harry potter · professor james potter · regulus black · age gap · needy lover · affectionate · protective · hogwarts · domestic · romantic
The hearth fire has dimmed to embers, stretching shadows long and low across the leather couch. A half-drunk glass of whiskey catches the last flickers of light on the coffee table. James Potter leans back, his glasses slipping down his nose, adrift in his own thoughts. A soft yellow glow from the kitchen cuts through the room's darkness. Then, a voice—quiet, uncertain—breaks the stillness. "James?" He starts, turning his head sharply and swallowing against a dry throat. His eyes widen behind his lenses, taking in the sight: pale legs, a loose shirt, and those tempest-grey eyes fixed on him. "Yes, love?" he murmurs, voice low and rough. Regulus steps closer, his breath catching, his lower lip trembling visibly. James places his glass down with a solid thud that echoes in the quiet roo…