Of Trench Coats and Umbrellas
Prompt: It's Raining Men
Setting: University AU
872 Words
"Remind me to never make a bet with Peter again."
"I can't believe you dragged me into this."
The mobile phone beeped happily to announce a new incoming message.
The Flower is in the pot.
"All right, gentlemen, it's show time. Everyone remember their choreography?"
The cafeteria was full of people as was typical for lunch time, and Lily grimaced at the cacophony of clattering utensils and conversational voices. Her eyes scanned the crowd looking for a mop of messy black hair, but the only familiar face she managed to find was Peter's.
She frowned and made her way over to the chubby young man.
"You wouldn't believe the day that I'm having," she sighed as she sat down opposite from him. "I was late to class and forgot my favourite pen and to top it all off I almost spilled acid on myself."
Peter nodded, distracted by his furious tapping.
"That's nice," he replied without even looking up from his phone.
Lily rolled her eyes. Looked like her day wasn't getting any better.
"Where's James? I could really use a laugh," she muttered under her breath.
Peter stuffed his phone into his pocket and grinned at her.
"He's on his way," he said.
Lily took one look at that gleeful smirk and narrowed her eyes.
"Peter, what's going on?"
The words had barely left her lips when suddenly music started blaring from the loudspeakers and all the noise in the cafeteria quieted. People blinked and looked around in confusion as the opening beats of the 80's classic It's Raining Men filled the room.
Lily had a sudden, sinking feeling of foreboding.
The double doors of the cafeteria opened and three young men dressed in tan trench coats strutted in. They stopped at a formation, standing with their feet apart and casually leaning on umbrellas. Heads turned and the full crowd gaped at the bizarre sight the trio made.
Lily stared at them and let out a groan.
Sirius was in his right element, beaming at his audience. Remus, on the other hand, was very disgruntled if the tightly clenched jaw was any indication. James was in the middle, and wearing his typical cocky grin. Although judging by the way the tips of his ears were glowing pink, Lily doubted he was feeling quite as comfortable as he pretended to be.
Then, the three exploded into action, swinging their umbrellas across their shoulders and starting to zigzag across the floor, moving in unison to the beat of the music. They wove between the tables with assured steps, and it didn't take Lily long to realise just which way the three were heading.
She bit down on her lip, unsure whether she should laugh or cry.
They stopped to open their umbrellas and twirled them overhead while they steadily approached her with sweeping strides.
The three dancing blokes halted when they finally reached the table Lily was sharing with the smugly smirking Peter. The umbrellas snapped shut with a sharp move and their metal tips hit the floor with a clink. Holding the umbrellas to the side at an arm's length, their hips jutted to the opposite side and Lily snorted a laugh.
They slowly turned in a circle and stopped when they were facing her again.
The umbrellas were tossed aside and James flashed Lily a quick grin.
Then, just after the very first line of the chorus, the trench coats came off. And the only thing each of them was wearing underneath was a pair of short red fitted swimming trunks.
Lily wasn't sure which was worse, Sirius' overly enthusiastic hip-grind, or seeing way more of Remus' pasty skin than she had ever wanted.
So to avoid cringing at the things she knew she'd never be able to unsee, she let her eyes roam over James' fit, bare body. Praise to whoever had invented football, she decided, her green eyes laughing.
She could tell he was trying very hard to match the shaking of his hips to the rhythm of the song, she could almost see him counting the beats. In the field, his moves were smooth and instinctive, but dancing didn't seem to come to him as naturally as football. Still, the lingering awkwardness only made it more endearing.
For the grand finale, Sirius and Remus grabbed James and hoisted him onto the table in front of Lily. All three struck ridiculously dramatic poses and the music died as suddenly as it had begun, leaving the cafeteria full of people in a ringing silence.
Then the applause, hooting and wolf-whistles roared up and Lily laughed and hooted with the rest. Only these three daft chaps could pull off a silly stunt like this.
Now that the whole debacle was over, James' face almost matched the red of Lily's hair, and he dropped into a low crouch on the table.
"You know," she drawled, a wide smile playing on her lips, "this was exactly what I needed today."
"You're welcome," Peter said.
"Shut it, Peter, I wasn't talking to you."
Lily got up from her chair and planted her hands firmly on the table.
And to James' utter bewilderment, she closed their distance and claimed his lips in a kiss, while the entire cafeteria cheered.
