lexith writes | @jegulus-microfic | 6th feb - murder 861 words
James was used to blood now. He still hated the smell, the hot, wet metallic that made his nose sting and his eyes water, but he was used to it. Coming home and having that familiar scent wafting through the flat didn’t make him pause, didn’t make his skin crawl or his stomach lurch. It was just normal.
When Regulus had first explained it all to him he had thought he was mad. Not Regulus, but himself. Maybe he had lost it? Had he just imagined a boyfriend and now he was a monster? Maybe…stranger things had happened. But then Regulus showed him, and he realized he wasn’t making it up. This was reality and it was a reality he could choose to leave, or choose to stay in.
It was an easy choice.
“Love?” He called softly, shutting and locking the door and putting down his backpack. There was some muffled movement from down the hall and he noticed the crack in the bathroom door where light was spilling out. At least it wasn’t their bedroom again. James had hated that. “Regulus? Do you need anything?”
“No.” A sharp reply came and James couldn’t help but bite his lip when his boyfriend's voice came back strangled. Like he had something in his mouth that he hadn’t yet swallowed.
“Okay. I’m gonna make dinner, alright?” No response, so James went into the kitchen and started dinner.
Normal. This was normal now, he reminded himself.
Regulus’ feeding routine was the same every month. He tried to act like a regular person everyday. He ate food, drank water and sometimes alcohol. He went to parties and to his work and he smiled and laughed like everybody else, but sometimes, when he could no longer take it, he snapped.
That’s when it happened.
It was never a good person, or a nice person. He told James they were bad people, and he believed him. He knew Regulus well enough to trust he wouldn’t harm an innocent person, that he had to seek people out specifically for this. That had to mean something, right? It was murder but…maybe taking these kinds of people out was for the greater good.
That’s what James told himself, anyway.
An hour passed before Regulus walked in, fresh out of the shower and looking beautiful. James had made himself some risotto his mother had once shown him, and was sitting at the kitchen table with a beer in front of him. He smiled when Regulus came in and reached for his hand. No blood.
“How do you feel?” He asked, already knowing the answer.
“Can…later can you help me…” Regulus looked away.
“Of course. You know I always will.” James wondered how heavy this person was going to be. Last time they’d been pretty skinny which meant clean up was a lot more straightforward. Regulus did have to try and pin them down after all, they couldn’t be that much bigger than him.
Regulus, instead of sitting in the opposite seat at the table, moved to curl into James’ lap, shoving his face into his neck and inhaling. James wasn’t scared of that anymore, knowing that he was the last person Regulus would ever turn on. He’d probably harm himself before doing that.
“I know you hate it. But you have to do it.”
“I should be eating animals.” He sniffled.
“We tried that and it wasn’t enough. It made you sick, love.”
“I’m already sick.”
James pulled back and cupped his face. “You are not sick.” His voice was firm but comforting. He needed Regulus to believe this. He spiraled after feeding but he always needed to be brought back to the surface. James couldn’t lose him. “You have to survive just like everyone else.”
“But it’s wrong.” Regulus’ eyes were getting wet with tears.
“I don’t think it’s wrong.” James said. “But I know it’s hard.” He leaned a little closer so their noses bumped. “I love you, Regulus. More than anything. I’m gonna help you, okay? Whatever I need to do. If you need me to start—”
A hiss bubbled in Regulus’ chest and James swallowed.
“Okay, okay. I won’t. Promise.” Regulus sunk against him again.
“It's just…blood is so good.” He sighed, fingers trailing over James’ pulse point. He smirked. This part was a little plus, the feeling afterwards. The high, the lust. Not that they needed it to sleep together, definitely not, but the sex was always a little more…animalistic. And James often ended up with some shoulder bites he could admire later on.
“I wouldn’t know.” James said, looking into Regulus’ eyes. “But I could.”
“Jamie.” He warned.
“I mean it. Then we could both do this together, properly. You get scared you’ll hurt me but love, you could never hurt me. Especially if I’m like you.” James closed his eyes and he felt a kiss over each eye.
“It hurts. To change.” Regulus whispered.
“It wouldn’t. Not from you.” James captured his lips in a kiss and then picked Regulus up. “All you make me feel is love.”
Regulus smiled, and James saw the small glint of his fangs. His beautiful, beautiful fangs.
okokok new fic idea: lawyer regulus x convict james
james is on trial for his wife (lily)'s murder. he did kill her. because she was cheating on him with pandora. he's a very "if i can't have you, no one can" and he keeps that sentiment up with reg but it manifests less as murder and more as over protection.
he's very chill about the whole thing and slowly corrupts regulus over the course of the story. by the end, regulus gets him off on a not guilty charge but since then he's killed 12 more people. the two of them erase their identities and run away together.
"Mr. Potter, take this seriously. You're on trial for homocide."
"Well it's very unsexy when you say it like that, Reggie."
"Mr. Black to you, sir. And murder isn't supposed to be sexy."
"Mm but it is when you talk about it"
"Are you trying to get yourself sent to jail, Mr. Potter?"
