Muggle!AU. Ages have been fudged slightly, but there is still an age gap that some might consider rather large. Also, language warning.
this night is sparkling
Angelina tried not to stare at the thin, long-haired man who sauntered into the pub like he owned the place. She couldn't help it, though. She had always been drawn to confidence like that—people who could match her own aplomb.
As bartender at The Gryff, the only pub in the tiny town of Helena's Hollow, Angelina certainly needed her fair share of aplomb. Handling a horde of demanding, drunk customers was a skill set all its own, but she had mastered it quickly and actually enjoyed the fast-paced nature of her job.
Tonight, however, The Gryff had been unusually quiet. The man who had just walked in would receive Angelina's full attention, and she was more than okay with that.
"Hello there," she said, giving him a warm smile. "I don't think I've seen you around here before."
"I suppose you wouldn't have, sugar," the man winked. "I'm just passing through."
"Well, what can I get you, Mr. Just-Passing-Through?" Angelina threw the thin white towel that she had been using to polish glasses over her shoulder, and proceeded to survey the man without shame.
He had sharp cheekbones and grey eyes that reminded her of a stormy ocean. His outfit was plain—he wore a simple white t-shirt and black denims, but that only accentuated the tattoo of a black dog on his tricep. Her gaze lingered on the tattoo for a moment, then flicked back to his face to focus on his answer. "I'll have whatever's on tap."
"Sounds good." Angelina grabbed a glass and held it under the valve, filling it with amber-colored beer in about half a minute. She held the glass out to the stranger. "There you are."
The man took an experimental sip before nodding approvingly. "Not bad."
"So what brings you to Helena's Hollow?" Angelina asked, leaning her elbows on the bar. "We're not exactly known for being a tourist destination."
He grinned, exposing a mouthful of white teeth. "I'm just here to establish an alibi."
Angelina laughed loudly at that. "Well, your secret is safe with me."
"Why don't you tell me your name, then?" the man prompted. "Seeing as I'm trusting you with my secret, that only seems fair."
"Angelina," she replied, holding out her hand.
"Sirius." The man took her hand and held it to his lips, eliciting a giggle from her. She was surprised by the old-fashioned gesture, but it gave her a warm, pleasant feeling inside.
"It's nice to meet you, Sirius."
She chatted with Sirius as she swept the floor and waited for more customers. It turned out that he was a tattoo artist, traveling through Helena's Hollow on his way to meet a friend who worked as a schoolteacher in a neighboring county.
"Maybe I ought to tell Remus to move here," Sirius said, looking around the pub. "It seems like such a nice, quiet place to live—and the bartender at The Gryff is fantastic company."
Angelina ducked her head to hide her burning cheeks. "There's not much to do here, though, I'm afraid," she said at last.
"Really? Say I wanted to take you to dinner, where would we go?" Sirius asked. He was looking at her intently, which made her think that his seemingly casual inquiry was anything but. She fidgeted for a moment with an empty glass before giving her reply.
"Bathilda's, I suppose," she said. "It's pretty much the only nice restaurant in these parts. In fact, I'd say it's the only restaurant in these parts, aside from a food truck or two."
Sirius let out a low whistle. "You weren't kidding when you said there isn't much to do around here, then."
Angelina shook her head. "Nope. There is fuck all to do in this town except drink, and that is the cold, hard truth." She held up a deflated balloon that she had swept into the dustpan. "See this? This is from Billy Macmillan's birthday party, which was held here yesterday. A six year old had a birthday party here, at a bloody pub, because this was the largest venue available!"
Sirius let out a bark of laughter. "That's something else. So...how does a pretty bird like you end up in a place like this, anyway?" he wanted to know.
Angelina bit her lip, unsure of what to say. It wasn't as though she got that question often—most of the people she served were residents of Helena's Hollow and therefore familiar with her story. That was the thing about living in a small town, and it could be considered either a blessing or a curse depending on the situation: everyone knew everyone else's business.
Finally, she decided on a brief version of the truth. "I originally moved here because I was desperate for a change of scenery, and then I just...never left." She shrugged. "I thought I'd miss the city, but in truth, I usually don't. I've got everything I need here."
"Everything except me," Sirius teased, downing the rest of his beer.
Angelina rolled her eyes. "I thought you just were passing through?"
"I am, but if I convince Remus to move here, you'll be seeing a lot more of me," he pointed out. "And besides, we're going to Bathilda's after your shift, that has to count for something."
"Are we?" Angelina's mouth twisted in a wry smile. "I wasn't aware."
"I think you were," Sirius drawled. "Took your bloody time answering me, didn't you?"
Angelina giggled, enjoying their easy banter. It wasn't often that she met someone who was able to keep up with her repartee, and she was quite impressed. However, there was the small issue of Sirius' age. Judging by the faint lines on his face, he was at least a decade older than her. She wasn't sure if there was a way to ask without sounding blunt, though, so she decided that it was best to just come right out with her query. There was no sense in beating around the bush.
"How old are you, Sirius?" she asked, before quickly adding, "It doesn't really matter, I just want to know what I'm getting myself into here."
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "I'm thirty-seven. Is that a problem?"
Twelve years wasn't the biggest age gap. She could work with that. "Not at all, but full transparency? I'm twenty-five."
"Fine with me," Sirius chuckled, glancing at the clock on the wall. It didn't keep time accurately, and Angelina could see him trying to work out whether or not it was really ten o'clock in the evening already.
Glancing down at her watch, she said, "It's only half past six. I'm off at ten." She hated working late nights on top of her uni studies, but her bank vault would thank her later.
Sirius heaved a large sigh. "Three and a half more hours to go?" He shoved his empty glass towards her. "Better give me a refill, then, sugar."
WC: 1,152