swim || remus lupin

lucky

One of the things I loved most about staying with the Lupin's was the sense of normalcy, of familiarity.

Mrs. Lupin, being a muggle, wasn't particularly fond of excessive uses of magic, even when completely helpful and entirely favored. She kept matches in the drawers, she forced her boys to use towels rather than wands, she would throw back objects that Mr. Lupin summoned. She never wanted to lose touch with her roots or allow her husband and son to lose appreciation for magic itself.

It was for this reason that the Lupin's did not use the Atmospheric Charm, as the Potter's did, to keep their house cold as the humid spring air permeated their small dwelling. Instead, they propped open windows and plotted fans throughout the winding rooms.

In the kitchen, there was one large window above the sink, which had three panes. The middle one would not move, but the two sides were creaked open, inviting the dark and cool midnight breeze to slip in. It floated about the open space, trickling by drying plates and potted plants until the small bits that were left reached the spot that Remus and I stood, by their granite island.

"Remus, it's only brownies from a box. I think I can manage!" I cried, swatting away the hand that snaked its way under my arm.

"Well if you don't mix it in each direction it won't-"

"Do you just want to do it?" I sighed and stepped away so I was facing the boy who was peering over my shoulder.

Remus grinned toothily and nodded. He bent over slightly to kiss my forehead and his hands stole the bowl from mine on his way back up.

I shook my head and moved out of his way, hoisting myself onto the counter and leaning my head back against one of his wooden cabinets.

I suppose I couldn't complain. For one thing, I would be getting dessert without so much as cracking an egg. For another, the dessert was being made by my shirtless and intimidating looking softie of a boyfriend.

From my place on the counter, I was barely an inch taller than Remus, who stood no more than a foot away from me. His hand elegantly wrapped around the whisk, which he whipped quickly about the bowl. Each muscle of his arms shifted and churned as his wrist spun. His veins popped along his uncovered skin and trickled down to his fingers.

He was humming softly now, much happier to have taken full control, and his pink tongue peeked out between his lips. In the dim golden light, his scars were a soft pink as well. They blended against his bronzed skin, which grew tanner each sunny spring day.

"What?" He asked, his amusement breaking me from my stare to find that he was staring back.

"Nothing," I smiled slightly and shifted forward, resting my weight against my locked arms as my hands pressed into the cold countertop.

"You look so pretty right now," Remus said with a small, matching smile, his eyes trailing across my face before landing on mine.

I felt my smile grow as a little blush crept across my cheeks. Were my eyes not locked on his, my head likely would have fallen in shyness. But, instead, I was pulled into the auburn pools, falling deeper and deeper, not even trying to swim to the surface.