Chapter Text
“Sir, if we pull out now the market will suffer. This could be based on a false report and-“
“I don’t care , Lupin.” Came Moodys gruff voice from the other side of the phone. “The client wants us out by the end of the day.”
“But Moody-“
“This isn’t up for debate. Get it done.”
Remus was about to protest before thinking better of it. He closed his eyes and sighed. “Yes, understood.” He put the phone back down and groaned into his hands. What a mess.
That had been Remus’ 15th call of the day and he knew there would probably be more. Breaks were a rare occurrence in his line of work and it felt like any time he finally caught his breath he was quickly swept into another project or assignment. Meetings were as common as showers in Remus’ life.
He took one big deep breath before opening his eyes again and getting back to work. In front of him was the remnants of todays lunch; a half drunken soda can along with the crumbs of a devoured sandwich. He swiveled in his chair and used his foot to bring the trash can beneath his desk forward, and in one motion swept his lunch off the desk and into the bin. He picked the phone back up, pressed a button, and spoke quickly into the receiver,
“Send up Dearborn.”
As he waited for his newest intern to be sent up to his office (the previous one had quit just last week due to Remus’ “unfriendly demeanor”- their words not his) he opened up a new tab to check the news.
Mysterious Fish Deaths at Jinyang Reservoir
Locals have reported mass amounts of fish washing up onto the shore, dead. Officials still haven’t identified the cause of the peculiar deaths, and locals are getting antsy as their once reliable fish supply begins to quickly deplete.
Remus was continuing to scroll down and read the article when he heard a knock on the door. He didn’t look up as Carodoc Dearborn entered his office.
“What should we do, sir?”
“Sell all related funds.” Remus responded as he furrowed his brow and looked closer at the article; two different fish vendors in Gwigok-dong have had to shut down within the last week.
“Everything?!” Dearborn exclaimed as his voice rose. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“But sir, the individual traders won’t be able-“
“Dearborn.” Remus interrupted as he looked up. Carodoc was wearing a khaki suit which matched the color of his sandy hair and had a clipboard in hand. His eyes were wide and attentive. “Yes?” He asked hesitantly.
“Do we work for the Malfoys?” Remus asked, relaxing back into his chair and folding his hands in front of him. This is what it all came down to- and Caradoc needed to remember that if he wanted to keep his job.
Dearborn watched him for a moment as though a response was on the tip of his tongue before he ultimately fell silent and looked down at his shoes.
“Sell everything. Right away.” Remus instructed as he looked back to his computer and leaned forward again.
“Yes, sir.” Carodoc nodded. He was making his way back to the door before Remus remembered something.
“Wait a minute.”
Carodoc whipped around with a hopeful look in his eyes.
“Er, what are kids into these days?”
***
Remus got out of the car with his phone pressed between the side of his face and shoulder. Sirius had called him on his way home and Remus has spent the last 10 minutes not-so-patiently listening to Sirius’ endless berating. He let out a frustrated breath as he shut the car door and moved to open the back one.
“Let’s not waste time suing each other, okay?” Sirius said from the other side of the phone. Remus huffed out a laugh as he opened the back door and leaned down to grab his briefcase and shopping bag.
“I’m not giving you full custody of Teddy.”
Sirius sighed, a long and drawn out thing, before he continued. Remus could practically see Sirius leaning against the kitchen counter with an arm propped under his elbow as he spoke into the phone.
“Do you even see him Remus? I mean honestly- when was the last time you had a full conversation with him?”
Remus’ face set into a hard line as he leaned back out of the car and slammed the door shut. He clicked the button on his keys to lock it then began to walk towards the front gate and into the house. He could see the lights on through the large front window and knew his mother was probably in there waiting for him.
“He wants to come here tomorrow by himself. Did you know that?” Sirius asked as his voice began to rise.
Remus’ jaw clenched as Sirius spoke. He unlocked the front door more roughly then he probably needed to and let it shut behind him. He didn’t say anything as he took off his shoes and put on his grey slippers.
“Honestly Remus…”
“He can’t go by himself.” Remus snapped. He felt his mind whirling as he thought about Teddy calling Sirius and asking to come see him by himself- he didn’t even know what to think.
“Remus darling, is that you?” He heard his mother call from the kitchen.
He didn’t respond as he reached up to loosen his tie. A moment later his small mother made her way around the corner, and upon seeing him on the phone she quietly went to grab the bag and briefcase from his hands. He shook his head as she reached for the bag and she nodded before quickly shuffling back to the kitchen.
“Then bring him here yourself.” Sirius said exasperated, “He wants to come.”
“Not tomorrow.”
Sirius scoffed and Remus could feel the heat of frustration rise along his neck.
“You know it’s his birthday tomorrow, right?” Sirius said shortly- more of a statement than a question. It was that same condescending and accusatory tone he always used when Remus used to come home late from work. Remus gritted his teeth and yanked off his tie the rest of the way.
“Of course.” He snapped before lifting his phone from his shoulder and immediately ending the call.
He was scowling as he made his way around the corner and into the kitchen where his mother stood under the soft yellow light. She was standing beside the island patiently; her face soft and concerned.
“Was that Sirius?” She asked.
Remus nodded. “Where’s Teddy?”
“In his room.” She said quietly. Remus didn’t say anything else as he walked down the hallway towards Teddy’s bedroom.
The door to his room was slightly ajar, and when Remus peeked inside he saw a lump hidden beneath the comforter. The only light in the room came from Teddys nightlight which was spinning stars slowly across the walls.
“I can ride the train by myself.” A voice said quietly from beneath the blankets. Remus saw the lump under it shift as the voice grew slightly louder. “Why! You can just pick me up from the station!”
Remus leaned against the doorframe and knocked lightly against the door.
The movement under the blankets abruptly stopped and he could hear Teddy’s hurried whisper; “I’m hanging up now daddy.”
The call ended before some more shuffling, and then Teddy was poking his head out from under the comforter and sitting up. The blanket was cocooning his whole body with only his face visible; a few stray blue hairs could be seen poking out.
Teddy blinked at him as Remus made his way over to the bed. He sat down on the mattress beside him.
“It’s okay,” He said. He looked over at Teddys small frame beneath the patterned blanket beside him. “You can talk to him.”
“I hung up.” Teddy mumbled as he looked down at his toes which could now be visible as he let the blanket loosen from around him. He was wearing the patterned pajamas Remus and Sirius had gotten for him last christmas- their last christmas all together.
Remus rubbed a hand against his thigh as he tried his best to speak gently. “You told your dad you wanted to go to Busan?” He looked at him for a response but was only met with silence. “Teddy, I’ve had so much work lately. But I’ll have more time next week, could you wait until then?”
Teddy let the blanket drop to his shoulders and his fluffy blue hair popped out like a dandelion. Remind watched him fidget in his lap and he knew Teddy wasn’t going to say anything else.
“Ah,” He said suddenly as he remembered the bag he had brought in. He picked up the box which was in it; wrapped with a big bow on top and handed it to Teddy.
Teddy looked at it without much enthusiasm before gingerly extending his hands and placing it onto his lap.
“Didn’t think I forgot did you? Happy early birthday.”
Teddy looked at him once before he began to slowly peel back the wrapping paper and take off the bow. When he saw the gift inside he stilled.
“What?” Remus asked as he looked from the gift to Teddys blank face. “You don’t like it?”
Slowly Teddy lifted his head to look at something in front of him across the room, and Remus followed his gaze. Sitting on the set of drawers in front of them, beside the TV, was a Wii set. The exact same one Teddy just opened.
Shit .
“Children’s day this year.” Teddy said half-aloud while picking at a piece of the torn wrapping paper.
Remus swallowed and adjusted his legs on the mattress. Think, think, think.
“Is there anything else you want?” He asked quickly. Almost immediately Teddy’s head shot up.
“Busan. I want to see daddy.”
His soft brown eyes were shimmering slightly in the dim light of the room, and he looked so fragile. “Tomorrow.” He added.
“I told you another time, Teddy.” Remus said softly. He didn’t want to see Teddy looking at him like this, but there was nothing to be done- he was just too busy.
“No. Tomorrow.” Teddy responded. “You always say next time and then we never go.”His hands were tight around his duvet again and his eyes were searching Remus’ desperately.
Remus felt a bit like the air was just taken out of him.
“I won’t waste your time. I can go alone.”
“No Teddy i’ll…” He thought about Moody telling him to get the client out of the deal by the end of the day. He thought about the mess that it would cause at work tomorrow and how much sweet talking and persuading he would need to do. He thought about how he’s spent the last 10 years working his ass off to get where he is. He thought about what thats cost him.
“You’re not going by yourself.” He said finally, as he looked into his son’s eyes. “We’ll go first thing tomorrow.”
***
“Are you taking him to Busan tomorrow?” Hope asked as Remus took off his suit jacket and hung it up in his closet.
“Yes.”
“Oh, good.” She breathed.
Remus closed the closet doors to see his mother seated on his bed with an old video camera in her lap. “And while you’re down there… have a talk with your husband.”
“Mom…” Remus sighed as he went to sit beside her. Hope still talked about Sirius as if the divorce had never happened. She won’t say it but Remus knows she thinks he gave up too easily. As if he wanted all of this. He set his watch down on his nightstand and then she grabbed his hands and held them firmly in hers.
“For Teddys sake.”
He looked at their hands in her lap then slowly met her eyes. She had that same desperate look that Teddy did.
“Mom, i’ll take care of it.” He had absolutely no intention of speaking to Sirius when they got to Busan but he couldn’t have her looking at him like that too.
Her shoulders relaxed and a small smile reached her lips as she patted the top of his hands gently. “Good.”
He tried to give her a soft smile back and she took the camera which had been sitting in her lap and put it into his hands.
“He was disappointed you weren’t at the recital.” Her smile faltered as she said this and she couldn’t quite meet his eyes. He took the camera from her as the memory of Moody calling him in for an emergency meeting played through his mind. Hope gave him one last glance before she got up slowly and made her way out of the bedroom and shut his door with a soft click.
Remus looked at the camera in his hands and gently flipped open the screen. On it was a video of Teddy at his school recital.
He swiped his thumb gently over the screen; lingering for a moment over Teddys pixelated body, before pressing play.
The video started with the sound of applause as Teddy stood in front of the class in his school uniform; not able to fully stay still as his eyes darted around the room. After a moment of nervousness he began to sing.
“Proudly swept the rain by the cliffs…”
Remus chuckled softly and smiled to himself as he watched the camera zoom in on his sons face. Teddy was looking very pointedly at a space in front of him and it made Remus remember the time Sirius taught Teddy to pick a spot in the room to focus on when he gets nervous and to pretend no one else is there. His smile faltered for a moment at the memory, but quickly pushed the thought back out of his mind.
“As it glided through the trees… still….”
Teddy faltered and his voice trailed out. “It’s okay.” Hope said from behind the camera as the room filled with laughter. Remus frowned as he continued to watch; gripping the camera tighter as if that could stop the laughing. All he could see was Teddys face looking directly into the camera before his eyes fell and the teacher began to clap and told him to go back to his seat.
The video ended and he shut the camera quietly. The sound of laughter was still playing in his ears as he got into his pajamas and brushed his teeth and when he eventually turned off the lights.
It took him longer than usual to fall asleep that night.