Chapter Text
“Remus, could you look here?”
“Are you and Mary Macdonald still in touch?”
“How do you feel about Mary’s affair with Sirius Black?”
“Could you sign this!? Please!”
“Do you think these song lyrics Sirius wrote are abou-”
Remus slammed the car door shut, the screaming of paparazzi fading into a distant hum. Lily was already there, wearing a dress made of green jewels, bringing out her ginger hair and lime eyes.
He greeted her with a nod. “Nice dress.”
“Nice suit.”
The car started moving slowly, waiting for the crowds of people to clear the way.
He was on the way to an awards show, and the media was practically clenching their asses. It would be Remus’s first public appearance after the affair between Sirius Black and Remus’ ex-girlfriend, Mary Macdonald. However, Remus would say that his and Mary’s past relationship was more for publicity than anything else.
The truth is, he didn’t care. Mary could go shag whoever she would like. But the paparazzi certainly did care.
“Don’t let them get to your head,” Lily said softly, her voice barely a whisper over the screams outside.
Remus exhaled. “I don’t.”
“Are you mad at Mary?” Her eyes were wide and caring. “I mean, I know you didn’t really love each other, but…”
He snorted. “Do you really listen to all those rumours?”
“Of course not!” she said, offended. “Also, I wager that Sirius is gay.”
Remus sat up straight. “What?”
“There are these lyrics from one of his oldest songs.”
Sometimes Remus forgot that Lily’s the biggest Sirius Black fan ever.
“Which lyrics?” he asked.
“It shouldn’t be hard for a star to date, they say. But the girls who loved me, I couldn’t love back. The ones I love, I cannot have.”
He snorted. “That does not mean that he likes blokes.”
She shrugged. “Just saying.”
"He had an affair with a woman," Remus pointed out.
"That doesn't mean anything."
"If you're right, then I'm starting to feel bad for Mary."
Lily sighed. "I also would, if I didn't know how much she enjoyed being in the spotlight."
"That's just who she is; she thrives in the spotlight. She's made for it," Remus instantly defended. He couldn't help it. Mary was one of his best friends, even if their relationship was rather awkward and fading now.
They drifted into simple conversation, catching each other up with the happenings in their lives after being on set. Lily filled all the silences, knowing how anxious Remus is towards public appearances.
“If it becomes too much, don’t be afraid to leave early,” she said. “Who cares if people notice your absence? Put yourself first.”
“Thanks, Lils.”
“No problem.’ She shuffled, the beads on her dress clinking against each other. “Now, how shall we pose in the cast pictures?”
*
By the time the red carpet was over, Remus was hanging by a thread. His eyes were stained with the flashes of light. He immediately told his guards to bring him to the bathroom.
If it weren’t for the eyeliner, he would’ve been splashing cold water onto his face. But instead, he was gripping onto the cool marble of the sink, staring at himself in the mirror and trying to silence the ringing in his ears and the pain in the side of his forehead.
Before he could stop himself, tears started clouding his eyes.
“You look tense.”
Remus tensed even more, wiping at his eyes and turning to see-
“You.”
Sirius Black grinned, wearing a red suit that made him look awfully handsome. “Me.”
“What are you doing here?”
Sirius raised an eyebrow. “This is a bathroom. I’m here to relieve myself.”
Remus let go of the sink, clearing his throat. “Then go.”
“What are you doing here? Having a staring contest with yourself?”
“No-”
“Jesus Christ!” Sirius leaned closer, getting a good look at Remus.
“Wha-”
“Is your eyeliner supposed to look like that?”
”Wha-”
Sirius approached him, and Remus backed away. “Did the paparazzi trample over you?”
“Can you let me speak!?” Remus said loudly. “Maybe if you didn’t shove your knob into my ex-girlfriend, the paparazzi would’ve left me alone!” He stopped himself. He didn't know where that sudden burst came from, he didn't... hate Sirius. He was a fine guy.
Sirius was silent for a moment, his eyes narrowing then widening. “Sorry, I didn’t know they would bother you that much about it. Especially since you two already broke up.”
Remus scoffed. “We were together when you shagged her. That’s why it’s such a big deal”
“Wait.” He looked genuinely shocked. “You were?”
“Yes! Do you live under a rock?” Remus couldn't believe this was happening. Right now. In an awards show bathroom!
“No, I live under a roof, thank you very much,” Sirius said sarcastically. “But I’m sorry, and we didn’t actually shag each other.”
“Then what did you do?” This would’ve been something Remus knew if he hadn’t blocked Mary.
“Nosy, aren’t you?” When Remus stayed silent, he continued speaking. “More so, we leaned against the hotel wall and made moaning sounds.”
“What?”
“Yep.”
“Why would you do that?”
Sirius leaned in, lowering his voice. “Because someone caught me kissing a bloke, I needed to do something big for the press to overshadow that.”
Oh. Of course, Lily was right. “Cool,” Remus said, very much wanting to remove himself from this awkward situation. Not knowing what to do with his hands, he fidgeted with his cuff links. “The award ceremony is in a few minutes. So um…” he pointed vaguely at the exit.
“You know it’s not easy for me as well, pretending to be someone I’m not.”
Remus didn’t understand why Sirius was opening up in an awards show bathroom, but he did know that he needed to leave before Sirius said too much.
“Bye,” Remus said.
Panic seeped into Sirius' expression. “Don’t tell anyone.”
“I won’t.”
He smiled. “Don’t leave looking like that.”
“I look perfectly fine.”
“Your eyeliner is smudged.” In a swift motion, Sirius took out a tissue from his suit pocket and raised it to Remus’ face.
“What are you doing?”
“I'm fixing your eyeliner. It looks nice, by the way. You should do that more often.”
“I don’t do my own eyeliner.”
“Whatever, just let me fix it.”
Remus backed away. “I’m fine-”
Sirius grabbed Remus’s shoulder, and suddenly he was overwhelmed by the smell of his flowery cologne. Remus closed his eyes as Sirius fixed his face, unwanted butterflies invading his stomach, sending little tingles through his brain.
“Done,” Sirius said softly, letting go of his shoulder. Remus instantly wanted his hands on him again.
“Thanks, bye,” Remus said, then he opened the door and left with the shadow of Sirius’ touch on his shoulder, and cheeks as red as tomatoes.
*
A few artists performed before the awards were given, one of them being Sirius. Sirius changed into a leather-tailored vest and flared jeans that brushed the ground as he sang, background dancers behind him.
Remus tried very hard not to stare, but Sirius' gorgeous voice was something he couldn’t avoid. Oh god, Sirius Black’s voice. If Remus could bottle it up and get drunk on it, he would.
“Look at his guitarist,” Lily whispered into his ear.
The guitarist was a dark-skinned man with glasses, his curly hair bobbing as he strummed.
“What about him?” Remus asked, eyebrows raised.
Lily shrugged.
Halfway through the song, Remus started staring. He simply couldn’t keep his eyes off him. Sirius Black was mesmerising, he understood why Lily was such a huge fan.
The song ended, and Sirius met Remus’ eye, as if he knew he had been staring the entire time, and winked. Remus’s heart nearly fell out of his arse.
*
The next morning, as he was brushing his teeth, Remus’ phone buzzed.
Unknown Number: I was thinking about you while I pissed, by the way.