Tonks (doratheauror) wrote in disorderic, @ 2018-04-19 21:24:00 |
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Entry tags: | leon stebbins, nymphadora lupin, remus lupin |
WHO: Tonks, Remus, and Teddy Lupin (!!) and Leon!
WHAT: Someone is being born instead of dying for a change.
WHEN: Thursday, April 19
WHERE: Their home
Tonks hadn’t realized she was still gripping Remus’ hand until she let go in order to take Teddy from Leon. He’d been crying non-stop from the moment he was born, no doubt terrified by the strange new world he found himself in; but as Tonks held Teddy now, firmly and close to her heart, the crying gradually fell to a whimper, and then he was quiet. As she looked down at him, she couldn’t stop smiling. Tonks ran her thumb over Teddy’s cheek, in awe of both how soft and small it was--how small he was in general. Tonks looked up at Remus, eyes bright and beaming. “I think he already knows me,” she said, then looked back down at their baby, who still had his eyes completely closed, but had stopped crying as Tonks held him. “That’s right, Teddy, I’m here,” she said, her voice taking on a lilting coo as she spoke directly to the infant, “I’m your mummy.” The title still felt strange, but the way she fell instantly in love with Teddy felt entirely natural. She had loved the mere idea of him; to be actually holding him now was like nothing she had ever experienced before. Tonks kissed his forehead and took in that fresh new baby smell. “Let’s meet daddy,” she murmured, then looked up again at Remus encouragingly, lifting Teddy towards him who began to fuss at the movement. Academically, Remus had thought that he understood childbirth. That it was something he, as a man, would be able to measure and quantify. But as soon as the process began, he felt with his heart and his mind. So instead of calculating or letting the knowledge stand between he and the subject he reached out and let himself feel all of this with Tonks. He was in awe of her; her grit, her compassion, her unique talent. But he was amazed by her heart, her stamina … her very firm grip on his hand. And his support was unwavering. He watched them quietly, eyes bright as she settled their baby. Then, with the mass of blankets angled his way, he gave her a brief panicked smile. “Okay, Teddy … Dad’s here.” He wrapped his boy into the corner of his arms, holding gently, letting the scent of life cascade all around him. The baby snuffled and rooted at his bicep, and when content he was not useful in any sense but comfort, settled into his arms and opened his eyes a slit. “Welcome to the world, little love.” Tonks angled herself up to get a peak at Teddy’s eyes; they looked a dark blue, but she knew that might not be permanent. “I read that babies usually change eye colors,” Tonks said, “Not all the pigmentation is there yet,” she explained, then leaned back to take in the sight of them; she grinned. “You look good, like a pro,” Tonks teased, “Of course, I think it’ll get harder when he weighs more than just a few kilograms and starts squirming.” “Hey! I have time to study,” was his tease right back. Then, a beat, as he considered their baby’s eyes. “ … or he’ll be like Mum and change them to suit himself,” Remus said wonderingly, a fingertip skating over their baby’s fat little cheek. Then, looking to Tonks, he leaned forward and dropped a kiss on her lips. “I’m so proud of you, actual professional. You are amazing. Look at what …” he shook his head slowly as his eyes traveled back down to the little bundle in his arms. “Look at what you grew?” Tonks was eager to know if Teddy was a metamorphmagus; it had always been an advantage for Tonks, and so she hoped to pass it on, but didn't understand enough about how it worked to guess at the likelihood of it. She knew it was rare and no one in her mother's family had been one--but she did get half her genes from someone else who she couldn't really account for. “Mum said it started the day I was born,” she said, then reached up to peek beneath the little beanie covering Teddy’s head. “It looks kind of light brown. We'll just have to see if it changes.” Tonks kissed him back and smiled; a full, beaming smile. “On one hand, I want to be humble and say you contributed about half, but on the other hand, the literal growing and birthing part was really bloody difficult and painful, so I'm sort of okay with taking the credit,” she said, her smile sobering a bit as she pressed her thumb into a dimple in Teddy's chin, “I was worried, though--I mean there was so much more stress than was ideal, but he's so perfect,” she bit her lip, continuing, “I'm just really grateful.” Stress, compounded with the potential for lycan genes, aggravated by the lack of knowledge of future for any of them -- it was a miracle this baby, perfect in all ways, was here at all. He tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and nodded slowly. “I don’t know if I’m ever going to stop …” “Probably not, I think it’s part of the job,” Tonks said, yawning a bit. “Leon is going to need his full name for the birth certificate when he’s finished cleaning up,” she pointed out. “What do you think about that middle name...?” “ … I don’t really know,” he admitted after a beat. He’d thought about naming him after Sirius or James. He’d even considered Leon, or casting about for a name untied to any of them. They all came up shorthanded to Edward. “But perhaps his middle name can be Tonks? That way, he’s carrying my last name and yours too.” Tonks considered the idea; Edward Tonks Lupin. It was definitely a name and a half, and while she had wanted to spare him that particular growing pain, it was nice to hear such a strong tribute to her mother. And yet, she still felt attached to another option. “I was thinking Remus, actually,” she suggested, “I just think it has a nice sound to it, a certain flow.” “ … I think you’re going to awaken any lycan gene I passed with a name like that,” he said carefully, keeping his voice low for the baby just now nodding into a light sleep in his arms. “You’re basically asking for a tiny wolf.” He paused, looking up at Tonks with a brief shake of his head. “No.” Tonks raised a brow, both surprised and not by such emphatic resistance. She didn't quite have her mind made up--Tonks as a middle name had some appeal, though she wasn't quite sure about the overall sound of that name. Either way, she wanted Remus to at least articulate this more. “Why not?” she asked. “He’s got enough wolf already. Don’t give it to him with both barrels,” he said softly, gaze directed at the perfect sleeping little form. Maybe in another world, Remus would feel grateful to have a son share his name. But in the world they lived in - that they hoped to win back - it would be a saddle. “If it comes to it, he doesn’t need a middle name. But Edward Tonks Lupin is strong.” “I'm not sure the name’s really the deciding factor, as much as we joke...or as much as it's a comfort to imagine it's within our control,” she said, her eyes drifting down towards Teddy. It was difficult to imagine that there was anything wrong with him; Tonks was relatively confident that wasn't how lycanthropy was passed on, but she knew neither of them would feel entirely at ease until they saw what happened on the full. “It is a strong name,” she agreed, “They both are, I think,” she said, “I won't push you on it, of course I love the name Tonks too, but I just want you to consider that to Teddy, Remus will always be his father's name first and foremost. And he will love you, I think he would love to share it.” Tonks always had a way of making him soften. His tendency, particularly when it came to himself, was to clam up and wall off. And while those walls had been precisely deconstructed, he could suspect that the instinct to protect Teddy from himself was strong enough to insist otherwise with regards to naming at the very least. As if sensing his father’s contentious emotions rolling about in his chest, the baby pulled one tiny fist free of its wrapping and waved it broadly. “I’m going to leave it to you,” he finally said. “I trust you.” Tonks considered it carefully; she didn't want to choose a name that Remus was uncomfortable with, but she also wasn't sure this was the type of discomfort she should indulge. Smiling, Tonks caught Teddy's little fist with her fingers, surprised at how tightly his fingers curled around hers once he latched on. “I think he likes it, Edward Remus,” she said. “And I like it, too.” Remus smiled when Teddy’s fist latched onto his mother’s and knew then, that when it came to these two, he would ultimately relent. This would be the first of many indulgences. “Then that’s what it is.” “I think it suits him,” Tonks said, running a finger down Teddy’s cheek, marveling at its softness. Her curiosity not yet abated, Tonks pushed the beanie back again to get another look at his hair. “Look!” she said excitedly, “Does it look darker? More black now?” she asked hopefully. “ … ummmm. Dora.” And as Tonks spoke, his hair brightened into an electric blue. Remus’ face split into a grin. Tonks beamed back up at Remus, letting out a delighted laugh of surprise. She ran her hand through Teddy’s now blue and still incredibly soft tuft of hair, “You’re going to have so much fun causing all sorts of trouble with this,” she told him. Teddy, for his part, seemed utterly oblivious to his powers, as he continued to stare wide-eyed up at his parents and the ceiling in turn. “I can’t imagine what my mum must have felt when this happened to me with absolutely no forewarning,” she smiled. “ … I’m sure your Mum probably thought ‘what a lark’ and took it very well in stride,” was his retort. He pulled a bassinet near to the bed and rose to lay Teddy inside it. He turned back to his wife, love shining all through him. “She also probably felt just like this.” Remus, for his part, felt whole. For the first time in his little life. He was whole. Tonks and Teddy and Remus. They would be okay. He would will it so. “I love him. And I love you. This is …” he took a shallow breath. “I love this.” Tonks smiled broadly, eyes glistening now, as she knew they would, with happy tears. “Me too,” she said, wrapping her fingers through Remus’. Leon knocked before peeking his head in, just a little. The new parents deserved some privacy -- some moments just to themselves and the baby, a moment to savour what had just happened and to bond. It didn’t take a decade of obstetrics practice to know that. It gave him a chance to breathe, too, and to wash up. He came back now to check up on them, and to bring the paperwork they’d need to properly document the boy’s birth. One day, Leon hoped, they’d be able to register it with the Ministry. Until then, they could probably forge a Muggle certificate, if needed. “How’s Mum and baby?” he asked. “I’d ask about Dad but he’s had an easy go of it.” Remus grinned, then turned to Tonks - who he, honestly, held in complete and utter awe - to let her do the answering. Tonks laughed, “Exhausted,” she admitted, and for the first time really felt it as the sensation of wired excitement began to fade and the physical toll of being in labor for hours began to set in. “But otherwise okay, I think,” she added, then turned to look down at Teddy, smiling again, “Teddy is perfect--and a metamorphmagus to boot!” His eyebrows shot upwards as his eyes widened at the news. “No kidding?” He stepped closer until he could see for himself. “Well. I’ll be damned. That didn’t take long.” It occurred to him that this was the first time he’d been around a metamorphmagus so young. He knew, in theory, that the trait could pop up early, but seeing it was something special. “He’s - Teddy’s lucky to have the two of you.” He smiled, grateful that they were all in good spirits, and grateful to see the light in her eyes. Both of their eyes, really. “I just wanted to see if you were ready to sign the birth certificate, and then I’ll get out of your hair. It sounds like you’ve decided?” Remus’ eyes traveled lightly over Teddy’s now green hair (how fascinating that even now, it changed in his sleep) to rest on his wife. He reached for her hand and squeezed. “We’re ready. He’s ready -- and -- he’s Edward Remus Lupin.” “Edward Remus Lupin,” Leon repeated, his face splitting into a wide grin. He looked away so he could write it down properly and clearly, and then looked back up at his friends. He could almost feel Ted’s presence there with them, if he concentrated enough. “He looks like a Teddy. It’s perfect.” “He does,” Tonks agreed, her thoughts drifting to Ted as well; she thought at first her absence today would be too painful to focus on, but as she looked at Teddy, she didn't feel very absent at all, “He's perfect.” |