A Muffin

The Beginning of a Good Thing

 cw: this story has mention of death, suicide, not nice parents. its pretty minor themes i think though

sirius

"I fucking swear, why can't you just listen?" I overheard

"It's not a big deal. You would've said yes anyway" someone responded 

The first one sighed angrily. "Fine, what do you want?"

"Black, same as always." The second said, fair too calmly

I looked up at the customer. He was a regular, usually a calm person, loved reading. Super handsome.. He told me about some books before. He was nice. Always got chamomile tea with two sugars and a milk. Always wore knitted sweaters. He was tall. He had curly soft looking hair. Thin scars running down his face and a few on his hands. Sometimes came with his friend who always got a black coffee. Every once and a while the nice man would get a chocolate chip muffin. Never when the black coffee guy was here.

I got him the tea and coffee, always pretending like i didn't remember the order.

"You okay?"

He hesitated. "I'm fine, just me overreacting."

I frowned. "What's going on?' I asked, not wanting him to leave while he believed that.

"Josh is my roommate." He pointed vaguely in the direction of 'josh' with his thumb. "He borrowed my sweater out of my room when I wasn't there, even though he knows how much I hate people going in my room without my permission." he grit his teeth and breathed like he was forcing himself to calm down. "He's right, though, I would have let him borrow it anyway."

"So he broke a boundary of yours and then kinda gaslit you about it?"

He chewed his lip a little nervously, I tried not to focus on that. "He's my friend. He didn't mean harm. He probably won't do it again."

"Black coffee and chamomile tea, two sugars and a milk. On the house today."

He looked at me for a few seconds. "Are you sure?'

"Yup."

"Thank you."

"Of course."

He walked away obviously unsure of himself.

"Flirting with the barista or something?" josh teased

"No, he was just being nice."

"Come on, Remus, just because I can't hear what he said doesn't mean I can't tell he's attracted to you."

I finally learned my beautiful usual's name. Remus. "don't , Josh, we have to go to class anyhow."

***

The next time he came in, the next day, he was his usual calm self.

"Remus, hmm?" i said before he could say his order

"What?'

"Your friend said your name yesterday."

"You heard what he said? I'm sorry, he assumes everyone flirts with me."

I winked. "Not surprising."

"What?" he blushed.

I just smiled. "Muffin day?"

"Sorry what?"

"Just the tea today or is it a muffin day?" i suppose i revealed my hand but it's worth it

"Uh just the tea, chamomile-"

I slid the finished tea over. "chamomile tea, two sugars and a milk. You get the same thing every day for the past month."

"Oh, yeah i guess i do, thanks." he paid and walked off to go sit and read whatever book he brought.

***

It was only october. I didn't pay much attention to the other students in my class except James, who was my best friend since forever. Maybe I was basically rich and could pay for me and all my friends to live very nicely, but I was bored doing nothing my whole life. I lived with James and took some of his classes as well as some classes that sounded vaguely interesting instead of some of james' more boring classes. Creative writing, morden arts, things like that. So it surprised me to hear a familiar voice in a class I didn't have with him.

"Sirius?"

"Hmm?" I turned around. "Remus?"

"Hi. I didn't know you had creative writing."

"I didn't know you had creative writing either."

"Can I?" He motioned to the seat beside me.

"Of course." I smiled at him

He studied me. "What kind of writer are you?"

"What kind of writer do you think I am?"

" Adventure. Definitely an adventure, maybe a romance here and there."

"Hmm. I like to write about myself mostly."

"Yourself?"

I laughed a little bitterly. "A sad story."

"Oh, interesting."

I looked at him. He looked back at me with some kind of understanding. "And you?"

"I guess I write about things I wish I could do."

" so you're the adventurous writer."

"Not exactly.. more like writing a better person than myself. Someone who has- who has more friends than a roommate who doesn't hang out more than a few dinners and a coffee every once and a while. Someone who has a boyfriend" he laughed

"Yeah, I get that. My book self has a family who loves him and a boyfriend."

"Oh yes, a family who loves him." He laughed again

I got the impression that he didn't have support from anyone. I was grateful to have my friends. We talked quietly while class went on. It was interesting almost telling someone your trauma without exactly telling them.

I took him to my place after class, and didn't take no for an answer.

***

"James, I'm home!"

"I'm in the kitchen honey!" He replied

Remus raised an eyebrow. "No boyfriend indeed."

I laughed. "We are best friends, it's not like that, we just like flirting with each other."

"You get milk?" James shouted

"No, I forgot, we got a guest!" I yelled back

James came out of the kitchen. He gasped like a mother seeing her little girl in a prom dress. "Aw, is this the famed Remus?"

He looked at me like oh so you talk about me :)

I blushed. "Yes. Don't be weird, babe."

"Hi babe, nice to meet you." Remus said amused

James looked happy. "Can we keep him? Please?"

I facepalmed. "One of you is going to be the death of me."

"I'll bring chamomile flowers to your funeral." Remus said

"I'll bring Remus!" James said.

"I was promised lunch?" Remus asked

So of course Remus fit in fast.