- Gift Giving Extravaganza: Written for WolfWinks / Prompts: (dialogue) "Did you just eat that whole pie all by yourself?"

- Great Easter Egg Hunt (C20): Writer!AU

- 2017 Drabbles: Vegetable

Word Count: 913

Regulus rubbed his knuckles into his temples as he stared at the sheet of paper that was folded through his typewriter. He only had a few words written so far, and this was the last chapter of his story. The editor wanted it on his desk by Friday — three days away — and Regulus had taken to spending every waking hour in his study, hunched over the typewriter.

The curtains were drawn across the wide window, as he found the street outside too distracting. Instead, he worked by a desk lamp, and most of the time he didn't know whether it was night or day.

His stomach groaned sadly. He had been attempting to write this chapter for so long, he had forgotten to eat. "James!" he called into the hallway.

There was the sound of feet padding up the stairs, and his boyfriend appeared in the doorway. He was wearing pyjama bottoms and an undershirt, and had his glasses propped on top of his head. Judging by his attire, Regulus guessed that it was early evening. He longed to crawl on the couch with James and forget about this stupid story.

"What's up, babe?" James asked. Regulus noticed that there was a distant look in his eye, almost as though he was upset about something.

"Could you grab me something to eat?"

"Uh…" James looked sheepish. "I don't know what I could get you."

Regulus raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you make yourself any dinner?"

James snorted. "Have you tried my cooking?" He rolled his eyes.

"Well, what about that apple pie that was in the fridge yesterday? That one that Sirius baked."

"Yeah," James scratched the back of his head. "There's none of that left."

Regulus glowered at James. "Do you mean to tell me that you ate that whole pie by yourself? There was enough to feed four people!" Regulus climbed up from the nest of screwed up balls of paper and reference books, and pushed past James, heading downstairs.

The house was a dump. Regulus didn't think he had been holed up in his study for that long, but apparently it was long enough for James to wreak absolute havoc on their home. The dishes were piled high in the sink; there were bin bags overflowing with rubbish scattered around the kitchen; and the living room smelled strongly of body odour. The duvet was on the couch, suggesting that James had been spending his nights in front of the television.

Regulus whirled around to face James, who had followed him down the stairs. He had a guilty look on his face, and couldn't make eye contact with Regulus.

"I don't even know what to say," Regulus said finally.

"I'm sorry," James mumbled. "It's just…you know I can't cook, so I've just been eating crap, and you know I can't clean, I really did try to tidy up — look, I've filled the bin bags…"

"You're supposed to take the rubbish outside when you fill a bin liner!" Regulus yelled, storming over to the kitchen. He tried to pull the edges of a bin bag around the mound of rubbish to tie it, with no luck. "Oh my God, James, it stinks."

"I'll do it," James hurried over and the pair wrestled momentarily with the bin bag, until it finally split, spilling mouldy food and packaging all over the floor.

"Look what you made me do!" Regulus finally broke, the stress of the looming deadline and been building within him, and this was just the icing on top. He sagged to the floor on his knees, uncaring that he was surrounded by rubbish, and sobbed into his hands. "I can't cope with this, James! You know I've had this deadline — I've been working myself to death trying to get the book finished, and you can't even keep a tiny little house clean for a couple of days? Where is all the food? What have you been eating? Have you even touched a vegetable lately?"

James crouched down and wrapped an arm around Regulus's shoulders, ignoring his repulsed flinch. "I'm sorry, baby," he cooed, pulling Regulus determinedly into his embrace. "I'm a total prat. I'm a lazy, good for nothing…I'm sorry. I'll clean it up."

"I need to get back upstairs."

James shook his head and pulled Regulus to his feet. "Look, the deadline is three days away. You're working yourself into a stupor, and you'll never get the book finished whilever you're so stressed. Go get in the bath. I'll clean up this mess and go out and buy a pizza."

"I have to finish it…"

"And you'll start again on the chapter tomorrow," insisted James. He pressed his lips to Regulus's forehead, and finally, Regulus melted into his embrace.

"You are lazy," Regulus murmured, gazing up into James's eyes. He loved the way that his left eye tilted to the side slightly when he hadn't had his glasses on for a while. "But you're not good for nothing."

James pushed Regulus in the direction of the stairs, slapping him on the backside as he went. "Get in the bath. I promise the house will be spick and span when you get out."

As Regulus walked to the bathroom, he stopped by his study, looking in at the disarray of paper and books. He shook his head and closed the door on the mess. It would wait until tomorrow.