Chapter Text
The sound of a buzzer filled the apartment.
Groggily lifting her head, Celeste blinked at the room around her. She was lying on the couch in her sitting room, but what was that noise? She reached out to paw at the coffee table, patting blindly for her phone. Her screen was blank, no timer, no message, nothing to indicate why she would have woken up. She sighed and curled onto her side, cradling the phone to her chest. After all the running around she’d been doing since coming to Cradle, she was tired and going back to sleep sounded perfect.
She was starting to drift off when the sound came again. This time her heart slammed into her throat. That was the downstairs buzzer. Meaning it was six-thirty and Sirius was here.
Scrambling off the couch, Celeste swore softly when her knee connected with the table and she wobbled on her feet. It throbbed as she ran for the door, but she ignored it. If he was buzzing a second time, she was late. Hadn’t she set an alarm? She was sure she’d set one so this wouldn’t happen!
The stairs made her knee hurt, but she didn’t slow, going down them faster than she should have. Which led to her breaking her speed with the door. Her breath whooshed out of her as she landed against it, a brief flash of stars appearing before her eyes, and she blindly fought with the locks before hauling it open. “Hi, I’m sorry I’m late,” she squeaked.
Sirius was blinking at her, concern splashed across his face. “You alright, little lady?”
Little lady again? “Fine!”
His eyes were dubious as they ran over her and her stomach bottomed out. She’d been taking a nap; what in the hell did she look like right now?
Mortification filled her and it was hard not to close the door on him to try to make herself presentable. But the damage was done; he’d already seen her and she couldn’t be so rude as to shut him out when this was her fault. “I’m sorry,” she said again. “I was taking a nap and I thought I set an alarm but I guess I didn’t. If you give me a minute, you can go up to the roof and I can meet you there.”
Dark eyes came back to hers and a small smile curled his lips. “You’re fine, Celeste,” he said quietly.
She blinked at him before hauling the door fully open. “Come in. Please.”
He nodded slightly, stepping inside.
The downstairs entrance wasn’t a large room, providing access to the bakery and the stairs up to her apartment. But he made it feel positively tiny with his presence. He hadn’t felt like this in the nursery, even when he’d seemed irritated with his sister. Maybe it was the leather jacket and the helmet he was holding under his arm. Last time she’d seen him, he’d been in a light sweater and holding an apron he’d clearly been wearing moments earlier. She’d been more than aware that he was there, but this was different, more…something. She didn’t know what exactly it was, but it definitely wasn’t a gardener vibe.
It was probably the leather jacket.
She shuffled around him to close the door, but not before spotting the motorcycle tucked in tight beside her car. “Huh,” she said softly.
“Something wrong?”
“No, I just didn’t expect the bike,” she said honestly. Although, why else would have a helmet?
“Mm.”
She might not know him, but she knew that noise. She’d made it often enough over the course of her life to know that someone was not happy about him having it. And it really wasn’t any of her business. “Thank you for coming, Sirius,” she said, dropping the subject. “I really appreciate how fast you got back to me, given how busy you really are.”
He’d started to nod, his smile coming back, before he paused. “How busy I really am?” he echoed.
If she could stop embarrassing herself that would be wonderful. “Ah….”
The corner of his mouth kicked up in a small smirk. “Talking about me?” he teased.
She never should have gotten off the couch. “I was just with the twins when you texted me earlier!” Celeste tried to explain. “They wouldn’t leave off until I told them who it was.” And then wouldn’t believe her when she insisted he was simply helping her with the garden.
“Twins?”
“Soleil and Seren.”
His brows snapped up and he took a small step back. “The Woodrows?” he said slowly. “How do you know them?”
She shrugged one shoulder. “They’re going to work with me in the bakery.”
He made a noise that was caught somewhere between disbelief and…panic? “You’re a braver woman than I thought,” he muttered. “Both of them? Soleil and Seren?”
Celeste bristled a little bit at that and tartly said, “They were the only ones I interviewed that I got along with immediately. So yes. Both of them.”
It came out a little harder than she’d intended and she saw his eyes widen. Before she could think of apologizing, he made another noise, quieter, contemplative. “Definitely braver,” he muttered under his breath, eyeing her strangely.
She decided to ignore that. This wasn’t exactly going the way she’d expected it to. Making him wait, showing up looking like a mess, and now she was snapping at him? Her mother was surely rolling in her grave at how rude she was being to someone that was taking the time to help her. She quickly shunted that thought into a corner. “They said you have a really time-consuming job,” she said quietly, “so I really do appreciate your help, Sirius.”
He was still watching her, but his expression shifted back into an easy smile. “Want to show me the garden?” he offered, gesturing at the stairs and seemingly ignoring everything she’d said.
Throwing the locks, she turned from the door to lead him up. “I really didn’t expect to hear from you so soon,” she said over her shoulder as he followed her.
“Last night wasn’t…. I needed a distraction.”
She paused on the landing near her apartment door to look at him. He wasn’t quite on the landing yet, but he still was taller than her which was disconcerting. “Last night? Were you at the party the twins went to?” she asked curiously.
Something crossed his face but he nodded. “For a while. They aren’t really my thing.”
The twins had invited her, telling her it would be a good chance to network with people in Cradle and advertise her business. She had declined, the very thought of being in a room with so many people she didn’t know making her queasy. Everyone already stared at her everywhere she went, she wasn’t sure she could handle that level of attention. Eventually maybe, but she wanted to get her feet under her first. Plus, she’d only gotten the final approval for the bakery this morning and hadn’t wanted to talk about opening something that might not happen.
Besides, the twins had told her they’d fielded all the questions they could about the bakery and about her. The latter worried her since Seren had no filter when she got excited and she hoped Soleil had controlled her a little bit.
Falling silent, she led him up the second set of stairs to the roof. She stepped aside and watched as he set his helmet down near the door before walking to the edge. The sun was slowly setting, casting the entire city in reds and golds. It was mostly quiet now, most of the people who worked in Central returning to their homes in their respective Territory.
“You have an amazing view,” he said softly.
Yes, she did. It was one of the reasons she wanted to set up the roof as a garden so that she could have a quiet place to enjoy it. She was pleased most of the buildings around her weren’t taller than hers so she could see most of the city no matter where she looked. It would be the perfect place to relax at the end of the day.
Wrapping her arms around her middle, she wandered over to join him. The river was in view from here, the natural boundary between the Central Quarter and the two territories that flanked it. But they had a clear view over it. She hadn’t done much exploring beyond Central, her foray to Canis Major her first time in Black Territory, but…. “It’s a pretty city,” she said honestly.
“She can be,” he agreed.
There was something in his voice that didn’t seem quite right. The twins hadn’t said anything had gone amiss at the party last night, but something had clearly happened. “You don’t have to do this, Sirius,” Celeste said. “I appreciate the offer, I really do, but it’s not that important.”
He turned to her quickly. “Yes, I do and yes, it is. I need this right now.”
“What do you mean?”
He pushed a hand through his hair, looking back out at the city for a moment. “Either of the twins tell you what I do?” he asked without looking at her.
“No. Only that you were busy.” So much so that the pair had been stunned when she’d admitted to getting his help for the garden project.
Sirius slanted a glance at her. “How long have you been in Cradle?”
“Two weeks?”
“How much do you know about the armies?”
Sirius watched as a blank look crossed her face before it shifted. “Beyond the fact that for some reason Cradle has two and they act as law enforcement in the city?” Celeste shrugged. “Not much, honestly. I haven’t really had time to learn or explore the city since I got here.”
He ran his tongue over his teeth, considering his next words carefully. It wasn’t that he was ashamed of his position and didn’t want to admit it. It was more he understood that Cradle’s ways were unique to the city and seemed strange to people who weren’t from here. If she’d only been here for half a month, the restrictions the Council put on newcomers would still be in effect. But would any of this even matter if she couldn’t last the first month? Or the second? “I’m part of the Black Army,” he said honestly. “And yes, we help keep the peace along with the Red Army.” At least we used to. What’s going to happen to Cradle if this goes wrong?
She blinked slowly up at him. “So you’re a soldier?” she said, spacing out the words. “Who is making a garden for me?”
There was something odd in her voice, something that made him tense. “There’s nothing wrong with a soldier liking gardening,” he said defensively.
“I didn’t say there was. I just don’t understand….” She took a breath and looked back at the rows of planters. “You say that you need this, why? It’s just a garden and I’m a complete stranger.”
“Not a complete stranger,” he countered. “I do have your phone number.”
Celeste snorted before quickly turning her head away. The gesture was cute, but he would have preferred to see her laugh. “Still a stranger.”
“The truth?” he said after a moment, drawing her gaze back to him. “I enjoy gardening. It’s a break from the usual grind I go through with the army. I can do it at headquarters but there’s always someone that needs something. I could go to Canis Major, but my family can be just as bad as the soldiers.” If not worse.
“And bring you customers you don’t want.”
So she had caught on. “Did I say that?”
“You didn’t have to.”
Sirius shoved his hand through his hair and moved to look at the planters. How to fix this? He hadn’t been annoyed with her, but his sister because he’d known from the start what Aludra was doing. It had nothing to do with making a garden and everything to do with their previous conversation. “I wasn’t expecting it,” he admitted, crouching beside one. “I don’t usually take customers because I don’t work at the nursery anymore.”
“Then why agree to it? Just because you want a break from work and your family?”
There was a bit more to it than that, but she wouldn’t understand. “Do I need more of a reason?”
She made a noise, but he didn’t look at her.
Brushing his hands over the dirt, he tugged one glove off and nearly frowned. The soil was warm, warmer than it would have been if it had been naturally warmed by the sun. Digging slightly in a corner, he confirmed his suspicion before pushing the dirt back to even it out. What had she said? That Blanc had told her about Canis Major? He’d bet a month’s wages the man had helped her find the builders for this too and they were pushing the rules a little further than was comfortable. “I love my family and I care about the soldiers, but even I need a break sometimes,” he admitted. “Somewhere I can just catch my breath and be Sirius for a little while.”
He finally looked up when she stayed quiet and he wasn’t surprised at the look on her face. She wasn’t convinced so he needed to try harder. Because he wanted to do this.
Standing up, he gave her a smile. “You been to the Busy Bean yet?
Celeste blinked at him. “The coffee shop?”
“It’s more than that but yeah.”
“I’ve gotten coffee there, but what does that have to do with anything?”
Still smiling, he held out his hand to her. “How about we go grab something to eat and we can talk about the garden?” he offered.
A flush crept over her cheeks and one hand reached up to smooth her hair before she jerked it down. “N-No, I’m not really presentable right now.”
Sirius frowned, his gaze darting over her again. She was wearing a loose sweater that might not have been intended to be a dress, but was large enough to be one on her. He could see the strap of another shirt underneath it from how the neckline of the sweater drooped down one of her arms. He’d noticed on the way up she wasn’t wearing shoes, but her stockings climbed up over her knees. The braid around the crown of her head had probably been neat when she’d done it, but it was mussed from her nap. All in all she looked…comfortable. “You look fine,” he assured her, not dropping his hand.
“People already stare at me. I don’t need to give them more reason to.”
“Little lady,” he sighed, “you’re fine.”
She looked away from him, fiddling with the phone in her hands. Was it hesitation over her looks or something else? He wasn’t sure she’d answer if he asked.
Wiggling his fingers in her direction when she glanced at him, Sirius offered, “My treat?”
“No!” she said, her gaze snapping fully back to him. “I can pay!”
“Nope. I’m inviting you. My treat.”
He bit the inside of his cheek when she blew hers out and glared down at her feet for a moment. Damn it. He already thought she was cute and she was just making it worse. “But I have to pay you somehow,” she muttered.
“We can talk about that over coffee.” When she still hesitated, he softened a little. “You can fix your hair if you want, but really, I think you look fine.”
Her cheeks blazed with colour and he gave up trying to stop his smile. Blue eyes flicked to him before away again with a small huff. “Well, they’re going to stare anyways,” she sighed. “May as well be for a reason this time.”
His smile grew when she came close enough to put her hand in his. “Do you mind if I leave the bike here?” he asked.
“Was riding it an option?”
Sirius snorted. “Not in that sweater it wasn’t.”
A slow smile spread across her face and made him pause. “You sure I shouldn’t change then?”
Oh. Okay, there was another hint of the kind of woman that could meet the Woodrow twins and decide that she wanted to work with them both. “Only have the one helmet right now, little lady. Maybe next time.”
He’d meant it as a tease, but he saw the curious light in her eyes and realised he might have to swing by his parents’ place to snag his extra helmet. “Next time,” she agreed.
Sirius shook his head slightly and gave her a tug toward the door. “You need to grab anything before we go?” he asked, leaning down to scoop up his helmet.
“Keys would probably be smart. Shoes maybe.”
He laughed. “Probably.”
He could actually feel her mood shift as they walked down the stairs, relaxing with each step they took. She’d been tense and on edge since she’d opened the door. He doubted it was all embarrassment for her perceived rudeness, but he wasn’t sure what else had been upsetting her. It wouldn’t surprise him if part of it had been because she was alone with a man she didn’t know which was another reason he was suggesting going out. He’d thought that other people would help her relax. Yet here she was, holding his hand and seemingly well on her way to loosening up.
When they reached the landing, he realised he was going to have to let her go. He didn’t miss the way she didn’t let go of him immediately either. “Sorry about that,” he said, taking that first step when she didn’t seem to and giving her space. “I can wait downstairs if you like?”
“Your call,” she said, slipping through the door.
He caught a glimpse of the apartment as the door opened and closed quickly and frowned a little. If she’d been here for a couple weeks, why were there still boxes everywhere? His lips pursed as a possible reason came before he pushed it aside. She seemed to be settling in well, even with the city’s quirks. Only time would tell if she could handle the rest of them.
He couldn’t think of a single case where someone had moved to Cradle and actually stuck around though. He was sure there were some. Maybe. But none in his lifetime. Was her focus on her business keeping her from seeing just how odd the city was? What was she going to do when the second month rolled around and the restrictions came off?
When the door opened again, his smile came back naturally as he let the thoughts go. “Ready, little lady?”
Celeste smiled gently at him, nodding, and he found himself hoping she stuck around for that second month.