Finding Love at the Happy Hotel | An Alastor x Reader Lemon Series

Dirty Chai and a Redeye

Alastor led me to a small coffee shop down the street that I frequented before my job started in the mornings. It stayed up late, often hosting local musicians and the occasional bad poet, and catered to all kinds of clientele. 

The soft buzz of conversation immediately died away when we walked in, the tiny bell above the door chiming to signal our entrance. I fought the urge to twitch as we went up to the counter, where the normally uninterested barista stood staring at us. 

"Um, can I help you?" She asked, looking between Alastor and me. 

"A redeye for me, and..." Alastor said, then glanced at me.

"Dirty chai with oat milk." I filled in, giving her my normal order with a reassuring smile. She returned it with a weak one of her own as she set about making our coffees. 

When we got our drinks, I led Alastor over to a corner table away from the other patrons. It was more for their benefit than ours, but I liked the privacy none the less. 

"Thank you for helping," I said as I sipped at my dirty chai, savoring the complex flavors. 

Alastor's ever-present grin stretched even wider as he replied, "I'm always happy to help. I haven't had a chance to air some carnage in a while, and whoever trashed your book store seems like the perfect candidate." I raised an eyebrow at him but thought better about opening that particular can of worms. 

"While we're here," Alastor said after a moment of silence, "I was hoping to ask you to drop by for dinner again. I know a killer jambalaya recipe."

"Another date?" I chuckled, watching a few eavesdroppers nearby glance at us, clearly listening to our conversation. 

Rolling my eyes at them, I replied, "That sounds wonderful, Alastor. How does tomorrow at six sound?"