Video; Filtered VERY FAR AWAY from LILY EVANS

[pottershotter]

[When the video starts, James is outside, bundled up in a plain black cloak and leaning against a tree. It's a little cold, but not unpleasantly so, but there's one big draw to making such a broadcast outside - privacy. He's out not so much because it's a pleasant winter day, but because he doesn't want to be accidentally overheard.

That's how much he's been fretting about this. There is exactly one person in all of Wonderland who shouldn't hear this post, and he feels like she's going to sneak up behind him at any moment. But, he has no idea how to go about any of this at all, and it shows.]

Hullo, Wonderland. I, err. ...Need some advice. Romantic advice. An absolute shocker coming from me, I know.

[He tries to laugh at himself a little to remove some of the awkwardness, but it doesn't work very well.]

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated, I assure you. And if we could keep this between us, and not mention it to Lily, that would be fantastic as well. [He can't help smiling a little at mention of her, though he does peek off into the distance to make sure she's not coming.] I'd rather keep it a surprise, and that'll be hard to do if she knows about it. Thanks.

[With that, he shuts off the camera. He already feels a little better just having put the request out there.]

Comments

late video whoops

[eatsyourscience]

Romantic advice about Lily.

[This is said so dryly that he might as well have said "So your wit and charm have failed you, hm?"]

shhh it's okay

[pottershotter]

[James isn't sure he likes your tone, young man.]

Of course! Who else? Besides, even people as naturally romantic as I am need advice now and then.

[eatsyourscience]

"Naturally romantic."

[Yes he totally did air quotes just now.]

[pottershotter]

Of course! I didn't stutter! Naturally romantic - that's me.

[So Souji can just take those air quotes and shove them somewhere unpleasant.]

Still, I could probably use the help. [He grins.] Just this once.

[eatsyourscience]

Are you nervous?

[pottershotter]

No?

[Wait. Why did that come out as a question?]

...Err. Maybe a bit.

[eatsyourscience]

What are you planning?

[Knowing James, it's either incredibly sweet and romantic, or it is ridiculous and possibly dangerous.]

[pottershotter]

I'm...planning on proposing to her, actually.

[So, maybe a little of both?]

[eatsyourscience]

[That really isn't enough information to judge the terribleness of this idea.]

Do you have a plan already? Or is that what you want help with?

[pottershotter]

I...have a ring?

[A ring is not a plan though. James has no idea what he's doing at all. He looks thoughtful for a moment though, mulling something over.]

You've been here for ages too. Do you think it's odd to get married here?

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji shakes his head.]

You've been here long enough. You might as well.

...Though if she leaves and comes back with no memory of it, it might be awkward.

[pottershotter]

Mm. I've been thinking about that. I don't want to jinx myself only to have her vanish a week later...

[He really has been thinking about it a lot, but it only shows how serious he really is about asking her.]

...but, the idea of not marrying her is even worse. I'm not going to let this place scare me out of it.

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji's glad to hear that.]

Here's my tip: don't involve brooms in any way.

[pottershotter]

[James sputters out a laugh at that - that sure was a fun day of nearly getting killed in a horrific broom crash.]

Hmm..."Involve brooms." Got it! If you insist!

[He's kidding.

...Maybe.]

[eatsyourscience]

...You are definitely going to be dead before you get to hear her say yes.

[pottershotter]

Absolutely not! I'd hang on just long enough to get an answer.

[It's an awful thing to joke about, considering their fates, but he laughs anyway.]

Besides, that was just an event - I'm normally a natural in the air!

[Plus the whole "having a non-magical passenger made him plummet into the ocean" part, but that's not the important part. The important part is that Souji knows he's practically a flying prodigy under normal circumstances (in his own not-so-humble opinion).]

[eatsyourscience]

[It is a terrible thing to joke about, but maybe that just speaks to how comfortable they are with each other.]

...I'll give you that.

[He's seen James fly during their stint on competing quidditch teams, and Souji imagines that's much more what James's normal performance on a broom is like.

Of course, he'd been pretty good at it, too, for a few days there.]

What do you have in mind, though?

[Like really. For reals.]

[pottershotter]

[Like really? For reals?]

I'm still deciding. I've got a lot of ideas, and I want to use all of them without going over the top. I think I might be able to pull that off, somehow?

[Maybe? Or maybe not. He's never tried to propose to someone before.]

...She's smart, and she likes puzzles. I might do something with that. I still need to think about it though, and come up with something fantastic.

[eatsyourscience]

[If it didn't end up being fantastic, Souji would be worried about James.]

A puzzle... Like giving her clues about what you want to ask her? Or to find you so you can ask her?

[The latter makes a little more sense. Leading someone along on a guessing game isn't really as amusing for either party if it's in person.]

[pottershotter]

[Hm...]

Maybe both? Both might be fun...

[The wheels are clearly starting to turn in his head. Can he do both? ...He could do both.]

Like a sort of scavenger hunt, maybe.

[Maybe. Definitely. It's perfect.]

[eatsyourscience]

It'll take some planning.

[pottershotter]

If I do it on Valentine's then I've got a whole month to plan. ...I think I could put something together by then.

[Hopefully, anyway. He's actually very nervous, even though he's trying hard not to seem so.]

[eatsyourscience]

If you need me to do anything to help, just let me know.

[James is his bro and Souji likes Lily pretty well, too, so he's got James's back on this one.]

[pottershotter]

You know I will. I'll probably need as much help as I can get!

[He laughs now, but he'll be an absolute nervous wreck when the time comes.]

[eatsyourscience]

I'm pretty useful when it's down to the wire.

[A pinch hitter, if you will.]