Limitless

Sirius Black

My eyes popped open, adrenalin pulsing through me. I stared at the unfamiliar ceiling wondering whether I would ever sleep through a night without having a nightmare. I tried to sit up, but immediately knew that the movement was ill conceived, but I didn't care. 

I propped myself up on my elbow instead surveying the room, the events of last night coming back to me. 

Sirius lay in an armchair in the corner, his arms folded, his wand tucked into the crook of his arm. He looked like a sentinel although I wasn't sure whether he was keeping watch over me or guarding the door to protect those beyond it. His jeans and heavy boots looked tremendously uncomfortable even though his legs were stretched out on an ottoman, completely relaxed. I took in the moment. 

Sirius Black...

Even though I didn't want it to be a reality, I thought about him every single day. Usually I pushed the thoughts as far out of my mind as I could but he was an omnipresent feature of my life. Although I no longer allowed myself any indulgences, I figured that since I had nearly died more than once yesterday, I deserved a single moment of beauty. I knew the reality of what was going to happen from here on out. 

Obviously we would have the tremendously uncomfortable conversation about why I had feigned my death. 

There would be a lot of anger and a lot of questions but in the end, I would go back to being on my own, carrying on the way I had been. Dumbledore and I knew the dangers of having me around even if they didn't. They probably wouldn't understand it but I would explain. I owed them that much, even though being here and being exposed wasn't exactly my choice. I brought myself back to the moment.

He was spectacularly handsome, even sleeping; his brows furrowed, his lips were pressed together, his dark hair completely disheveled in the way I loved most. He was far more scarred than I remembered but then again. And his tattoos... god, I was in trouble. I had to look away. If I didn't stop now I would never be able to leave. 

I pulled my legs up and threw them over the side of the bed. The springs of the bed squeaked in dissent.

"Trying to sneak away?" He said, his eyes still closed, his voice gravel. My heart stopped beating. I had missed him more than I cared to imagine.

"Not sneak." I lied. Obviously I would like nothing more than to leave and let Dumbeldore explain what needed to be explained even though I knew inside that I wasn't capable of something like that.

"You've never been a particularly good liar Yves." He said opening his eyes, the intensity of his stare reminiscent of the way he used to look at me. But that was a long time ago.

"No... I suppose not."

"Although..." he said letting the statement hang ominously. I was a damn good liar. I'd been dead to the world for over two years. 

"I know." There were few deceptions greater than the one Dumbledore and I had pulled off. 

He let his legs down, and got off the chair and walked to the bed, sitting too close to me. He looked forward. We both stared at the wall for a long time but it wasn't uncomfortable. There was so much between us, so much baggage but it seemed that, for the moment at least, he didn't want to break the silence or tackle that load.

"Did you sleep well in my bed?" I looked sideways to see his smug lopsided smile.