earthy_charm (earthy_charm) wrote in snark_n_bark, @ 2007-10-14 21:59:00 |
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Entry tags: | complete, neville, remus |
After all that we've been through
Characters: Remus, Neville and Gawain
Summary: Neville and Remus talk tattoos and relationships
It was one of those autumn days that Neville loved. The sky was bright, but there was a breeze and a fresh nip in the air that swept away the cobwebs. He glanced down at Gawain and was glad to see that the boy seemed perfectly content, dozing in the sling that held him against his father's chest and warmed by the charmed blanket that Remus had gifted to him. Neville smiled at the way a small fist was curled around the edge of the pink material. He had tried to wrap Gawain up in the blue one that morning, but the boy had known that it wasn't his blanket, that it wasn't the blanket that mummy always put him in, and had fussed until Neville had given in and let him have the pink one. Neville didn't really care, it was just a little wearying when out and about to explain to friends and associates that Gawain was the boy and that Nimue was the girl.
He smiled again when he wondered what Luna and Nimue would be doing on their girls' day out. Both he and Luna had errands to run and so they had decided to take a twin each. They were going to meet up for a late lunch at the Leaky Cauldron. There was another hour to waste before that and so, errands taken care of, Neville browsed the shops looking for any new toy that might entertain the twins, or even Luna.
He paused outside a place he didn't remember being there before. It was a modern beauty parlour, which embraced piercings and tattoos as well as the usual hairdos and manicures. Anything and everything that could be used to enhance one's looks went on inside, and a wry smile played about Neville's lips as he thought how different and sterile an experience getting tagged in there would be to how they had done things in Samoa. He moved on, pondering the new idea just forming in his mind. He was roused by Gawain's spit laden bubble blow, and was mopping up the dribbly mess with a tissue and lightly chiding Gawain for forming bad habits, when a familiar voice hailed him.
"Neville!" Remus called out, hurrying to catch up with his young friend. He smiled widely as he noticed that Neville had one of the babies with him. "How are you doing? And which one of the wee ones do you have there?" Remus grinned as he noticed the pink baby blanket, one of the set he'd given the babies as gifts. "If it were one of mine, it would have to be Lysander - Cymbeline is violently opposed to anything pink!"
Neville grinned with pleasure and laughed. "Well, it's not so much that Nimue is opposed to pink, I think. More that Gawain knows that the pink blanket is his. Gawain, say hello to Remus, he's the one who bought you the blanket." Remus was regarded for a moment by large brown eyes, and then given a open mouthed smile, which to Neville's surprise didn't involve any dribbling at all. A chubby fist reached out towards Remus. "Well, he obviously likes you because he didn't blow a raspberry at you. Must be his way of saying thank you." Neville looked back up from his son at Remus. "So what have you been up to recently?"
Remus held out a finger to the baby, stroking the soft skin of Gawain's hand and smiling in return. "He's gorgeous, Neville," he said softly. "You and Luna did a brilliant job. I like you too, Gawain. You handsome little devil. You'll be breaking all the girl's hearts before long!"
Looking back up at Neville, Remus chuckled. "Up to? Oh, Merlin, I feel like I can barely keep up with anything these days. Between writing and family and all the assorted goings on, it's never dull. But I wouldn't trade a moment of it. Well, perhaps Cymbeline's running away from home, but that all came right in the end, so we'll just mark that up to a parental learning experience."
Neville smiled proudly when Remus called Gawain handsome. He had been thinking that with their blond hair and brown eyes the twins were perhaps not striking, but had warm looks that were attractive in a softer way.
His smile faltered at Remus' comment about Cymbeline running away from home. "I hope the twins don't get it into their heads to do something like that," he said. "Not that they'd been able to escape for a good while yet." His smile recovered as he added, "Cymbeline's a girl who knows what she wants. I'm glad that everything turned out alright in the end. How are the other two - Lysander and Gaia? Gaia's got a couple of months on the twins hasn't she, is there anything I have to look forward to in the near future? Gawain's already going great guns with the raspberry blowing, and Nimue's trying to see, touch and taste anything that comes within reach. I shouldn't wonder if she starts crawling soon, so she can explore more independently. She definitely takes after Luna."
"Yes, it all turned out fine - and I think that Cymbeline is accepting her sister at last," Remus replied quietly. He stroked Gawain's hair with a finger as he shook off the disquiet that the memory of Cymbeline's little adventure gave him. "The others are fine. Yes, Gaia has a little time on your two - she's crawling now and trying to charm her way into everyone's affections, but she's not as headstrong as her sister, fortunately! If your little Nimue ends up as forceful as Cymbeline, I can guarantee you're in for quite a ride. How is Luna doing, by the way? Have you found that two babies outnumber two parents?"
Neville chewed on his bottom lip for a moment, wondering how much of Luna's fears he could share. "Well, we've had our ups and downs, but I think that everything is beginning to settle now. I'm actually thinking of surprises to cheer Luna up. She, um, she hasn't been feeling very well recently, but she's getting there. I was thinking that maybe I should get her a present... Um, am I remembering right, you told me once that you got a tattoo for Professor Snape? It's just, that's what I'm thinking of getting, or rather just thought of." He nodded his head back in the direction of the beauty parlour. "I, er, I'd quite like to get the scar on my chest covered up. It's a bit of a bad memory whenever I catch sight of it nowadays. I was just wondering how you felt, getting a tattoo that actually marked you as belonging to somebody. It's a bit of a step to take, isn't it?"
Remus tilted his head to one side, his eyes full of concern. "I'm sorry that Luna's not been well - Severus went through a difficult patch after Gaia's birth, too. It's not uncommon, really. Babies are a change! Just remember to take time for yourselves, too - you're a couple as well as parents, after all, and it's important to have time together alone."
Lifting his hand, Remus touched the left side of his chest and smiled at Neville's question about the tattoo. "It's a step, yes, although how big of one it is really rather depends on how secure you are about your relationship. Not to imply you aren't secure with Luna!" he hastened to say, hoping that Neville wouldn't take it the wrong way. He grinned wolfishly. "It's just that being a werewolf puts a rather different twist on the concept of belonging, because in my case, I literally do belong to Severus. But to answer your question - yes, I have a charmed tattoo, and Severus loves it. I'm sure that Luna would adore the gesture, and it might be a good way to help you put something positive over a part of your body that has brought you pain."
Neville nodded. "Yes, that's what I thought. And, well, I've asked Luna to marry me, so the idea of permanence doesn't really bother me." He blushed slightly. "I don't think our wedding is going to be very, um, traditional. I sort of said that I'd surprise her. I thought the tattoo might be a step in the right direction. And yes, it would be good to cover the scar with something for her. The curse nearly tore us apart. I suppose I want to show that it didn't succeed." He stroked Gawain's cheek as he spoke. The twins were another sign of how they had refused to give in to Lestrange's machinations. He planted a kiss on top of Gawain's whispy blond hair, and then looked at Remus in slight embarrassment. "It's nice being a dad," he admitted.
"Congratulations!" Remus smiled widely. "I'm happy for you both! As far as tradition... well, it can be nice, but really, I think it's best to go for whatever you feel suits the two of you best. Serenus and Tybalt got married on a beach in the Bermuda Triangle, barefoot in the sand. I think it's lovely that you want to suit yourselves - after all, its your lives, and you should do what makes you happiest."
He watched Neville's face as he kissed his son, seeing the deep emotion on Neville's face. "Oh, yes, it's very nice being a dad. There's nothing else like it in the world. You and Luna make beautiful babies, too - I think that's one of the most wonderful things, you know? Watching them as they grow and seeing the bits of yourself and the one you love in your children. Ah, but as for the tattoo... have you thought of a design yet? I did something similar, in a way, with my other tattoos. I have a howling wolf and a crescent moon, which I did as a sort of way of defiance against my own curse. Sort of to show that I was in control, if you know what I mean." He shrugged, a tinge of pink on his cheeks as he thought of the youthful anger which had fueled those choices. "But the one for Severus is a snake, because that's more him, you know?"
"That makes sense, and yes, there's something I have in mind. There's a type of moth that has a special meaning for us - the Actias Luna. I bought Luna a charmed brooch in the shape of one, and we gave the twins a part of its name each - Gawain Actias and Nimue Luna. We did that with a plant as well, but, well, the moth actually has Luna's name in it. I can't think of a better way of showing that I belong to her short of actually tattooing her name on me." Neville was warming to his idea even as he spoke about it. He knew that getting a proper wizarding tattoo would be a lot less painful than the way he had gone about getting the markings on his lower body, and he could get this one charmed as well. "Mm, yes, I think I've decided on that one." He laughed a little. "Thanks for helping me talk myself into it."
"You're certainly welcome!" Remus said, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "It sounds wonderful, and I'm sure she'll love it. If you need the recommendation of a place, I can direct you to the one that did my snake. There are extra charms on it, too, and they have quite a variety of things available."
"Thanks!" Neville glanced at his watch, his eyes dropping automatically to the time he had written on the back of his palm to check. "I have about twenty minutes before I have to meet up with Luna and Nimue for lunch. Oh! We must have you round for a visit some time with Gaia, and Lysander and Cymbeline too, if you want." Neville daringly laid a hand on Remus' arm - being with Luna was teaching him to relax around those he had affection for. "I know the whole godfather thing didn't work out, but you're an important person to me, Remus, and I'd love it if you'd be the same to the twins." He grinned. "Gawain already loves you for his blanket."
Remus smiled, laying his hand over Neville's and squeezing it lightly. "Thanks, Neville, I appreciate that, and I am honored to do anything I can for your children. A visit sounds lovely, but perhaps we should have you over instead. You might not remember my old cottage in Hogsmeade, where Serenus lived before his marriage? Well we had it done up as a sort of playhouse for all the Snape children. The whole place is child friendly, with toys and protective charms and the whole bit. We might even start doing their primary schooling there. At any rate, it's been a fantastic place to get a bunch of wee ones together with no worries about spitting up on the carpet or such. I'll owl you, shall I?"
"That would be great. Thank you. It's funny to think that two Longbottoms are going to be in the same school year as a Snape, well, three Snapes what with Serenus' two as well! You don't have to tell Professor Snape I said that, though. Great, well, I better be off now. Owl me." Neville gave Remus a quick hug, helped Gawain wave goodbye and then hurried off in the direction of the Leaky.
As always, seeing and talking with Remus had left him feeling happy and excited about the future. He was especially eager this time to put his first surprise for Luna into action. The hard part would be trying not to let her know that anything was going on...