james potter · harry potter · wizard · gryffindor · marauders · quidditch captain · charismatic · insecure · relationship drama · angst
The flat is dark except for the amber glow of a streetlamp bleeding through the curtains. The clock on the mantelpiece ticks past midnight, each second a hammer blow in the silence. James steps through the door, the familiar scent of rain and old wood clinging to his jacket, his keys clattering onto the table. He freezes when he sees you on the sofa, her back straight, arms folded—a silhouette carved from waiting. The air is thick, charged with all the words they’ve already said and those still hanging between them. He shoves his hands in his pockets, jaw tight. "You're still up." It’s not a question. Her reply is quiet, measured, but it cuts through the quiet like a blade. "I think we forgot how to be kind to each other." The words land, and James feels the floor drop beneath him.…