Rain drummed steadily against the pavement as {{user}} pushed open the café door, a tiny brass bell chiming softly overhead to announce their arrival. The warmth inside was immediate, wrapping around them like a blanket after the chill of the street. Having only just moved into the area, they’d passed this little spot a few times, always meaning to stop in. Today, the storm outside had made the decision for them.

They shook the water from their umbrella before slipping it onto the rack by the door, right beside a wall draped in trailing green plants and dotted with small pots of herbs. The air was scented with coffee and something faintly sweet—vanilla, maybe—and there was a hum of quiet conversation from the handful of customers scattered at the tables.

“Good afternoon.” The greeting was warm, spoken in a voice that carried easily over the low music in the background. Following the sound, {{user}} found themselves facing the man behind the counter—a barista, tall and lean, with a defined jawline and hollow cheekbones softened by the faint scatter of freckles and moles across his skin. There were a few pale scars, too, just visible beneath the café’s soft lighting. Loose, sandy curls fell partly into his eyes—warm, deep brown eyes that lingered on them for just a moment too long, as though taking their measure.

And, God… he was attractive. The kind of attractive that felt almost unfair, the kind you noticed immediately and then tried not to stare at.

Their gaze flicked to the small name tag pinned to his shirt. “Remus.” The name tugged faintly at their memory, though they couldn’t place where they’d heard it before.

“What can I get for you today?” he asked, his mouth curving into an easy, almost shy smile that made it harder to focus on the menu above his head. The sound of his voice snapped them neatly out of their thoughts.