Benjy and Caradoc, Remus and Sirius
“Two grilled cheese, a golden latte and a tea, please, Eddie,” Caradoc said to the man behind the counter in The Black Dog.
“Comin’ right up, Doc,” Eddie replied with a grin, looking between him and Benjy. “Gonna introduce me to your cute friend?”
Caradoc huffed out a sigh, “Eddie, this is Benjy, Benjy, this is Eddie, my friend since second grade, and pain in my ass ever since.”
“Nice to meet you, mate.” Benjy held out his hand, which Eddie shook with an intrigued glint in his eye.
“Yeah, you too. You’re English?” He asked, and Benjy nodded. “Of course you are.” Eddie burst into raucous laughter, surprising Benjy and drawing the attention of several other patrons.
“Shut uuup!” Caradoc dragged a hand down his face. “Don’t you have work to do?”
Ed winked at his friend as he walked off to put their order in and Caradoc turned to Benjy, a blush rising up his neck. Benjy tilted his head slightly, waiting for Caradoc to explain what Ed had meant by ’Of course you are’.
Caradoc sighed, “I should probably explain that… It’s just— You know how as teenagers a lot of people had a horrifically obsessive Twilight phase, or I suppose in England, a Doctor Who phase, maybe?” Benjy nodded, unsure where this was going, “Well, I had a phase where I was obsessed with the UK, where I was convinced I was going to marry David Tennant and live in a castle with pet swans and—“
“Pet swans? Nah, they’ll break your arm, mate.” Benjy laughed, “You know, I know a guy who knows a guy who kinda looks like David Tennant…” He mused, “He just got married though, so you might have to settle for someone else.”
“Is that so?” Caradoc’s cheeks were beautifully flushed and Benjy couldn’t get enough. “You don’t think it’s weird?”
“I mean, it’s a bit weird, yeah, but in an endearing way.” Benjy reached across the table, palm facing upwards and his heart did a flip as Caradoc laced their fingers together. “I went through a musical theatre phase, so I can’t judge really.”
“Oh my god, you’re a theater kid?!” Caradoc laughed.
“I wish I could say ‘reformed theatre kid, but I’d be lying. I hear those opening chords to Seasons of Love and I’m already tearing up, y’know.” He laughed, “Is that really embarrassing?”
“No, I went to SAAS,” Upon seeing the blank look on Benjy’s face, he added, “Oh, right. Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences. I was surrounded by theater kids every day. I was in the visual arts program, but I made sets for the theater department regularly.”
“No way, that’s so cool.”
“Well, that’s the first time anyone has ever called it cool, so thank you.” Caradoc laughed softly.”So, I know you said you needed a change, which led you here. Can I ask what you needed a change from?”
Benjy couldn’t exactly say ‘I thought American men would find me hotter than British men’ so he settled for a half-truth, “A string of bad dates, a long string, family drama. Just needed to clear my head.”
“And you decided Snoqualmie was the place to do that?” Caradoc asked, seemingly genuinely.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s nice here. The falls, the snow… the people.” Benjy added quietly, meeting Caradoc’s blue eyes. “I like it here.”
Before Caradoc could reply, Eddie was back with their drinks. “Golden Latte for Doc, and a tea for Benjy?” Benjy nodded.
“Thanks,” Benjy said with a smile.
Eddie lingered for a moment, a knowing smile teasing his face when he looked at their joined hands. “So this is a date?”
Caradoc nodded, “Yep.”
“Does your mom know?” Eddie said with a wicked grin.
“She does not, Edgar, and you won't tell her.”
“Can I be there when you tell her?” Eddie asked. “Please?”
Caradoc turned to Benjy, “My mom has been setting me up with people all year. She seems to think being thirty and single is a cry for help. If I tell her about you, she’ll want to meet you, and she can be a lot, and this is… new.”
Benjy nodded, “Well for what it’s worth, moms tend to love me, but you do you, love.”He watched as Caradoc’s eyes darkened at the word love and grinned. “Right. Noted.”
“Do you have any plans this afternoon?” Caradoc asked in a low voice, ignoring as Eddie watched the two of them like a tennis match.
“None at all.” Benjy sipped his tea and did his best not to grimace. “I’m free as a bird.”
“Well, you do now.” Caradoc nodded, “Give me five minutes?”
“Yeah, sure.” Benjy watched as Caradoc took his phone and headed outside the cafe.
“You like him?” Eddie asked, bluntly.
“Yeah, he’s great. I mean, we only just met the other day really, but… yeah, I do.”
Ed could tell by the way Benjy smiled wistfully that he meant it. “Good. He’s a good guy. Usually has shit taste in men, but you might be different. I hope you are.”
“I hope I am too.” Said Benjy with a shrug, “It would change my entire life, but… call me a hopeless romantic.”
“Well, that makes two of you then. And for the record, I think his mom will really like you. You have that whole polite, adorable thing going on.” Eddie nodded, “Well, enjoy your date. Hope I see you again.”
“Yeah, same. It was really nice meeting you.” Benjy smiled as Eddie went back to the counter and pulled out his phone.
Benj
On a first date with the hottest guy I’ve ever seen, and he’s currently scheduling extra date stuff for this afternoon!
Remus
The fuck is extra date stuff?
Also yes! Get it Benj!
Benj
No idea!
Mary
Please don’t end up on Dateline, sweet.
Remus
I’m in a car with Sirius and Teddy. Talk later.
Benj
What?!
WHAT!?>??!
No
wait
WAHAT?
Mary
Oh yeah, he literally went knocking doors on our road trying to find Re. It would be kind of cute if he wasn’t such a prick.
🌙✨🎄✨🌙
Remus snorted at his phone before putting it back into his pocket. “Sorry, my friend has gone on an impromptu trip to America to try and pull American blokes and he’s on a first date and we don’t want him to end up on Dateline, or one of those True Crime YouTube channels.”
“Ah, I see.” Sirius said, “Well, the thing is, Remus… Thank you, for your card. It really meant a lot to me.”
“Oh,” Remus looked over at Teddy who was engrossed in a game on Remus’ old phone. “Well, you’re welcome. I just thought— I’m so sorry about that day— I mean— I just came into the room with the whiskey and he strode up to me as I was pouring it, and then the fire and I just stood there, and he’s the President of the United States, Sirius. Nothing happened. You walked in just as I was pushing him away, but I know what it looked like. I didn’t want it, I didn’t ask for it or welcome it. And I just feel like such a twat, because, the thing is, I really—“
“We’re here!” Teddy shouted, causing Remus to close his eyes and press his lips together with a sigh.
“Alright, cyw, let’s get you in there.” He said, schooling his face into a big smile, before looking over at Sirius.
“I should go. Last thing anyone needs is the bloody prime minister stealing a bunch of kids’ thunder. No, I should— I should go.”
“Do you have to?” Remus asked as he opened the door and helped Teddy out. Teddy ran off towards Hope and Mary, but Remus lingered.
“Yes, I think so… But know that I’ll be gutted to drive away from you, Remus,” Sirius said softly, holding Remus’ gaze.
“Wait here. Just give me one second. Don’t leave, promise?”
Sirius nodded and Remus walked quickly away from the car. Frank looked at him from the front of the car with a sly grin, which made Sirius’ cheeks heat up. “Oh shut up.”
Remus returned a few minutes later. “We can watch from backstage.”
“But, Teddy. Won’t he want you out there in the audience?” Sirius asked, already halfway out of the car.
“I helped out with the little shows he did at nursery, so he’s used to me being in the wings, Mam and Mary will be out there, it’ll be fine, I promise.” He held out his hand. “Come on.”
Sirius linked their fingers slowly and deliberately, “How are we going to get backstage? This needs to be a private thing.”
“I went to school here, I know my way around.” Remus rolled his eyes. “You ready?”
“Uh, Frank. I’ll be back in an hour or so, ok?”
“Right, you are, sir. Enjoy the show!” Frank said with a wink.
“Lead on, Remus.” Sirius squeezed his hand gently as they exchanged a warm smile before Remus dragged him towards the back of the school.