Work Text:
Regulus is sleeping peacefully. Finally . He’s had a really, really long day trying not to snap at his students, his car broke down on the way home, and James got home late from work because he was in and out of meetings all day, so they didn’t have dinner until 9:30 p.m.
(James and Regulus refuse to eat dinner without each other. Even if they have to wait until 12 in the morning, they will always eat together. They enjoy recapping their day and talking to each other, it helps them unwind.)
He has his head on James’ chest when he starts to wake up, a finger poking him in the side, and he grumbles under his breath, pushing his face into James’ chest and whining.
“Five more minutes,” Regulus grunts, turning over and pushing his face into his pillow, yawning and stretching his legs out as he attempts to go back to bed.
Key word: attempts.
Two minutes pass and Regulus is almost asleep, but there is a finger jabbing in his side again and he whines.
“James, what? ”
“I have to tell you something,” James whispers in the darkness, and Regulus blinks his eyes open, then clenches his jaw and takes a deep breath.
Sometimes, he really wanted to make James sleep in the guest room.
Regulus turns over, yawning as he reaches over to flick on the lamp and he squints at the light, rubbing at his eyes to get the gunk out of them.
“What is wrong, love bug?” Regulus asks, voice flat and scratchy, filled with exhaustion. James has a stupid smile on his face, little giggles making his chest move up and down, and Regulus finds it hard to stay mad at his ridiculous husband when he’s so fucking cute .
“Wanna tell you a joke.”
Regulus blinks at him, furrowing his eyebrows. “You,” he pauses, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You woke me up to tell me a joke -“
“It’s a good joke! Baby, please?”
“James, I’m going to fucking kill you one day if you continue to wake me up for stupid reasons.”
James wheezes, head falling back. “I don’t wake you up for stupid reasons that often-“
“You woke me up the other night to ask me if I still loved you because you had a dream that I cheated on you,” Regulus deadpans, tilting his head to the side, and James starts laughing even harder. A smile tugs at his own lips on their own accord and he shakes his head.
“Well maybe dream you shouldn’t have cheated on me,” James counters, and Regulus goes to speak, but James cuts him off. “Okay, okay. Listen to my joke! Okay?”
Regulus sighs heavily. “Okay, honey,” he murmurs, laying back down and turning on his side to look at his husband, who has the biggest grin on his face as he giggles and snorts.
(Regulus loves James so much that it makes his chest ache.)
“Why,” James wheezes, unable to get his words out, and Regulus starts to laugh as well. “Do you know why nurses like red crayons, Reg?”
Regulus blinks at him, biting his lip to retain his grin. “No, sunshine, I don’t know. Wanna tell me?” he asks, reaching over to gently brush an eyelash off of James’ cheek while he wheezes so hard that Regulus is sure he’s going to stop breathing.
“They like to draw blood.”
James blinks, sucking his lips into his mouth and trying his hardest to contain his laughter and Regulus stares at him, unamused.
“James.”
“Reggie,” James says back, voice wavering from his giggle.
“That was awful.”
James immediately lets out a loud laugh, spit flying out onto Regulus’ face, and Regulus squeals and then laughs himself, wiping at his face.
“You’re gross!”
“You adore me,” James giggles, pushing himself up on his elbows and moving a bit closer, leaning down to kiss Regulus on the nose. Regulus scrunches his nose up, humming.
“Irrevocably, sunshine.”
James smiles, reaching over to turn the light off, and he flops down on Regulus’ chest, causing them both to groan a bit from the pain and laugh slightly.
“Bed time now,” Regulus mumbles, kissing James’ forehead and stroking his hair gently, then tangling his fingers into the locks and scratching at his scalp.
“Goodnight, Reg.”
“I love you, baby. Goodnight.”