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"Emma, you want anything?", May asked her friend.
"Nah, I`m good, thanks."
"Alright, that´ll be 4 Pounds 89 cents," the cashier drones, chewing his gum in a way that made it hard to keep her gag reflex under control. She put the money on the counter and checked her phone for the time.
"Shit," she cursed, "we only have 5 minutes to get back."
Emma waved her hand dismissively, "It`s fine Mr. Lupin`s chill."
She looked up as the overhead doorbell of the crappy gas station rang and a man stepped inside. Not just any man though. This one was hot. Black leather boots, jeans and jacket over a worn out sex pistols band tee, raven curls that fell loosly out of his bun and framed his immaculate facial features. Striking blue eyes encircled by long eyelashes and high aristocratic cheekbones. He moved gracefully towards them with a blinding smile on his face.
"Miss, do you want your change or not?" The nasal and annoyed voice of the cashier snapped her out of her trance. She wordlessly accepted the money and she and Emma, armes linked, made a bee-line to the door but not before shooting the mysterious stranger their flirtiest smiles.
As soon as the door slammed shut Emma exclaimed, "Oh my god, did you see him?"
"Hottest guy ever."
"Hotter than Ryan Gosling."
May smirks, "I thought no one is hotter than Ryan Gosling?"
"There`s always a first."
After another look at the time she says, "Fuck, now we`ll truly be late."
"What`ve you got next?" Lily said, the words almost unintelligible with her mouth full of whatever James packed her this time.
Remus grimaced, "History, 10b."
"Why the face? You love that class."
"I do but," he sighed, "they`re too nosey."
She snorted, "What do you mean 'too noesy'?"
"They want to know everything about me, Lily. You know I`m a private man and all these questions 'Do you have a girlfriend Mr. Lupin?' are getting on my nerves."
"Why don`t you just tell them about Sirius?" She shrugs. "I mean, you`ve been married for what, three years now?"
"Well, you know I don`t like talking about my personal life." A faint blush creeps up his cheeks. "Keeping private life and work seperate is just what I do."
"Aww, you`re shy. It`s sweet," Lily coos, swatting him on the shoulder. "See you at lunch, Professor Lupin."
"Now you stop calling me that," he calls after her.
"You love it."
He did, even though he would never admit that to Lily as he`s been denying his affection for the nickname for years. With a sigh Remus got up, his muscles and joints protesting against the unwanted movement. He slung his bag over his shoulder, threw the remnants of his apple in the bin and reluctantly made his way to the classroom.
"So who knows the year of the walk to canossa?" Remus threw the question in the room, not expecting anyone to know the answer as they only now started with the topic of the investiture controversy. "Yes, Emma?"
"Uhm, I don`t know but you still haven`t said whether or not you`ve got a partner," she grinned.
"1077 is the year. That is correct. Well done," he said, a blush painting his cheeks a faint rosé.
"Oh, come on you`re no fun," she whined and slumped defeated back in her seat.
"And you`re preventing me from doing my Job. Now, please open your books on page 131. Who wants to start reading?"
The lesson went good thus far, the students were motivated and mostly in a good mood and Remus had fun working with them until of course the ever dreaded question fell. 'Do you have a partner?' and it wasn`t like he was ashamed of Sirius or scared that his students would react negatively to finding out he was gay but like Lily said, his introverted nature made him uncomfortable talking about himself and personal life in front of a bunch of teenagers. But who could blame him? Teenagers were scary.
The rest of the lesson went smoothly if it wasn`t for Emma and her friend May whispering about some hot guy in motorcycle gear at the gas station, thinking no one could hear them. At one point he even had to intervene.
He came over to them during silent work and asked in a low voice, "May, do you want to tell the rest of the class about this hot guy at the gas station too?"
Slightly blushing she mumbled, "no."
"Then I suggest you keep it to yourself until after class."
She mumbled an affirmative response and managed to refrain herself from talking for ten minutes tops before gushing about him all over again.
As the lesson came to an end a hesitant knock on the door pulled the students out of their concentration.
Absentmindedly Remus called, "Come in." Expecting another student or teacher to have a concern. What he didn`t expect however, was his husband to step into the classroom. Sirius walked over and gave him a peck on the cheek. He was so close that Remus could smell his deodrant and hair products. A smell so familiar and safe he minutely forgot he was standing in front of a classroom.
"Love, you forgot your lunch."
He couldn`t help but smile at his partner who was so gentle and caring and kinder than anyone else he knew.
"Thank you darling. I probably would have stolen Lily`s food otherwise."
Sirius chuckled, "James is a mean cook."
"He is, yeah."
"Oh my God. It`s the hot guy from the gas station!"
Right. He took a deep breath in. Of course Sirius was the hot guy from the gas station. Not only did the students now know about Sirius but they had a crush on him too. This was great. Absolutely great. Remus was having a field day.
Sirius spotted Emma and May in an instant who were gaping at him in disbelief.
"Right, I`m uh gonna go," glancing back at Remus who was still processing what just happened, "See you at home, Love."
"Bye, Sirius." Remus watched him leave the room in agony. With a resigned sigh he turned to face his fate.
"Mr. Lupin, was that your boyfriend?"
"He`s so hot."
"Mr. Lupin, where did you meet?
"How long have you two been together?"
"Mr. Lupin, why didn`t you say anything before?"
"I didn`t know you were gay."
"Really? Is your gaydar taking a vacation or something?"
"Oh my God, maybe they are engaged."
"Or even married?"
"His eyes were so intense."
"Mr. Lupin, he said 'see you at home' so you guys live together am I right?"
"Mr. Lupin, you bagged a baddie."
"Tell us about your spouse."
Remus raised his voice to be heard above the excited chatter. "Alright, everybody calm down. Before you ask any more questions, this was my husband, Sirius. We`ve been married for tree years but together for ten."
Once again he was showered with endless questions so he decided to end the lesson a bit early. "Okay, class dismissed. No homework for today."
"Oh, come on Mr. Lupin please tell us more about him."
His blush only deepened the more his students asked about the love of his life but his decision was final.
"No, I`m going. See you on Wednesday." Remus frantically rushed out of the class as fast as he could, fleeing his students many inquiries before he collapsed on a chair in the teachers lounge.
"Someone`s in a hurry."
Remus`s head snapped up to see Lily coming through the door. The bell had not yet rung which fortunately resulted in them being the only people in the lounge.
He sighed. "I`m never going to teach that class ever again."
She sat down on the chair across from him. "Okay, drama queen. Tell me what happened."
"Sirius came by and my students went ballistic. Worst of all, two of my students talked about some hot guy at a gas station only for the mysterious man in question to present himself as my husband."
Lily threw her head back in a wholehearted laugh, her eyes crinkling at the corners.
"Hey, this is not funny."
"It is," she chuckles, her shoulders still shaking. "James is going to love this."
"Please don`t tell him."
"Oh, I will. Whether you like it or not."