ᴅᴀᴛᴇ ғᴏʀ ғᴀᴋᴇ → ᴊᴀᴍᴇs ᴘᴏᴛᴛᴇʀ

↳ 26: THIS

" WE FOUND WONDERLAND.
YOU AND I GOT LOST IN IT.
AND WE PRETENDED IT
COULD LAST FOREVER. "

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FREYA WASN'T A GOOD NOODLE but she wasn't exactly a rule breaker either. But when James Potter offered to hang out in the Astronomy Tower at midnight with fudge brownies, she was sold.

          And so there they were. Both were by the open window, their elbows perched on top of the windowsill, their hands dangling out in the open, as they stood next to each other with a plate of brownies in the middle.

          As James took a bite of a brownie, he asked, "Tell me, Freya. What's your father like?"

          Freya looked at him with a questioning gaze. "You brought me up here just to ask that?"

          "No," said James. "I'm just suddenly curious."

          Freya rolled her eyes and then turned her gaze back at the scenery of the Black Lake outside. "Well, he's unlike yours, that's for sure."

          "Elaborate, darling."

          Freya took a deep breath and pursed her lips. "He's not fun. He's always serious. He's not fond of expressing his emotions or thoughts. And he doesn't have time for family. He's always at work. Which, I guess, is alright. He's a healer, so, I would be selfish if I wanted more time with my father than the sick people who needs him."

          "It's not being selfish," said James, looking at her. "It's just a daughter craving for a father."

          Freya shrugged. "Yeah, well, I've learned to accept things. It doesn't affect me like it used to. That's the life I'm given. Better to live the most of it than complain, right?"

          Freya looked at him. James nodded and smiled small. "Very true. Which is why I admire you, really."

          "Because of my capability of not self pitying myself because I know other people have it worse?" asked Freya, smirking sarcastically and amusedly at James.

          "Alright, that, and," James looked pointedly at her. "You're capability to make things so simple and practical."

          "Hmm, I do that?" asked Freya.

          James nodded. "You do. It's almost as if like — when you're mad at someone then take revenge if that's what'll make you feel better; when you're hurting then cry and be grumpy because you deserve to be; when you want someone then stop thinking about how foolish it may be, just do what it'll take to get what you want."

          James was gesturing his hands in the air as he spoke, staring at the stars and the lake as he did so. Freya watched him and couldn't help but smile at how his eyes were twinkling with passion — meaning every word he was saying.

          Then, James looked back at her and smiled. "And it's when you love someone then don't question it, just let go — just love." James voice slowly lowered at the end part of his sentence. And Freya saw how his eyes averted to below, looking back at the scenery and at his dangling hands. "And I wish I could just do that."

          "Do what? Be completely reckless and just simply do it because it is what you want to do?" asked Freya and giggled. "You're James Potter — you've done well enough of that."

          James chuckled but it didn't quite reach his heart. "No, I mean," he looked up and again stared straight into her eyes. "To just let it be and not question it. To just let go and just love."

         Freya's face slowly melted, a slight furrow of worry slowly etching within her face as James continued. "Because I want to. But I'm feeling torn on who I love and who I feel like I should love."

          James looked so lost that it made Freya frown. James always had his bright demeanour that effects the whole room that when he's sad, it affects it two times harder. He was looking out the window again, his eyebrows scrunched in thought. Freya didn't particularly know what he was talking about but something about the way it bothered him made it bother Freya as well.

          Freya sighed and slowly placed her palm on top of his. It had caught James slightly off guard and he turned to her, his eyes looking so unanswered. Freya smiled lightly — a small, lip closed smile — before saying what she didn't think she would be saying. "Well, I love you."

          James' eyes widened for a second. And slowly, his lips were quivering into a smile. "What?"

          "I said that I love you." Freya said — the foreign words feeling so known when said to the man in front of her. "And that's what matters. It's the people who loves us and cares for us and will be patient with us and will be there when we're confused and in need of help and clarity. Love foundations everything, James. And I hope you find that love."

          They stared at each other for a while. Freya feeling confident yet anxious at the same time. Her words were nothing but true but she wasn't sure if she should've said them — considering the unstable and unidentified relationship she was in with James. James, on the the other hand, felt a swell in his heart. And it felt good. And it made his happy. And it made him grab Freya by the back of her neck and made him smash his lips against his.

         Freya had stopped questioning those kinds of moments — where they were intimate although not needed. She simply savoured them. And her body was fluent to react and she kissed him back, her hands automatically sliding around his shoulders.

         It was short but it was full of emotion. And when both pulled back, James cupped Freya's cheek and caressed them — running his thumb over her skin. He smiled at her and said, "For the record, this is the reason I brought you here."

         Freya giggled and pulled James back in, colliding their lips and having yet another, snogging session.