Modern No-Magic Wolfstar AU

Chapter 59

"A whole week alone with a baby?" Lyall repeated, greying eyebrows raised. "And you're sure the kid is still alive? Did you check for a pulse?"

"Hey, we were great parents!" Sirius defended, grinning. "I like to think that I was the fun parent."

"Oh, really?" Remus laughed, rolling his eyes. "Says the guy who made Harry have a tantrum because you didn't let him go to bed with his favourite toy."

"He peed on it!" Sirius said hotly, but Remus gently patted his arm, laughing quietly still.

"Sounds like you boys did a better job than me or Hope ever did," Lyall rubbed his chin, his elbows up on the small, round table.

The three men fell silent.

"Dad..." Remus began, but he didn't know what else he was going to say. If he denied it, he'd be lying.

Sirius shrugged, running his hand through his hair. "Well, we certainly did better than my parents ever did."

"No arguments there," Remus raised an eyebrow, grimacing.

Lyall looked between the two boys, a hand fiddling with the coarse jean material on his knees. "Is it something I'm meant to... is it a thing- am I meant to meet his parents?"

"No," Sirius and Remus said at the same time, before Remus continued. "Well, yes, but no."

Lyall blinked. "I'm not following."

Remus readjusted in the metal cafe seat. "You're right with the idea that generally you would have an entire 'meet the parents' thing, but..."

"Not my parents," Sirius smiled. "You don't want to meet them, let's say that."

"Oh," Lyall furrowed his eyebrows, stroking his chin again as he thought. "Right. Has he met your..."

"Yeah, we went to visit Mum," Remus nodded, not meeting his dad's eye.

Lyall just nodded. "And was she... with..." he inclined his head at Remus then Sirius and the former squinted for a second before realising what his Dad was talking about.

"Ohh, right. I mean, yeah, she was fine with us dating, if that's what you mean. We didn't talk about it much."

"Ah, well... that's good." Lyall put his ankle up to rest on his knee, lips pursed, the lines on his forehead wrinkling.

Silence fell over them again, a heavy, wet blanket stifling all conversation.

But then Lyall leaned forwards, his hands up on the table. "I've changed, Remz." he said, eyes wide in earnest. "I'm not the man I used to be. I've been- did you know I've been doing this program to help me quit?"

Remus shook his head slightly, unsure on what to say.

"I want- I want to be a father to you again, Remus. Be the Dad I failed to be before. If- if you'll let me."

Still at a loss for words, Remus felt Sirius hold his hand under the table. He squeezed it gently.

"Of course I'll let you, Dad, but..."

"You know I've been getting help for other things, too?" Lyall rushed on, scratching his trimmed beard. "Been going to... well, uh," he cleared his throat. "Therapy."

Remus raised his eyebrows. "That's great!"

Lyall continued. "And I been getting help for patching up relationships, for my anxiety, for- for you being... y'know."

"Gay?" Remus inserted. "It's not a swear word, Dad. You can say it out loud."

In this moment, Sirius chose not to mention how often Remus swore out loud. He figured now wasn't the time.

"I know, I know," Lyall rubbed his face. "Just... I been getting help, okay? I'm working on it."

"That's all I've ever wanted, Dad," Remus' eyes watered. "All this time, I've told you to just get help."

"I should've listened to you," Lyall shook his head. "And I'm- well... I'm sorry, Remz. I am."

They stared at each other across the table, and Remus sniffed.

Clearing his throat, Lyall looked away for a second. "Do you wanna, uh... would you like a- a hug?"

Laughing quickly, Remus subtly wiped his eyes before nodding. "That'd be good."

As they stood up and hugged, Lyall patted Remus' back who took in a shaky breath.

"It's good to see you, Remz," Lyall said quietly. "I'll try to be 'round more."

"Okay," Remus said, matching his volume, tilting his head down so that he could rest it on his father's shoulder.