The Other One | Sirius Black

Chapter 42 - Coffee

Jo had curled up awkwardly on the armchair, clutching the globe with one hand and holding Sirius's shirt in the other. She didn't notice when she dozed off but having her face buried in the worn-down piece of fabric seemed to have helped late at night after several hours of self-loathing and hypothetical conversation.

Some scuffling from the hall caused her to stir, and as she opened her eyes she noticed him standing by the door. Even though he was squinting, from possibly one drink too many, Jo could make out the pair of grey eyes that fell on her hands.

All the wires in her brain short-circuited, the files on how to speak were missing, and all the years' worth of socialization and schooling were thrown out the window at that very instant.

She suddenly withdrew her face from the shirt and stood up from her seat. Her body ached and her neck was sore, but she didn't want to ruin the moment by stretching. Her heart began to pick up its pace, and the knot in her stomach reappeared. The nerves had been eating away at her all day and night and they were suddenly getting very close to reaching the crust.

He did not seem to be hungover, not exactly, what with his calm demeanor leaning over the door frame he looked... cool. But she noticed he was holding back in the way his foot didn't cross the threshold, his arm did not touch but merely hovered over the wood, and how he muttered an uncharacteristic, "Hey" under his breath.

"Oh... um... hey," she replied, not being nearly as suave as him.

Remus shouted leaving his room, "Oi Sirius don't do anything idiotic, you-- twat. I'll, uh, just go back to bed."

Jo offered, "Do you want coffee?"

"Sure," Sirius answered. He stepped back to give her space as she made her way to the kitchen.

She naturally quipped, "Looks like you need it."

She shyly turned back, "I mean, because it's the morning and you guys had some drinks last night. From what I heard. I don't mean anything else, you know."

"I know," he responded glibly.

A silence ensued while both took their first sips of the morning brew. Jo's throat was closing up. Her chest was getting frantic. Her fingers were tingling.

"Need more sugar?" Jo questioned.

"It's good," Sirius replied, eyeing her franticness.

Sirius continued, "Weather's nice."

"Yeah... very... temperate," Jo nodded her head.

As she turned to look out the window, Jo watched in horror as she elbowed her cup, splattering hot coffee all onto Sirius and herself.

She grabbed the nearby washcloth and began to obsessively dry his reddened arm.

"I'm sorry," she said.

She continued rubbing up and down his arm, "I'm so sorry."

"Me too," he mirrored, cupping her hands in his.

"I really didn't mean it. None of it. I shouldn't have brought them up against you. You're the opposite of... heartless. And I regret it so much," she said, tears brimming in her eyes.

He shook his head, "It's my fault, I pushed you into doing it. And I was a complete jerk for leaving."

"You're right though, I can't keep shutting you out," she reasoned.

He noted, "Nonsense, I was being selfish. I should've--"

"I think I'm ready. To tell you. I want to," she said.

Sirius looked into her eyes. She was scared. Beyond scared. But she'd faced worse.

He asked, "You're sure?"

She nodded her head and hummed in response.

"Well maybe we should take a seat on the couch," he commented before guiding them away from the kitchen.

Jo began, "I'll start from the beginning... Regulus and I had just fought because...