Drabble Two: In the Face of Marriage

[godricgal]

From the drabble meme, here is drabble Two, In the Face of Marriage for gilpin25, who requested Remus, Bill and/or Fleur, with the prompt 'face'. It's 776 words and teeters on the edge of G/PG.

In the Face of Marriage

'I'll spoil the wedding photos, with this face of mine,' I said when he asked me, asked me to stand beside him at the wedding. He laughed and said that it didn't matter, they weren't exactly hiring Witch Weekly's Photographer of the Year, even if they were the kind of couple who worried about such things as perfect wedding photos, and besides, he, Lupin, would ruin them well enough on his own, so how about it?

If anyone had asked me, which they didn't, I'd have said that Lupin was approaching this wedding in an almost business like fashion -- not in terms of organising it to the hilt, planning each second as a bride's mother might, but as a shady deal to be signed and sealed in a back alley manner; there was no joy in his demeanour, or at least, if there was, it wasn't something he showed in public. He was guarded at every turn, almost dictatorial in his manner with Tonks: I'll marry you, but on my terms -- or so it seemed to me.

She seemed oblivious to it all, happy to be a bride in waiting, at the brink of marrying the man of her dreams.

I was never sure why he asked me -- lycanthrope affected Order members together, perhaps? -- but I'm glad he did, because I'm not sure anyone else, certainly not my father, would have called him out on it all, risked tipping his resolve back in favour of reverting to disaffected werewolf, determined to suffer the long days in rightful solitude, as I did.

I can't claim that I changed him, but after I'd told him that terms and conditions are no way to lead a girl into marriage, especially one who would follow him to the ends of the earth and beyond, and he spoke softly, with assurance -- heartfelt and sincere; in his eyes was a light that betrayed his true feelings, and in his words a very real fear.

I don't think I realised how much I needed to see that from him until after the fact. My resolve to marry Fleur never wavered after the night at Hogwarts, only grew stronger, but watching Lupin struggle with his decision, doubt himself again, had begun to make me question myself. Unlike Lupin, I'd never considered the effect on Fleur, only that I knew I could not bear to part with her. If Lupin had walked away again, if he had not willingly and happily married, or taken flight once more, claiming it to be an act that preserves Tonks' chances of a proper life, I believe I might have been forced by guilt to reconsider.

The wedding took place on a sunny but breezy August day; with naught but myself as witness and the minister to preside, Remus Lupin married Nymphadora Tonks, and joy was present in equal measure on both their faces, hope weaved an impenetrable shield around them.

It wasn't until today, though, that I trusted it completely, when Lupin stumbled, in unconcealed and raw joy, through the doors of the home I share with woman who is my hope and my life, to bring the news of the birth of his son. He is brimming with pride, drunk on the new life he has so recently welcomed into the world, and I have to admit, it's a beacon on this otherwise ghastly night that buffets our house with wind and rain.

After everyone has said their cheery goodbyes and bade Lupin to pass on their messages of congratulations to Tonks, I walk with him to the door.

"Something I've wanted to ask you, Remus -- why did you ask me to stand with you on your wedding day?"

"You always seem ready to face anything life throws at you; you don't let circumstance or fate sway you from what you've always known to be right," he replies.

"Meaning that you always knew it was right that you and Tonks were together, you just needed reminding?"

"Something like that, yes," he says, opening the door and stepping out into the night.

"Thank you, Bill. Keep everyone safe."

With a step and a turn, he's gone, and I shut the door firmly and hope I've not just closed the door on our very last meeting. I long to take my wife upstairs, to hold her close and stroke her hair, which is so very soft, and perhaps make love... but I've a house full of guests and a duty to fulfil, so I put those thoughts on hold and head off to have a chat with a Chosen One about a goblin.

The End

Drabble one, Bedtime, can be found here. It's 750 odd words long and rated PG, features Remus, Teddy and Tonks, and is pure fluff.

Comments

[chococoffeekiss.livejournal.com]

I absolutely loved this...I don't think I've ever read anything from Bill's POv before, but it is excellent, and heartfelt, and just what I would imagine from Bill.

[godricgal.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I've never written Bill before, let alone something from his pov, so I'm really pleased you think it sounds like him! :)

[gloryforever.livejournal.com]

There is not enough Bill in the series or in fanfic. This is just perfect =)

[godricgal.livejournal.com]

I'd never have thought to write him if I'd not been given the prompt, but I'm very glad I did get it to spread my wings a little bit! I'm glad you liked it! Thank you!

[duck-or-rabbit.livejournal.com]

This is exquisitely touching. Bill's perspective (who sounds all male by the way; wonderfully done) on reluctant Remus is right on key, and having Remus' hesitation cause Bill to begin questioning himself is a little heartbreaking.

You easily convince me of Bill and Remus' friendship here. This is a great piece, organized around an indelible character whose voice we hear far too seldom in ff.

Awesome. :)

[godricgal.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much! Thinking closely on Bill's situation and how Remus' attitude might affect him, I had to think that it would be difficult for him, no matter how different Remus said their siutations were, because at the end of the day, isn't half the problem the prejudice that comes from the larger wizarding world, and if they can't understand that Remus is a victim, are they going to understand that Bill is, or, indeed, even believe that he's not a full werewolf?

Thank you so much again, for such lovely comments. :D

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

Am so glad you wrote this because there's so many opportunities, surely, for Remus' and Bill's parallels and differences to make great reading... yet I don't see them feature in many fics together.

This hits all the right notes; especially the part about Remus, guarding so sternly against the emotion and joy of marrying because there's that overwhelming fear as well. It's always seemed quite likely to me that Bill would be asked to stand beside him at the wedding, both as a friend and as a reminder of Arthur's words in the hospital wing scene.

What really comes across in a few words is a sense of their friendship and respect for each other - lycanthrope affected Order members r us, possibly, but also perhaps Remus feels Bill is the nearest person around who can actually understand something of what he feels? You've found a great voice for Bill; he's wholly male and not unsympathetic, but he sees things simply and clearly and it's probably that which Remus needs as much as anything else.

Thank you so much for this. It's really excellent and I love it.:D

[godricgal.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed writing this, so thank you for the prompt! There are so many parallels to be made that it was rather difficult to keep it at drabble length, hence the not quite drabble length. ;)

I didn't really expect this to turn out the way it did, but when I sat down to write it, it took this more angsty turn on the lead up to the wedding, which seemed to play right into how Bill might feel in the face of Remus' self denial. I think in this, they probably are friends out of circumstance, but I like to think that doesn't lessen it, and it is born of respect, and let's face it, there aren't any other potential members of Lycanthropes R Us begging for the position of chief role model. ;) So they've got what they've got and forged a certainly level of friendship and understanding on it.

Enough of me waffling on, thank you very much for the lovely review and the impetus to write this, I'm so glad you liked it. :D

[sspring92.livejournal.com]

Loved to see something so different! In my own AU in my head, Tonk and Bills would have been close friends and possibly dated casually at some point. So i like the idea of Bill counseling Remus on his attitude towards marriage. Thanks So much for posting!

[godricgal.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it. :D