Chapter Text
Regulus clutched his tote bag tightly to his chest as he stepped off the bus. It was an overcast morning and he had dwindling hope after several failed attempts to acquire a tattoo apprenticeship all across town. The consensus was the same everywhere he went– he was a very talented artist, but he simply lacked the experience required to get an apprenticeship. The question had been circling his brain incessantly for the past month: how was one supposed to get the damn experience without first having an apprenticeship? It was very illogical in his opinion but, regardless, he wouldn’t quit until he had tried every shop in town.
This shop was only a few blocks from the bus stop. In bright neon red letters, the sign above the shop read, “Marauders & Co. Tattoo.” Funny name, he mused.
Regulus spotted a bench directly next to the door of the shop and took a seat for a moment to gather his thoughts. It was just the last shop for at least thirty miles from his apartment and he was in desperate need of a second job, after his jerk of a landlord had raised rent unexpectedly last month. No big deal.
Regulus took a deep breath and opened his tote. Portfolio, check. Keys, on their keychain. Phone and charger, in their respective pockets. Wallet, yep. Okay, so he had everything he needed. There was no turning back now. Taking one more deep breath, Regulus calmed his nerves and stood up from the bench, stepping through the doors of the shop.
Immediately, a cursed bell above the door rang alerting the receptionist at the front desk of his arrival. The shop itself was incredible. There were posters and pride flags lining the walls, LED lights lining the floorboards, and the ceilings were painted with flowers, ivy, stags and does. The receptionist was blonde with bright red highlights at the tips of her bangs, not unlike the shade of the neon sign outside. Her tattoos were genuinely stunning, and Regulus spotted at least fifteen different piercings– she was so cool. He was mildly intimidated to say the least.
Regulus then had the dreadful thought that perhaps she was this shop’s apprentice. So much for his chance at scoring the last possible apprenticeship in town. Ignoring the sinking feeling of dread in his gut, he approached the front desk.
“Hello,” Regulus spoke with what he wished sounded like confidence.
“Hi, I’m Marlene, how can I help you today?” She smiled warmly at him, slightly easing his nerves.
“I’m here to inquire about a potential apprenticeship. I brought a portfolio with me.” He hoped she couldn’t see the way he was nervously picking at the threads on his tote. It wasn’t characteristic of him to be this anxious over something like this, but he had been rejected one too many times to not feel at least a little bit nervous.
“Sure thing. James will be out to meet you in just a moment, okay?” He watched as she turned the corner to the back room of the studio, where James must be. He’d be lying if he didn’t admit that the name didn’t make his heart stop for a moment, immediately bringing him back to a different time.
He tried not to think about his brother and his brother’s best friend too often, and yet the two of them crossed his mind at least twice a day. He couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to Sirius after he’d left him. Whether or not he was okay. If he’d ended up going to live with James like he said he would. But Regulus would never find out. He didn’t want to find out. He hated Sirius' guts for what he did and James’ for stealing the only good thing in his life. It was unforgivable.
Regulus sighed and pushed the thoughts of Sirius and James from his mind, instead opting to look through his portfolio to make sure he had put each design in the correct order. But as he was skimming through various pieces of art he heard the approaching of footsteps and looked up to see…
James.
James Potter.
Regulus dropped the portfolio.
There was no way on earth his eyes were seeing what he was seeing. After five years this is how they meet again?
“Oh! Here let me help,” James stooped down to start picking up the designs while Regulus just sat there absolutely dumbstruck.
How could this be happening? Out of all the tattoo shops in town, this one just happened to be the one that James fucking Potter worked at? He cursed himself and his terrible luck. There was no way he could even try to get an apprenticeship here now.
Jumping into action, Regulus scrambled down onto the floor to snatch up his art, hopefully before James could see it, stuffing it haphazardly back into the file folder he’d brought.
But alas, “This is really, really good! Where did you learn to draw like this? It almost looks similar to my own style which is funny because I haven’t really ever met anyone who…”
And suddenly his cover was blown.
Brown eyes stared him down in absolute shock. It was nearly a full thirty seconds before James even blinked.
“Ce–”
“Nope. Don’t go by that name anymore,” Regulus stated firmly.
James nodded respectfully.
“So, uh, what should I call you then?” James asked curiously.
Regulus hesitated for a moment. If he gave him his name then James had a means of finding him again. Which then meant that Sirius had a means of finding him and re-entering his life again, which was certainly not something that he wanted. So why he let the next words fall out of his mouth, he’d never be certain.
“Regulus. Regulus Arcturus Black.”
Regulus grabbed the last of his art up off the floor, opting to just let James keep the one he was holding, and stood to make a bee-line for the door.
“Well, I’m out of here. See you never.”
“Wait!”
He was not waiting.
“Regulus.”
Regulus paused, although he was actively turning the doorknob. He’d never heard James say his name before. His actual name. It sounded… nice?
“You can have the apprenticeship,” James exclaimed, almost desperately.
Regulus froze.
This was probably– not probably, it was– the last shop in town that would offer him an apprenticeship. He would have no more chances for another thirty miles from his apartment and he didn’t have a car. He had bills to pay and his job at the local coffee shop wasn’t cutting it with its limited hours. He had a cat to feed. Regulus let out a deep sigh already anticipating the stress migraine coming on. He could feel James scrutinizing his reaction from across the room.
This was a terrible idea. Horrible, even. A million things could go wrong. But his biggest concern was Sirius. He had to know James Potter’s brilliant plan to keep his older brother from finding out that he was working here, if he were to work here.`
“Okay, let’s say I accepted your offer. What’s your plan to keep my brother from finding out?” Regulus crossed his arms across his chest and raised a suspicious eyebrow.
“Reg, you–”
“Don’t call me that,” Regulus huffed in irritation.
“Regulus… You know it’s hard for me to keep anything from Sirius, right?”
Regulus continued to stare at him blankly.
“But… I will do my best to keep this from him, and I have his schedule so I know when he stops around the shop. I’ll have you out during those times, okay?”
“Then, I will accept your offer on the condition that Sirius is to never find out.”
James exhaled with a pained look on his face. He was a fiercely loyal friend. Regulus knew from experience. He understood how hard it must be for James to hide something from Sirius like this, and he half expected him to change his mind and turn Regulus away from the apprenticeship.
“Okay,” James smiled and stretched his hand out for what Regulus assumed was a handshake. Regulus kept his hands firmly planted at his sides. James slowly lowered his hand but his grin remained. “Alrighty. Well. I’ll be needing your number then. For, uh, you know. Tattoo stuff.”
Oh God. Now he was giving James Potter his phone number. Regulus suppressed a groan, reminded himself that his future career was on the line, and reached into his bag. He ripped off a corner of notebook paper and scribbled out his number, shoving the slip into James’ hands.
“That's all?” Regulus looked at James expectantly.
“For now, that should be good. I’ll text you the details later, alright?” James smiled.
“Alright, then,” Regulus said as he finally exited through the front door.
The second he stepped back outside he wondered if it had all just been a dream. That was always an option, right? Him dreaming this whole thing?
The bus passing him by awoke him from his post-James Potter trance. Damn it. He’d have to wait another thirty minutes for the next bus. But that was okay, he figured, because he had a lot to tell Barty and Evan about his situation.
Whipping out his phone, Regulus got comfy on the bench near the bus stop and pulled up his group chat with the other two.
Regulus: Guys
Regulus: Guess who gave me the apprenticeship?
Barty: Omg??
Evan: Congrats!
Barty: Who?
Regulus: James Potter.