I just wanted a muffin

Marlene was bored. The most bored she had been in her entire existence.

She had stupidly agreed to go to the bookstore with Remus, thinking he'd only be a couple of minutes and then he'd buy her a muffin to thank her for her time.

But Remus just sat on the floor of the store, ignoring her in favour of some boring book and texting his boyfriend.
It's a bookstore, not a library. Shouldn't he read the book after buying it?

Marlene huffed and walked over to a section of comics.

"Hi, do you need any help?"

"Yes,'' Marlene said, groaning.

"great. What are you looking for?" the bookstore worker asked.

Marlene groaned again and turned around. The bookstore worker was incredibly hot. They had purple lipstick on, short curly dark hair and were dressed like an 80 year old history teacher and a hipster skater.

The combination was surprisingly attractive.

"I just wanted a muffin."

The bookstore worker snorted, "well I'm not sure this is the right place for that."

Marlene nodded, "that's the problem. My friend won't fucking leave. He's just reading an entire book."

The bookstore worker laughed again, "It's like he thinks this is a library."

"Do you know him?"

They nodded, "he's in here almost every day. Hqs never brought anything. He just spends hours sitting on the floor, reading and then just comes back to finish it."

Marlene rolled her eyes, "he thinks he's clever."

"Well, I should be getting back to work. Nice to meet you though."

"you too."

Marlene went back to the comic shelf before finding nothing that caught her eye and walked back over to Remus.

"Remus!!" Marlene yelled.

Remus looked up, "shh."

The bookstore worker plucked the book out his hands.

"Remus. This is a book shop, not a library. You can make noise, and you should be paying for the books."

Remus rolled his eyes, "It's my capitalism loophole", he muttered, trying to grab the book back.

"This is an independent store!" they laughed, moving the book from his outreached hands.

Marlene came over to them, "Remus, Come on. I want a muffin, I'll buy the book for you."

Remus shook his head, "you know I don't like people buying things for me."

Marlene rolled her eyes, "I only came here in the hopes of getting a muffin."

The bookstore worker turned to Marlene, "I know a cafe that sells good muffins. It's nearly my lunch break if you want to go with me?"

Marlene nodded instantly, "yes. I'm so hungry, we've been here for an hour."

The bookstore worker gave the book back to Remus who sat back on the floor, and opened the book to where he got to.

"So… what's your name?" Marlene asked, as they walked over to the cafe.

"Dorcas, but most people call me Cas" they replied, "yours?"

"Marlene."

"I was surprised that you were friends with Remus at first, just because of how different you two dress." Dorcas said, smiling.

Marlene laughed, "you should see his boyfriend."

Marlene was just wearing a black vest and jeans but she did have to admit, Remus dressed exactly the opposite.
All beige and big jumpers.

They reached the cafe and Dorcas brought Marlene a blueberry muffin and a pot of tea for them to share.

Marlene proceeded to open four sachets of sugar into the tea and started drinking it to the grimace of Dorcas.

"Don't you want some milk?"

Marlene looked up and shook her head, "I only have sugar in my tea."
Dorcas winced, "how could you do that?"

Marlene laughed, "I forgot I was dealing with the English."

"It has nothing to do with me being English."

Marlene tutted, "dictating how I drink my tea."

"I am so not. Here, have more sugar in your milkless tea." Dorcas laughed, passing her even more sugar sachets.

Marlene started laughing as well, and accepted the sugar to put in her bag.

"Thief." Dorcas grinned.

"Fuck Capitalism and all that."

"And I wondered why you were friends with Remus."

Marlene winked and drank her tea, to the small wince of Dorcas.

They sat there eating, drinking and talking for a few more minutes before Dorcas saw the clock on the wall.

"Right. My lunch break is nearly over, I should probably get going."

"I'll come with you. Let's hope Remus is finished reading."

Once they got back to the book shop, Remus was still sitting on the floor, but his (the shop's) book sat closed in his lap while he talked on the phone.

"Finished, are we?" Dorcas said, taking the book to place back on the shelf.

Remus nodded, and said goodbye to the person he was chatting with on the phone.

"Sirius says the storyline seems dull and full of plotholes but the characters are cool."

Marlene sat on the floor next to him, "how long have you been on the phone for? we've only been gone for half an hour."

"About half an hour."

Marlene gasped and hit him on the arm, "you dick. You said you weren't finished reading."

Remus smiled and shook his head, "Dorcas is nice, huh?"

"Oh I hate you so much. We are leaving."

Remus grabbed his cane leaning on one of the shelves and stood up with a hand from Marlene.

"You don't wanna talk to them more?" Remus said, acting innocent.

Marlene huffed, and walked out the shop without looking back.

"Come on, Marls. You haven't dated in ages."

"So?"

"So, I think you should ask Cas on a date. I was talking to Sirius and he agreed with me."

"Why are you talking to Sirius about my love life?"

"I talk to him about everything. You know that."

Marlene groaned.

"Hey! be thankful it wasn't James."

Marlene thought about it for a few seconds.

"Do they like girls?"

"I'm not sure… but they have the vibes."

Marlene groaned again, "I don't trust your gaydar, you thought I was straight."

"Fine. I'll drop it. But for the record, I think you'd be a good couple."

Remus left, getting on his bus and leaving Marlene to think.

God, she hated thinking.