Picture This

Requested By Anon: After getting a phone call to bring Remus' forgotten camera to the photography studio, James meets model Lily and the pair hit it off.

"You owe me."

James Potter placed a hot mug of coffee and a DSLR on the messy table in front of Remus Lupin. Remus looked at the camera piece like it was made of gold and immediately took a swing of the coffee James had brought as spare. James looked around at his surroundings while Remus literally moaned into the cup of coffee. It was seven in the morning and Remus was already stressing, James could tell.

They were inside of a magazine studio office in London. Remus had his first major shoot of his life and was only slightly panicking—slightly being that he elft the hours two ours early and yet still forget his camera. There were a bunch of make up artists running around shouting for primer and dresses fashioned on hooks were passing quickly before James' eyes. James was overwhelmed by the rushing and bustling of the photo studio and couldn't blame Remus for looking so uncomfortable. Remus definitely preferred realistic photography and not corporate trash. Too bad for Remus, the corporate trash paid well.

A few models walked past, all their eyes trained to look James up and down like wolves, ready to devour him. James pushed his glasses up his nose as a blonde winked confidently at him. Remus didn't notice the girls passing and instead, was practically hugging the camera parts James had brought him.

"Thank you," Remus attached the pieces James didn't understand to his fancy camera, "I couldn't believe I forgot these this morning."

"You were a little stressed last night getting ready." James reasoned, not looking away from a sofa on the other end of the studio filled with girls in underwear, "What is this shoot for anyways?"

"Some famous underwear seller in America." Remus wiped the lens to his camera before practicing a shot steadied in James' direction, "They call their models, Angels."

James knew exactly what company Remus was talking about. These girls were regular celebrities. He couldn't believe that they were all crowded in one building for a photo shoot in their underwear. James' dreams com true, really.

"Are you shooting them?"

"I'm shooting one of their new Angels for a cover lineup." Remus was short and James sensed the panic in his voice.

"You'll be fine Remus." James assured his mate.

"This is my first big gig." Remus said anxiously, "What if I fuck it up?"

James slung an arm around Remus, "You've got this mate." He said encouragingly, "You've always been exceptional at having an eye for this sort of thing."

"Yeah," Remus snorted, "When my models were you and Sirius—not professional models trained since they were five."

"I was six actually." A playful voice interrupted behind them.

James and Remus turned. A red haired woman with startling green eyes and a skimpy lavender dress that left little to imagination was grinning at them both with her hands on her hips. James' jaw dropped, and at his side, Remus turned red and started babbling.

"I didn't mean any—"

"Stop." The girl laughed and tilted her head at Remus, "I was just kidding. I'm Lily Evans, they told me you were the one shooting me today."

Remus stuck out his hand and she shook it, "Pleased Lily, I'm Remus—"

"Lupin." She finished happily, "I know, I loved your photos in London Central. The seasons seemed to jump off the page through those actors."

Lily's eyes turn to James and she smiled even wider, "Are you his assistant?"

James snorted, "Currently."

Remus was still modest and looked over to James, "This is James, he was actually in the winter spread you just mentioned."

Her eyelashes fluttered and she practically stunned him with her smile. James had never seen anyone with a smile as white and bold as Lily Evans and he doubted he ever will. There was a slight pattern of freckles across her cheek and James felt blessed to be close enough to her to see every dot.

In other words, James was fucked.

"You're the bloke skating on the frozen pond next to the sign that clearly said 'no skating'?" her eyes slid up and down James' form with interest.

James pushed his glasses up his nose as he nodded, "I didn't know that Remus was taking photos of me breaking the law."

Lily's red painted mouth curved gently, "You're quite the natural model."

James hated that he blushed, "Er not really, but thanks."

Lily gave him one more fascinated look before tuning her attention back to Remus, "You ready to do this Lupin?"

Remus smiled tensely, "If you are."

Lily shrugged, "Just another day on the job."

She walked towards a smaller set away from the other half naked girls. She was teetering on heels for half the trip but James watched as she slowly and meticulously kicked them off. James had a feeling she was a model not like the others. He didn't mind her quirks in the slightest. She was the hottest, coolest, wittiest girl he'd ever known.

James had planned to leave the moment he'd dropped off Remus' camera parts. He didn't know what dragged his feet in the direction of a set filled with fake trees and a park bench but he had a feeling it was Lily's coy smile in his direction. Remus and James watched as Lily sat down on the park bench, throwing her legs onto it casually, fanning the lavender skirt about like she was a princess. Remus started snapping away as she provided him with multiple poses.

Suddenly, after five minutes in Remus moaned and dropped the camera in his hands. Puzzled, James looked away from gorgeous Lily to his best mate, who seemed upset.

"You alright Remus?"

Remus quickly checked through the photos on his camera and James knew the look on his face instantly. Remus didn't like the way the photos were turning out. James had no idea why; Lily was the prettiest model he'd ever seen in his entire life.

"Is something wrong?" Lily called worriedly from her seat on the bench.

Remus hummed noncommittally, not wanting to offend her, and James nudged Remus with his elbow, "Don't be nervous." He reminded Remus, "You're an award winning photographer!"

Remus nodded firmly before stepping onto the set and touching the trees surrounding Lily. Lily watched Remus with narrowed green eyes. The plastic leaves crinkled under Remus' touch and Remus winced. Remus' shoulders squared as he looked around at the synthetic light coming from the hot stage lights above Lily. By the time Remus' eyes landed on the lively red haired model on her throne he had a peculiar expression.

"I'm sorry." Remus told Lily kindly, "You're great, beautiful even, but this set is—I just work better in physical sceneries."

Lily brushed her fingers through the soft curls that fell onto her shoulders, "Alright," she said delicately, "So what do you suggest?"

"Reality." Remus smiled then, holding his hand out to the model.

Lily took Remus' offer and stood up from the bench elegantly. Her heels stayed in the same spot she'd left them, with no intention to go back on her feet. James raised an eyebrow at the both of them, not really sure if this was how photo shoots typically went.

"We're going outside."

"We?" James queried with interest, "I didn't know you needed my help."

"You are his assistant." Lily said cheekily, staring at her nails.

"I was joking." James told her, "I'm his roommate."

"How scandalous."

James glared at her but couldn't stay glaring for long when he heard a small giggle erupt from her throat. She walked over to a table laden with food and started looking through the food for something to eat. James crossed his arms beside Remus.

"This entire set is too fake." Remus said to Lily, "I want my pictures to breathe."

"Spoken like a true artist." Lily smiled at Remus before casually winking at James, "This is why I was so excited to work with him, he's so artistically imaginative..."

"You can thank me for that." James told her spiritedly.

"You're an artist?" she asked in disbelief.

"If you count drawing comics as art." Remus snorted only to take a step back when James glared at him, "Alright, so let's go take some pictures outside."

"My friends call me Lily." She said, knocking shoulders with James as she grabbed a cookie from the counter and placed it in her mouth, "Let's go boys."

James shook his head, stunned after getting a whiff of her utterly captivating perfume. Remus eyed James as he passed, camera ready to start taking photos of Lily's retreating back.

"Come on Potter," Remus teased, "Or you'll start drooling."

James rolled his eyes but he followed behind Remus, lost in the way Lily swung her hips out as she opened the doors to the studio like they were keeping her locked in. She shot back a grin at Remus who began snapping photos behind the lens. James wished he could record every second, she was so full of life. Her laugh echoed down the stairwell as she danced in her bare feet. Her red hair swung in front of her face when she opened the exit door to the outside world. Her green eyes looked to the blue sky the moment they left the building and entered the curving sidewalks of downtown Peckham.

The bustling art district was even more alive under Lily Evans' hands. James was surprised when several passerby's recognized her. She stopped to chat merrily with each one and take photos with them on Remus' camera.

After the fifth teenager squealed merrily, James asked Remus, "Just how famous is she?"

"Lily's been a model for practically her whole life." Remus explained, "But she became pretty famous after she did that new Pride and Prejudice movie that came out last year."

James glanced back over to the girl, who was busy twirling to show off her skirts to a little girl and her mother. Lily hugged the mother and daughter goodbye before turning back to Remus and James with a wide smile. James decided then that he would watch any film that included her smile, so infectious when it was aimed in a lowly blokes direction.

"You boys want to go to the carpark?" she inquired gaily, "Those two just told me there's a farmers market happening!"

The Peckham carpark was locally known for it's festive events on the top level of the intricately designed parking building. Typically used for creative orchestra events and art commissioning, the building was locally celebrated. Remus looked jazzed to go shoot at such a prominent location that he practically skipped forward.

"Come on James!" Lily motioned for him to take her hand and when he did, she dragged James forward eagerly.

The red brick buildings around them casted a warm glow off Lily as she practically danced beside James. Her lavender dress was slipping off one of her shoulders and her hair was glistening gold's and browns that reminded James of autumn. Crossing the pedestrian walk while hand in hand with Lily, James felt weird, almost like he'd known the pretty model his whole life. Lily was pointing out at a McDonalds behind them, determined to get chips and a milkshake the moment she was done modeling for Remus' lens.

"Why not now?" James asked her.

"I left my wallet in the studio." Lily replied gloomily.

"I'll buy you a two dollar shake and chips if you really want them."

"You would?"

"Of course."

"My hero."

"I aim to please, Evans." James grinned, tugging her backwards as she looked at him like he'd offered her the world.

James would honestly do anything to receive that look from Lily again.

Remus followed them, pleased, as James pushed open the doors to the McDonalds. Lily raced past him like a child to the front of the line and people parted as she passed, her ethereal style making most humans stop in their tracks. She ordered her food and James paid for it, pulling a few paper bills from his wallet as she happily licked the whipped cream off her shake. James nicked a few of her chips as they continued their footpath for the carpark. Lily reprimanded him, telling him to get his own but James just laughed, lost in her smiles.

The staircase that led up to Bold Tendencies was bustling as they climbed. Lily caught everyone's eye as they passed but now everyone seemed nervous to talk to her as she chucked her spare chips at James. James tried catching the chips in his mouth as he walked; Remus cheering when one would actually make it's way down his throat. Once they'd made it to the top of the carport and into a bustling farmers market, Lily addressed James seriously.

"So how do you and Remus really know each other?" she asked, dumping her trash in a bin before examining the first tent they came upon, filled with dream catchers, "I'm assuming roommate turned assistant isn't the whole story?"

"We've been best mates since school." James explained, throwing a fond glance back a t the photographer currently immersed in a photography booth, "we met in detention actually."

"Bad boys." Lily hummed with a sly smile, "What were you in detention for?"

James flushed deep red, "Er, let's just say I wasn't a decent lad in school."

Lily stopped grabbed his hand, pulling him forward again, "And now?"

"Huh?"

"Are you a decent lad now?"

He wanted to tell her that he'd be whatever she wanted him to be as long as she never let go of his hand.

"Halfway decent," Remus startled the both of them, coming up behind the couple with his camera in one hand and a soft pretzel in the other, "He moved on from punching people at football games to punching me if I eat a burger."

Lily raised an eyebrow at that, "eat a burger?"

"James is a vegetarian." Remus snapped a photo of Lily disgusted face.

"You don't eat meat?" she exclaimed, in disbelief, "James, have you ever had bacon?!"

James flushed around his ears, "I just—I've—I mean I did but then my mates took me to this pig roast and—"

"He threw up all over the roasting pig the minute he saw it on the spike." Remus explained to Lily who covered a smile behind her hand.

Lily stopped giggling to say, "Remember me to never invite him to a pig roast."

James was surprised at the way his heart jumped at her mentioning wanting to invite him places other than the carport during her photo shoot. An hour later they were done, Remus announced he had more than enough shots for the new cover of the Angel catalogue. Lily's lavender dress was brown at the bottom from sliding across the dirty ground and her hair was coming undone from its elegant curls. James thought she'd never looked prettier.

"Back to the studio then," Lily sighed unhappily before admitting, "This was such a breath of fresh air from my usual shoots."

"Well if you lot are headed back, I'll take my leave." James said awkwardly, shooting Lily a glance.

"Already?" she seemed disappointed but James didn't want to get his hopes up.

"Yeah," he shoved his hands in his pockets dejectedly, "I'm afraid I've got to get to work, seeing as I'm four hours late already."

James turned to leave but Lily grabbed his arm from behind, turning him.

"I'd quite fancy a picture with you." She said, "Before you leave."

James nodded his agreement and stood beside the lovely model one last time. Remus aimed his camera and James slung one arm about her shoulders to smile at the camera gawkily. Lily had other plans, just as Remus clicked the shutter, she leaned on her tiptoes and kissed him full on the mouth. Two weeks later, that picture was all over the Internet after Lily gave Remus permission to sell it to the tabloids as an official announcement of Lily and James' relationship.

Just a little muggle jily fluff for the end of your week. Unfortunately, it's the start of mine, so leave me nice notes to get me through work!

xxx

Petals