Apr 9, 2025
Regulus “If you think you can… save me, the way you did him. You should know that you can’t.” Black
James “Do you need to be saved, Reg?” Potter
seen from Switzerland
seen from Malaysia
seen from Croatia
seen from Russia
seen from Germany
seen from Netherlands
seen from Malaysia
seen from Bangladesh
seen from India
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from South Africa
seen from Germany
seen from Japan
seen from Spain
seen from United States
seen from New Zealand
seen from United States
seen from Australia
seen from Italy
Regulus “If you think you can… save me, the way you did him. You should know that you can’t.” Black
James “Do you need to be saved, Reg?” Potter
“Patroclus decided to do something stupid and noble, got himself killed.
“But Achilles doesn’t care. He never gives Patroclus up, not even at the end, not even in death.”
- Choices by Messermoon on ao3
“You take it on too easily,” James says eventually, when he’s certain he’ll be able to keep his voice under control. Regulus sends him a questioning look so he continues. “The role of the villain, like you think you deserve it. Like you’re trying to atone for something. Your family’s guilt isn’t your own Regulus, you don’t have to bear it. You aren’t them.”
Something complicated is happening in the other boy’s eyes, and James wishes he knew what it was.
“Sometimes,” his voice gets even quieter, eyes closing, “I think I was born with blood on my hands.”
- Choices by messermoon
“I love you so much.”
“I wish you didn’t.”
James lets out a noise somewhere between a laugh and a sob. “I know,” he says, squeezing Regulus tighter. “But I do, I always will.”
And God, Regulus hopes that isn’t true. Hopes that one day James Potter forgets all about him. That he goes on and lives his beautiful perfect life. That he isn’t weighed down by everything dark and heavy that sits inside Regulus’s skin. James deserves more. Deserves better than that.
- Choices by messermoon on ao3
“You wanna know what the really pathetic part is?” he says finally, eyes still shut. “When I saw you with her I wasn’t even angry. I just thought “they look so beautiful together,” his voice cracks and for a moment James can’t breathe it hurts so bad. “I just thought “this is how it’s supposed to be,” he shakes his head. “I’ll never look like that, standing next to you.”
“Look like what?” James whispers.
Wrinkles appear at the corners of Regulus’s eyes. “Right,” he says on his next exhale. “I’ll never look right. I’ll never belong. No one will ever look at us the way they look at you and her.”
And James doesn’t know what to say—there are so many things that his brain almost short circuits—by the time he opens his mouth he has no idea what’s coming out of it.
“I will,” he says simply. “I’ll look at us that way.” Maybe that sounds stupid, he doesn’t know.
Regulus lets out a shaky breath. “Oh,” he says weakly.
James knows they’re in the hallway. Knows it’s Reckless. All of this is reckless. But before he can stop himself he leans over and places a kiss on the top of Regulus’s head. Quick and chaste. And when he pulls away Regulus chases him, leaning into his side.
“You will always belong with me Reg,” James whispers against his temple. “Always.”
Regulus sighs, pressing into him like he can’t be close enough. “You really mean that,” it’s more of a statement than a question, but it’s said with enough awe that James feels compelled to answer anyway. Just to make sure Regulus believes it. Make sure he hears it.
“Yeah,” he says softly, placing another quick kiss on the side of his head. “I really do.”
- Choices by MesserMoon on ao3
Favorite Jegulus quotes, "Art Heist Baby!" edition
“In every lifetime?” “In every one.”
“What a glorious and indelible thing to be a part of.”
-Art Heist, Baby! by otrtbs on AO3
Special shout out to this quote from the spin-off, "Tender Curiosities, Baby!:
“It was absurd. It was inevitable. It never should have happened. It was always going to be this way.”
Favorite Jegulus quotes, "Choices" edition
“I think it was inevitable, me loving you.”
“This time. Just this one time. He’s going to do it right.” -Regulus before going to the cave
“Suddenly it feels important. Important that they know. That somebody know; that after everything, Regulus Black finally made the right choice.”
“I would do it all again, you know. I would relive every miserable moment of my miserable life just for the chance to be yours,"
“Even when I hated you I still loved you.”
“Regulus Black was born a few minutes after sunset, because for his whole life he was destined to always miss the sun by a little bit.”
“He flexes the hand he shook. Like he can still feel James’s touch."
-Choices by MesserMoon on AO3
“I’m not a hero, Reg.”
But the younger boy only smiles, quiet and sad. “See, I think you might be though. Sometimes James, you shine so fucking bright I—I feel like I’m going to burn up.”
- Choices by messermoon on ao3