the strangest thing (james)

When Louis took James into one of the sweet shops at the Galleria - Candy Bucket - he was looking over some toffee crisp clusters and being rather quiet. He had been quiet for the entire way there, occasionally explaining to James the grounds and how the elevator took you down the mountainside. Although there was still a small smile on his face, on the inside he was still trying to digest what had happened.

At first he thought Hazel was annoyed at him for doing the exchange program, although she seemed fairly happy about it when he'd left. He couldn't help but feel things had been a little rocky between them for a while now. Although he was quite willing to marry her to get her out of an engagement, perhaps that's all it really was. They were good friends, but did they really work romantically?

He picked a packet off the shelves and put it into his shopping basket, turning to see what James was doing.

@James Potter

Although he wasn't exactly privy to Louis' love life outside of knowing who his mouth dates were, even James could tell that something was up between him and Hazel. It didn't remain on his thoughts very long; as soon as they'd gotten to the grand lift or whatever Americans called it, James began taking all sorts of photos to share with his boyfriend later. He felt as if Lien would really like to see how his small trip to America went! If only Lien could've joined him... But that'd ruin the whole purpose of keeping his birthday ideas a surprise!

Then they reached the candy store and he went absolutely wild checking out all sorts of sweets. Oyster Pearls? Had to get those. Luxurious chocolate truffles? He'd have to be exceptionally dumb not to get some. Sour candy? Why not?

He didn't get very far in the store as he was constantly finding something unfamiliar on the shelves. "Aye, Lou Lou, is it true that Yankee sweets have lots of sugar in them?"

Hopefully he managed to bring and convert a sufficient amount of galleons.

@Louis Weasley

He smiled at him, glad that he'd filled up his basket with a few items already. It wouldn't be good if he came all the way here just to turn his nose up, but James wasn't really like that.

"I suppose all sweets have quite a lot of sugar in them. There are are a lot more brighter, vivid colours though as you can tell."

Was Hazel not happy in England? Or was she just not happy with him?

Louis was looking confused again. He was frowning at a packet of popcorn.

@James Potter

"Aye, the store does look like a bloody gobstopper puked on it!" So did Honeydukes, but it looked more deliberate and sophisticated? While this store was neons everywhere...

Eh, at least it matched the vibe of the candy store.

James glanced over at Louis as he grabbed a packet of gummy sharks. Thump! He quickly lost his grip of it when he saw Louis frowning? Are pigs flying?

"Er, Lou Lou, did ya develop a popcorn allergy?"

His mouth contorted between a confused grimace and a concerned expression.

@Louis Weasley

"Sorry, James."

He smiled weakly at him, and replaced the popcorn onto the shelf.

"I'm still very confused about what just happened with Hazel."

She seemed a little dismissive of him as soon as she appeared, and then she had stated that she may be moving to another country for a career. It was all very confusing. He wondered whether she expected him to say he'd move over to America and pursue a job over there as well...

@James Potter

"Oh yeah, that, er, happened." It did seem a bit out of the blue, but he wasn't completely following it as two of the Ilvermorny students were trying to talk to him.

Bending down, he grabbed the packet of gummy sharks off the floor.

"Bloody weird, y'know? Thought she was crazy 'bout you as you spent a good amount of time with her at school."

Plus they did seem serious enough for her to attend just about every Christmas-related gathering over break.

Throwing the packet into his basket, he walked over to Louis and placed his hand on his shoulder. "She did seem sorta, er, too high maintenance for ya, y'know? Did ya realize how, er, what's that word? I dunno, but she went overboard over Malfoy saying 'hi' to ya at that party."

Seeing his bloke near-naked for the first time was still the clearest memory from that night. Ah...

It wasn't productive to think of that with Louis in need.

@Louis Weasley

"I thought everything was all right too. I was beginning to think she was upset about me doing the exchange program, but I'm not sure."

Louis didn't realise how he and Hazel operated on entirely different wavelengths. He just thought they had been friends for so long, a relationship would feel completely natural. There were times where it didn't, and many times where he felt confused about her behaviour.

"Perhaps the relationship was all on the wrong foundations. We started being together to get her away from Jovian, but that's not really a good foundation for a relationship. Because of somebody else."

@James Potter

James wasn't expecting that. Sure, he heard murmurs about it through the corridors, but it was strange hearing it confirmed by Louis himself.

"I don't think you would've been able to handle a lifetime with the bloody Cartwrights..."

Who would really? Then again, most in the family were acutely aware that Louis wasn't exactly the best judge of character.

"You were, er, just trying to help out. Probably could've done it a different way, I dunno, but, er..."

He wasn't much of an advice giver. He barely helped Layla out. That poor girl stuck in that family...

"How long have you two been having issues?"

That'd take some of the heavy lifting off him. At least in America, it was unlikely for this conversation to reach home.

@Louis Weasley

Louis bit his lip, smiling weakly, then decided to put the popcorn in his basket after all.

"I just didn't want her to have to worry about it anymore..."

He had to learn that he couldn't possibly heal the entire world. Nobody was able to do that. Louis knew full well that he wasn't perfect, but it didn't make him any less sad when he couldn't help them.

"I wouldn't say we had been having issues, exactly. I'm just never sure if I'm going to say the right thing with her."

@James Potter

"It's one thing if you're just gonna shag for a night, y'know, but if you're gonna be serious with somebody, ya gotta be able to be honest with them."

Now he was the one in a better position to give advice. Well, now that he had something to work with. How the hell was he supposed to help Louis? He didn't have the tact of Aunt 'Mione, and he was never exactly known for being there due to his years of escapist tendencies.

"Er, in a relationship, you should be able to be yourself, y'know? If you couldn't do that with Hazel, she ain't the one for you."

At least he has his experience thus far with his bloke to go off of. James never thought too hard about anything relationship-related until something clicked all those months ago.

@Louis Weasley

He listened to James, nodding, realising how much he had changed over the past year. Perhaps they wouldn't have even had this sort of conversation a few months ago, but he was really coming along. At first he was apprehensive about James leaving Hogwarts, but he could see it had been a good thing for him. Perhaps Fred would stop cursing him now.

"Hmm. Yes, you're right."

Being yourself. He was, to a certain extent, always his authentic self. There wasn't many dimensions to his personality: what you saw was what you got. So to feel that way, for him, must have been a warning sign.

"I know that I decided to come out here, but I really have missed you all," he admitted, smiling at James. "I'm not sure if I could really move away like that. I never thought that it would be an issue with me, but it has been..."

He smiled a little.

"And when I saw Marilyn crying and saying she missed home, I realised that I did as well."

@James Potter

Huh. He didn't expect it to be so easy. Louis was always so genuine, even if he saw too much good in a lot of people, so there wasn't many doubts about him being right. After years of fucking things up, it was strange to be considered right about something for once within his family. James didn't really think he was capable of it after years of being talked down on for being himself.

James listened and nodded before tearing up slightly himself hearing Louis admit that he missed home. His emotions have become so much more intense since he stopped taking drugs. It got so overwhelming sometimes! It was like he was becoming better connected to himself and his surroundings.

"Do ya need a shoulder to cry on, Lou Lou?"

Sure, they were in the middle of a candy store in the Galleria, but with how big the mall was, maybe there wouldn't be too much attention coming their way? He patted his back gently, like father to child, before grabbing himself two different popcorn packets.

Hmm, would there be any sweets here that his bloke would like? He wasn't fond of chocolate... At this rate, he'd have to buy one of everything for options!

@Louis Weasley

Louis chuckled.

"I'm all right, James."

It was nice that James was there with him. Louis was the only one of his family who had tried the exchange program. Dominique had been to America before, but she was more of a free spirit than Louis was: Louis was more of homebody. He loved being in the Potter's living room with its cosy warmth, seeing Fred and James fool around as Victoire pushed her mushroom delicacies onto unsuspecting guests. Rose would giggle at the boys and their antics, Lily would tell them all off for being stupid...

And Grandmother Molly would always be there to tie everything together.

He hadn't realised that he'd started to cry before it actually happened, and he blinked in confusion.

@James Potter

It was surreal seeing Louis actually express emotions other than constant, jubilant cheerfulness; this happening almost didn't hit him until he noticed his cousin's eyes tearing up.

"Oh, Lou Lou..."

He didn't know what else to say really other than reassure him that he was there. James stood there giving the best reassuring smile he could. In a way, it was awkward as it was always Louis consoling people. It was always Louis being a reassuring presence no matter who it was.

"Is there anything you've liked 'bout Ilvermorny?"

There, maybe that'd help perk Louis up some. Depending on what it was, maybe he could pass on some fun facts he heard his boyfriend mention on various occasions. Be the cheermeister for once. James used to always joke that Louis was like a changeling, but maybe he repressed his emotions like most guys. He and everyone else just didn't notice.

@Louis Weasley

Louis smiled weakly at him, sniffing. He wiped his cheeks.

"Sorry. You didn't come here to see me like this."

He chuckled in a self-depreciative way, managing to suck it up for now. His eyes were very blue as the redness of his whites brought out their colour.

"Lots of things," he said in a would-be cheery voice, "The people here are very nice. Everyone is friendly very friendly. It's such a vast place with lots of secrets and mysteries, the library is very extensive. It doesn't have some of the books we have, but there's some Hogwarts wouldn't have. I like it here very much, but it isn't home."

He smiled brightly.

@James Potter

Smiling, he replied, "Aye, that's bloody good to hear!" Although his cousin was obviously homesick, James was relieved he was enjoying a new experience at least.

James gave Louis one last pat of comfort before moving down the shelves seeing if there was anything that sounded appetizing. "Do ya think you can show me what some of those books are? Or if you can list me some?" he wondered thoughtfully with a small smile.

Free gift ideas! James didn't know just how extensive Lien's reading history was, but he was sure that there had to be something he hadn't read yet! After all, he did reach out to Louis out of all of his relatives to help him find gifts and brainstorm for his bloke's birthday.

@Louis Weasley

"Of course," he said, beaming. "I'll see if I can see them in the book shop. Are you thinking for Lien?"

He realised that he'd forgotten about Albus being at Ilvermorny. Albus and Louis had never been exceptionally close, but perhaps it was an idea to reach out to him. Normally he just kept himself to himself, and there was nothing wrong with that, but Albus could probably do with his cousin being present as well. He had been upset.

"Have you heard from Albus?"

@James Potter

"Yep! My bloke's done most of his reading with the help of the school library, y'know? So I really want him to have some books he's able to keep without having to give back, y'know?" It was just one way of giving him the world however he could! There were other gift ideas that sprawled in his mind, but he didn't think they were anything to shop for with Louis around. Truthfully, the main reason he reached out to Louis was that he was craving some social interaction since besides his bloke, Evelyn, his mum, and that mind healer, he wasn't putting himself out there that much. And he didn't want to buy things knowing that it'd end up published in some publication the next day. It'd totally spoil the surprise, and he wanted some semblance of privacy!

He needed to get that legal team he had been talking to Lien about...

He shoved some more packets and boxes of sweets into his shopping basket as he went down the aisles.

"Er, yeah," James answered. "I messaged him 'cause mum accidentally mixed some of his pants with mine doing the laundry, and I felt as if it'd be less embarrassing if I said something without mum doin' it, so I had Leto send him those pants."

He had an apprehensive look on his face. "Al sorta confuses me, Lou Lou. He bloody hates me one minute, then suddenly agrees with me on bunch of shit the next. I don't bloody get it..." What else was there? Oh yeah. "He talked to me 'bout Kenzie. I dunno why he said he loved her when all they did was talk." He and Lien didn't really have a talking phase. They just went levels up from friendship as they realized it was something they both wanted.

@Louis Weasley