Work Text:
the clouds huddling over the front window of the willow cafe looked increasingly dark and angry as remus wiped the top of the counter for what seemed to be the hundredth time that day. one quick glance at the rusted wall clock opposite his station made him sigh with relief. finally, it was 9:30 am. no one came in for breakfast after 9:30 am on a wednesday, already at work, school, or waiting for the weekend to justify going out for brunch. it was at this time of the day, just after the breakfast rush ended, that he could have a taste of a blissful 20 minutes rest without worrying about a random customer coming in and giving him the stink-eye for (god forbid) enjoying a cup of tea and a pastry during work hours.
he tossed the old rag into the empty sink as he made his way to the back of the store, where he kept an extra mug (one he had accidentally chipped during his first week working there) and a half-eaten chocolate croissant he had gotten from the bakery one street down during his morning commute. back in the front of the store, he set his breakfast down on a napkin and plugged in the electric kettle.
minutes later, sitting on an old cushioned stool by the window corner as he quietly sipped from his scalding hot earl gray with a splash of milk and munched on his not-warm-anymore-but-still-good croissant, he let his back muscle unclench and his frown relax. ‘ah, maybe life is good after all’
wrong.
there was someone walking (running) down from the street in front of the café, the blurry figure rushing towards the one open store in the whole block. it was early winter, down tourist season and most businesses didn’t see the need to open before at least 10:00 am. not pandora, willow cafe’s owner (and remus’ boss), though. remus cursed his luck as he spotted the man now fully sprinting to the door as the sky poured down on him, effectively drenching his coat in a record-worthy 7 seconds, until he pushed the glass pane door open and, with the melodic ‘ding’ of the bell over it, stepped onto the cafe.
there, a mere 5 meters from him, stood the most unfairly attractive man he had ever laid eyes on. he was all sharp edges, jawline, cheekbones, and a tall nose centered on what remus thought an impossibly symmetrical face that, although flushed and red-cheeked from the outside cold weather, looked straight out of an antique greek god marble statue.
“i forgot how bloody deceitful the weather was here” the mystery man uttered, skipping his greetings, as he got rid of his ruined coat and discarded it on top of a wooden hanger by the door. remus shot his second failed attempt at breakfast that morning a last glance as he stoop up and made his way to the counter, re-tying his apron around his waist.
looking at the casually gorgeous man in front of him, a sudden feeling of insecurity struck him. that morning he had woken up a bit too slouchy, and as a result he ended up wearing his tan wool sweater for the third day on a row, an awful espresso stain from the day before forgotten until he was already half-way to work and too late to go back home. he was also aware of the stubble that had grown on his chin since monday morning, when he had last shaved, and of the not-so-subtle gray hair in between his mossy brown curls (he was 20, for christ’s sake, weren’t those supposed to wait til he was at least 50?). still, he pushed his feelings back down and put on his best rehearsed customer service smile and too-nice voice.
“happens to the best of us. i’m guessing a hot drink, then?” the man came closer and, as he plopped down on the stool right in front of him, remus felt his own smile widen for real. up close, the man was surprisingly small and remus had to crane his neck a tiny bit to look at his face properly.
“biggest mug of cocoa you have, please. and-” taking a look at the display behind remus, added “one of those cookies.” he grinned at him and remus couldn’t hold back a chuckle at the man, surely well into his 20s, asking for hot chocolate. he would’ve pegged him for a black coffee kind of person.
“sure” he got started in his order and, while pouring the drink, spoke again “any particular reason you’re out in this ghastly weather?”
the long-haired man waited to take a sip of his cocoa, sighed contently, and then answered. “wanted to explore this lovely town, of course.” remus hissed. this ‘lovely town’ had about 3,000 people and a couple of hens at most. “i’m leaving tomorrow morning so i wanted to make most of my time”
“a light drizzle and you’re already spooked?” remus faked a dramatic heart-ache, with his hand over his chest, and the man let out a light chuckle, pleased and looking a bit too eager to respond.
“actually, i’m in a band.” he put down the maroon mug of cocoa and made a silly pose, mimicking holding a guitar. his long dark curls, haphazardly tied back in a little ponytail escaped from their bounds, draping against his ivory forehead like a work of art. remus swallowed in an attempt to hide how his breath hitched from the awe of this beautiful stranger simply existing in front of him. ‘what must it be like to grow up that beautiful?’ remus could feel his own face flush just at the thought. “‘the marauders’ ring any bells? we’re playing here tonight.” he looked up at remus with a cocky grin that would have made anyone else look pretentious (especially since ‘the marauders’, in fact, did not ring any bells for him). but coming from a so-called rockstar…
remus’ thoughts were then interrupted by the chiming of the front door, a middle-aged lady walking in with a toddler, ipad in hand. so much for the after-breakfast-rush bliss. when he finished packing up their order (a couple cookies and a white mocha cappuccino) and the lady left the store, toddler pulling at her pants, remus turned back to his nicer, admittedly way more attractive customer just to see him hop off the stool, leave some change on the counter, and grab his coat from besides the door.
“hey, if you happen to be free tonight you might wanna catch us. maybe our drummer will get half the beat right for the first time.” he gave remus one last playful look, with a quirk of his eyebrow and a little smirk, pulled the door open and off into the street he went.
remus looked down at the counter and there, nestled under an empty cocoa mug and cookie crumbs was a napkin with a scribbly handwritten note. it took him a moment to decipher the message, but when he did, he let out an audible gasp. ‘shameless’
from: sirius
to: the hot barista w the freckles
free pass to effie’s at 10. ask the front man to show you his dog. ;)
also, you’ve got chocolate on your teeth