"How's he getting on?" Sirius walked into the room, placing the card he'd
written out on Remus' bedside table along with the flowers.
"He's just the same." Cassandra said, getting up from where she'd been stroking Remus' head. "The flowers are nice."
"Yeah, they're all the ones he likes best."
"I see." Mrs Lupin replied, not having a clue about what flowers Remus preferred, realising that Sirius knew much more about her son than she did, realising she had to let him go a lot more than she would like to, it would have been much easier if she'd let him go to a woman, it seemed strange he shared all these things with another man.
Sirius took the seat offered, lifting Remus' hand to his face and kissing it. He felt slightly awkward. Remus' mother had always seemed a little stand -offish with him and he didn't like feeling he had to speak with her particularly in a situation like this. Sirius knew Cassandra accepted him for Remus' sake but it was always apparent when Remus wasn't there that he wasn't what she'd have chosen and it did upset Sirius a little bit because his own family hadn't accepted him at all just for being himself and here was somebody else not wanting him.
"Can I read the card?" Julius asked, lifting it up.
"Mm hmm" Sirius answered not really sure he wanted it read but feeling he could hardly turn around and refuse!
"Hey poorly pants." He started to read out loud. "You're scaring me quite a bit Moony, I'm missing your little ways, the way you laugh at practically everything, you even find me funny, how you play with your teeth with your tongue, all the little things that only I know." He stopped, feeling perhaps he shouldn't have started this, it was quite personal and Mr Lupin felt as if he was infringing on Sirius a little bit.
"Keep going." Cassandra prompted, having been intently listening.
"It's ok, I said you could read it." Sirius said, knowing Julius would have seen it all by now anyhow. "Hope you wake up soon sweetie so it can all be back to how it should be, with you lying in my arms. Get well soon snugglebum, love you loads darling, Padfoot xxx"
He replaced the card. Nobody spoke, Sirius battling his tears, he was finding this harder and harder to deal with, he needed someone with him who would help him, he was starting to fall to pieces and instead he had Remus' parents who he felt he had to stay together for and he couldn't pour his heart out to them because they weren't close enough.
Sirius was surprised to feel Remus' mother's hands on his shoulders. "Oh love, I've been unfair on you." Her voice was wobbly but determined. "I don't think I realised how much you loved him. He's totally infatuated with you. I was selfish and thought about what I'd have wanted but I can see how much you care. I know that Remus was always really happy with you and it was enough for me to accept the way things were, but I wasn't totally happy but you've made me realise, I'm sorry Sirius." She blinked back tears. "I feel bad that it's taken a situation like this for me to realise."
Sirius could tell she genuinely meant it, and he knew she hadn't had to say this.
"You're all we could really have wished for him. You love him for who and what he is and that's what matters the most, particularly now, that we're all here for him."
Sirius stood up and turned to face her, glassy eyed. "It's ok, I thought you didn't really like me that much, but I appreciate what you've said, it means a lot because I know how special you are to Remus, and I plan to be part of his life forever if I can so I'd like it if we could be friends."
She pulled him into her arms. "We can, you're part of the family."
"I just want Remus to be....to....to be....alright!" Sirius lost his battle and burst into tears.
"Shhh, he's not getting worse."
"But he's not getting any better either!" He wailed.
"I know son, I know, but it's early days yet, we've just got to hope and pray. Julius, go and get some cups of tea." She waved him out of the room, holding Sirius close to her; he never remembered being held in that way by his own mother. Suddenly it seemed to Sirius that there was nobody better in this position to cry to, Cassandra was close enough, in fact nobody else was closer, she adored Remus as much as he did, she understood, and to his gratitude she finally understood their relationship.
Julius had managed two more seats and hot sugary tea so they all sat around Remus' bed, Sirius resting one arm on the bed, entwining his fingers with Remus'.
"When he was little if he ever took ill, or after transformations he used to always curl up in the living room with his quilt and pillows, his bed on the sofa, and if I dared not to sit with him he'd moan. He wasn't really one of these children that would pretend to be unwell, he didn't ever want to miss time outside! But if he was ill he was such a Mummy's boy, wanting loads of cuddles." She smiled, reminiscing fondly.
"He's no different now, he never really lays it on thick but he does like you to look after him, oh and he still brings the quilt into the living room, and makes my knee into his pillow." Sirius smiled down lovingly.
"He's a great soft one, always was." Julius laughed. "Quite a sensitive lad without being wet. I'm proud for him to be my son."
Sirius nodded, "I'll agree with you that he's a good bloke, he'd give you anything he could, he's a great laugh and he's pretty handsome as well." Sirius blushed a little bit.
"He really fancies you too." Cassandra couldn't actually believe she was saying these things but strangely it now felt like the perfect thing to be saying, the atmosphere seemed so much easier suddenly.
"Do you want to see some photos?" Sirius volunteered, finding that despite the gloom of Remus' unconsciousness he was quite enjoying this new kind of interaction with his in-laws. He reached for his wallet and pulled out a few ragged edged pictures he kept in there. "This one was at Peter's birthday earlier this year, Remy was a little tipsy shall we say."
"Good gracious!" His mother laughed. "He always was such a quiet one, you bring out the wildness in him!"
"It was very funny!" Sirius smiled and ran a finger down the side of Remus' face. "He was enjoying himself that's for sure." He took back the photograph. "I'm not entirely sure why he ended up in nothing but his boxer shorts and with a feather bower around his neck dancing on the table but he did! This is one of my favourites, James took it in one of the ministry cars on a work trip." He passed across the picture of Remus and himself sat asleep as they travelled, head's lolling against each other, Remus' hand across Sirius' stomach.
"You know we could do with a few photographs of the two of you together, not with the others, just the two of you, we've not got any up."
Sirius nodded. "We'll get you some." He resisted the temptation to say that it was because they had been embarrassed about their sexuality so hadn't put photos of them as a couple up because of that. It didn't matter now, at least it had been sorted out.
And so Sirius sat talking about everything he could think of, for the rest of that day, all through the night and then all through the next day, sometimes with Cassandra and Julius, sometimes with the other boys, sometimes alone. He was managing to cry less now, accepting the situation more as time passed, knowing that at least Remus had got through the first 24 hours and that had to mean something was going right. The healers had expressed a concern earlier in the day that the poisoning could cause organ damage and they were monitoring him very carefully now as the longer the illness had hold the more harm could come of it.
Sirius had reluctantly been dragged from Remus' bedside, by Lily that evening, after he stood up and nearly fainted from exhaustion. He had to admit he felt better for a good meal and a hot shower but lying in bed on his own felt strange. It felt cold and it felt lonely not having Remus to curl up against. He'd been given Lily and James' guest bedroom, them not wanting him to have to go back to the cottage himself and Remus shared alone. He sighed and went to put one of Remus' T-shirts on, James having brought their cases from the hotel back to his house. He needed to smell him close or he was never going to sleep, no matter how shattered he was. He thought of the present he had for Remus, their anniversary being the next day, wishing he could be awake to receive it, knowing though that it was unlikely that even if he did wake up he'd be very aware. If only he was here now and this was all a vicious nightmare he was about to wake up from.
Sirius did wake up, but it wasn't from a nightmare, it was back into one as a voice called to him from the fireplace. "Mr Black, I'm afraid there have been some complications with Remus, could you please get to the hospital as quickly as possible." Rang in his ears as he hurriedly dragged on a pair of tracksuit bottoms which he had a feeling also belonged to Remus to go with the too small T-shirt he was already wearing.
"For fucks sake!" He spat in frustration as he attempted to put his shoes on the wrong feet before hurtling out the door and hammering on the door across the corridor. "Open the door! Please!" He hammered harder.
"What?" James stuck his head round the door and Sirius barged in, not caring that James was stark naked and Lily was fast asleep in bed. "Remus' getting worse, will you get ready and come with me to the hospital?" TBC
"He's just the same." Cassandra said, getting up from where she'd been stroking Remus' head. "The flowers are nice."
"Yeah, they're all the ones he likes best."
"I see." Mrs Lupin replied, not having a clue about what flowers Remus preferred, realising that Sirius knew much more about her son than she did, realising she had to let him go a lot more than she would like to, it would have been much easier if she'd let him go to a woman, it seemed strange he shared all these things with another man.
Sirius took the seat offered, lifting Remus' hand to his face and kissing it. He felt slightly awkward. Remus' mother had always seemed a little stand -offish with him and he didn't like feeling he had to speak with her particularly in a situation like this. Sirius knew Cassandra accepted him for Remus' sake but it was always apparent when Remus wasn't there that he wasn't what she'd have chosen and it did upset Sirius a little bit because his own family hadn't accepted him at all just for being himself and here was somebody else not wanting him.
"Can I read the card?" Julius asked, lifting it up.
"Mm hmm" Sirius answered not really sure he wanted it read but feeling he could hardly turn around and refuse!
"Hey poorly pants." He started to read out loud. "You're scaring me quite a bit Moony, I'm missing your little ways, the way you laugh at practically everything, you even find me funny, how you play with your teeth with your tongue, all the little things that only I know." He stopped, feeling perhaps he shouldn't have started this, it was quite personal and Mr Lupin felt as if he was infringing on Sirius a little bit.
"Keep going." Cassandra prompted, having been intently listening.
"It's ok, I said you could read it." Sirius said, knowing Julius would have seen it all by now anyhow. "Hope you wake up soon sweetie so it can all be back to how it should be, with you lying in my arms. Get well soon snugglebum, love you loads darling, Padfoot xxx"
He replaced the card. Nobody spoke, Sirius battling his tears, he was finding this harder and harder to deal with, he needed someone with him who would help him, he was starting to fall to pieces and instead he had Remus' parents who he felt he had to stay together for and he couldn't pour his heart out to them because they weren't close enough.
Sirius was surprised to feel Remus' mother's hands on his shoulders. "Oh love, I've been unfair on you." Her voice was wobbly but determined. "I don't think I realised how much you loved him. He's totally infatuated with you. I was selfish and thought about what I'd have wanted but I can see how much you care. I know that Remus was always really happy with you and it was enough for me to accept the way things were, but I wasn't totally happy but you've made me realise, I'm sorry Sirius." She blinked back tears. "I feel bad that it's taken a situation like this for me to realise."
Sirius could tell she genuinely meant it, and he knew she hadn't had to say this.
"You're all we could really have wished for him. You love him for who and what he is and that's what matters the most, particularly now, that we're all here for him."
Sirius stood up and turned to face her, glassy eyed. "It's ok, I thought you didn't really like me that much, but I appreciate what you've said, it means a lot because I know how special you are to Remus, and I plan to be part of his life forever if I can so I'd like it if we could be friends."
She pulled him into her arms. "We can, you're part of the family."
"I just want Remus to be....to....to be....alright!" Sirius lost his battle and burst into tears.
"Shhh, he's not getting worse."
"But he's not getting any better either!" He wailed.
"I know son, I know, but it's early days yet, we've just got to hope and pray. Julius, go and get some cups of tea." She waved him out of the room, holding Sirius close to her; he never remembered being held in that way by his own mother. Suddenly it seemed to Sirius that there was nobody better in this position to cry to, Cassandra was close enough, in fact nobody else was closer, she adored Remus as much as he did, she understood, and to his gratitude she finally understood their relationship.
Julius had managed two more seats and hot sugary tea so they all sat around Remus' bed, Sirius resting one arm on the bed, entwining his fingers with Remus'.
"When he was little if he ever took ill, or after transformations he used to always curl up in the living room with his quilt and pillows, his bed on the sofa, and if I dared not to sit with him he'd moan. He wasn't really one of these children that would pretend to be unwell, he didn't ever want to miss time outside! But if he was ill he was such a Mummy's boy, wanting loads of cuddles." She smiled, reminiscing fondly.
"He's no different now, he never really lays it on thick but he does like you to look after him, oh and he still brings the quilt into the living room, and makes my knee into his pillow." Sirius smiled down lovingly.
"He's a great soft one, always was." Julius laughed. "Quite a sensitive lad without being wet. I'm proud for him to be my son."
Sirius nodded, "I'll agree with you that he's a good bloke, he'd give you anything he could, he's a great laugh and he's pretty handsome as well." Sirius blushed a little bit.
"He really fancies you too." Cassandra couldn't actually believe she was saying these things but strangely it now felt like the perfect thing to be saying, the atmosphere seemed so much easier suddenly.
"Do you want to see some photos?" Sirius volunteered, finding that despite the gloom of Remus' unconsciousness he was quite enjoying this new kind of interaction with his in-laws. He reached for his wallet and pulled out a few ragged edged pictures he kept in there. "This one was at Peter's birthday earlier this year, Remy was a little tipsy shall we say."
"Good gracious!" His mother laughed. "He always was such a quiet one, you bring out the wildness in him!"
"It was very funny!" Sirius smiled and ran a finger down the side of Remus' face. "He was enjoying himself that's for sure." He took back the photograph. "I'm not entirely sure why he ended up in nothing but his boxer shorts and with a feather bower around his neck dancing on the table but he did! This is one of my favourites, James took it in one of the ministry cars on a work trip." He passed across the picture of Remus and himself sat asleep as they travelled, head's lolling against each other, Remus' hand across Sirius' stomach.
"You know we could do with a few photographs of the two of you together, not with the others, just the two of you, we've not got any up."
Sirius nodded. "We'll get you some." He resisted the temptation to say that it was because they had been embarrassed about their sexuality so hadn't put photos of them as a couple up because of that. It didn't matter now, at least it had been sorted out.
And so Sirius sat talking about everything he could think of, for the rest of that day, all through the night and then all through the next day, sometimes with Cassandra and Julius, sometimes with the other boys, sometimes alone. He was managing to cry less now, accepting the situation more as time passed, knowing that at least Remus had got through the first 24 hours and that had to mean something was going right. The healers had expressed a concern earlier in the day that the poisoning could cause organ damage and they were monitoring him very carefully now as the longer the illness had hold the more harm could come of it.
Sirius had reluctantly been dragged from Remus' bedside, by Lily that evening, after he stood up and nearly fainted from exhaustion. He had to admit he felt better for a good meal and a hot shower but lying in bed on his own felt strange. It felt cold and it felt lonely not having Remus to curl up against. He'd been given Lily and James' guest bedroom, them not wanting him to have to go back to the cottage himself and Remus shared alone. He sighed and went to put one of Remus' T-shirts on, James having brought their cases from the hotel back to his house. He needed to smell him close or he was never going to sleep, no matter how shattered he was. He thought of the present he had for Remus, their anniversary being the next day, wishing he could be awake to receive it, knowing though that it was unlikely that even if he did wake up he'd be very aware. If only he was here now and this was all a vicious nightmare he was about to wake up from.
Sirius did wake up, but it wasn't from a nightmare, it was back into one as a voice called to him from the fireplace. "Mr Black, I'm afraid there have been some complications with Remus, could you please get to the hospital as quickly as possible." Rang in his ears as he hurriedly dragged on a pair of tracksuit bottoms which he had a feeling also belonged to Remus to go with the too small T-shirt he was already wearing.
"For fucks sake!" He spat in frustration as he attempted to put his shoes on the wrong feet before hurtling out the door and hammering on the door across the corridor. "Open the door! Please!" He hammered harder.
"What?" James stuck his head round the door and Sirius barged in, not caring that James was stark naked and Lily was fast asleep in bed. "Remus' getting worse, will you get ready and come with me to the hospital?" TBC