fine line- J.P

chapter five

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i don't want to fight you
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"WHY ARE YOU SO HUNG UP ON IT, JAMES? It's my birthday, you're supposed to be happy!" Sirius said, handing his best friend a drink. It's been a couple of hours since Valentina left the party, after their little chat and James has been in a mood ever since.

"Your birthday was days ago." James pointed out, accepting the drink.

"She was probably tired," Peter said, but he was never very good at lying to James so his voice went up a bit and avoided eye contact. James noticed of course and gave him a weird look.

"What did you do?" He said at once looking at all three of them.

"We—"

"Sirius—" Remus cut in

"We," Sirius glared at him, "We just talked to her."

"What did you talk about?"

"We just wanted to know what she was doing hanging around you so much." Sirius shrugged.

"Peter, what did you say to her?" James asked him instead, knowing Sirius wouldn't say the truth.

"Well, Sirius asked if she was looking for a quick shag." Peter said honestly.

James's face dropped in shock and stared at all three of them. "What the fuck is wrong with you guys!" He said angrily.

"Okay that's not what I meant!"

"It's basically what you said." Remus said.

"It doesn't matter!" James bellowed, "Why would you say anything at all?"

"Because we know you James! You wear your heart on your sleeve and you can't handle a one night stand. We just wanted to know what her intentions were."

"That isn't any of your business. It's mine and hers and we haven't done anything! We just met. Do you honestly think I would jump the gun already?"

"Yes." Sirius said bluntly, "You like her."

"I do not."

"You do, I can tell and Valentina Hall is not who you want."

"You know nothing about what I want. Why couldn't you just let me figure it out by myself? Why did you have to butt in."

"Because you have spent so much of your time chasing someone who never wanted you. James, do you know how much it sucks to watch you get hurt over and over again?"

James stared at Sirius, a silent conversation passing between the two. "That doesn't matter." he said finally." You should have left it to me and I don't even understand why we're even talking about this. She and I just met, like a month ago, why are you acting like I've been fawning over her my whole life? She just got out of a relationship, have some decorum, Jesus fuck."

"Fine, I'll butt out, but just know that if you get your heartbroken, yet again, just know I warned you." Sirius said, crossing his arms.

"Thank you for the sentiment but I think I have a better understanding of my own feelings." James said, annoyed. He gave them one last withering look and walked out the common room, wanting some time alone.

The following weeks, the two seemed to have gone into their bubbles, as if they hadn't spent days on end talking to one another the last month.  It hurt Valentina, but she wasn't going to be indirectly called a whore by his friends if she could avoid it.

James too was in a similar mood. He talked to his friends but they could clearly tell that he was bothered by what they had done. He tried talking to Valentina, to try to explain that he didn't think any of those things but something always came up when he bumped into her.