@jegulus-microfic // january 24 // prompt: dinner // words: 388
“James Fleamont Potter,” Regulus yells. He didn’t intend for it to be a yell, but his nerves got the best of him. “I want to declare my intentions for you!” He thrusts forward a bouquet of flowers. James’ eyebrows furrow as he tentatively reaches for them
It’s a sunny winter day, crisp and cold, but made bearable by the way sunlight crashes down on them. James looks radiant, Regulus thinks. Then again, he always thinks James looks radiant.
“You wanna do what to me?” James asks, bringing the flowers up to his nose, sniffing.
Regulus doesn’t know what to do with his hands now that he’s no longer holding something. He ends up tucking them behind his back, so James can’t see him fidgeting.
Regulus takes a deep breath. “I want to court you.”
“Court? Like date?”
The words bring a flush to Regulus’ cheeks. Date. He could date James Potter. Be his boyfriend, if things go well. Merlin, he hopes things go well.
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you just say that?”
“Because that’s not how it’s done. Pure Blood Tradition mandates that I declare my intentions, speak with your father, call at your house and then have the honor of escorting you to a planned activity or event outside the home that might please you,” Regulus rattles off.
He’d practiced for weeks. In front of the mirror, under his breath during breakfast, on his way to classes. Barty and Evan had teased him relentlessly, but Pandora had told him it was sweet. Had offered pointers, even.
“Yeah? You gonna wine and dine me, Regulus?”
A cluster of students passes by them. Some cast glances their way, but most don’t pay them any mind, simply heading back to the castle.
“I can take you to dinner, if you’d like that, yes.” Regulus straightens, squaring his shoulders. He hopes he’s exuding confidence. He needs to show James he is capable and dependable and a good match. James, who always takes care of others, deserves someone who takes care of him too. Regulus wants it to be him.
“It’s a date.” There’s a bright smile on James’ face, but he tries to hide it behind the flowers. Tucks his chin closer to his chest, buries his nose in the bouquet.
“So you mean—”
“Yes, I accept your intentions to court me.”
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pet names
[ID: Black and white comic of Vash and Wolfwood from Trigun Maximum. Vash overhears a conversation from a nearby table at the restaurant they're seated at, the unnamed character saying, "Honey, can you pass me that?" Their partner says, "Sure thing, angel." The unnamed character begins again, "Say, did you hear the news from earlier?" In response, "Haven't got the chance. Tell me about it?" Vash smiles fondly, listening in as the conversation continues, "You'd never guess, babe! The runner--" Abruptly, the conversation is cut in by a "Needle nogging", Vash's expression changing instantly and no longer smiling. The panel cuts to Wolfwood who smiles lop-sidedly, pointing at Vash's plate and says, "If you're not going to eat that. I'll take it." Vash grabs the plate and holds it away and says, "Mine" while Wolfwood clicks his tongue. He pauses for a moment before asking slowly, "Hey, is there any reason you don't use cute names with me?" Wolfwood lifts a cup of water up to his lips, looking confused. He says, "I do though." Vash cuts in, "Spikey and needle nogging aren't cute!"
Vash continues with a shy expression, "Since we're together now..." he trails off and Wolfwood picks up, taking a sip of water as he says thoughtfully, "Together, huh..." Vash pauses in his sentence with a look of confusion before reaffirming, "We are together, right?" Wolfwood nods, "Right." Vash says, "Right", before continuing, his shy expression returning, "Then you can use stuff like... honey or-" Wolfwood cuts in this time and says casually, "You're not a honey though." A panel cuts of Vash's expression changing again, shocked. He asks, "Huh? Then who is?" Wolfwood says immediately, "Milly." Vash exclaims, "Milly?!" Wolfwood continues, "She's sweet, just like honey." A bubble pops up of Milly smiling as Wolfwood speaks. Vash continues, "Okay, true... What about sweetpea?" Wolfwood responds, "Kids. Kids are sweetpea. And pumpkin too." Vash continues, "Okay... What about baby?" Wolfwood says without hesitation, "Meryl." Vash exclaims again, "Meryl?!" Wolfwood explains," Noisy, like a baby." Vash mutters, "Hey, that's a bit mean..."
Vash continues persistently, "Then what about babe?" Wolfwood shrugs with a grin, "You are not a babe." Vash looks at him, slightly frustrated before exclaiming with flushed cheeks, "Then what am I?!" Wolfwood points at his hair and smiles softly, "I told you. You're the one and only needle nogging." A panel closes in on Vash's widen eyes, cheeks still red, pausing before he ultimately resigns, planting his face into the palms of his hands and muttering, "I give up..." At the same time, Wolfwood sneaks and grabs the plate of food that Vash left unattended, saying in response, "You get up cuaght up about the dumbest things, y'know that?"
The comic then picks up again to a jump in time, after they've left the restaurant. Wolfwood muses to Vash, "You said all that about the names earlier, but I don't hear ya using them for me." Vash looks to him excitably and asks, "Did you want me to?" Wolfwood looks at him with an uncertain expression, "Not really, but I guess I am curious..." Vash beams, "Then let's try some, okay... dear?" He fingerguns Wolfwood with a grin, little hearts surrounding him. Wolfwood just looks at him neutrally and says, "Okay," while thinking to himself, "Cute..." Vash exclaims, "So unenthusiastic!"
The next comic picks up at a different time, but on the same theme of pet names. Vash hugs Wolfwood and says to him, "Thank you, my love." A panel close up of Vash steadily opening his eyes before he sees Wolfwood's reaction up close, his eyes glancing away, cheeks flushed, and the smoke out of his cig forming soft hearts as he mutters, "Sure..." In a smaller, cartoonish style, Vash has a comedically exaggerated expression of shock and widened eyes as he grips Wolfwood by the shoulders while Wolfwood still wears a shy expression. He then nudges his head to the side of Wolfwood's with a close eyed happy smile, hugging him close and says, "So, there WAS one you liked!" Wolfwood, still looking away, but now with an irritated and embarrassed expression, grumbles, "Shut up..."
The final image is a short sequence. Wolfwood is working on something, spacing out as he does, while Vash from off screen calls for him, starting with "Babeeee? Babe? Beautiful? Honey? My love?" All of which gets no reaction from Wolfwood. Vash pauses for a moment before piping up again, "wolfwood?" Wolfwood turns around, finally noticing that Vash was calling for him and asks, "What?" A box at the bottom of the page says, "Unresponsive to anything other than his names." END ID]
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reread the bicorn chapter and godddd chil really is such a peculiar little guy. obsessed with the fact that he got his arm half gnawed off by a murderous horse and was more upset when his friends started realizing he lied about cheating on his wife. i need to study him under a microscope
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