** Jily Challenge for July 2021 **
theme : 'Idiots in Love' +
prompt : "alright— where's the idiot?"
The bell rings as she walks through the door to their favourite café, hidden down a quiet cobblestone alley in Richmond, a private hideout they found one day while wandering second-hand bookstores. Lily scans the room until she sees the back of his black hair sitting with his back to the wall, as he is wont to do, he hasn't noticed her.
His attention on the garden patio, afternoon autumn sun landing on the pumpkin display, casting an orange glow, "Sirius, what the hell is going on?" the red head slips into the seat in front of him, now blocking his view.
"Hello to you too Red, whatever do you mean? You called me-" his boyish grin has no place; she is pent up and ready to take it out on him if he keeps it up. "I'm in no mood for coy, is James breaking up with me?"
His bark of laughter doesn't offer the reassurance she requires; he thinks this is a joke. He continues in jest despite her woebegone expression, "I thought you were the smart one, don't be an idiot, Prongs would never dump you. What's got your knickers in a twist?"
Elbow propped on the table her head drops into her palm, a single look at her crestfallen face enough to have him sit up straighter, "I really… I think he's going to chuck me; he's been so distant and not just in the sense of I spent the last week in Leicester, he… he hasn't been answering my calls, and he always seems to rush off when he phones me, he's acting very un-James-like and he didn't even seem to care that I was back today and … he, fuck—"
Sirius listens as she rambles through her anxieties, eyebrows knit in concern as her lip trembles, "Red, Lily… I'm sure it's not what you think, he's certainly not said anything to me, he was over last night helping decorate for the party and he was fine".
He thinks through adjectives he could use to describe James last night; he was a bit skittish, not all there, distracted, on edge, what if there is something going on, he wonders.
"It's probably just work, he said he was tired-"
Her sisters' words ring in her head, a week of being belittled and talked down to, anyone would think they had grown up in different households the way Petunia thinks herself superior to Lily.
Can't keep track of your man Lilykins, he's probably found someone more on his level, he's much to good for you, you shouldn't be forcing yourself to fit into his world, he needs a girl with more to offer.
"Why was he tired though? And if he's so tired, why did he say he's at the gym today? The gym Sirius, it's such a cliché excuse!"
Lost in thought he rubs a hand over his stubble, replaying conversations he'd had with his best friend over the past week or so, picking them apart for any scraps that he could offer her.
"I'll call him, I'll call him now..." she tries to protests, eyes uncertain.
"It's ringing," offering her a reassuring smile, "Hello, …oh… hi, yeah, I remember you… Sienna why are you answering James' phone?"
His gaze lands on his usually vivacious friend and she visibly greens before him, "look, just tell him to call me back, it's important".
Sirius explains that Sienna is one of Remus' friends from art school, that she didn't say where they were or why she answered but that she recognised his name and that's why she picked up.
Lily nods her head robotically, convinced that he had just confirmed her worst fears; there's someone else.
They order coffee and she allows him to distract her with stories of his latest dating mishaps, another vapid party girl who wanted him for his name and his good looks – or so the story goes.
Petunia in her head again…
I mean honestly Lilykins, he could have anyone with a face like his, not to mention his successes, not many people his age are CEO's and heirs to a multimillion-pound foundation. He must meet a lot of young attractive women who aren't glued to the library. Vernon says men don't want a career woman, they want someone who'll have their meals ready and be a good mother.
Her coffee tastes like dirt, sits uncomfortably in her oesophagus adding to her feeling of nausea.
He checks his phone a dozen times, willing his best friend to make contact, but it remains blank; it's her screen that lights up first with a message from James.
J - hi, do you think you could come over here instead of meeting at the party? I'm home so any time now?
L – hi, I don't have my costume with me, I'd have to go back to my flat first..
J – oh, I meant to tell you not to bother being Wilma, it'll make sense when we talk
L – ok, 30 minutes?
Sirius perches on the edge of his seat, leg bouncing nervously, Lily passes him her phone, a resigned look upon her face.
"Look, I'll chum you to Pimlico but there has to be an explanation, James is mad for you, you're his lucky star, no chance he throws that away."
She wants to believe him, believe that the last twenty months have meant as much to him as they have her, wants to believe that he isn't pulling away from her, hasn't gotten bored of her, found himself wandering and interested in something new. She really wants to believe; but she doesn't.
They'd been listening to Joni Mitchell, as they lay in his parent's garden one evening their first summer together, '~ you are as constant as the northern star ~' I love you so much Lily Jean Evans you are my lucky star.
She accepts his offer to get her to James' flat. Riding pillion on Sirius' motorbike, while usually a thrill, she barely feels the rush of the wind going by as they weave through traffic towards the city.
Tree's blur, green blobs smudging as they pass the park, a young couple cross in front of them as they wait at the zebra crossing, pushing a buggy; she swallows the lump that rises within her.
She wanted that, they talked about it, her and James. The fantasy that when she finally finished her law degree they would settle down, have a forever together they called it.
Before she knows it, they are pulled up outside the yellow and white bricked building, Sirius notices her legs shake and helps to steady her. "You're fine, you're worried for nothing, honestly, he'd be mad. He loves you Lily".
Thanking him for the company and being her sounding board, Lily says her goodbye and offers a half shrug when he talks about that evening's party. How can she be sure she'll be going if this conversation is anything like she's been imaging?
Hand shaking as she rings the bell Sirius watches as her deep red hair disappears into the lobby of the building, hoping against hopes that his best friend isn't about to mess this up, unwilling to choose sides.
"OH MY GOD!"
Lily's voice reaches him where he stands by the bike and he bolts for the entrance, door still ajar, making his way to James front door.
"Alright, where's the idiot?" adrenaline coursing through him as he sees Lily frozen to the spot sobbing into her hands.
James just out of sight leaps from his position near the ground, appearing from round the corner.
"I'm an idiot" Lily sniffs, "oh my god, I'm such an idiot".
Sirius darts his eyes between the couple, waiting for someone to explain.
"He can't have dumped you within thirty seconds of getting in the flat, what the fuck is going on? Is Sienna here?"
Alarm washes over James' face, "you thought…but I… never. Never ever." Scooping Lily into his arms and kissing away her tears, his lips gently covering every inch of her face.
Letting out a piercing whistle the couple startle, remembering their confused audience, Lily beckons him forward so he can see the room from which James emerged.
From the ceiling hang dozens and dozens of origami stars, interspersed with images of the couple together and a dazzling amount of fairy lights, candles and deep red rose petals creating a path to a bottle of champagne sitting in a bucket of ice.
Now closer, he's able to make out the soft crooning of Joni Mitchell singing "~ love is touching souls, surely you touched mine ~"
"Holy fuck, did you? Did she? Holy fuck are you guys engaged?!"
James turns to the soggy faced girl still clutching his navy button down in her fist "eh, I dunno, you sorta stormed in right about where I expected an answer…"
"Hell yes I'll marry you James Potter"
Picking her up in a spin he drops a more delicate, yet full of feeling kiss to her pink lips.
"You are such a wanker, I genuinely thought you were breaking up with me, poor Sirius played a very good supportive friend role, he wouldn't even consider it a possibility even when another girl answered you phone—" her voice trailing off, waiting for that piece of the jigsaw to be explained.
"Sienna went to art school with Moony, yeah, and she designs jewellery, she made the ring" his left hand leaves its place on her hip to travel to through his hair and hold on to his neck.
"The ring... "she whispers, eyes falling on the little grey suede box sitting neatly where he'd knelt under the stars.
A shiver passes through Lily at his absence while James retrieves the box and presents to her, the most beautiful ring, rectangular emerald in the centre with a baguette diamond on either side, simple and elegant.
His hand trembles as he removes the ring slipping it on to her finger and bringing her hand to his lips 'a forever together' he murmurs into her knuckles.
Sirius pays no mind to the fact that he has imposed on this intensely personal moment, giving them all of thirty seconds before he joins the emotional hug, each of them with matching beaming smiles and watery eyes.
Lily is the first to withdraw from the huddle, allowing the best friends to share a congratulations as she takes a moment to take in the beauty of the magical room he had created.
"You really couldn't have told me? prat. I'd have been much better equipped to convince her you weren't stepping out and I wouldn't have had to see her face when Sienna picked up your phone, shit prongs that took years off my life!"
"My bad, I really wanted to surprise her, guess I over corrected. I'll make it up to her." Sirius pats him on the back laughing now, he knows exactly how these two make things up to each other and he intends to scarper before any of that takes place.
Bringing Lily into her own hug when she returns, he whispers an 'I told you so' into her hair and she pinches his side, hard.
"So… party tonight, will you and your fiancé be gracing us with your presence?" he poses the question to Lily, who defers to James "We'll be there, but Pads, don't tell anyone, let us tell people our way."
The couple have a few hours to themselves after Sirius exits, and spend them consummating their engagement, twice.
Arriving at the party several hours later Sirius greets them at the door in full pirate get-up, parrot and all, understanding James reference to costumes earlier, he lets them in and waits to follow.
The eerily decorated room erupting in gasps and cheers as the couple dressed in a black tuxedo and a white dress make their entrance left hand aloft showing off the engagement ring. The zombie make-up and fake blood aside Lily can't wait for the real deal, thrilled to be marrying this man.
Nothing can tamper down this high, not even when an hour or so later Sirius approaches her from behind and removes a rose petal from her hair with a knowing smile.
"Idiots in love".