For Joanna, because this is completely and utterly her fault. She unintentionally put this idea in my head when we were talking about WolfStar verse RemusTonks.
For the Chopped comp with the prompts Romance, happiness and Chocolate Frogs.
Word count: 403
Remus aches. He aches like he always does after a full moon; he aches like he has done every month since he was six. Eyes foggy and hands unsteady, he stumbles up the steps up the basement and opens the door. The bright light of the morning assaults his eyes, and he has to blink several times to adjust.
Leaning heavily on the doorframe, he scans the kitchen.
Upon realizing that Remus is awake, Tonks rushes up from her seat and helps him to the closest seat. She doesn't speak as she heals his self-inflicted wounds to the best of her ability. And the ones she can't, she heals enough so that they will end up scarring.
Most will end up scarring.
Remus stays quiet throughout, allowing Tonks to concentrate on her spellwork. She finishes quicker this month, the charms coming more naturally.
He is sure he learnt such charms before he could transfigure a needle into a matchstick.
He utters his thanks as she pushes objects towards him. It's the first time that Remus has noticed anything on the table. In front of him sits a potion for pain and a Chocolate Frog. He downs the potion without hesitation, grimacing at the awful taste.
But what makes him smile is the Chocolate Frog. He's always had a sweet tooth, but it seems to intensify after a full moon.
His wife sits in the seat next to him, watching him. Remus leans over and gives her a kiss before eating the Chocolate Frog. He feels the warmth of the chocolate seeping into his body. It restores his happiness. He reaches over and grabs his wife's hand.
"Why don't we go to bed?" he asks her, meeting her now-grey eyes. She's still worried, but she's as exhausted as he is. She nods, allowing him to stand. Together, they make their way to their bedroom. He collapses on their bed, and brings her closer to him. She tries to move away from him, to prevent hurting him. But his grip tightens on her.
Just tonight, he thinks. Just tonight and he can forget.
He presses a kiss to the crown of her head, and whispers, "I love you," into her hair. She mumbles it back, sleep evident in her voice. And as Remus falls asleep, he realizes how lucky he is to have her.
She knows exactly what he needs, and she loves him unconditionally.
A/n – thanks to my beautiful wife, Cassie, for beta-ing this for me. You're a doll!