In His Nature (A Pedro Pascal AU)

Chapter Two

TW: Smoking and drinking

Josephine woke up alongside the world. Sunlight filtered in through her curtains and birds cooing outside reminded her what it was like to be six years old. A few cars rushed by, and it was early but the heat was already seeping into the house. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she got out of bed and threw on an oversized shirt.

The door peeled open with a loud creak and she paused, listening for the sounds of someone else. The faint sound of water running was coming from the bathroom and the smell of coffee drifted into her nose. Josephine padded softly down the hall and turned into the kitchen.

Apparently whoever was showering thought ahead and put a pot on to brew. Her stomach growled and her head ached, a little hungover from the wine last night. The need to have a cup was suddenly all she could think about.

She began opening cabinets and making mental notes of where the plates, pots, pans, random cooking ingredients, extra food and medicine lived. It seemed like every cabinet she opened was the wrong one. There were only a few left when Pedro walked up next to her, opened a cabinet to her left and pulled out two mugs.

He had watched her for a moment, her desperate search eliciting a listless smile on his face. He told himself he was too tired to think about the way her oversized shirt crept up when she stood on her tip toes, trying to open cabinets he could easily reach.

"Good morning." He said, voice groggy as he handed her a mug that said 'slap your local racist'.

"Morning." Josephine felt a slight blush creep across her cheeks as she watched him move around the kitchen.

She had indulged in that fluttering warmth in the solitude of the shower last night. Replaying their conversation, how he looked, how he made her feel...and now here he was, fresh out of that same shower. He was a person again, and not just a character in her imagination.

"You're up early." He poured himself some coffee in a mug decorated with little cartoon crabs.

"So are you." She stood near him waiting to do the same. The subtle smell of his aftershave hovered around him. He handed her the pot. Apparently they both liked it black, neither one of them adding anything extra.

"I have to go to work, what's your excuse?" He leaned against the counter and faced her, watching her over the rim of the cup as he took a drink. He was wearing a pair of light washed jeans and a navy blue shirt. She tried not to think about how tight the sleeves were around his arms.

"Kind of an unconventional uniform." She commented, realizing she had no idea what he did for a living.

He placed the mug on the counter and crossed his arms. "I work in construction." A sweeping smile spread across his face when he realized her eyes were raking in the broad expanse of his shoulders.

"Why are you up so early?" He repeated his earlier question.

"I like to get a head start." Josephine shrugged, looking down and taking a sip from her own cup. She could feel his eyes on her and when she looked up at him he averted his gaze back to his own mug and took another drink.

"What are your plans for the day?" He asked after a long swig. The grogginess in his voice was fading. 

She took a deep breath and shrugged. "I have some ideas but it kind of depends on if Frankie's working or not."

"What like errands or something?"

"Yeah, or something." Now it was her turn to look at him over the rim of the cup as she drank.

He grinned down into his coffee before looking back at her. "Well, if Frankie can't help you with that something maybe I can when I get off work."