Thanks to @celestarlet for the tagging 💖
James has almost certainly got himself involved in something stupid. Very, very stupid indeed. But he can't help it, not really. Not when every night has confirmed to him that everything he's heard and everything he's seen is untrue.
Who is Regulus Black, he asks himself on those nights.
Who has he been led to believe he is?
What is real and what is not?
"For a wild stag you sure have a shiny coat," Regulus' voice is a whisper, comparable to the rustling wind.
It's as if Regulus always talks like this, James marvels that he's never noticed it before.
"I never thought there were deer on this side of the forest," Regulus continues as his fingers caress a spot behind James' ears.
Pleasant feelings bubble up in his chest, exploding into colourful sentiments that hurt nonetheless. Is this bad? Does this count as playing with Regulus? Does this make James a bad person? It's nights like this that James gets to hear the other boy's most private thoughts, where he sees that soft side that seems to be hidden among greens and silvers.
"Regulus," shouts a voice in the distance and there are sounds of dry leaves snapping that follow the intruder, "Holy Merlin," Crouch Jr. curses, stepping into the clearing. How he found them, James doesn't know. He never knows. "There you are. You keep getting further and further away."
"And every time you find me" Regulus replies with a hint of weariness that makes James alert "What time is it?"
"Not too late" says Crouch looking askance at the caresses Regulus drops on James' animagus form "But you didn't come to dinner."
Embarrassment colours Regulus' cheeks "Sorry" says the boy quietly, letting go of James and moving closer to his friend "Come on, let's go back to the castle. It's starting to get cold already."
Crouch nods "Are you going to say goodbye to your friend?" he asks mockingly though Regulus doesn't take it that way.
"Goodbye" Regulus says to the stag "I'll see you another day" there is no recognition in his eyes, no hidden truth.
James watches them go with eyes too sharp to be those of a mere deer. The bubbles in his chest burst all at once and all that remains is shame and uncertainty. If Regulus knew who his forest friend was, would he forgive James?
