fundamentals of love ; james sirius potter

7. soul food

"Jimmy, wake up."

My cousin stirs as the 12 o'clock sunshine hits him. "God," he calls out, "is that you?"

I'm hitting him with a pillow, having woken up hours ago and made a large breakfast and tidied up his backyard (he does not water his grass enough or weed the place, so I'd spent nearly two hours transforming the place into something nice. I get the gardener in me from my papa). 

Jimmy finally opens his eyes and starts to get up, he rubs his stubbled jaw and gives me a lazy smile. He's a night owl while Vonnie is a morning bird, they're opposites in nearly every part of life. They aren't even very close strangely, Jimmy's closer to me then his own sister. The complicated dynamics in our family could have some Thesis written about it. 

"Ellie, where's the maple syrup," a voice calls from the kitchen.

"The cabinet on the left of the fridge. There's some authentic stuff in the glass bottle and the other is Aunt Jemima, try them both!"

When I look back, Jimmy has a brow raised. "Please tell me, I don't have to burn any sheets or an entire room."

"He slept downstairs, and I was upstairs," I say, grabbing his hand pulling him up. "Nothing to worry about, Jim. Now, you wanna eat the thousand pancakes I've made?"

He smiles, putting his arm around my shoulder like the older brother he is. "Have I ever told you you're my favourite?"

"All the time."

"I mean it, Ellie. I appreciate all you've done."

"Being twenty five has suddenly made you extremely nice," I eye him, not sure what he's up to. 

As we enter the kitchen he's laughing. "I'll go back to being mean then you wench."

"Very archaic of you."

Jimmy's kitchen is designed by me, it's one of those green kitchen's that's all the rage and also a homage to Dakota Johnson's place. I'm moving over to a green cabinet to grab some plates and spoons for me and him. 

The boys are already sitting together at the white kitchen table, chatting to each other about quidditch and mutual friends and whatever else men talk about. I put a plate of pancakes in front of Jimmy before sitting down across from James.

I look up to see he's looking at me, it makes both of us smile.

"Third wheel at my own house," Jimmy interrupts. "This is brutal."

I'm taking a sip of my apple juice when I raise my brow. "What happened to Ananya?"

"She realized she was in love with her bestfriend."

James starts coughing, and Jimmy's patting his back. When he's composed himself, he manages to get out. "That's rough, buddy."

That makes Jimmy burst into laughter, "Merlin, she didn't get turned into a moon at least."

He looks confused.

Jimmy keeps talking like always. "When Zuko says that to Sokka," he tries, realizing James doesn't realize what his words mean. "From Avatar?" He receives another blank stare. "Oh, bloody hell, Ellie you gotta make sure your boyfriend is well kept in the soul food area."

I grow red, but nod anyways. 

"What's soul food?"

Everything.

I don't know how it became so important in my family, but soul food is a sacred sort of thing for us all. In the simplest terms, it's the things that make you the most happy and what you could never live without. If you were stranded on an island alone, what things would you need to feed your soul?