his parents didn’t have to put up with the inconvenience of carrying him around. His brother has been a rogue ever since, too wild and dangerous to protect the soft flower that two-year-old Regulus was. Sirius was just too preoccupied saving himself from destruction to be able to help a second person (this doesn’t mean he never tried). Regulus doesn’t know the warmth of a hug. If someone were to offer him their hand, he would flinch and pull away, because all he’s ever been taught about touching someone is that it will hurt. And above all, all he’s ever learnt about love is if he starts caring, he will be mistreated and abused. That is the reason he tries not to care, about anyone, particularly not himself. He’s an empty shell merely functioning, and he’s proud of that, and every emotion he feels makes him hate himself more.
And then there’s James. James’s parents have been showering him in gifts and affection, spoiled him in every way possible. He doesn’t know what it feels like to be alone or broken, and he’s generous sharing his and his parents’ love because there are endless supplies to give.
But he doesn’t understand what neglect does to a person. Not really.
When he was twelve and learned about Sirius’s family, all he picked up was that a. his best mate was crying because of his family, and b. his family must suck, he can share his and all the problems are gone.
James saw Sirius’s bruises, he perceived his attitude, the fact that he has nightmares, but I’m not sure to what extent he realised where that really came from. Sirius wasn’t damaged beyond repair, and started healing slowly when he was shown how love really worked at the tender young age of eleven. And all that was left - it was never obvious to James where it really came from. James is too blue-eyed and optimistic to dare taint his worldview by digging deep into the abomination his best mate’s home life really was.
Then, he meets Regulus, and he thinks he’s just your usual Reserved And Mysterious Slytherin.
But he isn’t.
Regulus pulls away, he does things incomprehensible for James.
And can you just imagine how much character development it is for James to realise that Regulus isn’t being shy, that he’s actually scared, terrified? To realise that maybe, he has it just as bad as Sirius, Sirius, who showed up bleeding and sobbing on the Potters’ doorstep one night? And lastly, to realise that Regulus doesn’t have anyone like Sirius does, and that he’s so alone his only friend is a house elf?
Imagine James’s face when Regulus casually mentions that the only one he can talk to without being ridiculed, beaten, or cursed, is the bloody family house elf?
At this point, James realises that it isn’t as simple as it was with Sirius (and that it wasn’t this simple with Sirius to begin with). He understands that love alone can’t heal a broken soul, and that it is a lot of work to do so, and that it takes a lot of listening and holding his tongue, because if he made one inappropriate joke while Regulus was in the process of telling him about his deepest thoughts and feelings despite not being allowed to even have them, Regulus would never have the courage to confide in anyone again. James learns that having a healthy family life is a gift, and he learns that he can’t just treat everyone the same way. He understands why Sirius wouldn’t talk to him for a solid week after he made fun of him for creeping into his bed at night due to his nightmares, or why Sirius flinches when he holds up his hand pretending to slap him for fun, or why Remus doesn’t like him trying to touch the large scar across his chest. James learns that he can’t just take without knowing how to give. He learns that he isn’t the centre of the world, and that he can’t just project his own needs upon everyone else, and he learns how to be more considerate of people’s feelings.
James wants to save Regulus from himself.
And Regulus opens up, very slowly. It starts with letting James talk to him, look him in the eyes, accepting that one-second period of slight vulnerability. It continues with short conversations and a very accidental small smile and a very strange, giddy sensation in his stomach (that he is very wary of!) when this causes James to beam at him. It continues with him partially letting his guard down that one night on the Astronomy tower, and it ends with Regulus allowing himself to let it all out - all the tears and the pain that have accumulated over the years. It also ends with James forcing him to stay at his place over the summer and to “fucking see a mind healer, goddammit, Reg!”
And the thing is, no one can take that connection away from them. James will never be a psychologist, and Regulus will always have a part of him missing, but they have each other. Regulus can let go when James is holding him. Regulus learns that most people don’t want to hurt you, and that holding someone’s hand isn’t dangerous - that it actually feels rather good (especially when that someone is James).
So, you might say that the two of them help each other grow, a lot, and that James is the saviour Regulus didn’t know he needed so desperately.
What traits do/ don’t they have in common?
I’ll keep this short and less in depth, don’t worry
Traits they have in common include:
being into Quidditch a lot, and being hella good fliers (The former causes them to be annoyingly competitive over Quidditch matches, resulting in bets and the-loser-gets-punished-games in the locker rooms, the latter means they’ll fly together, playfully trying to outdo each other, then landing on a tree in the forest to snog high up above the ground)
RIDICULOUS COMPETETIVENESS. ALWAYS. IN EVERY SITUATION
They’re both extremely smart. Regulus isn’t used for people to be able to have intellectual conversations with him, especially not giant goofballs like James Potter
They’re both cuddlers (something Regulus ends up learning about himself
They’re braggards. Both of them. Might have something to do with their competetiveness.
they share Sirius as an idiot brother to fondly make fun of (Sirius never ceases delivering conversation material)
they’re both hopeless romantics but too cool and tough and Manly™ to ever admit it
Differences:
James is impossibly impulsive, whereas Regulus is pretty composed most of the time and actually thinks before he acts
Each one of them believes they’re the Mom Boyfriend - James because Regulus is smol and needs protection as well as constant attention, and Reg because, well, James is a very childish person and will likely die in a stupid and reckless way if not watched closely
Regulus’s ambitions are primarily academic. James doesn’t really care about school because his parents are rich. He just wants attention.
talking about attention… James wants it, Regulus aviods it. We’re on about the typical introvert/extrovert thing.
Regulus’s thoughts go deep. James’s thoughts are about the latest Montrose Magpies merch or what’s for lunch (although this doesn’t mean James isn’t capable of following abstract trains of thought or having philosophical conversations with his boyfriend.)
For Reg, letting go around James means going wild. For james, letting go around Reg is relaxing and letting himself be soft. (this is not only, but mostly about bedroom activities)
James thinks he can do everything. Reg thinks he’s no good at anything.
As you can see, their opposite traits mostly compliment each other or at least aren’t a real problem.
What’s their chemistry like?
I’d personally say their chemistry is pretty dualistic.
One one hand, it’s supportive, soft, understanding.
This is particularly true in the beginning. And I’m saying it doesn’t matter at all whether Regulus started opening up to James before or after they started dating; whether they started out as two guys having a casual thing and James starts noticing his snogging buddy is definitely not okay, or whether it started out with James just randomly wanting to help out his best mate’s little brother (but I’m also in for Reg having to get something off his chest, and James just happens to be around and for some reason, Reg has a feeling he can trust him. I’m all for Reg reaching out, but there’d need to be a good reason!)
Reg needs reassurance every so often, and so does James! James isn’t always as cheerful as he pretends to be, and I’d be damned if I believed always Being The Saviour didn’t make him neglect his own feelings. James is scared of the world being blown to bits, he’s scared of losing his loved ones, and he’s scared of not being able to hold it all together.
So sometimes after a rough day, they just need cuddles and soft kisses and the feeling of being protected and safe with the other.
But here it comes! On the other hand, these two are on fire.
Their differences cause friction, which doesn’t only lead to a few sparks, it lights a hellfire.
They know exactly how to rile each other up, to push each other’s buttons. As mentioned above, they’re ridiculously competitive and will sometimes fight over anything.
Regulus’s snide, sarcastic remarks cut deep, and James purposely uses proverbs wrongly and misquotes classic literature because he is well aware it sets Regulus on edge.
Their snogging (or dare I say it: sex) is hungry and passionate and Regulus knows exactly how to touch James just there and not relieve him for another fifteen minutes, and James can do it with his lips just so to make his boyfriend stir and whimper and beg him to go faster.
So altogether, I’ll say they’re idiots who drive each other round the twist effectively, but their history has taught them enough to know exactly when to stop, and how to be there for each other.
I’m hoping this very long answer helped you undersatnd my personal point of view. This is how I personally see them and about my own idea of their dynamics, based upon years of introspection and exposal. I think this ship is just beautiful, to be honest.
If you want to look into more material, check out this post where I tried to put their dynamics into more abstract, perhaps even poetic words.
I’ll link some posts other people made about them as a pairing here that are probably much shorter:
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