Competitions/Challenges.

Quidditch League - Semi-Finals. Position: Chaser Two. Prompt: Chain Sentences - Begin with the last sentence of the team member that posted before you. Line used - '"Get Dressed. We're Going for Coffee."' from 'Six Shots'. by TheNextFolchart. Story ID: 10937860
Prompts used: (Word) begone, (Quote) "It's better to be unhappy alone than unhappy with someone." (Word) unsightly

The Ring of Fire/King's Cup. Prompts: Coffee-Shop!AU and "No, this is Patrick."

Thanks to my Quidditch Captain for helping me on this. :)

"Get dressed. We're going for coffee."

Remus looked up at James who was standing next to the sofa, his arms folded.

"I'm not in the mood," Remus replied, closing his eyes again.

James' eyes narrowed.

"I didn't ask if you were in the mood," James replied sternly, watching Remus' eyes snap open and move to his. "This is what's going to happen. You are going to get up, get dressed and come with me, or I'm going to tell the man in the shop to stop selling you chocolate again."

Remus narrowed his own eyes. "You wouldn't dare," he growled.

"Try me," James threatened. "Look, trust me. You'll have a great time."

"I highly doubt that."

"Give it a few hours, and I'll be telling you I told you so," James insisted. "If you don't have fun, I'll let you sulk in peace."

With a loud sigh, Remus slid off the sofa and headed towards the bathroom to take a shower. Once he was out of sight, James pulled his phone out and sent a text to his girlfriend.

'We're on, Lily. One hour. I love you. James x'

...oOo...

James dragged Remus up the street, not allowing him to mourn his failed relationship any longer. He and Lily had come up with a plan.

"It's been two months," James said. "You were so unhappy with him."

"I'm also unhappy alone," Remus replied, as James led him towards the cafe where he was meeting Lily.

"It's better to be unhappy alone than unhappy with someone," James insisted. "As long as you were with Benjy, you were unable to meet someone else."

"Maybe he was right and it was me that was the problem?" Remus said; the thought had been running through his head for weeks now, ever since Benjy had made out it was Remus' fault that Benjy cheated on him.

"He was wrong," James replied, looking around the coffee-house. "He was completely wrong and an arsehole. You can do better. Trust me. You didn't do anything to deserve how he treated you, and I promise you someone better will come along, and you'll be glad you told Benjy, 'Begone!'"

"What if I can't?" Remus asked. "What am I supposed to do? You know I can't talk to anyone; you know I get shy and nervous. You know that I can't get a guy's attention -"

"There she is," James said, interrupting him. "Brilliant."

James pulled Remus over to a table, where a dark haired man was talking to James' girlfriend.

"Lilykins," James shouted eagerly.

The man's head whipped around, first to James and then to Remus, and a worried expression made way for a cheeky grin as his eyes quickly took Remus in. Remus smiled back, nervously tugging at his cardigan sleeve.

"How are you, Remus?" Lily asked, getting up from her seat and giving Remus a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm good, I checked out that book you recommended, and it's brilliant actually, I didn't put it down for a minute -"

"This isn't the right time to talk about books," James interrupted. "We have more pressing issues."

Lily gave James a disapproving look. "This is my neighbour, Sirius," she said to Remus.

"Is this James?" Sirius asked.

"No, this is Patrick," James joked. "I've heard a lot about you from Lily," he continued. "Why don't you both sit down and let me get the drinks in."

...oOo...

James returned to the table with a coffee and a hot-chocolate. He placed them down at the table along with a couple of chocolate muffins and he grabbed Lily's hand. "Have fun," he said, running out, pulling Lily with him.

Remus stared after him, completely confused, before turning back to the dark haired man that was watching him.

"You look confused," Sirius said.

"I am," Remus said. "James said we were meeting up with some of his friends. I... where's he gone?"

Sirius looked extremely amused by his response. "I'm sure he'll be back soon. Probably couldn't keep his hands off Lily."

Remus nodded and glanced towards the door again. "Sorry about him," Remus said, feeling the need to apologise for his friend's rude exit. "I'm Remus Lupin, I went to Primary School with James. Have you met him before?"

Sirius shook his head. "No, I've heard about him before though. I'm Sirius Black, I moved in next to Lily a few months back. We became friends when I fixed her car for her."

"That was nice of you. What are your rates?" Remus asked, thinking about his own car.

"Let's just say that the mechanics in the shop said it would cost three-hundred pounds and they'd need to keep her car for a week. It cost me fifty quid for the part needed, and it took me only a few hours to fix."

"That was nice of you. Do you charge much for work itself?" Remus asked.

"Nah. I told her that cooking some of that delicious smelling pasta would be payment enough. She thought I was hitting on her and asking her to dinner."

"Weren't you?" Remus checked. James wouldn't be impressed if Sirius had his sights on Lily, and he had to make sure that wasn't the case.

"I walk past her flat to get to mine every day. I wanted to know if it tasted as good as it smelt," Sirius said. "I wasn't hitting on her, but it was the start of our friendship. I even managed to get the recipe from her to try out."

"You cook?" Remus asked, impressed.

"Sometimes," Sirius said, reaching for the muffin on the table, his fingers slowly peeling back the paper. "I like to cook, but it's no fun cooking for one... it'd be nice to have someone to cook for." The amused smile was on his perfect lips again, and Remus wondered if he was missing something. "What about you?"

"I burn almost everything. Even basic things," Remus admitted, reaching for his own chocolate muffin.

"Pasta?"

"I can cook pasta, just throw it into a pot of water. I tend to add easy things to it like tuna."

"You can't burn tuna," Sirius agreed.

"I did once," Remus admitted.

Sirius stared at him for a while. "How?"

"I put the tuna into some baguettes and put them into the oven to warm them, and forgot to turn the oven to a lower temperature," Remus admitted, causing Sirius to laugh.

"So, tell me about work?" Sirius asked, shifting his chair closer.

"It's not that interesting. I deal with accounts for Waterstone's. I'm good with numbers. James actually got me the job. He says the job suits me as I look just like you'd expect an accountant to look." He gestured towards the grey cardigan he was wearing.

Sirius' eyes trailed appreciatively over Remus. "If all accountants looked like you, I'd have hired one long ago to help me with my business."

"You have your own business?" Remus asked, trying to stop himself from blushing, and attempting the change the subject at the same time.

"Yeah," Sirius replied. "I'm a mechanic. I have a small garage not far from here."

Remus nodded. "What's it like?"

"I enjoy it. I'm not one for sitting in an office, in fact, I just hate dealing with numbers and the accounts side of it all," he sighed. "Don't get me wrong, I can do it, I just... it's so time consuming."

"It's only time consuming if you do it all in one go. Surely you keep the accounts as you go, right?"

Sirius' silence said everything.

"How far behind are you for this financial year?"

"The financial year started..." Sirius frowned, trying to work it out.

"Four months ago," Remus filled in.

"Okay... well, I'm about four months behind," Sirius admitted.

"Four months?" Remus repeated, shocked. "I could help you, if you need someone to look them over and get you on track?"

"Just like that?" Sirius asked, his eyebrows rising.

"Yeah," Remus replied.

"Why?"

"Why did you help Lily?"

"For food. Ah, you're just trying to get me to cook this amazing pasta for you, that's what it is." Sirius leaned back in his chair with a grin.

"What, no I -"

"No point denying it now," Sirius continued. "I'll expect you over on Friday night."

"Friday? I'm working -"

"Friday evening then, yes, that's the perfect time," Sirius continued. "Here, give me your number, I'll text you my address."

Remus told Sirius his number, and watched Sirius store it in his phone.

...oOo...

An hour later, James and Lily appeared at the door of the cafe and waved. Sirius sighed slightly, knowing his time with Remus was up.

"Okay, there are a few things I haven't told you," Sirius said.

"And they are?" Remus asked.

"I'm gay, though you might have worked it out. I really like you, and I've enjoyed meeting you. Also... I'm quite sure you weren't made aware, but this was supposed to be a blind date." Sirius paused, allowing the fact to sink in, and watched as Remus slowly turned to look at the couple standing by the window. After glaring at them, he turned back to Sirius.

"Lily told me you were smart and you wore adorable jumpers and cardigans, but she never told me you were gorgeous or so fascinating," Sirius continued. "I thought you'd be spotty and unsightly and that I'd have an awful time with you."

"I'm not gorgeous," Remus replied, blushing.

"Well, I think you are, and interesting and adorable too. I can't wait until Friday night for our second date. Make sure you look as sexy as you do now."

Remus was lost for words and Sirius chuckled, his fingers dancing over the buttons on his phone. As he put his phone away, Remus' phone buzzed.

"I just texted you my address for Friday. Come over around half-seven for dinner."

"Yeah, I... I can't wait," Remus said shyly.

"Cool, I can't either," Sirius said. As he stood, he leant across the small table, his lips brushing Remus' cheek. "I'll see you soon. Wear a cardigan, I find them extremely sexy on you."

With that, he was out of the door, and Remus was sitting in shock. Moments later the chair was filled by James.

"You are evil for tricking me like this. I didn't even know this was a date until Sirius told me at the end. You could have given me warning," Remus scolded.

"You get really awkward on first dates," James replied. "Tell me, was it awkward when you just thought he was someone Lily knew?"

"It wasn't awkward," Remus admitted.

"So, do you like him?"

"He's cooking me dinner on Friday," Remus said, smiling widely at the thought of seeing the other man again.

"Say it," James insisted. "Say,'you were right, James. I should listen to your advice all the time.'" James looked at him expectantly.

"I wouldn't go that far," Remus replied.

"Is this where I say 'I told you so?'" James said, smugly.

"Fine, I'll listen to you in the future," Remus replied.

"And?" James said, his eyebrow raised.

Remus sighed. James had earned it, he had been right, and his meddling had resulted in a date with the most attractive and fascinating man Remus had ever met, who for some unknown reason was interested in him too. He hated saying the words, but James earned them.

"You were right," he said.

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