Crestfallen

Prologue

Big cities made him think of the mountains near his home, how they towered over the fields in great big shadows. As if they were looming strangers, the skyscrapers watched his backside as he would walk further into the more nerving neighborhoods. He'd eventually climb inside his apartment, boxed in comfort and isolation. His stomach would cramp and growl, it reminded him of the failure he had become. How hard it was to get a job, at least a decent one. All his insides ached to paint. To sculpt. To draw, to dream of one day becoming famous for a masterpiece dangling on a museum wall. Perhaps the Louvre.. and he would live off selling his paintings, how he wished that time was now.

Although, right now, Remus was starved for a meal. He went three times over his stock in the fridge before deciding a rotting orange wasn't exactly healthy. He sighed, pitched it, and grabbed his worn coat, the autumn chill just now setting in. He allowed a smile to cross his rosy cheeks, he could instantly feel the tip of his nose going cold while he carried along his small set of chalks out into the world. He took the usual route, straight for the hospital a few blocks away. It was just another day, his mind and body worn from the stress taken on at an early age. It's been almost a year of living this way, of living hungry.

He took careful steps, not wanting to run into others as he began filling into busier streets. The loud honking still hurt his ears, and the sirens didn't help matters, but he was able to find what he was looking for as he crossed through a few alleys to finally turn off the car savvy street, now he was surrounded more by the pedestrians and bicycles as he came across his staircase. He'd devoted his time and effort to chalking up one of the staircases near the garden of the children's hospital. His smile only grew wider as he noticed on the top stair and beyond that many kids were out on their walks with fellow nurses, he was glad for the rain to have washed the chalk on the steps away, it was a lot less work for him.

He quickly began working, one thing he didn't mind was putting his skill to work while being hungry. The world seemed to melt away at his finger tips every time the chalk dusted the pavement. He could spend hours without eating, being so focused on the color flowing, or where the next stroke of his hand should go. He'd draw many things, whether children's cartoon characters.. or realistic images. Always positive, he wanted these kids to smile whenever they saw these steps. He wasn't sure how many even came across it, but as long as there was one kid.. he was alright with it.

"What's that? And that.. it looks like a dead bird. So, what is it really?" The voice was low, a posh tone accenting the boy standing on the top step. Remus had looked up, slightly annoyed and insulted. The boy standing there was wheeling his IV around, and carried what Remus presumed to be was an oxygen tank, due to the fact he was wearing a mask over his mouth and nose. He was quite the sight, to be honest, his hair was curled just around his ears and his eyes were a lively silver against his sickly pale skin. It made Remus want to shiver, but he knew it was wrong to stare for too long..

"Oh.. this.. it's a, um.. well.. I don't know yet? It's abstract, to me sometimes it's not any-" he was cut off by a deeper, more warmer voice that was similar to this younger boy's. Remus never thought his ears could hear such a beautiful voice.

"Reg! Regulus, you scared the shit out of me.. I turn around to throw away the ice cream and you just run of," he paused and turned to Remus who had never seen eyes as stormy as this guy's. He sort of froze in place while the other continued. "And you've been bothering this man no doubt! You get on my every last nerve.." He puffed, while the younger.. who he assumed now was Regulus, looked as if he weren't even phased. He just turned and walked back towards the hospital.

"He wasn't a bother.. really.." Remus spoke quietly, afraid to meet such overwhelming eyes again. "He was just asking a couple questions, he was only curious." He didn't want the boy getting in any trouble. The Regulus-look-alike stared down at Remus, tilting his head to the side a little. Normally, Reg would piss anyone off. No one ever really defended Reg's case often, so this was unusual. He didn't seem to even.. annoy this man. A smile found its way to his lips, melting Remus's insides.

"Well then, I'm sorry if he interrupted you in anyway.. He tends to not have a filter." He said, apologizing on his brother's behalf like he had always done.

"Everything is quite alright.. I don't mind, you may want to get back to him before he runs off somewhere else." Remus suggested with a soft laugh, and the other felt the hair rise up on his skin as he noted the way the man's eyes crinkled whenever he did that.

"Oh.. yeah, he can't get too far, but it's still a pain. I'm Sirius Black by the way, sorry for not introducing myself in the first place.. and that was my brother-"

"Regulus." Remus finished for him, earning a smile from Sirius who just gave off nervous laughter before nodding his head.

"Yeah, Reg.. Hopefully I'll see you around, you're the only good company I've found so far in this city.." Sirius stated, only surprising Remus. Good company? He was flattered, especially if a very attractive male had told him so!

"Oh.. well, I'll be back tomorrow.. and the day after. It takes a few days if I wanna finish it the right way." He said, speaking up while gesturing to his staircase. He was afraid he was talking too soft, he had a habit of doing that and it was always embarrassing when other people told him to speak up.

"Then I'll see you tomorrow, stranger." Sirius chuckled, his pink lips were curved into a smile Remus wanted to capture in a canvas. Remus fumbled a bit with his chalk, a bit flushed.

"Oh.. Remus, Remus is my name.. I mean.. Remus Lupin. It's silly.. I know but.. I uh, I'm.. Bye!" He stumbled around collecting his chalks before marking his work and waving to Sirius and getting the hell out of there before he embarrassed himself.

Sirius could only watch, confused as the pretty Remus Lupin tripped over his feet down the street. Sirius had to take a second to recover, being in a presence of someone so handsome made him get butterflies. He'd noticed so much about the man in such little time, the patched coat.. the dirt under his finger nails, the shaggy curls of hair.. His face had been so adorable, with a nose as red as a cherry, and eyes so brown he felt as if he was sifting through golden honey. It made him warm just thinking about the freckled cheeks, and the smile.. his laugh, oh dear.. how he could just write an entire song about it. And perhaps he would.

a/n: more to come..