In the moment before the curse hits him, he is grateful that at least he'll die before Lily and Harry.
When Remus tells them he's a werewolf, James' first instinct is to shun him. He's been taught that Gryffindors are tolerant, though, and he knows that, given time, he will accept Remus. The moment that sticks with Remus will be this one, however, so he grins and says "That doesn't matter. You're still our friend."
Asking Lily Evans out starts as a way to irritate her. It's only several months later that he begins to fall in love.
When Dumbledore tells them of the prophecy, a little bit of him wants it to apply to his son, despite the inherent danger. No Longbottom is going to beat his Harry out of saving the world.
The first time he got on a broom he was six. He fell off immediately, and broke his wrist.
He always knew Moony and Peter were a little jealous of him and Sirius. It never occurred to James to think of it as a bad thing.
Saving Snivellus was instinct. A little part of him worries that if he'd had time to think, he wouldn't have.
Remus would be a much better choice than Sirius in this war torn world where Harry's godfather has a good chance of becoming his guardian. James asks Sirius anyways.
When they had unsupervised detentions, the four of them always just used their wands.
The only thing more beautiful than Lily on their wedding day is Harry in her arms.
James was determined to join the Order of the Pheonix as soon as he heard Severus Snape had become a Death Eater.
He'd wanted to be a lion.
He only told Lily about their transformations because she'd started to think he was cheating, when he ran off on full moon nights.
She doesn't even blink at Remus's furry little problem, but she makes James sleep on the couch for a week. He's never entirely sure why, and never asks.
His parents doted on him.
She said "no" the first two times he asked her. The third time, she asks him. The wedding is a week later.
Albus Dumbledore always frightened him, a little. Wizards that powerful were never that harmless.
James never expected to die.
Sometimes he worries that he and Lily are too young, for all of it—fighting wars, being married, raising a kid. Then he shrugs, and does whatever has to be done next.
When the Dark Lord appears, his first thought is that Peter is probably dead, having broken under torture, and he mourns for him.