#captain-cabinets

She’s staring at the hand James has settled on Harry’s hip, with a look Harry can’t quite make out. 

“I’ll say.” The woman agrees. 

Harry looks between the pair of them, “Is someone going to explain what’s going on here? Or shall we all stand here awkwardly while I assume the worst?”

So far he’s stuck on the idea that this woman is James’ secret girlfriend, that there are secret children somewhere and that he is a horrible homewrecker. Harry wants to feel more guilty than he does, but he’s struggling. 

“Uh, no, sorry, Harry Hart.” James says, finally snapping himself out of it, “This is Alice Trevelyan.”

Oh God, wife. 

“My sister.” James finishes.

And yes, that would probably make more sense. James has mentioned his older sister a few times. Harry needs to stop jumping to conclusions. 

“Alice, this is Harry Hart. My, uh, my boyfriend.” James explains, tightening his grip on Harry’s hip. 

Alice smiles at Harry, and oh wow, their smiles are almost identical, “It’s nice to meet you, Harry, and to discover you exist.” 

“Likewise.” 

Alice then turns her attention back to James, “Your boyfriend? You’re gay now? Was ‘becoming a tailor’ a euphemism?”

“Jesus, Alice.” James hisses, “It’s not like that. It’s just Harry.”

Harry smiles. He loves hearing James say that. He knows most people in his position hate it, hate the idea that they’re just an experiment, that there’s the possibility of boredom, but Harry’s more secure in this relationship. He knows this is the real thing, James is in it for the long haul, so is he. 

Alice looks moved by his comment, "Awww.”

She slaps his arm, “It still doesn’t explain why you never told us you were seeing somebody! Are you ashamed of him? Because James, wow, you do not have to be ashamed of this one.”

“Alice…” 

“I think he’s secretly worried that you’re going to tell me all the little secrets he’s been hiding. All his embarrassing stories, baby pictures, awkward teenage pictures.” There’s a grin on Harry’s face.

“Harry, you’re not supposed to be on her side!” 

“He had blonde streaks at 17.” Alice says, with a smile. 

“We have to go!” James announces,  “We have important tailor business to attend to.”

“Oh I think we’ve got time for blonde streaked James.” Harry says, as James grabs his arm and tries to pull him away. 

“When he was 14, he wanted to be a rapper, called himself Jay Tre.” 

“Very important tailor business.” James says, pulling a laughing Harry down the tea aisle, “So good to see you, sis, but… we have to go.”

“I am so not done here!” Alice calls after them. 

“Yes, you are!”

“Ask him how long he slept with Bifbof!” 

“Goodbye Alice!”

—x

“So. Bifbof?” Harry asks, as they next to one another later that night, “I have got to know about that.”

“I’m leaving you.” James groans, pulling a pillow over his own face. 

“Aww, Jay Tre, don’t be like that.” Harry tells him, with a laugh, “I always thought the life of a rap wife looked glamorous.”