GOOD DOG || Sirius Black

(Forty Four: The Parting of Ways)

The universe doesn't care.

Dear Miss Fawley, it doesn't care at all.

Your loves and losses and slights and grievances are nothing in an enormity that large.

Even you are inconsequential. 

But, as dictated by the laws of chaos theory, the intricate spider web of cause to effect that very few are privileged enough to read into, you hold in your hands a very special butterfly. And all we need is for her to flap her wings just a little bit more. And for that, we need Sirius Black. We need Sirius Black to break you.

I am sorry for this.

But the universe needs you too much.

{===}

"I'm not joking." Sirius proclaimed, "I know you at least a bit. I have a list."

At some point during their movie-binging session, they had edged close enough that the bow of popcorn was now balanced perfectly between both of their legs. Alex could feel herself departing at least some of her wright onto his shoulder, an action that he was mirroring. Warmth seeped though the layers of fabric that separated them.

Alex raised her eyebrows at him, "A list?"

"A list." Sirius confirmed, "I know you like taking pictures, and Doctor Who, and astronomy, and now I know you like superhero movies. I know you're a werewolf, and you don't like that, and I know you don't like getting dressed up and socialising, and I know you're a dog person."

Alex pulled a face, "That last one sounded kind of self centred."

"It is still me you're talking to." Sirius reminded her.

"How could I forget?" Alex sighed in an exaggerated fashion, "And I know you like being a prat, and you would do pretty much anything for your friends, and half the time when you try and be self deprecating, you actually mean what you're saying about yourself."

Alex felt Sirius shift a little, "Wow, yours were much deeper than mine. I feel like I should backtrack with something about you looking better in pyjamas."

"I think that's an insult." Alex observed.

"It's not meant to be." He craned his neck to look at her, "However incredibly awkward I made it. You look, I dunno, happier? More Alex, I guess."

Alex frowned, "Is that a good thing?"

"I'm not sure." Sirius replied, completely straight-faced, "I only know one Alex, and she'd kind of a dick."

Alex twisted around to grab a pillow off her bed and hit him in the face, "Shut up."

"It's the sad truth." Sirius shook his head solemnly, "She makes puppy murder look like free ice creams."

"Yeah, well I only know one Sirius," Alex countered, hastily searching through her brain for a comeback, "And he makes cannibalism preferable to listening to him talk for another minute."

Sirius cocked an eyebrow, "You want to eat me? I'm not going to say there's an innuendo there, but feel free to fill in the blanks with my trail off ellipses..."

"Can we just pretend I came up with a brilliant insult that left you speechless?" Alex batted her eyelashes and leant her head on his shoulder.

Sirius choked a laugh, "Absolutely not. Sirius Black is never speechless."

Alex chose to take that as a challenge.

She waited a minute, drawing out the silence so it would be more of a surprise. Then, quite suddenly, she twisted so that she was on her knees next to Sirius and pressed her mouth against his.