tolerate - @jeggyverses-jegulus-microfic - word count: 459
"So, what, did someone die or something?" Regulus drawled after about thirty minutes of silence, turning to where James sat next to him reading a textbook. He’d tried to sit there and wait for the other boy to speak, but the whole thing had become unbearable, creating a vortex of thoughts in Regulus’s brain: why was James so quiet, what was wrong, what had he done?
The older boy gave him a shocked look. "What? No. What d'you mean?"
"You're quiet. It's scary, James, what happened?" he pushed, forcing his tone to stay light, absolutely terrified of the answer.
Because that was the thing-James Potter was never quiet. Not for more than a few seconds, and certainly not around Regulus. Hell, he seemed to live for chatting his boyfriend's ear off.
But the older boy just shrugged. "Nothing."
And now Regulus was panicking. Because it was obvious that something was terribly wrong. "Either you're pissed or you're sick, James, which is it? Because either way--" he snapped, internally going over his actions from the past few weeks in his head, trying to decide which of his snide remarks hadn't just bounced off of James's carefree exterior and had actually stuck. Had he finally gone too far and hurt the one person who seemed to adore him unconditionally? The thought made him feel lightheaded.
"It's fine, really. S'just..." James trailed off, shrugging again, eyes faraway.
“What?” Regulus demanded, close to threatening him at wandpoint to get some fucking information.
James sniffed. "Crouch said that I'm annoying sometimes. That you...tolerate a lot, you know? From me. I don't want-"
"Barty can go fuck himself," Regulus interrupted, his tone violent. "If anyone is annoying, it's him–laying all over Evan and then insisting he feels nothing? He causes more drama than my brother. I don't tolerate you, James. I...fuck, I like being with you. Probably more than I like being with anyone else. More than I like being alone, somedays." It was mortifying to admit, but it was so true. For some reason, being with James didn't feel like it cost him something– he didn't feel like he needed to sit by himself and recuperate after, like he did with most people. Instead, he felt energized after being near him.
James's face shifted as Regulus spoke, easing as he heard the words. "Oh," he said, grinning. "Really?"
"Yes, you arsehole, and you'd better believe it because I'm never admitting to it again," Regulus deadpanned, rolling his eyes.
"Don't worry, I won't forget," James agreed, beaming and snapping his book shut, obviously thoroughly cheered up. "Merlin, did I tell you what happened in class today? So, McKinnon..."
And Regulus turned back to his work, letting his boyfriend chatter on happily beside him.