There were many things that Lucien didn't like about his job. He didn't like the opening shift because really did people have to start work so early and require coffee to do it? He didn't like his boss Tamlin and how his micromanaging suffocated Lucien almost to the point of quitting (Lucien was a good employee and Tam knew that so he didn't need to keep breathing down Lucien's neck damnit). He didn't like the rude customers or the shitty wage or toilet cleaning duty-

But the thing that annoyed Lucien the most about his job, had to be the music stand.

Since Prythian Joe was in the middle of a gentrified community with indie bookstores and clothing outlets, they had to keep up with the times to compete with Hybern Coffee across the way. So Tamlin had set up a free music area. Piano and drums were provided, but any other instruments had to be brought by the musician themselves.

It wasn't that Lucien didn't like music. He liked it well enough (okay so perhaps he was a bit of a snob when it came to music, being raised in a rich family with plenty of music lessons of his own). It was more of the fact that this meant any aspiring indie rock solo artist could take this as their next big break–which meant that Lucien, snob as he was, petitioned Tamlin to start wearing earplugs to work because usually these musicians were just plain bad.

Tamlin said no.

So Lucien had to suffer.

Today the musician was a dude without the classic beanie and plaid (thank the Cauldron, Lucien thought his eyes would start bleeding if he saw another flannel in 70° weather), but rather a plain jeans and band T. Which was the second most favored outfit after the Hipster Classic for these musicians. He ordered a coffee and then tuned his guitar while he waited.

Lucien handed him his coffee and he smiled and thanked Lucien in a way that made his insides wobble. Lucien ignored it. "Wow." The guy said (he'd given his name at the register as Rhys). "You're hot."

Oh great, one of those musicians: full of himself. "Thanks. Woke up like this." Lucien said sarcastically.

Rhys whistled appreciatively. "Your partner must love that." Then he went back to tuning his guitar.

"Had I one, probably." Lucien replied and then went back to making coffees, barely realizing he'd said it before he was halfway through the queue.

But when Lucien looked up again at Rhys the guy winked at him but didn't stop singing.

Hours passed and Rhys ordered more coffee. He was almost through the entirety of Hozier's back catalouge when he took a break to rest his voice.

It wasn't that Lucien didn't like Hozier's work but really, there was only so many times that you could listen to slightly different acoustic covers of 'Be', you know?

Rhys took a seat at one of the tables and ordered a mineral water (the only kind they had) to rest while someone else took over for a while. Lucien brought it to him.

"What'd you think?" Rhys asked when he walked over.

"Hmm?"

"About my singing."

"Ah, sorry. I tend to tune out the music in here," Generally true but Rhys was actually a good singer, so he had actually enjoyed it.

"Oh?"

"I mean really, it's like some people only know Hozier and Imagine Dragons, you know? I mean I get that this is an indie clientele and all but," Lucien shrugged, "not really my scene."

"Never met a man before who didn't like Hozier." Rhys' eyebrows raised.

"Never said that I didn't like him, just that I'd rather some variety."

Rhys grinned. "Got an idea for a set list then?" He asked taking a napkin from the table and pushing it Lucien's way.

"What?" Lucien hadn't meant to- "No! I mean- why-?"

"Come on," Rhys leaned closer, "don't you want me to sing a song for you?"

"No." Lucien said. He did, but he wasn't going to admit that.

"How 'bout a date for me to change the station?" Rhys cocked an eyebrow.

"In your dreams." Lucien replied and headed back to the cash register before Rhys could see his flushing face.

Rhys went back up after he'd finished his water. Lucien almost didn't notice the shuft change until he heard it. "This one's for Lucien." Rhys said into the mike, followed by some mild clapping.

He almost expected another Hozier song, sung just to annoy him, but what he got…. wasn't that.

The opening riff wasn't just recognizable but famous. When Rhys started singing Lucien was shocked when his went from deep and melodic and Hozier and to… well… AC/DC.

Rhys met his eyes as he began singing the first verse and winked. Lucien took a napkin from the dispenser next to him and a pen from the register and bedrudgingly wrote down his number. He stuffed it in his pocket for later and turned to the next person in the queue.

The reception was amazing. Lucien and Rhys finally had a moment to sit down and eat while the band played. Lucien, starving from being too busy to eat all day, stuffed his mouth as soon as he sat down. Rhys' eyes dragged to the band. Finding one that Rhys approved of for their wedding had been a freaking nightmare. Rhys had always complained: one was pitchy, one was off key, one was holding his guitar right, why did that one even have a clarinet in the mix? Lucien had almost gone with a DJ, but Rhys ahd complained about that too. Wedding DJs had no soul, he'd claimed.

Ugh, the struggles of marrying an artist.

But they were finally sitting (Mother, Lucien's feet hurt) and eating (Mother, he was hungry).

Rhys glanced at him ad the band started the final chorus to the song they were singing. "Hey," he said a wicked smile on his face. "Want me to sing a song for you?"

"No." Lucien grumbled through a mouthful of food. That was what they paid the band for, so Lucien could spend the whole night arm in arm with Rhys.

"I'm gonna sing a song for you." Rhys said, and started to get up.

"Rhys-! We agreed that you wouldn't work tonight!"

But Rhys just winked at him. He walked up to the band, whispered something to one of them. They finished up their song and Rhys climbed onto the stage while the lead singer introduced him. "And here's Rhys with a song of his own for his fairer half." The singer joked, handing him their guitar.

Lucien rolled his eyes and flushed slightly as his friends whooped and cheered. Rhys took the guitar and without any introduction began playing AC/DC.

Lucien groaned as Rhys winked at him. "Why did I ever marry you?"