Chapter Text
"Today your barista is:
1. HELLA FUCKING GAY
2. DESPERATELY SINGLE
For your drink today, I recommend:
YOU GIVE ME YOUR NUMBER"
He watched the barista for another minute, trying to figure out whether or not it was the same guy, but the same posters in the window that were sort of hiding him out here were also sort of hiding the man in there. And anyways, it was wishful thinking, and he was being stupid, and he wasn't even brave enough to do that sort of thing anyways, and he really needed coffee before his next class either way, so what was he still doing out here? He pushed the door open and discovered, much to his delight, that the barista was the same one as yesterday. The man looked up when he heard the door open and smiled at him.
"Hi! What can I get for you today?"
How was it that he was desperate enough to make that sign out front? Remus blinked twice before realizing he hadn't ordered yet.
"Um, a cafe mocha, please."
Remus got a nod in response as the barista started working on his drink. He wished he was clever enough to come up with something to say, like… literally anything. That would have been better than just standing by the counter, watching him make the drink. It wasn't until the man was almost done that Remus worked up the nerve to say something.
"So, your boss didn't say anything about that sign out front?"
"What sign?" the barista (his name tag said Sirius) asked, putting the cup into a little cardboard sleeve and handing it over.
"The specials board? The one that says, uh, that you're gay and, um, people should give you their numbers."
Sirius visibly paled at that, his eyes going wide as he ducked under the counter and hurried outside to see if Remus was telling the truth. Remus turned to watch, but the posters in the window blocked his view. Sirius came back in a moment later, frowning and carrying the board folded up under his arm. Remus watched as he carried it into the kitchen, seeing him drop it before the door swung closed. He could hear a scuffle going on and Sirius shouting at someone who was trying to defend himself. He came out a little while later, followed closely by a pretty girl with red hair.
"He was just trying to help, Sirius. You know he just wants to see you happy."
"Shut it, Evans, or I'll change my mind about sticking you in there with him. And don't even think about letting him out yet. He needs time to think about what he's done." The girl rolled her eyes and went back into the kitchen. Sirius made a face at her while her back was turned before turning back to Remus. "Can you believe that? My best mate. I should kill him."
"He didn't, like.... announce it... for the first time ever, did he?" Remus asked, worried that maybe Sirius' friend had crossed a line with the specials board and that was why he was so angry. Sirius let out a snort and shook his head.
"No, he didn't. I don't go around advertising it on specials boards, but it's not a secret," Sirius said quietly, taking his hat off and running his fingers through his hair. "It's just obnoxious. The only reason James did it is because he wants me to spend more time out of my flat, so he and Lily can fool around. And after I was nice enough to let him come live with me,so he can pretend that he's not completely reliant on mummy and daddy."
Remus couldn't help but smile. He was done with his drink, but he didn't want to leave just yet. "What did you do to him?"
"I locked him in the freezer. It only opens from the outside." Sirius grinned back at Remus, sticking his hat under the counter before pulling out a mug and starting a fresh drink. He passed it across the counter to Remus a moment later, looking mildly put out when he didn't take it. Remus stared blankly at the drink, wondering why Sirius had made him another without his asking and how he'd managed to draw a puppy in it. "You don't want it?"
"Huh? Oh, sorry. I just didn't want to ruin it," Remus said, reaching for the mug. He carefully picked it up, doing his best to keep it still as he inspected the coffee. "I've never seen anything like this before."
"I don't usually do them in to go drinks, since the top is covering it anyways." Sirius grinned sheepishly, leaning against the counter as he watched Remus take a slow sip to try and preserve the shape of the dog. "But you're hanging out with me and you warned me about that stupid sign and I wanted to make you laugh. You don't have class or anything, do you?"
...Shit. Remus twisted around, looking for a clock somewhere in the shop so he wouldn't have to fish around in his coat pockets for his phone. "It started about 20 minutes ago."
Sirius started laughing, making Remus laugh too. He was glad that there weren't many other people in the coffee shop and that no one was waiting for a drink, or he wouldn't have had the courage to stay here and skip class to talk to Sirius.
"Did you at least get any numbers from your friend's advertisement?" Remus asked, hoping the answer would be no. Sirius reached under the counter and pulled out a little plastic trashcan, turning it over and spilling crumpled up receipts with phone numbers scribbled on them all over the counter.
"It's not like finding a date is hard or anything. I'm just very selective about who I choose to go out with. For instance," he explained, "I would never date anyone who thinks that winking at strangers is a good idea, and every guy that gave me a number today winked at me. I thought they were just being weird. Well, that, or my hair looks especially good today." Remus bit his lip to keep from laughing as Sirius made a grand show of preening and fluffing his hair just so.
"So what does it take to impress you, then?" Remus asked, hoping that Sirius wouldn't take him seriously. He had no idea if joking like this was actually okay with him, since he was more or less a total stranger, but they were having such a good time. Hopefully he wouldn't mind.
Sirius grinned at him, leaning against the counter on his elbows, resting his chin on his hands. "I like it when guys make me laugh."
"Oh?" Remus lifted up his mug to finish what was left of his drink and to hide his reddening face. Sirius looked like he was about to start laughing again when a man that Remus assumed was Sirius' friend James came out of the kitchen and thumped him on the back of the head. Sirius rounded to look at Lily, who was putting out new sugar packets and refilling the bottles of milk and cream.
"What the fuck, Evans?"
"You can wrestle him back in there after the rush, okay?" Lily said, nodding towards the door. James looked terribly offended that his girlfriend was going to let Sirius do that again, but Sirius just let out a sigh and started looking for his hat under the counter.
Since it looked like the coffee shop would be busy for the time being, Remus thought it would be best to stop distracting Sirius from his work. He got up and picked his bag up off the floor, digging around for his wallet to pay for the second drink Sirius had given him.
"Leaving? You know, you don't have to pay for the one I gave you. My treat." Sirius was smiling again, waving his hand as Remus tried to hand him the money. Remus stuttered out his thanks, dropping the money in the tip jar instead, making Sirius laugh again. He swung his bag over his shoulder and started making his way out of the shop through the crowd. He'd made it about halfway before he heard Sirius gasp.
"You're really not going to give me your name or your number?"
Oh. Right. Remus felt his face going red again as he turned and headed back to the counter, staring at Sirius' hat so he could ignore the looks he was getting from Lily and James. When he made it back to the counter, Sirius took the hat off so Remus would have to look at him, grinning a bit stupidly when Remus finally did. Remus didn't have a receipt or anything to write with. It took Sirius a moment to notice that Remus was in distress, but when he finally did, he passed Remus his phone so he could add himself as a contact. When he handed the phone back, Sirius smiled at his name for a second before smiling at Remus himself.
"See you around, then, Remus Lupin."
Remus had to bite his lip to keep from grinning too widely. He waved at Sirius (and James and Lily) as he headed out to make it to his next class on time. He'd only walked for a few minutes before he felt his phone buzzing. He pulled it out of his pocket, his brow furrowing in confusion at the unknown number. The message cleared up Remus' confusion the moment he read it. He burst out laughing, plopping himself down on a bench to keep from falling over. He saved the number under a new contact before looking back at the message and smiling.
Sirius: [ ;D ]