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𝕽emus' initial fear when he was jolted awake from night terrors wasn't soothed when he couldn't find pearly hair in sight from either of his girls.
The upcoming full moon was taking its toll on him, dreams that are supposed to be full of light and love from his family were stomped on by the haunting memories of Greyback attacking him viciously. Attacking Willow just as well, the jagged scar down her chest burning his eyes, attacking their Maple. Fuck, he'd be rivalling the morals of the devil if anyone so much as laid a finger on his daughter, on Willow again.
He didn't think the grief was helping. Grief, loss, war, all the same. Clawing at his chest mercilessly with overbearing emotions determinedly tying knots Merlin couldn't undo in his stomach. The wolf was internally screaming, howling, begging to be able to be wild and free, to act on his feelings.
Whilst the others were at the Potter Manor still, offering to house the family of three too, he couldn't. He wasn't sure at which stage those pissing scary plants of hers in every room had began to soothe him a sense of comfort, just like yellow and lemons, but he was certain this was what he needed. His family under their roof he could keep them close and safe under.
Groaning from the dull aches in his bones, he swings his legs over his side of the bed, blinking rapidly to try to get used to the natural light peering through their curtains. He doesn't bother to through any clothes on over his boxer shorts, he could already feel himself burning up anyway. Fortunately, Maple had shown no distress, no fever, no uncomfortableness around full moons, and he couldn't be more grateful for that.
He swallows down the bile creeping up his throat in waves of nausea, shuddering when the fresh air stung against his scarred chest when he'd opened the door, studying the cloudy sky with sunshine peering through to kiss those who are in desperate need of some warmth, or happiness at this late Summer time. Consciously aware of the gaze on him from the side, he allowed himself to relax as best he could.
There they are.
Willow, fluffed opalescent tresses flowing down her shoulders, heterochromic eyes gleaming with magical stardust towards him, in her arms, Maple, breastfeeding dozily. She always chose that side. Maple wouldn't feed from the other, the side with the clawed scar was her preference. If he concentrated just enough, he could see the traces of paw prints and full moons fading from her skin, just as the buttercups on his forearms in need of topping up. Their full moon ritual, of sorts.
Lips twitching into a pathetically soft smile when hers upturned, he pads towards the spot besides them on the blanket she had left him, the warmth brimming inside chasing away the cold horror of his nightmares. It feels easy, effortless how he's able to loosen into a calmness around them, and it's not her charming blood that may be the case for another. It's her whole being.
"Hi" He whispers, the scratchiness of his throat concluding to the morning raspiness of his voice, leaning to press a kiss to the button of her nose, then lowering down to brush lips over Maple's head whilst she still feeds, dipping in and out of sleep. He bands his fingers around the cup of hot chocolate she'd been drinking and offered, bringing it up to his lips when she whispers back airily,
