Authors Note: If the lack of actual James/Lily interaction isn't killing us all, I don't know what is. As per usual: No beta's, less than 24 hours to write it, but this time I don't have a list to go on for prompts. We'll see how that works.

Thanks for reading!

It was partially because she was seated so close to James and partially because they were so close to the fire, but Lily was almost sweating.

"How is it hot in here when it's freezing outside?" She asked, pulling her knees towards her chest and wrapping her arms around them.

"You're wearing about a hundred shirts on, for one thing," Peter said as he set down a card. Remus shook his head, smiling behind his hand of cards.

"Maybe you should shed a few layers," James smirked, bumping his arms into Lily's. She scoffed.

"Maybe I should punch you."

"You're losing your touch, Evans," He chided, exhaling heavily. He slid a card across the table in front of the large group, an eyebrow lowered.

"I am not," She argued, putting her card down in turn and then struggling to pull off her sweater. The shirt underneath rode up slightly and the bare skin of her side brushed against James' elbow.

It was possible, apparently, for Lily to get hotter than she had been only moments before.

Her arm was pressed against his and if she turned to face him, her ski slope nose would brush against his shoulder.

"Maybe," Sirius began as he shuffled through his deck and glanced up at Lily mischievously, "our lovely Lily fancies James."

Lily froze and could feel the room grow tense because everyone but James knew and, fuck, Sirius swore he wasn't going to say a word.

Then James laughed. It was short and it relieved and killed Lily all at once. She let out a small breathe and- when had she stopped breathing? She saw Remus kick Sirius from out of the corner of her eye and watched as he shot a disapproving look that made Lily remind herself that she wanted to stay friends with Remus.

"I think we're past making jokes like that, Padfoot," James said, the smile on his face stiff.

"Yeah," Lily nodded. The words weighed down her tongue and slipped out in a voice barely above a whisper. "We're past that."

There was an uncomfortable silence and Peter let out a low whistle while waiting for his turn to play.

"Evans. Sidebar."

"What? I didn't do anything!" Lily protested, looking up to where Sirius was standing over her.

"You're cheating."

"I am not!"

"Just- just come on, you prude." He grabbed her elbow, pulling her away from the game and staring at her.

"What the hell, Black?"

"You're better than this."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." That was a lie, and they both knew it.

"You need to grow a pair and tell James because everyone and their house elves know that you two fancy each other except for you two. I know that paranoid little mind of yours –and yes, I mean little- keeps convincing itself that he doesn't interest but we both know that's a lie, don't we?"

Lily gaped at him, speechless. Her face was red and she wanted nothing more than to sock him in the nose. To avoid the conflict she spun around, making her way back to her seat.

"He deserves better than this. You're killing him."

"I know," She whispered, her straight posture slumping slightly in defeat.

"You're better than this."

"I'm really not," Lily said, turning to look at Sirius and catching sight of the night outside the window, the trees blowing in the frigid wind. "But he does deserve better."

Dear god, I can't seem to find an angsty bone in my body. It's horrifying for me, but lucky for you, this is as close as we're getting to angst right now. (It's coming. You won't see it coming, but it'll slam you in the face like a ton of bricks.) Please review because, although I love each of you equally, reviews make me love you a little more than everyone else who reads this.