A/N: Here's the second chapter! I hope it's an acceptable attempt :3

Have to say, thank you for my reviewers for the first chapter! I'm so sorry I didn't reply, it's because the reply url in my email is broken! D:

THE STAR AND HIS MOON

Chapter 2

"That's great, Moony! You should introduce him to us!"

Sirius couldn't help but felt the pain in his chest amplifying with the pretense that he had to put up.

He didn't realise that James had turned towards his direction in surprise at his words. Padfoot is in love with Remus, so why did he...

"Okay, Sirius, I can introduce him to you guys, but he's rather shy, so I have to ask him first," Moony answered.

"Who is he?" This time, it was Peter who asked the question.

"Well...he's Tim Jennings from Ravenclaw," the answer surprised the other three Marauders. Jennings was a very well-known smart and polite Ravenclaw student with his own fair share of admirers. He had a face that most would call as cute and sweet.

"Didn't know cuties were your type, Moony," Sirius teased.

They all laughed at seeing a great blush creeping up the skinny boy's face.

"Okay, why don't you just invite him over tomorrow since it'll be Saturday and we'll do a get to know each other here?" James suggested.

"Okay. I'll tell him tomorrow," Remus answered easily.

They started to talk about the usual mundane things for the next ten minutes when Sirius suddenly stood up and excuse himself,

"Need to go to the loo."

James stared at his retreating back with a knowing look; his mind automatically knew just why his best friend needed the bathroom trip.

As soon as he stepped himself into the dorm shower cubicle, Sirius locked the door and leaned against it before he let himself released the shaky sobs that he'd been holding back all this time. He'd ensured that no one else would come into the dorm bathroom and silenced his surroundings before letting his mask to drop.

Him, the happy-go-lucky Sirius Black who'd never shed any tears even from the tortures that his mother beat into him since he was a little boy no more than eight, finally couldn't hold it in anymore.

The rivulets of tears travelled down his cheeks at the knowledge that his dream of happiness would forever stay the way it was; simply a dream. Chocking out a bitter laugh, he couldn't help but feel that this was inevitable. What were the chances that someone as kind and perfect as Remus would want someone as scarred and dirty as him?

People might think that he was the better one; he had the name, the look and the brain for it all, but he'd never think this way. Remus was undoubtedly the better one. He'd never let his condition bring him down, braving through his days with determination. Despite what had been done to him, the turning that cursed him for life, he was courageous enough to let himself to care and opened his heart to trust others. He'd always been unfailingly kind and hard-working; while Sirius had always hid himself behind the façade of the popular boy that everyone would want to be.

Remus' genuine nature, honesty, kindness and bravery made it impossible for Sirius not to fall for him.

And now that Sirius' dream was shattered, there was nothing he could do but braved himself on. He has to smile for Remus' happiness; he has to learn to let go and accept the fact that his secret wish would forever be unattainable.

At least Remus' boyfriend seems like a nice guy... Sirius thought with a wry smile. If his choice of boyfriend was a bad one, Sirius didn't know what he would do. Would he end up being the one who break them up and cause Remus' smile to dim? Or would he simply let Remus go through with it, only to feel guilty when the other broke Remus' heart? Both choices didn't sound appealing to him.

He let out a chocked laugh at his own current state. If other people saw him like this, they would undoubtedly think that the end of the world was near. After all, wasn't he the rumoured all around ladies' man?

While Sirius had never denied any of these rumours, he also had never confirmed it.

Everyone in Hogwarts -especially Minnie, he thought with a snicker- would be completely shocked if they found out that the great playboy Sirius Black was a virgin in all things considered. He'd never even kissed anybody, much less do things anymore intimate than that, and yet everyone assumed that he was the great expert when it comes to sex.

He didn't know who started the first rumour, but he had a feeling that it had been a girl who'd either hate him and wanted to sully his name or a girl who had a crush on him. Both options didn't matter to him, for at the time, his mind was completely preoccupied with the trouble brewing with his mother.

By the time he'd solved his problem with his family forever (by walking out of his ancestral home and living with the Potters), the rumour had stuck and he was suddenly known as the playboy of Hogwarts.

He had never cared about other people think of him, but he did felt like explaining himself to Remus when he found out that his fellow Marauders had also believed what the rumours were saying. Since they had known about his family problems, they had assumed that he'd been dating girls after girls as a mean to escape the problem.

He tried to deny it once, but the other three had somehow thought he was joking. Feeling somewhat lost as to how he could explain to them that it was all a big, made-up lie, he'd stopped trying to deny anything.

Now that he found out about Remus' new relationship, he didn't see any point in denying it anymore. Let them think what they want to think; he was suddenly tired from all the masks he had to pull up and all the feelings he had to lock away.

Sighing and leaning his head against the cubicle door, his body slid down and he hugged his knees into his body; hiding his wet face within the circle of his arms. He didn't know how long he'd been sitting there for, but the chill was starting to get to him. It was getting close to winter and he was only wearing a pair of thin t-shirt with jeans.

Stepping out towards the front of the sink, he grimaced at his reflection. He looked horrible. His nose was red and his eyes were bloodshot and blotchy from all the crying he'd been doing. I look like hell, he thought; all the while cringing at his face.

He twisted the sink tap open and splashed cold water onto his face. His body jolted at the initial freeze, but it quickly got used to the water temperature. After ensuring that he looked somewhat presentable, he applied a drying charm over his face. He could put on disguise charm over his face, but he didn't think his current condition needed it.

After practicing his smiles for a few minutes in front of the mirror to ensure that it didn't look unnatural, he cancelled the silencing and locking charm around the bathroom and stepped back into the dorm room.

His walk up the stairs towards the Marauders' dorm room today was heavy and slow. He always used to love to come up into the room and share his outrageous stories and prank ideas to the others, but today, going back into his safe haven was the last thing he wanted to do.

Pausing in front of the door, he could clearly hear James' laugh, Remus' chuckle and Peter's talking voice from inside the room. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he flawlessly placed his Padfoot mask back on again and turned the knob before stepping inside.

The three occupants turned at his return. They were clearly telling each other jokes about something, as they were identically flushed from laughter. He grinned widely in his usual fashion,

"So, what did I miss?"

TBC

So, what do you think about this second chapter? Send me your thoughts! Reviews are loved by me! [: