Could be worse

James generally considered himself to be a fairly average guy. Despite the first impression you might get upon meeting him that he’d need to follow a bulldozer around just to fit his head through the doorway (with Sirius of course, being the bulldozer), it was more others opinion of him than his own.

Sure, he thought he was morally upstanding, braver than a giraffe teaching itself to swim, kind where it was possible, witty, charming, hilarious and devilishly handsome.

It wasn’t to say he didn’t have a high opinion of himself. Make no mistake, he did. The thing was, that James had a high opinion of just about everyone. He saw only the good in people just on instinct. It was something he’d often found confusing about his friends, that they couldn’t see the good in themselves.

However, James was also not one for forgiveness. He was not one to turn the other cheek and be the bigger man. He was not one to push his assumption of innocence past proof that it wasn’t there. In short, he had enemies and he liked revenge.

Perhaps if he’d been a better man in that regard, things wouldn’t have gone so downhill so quickly. Unfortunately, he’d spent far too much time with Sirius Black, who only exacerbated that part of him. And doubly unfortunately, Sirius Black happened to be his best friend, the person in the world he would trust with his life and all his secrets. The one person he’d sworn a thousand times he’d never betray, never abandon, never lie to.

So he really was in a sticky situation.

-

James had met Regulus for the first time in the coffee shop and thought nothing of the interaction. Well, that was a lie. He’d thought many, many things about the interaction for hours after. But none of the things he should have.

“All I’m saying,” Remus was mid-rant, grabbing so aggressively at a docket that it ripped in two and swearing loudly. Luckily, the hiss of the coffee machine drowned him out, “All I’m saying is that we shouldn’t be using bloody America as a standard. Just because we have it better than America doesn’t mean it isn’t shit here, ya know?”

James hummed, absent-mindedly taping the docket back together as Remus returned to the coffee machine. He knew he really should be paying attention to his friends entirely justified rant but he just couldn’t get his brain to zone in today.

“You can’t fix the American health care system you rat faced cunt how about you fix ours?” He set the mug down on the bench and James forced himself to focus on sliding it onto a tray alongside its accompanying hot chocolate, he wasn’t about to drop his fifth cup of the week or even ____ wouldn’t be able to resist firing him. The only reason he still had his job was because ____ liked him and he had a knack for charming customers.

“The latte and the hot chocolate,” he grinned, passing them out with hands he forced to still. Two women, one in her mid-fifties and the other probably a few years older than James. A mother daughter combo he’d guess. He complimented the older woman’s hideous dress and shot the younger woman a wink. Both smiled and thanked him as he left the table, the younger woman holding back laughter.

“That’s shit mate,” he muttered to Remus as he made back to the counter, “You know if you ever need…”

“I don’t-” Remus snapped before he could even finish then he immediately sighed and shook his head at James, “I mean, thanks but I can- oh hi there!”

Remus was generally quite shit with customers and as soon as James whipped around to greet the newcomer, he went back to wiping the bench around the machine just to make himself look busy.

James wished he wouldn’t because his voice was suddenly caught in his throat. He liked to flirt with customers when they were cute, though Remus scolded him. But the man in front of him took his breath away, and all the wind out of his sails with it.

“Hello there.”

There was a long pause and the man raised one perfect eyebrow expectantly at James who coughed loudly and forced a grin, “Hi, hi there sorry what can I do you for mate?”

The man sighed and tucked a strand of curly black hair behind one ear, a futile effort as it almost immediately fell back into place across his eye. “Just one double shot espresso to go please."

“Double shot,” James mused before flashing the man all the grin he could muster and an insinuating eyebrow, “Gonna be up all night.”

“Hopefully not.”

His voice was crisp, with the vowels drawn out and the consonants sharp. Between his accent and the poise he held himself with, James thought he mightn’t have been out of place in one of those historical dramas about princes who fell in love with maid girls.

But the man’s clothes didn’t scream of royalty and certainly didn’t suggest he was the kind of guy to fall in love with girls.

He wore silver rings and just about every ear piercing a person could have. He wore a long sleeve white shirt with a baggy black t-shirt over the top that was tucked into dark denim shorts with a silver studded belt and jean chains. Several necklaces disappeared under his shirt and eyeliner made his ___ eyes more beautiful than they already were.

James really was doing his best not to stare.

He plugged the drink into the system and realised Remus behind him was already making it. He raised his eyebrows at James who rolled his eyes, grinning and turned back to the man, “Could I grab a name for that?”

Which he didn’t really need to do when he was the only person in the café, but he honestly just wanted to put a name to the gorgeous face in front of him.

“Regulus.”

“Like the star,” James blurted without really realising. He remembered a conversation he’d had with Lily once when their group had been camping. She’d been pointing out all the different stars in the sky after a conversation started about Sirius’ name. There was definitely a star called Regulus and James didn’t see another reason to name for kid some fancy Latin name. Though, admittedly, it was a beautiful name.

“Yes.” The man, Regulus, tutted, rolling his eyes and leaning against the counter, tapping his card near the reader. “Like the brightest star in Leo.”

“I’m a Leo,” James blurted as he sent through the payment. Regulus stared at him for a solid moment in confusion and a little frustration. Then he exhaled a laugh, a soft but beautiful sound that made James feel like melting down into a puddle on the floor.

“Good for you.” He tapped his card and stood again, the beep sounding far too loud between them.

“Well praise be to your parents,” James shrugged, trying to claw his way back to cool and casual waitress, “It’s a wonderful name.”

Regulus hummed, staring out into the rain that had started pelting the windows. “Praise be. Just about the only thing they didn’t fuck up.”

There was an awkward silence between them as the receipts printed and James murmured “Oh right.” As guilt built up in his chest. He hadn’t meant to bring up any painful memories or praise shitty parents in any regard.

“Sorry,” Regulus laughed, turning back and shaking his head like he was annoyed with himself, “That was- I probably should have just said thank you and left.”

“No!” James assured him, so utterly tripping over himself in his growing infatuation, “No, you’re fine!”

The two of them held gaze for a moment, both smirking and eyes twinkling. James’ heart was training for Olympic gymnastics and his brain was short-circuiting so badly he wouldn’t be surprised if sparks started coming out of his ears.

“Uh, the uh long black,” Remus’ voice snapped him out of his trance and then set him into a fit, “For the hottie James wants to ask out.”

“REMUS!” he turned so abruptly he almost knocked the drink right out of his hands. He set the coffee down on the counter and smirked up at James who turned to Regulus with all the apologetic customer service mannerisms he’d picked up and a fair dose of genuine horror, “Oh god I’m so sorry.”

But Regulus just exhaled a laugh, shaking his head at James, “No you’re fine. We all need one friend like that.” he winked at Remus who smirked, turning away and took the cup from the counter. Then he turned to James with that perfectly arched eyebrow, “Could I have a receipt.”

“Yeah, yeah no of course.” James’ hands scrabbled hopelessly across the counter for where he’d put the receipt, feeling embarrassment rush to his face. God he’d been stupid to think that someone as cool as the man in front of him would be interested. He’d be better off with Remus. And Remus, how dare Remus? Oh lord, why couldn’t he find the receipt. This was the most embarrassing shift he’d had all week. And he’d dropped five drinks.

He finally found the receipt right next to the register and handed it over with shaking hands. Regulus took it and pressed it down on the counter, grabbing a pen and scribbling something at the bottom. Remus snorted, clapping James on the shoulder and muttering, “You idiot,” in his ear.

Regulus slid the receipt back across the table and James’ heart probably won gold with the flip it pulled off. A phone number and a little scrawled message.

“No-one gets receipts these days,” Regulus announced before throwing a casual wave to Remus and leaving before James could stop staring at the message, his mind going a million miles an hour without a single thought.

When he looked up, he was disappointed that Regulus was gone but he didn’t think anything could bring down his mood. He glanced back at the receipt and then stuffed it in his pocket, running a hand incredulously through his hair.

“You twat,” Remus laughed, “Go help table five.”

If you’re friend is right, call me. x