"Can I get your number?"
"What?"
Remus looked up from the menu in confusion, eyebrows raised at the waitress in front of him. Lily, very pretty red head, just not his type he could tell.
"Not for me, you see I have this friend, and well, he's the chef here. He spotted you when I was giving you and your friend here your drinks and he is kind of smitten with you."
Remus blinked, unsure of what just happened. He looked back at Frank and Peter, who were sitting around him trying to hide their laughter. Alice sitting right next to Frank, and Mary MacDonald near Peter as she was his current girlfriend.
"I understand if you don't want to give it to a stranger, but he really is a nice guy, a little rough around the edges but, he can be sweet. I've never seen him this nervous actually," a small smile slipped onto her face as she described the chef.
Remus bit his lip and glanced around the small restaurant they found themselves in. A small part of him had been questioning on why he had come with the two couples when he was just going to be a fifth wheel.
"Come on, Rem, it wouldn't hurt," Alice smiled at him encouragingly and he finally relented.
Turning his head back to the waitress he smiled shyly, "Could I have a pen?"
Lily's face seemed to brighten as she handed over her pan and an empty paper from her note book, watching the man as he scribbled down his phone number. When he was done she snatched up the paper with a look of joy on her face.
"Oh thank you, I am sure you won't regret this, he will be so happy. You know, I have never actually seen him this nervous before about meeting anyone that he said he fancied. He doesn't even really know your name, which actually would be a good thing to get, what is it?"
"Um, Remus Lupin?"
A faint blush was starting to cross Remus' cheeks as he heard his friends giggling.
"Oh that is cute, I hope he will introduce himself, though he will probably get all flustered and forget where he is and his own name."
Lily laughed and folded the paper and slipped it into her pockets.
"Now, what can I get you all to eat?"
Remus coughed and looked away, scanning the menu he barely had looked at before being told the information that the chef, this man, was interested in him. He was flattered really, but he didn't even know the guy. He liked to know a little about the person before getting hit on.
They all ordered their food quickly and Lily left with a skip in her step; entering the kitchen through the staff door hand it over to the chef. That mysterious chef he knew nothing about.
"So, who do you think this mystery man is? Hm?"
Remus looked up at the smiling form of his friend, Peter.
"Hm?"
"Could be just a prank, you know? Could have given your number to a serial killer."
Mary slapped her boyfriend's arm playfully.
"Oh, don't talk like that, Pete. Rem needs this chance, as much as anyone, and what is life without a chance? I gave you one."
Frank cracked up laughing, leaning against Alice in mirth.
Remus huffed.
"I don't see what is so funny about me having a person crushing on me, or giving the guy a chance."
He sat back in his chair and looked up when someone cleared their throat, coming to see a man with messy black hair and a smile on his face.
"Hi, sorry to disturb, but I couldn't but hear what Evans was talking about, you know? Trying to act as a wing lady for my dear friend in the kitchen, when she knows I have the better luck."
His hazel eyes locked onto Remus and the brown haired man wanted to sink into the seat he was currently sitting in.
The waiter leaned on the table, a cocky smirk back on his face.
"You aren't much of a looker, but then again my mate says I am blind when it comes to beauty. Don't know what he is talking about, I have seen many beautiful things. Kind of a prat, he is."
Remus raised an eyebrow and looked around, was this whole place trying to get him on a date with this chef?
"Is this supposed to get me to like him more, or is it trying to get me to forget him?"
The man laughed and grabbed a chair from an empty table and swung it around so he was sitting at it.
"You got me there, I am not sure if I am trying to make him more appealing or trying to send you on the safer path," he shifted and stuck out his hand, "I'm James by the way, James Potter. If you do end up dating the rogue you are going to seem me around a lot."
Remus smiled and took the hand.
"Remus Lupin, though I think the first step in me getting to know the block, would be for me to learn his name, yeah?"
"Lils, didn't tell you then?"
Remus shook his head no, waiting expectantly.
"No, said he had to do it on his own. Kind of nerve wracking, giving me number to an unnamed stranger."
"Well, he is strange, but no one dangerous. He and I go way back, before this ruddy job. If she wants him to introduce himself he is going to have to, sorry for the lack of help there. Just trust me when I say he is a nice bloke, just a little awkward with the dating scene, and if he is asking someone else to talk to someone for him he is nervous as hell."
Remus sighed and rested his head on his hand and looked up at the ceiling.
"James Potter, you better not be giving him a bad name to the guy."
Remus looked back when the red head came back and set the tray up that held their food.
"I was doing no such thing, Evans my dear."
"Then leave, I have to do my work."
James sighed and got up, righting the chair as he walked away to wait on his tables.
"Well, sorry about that, I got your food here."
Alice smiled happily, "Don't worry, this whole situation is quiet entertaining, trust us."
Lily shook her head and handed out the food.
"Welp, there we are, but I have a message for you from the chef, dear."
Remus looked up from his food, a little frown on his face when he noticed a little sauce made heart on the side of the plate. He brought his attention back to the waitress.
"And what would that be?"
"You can't order desert."
Remus blinked.
"What?"
"He says you can't order desert, he's got a little surprise for you, you see. Made it all for you, face bright red when he told me that. He is really trying to impress you, you see."
Remus nodded, ignoring the giggles coming from his companions.
"Well…um…thank him for me then?"
Lily nodded and left them to eat. All throughout the meal it was either her of James coming with little gushing compliments either from the chef or of the chef. Both of them trying hard to get Remus to see the mysterious man in the best of light.
Frank and Alice couldn't stop giggling about it, Frank even going as much as suggesting that there be a double wedding between him and Alice and the mystery man with Remus. Course Remus gave them an evil eye and he shut up, still chuckling under his breath.
By the time their food was finished, Peter and Mary were already looking over the desert menu that was sitting on the table. Both of them glancing over at Remus who was playing with the little bit left of his food with a concentrating look on his face.
"You think he is going to show his face?"
"Hm?"
Remus looked up, coming out of his thoughts and observing Frank.
"I asked if you think he will show himself."
"I hope so, I would like to see the face of this Romeo," he sighed and leaned back in his seat; resting his head on the back of it. Giving Lily a small smile as she collected the empty plates.
"I'll be back with the desert in just a moment."
With a wink of her green eye she disappeared, only to come back with a big tray and a glance at a hesitant face peeking out from behind the staff room door. Remus stared at the plate in wonder.
"He couldn't figure out what you may like, so he just made you a tasting platter of everything, the nutter. No hard feelings if you can't finish there is a lot of rich stuff on here."
Remus nodded staring at the large plate in awe.
"This is…wow…um…just only one question, when do I get to meet this mystery man?"
Lily giggled, "I'll go get him, you just enjoy."
She disappeared back behind the door of the kitchen leaving her customers with the platter.
"Have to admit, Remy, you got yourself a good one," Peter grinned and dug in without asking. Happily going after the cheesecake.
"Please, just help yourself," Remus dead paned, picking at the little cake that was directly in front of him. Frank and Alice proceeded to pick at the strawberries on the side, sharing them in that all too cute way.
"U-um…excuse me…"
The voice caught Remus off guard, he blinked and looked up without thinking coming to face a man that looked very nervous. He was twisting a rag between his hands and biting his lip; by looking over his outfit it wasn't hard to tell that he was the chef.
Remus sat up and wiping his face quickly in case there were any crumbs left on his face.
"Uh…hi…"
They stared at each other for a few moments, till the James decided that his path needed to go past the chef and him and bumped into his friend, knocking him closer to the table.
"Yeah, I…um…"
The chef's hand jutted out, the man that owned it licking his lips nervously.
"I'm, Sirius…uh…Sirius Black. You…I…uh…I hope I didn't startle you. You were just…you looked so…and I felt…and…why are you laughing? Is that a good laugh of a bad laugh?"
It was true, Remus did find himself laughing, and he had no idea why he was laughing. He covered his mouth with his hand to hide the smile and muffle the chuckles that were escaping; shaking his head. Sirius' face was slowly getting redder.
"No, no, it's…it's a good laugh trust me."
He calmed himself down enough and took the man's hand, "Remus Lupin, I have heard about you a lot from your friends, you are much better then how they described you is all. They are terrible at descriptions, and being wing men, by the way."
Sirius snorted, suddenly becoming aware that his hand was still holding Remus' hand and there were four other people looking at him. He coughed awkwardly and dropped his hand, shoving the hand in his pocket.
"I hope all this, didn't ruin the experience."
Remus just grinned, "I think it made it ten times the better…though I do expect you to call me later."
Sirius blinked before a grin spread over his face.
"Of course, yeah, uh…yeah. Sure, could we even meet up maybe? If you want I mean."
"Let me try all these desserts, and then we will see."
A/N: Just because I found this on Tumblr and the idea took me three re-writes to make a final draft of.