Cup of Joe | A Joe Jonas Fanfiction

c h a p t e r t w e n t y .

December 27th.

Her last full day with Joe Jonas.

Winter had been inwardly dreading this specific date for the past two weeks because she knew that though the physical separation was the next morning, today would be the most challenging on her emotions. In all truth, they both had been pushing off the conversation that needed to be brought up : what happens next? It was easy to live in the moment, especially when those moments were brimming with luxury penthouses, high profile celebrities, and fantasies playing out in real life. Her time with Joe with rapidly coming to a close, whether she was ready to accept it or not, and that made her heart ache. Once she boarded her plane tomorrow morning, this shared life would become a bittersweet memory. Life could be so cruel.

There was a stillness to the penthouse that Winter could only describe as somber. How fitting that even the suite seemed to grieve as she packed away her belongings into suitcases. Her thoughts echoed how she had warned herself about getting too close to Joe - that it wouldn't have the fairytale ending she dreamed of. Winter bit the inside of her jaw.

There was nothing left to do but wait in the silence for Joe to return. He hadn't come home after the White Dove Ball and she had assumed that he stayed in a room at the Plaza. This wasn't unexpected, especially considering the fact that the entire event was exhausting as a guest, but even more so for the host. Joe deserved a night of good sleep. While she waited, she scrolled on her phone, blinking with fondness at post after post about the ball and how successful it had been. In the midst of the anxiety, it has slipped her mind that it was a charity event. Winter began searching through Google to find an article confirming how much they had raised when she heard the door unlock. She got up to run and greet him.

As expected, Joe was the picture of perfection. And he made it look so effortless, even when in sweatpants, a hoodie, and a ball cap. His face lit up as Winter came into view. "Did you miss me?"

Winter crashed into him, flinging her arms around his shoulders and squeezing him into a hug. She wanted to cherish these moments while they were still happening, but a cloud seemed to loom over her. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake the feeling. Instead of responding, Winter deepened the embrace, sighing into the comfort of his steady arms.

"I know." His words were taut.

"What happens after today?" Winter finally worked up the courage to say what was on her mind. "What happens with us?"

Taking Winter by the hand, Joe walked her into the living room. It was cloudy, as expected for a New York December, but the sky felt even darker than usual. But the dull sky had little impact on the sparkle in Joe's chocolate colored eyes as they danced while taking in every feature of her face. A shadow of a beard darkened his jawline, the stubble coarse yet somehow inviting. Winter immersed herself in capturing the essence of his soul through every inch of his skin and every single trait. Eventually, Joe broke the silence.

"We should talk about it, shouldn't we?" He pressed himself into the back of the couch with an exhale. "I don't know why we waited so long to bring this up."

"It's not an easy conversation. To be fair, I've avoided it because I don't think I wanted to accept that it was happening." Winter pursed her lips.

"So...what do you want?"

She blinked, unsure of how to express what she wanted to convey. More than anything, she wanted to tell him that what she felt for him was more than just a fleeting crush, but she knew she wouldn't be able to work up the courage. Instead, she settled for her second best response. "I'm not ready to let go."

From the corner of her eyes, she could see Joe's lips curl into a warm smile. "Thank goodness, because I'm not letting you go."

Winter returned his smiled. "There are ways around this. We can visit each other on holidays and special occasions. FaceTime is a great feature. And New York isn't that far of a drive! Every month or so, I could drive up here-"