the Horcrux Thief, james potter

xix. you're my everything

"You wouldn't have believed me."

"I didn't want to believe it, but I would have." James let out a frustrated breath as he looked up at the ceiling. "Fuck. You should've told me."

Amaya tried to take her hand away from his but James only tugged her closer, looking at her to see Amaya's cheeks blushing in the darkness of the kitchen, her whole demeanor looking insecure. "I... James, you say that but you wouldn't have believed me. Just like you didn't believe his magic is rotten."

"I would have taken your side regardless. Besides, I... I do believe it now. I felt it. Last week when I was healing you." 

Her brows furrowed and she took her hand away from his, crossing her arms in front of herself and making James internally curse himself. "Why didn't you tell me?"

He ran a hand through his hair, leaning against the counter with a heavy breath. "If I said it aloud it would be real." 

"What happened today, Jamie?"

James buried his face in his hands, shaking his head. "He said something and I snapped. I got the confession out of him and I... I wasn't going to stop," his voice broke and James looked at her again, "I'm so sorry, love."

Amaya's face softened and she immediately shook her head, taking his face in her hands and making him stare down at her. She kissed his lips softly. "No. Don't apologize. You did nothing wrong, James."

"I did," he said, pushing away from the counter and in the process Amaya. "I didn't believe you for one. And I... It was like any progress I made since I was fifteen was gone. I snapped and just... I was going to kill him."

"What did he say?"

"What?"

"What did he say to make you snap, James? You wouldn't hit him out of the blue."

His eyes strayed to the ground and he shook his head. "Nothing."

"Oh, so we're lying to each other now?"

"It's nothing worth repeating, Maya."

She raised a perfect eyebrow at him. "Paraphrase it then."

That got a laugh out of him and James rolled his eyes when her lips twitched up. He shrugged. "He said something about you that was entirely false and unwelcome. It doesn't matter. Besides I only really beat the shit out of him when he said he tried to kill you. I saw red. I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing," she said softly. "I would've done the same for you. If not worse."

James smiled. And it vanished quickly as he sighed. "If I just listened to you we could've had a plan to catch the bastard by now—"

"We do have one," said Amaya and James froze, turning to look at her and saw her hugging her arms to herself as she looked at him.

"What?"

"I told Dumbledore of my suspicions. Peter's mission is a test of his loyalty. If he doesn't pass we'll make sure to get him." Amaya shrugged. "I didn't tell you because you'd be against it. That's also why I didn't tell you I knew it was Peter who tried to kill me. The night he stayed over I set wards around his room so he couldn't step out of line."

James took a moment to process the information before a shaky breath left him, his face twisting in disbelief. "Merlin you're something else, Maya."

He smiled and saw her face wash with relief, and that made him frown. He took a step toward her and tugged her into a hug, not caring that he was soaking her with rainwater—she didn't care either apparently.