Chapter 1
James did not sign up for this.
Well technically he did, but he did not sign up for this. When James decided he wanted to join the music industry as a kid, when he decided that he wanted to start a band with all his mates, he did not think so far ahead as to predict running from crowds of people and trying not to get caught.
Sure, he wanted to be famous, have tons of fans and people who adored him, but he didn’t fully think through what that meant. Never really realized it meant he couldn’t go outside without a hat, sunglasses, and bodyguard.
So now he was slipping down the street, escaping from the crowds and noise. He somehow had been separated from the rest of the band and was trudging down the road by himself. He knew if he kept this up he wouldn’t be alone for very long, and wondered if there was somewhere he could slip into to hide while he called his driver to come pick him up.
As if God had blessed him himself, he stumbles upon a small coffee shop, which was still open at almost 12:00 at night. He glances inside for a moment, tries the door to test if it was locked, and then glances down the streets before walking inside.
He was quite exhausted, the show had lasted hours on end and they ended up staying there longer then they were supposed to. Something had happened outside, probably a psychotic fan or something, and everything got pushed back by a whole two hours. Honestly, James was on his last straw, and it was slowly slipping out between his fingers. He didn’t know how much longer he could keep up this cheery act around his fans and on televisions, and then do the same act at home as well.
When the bell dings as the door closes, a boy from behind the counter looks up. James is nervous, he doesn’t have a bodyguard or ride and doesn’t know how the barista may react, but the boy gives him a deadpanned look, his hand, which had been cleaning the counter, coming to a stop.
“Lovely. A customer. Four minutes before closing time. No no, please take your time. What can I get you?” His voice is sickly sweet, and for a moment, James is frozen as he stares at him, finally taking him in fully.
He was beautiful, and that may be an understatement. His hair was in ringlock curls, which somehow hung perfectly and framed his face in a way that should put models at awe. His eyes were a light grayish blue, and they reminded him of how a cloudy sky looks right before a storm. He had dimples, which showed prominently while he scowled at him, and full pink lips, which were pulled into a frown.
“So?” He scowls, and James stumbles over his feet, tripping on his shoelace and landing with a thud on the ground. He can feel his face flush as he scrambles back to his feet, muttering something under his breath as he ties his shoe. When he glances up, the man’s face is more amused than angry now, and James is just glad to have him no longer glaring at him.
“Are you drunk? I have the right to refuse drunk customers, you know,” he muses, and James flushes darker, gaping at him.
“What- what?! No! I’m not drunk- I’m just…”
“Clumsy? Uncoordinated? Gawky?” James stares at him, wide eyed, and the man gives him an amused smile, leaning closer slightly, “alright, bambi, what can I get for you?” He repeats, and James shakes his head, a smile finding its way onto his face as he throws his head back and laughs.
“Bambi? Really? That’s new. Erm, can I get the Caramel twist? Extra Caramel,” He gives him his most flattering smile, and he gets another deadpanned look, the man staring at him for an extra moment.
“Yeah, you look like a caramel person,” he says finally, clicking on the board as the price flashes in front of James.
“Is that an insult?” James grins, and the man shrugs, giving him another small smile.
“Take it as you will,” he replies back easily, before holding his hand out. James stares, confused, and the man raises his eyebrow.
“Did you not see? It’s 5 dollars and sixteen cents. You doing cash or credit?”
“Oh, uhh, cash, uhm, here can you break a ten?” Again, he gets a look as the man pops open the register and pulls out a five and counts out change.
“Alright, I’ll have it to you soon,” he drawls, turning and heading towards the back.
James stands awkwardly, only just noticing now that all the seats had been stacked onto the tables, and most machines were off. He felt bad for coming in, what did the man say, four minutes before closing? He was surprised he wasn’t kicked out immediately, being in here so late.
His phone buzzes, and he flinches, startled from his thoughts as he pulls it out. He can see his best friend's name flashing on the screen, and he answers it, immediately bombarded by his voice shouting.
“Prongs, what the hell! Where the hell are you, Mate? Me, Pete and the girls got into the car and you were just missing! Scared the piss outta us, can’t just disappear like that, man. Where are you?” He’s running on before James can get a word out, and he cringes, shaking his head and letting out a small laugh.
“Yeah, sorry, Pads, I got caught up in the crowd, I’m at a coffee shop right now, actually.” The door from the back opens, and he’s quickly distracted from the call as the man emerges again, holding a cup of steaming coffee and something in a baggy. He’s staring at James curiously, and James clears his throat, cutting off a ranting Sirius.
“Hey, hey Padfoot, my orders done, I gotta go, come get me, yeah?” He gives him the address and then shoves his phone in his pocket, fumbling slightly as he reaches for his drink. “Thanks! It looks good, erm, what’s this?” He peers into the bag, noticing the assortment of goodies placed neatly inside, and glances back up at the man, who glares back at him.
He purses his lip slightly, muttering under his breath before replying, “It’ll be bad by tomorrow, I’d have to throw it out anyways and since you’re here, at 12:07 A.M may I add, I thought I’d use you to help get rid of some stuff. If you don’t like it you can toss it,” James physically feels himself melt, leaning against the counter as he grins.
“Thanks,” He replies, voice low, and a tinge of color floods the man's face, though it goes away quickly.
“Yeah, whatever, mind getting off, I just cleaned that,” He scowls and shoos him off the counter, and James’ grin widens as he leans back off it.
“Well, I guess I’ll get going, thanks again,” He turns to leave, but is stopped by the man walking around the counter with a broom in his hand.
“Did you say someone- padfoot was it? That’s a stupid name, was coming to pick you up? You can wait in here, pull a seat down. Or leave. I don’t care,” His voice is sharp, but not exactly in a bad way, and James grins again, for a moment forgetting life and all his problems as he heads over to a table and pulls down a chair, sitting down and admiring the man in front of him.
Then he remembers that, yes, he is in fact famous, and what if this man knew him and had posted he was here in the back? What if there was a huge crowd heading straight towards them right now?
The man glances up at him, almost as if he could feel him staring, and then gives him a glare until James looks away, making him awkwardly stare out the window instead as he takes peeks out the corner of his eye.
For some reason, he didn’t think this man would do that. Not because he thought he wouldn’t stoop that low, or because James trusted him, but because the man just seemed so genuinely annoyed with him.
It actually seemed like he didn’t know James.
He didn’t know what to really think about this. He shouldn’t care if the man didn’t know him, was his head really so big that one person not screaming in joy of seeing him bothered him this much?
But really, he didn’t think it was the fact that he didn’t know him. It was the fact that out of everyone in the world, this was someone who James wished actually did know him. He wanted this man, out of everyone in the world, to look at him in admiration with his pretty eyes and dimples.
This was a strange thought for someone he had just met, nonetheless for someone who seemed to want James gone as soon as possible. He didn’t even know the mans name, and was tripping over himself about him.
Clearing his throat to gain the strangers attention, James gives him a grin and leans on the back of the chair, straddling it as he takes a sip from his drink.
“So, what’s your name?” He asks, and the man ignores him for a second, before moving closer as he sweeps. He spares James a small glance, and then points at his nametag, making James blink and squint as he adjusts his glasses. Finally, he lets out a breath, pouting. “Spare a poor blind man some trouble and tell me, will you?”
He rolls his eyes again, but this time he has a small smile on his face, just barely ghosting over his lips. “It’s Regulus.” He replies back finally, voice quiet as if he didn’t want James to actually hear. He smiles at it, and Regulus snaps his head up at him, glaring. “Don’t laugh,” he snaps, neck flushed lightly.
James’ grin widens as he shakes his head, raising his hands up in defense. “I’m not, I’m not! It’s a nice name, sophisticated, I like it. Sounds like you should be a famous philosopher, or something. Regulus.” He tries the name out, and the man blinks, the flush running up his neck to his cheeks as he whirls around and lets the broom fall onto the counter with a snap. James watches him with a smile as he grabs the rag from the counter and moves over to James.
“Up,” he snaps at him, and James is up in an instant, picking up his bag and drink from the table as Regulus bends over to clean it off once again.
James has a hint that he’s just avoiding eye contact with him and finding something to distract himself with, but hey, that was just a hunch.
“So, not going to ask for my name?” James asks after a moment, and Regulus huffs, wiping his hands on his apron as he stands up, giving James a bored glance.
“I don’t really care to know, to be honest,” he snips back, and James places a dramatic hand on his chest as he leans back, feigning pain.
“Ooh, ouch, my heart. Careful, I’m a fragile man. It’s James, just so you know. Now you have the pleasure of knowing the name of the person you’ll be jerking off to tonight,” he winks, and again Regulus rolls his eyes as he scoffs.
“Please,” he replies back, but he can’t hide the pink tinging his cheeks, and James’ grin widens as he steps closer. Regulus stares at him for a hot moment, before blinking and shaking his head. “When’s your friend getting here, the one with the stupid name? I’m about to kick you out,” he huffs, and James glances at his phone, noticing about ten minutes had passed already.
“He’s not a very reliable person with time, but that’s alright, the more time I’m spending with you the better,” again he throws another wink, and Regulus again rolls his eyes. The banter continues, though it’s really more one sided flirting, and James loses himself in the feel of it. He hadn’t felt so… normal in a while. He couldn’t just go to any club because it meant he was immediately bombarded by people, he had to find good, secluded ones. He didn’t find people he enjoyed flirting with often, and even so when he did he worried that they were only flirting back for one reason, his fame.
With Regulus, even if he had just met him, the banter felt so easy. Every comment or flirt made his stomach flip and his face flush. He wanted to get to know him, to take him places and show him his favorite secret spots. He wanted to hold his hand and go to clubs with him. He wanted to be a normal person. Something he had been wanting a lot, lately.
They’re both pulled away from their conversation as headlights shine through the window, and Regulus pulls back from where he was leaning over the counter, shielding his face from the light.
“Finally,” Regulus scoffs, but he glances at James through his eyelashes, chewing on the inside of his cheek.
Okay, you can do this, just ask for his number. Easy peasy. Ask for his number.
“Bye,” Regulus states, giving him a look, and James moves towards the door, a silent mantra going off in his head.
Ask for his number, ask for his number, ask for his number you damned idiot.
“Thanks again, Regulus, and sorry for the trouble,” James replies, grinning back at the man, who nods his head as he moves towards the back.
James leaves the small coffee shop, the bell jingling as the door shuts behind him, and he trudges to the car. When he climbs into the limo, Lily is glaring at him.
“What?” He asks, and she scowls, throwing a candy bar at him.
“Don’t what me, James Fleamont Potter. You just disappear, giving us all heart attacks,” She waves to a sleeping Peter and pouting Sirius, and then at Mary and Marlene, who were also glaring, before crossing her legs and arms, “And then we don’t get a message or call until Sirius has to call you, only to be told you’re at a coffee shop?! You could’ve been assaulted, or kidnapped, or killed for god sakes, and here you are sipping on a coffee and holding a bag of baked goods!” She snaps, and he cringes into the seat. Lily’s anger was one thing he did not like to deal with.
“I’m really really really really sorry, I meant to find a quiet place and call, I did! I just got distracted!” He defends, and Lily gives him a look. Mary waves her off though, laughing.
“Come off it, Lily, you know how he gets. Distracted by the way the road looks.” At that Lily cracks a grin, and James feints offense, putting a hand to his chest.
“Now what is that supposed to mean?” He scoffs, and Mary sticks out her tongue as Marlene laughs.
“I don’t understand how that poor man even let you stay in there so late. It was way past its closing time,” Lily says after a moment, and James shrugs, flushing lightly.
“I’m sure that man was real excited to have the James Potter in his shop, eh, Prongs?” Sirius pipes up, and again James shrugs, except this time, he shakes his head.
“Actually, I don’t think he knew me.”
Sirius’ mouth drops open as Marlene cackles, overly joyed for someone to not have known James, apparently.
“What? Really? You sure he wasn’t just faking it to talk to you?”
James shakes his head, and then grins, “Actually, he kept glaring at me, and insulting me. He was not happy to have me in his shop at 12:00 A.M.” He sags into the seat, staring pointedly at the ceiling of the limo, and Lily makes an ‘ah’ noise.
“So that’s what you were distracted by? A pretty boy,” She muses, and he snaps up, blushing crimson as Sirius grins.
“Oh? Prongs, you dog,” He teases, and James waves them off, before smiling and nodding along.
“God, he was so pretty, could’ve put any of those models we met to shame!”
“What about that one girl, with the big boobs? What was her name… erm, Carrie?” Mary muses, and James nods solemnly.
“Yep, even her. He was extraordinary,” he sinks back into the seat as Sirius laughs, shaking.
“Oh, you know he’s in deep when he uses big words.”
“Extraodinary is not a big word, Sirius,” Lily drawls, and he sniffs tipping his head back as she continues, “You’re just stupid.”
“How dare you! I could have you canceled for that you know! One day, Imma find me someone who appreciates me,” he scoffs, and James places a hand on his chest.
“Am I not enough, Pads?”
“Of course you are, Prongs,” He replies back, winking, and James pretends to swoon into Peter, who startles awake.
“So, did you get this mysterious boys number who somehow didn’t know you?” Sirius asks, and Mary laughs.
“God, Sirius, you’re more offended for James than he is about someone not knowing him,” before they can begin bickering, James cuts in loudly.
“No, I didn’t get his number, I chickened out. I can’t believe I can go onstage and perform in front of hundreds of people but can’t ask for one guys number.” He groans, and Lily gives him a sympathetic look.
“You could always go again another day, get to know him, ask him on a date,” she replies, and he sits up suddenly, mouth open.
“Brilliant! Lily, you're brilliant! I’ll go back tomorrow! Ask for his number and him out on a date! I’ll clear up my schedule!” He plans it all out.
He could do this. He had done more nerve wracking things, he could definitely get Regulus’ number.
Just closing up the shop, I’ll be home soon.
Regulus doesn’t even have to wait a full minute before he’s getting a reply, and he glances down at his phone.
Jesus, took you long enough. What happened, it’s almost one in the morning? Did you go out partying?
He types back a quick reply, but doesn’t even get it halfway typed out before his phone begins to ring. He rolls his eyes at the impatience, but picks up nonetheless.
“Remus, hello, not that I don’t love hearing your voice, but I was texting back you know.”
“I know, but you shouldn’t text and drive, it’s dangerous.” He replies back, voice thick with sleep.
“Oh, but driving and calling is so much better?”
“Yes, now you can be hands free. But stop trying to distract me, why the hell are you so late?” Regulus lets out a laugh, shaking his head slightly as he sighs.
“I got a customer.”
“It’s almost one in the morning, Regulus, I’m going to need a better answer than that.”
“I got a customer four minutes before closing time.”
“Oh, it all makes sense now. It took you almost a full hour to serve him, which you did of course, because you’re such a nice person and would never turn them away,” he deadpans, and again Regulus lets out a small laugh, before smiling slightly.
“What can I say? He was hot.”
“Oh? Now you’ve got my attention. Continue, please.”
He’s full on grinning now, and he continues. “I would have shooed him away like I usually do, because damn could he not see the sign on the door that says ‘closes at 12?’ But when he came in, he looked lost, and that didn’t concern me but hell he was hot.”
“Scale of one to ten?”
“At least an eleven,” Remus whistles before laughing.
“But he was really hot enough to be out until- wait wait wait, how long did this man stay for? You didn’t…?”
“No! God, no, Jesus you need to clean out the inside of your head with bleach, please,” Regulus scoffs, and again there's laughter on the other side, and what sounds like a door sliding open and closed before there's the obvious click of a lighter.
“Okay okay sorry, my bad, sue me for assuming you finally got laid. How longs’ it been? A year, two?”
“You're over exaggerating, plus if you don’t shut up I can’t even tell you the story.”
“My bad, continue, continue.”
“Thank you. Anyways, as I was saying, he comes in looking completely lost, right? And so I ask him what I can get him, and this man walks one foot and trips over his shoe. He’s lucky he’s hot because I just know he would be dying out in the world if it weren’t for that.”
“You’re so mean. Did he really trip?”
“Yes! And then he’s still stuttering over his words so I was wondering if he got some sort of brain damage from the fall or something, right, so I ask again what I can get for him and then he asks for a caramel twist with extra caramel. Who gets extra caramel in a caramel twist? The whole thing is pretty much Caramel alone,” Remus is laughing by the time he’s finished his mini rant, and he breaks into a smile again at the sound.
“Okay, so don’t get me wrong, I love your storytelling skills, but is this story actually going anywhere?”
“Yes, just shut up and listen. So anyways, I get into the back to make it, and when I come out someones yelling at him on his phone. I couldn’t hear it since it wasn’t on speaker, but just imagine how loud they had to be yelling for me to hear it. And their name? It was padfoot.”
“It has to be a nickname,” Remus replies, and Regulus hushes him as he continues.
“So I give him his drink and tell him he could stay while he waits, because while he was on the phone he told ‘padfoot’ where he was and said he would be waiting for them to pick him up, and I couldn’t just send him off to the streets, could I?”
“This man is lucky he has pretty privilege.”
“Shut up. Anyways, after he sits down, he starts flirting with me. He said, quote on quote, ‘my names James, so you know the name of the person you’ll be jerking off to tonight.’”
There's a small shuffle, and then Remus’ voice is right next to the phone. “No way he said that. He just met you?” Regulus smiles and hums, and Remus laughs. “Okay, so did you get his number? Schedule a hook up?”
At that, Regulus’ smile drops, and he huffs. “No.”
“No? No?! All this build up just for you to tell me you didn’t get this mans goddamn number? You let him sit and wait in our shop, just to not get his number? I called you at one in the morning for this?”
“I thought he would ask, okay! He hesitated at the door and everything! He looked back at me with his puppy dog eyes, and then just thanked me and left,” he pulls into the driveway but stays in the car, grabbing his phone.
“I cannot believe this,” Remus grumbles, and there's a shuffle upstairs before his head peeks through the curtains. “Get up here so I can throw something at you.”
He trudges up stairs, and true to his word, Remus throws a pillow at his head as soon as he gets inside. It bounces off the door and flops to the floor, and Regulus grabs it and hugs it to his chest as he kicks off his shoes and flops on the couch, groaning into it.
“I’ve lost the hottest person I’ve ever seen, and I’ll never get a chance like this again,” He whines, and Remus grins, patting his shoulder as he walks by and dropping onto the end of the couch.
“I don’t know, Reg, by the sounds of it, maybe he’ll be back?”
“There’s no way he’s coming back when he could’ve just asked for my number tonight. God, I hate myself,” Remus laughs as Regulus turns over and throws his legs in his lap. They’re both silent for a little bit, before Regulus speaks again, voice muffled by the pillow by his head. “He looked really familiar, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.”
“Maybe he’s your soulmate and you’ve seen him in your dreams.”
Regulus snorts and kicks him, though it's weak with sleepiness. “You sound like Pandora. She would probably tell me I knew him in another world or something.”
Remus smiles, grabbing the remote and flicking the tv on. They fall asleep on the couch together.