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IT TOOK EVERY OUNCE of Jo's self-control not to snap at him, but that clearly wasn't enough, because the first words that flew out of her mouth here "oh, now you decide to talk to me? At Merlin knows what time it is?"
"1:58 AM, if that helps."
"Whatever." Jo narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "What do you want?"
Sirius's gaze flickered towards the golden flecks on her dress, swallowing nervously. "I, well, you really didn't know, did you?"
She threw up her hands in frustration, collapsing on the couch. "Siri, stop being so bloody cryptic. Specify. Know what?"
He gestured towards the design, clearing his throat, "you were with me the other day on the astronomy tower. You remember holding my hand, don't you?"
". . . this feels very off-topic, but do go on."
"And I swear I'm not drunk, but you had a vision. Or something. Maybe it was a portal. Like a human projector," Sirius stumbled over his words in the haste to get them out.
Jo didn't look very convinced. "I was a human projector?"
He tugged at his hair, frustrated. "No, when you took my hand, you blacked out. At least, I think you did. And we were floating, no, you were floating and I was holding your hand— really, it was as if you would've floated away otherwise. We were in front of this house and there was a bang and then it vanished and I don't know if we're about to die because you saw a curse or something or we witnessed something we weren't supposed to but fuck, Jo, I don't know what it was and I'm almost an adult and I know less than I did when I was twelve!" Sirius sunk backwards into the armchair, hands covering his face.
The annoyance, the hurt, or whatever it was that Jo had felt moments before evaporated instantaneously. She got up from her place on the couch and kneeled down next to him, placing a hand on his arm. "Oh, Siri."
His hands slowly dropped to the sides of the armchair, defeated. "I'm sorry I'm such a mess. Merlin, I should've had some of the firewhiskey when I had the chance. I was there almost the whole night."
Jo let out a muffled laugh despite herself. "You act as if you haven't had a single sip at all today."
"Well, yeah, 'cause I haven't, Sherlock," Sirius deadpanned.
"Bullshit."
He yawned. "Not bullshit. Do an alcohol test on me, sweetheart. I'm clean."
She shook her head disbelievingly, before shifting slightly so her back was against the coffee table, sitting on the ground right in front of him. Jo crossed her legs. "Of course you are, Siri. Also," she frowned slightly, "we should probably tell James about all, y'know, whatever it was. He and Lily and everyone kind of maybe thinks you're in love with me."
