Chapter Text
“Why do you have a moustache?”
That morning Remus John Lupin was standing half-naked in the bathroom, busy with his shaving routine when the question came up. It was so outrageous he just had to stop and put down his razor.
The school teacher turned towards the bathroom’s door, where a young woman was leaning, eyeing him with curiosity.
“That is a very bold question coming from someone with a purple hair on top of her head,” he pointed out as if he was explaining complex grammatical rules in the classroom.
Giggling, Nymphadora Tonks moved on to hug her man from behind. When she was finally in the bathroom, Lupin noticed that she wore both his T-shirt and boxer shorts; he wondered what other things she was going to claim as hers.
It had been a month since Tonks moved into 394 Wolfsbane Drive and her presence was getting more prevalent each day. She had her drumset and working desk installed in the house, which was perfectly fine for Lupin. But he had issues with the way she left her things everywhere, and by everywhere he meant everywhere. He would find her Pygmy Puff dolls under his pillow in his side of the bed; one time he also found a pair of striped socks lying around the staircase.
Luckily she was diligent with the house chores and created a surprisingly good tuna sandwich. Her perfume also made the house smelled different, in a pleasant and refreshing way.
Most importantly, he was deeply in love with her, so the chaos was considered as part of the package.
“Just curious. Saw the picture of your late father, and thought you were inspired by him.” She peeked from behind his back to see her reflection in the bathroom’s mirror.
“I did look up to him when I was younger,” Lupin muttered, picking up the razor again.
“Aww.”
“So I thought that’s how an adult was supposed to look like,” he added with a smile. “Love your mutant hair, though.”
Letting go of her man, Tonks then combed her hair with her hand. “But I don’t like this colour. It doesn’t stand out …”
“What part of purple doesn’t …!”
But his words were cut off by the ring of the phone.
Muttering something about it being hers, Tonks ran out of the bathroom, leaving Lupin to finish the routine by himself. He briefly caught her saying “Hello, Mum! How’s your holiday?” amidst the sound of running water.
When he returned to the bedroom, she was lying on her stomach on their bed, busy with the conversation on the phone.
“Well, you know Dad never likes crowded places. It stresses him out.”
As he walked past her, Lupin sneakily pinched the woman’s behind, earning him a kick from his girlfriend. He responded by sticking his tongue out.
“Sorry? Oh, no. It’s just Remus.”
Hearing his name being mentioned, Lupin could not help paying attention, even when he was busy dressing up.
“What? No, it's the other way around. I live in his place now. Gave up the flat.” The woman rolled around the bed. "Just last month. I told you about this!"
When Lupin finished getting ready, Tonks was still convincing her mother that she had informed her about moving in with her man.
"I'm going. Send her my regards," he whispered, making a move to kiss her.
"Take care! Breakfast is ready." She covered her phone with a hand and allowed him to kiss her forehead. "Hello? Mum? Yes, sorry."
Walking out of the master bedroom, Lupin shook his head at the thought of Tonks having another quarrel with her mother about not informing their new arrangement.
But his expression grew dark when he realised that they had been together for a year --and had made important milestones such as living together-- but he had not gotten to meet her family.
The couple first met when Lupin's former band The Marauders reunited for an award show --and they had to find someone to replace the position of the band's late drummer James Potter. Tonks offered herself up for the position; after months of endless flirting and pent-up sexual tension, they finally confessed their true feelings right after the show.
After a year of being together, and spending every weekend having sleepovers at each others' places, the couple began talking about their future. And living together was the first step they take towards it.
But at the realisation that he had never even been introduced to her family, Lupin felt that there was plenty of homework to do in their relationship.
Hell, he thought as he sat for his breakfast. He did not even know what her real hair colour was. Or at least had never seen her in that colour.
--
Just arrived at the clinic
Ok tk care. Sorry I can't join today :( stupid intern bailed again
It's OK. Just having blood drawn
Oh btw. R u free Thu night?
Depends on what you’ll be wearing ;) Or not
REMUS
Hahaha. Sorry. What's on Thu night?
My parents invited us to dinner. @home. Think about d time we meet them?
Sure, I'd love to
--
Thursday came within a second, and our couple found themselves standing in front of a well-kept, two-story house in a quiet residential area just outside of London.
A ginger cat slipped between Lupin's feet as he stood with a box of cakes from a popular bakery in his hand, feeling calm and content. He was humming softly as he waited for Tonks to pick up enough courage to ring the bell of her own parents' home.
Pacing up and down, with her hands balled into a fist and ready to punch, the woman never looked so distraught.
"Dora, love. Why so nervous? You grew up in this house."
“Exactly! That's why I'm nervous --I grew up in this house!"
Chuckling softly, Lupin recalled how his girlfriend had briefed him on the things that they are supposed to do to make sure that the night goes on smoothly.
The goal was to have Tonks's parents to like and accept Lupin as her life partner --if possible, have them start seeing him as part of the family, even though Tonks realised this might be a bit far-fetched.
Why? Well, for a start, the age difference between her father and her boyfriend --Dad and "Daddy"-- was less than 10 years. That's a start.
Throughout her explanation, Lupin just nodded along to the instructions, even though he felt that they were totally unnecessary.
Please, the man had been in serious relationships before, even when Tonks was much too young for that. He had met the parents and all of these meetings were successful. Surely he can afford to be optimistic?
Especially when Tonks finally rang the bell and Ted Tonks opened the door to welcome his daughter.
"Dora! My dear child!"
"Dad! I miss you!"
Ted had a moustache that reminded Lupin of the Pringles logo, and the man looked like a stereotypical accountant.
Lupin could tell right away that Tonks had inherited her warmth and enthusiasm from her father. When they were introduced, the man shook his hand warmly and treated him just like his own friend.
Ted was genuinely interested in Lupin's job as a secondary school teacher and had even thanked him for supporting his daughter's art and music career.
They just sat on the sofa in the living room when the man handed Lupin a palm-sized photo frame of a six-year-old girl, dressing up as a pirate. The little girl's hair was messy and mouse-coloured (just like her father's) and she had this ridiculous, toothless grin on her face.
"Dad! No!"
“You looked lovely.” Lupin nodded at Tonks, who was sitting on the armrest.
“No, no! Okay, that’s it! No more pictures!” The woman protested, pulling the photo away.
“But Remus hasn’t seen your prom photos!” Ted protested.
“Especially not THAT one!”
The father-daughter pair were both rushing towards a shelf filled with photo frames, with Tonks trying to hide any embarrassing childhood photos of herself.
They were being so noisy that even Lupin failed to notice the entrance of a fourth person.
"Five minutes in and a riot has already started," she announced.
All heads turned towards the doorway where a beautiful, patrician woman in floral dress and pearls stood. Her hair colour was lighter than her husband and her daughter's, and there was no sign of grey hair despite her age.
The way she carried herself gave away an air of independence as if she was telling the world that she makes her own rules.
When she looked at Lupin, the gentleman thought he had forgotten how to breathe. For he recognised those eyes as his girlfriend's; staring back at him as if she was scanning the depth of his soul.
"You must be Remus."
The way Andromeda Black Tonks shook his hand was firm and brief.
"Very nice to meet you, Mrs Tonks."
"Please, call me Andy."
"Hello, Mum," Tonks muttered, giving her mother a kiss on the cheek. "Remus brought that lemon cake you like so much."
As per her instruction, of course.
"How very nice. Thank you, Remus," Andromeda said. She then touched her daughter's shoulder lightly. "Put them inside the fridge, dear, we'll have them for dessert."
While Tonks left for the kitchen, Lupin immediately became the centre of Andromeda's attention. "So, Remus. I hope my daughter doesn't give you too much trouble."
"Oh, not at all. She's a joy to have around."
"I see. Do you plan to marry her?"
Whoa.
That was fast. Even Ted looked as if he was going to explode on his wife.
But Andromeda remained undeterred. Arching her perfectly crafted eyebrows, she waited patiently for the answer.
Lupin himself needed to take a deep breath before giving his reply. "We are definitely looking forward to spending our life together."
"I see. Does that life spent inside or outside of marriage?"
" Andy ."
Lupin smiled. "Preferably inside."
"So when do you two plan to do it?"
"Please forgive my wife, Remus."
"Oh, it's alright. I totally understand." Lupin waved his hands. "Unfortunately, I can't give you an exact date yet, but it is definitely on the horizon."
Andromeda nodded. "Fair enough."
The ginger cat that they met on the porch jumped onto her lap; the woman pulled it into her hug.
Seconds later, Tonks re-entered the room with a joyful glee on her face, throwing herself to sit right next to Remus.
"So, what did I miss?"