Trouvaille - something lovely discovered by chance
A Slytherin and a Gryffindor are sworn enemies. Families, friendships, relationships, all are infected by house rivalry.
So are James Potter, proud and brave Gryffindor, and Aquila Black, cunning a...
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Aquila was deflecting the situation and yes, Aquila was making it obvious.
Adrian Avery was certainly not a fool, and he was also very much Aquila and Rowan's best friend.
He had heard different accounts from the two people, with Rowan describing the ordeal as 'a weight off his chest' and Aquila describing it as 'another stone on her shoulders'. Both had used their extensive vocabulary and summed it up as awkward.
Regulus was still pissed off about Aquila not telling him about the Alchemic Academy letter, and was now sulking in front of Adrian, nursing a glass of wine.
They were sitting in a dingy pub, and somehow, Regulus had got wine for himself and Adrian.
Adrian traced a ringed finger around the glass' rim. "I think you're being grumpy for no reason at all."
"She should have told me," Regulus groaned for the fiftieth time.
Adrian hit him on the head. "Stop throwing a tantrum. You're both adults, you've both got separate lives, so act like it. She's allowed to make her own decisions as much as you're allowed to make yours."
Regulus looked up at Rowan with bleary eyes. "Did you know that Rowan liked Aquila?"
Adrian raised an eyebrow and looked at Regulus with a knowing look in his eyes. "Didn't you?"
Adrian snorted softly and took a small sip from his glass. He looked around the bar. With the way Aquila was handling things, she would probably say no to Rowan, and Rowan being Rowan, would take it horribly and go do something stupid, most likely dragging Adrian with him.
It was also a miracle that Adrian and Rowan had managed to go this long without getting a Dark Mark. Briefly, they had had the plan to run away and kidnap Aquila and Regulus along the way. Rowan and Aquila would fall in love, and Adrian and Regulus would too-
Wait, what?
Oh, no, this cannot be happening, Adrian thought miserably, looking at Regulus who was already looking at him, his grey-blue eyes already staring deep into Adrian's. Regulus' head was tilted slightly to the side, as if solving a riddle or a puzzle, his eyes contemplating.
"What do you think?" Regulus asked, startling Adrian out of his haze. "Would Rowan and Aquila work together?"
Adrian swallowed. "If Aquila gets over James, then I think Rowan and her would go wonderfully together," he said.
"And then it would just be you and me," he said with a melancholic smile.
Oh, Merlin, he is not helping matters, Adrian thought. Besides, surely, if Adrian was interested in Regulus like that, wouldn't he know by now? For Salazar's sake, they had been best friends for seven years.
Rowan didn't know either, a voice in his head whispered wisely. Unfortunately, that example was unneeded.
"Is that so bad?" Adrian asked, feeling like slapping himself. At least figure out what's going on, hyperventilate about it, then ask him shit like this!
Regulus' smile turned into a smirk. "It's better than what I could have hoped for," he said, and got up from his seat to approach the bar, leaving Adrian to wonder what the hell had just happened.
- - -
For a grand total of fifteen minutes, Regulus' inner monologue was as such - fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck.
He sat at the bar, his mind running at speed so fast it was hard to distinguish his thoughts. One stood clear.
What the fuck are you doing, Regulus?
Sure, he had found Adrian attractive over the years, but didn't all friends?
For a brief period of time, he liked the rugged look of Remus as well, as well the trouble look of James, but that was normal.
Wasn't it?
And why did Adrian sound like he was actually reciprocating... whatever this was?
Oh Merlin, why did life suck so much? Why was everything so confusing? There was a war going on outside, why did this have to come in between?
Why are you panicking so much? What happened? Are you hurt? Who do i need to kill-
Aquila sent thought after thought in his head, making Regulus even more panicky about the general situation. Why did I just feel like I wanted to kiss Adrian?
A beat of silence. Regulus wondered whether Aquila was contemplating her life decisions.
Kissing Adrian? Why? She asked in a fairly controlled voice.
Fuck if I know. What will everyone say? Regulus thought desperately, pulling at his hair.
Er, Aquila paused, speaking the next words hesitantly. Try... kissing him? If you don't like it, good, if you do... we'll get through it?
The words which were often spoken with confidence and reassurance, 'we'll get through this', were now overshadowed by the fear of what might be true. If his anti-pureblood feelings hadn't driven him out, this new thing was definitely going to get him kicked out of the family.
Regulus glanced back at the table where he and Adrian were sitting, only to find the latter in a similar position as him, head in his arms, hair being pulled out due to frustration. How was he supposed to go back to the table? What if he was the only one having these doubts? What if Adrian didn't even-
Hands grasped the lapel of his coat; he was met by soft lips, frozen, then moving slowly, then confidently as Regulus' joined the motion. In the brief second of panic, Regulus only had time to process the pale white hair of his best friend, lips that he had never thought about kissing but now was the only thing he wanted to think about. Their mouths moving in a motion, such synchronised motion, one would think they had their whole lives to practice the art.
"Hey! None of this queer shit in my pub. Out of here!" The bartender barked, prompting Regulus and Adrian to separate. Their foreheads leaned against one another, breaths coming out in gasps, lips swollen and stretched with smiles.
Yes, yes, it's confirmed, Regulus thought as he and his best friend stumbled out in the night. I like him, and I don't give a shit what everyone says.
