Chapter Text
Chapter One:
Hot Chocolate and Brown Sugar
Sirius needed a latte. It was bloody freezing out for September, and he decided the twenty minute walk it took to get from his lecture to his apartment would be simply unbearable without one. There was a shop right off campus that was on the way, and the heat from the ovens was a warm refuge from the chill outside. The bell above the door rang as he opened it, and someone knelt behind the counter restocking the pastries case called “Sorry, give me just a moment.”
Sirius looked over the menu board and decided on his usual order. The person restocking the pastry display stood up and dusted off his apron. He set the tray he’d been holding on the back counter and walked to the register.
“What can I get for you?”
The man looked about his age, with warm brown eyes and soft, curly hair. He had scars and freckles across his face and a giant patterned jumper under his apron. Sirius thought for a moment, reconsidering his choice.
“What do you suggest?” he asked.
“Oh! My personal favorite’s the hot chocolate with a bit of brown sugar, topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. Oh! but you probably want something with a bit more caffeine in it. Ah, the caramel latte’s pretty good too, and you can get that one iced or hot? Although I suppose you could get any of them iced if you wanted to.”
He glanced out the window, then back to Sirius, looking a bit flustered when he realized he’d done so.
Sirius laughed, then said, “I’ll take the hot chocolate you mentioned and a butter Croissant”
“What’s your name?” The boy asked, and when Sirius looked a bit surprised, he rushed to say “For your order,” looking a bit embarrassed.
“Ah,” Sirius said, laughing slightly before saying “Sirius, S-i-r-i-u-s, like the star”
The boy behind the counter looked excited and almost dropped his marker, “Oh my god, That’s part of my favourite constellation! I’ve never met anybody named after it.”
“Oh, wow! Yeah, my family was really into star names. My cousins, my brother, and I all have ‘em. They’re pretty nice, but people always find them a bit hard to spell since they’re so old.” The boy laughed, then seemed to remember that he was at work and that Sirius had ordered a hot chocolate.
“Ah, well, let me get you your croissant first, and I’ll bring your hot chocolate out in just a bit.”
Sirius paid and the brown-haired boy disappeared behind the glass pastry display to retrieve his croissant. He handed it over and turned to make his hot chocolate. Sirius sat at the round table in the corner and fished his phone out from his pocket.
Reggie: Do you know if James was good at Speech his first year? I suck at it but I refuse to have to retake this fucking class
Sirius: Probably, he talks all the time
Sirius: More importantly, do you think Tonks is free tonight? I want to redo my hair but I want insurance in case I fuck it up
Reggie: I dunno, probably, ask her
Sirius turned his phone off and took a bite of his croissant. It was delicious, buttery and flaky and warm. He took a couple more bites before the brown-haired man walked over, carrying a steaming to-go cup with a domed lid.
“Here ya go,” he said, smiling at Sirius.
“Thanks,” Sirius said, trying to hide a grin.
He watched the brown-haired man walk back behind the counter and busy himself with a bit of cleaning. He really was charming, and he looked so huggable. He was tall, taller than Sirius at least, although that didn’t take much, and his jumper looked exceptionally cuddly.
Sirius picked up his croissant and hot chocolate, and made a mental note to remember the man’s fancy hot chocolate. He pulled up the collar of his not-at-all-warm leather jacket and braced for the chill of his walk home.
He got about five minutes in before he actually tried his drink, mostly using it as a warmer for his hands, which were the coldest because of the wind. He took a cautious sip - it was divine. Rich dark chocolate and cream, with the brown sugar deepening the flavour, and just cool enough not to burn him. The warmth flooded his chest and moved slowly throughout his whole body. Sirius decided he absolutely had to go back and thank the barista. And maybe get to know him a bit better, if Sirius was bold enough. He certainly wouldn't mind another chance to see his face. Suddenly, Sirius realized that he'd made a crucial mistake.
"Fuck, I forgot to ask his name"