Teddy looked excitedly towards the clock as it struck six, dashing towards the kitchen with his now-empty bowl of grapes, climbing onto his step-stool and carefully washing it out, putting it on the drying rack before dashing over to the front door, almost tumbling into his grandmother, who just put her hand on his head as she opened the door.
"Calm down, Teddy."
Teddy just bounced, jumping into his mother's arms as she knelt down to hug him. He grinned happily, his hair lighting up to match her own pink hair. Tonks laughed, kissing his forehead.
"Happy birthday, little man." She grinned at her son, who kissed her cheek. He looked around her, furrowing his eyebrows and tapping his first two fingers with his other two fingers twice then moving his hands in circles, palms up.
Tonks cleared her throat, standing and taking Teddy's hand. "Daddy's working late tonight again, he'll be back tomorrow."
Teddy stomped his foot on the ground angrily signing at his mother that it was his birthday.
"I know it's your birthday Teddy, but he couldn't be here, I'm sorry. We can celebrate tomorrow, okay kiddo?"
Teddy furiously shook his head, and Tonks sighed, collapsing onto the couch. "Look, Teddy-"
Teddy climbed onto her lap, repeatedly signing that he wanted his father, and that it was his birthday. Tonks took his hands in hers, and he yanked them away like she had dunked them into scalding water, his hair now fiery red.
"Sorry, I know you don't like that, but don't interrupt me while I'm talking. Daddy is at work. He will be here tomorrow. You just have to wait. I can't do anything about it, he can't do anything about it, Nana can't do anything about it, if we could, we would have."
Teddy's eyes filled up with tears and he tumbled out of her lap, running back up to his room and locking himself in his closet, where he kept his favourite stuffed animals and the softest blanket he had, which had been given to him by his Uncle Harry. Teddy wrapped himself in the blanket, curling up on a large stuffed bear and closing his eyes, crying into the fuzzy animal.
"Teddy? Kiddo, you want some dinner?"
Teddy rolled over, flailing his fist at a wall, hitting it twice.
"Alright, well if you get hungry, the food'll be in the fridge, you just gotta get a plate, okay?"
Teddy hit the wall again, and his mothers' footsteps retreated. He drifted back off to sleep, only to be awoken in the middle of the night by a pained howl. He covered his ears, curling up more, as it resounded through the house, making his ears ring. He heard noise from his parents' room, and his door opened.
"Teddy, stay in your closet. Don't move. Go back to sleep if you can." Another howl broke through Tonks' words, and Teddy heard her swear softly. "Or don't. Just stay. Everything's fine, I'm just gonna go get the wolf away."
His door shut, and Teddy looked at the large stuffed wolf perched on his bed, scooting away from the closet door as he imagined it coming to life and coming towards the closet, sniffing at the slits and growling at him, its damp breath washing over his face, the smell of blood and flesh pervading his nostrils before the door was broken open and he was torn apart, his mother's screams echoing in the background.
Teddy violently shivered, curling up as tight as he could, trying not to listen to the wolf's screams, instead counting as high as he could, losing his place each time the dreadful sound echoed throughout the house. It was much later when it ended, and later still when Teddy fell asleep again, his vision of his stuffed wolf invading his dreams over and over again.
"Hey...Teddy? Rise and shine, kiddo."
Teddy's eyes sprang open as he heard his dad's voice, leaping to his feet and unlocking the door, throwing himself into his father's embrace, holding him tightly. Remus lifted him up, and Teddy's face suddenly fell, signing that Remus had missed his birthday. Remus' face fell, and he looked away from his son as they went downstairs.
"I know, I'm sorry. I wanted to be here for you, but I couldn't. I was upset all night."
Teddy sniffed, and Remus looked at him as he sat down on the couch with his son, Tonks finishing up breakfast. Remus looked away again as Teddy signed that he had been scared last night and where was Remus when he needed his dad?
"I told you, I couldn't be here." Remus paused for a moment, almost whispering to his son. "I'm so fuckin' sorry that I scared you, Teddy. I'm so sorry."
Teddy tugged on Remus' shirt, explaining to him that it hadn't been Remus that scared him, but a wolf screaming for what seemed like hours. He went through his imaginary scenario with his stuffed wolf, and Remus buried his face in his hands, shaking.
"Dora!"
Tonks appeared in the doorway, still holding a spatula. "What happened?"
"Dora, he needs to know."
"Are you s-"
"I scared him," Remus said, sounding as if he was in pain. Teddy just looked back and forth between his parents, tugging on his father's shirt again. Tonks retreated into the kitchen for a moment, returning without the spatula, sitting down on Teddy's other side.
"Teddy, Daddy wasn't at work last night when he missed your birthday."
Teddy's face dropped, and he looked at his father, still clearly hurt that he hadn't been around to celebrate.
Remus ran his fingers through his hair, crossing his legs as he faced his son, grimacing as his joints disagreed with the movement.
"Teddy, I was the wolf last night."
Teddy frowned, holding up his index finger and moving his hand side to side.
Remus' tongue darted out over his lips, and he looked at his wife, who just laid her hand on his knee, nodding.
"I'm a werewolf."
Teddy froze before beginning to laugh, shaking his head.
"Teddy, I am. I'm a werewolf."
The five year old stopped laughing, shaking his head more aggressively until Remus reached out, holding his head still. Teddy immediately put his hands over Remus' throwing himself off the couch and running away, up to his room. His eyes were caught by the stuffed wolf and he grabbed it by the tail, running out of his room and hurling it down the stairs, the sound of crying startling him.
He peeked between the rails of the balcony, mouth opening at the sight of his father openly sobbing into his hands, his mother's arms wrapped around him as she spoke softly, the wolf bouncing its way into the room, laying still on the floor. It looked so different than what he had thought he'd seen last night, instead of being large and all fangs and intent to kill, it was just fluffy and lying there motionless, almost smiling.
Teddy scooted down the stairs slowly, picking up the toy and holding it close, peeking at Remus over its fur. He slowly made his way over to his parents, holding the toy up to his father. Remus took it, looking at Teddy, still crying.
Teddy just solemnly stared at him for a while before pointing at himself. He then grinned, holding his hands over his heart and then pointing at Remus, who began crying again. Tonks just lifted Teddy, holding him in her lap as she wiped at Remus' damp face with her apron.
Remus signed back, and Teddy climbed into his lap, holding him tightly.
"I love you too Teddy. Happy birthday."
Teddy's face split into a grin, and Tonks smiled, getting up to get the breakfast before it was cold, letting her two boys cuddle with the stuffed wolf.