Willy (Christmas)

[mooningremus]

Even though it had been a bit of a mixed bag for him over his life, Remus had always liked Christmas. When he was growing up dirty poor, his parents made an effort to do something special, no matter how small. And when he was at Hogwarts he'd spent some eChristmases with James Potter's family, which was just... amazing. And even during the war, one year the Order had had such a lovely time drinking eggnog and exchanging silly little gifts, a moment of levity during all of it.

He'd mentioned this to Willy, but didn't expect that the fae was the sort to celebrate Christmas. Still, he'd gotten him a present, something awfully small, and also gotten ingredients to make a sweet mince pie.

He'd gone to bed early the night before, and Willy had still been out (which wasn't unusual) so it was nice to wake the next morning and find Willy in the bed with him. He snuggled up against him.

Comments

[willysilver]

Willy had not slept. He'd waited until he was sure Remus was asleep, then snuck in and decorated the flat. Top to bottom there were lights and tinsel and a tree gaily decorated. Once the flat could not hold one more Christmas trapping, he'd slipped into bed and waited.

"Good morning. Happy Christmas, Remus."

[mooningremus]

"Happy Christmas, Willy," Remus murmured happily, pleased that Willy had remembered it was Christmas. And only then did he open his eyes.

... and then opened them wider.

He pulled away from Willy so that he could sit up, gasping in surprise. "What - did - did you do this?"

[willysilver]

"Of course," he smiled. "Father Christmas came while you slept."

[mooningremus]

"Oh, Willy," said Remus, genuinely a bit overwhelmed, and kissed him. "Thank you, this is... oh, it's wonderful. I haven't had a real Christmas in years..."

[willysilver]

Willy smiled against his mouth.

"There are gifts," he mumbled, half chuckling as he spoke.

[mooningremus]

"More than this?" Remus said, genuinely surprised. He lit up. "Oh, let's get up then and I'll put some coffee on."

[willysilver]

"You'll do nothing of the sort," he said. "You open gifts and ill make breakfast. Go. Go see."

[mooningremus]

Remus' eyes lit up. "Oh you have to open gifts with me," he insisted. "We can do that first." He rolled out of the bed and held a hand out for Willy.

[willysilver]

Willy smiled and took his hand. He had hoped to please Remus, but his joy was beyond expectation.

"Would you like coffee? Cocoa? Tea?"

[mooningremus]

"Oh, cocoa then," Remus said happily. "And there's some peppermint extract in the cubbard."

[willysilver]

Willy snorted softly.

"I'm not actually going to cook," he said. As they approached the tree, two mugs appeared on the table.

Willy rarely showed off with his magic, but today it was called for.

[mooningremus]

Remus chuckled at that and flicked his wand, murmuring "Leviosa," and then a wrapped package floated from a pile of his things in the corner to settle under the tree.

"Oh it's beautiful, Willy," he said, getting a closer look now.

[willysilver]

Willy settled on the sofa and held his cocoa close. Remus's joy warmed him much as it had when he'd first charmed Charlotte.

"I hope you like it," he said.

[mooningremus]

"I do, very much," Remus said, and it was just as much the realization that Willy had done this for him.

"Is this for me?" he asked, plucking a wrapped gift from under the tree.

[willysilver]

"They're all for you," he smiled. "All of them."

Everything was something Remus had admired at one point or another. Willy did pay attention. Normally he didn't just use his powers like this.

But it was Christmas, and Remus looked so happy.

[mooningremus]

Remus looked rather overwhelmed.

He wasn't sure what to say - it was too much, it was so unexpected? - so to start, he just unwrapped the box he was holding in his hand. He opened it, and inside was a scarf. Long and deep red, a color that reminded him of Gryffindor robes. And it was so soft, cashmere, maybe?

He remembered this scarf. They'd been walking through town and Willy had stopped for a moment - to take a phone call, maybe? - and Remus had lingered outside some clothing shop. He'd admired the scarf, touching it and feeling how soft it was between his fingers. He hadn't even looked at the price tag though, just let it fall from his fingers when Willy was done. He'd had no idea Willy had noticed at all.

He fingered the soft material and looked up at Willy. "I... I didn't know you were paying attention."

[willysilver]

"I'm always paying attention, Remus," he said, a warm and affectionate smile curving his lips.

"The silver one is last. But the rest you should rip into."

[mooningremus]

"This is - it's too much - " said Remus, because when was the last time anyone had gotten him a Christmas gift at all? The Christmas before they all died, surely.

But he didn't protest further, because with all of this, the least he could do was show his sincere appreciation, which he did with each gift. All things he remembered, and that he'd had no idea Willy had noticed his attention to. A book, a warm coat that was far more stylish than anything he owned, a box of handmade chocolate truffles...

Eventually there were only two gifts left under the tree, the one wrapped in silver, and one neatly wrapped in brown paper with a bow carefully tied in red ribbon.

Remus looked a touch embarrassed as he handed it to Willy. "It's just something that I made, nothing really compared to all this..."

Inside the box were sheafs of parchment. They had all started blank, but some had hand-drawn, perfectly straight lines for writing; some were mostly blank; some were for sheet music, with lines and carefully drawn musical staffs; some had all three. And each had written in Remus' neat, cursive handwriting: from the soul of Willy Silver.

[willysilver]

"Remus, dove, this is too much," he gasped, looking at the pages with wonder.

"You...made these for me? My gratitude is immeasurable."

[mooningremus]

Remus blushed. It seemed like such a small thing compared to all these thoughtful gifts, but Willy seemed... genuinely pleased, which meant so much to Remus. "You really like it? I thought... I don't know, that it might be inspiring for you, sometimes when you write things down somewhere special things just come to the surface..."

[willysilver]

"You are so kind, my friend," he said softly. He looked at Remus with a smile, then returned to the pages, looking at each sheet.

[mooningremus]

Still looking pleased, Remus reached for the last box, and carefully unwrapped it. It was small, the size of a ring box, and when he opened it...

He gasped, and almost dropped it. Inside was a ring, absolutely beautiful, looking as if it were hand-carved into the shape of a wolf in a starlit night, the stars shining with... surely those weren't diamonds.

He stared up at Willy, his mouth agape. "Willy..." He wasn't even sure what to say.

[willysilver]

"Do you like it?" Willy asked hopefully. "It's white gold, not silver. Silver will kill you, hmm?"

[mooningremus]

Weaken, not kill, but Remus only nodded wordlessly and picked up the ring. He slid it on, careful to not put it on the finger he knew was intended for wedding bands. It fit perfectly.

"Willy, it's... it's breathtaking. It's too much, I..." And finally he just swallowed hard and said, "Thank you."

This Silver might surely kill him someday. He wasn't sure how much of this whiplash his heart could take, but god, right now he felt happy.

[willysilver]

It had taken many years of Charlotte thanking him daily for Willy to not caring to hear thanks. It had taken even longer to get him to say it.

"You are most welcome," he said. "Happy Christmas, dove."