Note: Celebrity!AU, Muggle/Modern!AU set more in the US
Sitting in his cubicle at the Daily Prophet, Sirius was deep in thought. He was on the verge of losing his job, and he needed this job to save him from eternal boredom. He'd decided to be a reporter—or in celebrities' eyes, the formal word for paparazzi—because of the sense of adventure, the thrill of getting the story using any means necessary.
Though, he hadn't gotten a decent story in the past three weeks. It was starting to be agonizing, coming into the office without a shred of a story. There wasn't even something he could fabricate, and making up stories was his thing!
Sirius swivelled back and forth in his chair, stroking his chin in thought. What could he do? He could only hold the boss off for so long.
After turning his computer screen on, Sirius opened a browser and started to search using different keywords, hoping to find something…anything that would spark his interest in pursuing.
That's when he saw it. The soft yet chiselled features, the amber eyes filled with mystery, the chestnut brown hair brushed neatly, and the smile that was gentle yet intense.
Remus Lupin: young, talented author of the supernatural drama, A Marauder's Life. He was single and apparently squeaky clean.
Jackpot.
Reading the article about the man, Sirius rubbed his hands and chuckled to himself. Remus was the perfect guy to look for secrets and a story; or, at least, a good face to be featured on the Daily Prophet.
A pair of green glasses appeared at the top of Sirius' cubicle, peering at him with the eyes behind said glasses. A set of hands gripped the top as well.
"What are you up to?" the person asked.
Sirius glanced up nonchalantly, weaving his fingers together and tilting his head at the woman. Rita Skeeter was such a nosy bug, always trying to get in on his good plots. Never in a million years would he associate with the wench.
"I'm just sitting here like I'm supposed to," he said casually. "Go back to your own cube and drawers filled secrets and tears."
He couldn't see her face completely, but he knew she was scowling at him. She'd live.
With a huff, Rita lowered back down to her own seat. When she was out of sight, Sirius clicked back on the article he minimized on his computer.
"We shall meet soon, Mr. Writer," he said, swivelling in his chair again as he looked at the picture of Remus Lupin on his computer screen. The plan he'd formed was going to be catastrophic, but catastrophic was Sirius' middle name…next to sexy and dog tamer, but that was another story.
Examining himself in the bathroom mirror, Sirius thought he looked like a fine piece of twenty-five-year-old man. His hair was brushed back but not gelled; he wore a fitted, black leather jacket over his dark grey shirt and donned black denim jeans. Satisfied with the look, he started to make his way out of the public restroom.
Pushing through the door, Sirius looked around the establishment. It was Poetry Night in the Moonlit Cove, one of the local bars in Cali, and Sirius had discovered that Remus went to Poetry Night every time it was hosted.
The bar was illuminated with candles and dimmed lights, the brightest light on the small stage for the poets to present their works. Tables were set in the back with velvet covers, leaving the floor open for couples who wanted to dance to the jazz playing in the background on the other side.
Sirius found Remus sitting alone at one of the farthest tables, so he sauntered towards him, confident in his approach. Remus didn't notice his presence just yet; since his focus was on the stage in the other direction, Sirius would give him a pass.
The dark-haired man slipped into a seat beside him, perching his elbows on the table and leaning towards Remus.
"Wouldn't it be better to listen to the poetry a little closer?" he asked in a drawl.
Remus jumped slightly, eyes immediately shifting to Sirius. He tugged at the collar of his shirt and cleared his throat.
"The distance gives me a chance to listen to the music and poetry equally," Remus answered, red tinting his cheeks lightly.
Sirius smirked, holding a hand out to him. "I'm Sirius Black," he said. "I'm giving this literacy thing a shot for a new project, and as luck would have it, I meet a well-known author my first night here." He used his free hand to run through his hair. "Guess that makes me a lucky guy."
Remus took his hand, shaking it firmly. "I suppose…" he trailed off with a raised brow. "What kind of project are you working on?"
He was cautious, and Sirius liked that. "A few friends of mine are working on a book of their own, memoirs of the sort," he lied. "They asked for my assistance, and despite me not knowing a damn thing about getting a story right, I agreed. So here I am, hoping to hear some amateur poets and get inspiration."
The celebrity hummed in thought, but he seemed to accept the answer after giving Sirius a once-over. Sirius had to push down the offended feeling that arose and grinned.
"With you here, you mind giving me a few…" his eyes flicked from Remus' lips to his eyes; he nearly forgot his real purpose for being in the bar. "…pointers? On composing stories, of course."
The red tint on Remus' cheeks intensified at the obvious innuendos that could be interpreted from Sirius' words.
Sirius leaned back in his chair, arm draped on an empty one next to him as he gave Remus an expectant look. His methods of finding out information were bold, and it could end in a catastrophe (like it'd done so many times before). That didn't deter Sirius in the slightest.
And watching the famous writer squirm was quite the sight to see.
"Well?"
It'd been a few weeks since the meeting at Moonlit Cove, and it was some of Sirius' most fun weeks ever. It was better than the time he'd stalked the Grindelwald fella after his breakthrough in acting, and Sirius couldn't forget those eyes. He was on the other side of the camera being around Remus when paparazzi came around, and he had to admit that his left was definitely his best side.
He was learning a lot about Remus. His obsession with chocolate, he liked to carry the world on his shoulders, and his inspiration for his story came from a dream he'd had about another life.
Nothing that Sirius would want to put in an article. It was all something more valuable than what the public deserved to read; and the fact that Sirius felt that way cause for concern. He never used to care before, yet, with Remus, things were a lot more fun and meaningful than just some story.
The kicker was that Remus knew it from the start.
A week and a half after the first meeting was when Sirius took things to another level. They'd arrived at Remus' hotel room that he was staying in before he'd leave for a week-long book tour and talking was not what was on their mind.
Their hands were all over one another; Remus' were more hesitant and gentler while Sirius was more assertive. They'd barely made it past the door as their lips were attached to one another's, emotions heightened.
Sirius broke the hungry kiss to help Remus out of his shirt while Remus tugged on Sirius' belt buckle. Sirius went to take Remus' lips again when the mood was nearly ruined.
"I know who you are," Remus said, lips parted and swollen. "Where you really work."
Sirius paused, looking into Remus eyes, ready for the catastrophic blow up that was to come like all the other times his cover was blown.
Except it didn't come. While Sirius stared at Remus wordlessly, Remus continued talking.
"Somehow, I still trust you," the brunette said. "I've yet to hear about what I've shared to you in public, and I was sure that you were on a mission in the Moonlit Cove."
Sirius kept his gaze in Remus' eyes as he spoke.
"I'm a writer, for crying out loud. I do my research too, and you aren't exactly the subtle sort," he continued, and Sirius snorted. Remus swallowed, still catching his breath. "I thought about coming to you about this when I initially came to the conclusion, but I feared that our interactions would be strained or stopped there."
Sirius shook his head. "I'll more than likely lose my job, which is a bummer," he admitted. "But the time I've spent with you this week has been more thrilling than I've had for months on the job." His grin stretched on his face. "Before the rest of the mood is ruined, let's just take this now and talk seriously later."
There was no argument from Remus. Soon enough, clothes were strewn on the floor and the pair wasn't seen in public for hours.
Sirius did lose his job, now that was a catastrophe…for them anyway. Sirius had made quite the spectacle, revealing secrets here and there about the other employees in the Daily Prophet. It was hilarious to see his coworkers fighting over the rumors and truths they'd spilt about the others.
He was content with where his life was going now. He was travelling on the road with Remus on his book tours, and he even had a say in the next book the famous author was going to write.
"Padfoot's Adventures" had a nice ring to it, doesn't it?
A/N: Written for HSWW (Challenges and Assignments) and The Houses Competition
(THC) House: Gryffindor; Year/Position: Year 4; Category: Short; Prompt: [word] catastrophic
(HSWW) Assignment #3 Gardening Task 12 - celebrity!au
Slash September: Sirius Black
Back to School: (word) learning
August Auction: Wolfstar
Pinata Club: Humor
Feline Fair: Japanese Bobtail - write about someone headstrong
Amber's Attic: 4. "I swear that when our lips touch, I can taste the next sixty years of my life."
Count Your Buttons: P3 (Remus/Sirius)
Lyric Alley: 2. You made a vow, never get mad
Angel's Arcade: 11. Vector the Crocodile: (color) green, (word) boss, (trait) confident
Film Festival: 6: Setting: Nightclub/Bar
Word Count: 1,621
