Chapter Text
“Hey, are you finishing that?” A man asked as he walked up to Remus's table.
“Ah, no?” Remus replied, his eyebrows giving away his confused expression, the man took the plate from in front of Remus and walked back to what seemed to be a table with his friends.
He stopped to watch for a few moments, but was assured everything was fine as he saw a black fluffy dog appear near the feet of the strange man. He lowered the plate down to the floor and the dog started licking it clean.
Remus looked back to his table in front of him, Marlene still hadn’t shown up and it was getting cold, typical for November obviously but still he’d hoped to see her before she went off on her trip.
With a groan, he stood up and gathered his bag and phone, heading off back to his flat.
Now it isn’t that he hated his flat, after all it was his home, despite all of the mould and the bad neighbourhood. He just needed to know how to play it safe and avoid getting jumped at seven on a Wednesday, which would really reek of desperation for whoever would be jumping him.
Thankfully a complete disaster was avoided this evening and he got up to his front door safe and sound. He reached in his pocket for his keys and muttered as he tried turning the handle. Another thing he had to fix unfortunately, but that could wait.
With a weirdly dramatic sigh he stepped into his “home”, to be greeted by the cold winter air and his visible breath.
“Damn left the window open again” he whispered in annoyance.
The routine went as usual, sit in front of the TV, watch some random show from whatever was on at the time, sit and read a book, brush his teeth and get in bed ready to do the same miserable routine in the morning. He didn’t go out much, in fact it was only when he went out with Marlene really.
Sometimes her friend Mary would join them, but she often didn’t. The idea of going for lunch was originally started by Marlene when she realised how much Remus had been stuck inside during the summer, she’d called it “a waste of his youth”, he tried to argue he was 22 and definitely not in his youth anymore but she waved him off on the premise he at least went out for lunch with her once, that ended up a weekly occurrence.
MARLENE POV:
Her co-worker called out to her from the staff room, “Marlene you have ten minutes on your shift okay?” She put her phone back in her apron and stopped leaning against the counter, there wasn't anyone in the store as usual, it was a relatively quiet place but that did mean it got boring. There were only so many times you could play -make the whipped cream as tall as possible- without getting bored.
Fortunately, someone chose that exact moment to walk in the shop. She looked ethereal, walking so majestically like a model on a runway. Her dark skin complimented her golden jewellery hanging around her neck and in her earlobes. Her hair was braided and up in a high ponytail with two braids loose in the front. Her clothes looked nothing less than luxury and Marlene couldn't help but stare at her until she approached the counter, stuttering as if she forgot she was visible.
“Hi- hello sorry what can I get you?”
“No worries,” the woman responded with a smile, Marlene was internally drooling, “I'd like what you recommend actually. I haven't been here before, I've just moved.”
“Yeah of course, any allergies?”
“Nope, anything you want.”
Marlene nodded and started making her a white chocolate latte, lots of people enjoyed them as it started getting into winter. She finished up with the whipped cream and put it down on the counter.
“One white chocolate latte, that's gonna be two twenty-five, is it cash or card?”
She gave her best attempt at a friendly smile, trying not to look so obvious that she was staring in awe
“Card please.”
Marlene held out the reader for her and took the time to notice the dainty gold jewellery on her fingers, her nails were a clean white french tip. The view only lasted so long though and the payment was through, she took back the reader.
“Thank you so much!” The woman said, walking off towards the door
“Of course, have a great day!” Marlene said back with a wave.
She brushed her blonde hair back behind her ear and took a few breaths, that entire interaction felt like a dream, and just as she was going over the conversation in her head again, she realised she didn't ask her name. Muttering to herself about her idiocy, she grabbed her phone from the apron and headed back to the staffroom to get ready to go home. She was walking out of the door bag in hand and dialled a number.
REMUS POV:
He chucked his shoes off in the tight hallway and walked through to his sofa, limping a little as he went as he had misplaced his cane sometime last month. His physiotherapist would have his head if she knew he hadn’t been using it. He grumbled and sat down, grabbing the remote from the other cushion. A little later, there's a ping on his phone, he picks it up to see Marlene's name flashing at him.
“Hello Marls.”
“So formal wow, hi Remus.”
They sit in silence for a few seconds before Remus furrows his brows and speaks
“This is usually where you explain why you've called m-”
“Oh yeah!” She took a break and inhaled deeply to begin rambling. “So I have tea, I was at work and this absolute stunner walked in right, I'm talking beautiful. Anyways she ordered, and I forgot to ask her name because I was too busy looking at her hair, did I mention her ha-”
Remus was smirking a little, he tries to ignore when she gets like this but it really is entertaining, she goes on and on and on but with such a level of joy that makes everyone else laugh with her.
“You mentioned her yes, anyways is there a reason you’re calling me for this?”
“Mhm, she said she moved to the area recently and I'm hoping she comes back tomorrow and i really want you to be there so you can ask her for her number for me because I'm absolutely hopeless.”
“Oh god do I have to, I have plans you know?”
“I know you don't, you can't lie to me Remus. Will you be there?”
He laughs a little, shaking his head,
“Yes Marlene I'll be there tomorrow”
“I love you so much, honestly okay, see you then!” He says a brief bye and hangs up the phone. Now he really does have plans.