Lupin's cub (Remus Lupin's Unknown daughter)

Wounds

The woman squeezed Sirius' shoulder gently as she passed.

"Come here Sirius." Remus sighed.

Sirius stood with his arms crossed belligerently by the kitchen doorway. "No."

Remus ground his teeth again, there was a part of him warning how bad that was for his dental health but he ignored it. His hand snapped out catching Sirius by the wrist and dragging him over towards the sink.

"You can quit looking at me like that," Sirius snapped, avoiding his eyes.

Remus sighed again, "like what?"

"Like I'm the world's greatest screw up! Like you can't imagine a worse idea than letting me out on my own! Like you expected this all along!" Once he got going he didn't seem able to stop and Sirius began pacing around the kitchen. His arms waved expressively as he ranted. His voice rose a bit with every sentence. Remus silently cast a charm to keep the noise in the kitchen. "I know I've made a few mistakes but I don't always do so! And you come in looking all angry and exasperated and it's so irritating because I actually feel as if I've let you down! This was completely not my fault!"

"I know that," Remus replied quietly.

"And Nuts, wait what?" Sirius visibly deflated as he seemed to absorb Remus's stance. "You know?"

"Of course I do, I know you didn't kidnap Caelen." Remus snorted as he attempted to real Sirius back in to continue dressing his wounds. Sirius hissed quietly as his quickly blackening eye was prodded.

"But," Sirius floundered gesturing vaguely at Remus as a whole, "I don't understand? You look pissed off?"

Remus let out a little growl, "Well I am pissed off. Have you actually seen the pair of you?"

Sirius stood quietly for a while. Now that he knew Remus wasn't angry at him other thoughts were beginning to slip through his jumbled mind. Remus was standing close in front of him. His head bent low as he inspected a gash along Sirius's neck. Sirius tried hard not to move as warm breath fluttered across his collar bones. He couldn't quite stop himself from turning his head, inhaling the clean soap scent of Remus's hair as it tickled his chin. "So," he began, his voice slightly husky, "just to be clear you're angry because we're a bit banged up, not at me."

Remus glanced up moving a step back as if he'd only just realized how closely they were standing. "I would have thought we'd established that?" They stood silently for a while Sirius wishing he could pull Remus back to where he'd been moments before, Remus seeming to study his face.

Remus chuckled softly as a clatter sounded from the living room, "that'll be Tonks, Dumbledore said he'd be sending some information by with her later."

Sirius dropped his head back against a cupboard, wincing as he found a previously unnoticed bruise.

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Nuntis curled beside Caelen on the girl's bed. A tap on her arm caught her attention and she slit her eyes open. Caelen held out their notebook with a smile. "Are you ok?"

Nuntis propped herself up against the headboard smiling gently as she moved to respond, "I am fine Tesero."

Caelen smiled snuggling into Nuntis's side, "Why're daddy and uncle Sirius acting so weird?"

The woman's shoulders shook in silent amusement. "Your daddy is feeling protective, someone harmed his pack. Sirius seems to mistakingly believe Remus's anger is directed at him."

Caelen paused for a bit as if she wasn't certain she should ask her next question. "Why're you so down tonight? Besides the obvious?

Nuts eyed the girl in surprise, "you're very observant la mia piccola stella, I am sad this evening. It is a nostalgic sadness."

Caelen pointed silently at the new words earning another tired smile, "my little star," she explained, running her fingers soothingly through the girl's long brown hair. "Sometimes, piccolo amore, we might have something that no one knows about. If we lose that thing, it's nice because no one brings it up but hard because you have no one to talk to about it."

Caelen's fingers brushed against a too big ring Nuntis always fiddled with. It was a silvery color two snakes intertwined in an infinite knot their green gemstone eyes flickering in the soft lamp light. "The thing you lost was a person?"

"Yes tesero, I lost my person, my love."

Caelen snuggled in closer, an unconscious offering of comfort. "What happened?"

The woman glanced towards the door, sitting thoughtfully for a time before her hand ever moved to respond. "What I am about to share I have never told a soul. If I entrust this secret to you I expect you to honor it?" Caelen nodded solemnly. "Very well. I know you're aware I was not in your father or uncle's house at school. Remus and I became friends due to a shared secret."

"You're like me, I know that." Caelen whispered.

Nuntis nodded, "I am a born wolf yes, but that is not actually a part of my story. At least not this story. I met a boy in my school days, he had black hair and eyes the color of fog on a cold night. He was my first and only love, but circumstances and family prejudices consumed him. In the end he could not be saved."

"But you still loved him?"

Nuts smiled a sad little grin, "I did, I married him, would've been twenty years ago tonight."

Caelen gasped, "you were quite young!"

Nuntis smiled, "it was different then. There was a war happening no one knew how long they'd be alive. He died, attempting to right his wrongs. No one else knows what he did, or where he's gone." A tear rolled down the woman's cheek. "From time to time someone will mention him, usually in reference to his family, how sad it is he didn't make it out. How they wonder whatever became of him. In the end I know, that's enough. He died a hero. He made mistakes, horrible mistakes, but he gave his life in an attempt to make amends."

Caelen yawned tiredly, "who was he?"

"I think that may be a story for another time."

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Bit shorter than usual but felt perfect so yeah here it is 😁 hope you like it. Thanks for your patience guys I know I've been updating slow lately. 💙💙 laters