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chierafied · 9 months

Text

Crossroads

Written for @jilychallenge August 2022. | Partner @wearingaberetinparis

Prompt: “One of the things your parents warned you about: Never pick up a hitchhiker. But she/he looked so lost and also a bit familiar so I did it anyway.”

Also for @gobletofweasleys' Jily week 2023 Meet Cute AU.

Thanks to @siriuslychessi for helping me out with this. 💖

Also on AO3

Tears burned in Lily’s eyes and choked sobs rattled in her throat. She paced the narrow shoulder of the four-lane motorway and kicked at the innocent grass. Her mind was whirling with stinging swearwords while in her heart the gut-twisting anger warred with the stranglehold of loss and grief. Her suitcase sat neatly near her feet while Lily walked a tight circle, stuck in the torrent of emotion.

Stuck here, on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, with nothing in sight but trees, grass, and the cars and lorries hurrying past. With nothing but her dark thoughts and hurt feelings to keep her company.

Lily’s breath stuttered in her throat as the enormity of her predicament crashed down on her and the tears finally tore free, rolling down her cheeks.

It hadn’t even been two hours and James was already bored. Even the guitar riffs of the classic rock playlist blasting in his car didn’t quite pump him up anymore. His restless fingers drummed at the steering wheel and he shifted in his seat. Maybe he should have stopped in Glasgow, after all. Taken a break. Stretched his legs. Got himself a big cup of coffee.

There was nothing in front of him now but hours and hours of driving south along the motorway stretching before him. There wouldn’t even be any big cities on the way for the next hundred miles or two. The mere thought of all the miles still ahead of him was enough to make him lose his bloody mind. How was he going to be able to keep himself occupied for so many hours on end?

He’d ring Sirius but that blighter was probably already on his way to Greece right now. Off to his stupid romantic holiday with his stupid boyfriend. Blowing off a road trip with his best mate like the right sod he was.

The long trip back home from uni was a complete snooze fest now that he was forced to drive through the day alone.

Although it took the whole day to drive to James’ parents’ place, back in June when they had gone back for the summer holidays the miles had flown by. They’d taken turns driving. Taken breaks in some of the towns and rest stops along the way. And all the while, the car had been filled with talk and laughter. Not James’ lonely playlist and frustrated sighs.

Maybe it was time to play a game. It wouldn’t be much fun by himself, but if it was a choice between a boring road trip game and the general boring everything, he’d rather pick the option that wouldn’t slowly turn his brain into mush.

“I spy with my little eye…” James muttered under his breath.

His gaze swept the scenery before him. There was the grey, endless road. Grass. The railing between the lanes. Trees lining the road. Cars of all makes, models and colours, interspersed with lorries.

Ah! Now there was something to break the monotony. An overhead bridge. That perked James up briefly, but as soon as he drove under it, the boredom started to creep back in.

More of the stretching road, more cars, more trees, and more inertia eating his brain until all that would remain was mush.

Hold on, what was that?

James switched lanes.

A person standing by the side of the road? In the middle of nowhere?

That was unboring. James started to slow down.

Their arm was outstretched. His parents had always warned him against hitchhikers — though James wasn’t sure why since he couldn’t even remember the last time he’d seen one — but any company would do right now.

Slowly, James pulled to a stop by the side of the road.

As he turned to look at the red-haired woman through the passenger-side window, a jolt of recognition jittered down his spine.

He knew that face. It was red and splotchy right now, but he knew he’d seen it, more than once. He just couldn’t place it, didn’t know who she was.

The woman hesitated for a moment longer. Then, she reached out and opened the door.

"Hi," she said and sniffed.

"Hi," James replied, offering her a smile he hoped was reassuring. "Need a lift?"

"Yes, please."

"Hop on in."

The woman picked up her suitcase and hoisted it into the backseat before climbing into the passenger seat next to James.

"Where are you headed?" James asked as he steered back into the traffic.

"Just drop me off at the nearest town with a train station."

James slanted her a quick glance. She was looking out of the window, turned away from him. Disappointment pressed tight around his throat.

"Ok, just tell me where. Don't have the railway map in my head."

"I'll have to look that up, too," she admitted. "Give me a moment."

While she fumbled with her phone, James turned down his music. Drummed his fingers against the steering wheel. Second-guessed himself at least four times.

Then, finally, he couldn't hold back the words anymore.

"It's too bad, though. I really could have used the company."

She looked up from her phone and frowned at him.

Great, now he'd probably come across as some kind of a creep.

"Just, it's a long drive home for me and in the previous years we've made a whole road trip out of it with my friend but this time it's just me and at this rate, I'm pretty sure the boredom will rot my brain before I reach Manchester."

"You're driving all the way to Manchester?" she asked, sounding surprised.

"No, I'm driving all the way to Devon."

She blinked. Stared at him. Slowly tilted her head.

"Are you crazy?"

"Yes," James readily replied. "But not the homicidal kind. I promise."

That startled a laugh out of her.

And that piece that had been puzzling and nagging at him at the back of his mind clicked into place. The red hair. The bright eyes. That easily recognisable voice. The laugh.

“You’re Lily, right? Remus Lupin’s friend?”

Her eyebrows rose sharply in surprise.

"Yeah. We have a lot of classes together. Are you a friend of Remus, too?"

"Yeah. I'm best mates with Remus' boyfriend. He also happens to be my flatmate so I see Remus around. A lot."

A smile tugged at Lily’s lips. "I can only imagine."

"I'm James, by the way. James Potter. I don’t think we've ever officially met though I've seen you around the campus."

"Nice to meet you, James. Officially." Her voice was warm and light with her smile.

Hearing it lifted his heart and made him smile at the road in front of them.

"Likewise. And it's nice to have someone to talk with. The time's already flying by," James told her.

"Well, I guess keeping your brain rot away is the least I can do," Lily quipped.

"That would be much appreciated," he said. "I also really appreciate this opportunity of playing a knight in shining armour. It’s doing good things for my ego."

"Nurturing male egos is the primary focus of any woman’s life," Lily spoke in a wry tone.

James burst into laughter.

"I can see why you're friends with Remus," he said

"Yeah, we have a similar sense of humour." Lily shrugged.

"You have a brilliant sense of humour," James replied.

"Thanks."

For a moment, a silence settled over them. Then, Lily asked: "So what's in Devon?"

And so the conversation took root again. They talked about their plans for the autumn break, about their studies, about university life. They complained about their assignments and exams. They shared anecdotes of their professors and classes and the antics of their friends. They confessed where all their favourite spots on the campus were.

They chatted so easily with one another that before either of them realised it, more than an hour had passed.

It wasn’t until James saw the signpost of Gretna Green that he jolted back to reality.

“Should we stop at Gretna Green?” he asked Lily, his genial mood starting to deflate.

He could feel the weight of Lily’s long stare.

“What for, an obliging blacksmith? You seem like a nice enough guy, James, but I’d like to get to know you a bit better before we put marriage on the table.”

James’ surprise burst out in a wild guffaw.

“You’re getting ahead of yourself, Lily,” he told her, trying to match her joking tone. “I’m the grand gestures type. When the marriage is on the table, you’ll know.”

He shot her a glance and winked, before turning his attention back to the road. “What I was actually after was, I’m pretty sure Gretna fits your definition of the nearest town with a train station. If I drop you off there, I’m sure you can get a train or a coach to take you home.”

While Lily stayed silent, James held his breath.

“I don’t want to be a bother,” she said slowly, after a long moment, “but if you’re really driving all the way to Devon, it wouldn’t be a huge detour to swing by Derby, would it?”

“Not at all, it’s practically on the way,” James said, perking up and breathing easy once again.

“I’m just concerned about the state of your brain,” she continued, deadpan. “We should keep it as rot-free as possible.”

“Definitely.” James nodded. “And seriously, I would appreciate the company.”

“Well then, looks like you’re stuck with me for a while longer.”

James grinned. And though he’d only just met her, he was starting to think that he wouldn’t mind being stuck with her for the rest of his life.

Lily was laughing so hard her cheeks were hurting. She wasn’t sure she’d stopped laughing since they’d crossed over to Lancashire. How strange it was that in the span of only two odd hours, her mood had taken such a complete and abrupt turn, from the bleakest, darkest pit into bright, boundless joy.

Really, it was all thanks to James. James, who was funny and nice and sweet and friendly and more than easy on the eyes.

And maybe a little crazy, yes, but definitely in a good way.

It was weird that their paths hadn’t crossed much on campus before. Sure, the campus was big and they studied in different faculties and had no classes in common. But Lily didn’t shy away from parties or pub quizzes or any of the varied events peppering the social calendar of student life. So they well could have—should have—met before today. Especially given the Remus-Sirius connection. James probably spent more time in the social scene of the campus than in class, too, Lily mused. Judging by their short acquaintance, James seemed even more outgoing than she was. After all, he’d been starved enough for company to pick up a stranger from the side of the road.

Which had been fortunate for her and very decent of him. A smile playing on her lips, Lily slanted a glance at James, wondering. Really, he was a decent bloke.

That thought combined with her returned good humour and the congenial mood in the car—as well as all the many miles still ahead of them—spurred her to speak before her brain had fully caught up with her tongue.

“Aren’t you going to ask?”

His eyebrows shot up. “Ask what?”

“How I ended up hitchhiking by the side of the road.”

James kept his eyes on the road and his voice even. “I figured you’d have a good reason for that and I didn’t want to pry. Felt like there was a story there and you seemed upset enough so I decided you needed space, not questions.”

Warmth bloomed in Lily’s chest even as a mirthless chuckle left her lips. “Oh, there’s a story all right. A long one.”

“You don’t have to tell me.”

“I know. But I think I want to.”

He gave her a slow nod, still looking at the road ahead, and muted the rock music that had been faintly playing in the background.

Lily glanced out of the window and took a deep, fortifying breath. “I was heading back home with a friend. He’s from my hometown; we’ve actually been friends since primary school.”

“Wow, that’s a long time,” James said.

“Yeah, it is. Which makes it all the more wretched.” She sighed. “We wanted to go to the same uni, though we have different majors. We haven’t actually seen each other much in the past year or two, which is why I hadn’t realised how much he’s changed.”

“People grow apart,” James murmured.

“We did. Since I started uni, I’ve been so busy trying to figure out who I am and who I want to be.”

“I know what you mean. It’s been the same for me. Living across the entire country from my parents has made me glad to at least have Sirius. I like my major and I feel like I’m on the right path but it definitely has me thinking about myself as a person in a way I haven’t needed to before.”

Lily nodded. His words resonated a lot with her, reassuring her once again that James, unlike Severus, understood. “I feel so, too. Except that for me, I’ve been exploring this side of myself more that I haven’t fully even realised was there before.” Lily had to pause then because her breath painfully caught in her throat. “I suppose I’m the one who’s changed. Or maybe just becoming more of myself, if that makes sense?”

“Makes perfect sense to me,” James replied.

“So maybe that’s true for him, too,” Lily mused, more to herself than to James. Her stomach churned as she finally fully faced the possibility she’d been shying away from since this morning. “Maybe he hasn’t actually changed for the worse. Maybe I just haven’t been paying attention and this is who he’s always been.”

As the awful certainty pummeled her heart, James’ fingers tapped against the steering wheel in a lulling pattern as he waited, silent and patient, for Lily to continue. She took a deep breath and steeled her mind. She’d be going over her and Severus’ fight several times in the near future, but right now she didn’t want to dwell on it. He’d ruined enough of her day and she wasn’t going to let him get the best of her. So she took back control of the narrative. Literally.

“Last November,” Lily said, her heartbeat kicking up as her nerves made their appearance, “I was at this party. Dancing with this girl. A few drinks in. She kissed me.”

Lily paused, but James’ fingers still kept tapping. His face showed nothing but curiosity.

“Did you kiss her back?” he asked.

That was it. A simple question, lacking any kind of judgement. Lily felt like crying and beaming at the same time but chose to go on with her story instead.

“I did,” she replied. “And it was like I was seeing in colour for the first time in my life.”

“I felt that way, too, when I had my first kiss,” James said. “Though I haven’t tried kissing blokes. I’ll leave them to Sirius.”

Lily laughed. “Well, long story short, I’ve been pretty openly bisexual since then. To the point that I forgot I hadn’t actually told my childhood friend about it. And today, we were driving back home together, as we’ve done a few times before. I don’t even remember what we were initially talking about but he made a really homophobic comment which I of course immediately called him out on but the whole thing escalated and I couldn’t deal with it, couldn’t deal with him anymore. So I had him drop me off by the side of the road.”

Lily had to swallow against the knot of bitter fury in her throat. It was too soon for recollections. She needed distance right now, both from Severus and her own emotions. With a grimace, she shoved Severus into a box and slammed the lid shut. It was time to wrap this story up and move on.

“I was pretty much a mess at that point,” Lily said, her voice neutral now. “His comments and beliefs hurt, the argument had been super draining. I was riding on the anger. It was easier being angry than admitting that I’d just lost a friend.”

“I’m sorry,” James murmured in a soft voice. “Sounds like you’ve had a really shitty day.”

“I have,” she answered, “but thankfully it’s looking up now. At this rate, I might be able to end this day on a good note.”

“I hope you will.” James spared her a quick glance. “And if I can help with that, let me know.”

She managed a small smile. “Oh, you already have. You picked me up from the side of the road. Offered to drive me all the way home. You made me laugh when I wasn’t sure I had any laughter left in me. And now you’re just sitting there, listening and letting me dump this whole sordid story of my life on you like some absolute madwoman.”

“Well, we’ve already established that I’m crazy, so you’re in good company,” James joked.

“I really am,” Lily agreed wholeheartedly. “Thank you, James. For everything.”

“You’re welcome. And honestly, I’m glad you felt comfortable enough to confide in me. I mean,” James fumbled. “I, at least, think better out loud. Helps me process. And when you keep something like this in for too long, it starts to fester. So I think it’s better for you to let it out.”

“You’re right.” Lily wasn’t all right yet. She probably wouldn’t be all right for a while yet. But she was in a much better place than she had been just a few short hours ago, and she couldn’t have got here without James.

“Also, the way I see it…” James paused, his ears growing a little pink. “You’ve also gained a new friend today. If you want one.”

“The way I see it,” Lily said, “I could really use a friend like you right now. Thanks, James.”

He grinned.

She smiled back and let her head fall to rest against the window. For the next mile or two, they sat in companionable silence.

The clock was slowly nearing six in the evening and they were getting closer to Derby. They’d taken a few breaks on the way, for food and coffee as well as rest. And while James was getting tired, it hadn’t really felt like a 350-mile drive. All thanks to Lily, who’d turned out to be the best company. She’d really saved the whole trip and he was already growing a bit gloomy and fidgety at the prospect of parting ways.

For more reasons than one, if he was honest with himself. But no matter how he felt about her, he was not gonna make it weird and be the creep making moves on a woman while he had her entrapped in a vehicle with him and while she was probably still in a vulnerable place emotionally speaking.

“Oh, I love this song,” Lily breathed out suddenly. “Turn it up.”

James did, and to his delight, Lily started singing along. He grinned at the road ahead, absolutely delighted with her and hoping he could imprint this moment on himself so he could always return to it. Speeding down the motorway, her presence beside him warm and bright like the sun, the song intertwining with her lovely voice swelling in the car and filling his heart.

“You sing really well,” he told her as the song came to an end.

“Thanks.”

A while later, they turned off the motorway. Lily started to give James instructions and to point out familiar places and while it was fascinating to get these additional glimpses into her life, the bottom of James’ stomach was sinking.

The end was getting near.

And then they were driving along a quiet residential street and Lily spoke up, her voice subdued, “It’s the third house on the right.”

A minute later, James pulled the car to a stop. They both stared at the ordinary-looking house in silence.

Lily turned to him. “Well, here we are.”

“Here we are,” James echoed.

“Thank you again for everything, James. You’ve been great.”

“So have you. My brain has remained fully rot-free thanks to you.”

Lily smiled. “I’m glad. Are you gonna be fine for the rest of the trip?”

James shrugged a shoulder. “I’ll manage, it’s only a couple more hours.”

Lily glanced back at the house. “Yeah… I’d invite you in, for tea or coffee or a bathroom break or whatever but it’s my parents’ house and I just don’t want to deal with all the questions they’d have.”

“I get it. It’s fine. I should get going anyway so it won’t be too late when I get home.”

“Right. This is a goodbye then.” Lily’s lips twitched into a small smile.

“For now.” James winked. “You agreed to be my friend so you’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

Lily laughed. If James could bottle the sound he’d always carry it around in his pocket.

“Fine with me.”

She opened the car door and James got out to help her with her luggage.

They stood by the side of the street, staring at one another, each of them seemingly unwilling to move. Finally, James held out his hand.

“Can I get your phone?”

Lily raised her eyebrow. “Why?”

He opted for humour. It was always so easy to hide behind. “If you get too concerned about the status of my poor brain which will surely start to rot in your absence, you could ring me. Or text me. If you had my number.”

Lily’s green eyes sparked. She unlocked her phone and handed it over to James. “I guess it would be good to have your number. I might stay up all night worrying about your rotting brain otherwise.”

James beamed like an idiot as he put in his number, then handed Lily’s phone back.

“There you go.”

“Thanks.” Lily tapped at the number and after a brief moment, James’ phone started to ring in the car. “Just checking that it works.”

“Never hurts to check,” James said, both comforted and giddy about the fact that he now had Lily’s number, too.

“Goodbye, James. For now. Drive safe.”

“Thanks. Take care, Lily.”

She nodded, smiled, and turned to leave. But after just a few steps, she was back, abruptly pulling James into a hug.

He held her close, barely having time to register the warm weight of her body against his and the softness of her hair under his hand and just the utter perfection of her before she had backed away again.

“Sorry. I guess I needed to get that out of my system.”

“No need to apologise. For the record, I love hugs.”

“Good to know. Ok. Bye. For real now.”

“Bye.”

He stood by the car, hands stuffed in his pockets. When Lily reached the door, she turned back to wave. And before James could help himself, he called out to her: “You know, after the break, I’m gonna drive back to Scotland to uni. If you need a ride, I could use the company.”

Lily’s smile was so wide it lit up her face. She tucked a strand of her red hair behind her ear.

“Sure,” she replied. “It’s a date.”

#jily #jily fanfiction #meet cute #jily week 2023 #jilychallenge #chie writes #fic: jl

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