#jamestalks

Having secured that morning's cup of tea from the friendly campus barista, James had looked around the claustrophobically small coffee shop. He found no hope of securing a seat by the window, which was his preferred spot to perch. No better entertainment than people watching, especially with the core textbook in his bag that was begging to be ignored. He'd read it eventually, of course.

So, choosing the next best distraction, he pulled up a chair on an otherwise taken table. He'd not so much as looked at the occupant, but he was never one to shy away from a conversation.

The smell of old, stale beer and dusty wooden beams wafted around the two young men as they sat at the corner table in the pub they'd newly deemed theirs. It'd only been about two weeks since they'd discovered the little muggle hideaway. It was barely big enough to fit the entirety of their year of Gryffindors, but that was perfect.

Lifting a pint to his lips and prepared to savour the admittedly not-so-sweet taste of whatever it was he'd ended up ordering today, he saw the poster on the wall. A muggle band they'd gone to see in sixth year was doing a low-key concert in a venue nearby. Forgoing the beer and allowing the liquid to slosh around, threatening to break over the rim, as he dropped it back to the hardwood table - missing the coaster, of course.

Hovering some five feet the air, the wooden broom shot through the air. The wind blew through his bedhead hair, somehow making more of a mess of it than before. At least, he had to assume. The canopy of trees above him allowed for some privacy from the prying eyes of the faculty. For, apparently, it was too much to ask for flying broomsticks on campus to be permitted. One would have thought, upon graduating school, those in University would be afforded more freedom and responsibility. Alas, it was not to be. Something about it being dangerous, campus being too crowded, and other things that James hadn't bothered to listen to or read.

Still, given that the pink tinge of morning still clung to the candy floss clouds that streaked the sky, James was willing to bet he was safe in his morning ride. Merlin knows Hogwarts was no place for early risers. In fact, he'd left his own dorm mates so fast asleep that even the bonk of his broomstick on the doorframe hadn't been enough to rouse them.

But, that confidence was short lived, for appearing in his path and through the trees was a familiar flash of red. It took his sharp reflexes, at the speed he was going, to pull the broom up and narrowly miss colliding with one Lily Evans. Instead, he darted high into the sky, peering down at her in awe.

Bedsheets clung to the edge of the bed, fighting for dear life to remain on the bumpy mattress. Limbs sprawled over the width of it, dangling over the edge, while James watched his friend from a distance. Long fingers twirled his mahogany wand over and over, trying desperately to occupy himself in some way - not wanting to interrupt the clearly mesmerising words that clearly graced the crinkled paper of Remus' book. He'd long forgotten the tome he'd been skimming through. It lay facedown on the floor, open on some page with some dull, old scholar's tedious writings on this-and-that. Why bother reading any more? He'd already concluded that it was dreadfully boring. Remus, on the other hand, seemed rather enraptured by whatever it was he'd been reading. Been being the appropriate word, because at that very moment, James Potter finally spoke up.

-long post-

bro: i know, like, the main-ish characters; there's Bakugou, Todoroki, uh, Urrakaka--

me: Uraraka? Just call her Ochako, or round face or something--

bro: right, right, there's, uh, One Punch Big-Hand Muscle--

me: Kendou?!

bro: no, no, the Big Muscle Boy w actual muscles.

me: DEKU?!?!

bro: no! the Big ol' Boy w muscles!

me: ALL MIGHT???!

bro: YES

---

me: do you remember Toga?

bro: no, who's he?

me: *facepalm*

*later lol*

bro: you ever notice how the cat kind of acts like Stabby-Stabby Drinky-Blood Deku-Lover @ the dog?

me: who...?

bro: y'know, the crazy Changey Drinky-Blood Vampire Deku Lover girl? who is she, anyway?

me: Toga!!

bro: *dissolves into laughter*

me: *face tables to the mario theme*

---

bro: who was that Big Lip Boy, with the slightly smaller muscles than All Might? in the camp ep?

me: Satou, the strong sugar boy...?

bro: no the other Big Lip Boy--

Steve,

It’s your birthday today. Not being able to see you or talk to you is a new kind of pain. It was easier when it was just that you didn’t want me and when I had to be quiet because it was bad when I was around. This is awful. I was going to get you a cookbook for your birthday. Something Irish-American, or back from when we were growing up. Dumb, I guess, but I figure you have all the art supplies you need now. I know your birthdays have never been what I wanted them to be for you, but I thought for a while maybe this one would.

I remember telling you the fireworks at night were for you. I’m not sure how long you believed it for. Think you figured it out before you let on. There’s not a lot of things I remember about your birthday, but I remember at least a couple where I was able to get you art supplies and take you out for a bite to eat. At least one we spent in bed together. 

I remember the last time we were together. Night before I fell, buried under every scrap of fabric we could find, trying to stay quiet so the guys wouldn’t hear us. They knew, but it was easier to pretend no one had a clue. Part of me still has trouble remembering that it’s safer now, that I can hold a guy’s hand in public anywhere I go.

Doesn’t look like we’ll have another chance. Not sure we ever did. But the memories are enough. I hope you find someone who can make you happy.

Anyway, all this is more than enough to have said. I guess I can quit now. People seem satisfied enough that I ‘got it out’. 

If I don’t see you again, I still love you. Always have.