She was crying and at first James wasn’t sure if it was fear or joy that was bringing tears to her eyes; he was certainly feeling both things in abundance himself. He wiped the tear tracks from her cheeks with his thumb and kissed her on the tip of her nose. His own throat was getting thick, and he pulled her into another tight hug.
“I’m going to be a dad,” he said, voice filled with wonder. He gave a laugh, trying to lighten the mood. “That poor kid. Do you think he’ll be a good flyer?”
It was boggling and terrifying, the idea that he’d have a young mind to shape and nourish and James felt rather woozy at the thought. He had barely progressed to the point where he could take care of himself, never mind another living creature, and in nine short months that was all going to change.
But he had Lily in his arms, and that was all that seemed to matter. They’d find a way through together.
“Marry me,” he said suddenly. He hadn’t been planning on asking, and certainly not like this – he’d imagined he have a ring, for one thing, and he certainly hadn’t imagined it happening in a loo of all places, but just as when he had asked her to move in with him, it felt right. “Marry me, Lily Evans. Please?”
“That lucky kid,” Lily dissented, shaking her head furiously. “That kid is going to be so, so lucky to have you as a dad.” Merlin, maybe she wasn’t ready to be a mother, but James was born to be a father. All the things she loved about him- his silliness, his empathy, his capacity for love- these were things that were going to make him the best parent. “And with your genes, I’m sure he’ll be the youngest professional Quidditch player of all time.”
Lily’s life plan did not involve teen pregnancy. But she just couldn’t bring herself to care about the fucking life plan anymore. Because if not now, when? Because life is unpredictable, and she could never imagine being without James in her life, and there was a war on. No, she couldn’t forget there was a war on. They weren’t promised another ten, fifty, seventy years of serenity and white picket fences.
She smiled fondly, rolling her eyes a little bit. Of course she wasn’t surprised- she’d been expecting this since about a week after they’d started dating (or, with James’ track record, maybe even before). But she wasn’t going to allow him to feel guilted into marrying her- because Merlin, she loved him, and if this fell apart because they rushed into getting married, she might lose her mind. “James, we don’t have to get married just because we’re having a kid. There’s no need to rush if it’s not the right time.” If he wasn’t ready.
dailybridgerton
jbbartram-illu
snowghoul
