Written for QL

Beater 1 - Holyhead Harpies

Round 5 - BEATER 1: Use the title of a story written by your Beater 2 for inspiration - title picked: Custody

Prompts

13. (food) fish & chips

12. (genre) family

Custody

1,814 words

Sirius hovered in the doorway of the room and watched the small boy he had been caring for.

Teddy cautiously approached the bed that his father had spent the last two years in, comatose until the previous morning. The man smiled at him gently, his eyes flicking to Sirius for a brief moment before returning to his son.

"You've grown up so much," Remus said, his voice hoarse. "I didn't believe the doctors when they said two years, but seeing you proves it."

"Dad," Teddy murmured, forgetting his previous caution at the sound of his dad's voice. He launched himself the rest of the way across the room and into his father's arms.

Sirius felt an ache in his heart. Now that Remus was awake, it meant he would lose Teddy.

...oOo...

Sirius looked at the boy sitting on his sofa. So far, Teddy hadn't uttered a single word. Sirius didn't blame him. After all, his father was in a coma and Teddy knew that something bad had happened though perhaps didn't fully understand what a coma was.

"I'm your cousin, sort of," Sirius said, attempting to work out correctly their family link. Second or third cousins, not that it really mattered, he supposed. He considered all of the stuff he did when he had Harry stay over.

"Dinner?" he suggested. "McDonald's. We can go to the drive-through, and…" he trailed off. He only had a motorbike and it wasn't a good idea to bring a small child on it. "We can walk there," he finished.

Teddy gave a slight shrug, fiddling with the stuffed shark in his arms.

"We can bring your shark too if you like," Sirius suggested. He waited for acknowledgement but Teddy didn't answer.

Sirius sighed softly. "Would you rather we order in?" he suggested.

Teddy's head moved slightly. At least that was something.

...oOo...

James sighed. "Do you want my answer as your best friend or as your lawyer?" he asked.

"My lawyer," Sirius answered, his arms folded. "Remus Lupin is still recovering and Teddy is still in my custody so surely he should stay with me? I've been raising him since he was four years old, after all."

"As your lawyer, I don't honestly think you have a case. You've looked after him, but he had a good upbringing by his father before the accident. Unless you could prove that Lupin was a bad father and that it was in Teddy's best interest that he remain with you, there's no chance."

"And as my friend?"

"Talk to Remus. Explain that you see Teddy as a son. Ask if you can still see him, if you can still take him out sometimes. Tell him about the holiday we've booked in July. In fact, invite him along."

"What makes you think he'll come?" Sirius asked.

"Because you only got custody in the first place because he has no family. You were an estranged cousin of Andromeda's and if she was alive, she'd have gotten custody instead. He's all on his own, raising a son who he needs to get to know all over again. He will probably appreciate the help. It's not easy being a single parent."

"Should I at least try for custody?"

"You want to take Teddy away from Lupin? Surely you understand how painful that'll feel. Don't drive a wedge between you both because if you do, he might not let you see Teddy again."

...oOo...

There were boxes everywhere and Sirius looked around in despair. He had kept Teddy off school for a few weeks to give him time to adjust but upon Teddy's return, he realised that they were miles away from the school and there was too much traffic.

It had been hard as he loved his flat in central London, but he decided to move to be closer to Teddy's house. He had a child now and though he had never expected to be in this position, he would be sure to do his best to be the best father figure possible.

...oOo...

"Come in, Mr Black."

"Sirius," he replied, walking into the room and approaching the bed.

"Is Teddy with you?" Remus asked, glancing around Sirius hopefully.

Sirius shook his head. "School," he explained. "I kept him out yesterday and the day before because you woke up but the headmistress wouldn't let me keep him off for the rest of the week. I'll bring him again on Saturday."

"I'll be discharged by then. The doctors are allowing me home though I had to agree to home visits. I was actually hoping to talk to you. I wanted to thank you for all you've done. A child isn't an easy task to take on, after all, yet you've looked after Teddy for two years."

"I want joint custody of Teddy," Sirius blurted out. Remus raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth to speak, but Sirius continued.

"Over the past two years I've seen Teddy as my son. I know he's not, but I was raising him as a father would. I can't just hand him back and never see him again. I'd like to have him over sometimes—take him out to places. We have a holiday in July. I just want to… please."

Remus stared at him for a long moment. "Can I have some time to think about it? Just there's so much and I'm a little overwhelmed and some time would help."

Sirius nodded. "I better go. It's almost time to collect Teddy from school and if I stick around longer, I'll get stuck in traffic."

"Come over on Saturday and we'll talk."

...oOo...

"Uncle Sirius," Teddy shouted, running over to him when the teacher excused him. "Uncle Sirius!"

"What's up, Teddy?" Sirius asked, pretending to be knocked back when Teddy ran into him, arms wrapping around him.

"I'm star of the week! I get to take Beyoncé the bear home."

He let go and proudly held up the stuffed bear. Sirius looked at the dirty thing in horror.

"Why? Isn't that a punishment?"

"You're silly," Teddy giggled. "I have to take her out this weekend and take photos for the book so everyone can see what we did together."

Sirius nodded. "How about a trip to the zoo?" he suggested. "James is taking Harry and-"

"Harry!" Teddy shouted in excitement. "This is going to be the best weekend ever!"

...oOo...

Sirius walked into the familiar living room. He had been into the Lupin house many times to collect things for Teddy. A few photos of his parents, various toys and blankets, and books.

But this time he felt more like a guest. He took a seat on the sofa and watched Remus with some trepidation.

"At first I was a little wary because I don't know you. You're a stranger to me. But I realised that you've had Teddy for two years. Perhaps I could accompany you both a few times and get to know you? Not that I don't trust you with him since you've raised him, but more because of my own peace of mind."

Sirius nodded, relieved that Teddy would remain as part of his life. "And for July… would you like to come with us?"

Remus looked surprised at the request. "I wouldn't want to… to put you out," he began.

"It's no trouble," Sirius murmured.

...oOo...

Sirius' hand shook as he put the phone to his ear.

"James, I just got off the phone with the social worker," he said. "Teddy's father is awake."

"Well, shit," James muttered. "How are you feeling? Have you told Teddy about that?"

"I'll do that now," Sirius said, quickly feeling ashamed that he had put his feelings before Teddy's own. "I'll call you later."

He hung up the phone and quickly headed into the living room where Teddy was standing in front of the television in his school trousers and one sock.

"Teddy," Sirius began, quickly crossing the room and switching the TV off. "We need to talk about something. Can you sit down?"

"But you told me that I have to get ready for school," Teddy replied, confused.

"No school today," Sirius said. "I have some big news for you. Now, come and sit with me so we can talk."

...oOo...

Sirius had been spending most of his free time at the Lupin house, and at some point over the last three months, bonding over Teddy had grown into a firm friendship. But perhaps Sirius was feeling something more for the other man.

Which was insane. This was his late cousin's husband. Surely there were rules?

He unlocked the door with the key that Remus insisted he keep and headed straight into the kitchen to unwrap the fish and chips he had just collected from the local.

"Just bring it straight in here," Remus called. "We have the film ready."

Sirius carried the bag back through, dropping it onto the coffee table. Remus quickly began to pull the food out, opening up all of the wrappers. "What's what?" he asked.

"Kids' meal for Teddy. I got us a large chips to share and fish each. Curry sauce too."

"Sounds great," Remus said. He pulled the coffee table closer to the sofa and Sirius sat down next to him. Teddy dropped down onto the floor at the side of the table and clicked the remote.

Lion King started up and Teddy began eating, his eyes fixed on the TV.

"How was school today, Teddy?" Sirius asked, before popping a chip into his mouth.

"Good," Teddy replied. "I was telling Miss Reynolds about how I have two daddies now. She wanted to know if you're married. When are you getting married?"

Sirius almost choked on his chip and glanced at Remus whose cheeks had quickly gone red.

"Teddy, we discussed how you see Sirius as a father figure and that's fine. But we're… we're not dating."

"But Malcolm said that he has two mummies and they live in the same house and if Sirius lived here you can get married and we can be a family." Teddy watched his father hopefully as did Sirius when Remus didn't respond.

Remus looked at Sirius for help but Sirius stayed silent. He liked the sound of that. Sure he barely knew Remus but the past three months he had spent a lot of time with the other man and it had felt like they were raising Teddy together like their own family. His lips curved into a smile.

"I don't think Sirius… wants…"

"Actually," Sirius replied quickly before Remus wrote him off. "I mean… we are a little bit like a family already, so… maybe we just keep going and see if anything else develops?"

Remus smiled. "That sounds like a plan," he replied.

Sirius returned the smile before turning his attention back to the food.

Family. He liked the sound of that.