fundamentals of love ; james sirius potter

17. jimmy, james, (j)ellie, jealousy

Jimmy is the family fuck-up.

Merlin, I don't agree with it and the statement makes me cringe but everybody else silently feels that way. Even though he's a successful quidditch player, he has no real ambitions. He never thinks about what he wants to after his career ends in a decade. He can never answer other hobbies he has that don't include quidditch or spending money. He's never been in a stable relationship and always seems to handle all the relationships in his life a little too carelessly.

Winston Jim Wood is the family fuck-up who has a soft spot for me.

Even back when he was this quiet Gryffindor back in school, who didn't know much except the fact girls thought he was cute and people would say he was going to make it big, he was always taking care of me.

Though he's terrible at taking care of relationships and hasn't written his mother back in a month, if I was in trouble he'd be there by my side in an instant and that's all that matters.

So, I'm in Paris at three in the morning walking out of a police station. Jimmy's leaning against me with sad eyes and I can smell the smoke in him like it's a layer of skin. He hasn't told me what he'd done to end up there and I'm almost scared to find out at this point.

James sees us walking out and he's jogging over, putting an arm around Jimmy. "You good, mate," he asks. "I bought you some water."

My cousin stops walking and then suddenly, he's fully awake. Jimmy's squinting at James and snatching the water bottle out of his hands, then he smiles. "I'm all good, now, I lost my wallet though so maybe I'm not all good."

"Oh, Jimbo. Where is it?"

"Well that's the thing," he starts, giving an innocent-looking smile. "It's either in the Louvre, some club, or with the guy who wrote my a poem beside the Seine."

I exchange a look with James, and he looks concerned like me. So I'm nodding for him to start walking and leave us alone for a bit. Jimmy needs someone to talk and there's no one else in the world except me who could get it out of him.

When we're a few steps back, I look at him. "What're you doing in Paris, Jim?"

"My parents fell in love here," he says. "When my dad played for France and my mum was the team's healer."

"I've heard that story a thousand times."

He frowns. "I guess everyone has."

I'm stopping, grabbing his arm so he does too. Jim can avoid any confrontation if he tries enough, but I'm not in the mood for it today. "What's happening? I know you like being spontaneous and all that bullshit, but you don't end up in jail and have me bail you out."

Jimmy nods.

But, if Jimmy has a soft spot for me, I have the same one for him. My stern attitude quickly melts away and I'm wrapping my arms around him, hugging him the way he always craves but never receives. Both his parents show their love through words and acts of service, nothing physical in it at all.

"I just want someone to love, Ellie," he whispers into my shoulder, letting out a sigh. "I know I seem like the most independent person ever. I'm always at some party with friends or some new girl, but I don't care about all of that. I just want to be in love because I realized I've never experienced it before."

My hearts wrung out on a line because I understand what he means. Of course, I do. I'm a hopeless romantic who watches an unhealthy amount of romantic comedies and reads too many YA books. Love is on my mind twenty-four-seven because that's one of the most beautiful things you get to experience.