Regulus is autistic. He hates loud noises and bright lights. He loves magic because of the freedom it gives him. He loves the stars because they remind him of Sirius. He only has a few friends but that's ok because they're good ones.
James has adhd. He's loud and proud and he has more friends than he can count. He could talk for hours about anything and everything but doesn't because he's afraid of being too much.
At night when they meet in the astronomy tower James talks freely for hours while Regulus just listens and watches the wild movements of his hands as he tells a story. James never expects him to reply or show that he's paying attention. Regulus treasures these nights.
On special nights, when Regulus feels brave, he'll tell James a story about the stars and constellations. James hangs on every word, staying completely quiet for fear of scaring Regulus off.
Some nights they just sit there in silence. Eachothers company more than enough to satisfy them both. This is the only time no one expects anything from them. These nights are the favorites of both Regulus and James. The nights when they can just be, together.
