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James hates long train rides. There is nothing worse than being forced to sit for hours and hours on end, having nothing to do.
Unfortunately, James moved to London to go to university there, while his best friends all stayed in their respective homes. – Well, not quite. His best friend in the world used to live in London. Years ago, he ran away from home and moved in with James. Now, he lives in Newport, Wales with his boyfriend Remus. Remus is of course another one of James’ best friends. He was born in Wales, but the two moved to Newport because, according to Sirius, it has a significant rock music scene.
Be that as it may, it means James has to sit on a train for roughly two hours. Delays expected.
He boards at Paddington station. He finds his seat pretty quickly, desperately hoping he can sit on his own at least in the beginning. – Of course, he isn’t so lucky.
In the window seat sits a young man with black hair, black jeans and a green sweater. His jacket lies on James’ seat. Great.
James stows his luggage away, hoping the man will notice him and remove his jacket. He does not.
“Hey, I think this is my seat, so could you…” the man doesn’t seem to hear him. Well, fuck this. James touches his arm. The man turns around and glares at him. He clicks on his headphones to stop his music and raises an eyebrow at him.
“That’s my seat, mate, take up your stuff.”
The man rolls his eyes and places his jacket in his lap.
“Thanks,” James mumbles and sits.
The train starts moving slowly. James reaches into his pockets to get his own headphones out – and of course, of fucking course, he forgot them! Two hours on this shitty train next to the rude bloke and he forgot his headphones.
He leans his head back and sighs deeply. He looks past the man out of the window. His eyes get hung up on the man, however.
He is quite handsome. He has black curls, sticking up a little unruly from his face like he didn’t care to style them in the morning. Long lashes throw deep shadows over faint freckles on pale cheeks, he has a straight nose and high cheekbones.
The man notices his staring and turns to him. He pauses his music again.
“What’s your fucking problem?”
“Nothing. Sorry.” James turns away from him.
“Wanker,” the man mutters under his breath.
You’re the wanker. James thinks childishly. A very handsome wanker.
After about ten minutes, the man pulls out a book and starts reading. James takes out his phone to check the group chat with his friends. The chat is titled The Marauders – a stupid nickname they gave their friend group while attending boarding school together.
Prongs: your fuckin party better be great pads
Padfoot: It will be AWSOME
Moony: Train’s already gettin on your nerves?
Prongs: Yeah – I have to sit next to some hot wanker, this thing is going 2 fuckin slow and I forgot my headphones
Wormtail: And that’s why I take the car 🚗 🚗
Prongs: You’re closer to them – I’d need double the time by car
Wormtail: & you flunked your driving test 4 times 🤓
Padfoot: just concentrate on the good things prongsie
Padfoot: seeing ME
Padfoot: & moony babes of course & wormy
Padfoot: oh & I dunno if ive even told you but my brother is coming too!!!
James blinks at his phone. Sirius’ brother is coming?
James has never met Sirius’ brother, he barely knows anything about him, and he doesn’t even know what he looks like. Regulus hasn’t attended the same boarding school as their group. Sirius and Regulus haven’t been close ever since their mother put them in different schools. Sirius didn’t speak to or about Regulus at all once he ran away from home.
James knows, Sirius has recently reached out to his brother again. Sirius and Regulus do talk to each other, over text mostly, as far as James knows. But he didn’t expect Regulus to show up to Sirius’ party. He lives in England, not Wales, as far as James knows, probably London like Sirius used to.
Prongs: That’s great pads!!! I didn’t know you were at this stage already
Wormtail: 🥳
Padfoot: Yeah, well, he SAID he has business in Newport and only comes to my party bc hes there anyway – but I think it’s a lie
Padfoot: I bet he wants to see me
Wormtail: He sure does – it’s gonna be great I’m excited to meet him tomorrow 💜
Prongs: Me too !
James puts his phone away again and looks at the man next to him again, more discreetly this time. He has taken a relaxed pose in his seat and reads a book. He has very nice hands.
James leans back and tries to catch a glimpse at the page the man is reading – and blushes instantly.
Damen felt tight, slick heat with his fingers. It was impossible that he could put his cock there, yet he was unable to stop imagining it. (341)
James averts his eyes. His cheeks are hot. Who reads stuff like that in public? He quickly looks up at the man’s face. He is completely unphased. He could very well be reading a Wikipedia entry about different kinds of cotton.
James finally takes out his phone again. Sirius is currently spamming the chat with heart emojis because Remus texted something cute. He opens one of the games on his phone and starts playing.
Trains suck.
Fuck the fucking GWR
They are in Swindon, now. James doesn’t even know where the fuck Swindon is, but he curses its existence. The train stopped in Swindon and refused to go on.
James and the other passengers have to get off here and find some other way to get to their destinations. Will anyone give them a refund for their tickets? Who the fuck knows.
The other man seems to be equally as pissed off – if not more – as James.
James doesn’t need long to find a new way to get to Newport. But of course – Swindon is one hour away from London. His original journey was supposed to take just under two hours. That’s half, right? So why – why – does he need another one and a half hours from Swindon to Newport now?
He gets to the platform he needs next. He has to wait another thirty minutes for the next train, but he doesn’t want to chance to miss this one.
Surprisingly, the man who has sat next to him, stands on this platform, too. He has his jacket thrown over his carry-on and types away on his phone. He doesn’t seem to be wearing his headphones.
The man smiles about something on his phone. It’s a very nice smile. It enhances his beauty and makes him look more approachable, though not by a lot.
James approaches him. “Hey, so fate throws us together again, huh?”
The man looks up at him confused, then annoyed.
“Fucking trains. I hate them,” James says, “Now, with this train, I have to change stations somewhere in between. I’m James, by the way.”
The man looks quite irritated now. “Yes. It’s all quite annoying. The train. The people.”
James nods. He obviously doesn’t want to talk to him. James pulls his phone out of his pocket. The silence between them feels awkward, so James decides to call Sirius, just to talk to someone else.
“Hey, Prongsie, do you miss me so much you have to call me?”
“Hey, yes, of course. Listen, bad news, the train is broken.”
“Broken?”
“Well, it won’t fucking move. I have to take another one to Bristol, then change and take some train going to Cardiff Central. Anyway, I’ll be late.”
“Okay. From Bristol to Newport, it’s like forty minutes, text me when you board the train.”
“Sure thing. Tell Remus and Pete, I said hi.”
“Only them? What about me?”
“I’m talking to you right now, Sirius.”
“So? Tell me you miss me.”
James sighs amused. “I miss you a lot, Sirius. See you soon.”
“We’re gonna have the best weekend ever, Prongsie. ‘til later. Bye-bye.”
“Bye.”
“Bye – bye – bye” Sirius chants and makes kissing noises before hanging up.
James chuckles and shakes his head before slipping his phone back into his pocket. He looks up to see the other man looking at him.
“What?”
The man still just looks at him. Then he puts his phone away. “Sorry, you’re taking this one to Bristol and then to Cardiff?”
“Yes. Just the direction. I get off in Newport. Where are you going?”
“Newport,” he says slowly, then smiles, “You’re James, you’ve said, right?”
“Yes. Are you going to tell me your name, now?”
He looks at him thoughtfully, as if he has to think about his own name. James doesn’t expect to hear his actual name.
“You can call me Reggie. That’s what most people who annoy me call me.”
The way he says it doesn’t make it sound rude. It is almost charming. James smiles.
“Well, Reggie, looks like we have to wait quite a while before either of us can get to Newport.”
Reggie hums, “Do you want to get a coffee together?”
James looks at him surprised. How is it possible that Reggie is more amicable now when he has far more reason to be pissed off? Be that as it may, when an extraordinarily handsome man asks him to get coffee together, James isn’t going to refuse. He’s too sane and too single for that.
“Sure, sounds lovely.”
They find a coffee shop and Reggie pays for both of their drinks.
“So, what takes you to Newport?” James asks.
“Visiting relatives,” he shrugs, “You?”
“My best mate’s birthday is tomorrow, so I’m visiting for the weekend.”
“What takes your best mate to Newport?” Reggie sips on his coffee – it’s mainly sugar and milk if James is honest.
“The usual, music and true love.”
Reggie hums and nods. “What takes you to London then, if your best friend is all the way in Wales? Isn’t the point of a best friend to be close?”
“We’re still close, not just always physically,” James shrugs. They are walking back to the platform with their to-go cups. “I go to university in London. I’ve always wanted to study there, I seriously reconsidered when I realised I’d have to be away from my friends for so long, but I’d say it’s worth it.”
Reggie nods thoughtfully, “So you believe, sometimes you have to leave people behind to do what’s right for you?”
James frowns at the odd phrasing. “I didn’t leave anyone behind. I talk to my best friend literally every day. I don’t know what would happen if I didn’t.”
“Maybe you will wither and die like a flower without sunlight.”
“Likely,” James agrees and smiles at him. “So, do you live in London?”
“Yes. Lived there my entire life.”
James grins. “Funny how it takes both of us going to Newport for us to meet.”
Reggie frowns at him. “It’s a big city, why would we have met?”
“No, I meant-“ – what did he mean? James isn’t all too sure. He has an odd thought along the lines of It would have been nice to meet you sooner, which makes no sense at all. They’re only exchanging pleasantries and he bought him coffee … and he’s so fucking good-looking. It’s unfair, really. So yeah, maybe it would have been nice to meet him sooner, and if only to be able to admire his looks.
“Never mind,” James clears his throat, “I hope that fucking train is punctual this time. I’ll fucking sue someone otherwise.”
Reggie smiles and sips his coffee.
They sit together on the train to Bristol Temple Meads.
James tells Reggie all about his studies and his life in London. Reggie doesn’t share a lot about himself. He’s going to business school, and he absolutely despises it. He only does it because his mother forces him to so he can join the family business afterwards. They talk about James being an only child but his best friend being like a brother to him. Reggie says, he has an older sibling and leaves it at that.
“So, your best friends are dating each other now?” James grins.
“Yeah. Every time we hang out, it feels like I’m third wheeling their date. Sure, I’m happy for them, I just want them to take it down a notch every once in a while.” Reggie grumbles.
James chuckles and shakes his head. “Welcome to my life. Two of my best friends started dating when we were all sixteen or something. And that was the end of two or three years of hard-core pining. It was painful to watch. They’re still as soppy and embarrassing as they’ve been as teenagers. It is nice, I guess, being able to maintain that romance for such a long time.”
“I take it, it didn’t work out that way for you?”
“No. At school I was in love with a girl. Her name’s Lily – she was beautiful, smart, sassy, the whole deal. She rejected me for five years straight. I stopped trying so hard and then she finally agreed to go out with me. But after school it just… I don’t know it wasn’t the same and it didn’t work out. I guess things like that are normal, though.”
Reggie shrugs, “I don’t know, I didn’t date in school.”
“You didn’t date anyone?”
“No. I made my mother believe I was dating a friend of mine. But in my family the men only date women – and my interest in women is several degrees below zero. Since moving out this has got a lot easier, I still keep any partners hidden from my family, though.”
James smiles. Hot and gay. Thank you, GWR.
“It must suck so much having to keep secrets like that from your parents. I couldn’t imagine it with mine. When Sirius moved in with us, he was worried my parents might change their mind about letting him stay if he told them he was gay. I said, first, they already know, you’re the antonym to subtlety. And second, they didn’t say anything when they caught me snogging the neighbour’s son, so I don’t think they’re having a problem with any of this.”
“You let yourself be caught kissing the neighbour’s son?”
“They suddenly stood in the garden, it wasn’t my fault,” James insists, making Reggie chuckle lowly. “Really, he seduced me. He was hot and called me an idiot, and I am not immune to that.”
“That’s all it takes? Being hot and calling you an idiot? Makes me think you really are an idiot.”
“Hey, don’t make me kiss you,” James pokes Reggie’s shoulder.
“So, what did that girl, Lily, do to make you fall in love with her? Call you a wanker?”
James grins, “No. I fell in love with her because she was kind and beautiful. She did call me a wanker pretty often when we got older.”
“Well, were you a wanker?”
“Yes. I was awful. I thought I was the shit – but I was a seventeen-year-old twat.”
“Okay, but most seventeen-year-olds are.”
“Were you, too?”
Reggie smirks, “No. I was born flawless, and I remained this way.”
“Of course.”
“Yes, obviously.”
“Yeah, I believe it, I mean look at you.”
Reggie raises his eyebrows at him.
“Sorry,” James bites his lip insecurely, “I mean, it’s true though. You’re…” beautiful, hot, lovely, possibly a literal god, “Handsome. If you ever get away from your family’s business you could become a model or an actor. You look a little bit like that one actor, the pretty one? Timothy Chala-something.”
“Timothée Chalamet?”
“Yes, that one.”
Reggie looks down, his smile is of a different quality now, almost shy.
He looks up at James again. “Well, you’re quite fit, too. You look like the kind of guy who spends hours in the gym after classes.”
Reggie leans over and teasingly touches his arm. – He touches his arm. James tries not to stare down at the spot he touched. His skin is tingling under his shirt.
Is he flirting? James tenses his bicep a bit. A part of James suddenly hopes the train will delay further – maybe delay so much they miss the next one to Newport.
“I do play Basketball. Have played since school.”
“I always thought you have to be tall to play Basketball.”
“You’re mean,” James says but cannot help the grin on his face. He’s cute when he’s mean.
“I thought you like it when people insult you? Or only when they call you names? Kinky.”
James can feel his face getting hot. Reggie smirks, obviously satisfied with the reaction he got out of him. Okay, he is flirting.
“I only like it when beautiful people are mean to me. … And you can call me anything you want.”
Reggie has his elbow propped up on the armrest separating their seats, his chin rests on the back of his hand. He is fucking beautiful. “Are you sure? I can be very mean, I have you know, and I think, when I call you an idiot, you won’t be immune to it either.”
James’ gaze falls on Reggie’s lips. His tongue darts out to lick over his bottom lip, leaving it slightly wet. James briefly wonders whether he died in that train somewhere by Swindon and this is heaven and Reggie is actually an angel. It would make more sense than this beautiful man just being placed in his life like this.
“I don’t think I’m immune to anything you do,” James says, still looking at his lips.
“Good,” Reggie whispers, “Because, if you don’t object, I will kiss you now.”
James’ heart does a weird flip in his chest. He has known this man for about an hour and he has him wrapped around his finger already. James is weak. He would feel bad about that if it didn’t lead to kissing men like this.
“I don’t object one bit,” James whispers back, leaning closer.
Reggie smiles, then he leans in and places his lips sweetly against James’s. It is short and innocent. Reggie smiles even wider. Then he cups James’ cheek and kisses him again.
Reggie’s lips are softer than James expected. He kisses him with vigour as if he has been waiting to do this for hours. James shares the sentiment. He brings his hand up to Reggie’s head, runs his hand through the soft, black curls. James pulls him closer to him. The fucking armrest is between them – but maybe that is for the best, otherwise, James might have pulled Reggie in his lap to snog him, and James is distantly aware that they are in public.
Reggie parts his lips and slides one hand into James’ hair. His other hand fists James’ hoodie. James has one hand on Reggie’s side, feeling his body underneath the fabric of his sweater.
Thank you fucking GWR.
A sudden, “Oi!” interrupts them. “This isn’t London pride, get it together lads.”
James pulls back and turns to the man across from them.
“Sorry,” he says, his face must be burning red. Next to him, Reggie has his middle finger stretched out towards the man. James quickly pushes down his arm. “Let’s try to not get into a fight, yeah?” he whispers to Reggie.
“Why not? You’re bigger than him, I bet you could land a few good punches.”
“You want me to beat someone up for saying we shouldn’t get carried away on a public train?”
“No. I’m just saying, if push comes to shove, you will probably win. It would be hot at any rate.”
James would gladly throw himself into any fight for him right then. “You will be the death of me,” he mumbles.
Reggie leans over again and kisses his cheek. “Good.” His hand is on James’ thigh. James stares at Reggie’s hand, his perfect hand, on him.
He will die on this train, and it will be glorious.
He looks back at Reggie – it’s a mistake. Reggie is fucking beautiful. His eyes are dark grey like drawn with a pencil. This man is fucking art and he just kissed him.
“We should arrive in about ten minutes,” Reggie says, holding his gaze while his hand gradually wanders up James’ thigh.
No, not yet. Fucking GWR can’t you be late now?!
“I think we have about twenty minutes until the train to Newport leaves, right? Pretty long waiting time.” Reggie’s hand reaches the point where his leg connects to his hip, his fingers brush against James’ crotch, the touch a mere suggestion of itself.
James takes a deep breath. “This might be the best day of my life,” he whispers.
Reggie chuckles and kisses him again, innocently enough for the other passengers to not bother them.
They get out at Bristol Temple Meads. Their train to Newport leaves from the same platform on the other side. They could simply wait here for twenty minutes and take the last step of the journey.
Reggie has different plans.
Reggie takes his hand and leads him to the toilets. He checks whether anyone else is in there and then washes his hands before pulling James against him to kiss him again. James drops his bag on the ground and wraps his arms around Reggie.
He pushes his hands slowly under Reggie’s sweater, touching his pale, cool skin. Reggie’s tongue slides against his, one hand in James’ hair, the other up the front of James’ hoodie and t-shirt, running a hand over his stomach.
Reggie pulls him into one of the stalls and kicks the door shut with his foot. He pulls away to lock the door. James can barely comprehend what is happening. He is about to shag an incredibly hot man in the loo of a fucking train station. The place seems an insult to the man’s beauty, but if he wants it who is James to deny him any wish?
Reggie turns to him with a smirk. James pulls him against him in the cramped space.
“You’re fucking beautiful.”
Reggie smiles and looks away; the shyness is odd in contrast to his determination of shoving him in here. He puts his hands on James’ shoulders and runs down the planes of his chest, his stomach until he reaches his trousers.
James swallows hard.
“Is Reggie even your real name?”
He looks up at him, grey eyes like beach pebbles.
“Does it matter? You don’t need to stall for time, James. If you don’t want to, just say so.” He takes his fingers away from James’ trousers.
That is the opposite of what James wants. He takes Reggie’s hands and places them back on him.
“I usually make an effort to learn someone’s real name before shagging them, but maybe it doesn’t matter.”
Maybe Reggie has his own reasons to not tell him. Maybe he does it to protect himself. James doesn’t care. He is here, he is beautiful, he is kissing him. Names are just details, really.
“Are you doing things like this often, then?”
“Not really,” James says unsurely, he’s more of a romantic, usually, if he had met Reggie under any other circumstances, he’d have taken him out for a date or two before even kissing him. “Never, actually. Do you?”
“No, not often. Reggie is my real name, well, a nickname.” He kisses James’ lips, then his jaw and the side of his neck. “And you’re not going to shag me, I’m going to suck your dick. How does that sound?”
James inhales sharply. “Sounds perfect.”
Reggie places a kiss on his neck and then slowly goes to his knees in front of James.
Reggie looks up at him through long, dark lashes, while opening his trousers and pushing them down. This is a fucking sight.
Reggie wraps a hand around James’ cock, stroking him slowly. James hums deep in his throat. His cock is getting hard under Reggie’s pale hands.
“Just to be clear,” he says quietly, his breath hitting the tip of James’ cock, “If we had more time, I’d tease the hell out of you, but I do not intent to miss that train. If you need too long to come, I will leave you hard for the train ride to Newport.”
James doubts that will be a problem. As it is now, he could probably come from the sight of Reggie kneeling in front of him and the sound of his voice alone.
“Understood?” Reggie asks, his tongue flicking over the tip.
“Yes,” James gasps. His cock is fully hard now.
Reggie may be on his knees but there is no doubt about who is in charge here – James prefers it this way, if he’s honest. A beautiful person taking charge and doing to him whatever he wishes to do. It’s his ideal existence.
Reggie tongues the head, flicking his tongue against him. If this is not teasing, James is sure he’d die if they ‘had more time.’ Reggie presses the tip of his tongue into the slit, then circles it around the head. James moans quietly.
Reggie licks his length, from base to tip. One of his hands is massaging James’ balls. He wraps his lips around James’ cock.
James leans his head back; he bites down on his bottom lip to muffle his moan. Reggie’s mouth feels hot and tight around him. He hollows his cheeks. James curses under his breath. He runs his hand through Reggie’s hair, pushing back the black curls.
Reggie sucks him in a steady, fast rhythm. He pulls back to take a few deep breathes, his hands working him in the meantime. His hot breath hits the tip. He swirls his tongue around it and then lets his cock slide back into his mouth. He takes it as far he can and sucks it harshly. James tugs on Reggie’s hair.
“Oh god, fuckin’ – Reggie,” James mumbles. He starts moving his hips tentatively. Reggie hums around him, sending tiny vibrations through his entire body.
James throws his head against the stall wall. He is deeply aware of every inch of his body touched by Reggie, sending waves of fire and pleasure through him.
He looks down at the man. Reggie’s perfect lips are stretched around his cock. His pale cheeks are red. Reggie looks up at him again, eyes grey and dark.
“Reggie, I’m, oh lord, fuck, I’m coming,” he moans lowly, tugging on Reggie’s hair and pushing his cock into his mouth. Reggie lets him do it, once, then puts his hand on James’ hip to keep him steady.
He pulls back until only the tip is past his lips. He slides his tongue against his cock. His hand is working him in quick strokes in the same rhythm as before.
James slaps his hand against his lips when he comes in Reggie’s mouth. His chest rises and falls heavily. Reggie is licking up every drop of cum. James watches him swallow, then smirk up at him.
Thank you Great Western Railway
Thank the Gods for Reggie’s existence.
Reggie, teasingly, kisses the tip, then stands back up. He drags his thumb over his bottom lip. James watches him, still panting. Reggie’s hair is more of a mess than before. He leans in and presses a sweet kiss on his lips.
“I’ll go and wash my hands, you better hurry or you’ll miss the train,” he whispers.
James takes half a minute alone in the stall to calm down.
Holy fuck. He prays to any gods available that someone sends a bomb threat to this place, shutting down all trains. He would have to spend the night in Bristol – he and Reggie. They could take a hotel room together and fuck all night.
James gets out of the stall and washes his hands. Reggie stands by the mirrors, raking his hands through his hair. He smiles at James when he appears in the mirror behind him.
James briefly entertains the thought of calling in a bomb threat himself.
The ride from Bristol to Newport is too short.
They spend the entire time talking and laughing and kissing. Reggie leans his head against his shoulder, while James tells him about his favourite places in London. He plays with James’ hands while he tells him about his real passion. If his mother wouldn’t force him to work for the family business, he’d like to make music. He can play the piano, violin and the guitar, but he’d love to get more formal training and play at an opera house or something. He tells him how he loves to swim and that it's the only sport he does willingly and has any interest in – but he would watch a basketball game if the players were hot enough.
“So, your best mate’s name is Sirius?” Reggie asks at some point, “What an odd name.”
“Yes, I know. It’s the name of a star, actually. His family is weird that way. His brother is called Regulus. That’s a star, too. The father is called Orion.”
“What a weird family,” Reggie says with a smirk.
They get off at Newport station.
“Well, my mate and his boyfriend are picking me up,” James says, he has mad thoughts like I could tell them to turn around and come with you instead. “Where do you have to go from here?”
“I have to take a bus to my hotel. I’ll visit my relatives tomorrow.”
They look at each other. James wants to go with him or take him with him. It would be the greatest tragedy if they never see each other again.
“Can I get your number?” James asks finally, “I want to see you again.”
Reggie smiles at him. He leans in and kisses him teasingly. “You know,” he says quietly, “I think, if we are meant to see each other again, we will.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Reggie shrugs. “If we meet again, I will give you my number because if coincidence puts us together twice, it has to mean something. Or it’s no coincidence at all.” He kisses him again, “Goodbye, James.”
Before James can really protest, Reggie has taken his carry-on and was gone.
James leaves the train station. He is tackled by Sirius almost immediately. “There you are! I missed you so much!” Sirius hugs him tightly. James laughs breathlessly.
“Yes, I missed you, too. Please, you’re suffocating me.”
Sirius pulls back and pushes a kiss on his cheek. “Finally, we’re together again. We should never be apart; you and I are soulmates. We wither and die like flowers without sunlight when we’re apart for too long.”
James laughs and throws his arm around his friend. “I thought Remus is your soulmate.”
“I can have more than just one soulmate. One romantic soulmate and one platonic soulmate. Either way you are both my men, and I shouldn’t be away from either of you, ever.”
They have been living in different cities for years, but Sirius remains dramatic about it. He pulls James to the car. Remus leans against it, he grins and waves when he sees them. Remus hugs him just as tightly as Sirius, but without acting like he just came back from war.
When they reach Sirius’ flat, Peter is there. Sirius goes to the kitchen to get them drinks.
Remus sits James down on the couch and looks at him excitedly. “Don’t tell him yet, but I plan for us to move to London.”
“To London?”
“Yes, I’ve applied for a transfer already. You live there and so does his brother. He needs both you and him.”
“But you love living in Wales. How will you call us posh English wankers if you’re living in London?”
“I’ll say it in Welsh,” Remus shrugs and grins.
“This is fantastic,” James whispers and hugs him, “When will you tell him about your plans?”
“Tomorrow as his first birthday present. I’ll warn you now: He will get birthday sex first thing in the morning, and we won’t take you and Pete sleeping in the living room into account. I’m not sorry.”
“We shared a dorm for seven years, there’s nothing we haven’t heard yet. Unfortunately.”
Sirius comes back with beer for all of them. “So, James, tell us, what’s new.”
“Well, the newest: I love trains.”
His friends look at him confused.
“No, really. I just met… a fucking angel. Possibly, the love of my life. You know how I texted you I had to sit next to some hot wanker on the first train? Yeah, he just sucked my dick in the train station toilets in Bristol.”
Remus almost spits out his beer. “What? In the fucking toilets?”
“That’s disgusting,” Peter frowns, “The love of your life is a bit of a slag.”
“Hey, that’s my future husband you’re talking about. That is, if I ever get to see him again.”
Sirius looks at him confused, “You had some bloke suck you off in a public place and didn’t get his number? What’s his name?”
James shrugs, “I don’t even know if he gave me his real name. And he said, he will give me his number if we ever meet again by chance – by chance! How likely is that? There are eight million people living in London!”
“So, I guess your chance is one in eight million,” Peter says, helpfully.
“That doesn’t sound like you at all, though,” Remus says, “You flirting with some rando on a train and getting your dick sucked in the loo. You’re more romantic than that, that surely wasn’t the love of your life. You’ll probably never see him again.”
“Thanks for putting salt in the wound, Moony, needed that.”
“Sorry.”
Sirius stands up, “Okay, stop with the sad business and the train-bloke. We’re here to have a good time, like the old days.”
Peter grins, “To be fair, James complaining about some flame is just like the old days.”
The boys have to laugh at that – it is simply true.
***
The next day, James is woken up by a scream from the bedroom – not a sexual one – and then “Yes, yes, yes, I’ll move to London with you! I love you so much, so, so fucking much!” – which was then followed by a lot of very sexual screams.
Peter and James took their friends' lovemaking session to get out and buy breakfast for all of them.
In the evening Sirius’ party starts. James is introduced to many new friends, and many of their old friends have also come for this. At one point, he is talking to an old schoolmate, when his eyes catch a glimpse of a young man with black curls being let into the flat.
James almost drops his drink.
There is Reggie. He talks to Remus in all his beauty. His hair is perfectly made, every black curl in place. He wears a black button-up shirt, the first buttons undone exposing his pale chest and collarbone. He wears rings on every finger and a necklace. He is breathtaking.
Reggie is here. James can’t believe it. What is he doing here?
Sirius is coming from somewhere, hugging and almost tackling Reggie to the ground. He then pulls the man over to James.
“James! You have to meet Regulus! This is my little brother. Reggie, this is James. I’m so excited for you to finally meet each other.”
James blinks at him. Reggie. Regulus. Little Brother. James is panicking inside. He stares at the two brothers and – oh hell, how did he not see it? The same hair, just shorter and wavier, the same fucking eyes, the same lips even! James is a blind fool.
Weirdly, Regulus doesn’t react to seeing him at all. No panic. No surprise.
“Oh, we’ve met,” he says, his eyes on James, “We took the same trains from London to Newport.”
“Really? That’s funny. Hey, then you must have seen that bloke James hooked up with. He was talking about him all day yesterday-“
“Sirius,” James tries to stop him. Regulus is smirking at him.
“No, really, all day Oh, he was so beautiful. Oh, what if I never see him again. Like, calm down, he sucked you off in a bathroom.”
Sirius laughs and looks from James to his brother and back. James’ face feels like it is on fire. Regulus’ smirk only turned more and more satisfied.
Sirius’ laughter stops suddenly.
“Wait. What – No.”
James bites his lip and looks up at Sirius apologetically.
“No! You did not shag my baby brother in a public bathroom, James, tell me you didn’t!” he yells so loudly, he is heard over the music.
“Oh, he didn’t. I only sucked his cock. But I bet, if I had let him, he would’ve taken me against the wall right there.”
He would have.
Sirius gasps, “Oh, God, James! That is my baby brother! How dare you – you are not to look at him anymore tonight. Come on, Reggie, you need to meet friends of mine who would never do this to you! Where’s Pete?”
Sirius pulls Regulus away. James downs the rest of his drink. He accidentally snogged his best mate’s little brother. How likely was that to just happen-
He knew.
The realisation hit him like a train. Regulus had known who he was the entire time. He told him about Sirius, and mentioned his name. Regulus also knew they would meet again, here, tonight.
James gets another drink.
Regulus finds him about thirty minutes later. Sirius is somewhere snogging Remus. He leans against a wall next to James.
“Well, look at that, fate throwing us together yet again.”
“You knew who I was.”
“Yes.”
“Since when?”
“Since Swindon. You introduced yourself as James and then got on the phone mentioning Sirius’ and Remus’ names. How likely was it than some other James went from London to Newport to visit some other Sirius and Remus for a birthday party?”
“Is that the only reason you talked to me?”
“Yes,” he says simply. It hurts. It hurts way more than it should. It could have been such a special, romantic story, but no – it was cold and calculated.
“Why?”
Regulus looks at him, batting his lashes. “Because I fucking hated you, James. Simple as that. You were my brother’s best friend. You stole him from me. And then he ran away from home and moved in with you, leaving me behind. It was all your fault.”
James looks away from him. He feels dirty, like Reggie’s touch got twisted into something grotesque by Regulus’ words.
“That’s what I thought, anyway,” Regulus continues, “When I met you in Swindon, I thought, I could have some fun, get back at my brother. Since we started talking again, I learned he is still very protective of me, like he used to be once. I knew, he’d hit the roof if you ever laid a hand on me.”
James feels sick to his stomach. The kisses, the compliments, all the way to the first coffee were fake, a move in a game.
“You know what, Regulus. You’re not mean in a funny and cute way. You’re just cruel. Got that from your mother, did you?”
James pushes away from the wall and wants to leave, but Regulus grabs his arm and pulls him back.
“Yes,” he says in a different voice. He stands closer to him. “I am an awful person. Which, I guess, is the real reason why Sirius left me. But you see, there was a problem with my plan. Something I didn’t expect… By the time we reached Bristol, I didn’t hate you anymore.”
James looks at him.
“I didn’t hate you when we kissed for the first time either. I quite liked you when I sucked you off. I sucked you off because I liked you.”
James pushes the words around in his head. So, it wasn’t all a lie and a trick.
“So, here is my proposal,” Regulus reaches into his pocket and pulls out a piece of paper, “I give you my number. You can be mad at me all you want. And when you’re ready you can call me and ask me out and I’ll say yes and there will be no lies between us (263). Or you stay mad at me forever, throw this away and we pretend this never happened. I even talk Sirius into not being mad at you anymore.”
James takes the piece of paper. Regulus smiles the tiniest bit, he touches his wrist and leaves.
On the paper, he has written his number and above it in swooping, cursive letters the name Reggie and under it I’m sorry. James smiles at it and puts the paper into his pocket.
He will call him when he’s back in London.
Bonus: Regulus texting Pandora & Barty.
Friday, 2:24 pm
Regulus: am on train now – why am I doing this again?
Panda: bc u love your brother & want to mend your relationship
Regulus: nope doesn’t sound like me
Panda: it’s the new & improved you
Regulus: I don’t need to improve myself
I’m amazing
Panda: you could be amazing & have a good relationship with your brother
Regulus: that’s it I’m getting off this train !
Regulus: some bloke just sat down next to me
rescue me
Barty: hot 1-10?
Regulus: 9
Panda: oh, how cute, maybe you'll have a romantic train affair
Regulus: no his existence is currently an inconvenience & an annoyance
also he looks like a fuckin gym rat – no thank you
Barty: so he is exactly your type?
Regulus: ONCE
once have I dated a gym rat when will you let me live it down?
Barty: never ❤️
Regulus: The bloke is weird af – he just stared at me like a maniac
Barty: maybe he stared bc your hot??
Panda: see you already have something you 2 agree on
how romantic
Regulus: fuck off
3:27 pm
Regulus: I hate the GWR
I hate trains
I hate my brother
I hate you
and I fuckin hate Swindon
Barty: What is Swindon?
Regulus: I have no fuckin clue! But I'm in Swindon bc some wanker broke the train
Barty: 😂😂😂
Regulus: did I already say that I hate you?
Panda: how r you getting to wales now
Regulus: over Bristol
next train is coming in 20 minutes or so
guess what the hot bloke from before is at the same fuckin station
he talked to me
who does that? Who just comes up to another person & talks to them?
I bet that bloke was raised in a village – they do shit like that
Panda: you and your never-ending list of things you hate: Trains, Rain, Snow, Wind, Heat, Cold
Barty: Apple crumble, Raisons, Orange (colour), Orange (fruit), the fact that no word rhymes with ‘orange’, - generally there is a lot of hate against the concept ‘orange’
Panda: Teachers, dogs, birch trees, birds, bronze, facial warts on others,
Barty: the words "bosom" "bum" "tongue" "whiskers" "thumb" "biscuit" "knocker" "knickers" "bush" “pimple” “belly button” and "chestnut
Pandora: And now Swindon and villages
Regulus: And village people – also oranges are everything wrong with this world and I am right about that
Regulus: Far more important! Hot bloke (james) just had a phone call – you won't fuckin believe with whom
Panda: elton john
Regulus: … why would he call Elton john?
Panda: bc I wouldn’t believe it
Regulus: he called Sirius
you get it? He’s Sirius’ James. The fuckin mate he never shut up about!
the fuckin wanker to whom Sirius ran when he left
and he has no clue who I am the fuckin arsehole
Panda: don’t push him in front of the next train please
Barty: do it, I pay ₤20 - ₤50 for a video
Regulus: no I just bought him coffee
Barty: … okay you lost me
Regulus: ill fuck him
Panda: oh sure … why??!
Regulus: bc Sirius will hate that 😇
Panda: sounds like a big mistake
Regulus: itll be fine
ill just flirt with him and get him to shag me somewhere between here & Newport
Barty: ₤60 for THAT video
Panda: … and then ?
Regulus: I will tell Sirius at his party tomorrow – if I’m lucky he’ll break J’s nose
Panda: Reggie no
Barty: Reggie yes
4:13
Regulus: problem
Panda: of course
Regulus: he's hot
Panda: you knew that
Regulus: he's funny
he cute
he's kind
he's so dumb – he's so fucking dumb
Panda: uh-oh he’s meeting all of your standards
Regulus: yes 😭 😭
help me
Panda: okay my advice: don’t shag him
Regulus: I have to
You don’t understand
he's so hot
I'm lit this emoji: 🫠
Regulus: so we snogged
Panda: pls tell me he's a bad kisser
Regulus: he's so good at it 😭
and he's not a gym rat – he plays basketball
Panda: you don’t care for basketball
Regulus: I do now
Barty: 🤣🤣🤣
4:48 pm
Regulus: we r on the last train now
will be in Newport in about 40 minutes…
5:54 pm
Regulus: am at hotel now
… mistakes were made
Panda: did you do what I've told you not to do?
Regulus: I might ve sucked his cock in the bathroom at the train station
6:02 pm
Panda: sorry I needed a moment to comprehend this but I think I'm ready to answer now:
slut
Regulus: I hate you
Barty: no, she’s right. You’re a slut but you have every right to be, I'm proud of you
go forth and live your sluttiest life
Panda: did you tell him who you are?
Regulus: no but its not my fucking fault he’s so dumb to not figure it out!
Panda: did you tell him your name?
Regulus: told him im Reggie
Panda: how is he supposed to figure it out then? He probably thinks your name is Reginald
Barty: 😖 hopefully not
have you ever met a hot bloke called Reginald? They don’t exist!
oh who am I even talking to, you’re engaged to a bloke called xylophone
Panda: 🖕🏻
Barty: 😘
Panda: Reggie when you go to the party tmrrw & he sees you he will know you knew who he was
I mean Sirius will hit the roof & james will be hurt that you used him to tick off your brother
Regulus: you really think he’ll be hurt?
Panda: I’d be. You’d be. You will break his dumb little heart
Regulus: I don’t want to hurt him
holy hell, the things he said to me! I need to keep him around
fix this!
Panda: how are we supposed to fix it?
Regulus: idk you usually fix shit, fix this shit
PLEASE
you don’t understand he lives in London, he lives not even far away from me – you wanted me to have a train love story so fix the fucking love story!
Barty: fuck him until he doesn’t care anymore who you are
Panda: how about being honest?
Regulus: you’re awful at this.
Panda: tell him you originally wanted to hurt him but then you fell in love with him bc he is hot, dumb and funny – and you're weak
Regulus: I'm not weak
Barty: the weakest
Regulus: fuck you
Barty: 😘 😘
Saturday, 0:05 am
Regulus: panda barty… I can't sleep
I can't stop thinking about him
ugh that fuckin arsehole has made me sick with something
0:13 am
Barty: was his spunk contaminated with feelings? Poor thing
Regulus: don’t make fun of me
I'm worried about tomorrow – what if he hates me?
Panda: you’ve got no one else to blame but yourself
Regulus: I bet I could blame someone else if I try hard enough
if Sirius hadn’t run away nothing of this would have happened
if my mother hadn’t emotionally crippled me I wouldn’t have tried to fuck him over in the first place – and now would know how to deal with this
OH! And the fucking GWR
Barty: don’t forget the train station with their seductive public bathrooms
Evan says hi and calls you a dumb slut – but with love
Regulus: hi Evan, you're dating a wanker
Barty: he knows that
Panda: go to sleep Reggie, big day tomorrow
Barty: yes, you got brothers to piss off AND hearts to break
show me what you're gonna wear later
6:25 pm
Regulus: okay
I have 2 hours to get ready and think of something to make James love me
I am now open to suggestions
Barty: shag him again and tell him right after he came, men are a lot more agreeable like that
Barty: Evan just hit my arm when he read that but I am right
Panda: what did he like about you on the train?
Regulus: that I’m hot and mean to him
Panda: 🤨
Barty: reasonable
you both have low standards, you’re made for each other
Regulus: I just texted Evan to hit you again
Panda: well, dress hot
Barty: yes, send me what you’re wearing
now, you only have 2 hours
Regulus: I only have one outfit with me for the party, it will do
I’ll just unbutton one more button than usual
Barty: think three. You fucked up. Think three
Panda: okay, realistically is there a chance he will count your entire fuck up as mean and cute?
Regulus: unlikely.
he’s a romantic
Barty: you’re not into romantics
Regulus: fuck off I can change
Panda: ill go with honesty, still
tell him what you did
tell him you like him
tell him you’re sorry
listen to me: APOLOGISE
I know you hate it, but do it
Barty: doesn’t seem worth it
rebound options?
Panda: shut up barty
don’t pressure him to forgive you but tell him if he wants to give you another chance, you’ll take it
Barty: you’ll take his dick, she means
btw neglected that yesterday: cock 1-10?
Regulus: 11
Barty: well, you gotta apologise for an 11
what’s it gonna be, Reggie, pride or 11 out of 10 cock?
8:03 pm
Regulus: cock
I’m leaving now
wish me luck
Panda: LUCK 🍀🍀🍀🤞🏻
Barty: luck 🍆 🍆 🍆
Sunday, 8:43 am
Panda: …. And?
10:55 am
Barty: for fucks sake Reggie tell us – did you get the d ??
11:29 am
Regulus: alright
so Sirius had a bit of a freakout, James was super hurt – I tried to play it cool at first – but he looked so hurt – like a puppy
anyways, then I told him everything and gave him my number
Panda: did you apologise?
Regulus: yes. Well, in the note with my number – but it counts!
Barty: you will die alone
Regulus: I hate you. I won’t.
Panda, will I?
Panda: if he is as dumb as you’ve said, no.
Friday, 4:07 pm
Regulus: JAMES CALLED
we’re going on a date tonight
Panda: yay! Congrats ❤️❤️ Have fun!!!
Barty: get fucked 🍆 🍆