A/N: Hey y'all! This was written for Hogwarts. Fluffy Wolfstar :D

Media Studies Task 9: Write about being speechless about something

Word Count: 1355

WARNINGS: Arthritis and its pains, language

Note: This is a Muggle!AU. Also, I've done some arthritis research, but if anything is incorrect feel free to PM me so I can fix it. :)

Thanks to Lucy and Bex for betaing!

Enjoy!

Remus ducked into the convenience store just as the rain started to pour down. The weather had caught him completely unaware, and now he regretted not checking the forecast before leaving the house. Though, to be fair, his body had alerted him of the bad weather a long time ago.

Huffing with annoyance, Remus turned and hurried down the aisles, grabbing the few items he'd come out to buy as fast as he could despite his aching joints. The other people in the store were all hurrying out, and Remus noticed that the sound of rain pounding on concrete was only getting louder as time went by. He dragged his fingers through his hair and debated waiting it out for a minute or so, but he was having dinner with Lily, James, and their friend that night, so he really couldn't be late.

Not wishing to arrive at the restaurant soaked to the bone, Remus ran along the aisles, searching for an umbrella.

There!

He was lucky; it was the last one in stock. Remus reached out and grabbed one end—just as someone else grabbed the other.

Remus' amber eyes shot up to lock onto grey ones. The other bloke seemed just as surprised as he was to find themselves in this situation. They stared at each other for a moment, and Remus took in sharp cheekbones and a strong jaw, and the way some strands of the stranger's midnight-black hair escaped the hair tie holding the rest back.

He mentally shook himself. As handsome as this man was, he needed the umbrella.

"Sorry," Remus said a bit breathlessly, tugging the item closer to him, "but I really need this, so…"

The adonis' brow furrowed. "Er, no, I've got a date tonight, and I really can't afford to arrive dripping wet. Leaves a horrible first impression, no?" He shot Remus a winning smile, as if he was confident that that would be enough to convince Remus to let go of his one guard against the rain.

"I quite agree," Remus began amicably, "but I'm in the same boat, so I'd appreciate it if you'd let go of my umbrella."

He wasn't an idiot, after all; as much as James and Lily protested otherwise, they only ever invited Remus along to dinner with an unnamed guest if they were trying to play matchmaker.

"Your umbrella? Bloody—" The man stopped himself before he could finish swearing and scratched the back of his neck in frustration. "Okay, listen. I really need this, so I'm going to pay for your other purchases if you just give me the damn umbrella."

Remus' shoulders slumped. He really wanted the umbrella—his arthritis was already acting up, and he wanted anything to lessen the chill and aching he knew would follow his walk through the rain. In all honesty, though, he didn't believe the umbrella could do much more than keep him dry; going without would make him miserable, but not in any less pain.

He let go of the umbrella reluctantly. He wasn't about to unload any medical problems on this stranger, and he didn't want the man's pity, either. "Better be a good date," he mumbled bitterly.

The man's face lit up, and Remus hated his heart for fluttering at the sight.

"Yes, okay, thank you—how much do you need for the groceries?"

Remus pressed his lips together and lifted his chin. "Nothing. I don't want your money." He took a deep breath. "Just pay for your date's meal," he added, trying not to sound too miserable.

"I will." Surprise colored the man's voice. "Er, thanks."

Remus nodded and watched as the man bought the umbrella and ran out of the store into the rain. He sighed to himself and went to pay for his own things. He'd have to walk through the storm to meet with Lily and James, which he wasn't looking forward to.

His body screaming in protest, Remus began the trek to his destination. Water pelted him from all sides, obscuring his vision. He had to walk more slowly than usual to accommodate—the last thing he wanted was to walk into traffic.

Fortunately—perhaps the most fortunate thing that had happened to him all day—he arrived at the restaurant only five minutes late. Dripping wet and in a foul mood that he was trying desperately to shake, he flashed a half-hearted smile at the pitying hostess and went to find Lily and James.

Thankfully, they'd chosen a table near the front door.

"Remus!" James stood and embraced him before Remus could even look at the other people at the table. "Why—mate, you're soaking wet."

"Really?" Remus' amber eyes squinted at his friend. "I hadn't noticed."

James just grinned and shrugged. "Come on, it's time you met Sirius. He's one of my oldest mates, and" —James' hazel eyes zeroed in on Remus— "I think you two will get on well."

Remus smiles tiredly and hoped that this Sirius person wasn't too exhausting. He nodded. James stepped aside, then, and Remus turned to see Lily and—

The bloke from the convenience store.

For a moment, the two men just stared at each other, utterly speechless. Remus' mind was whirling, and he flushed when he thought about how he must look—completely soaked through, hunched over from pain… at his worst, in other words. And to top it all off, his would-be date was sitting there, stunned, no doubt remembering their less-than-kind conversation at the store. And his hair was still perfect.

"Remus?" James looked concerned. "Are you okay?"

Remus clutched his bag of purchases a little tighter. It was still storming outside, but it suddenly seemed impossible to face the humiliation this dinner promised.

He shook himself from his silence. "I—I'm not feeling well. Sorry. I'll just—" He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "I'll call you later."

With that, Remus hurried away. James called after him, but he refused to turn around; he was too miserable to care about being rude. He'd suffered through pain and a relentless storm for the bloke who didn't want to get his hair wet.

He exited the restaurant and hobbled down the street, cursing his arthritis under his breath. Cold drops of rain pelted him from all sides—until they weren't.

Remus stopped walking and turned. He grimaced when he saw Sirius sheepishly holding the umbrella over them both.

Remus closed his eyes. "Hi."

"Hi," Sirius said softly. He bit his lip, then rain a hand through his long, dark locks. "I'm sorry—"

"No." Remus shook his head. "Don't apologize. It's not your fault; I wanted the umbrella too. I just can't… I can't explain all that to James and Lily, and I've already made a terrible impression, so."

"No!" Sirius shook his head quickly. "No, I was an ass—I saw you heading for the umbrella and made a beeline to beat you there," he admitted. Remus' eyes widened with new indignation, but Sirius hastened to continue. "I just really wanted this date to work—not that I knew it would be a date with you. It's just, James has said so much about you…"

Remus sighed. "If you really want to do this, can we reschedule? I can't be nice right now." He winced at his choice of words. "I mean… arthritis." He gestured lamely at his body. "The cold is a bitch."

Sirius' grey eyes were sparkling, though. "Come inside—finish the date. You can be as coarse as you need to be, I don't mind. But you shouldn't walk all the way back to your flat—and I did promise to pay for dinner."

"What? Why—oh." Remus blushed again, but eyed Sirius carefully. "I won't be good company."

Sirius shrugged. "I've already been an awful date. We'll be even." Then those grey eyes softened, causing Remus' heartbeat to quicken. "Please just… please don't go."

Remus bit his lip, considering his options. In the end, though, he decided that the heat and promise of a warm dinner was too good to pass up—and besides that, Sirius was a mystery too tempting to leave unexplored.

"Okay," he said, barely audible over the storm. "I won't."