Arty's POV

I wrapped myself in a fluffy clean towel that Remus got out of the bathroom cupboard, as he did the same. Dabbing at the wounds across his body first.

I couldn't drop the slight smile that rested upon my face. I didn't feel scared being that bare around him. I had figured I knew something deeply intimate about him, something only a select few know and he didn't react unkindly to figuring out that I knew. I could trust him. He was safe to be that vulnerable around. I was naked but I didn't feel exposed or insecure. It felt completely natural, innocent and delicate.

Remus' hair was sticking up in all directions after he rubbed the towel across his head.

"Stay here. I'll grab you some clothes." He smiled and left the room still with a little limp.

He came back with a pair of boxers and jogging bottoms. I had already changed into the oversized T-shirt that I had disregarded on the floor. I took the clothes, sliding on the boxers and jogging bottoms that hung loose on my waist.

He pulled me closer to him by the drawstrings that were on the jogging bottoms. Adjusting as tight as they went, then folding the band over once so that they fit.

"Comfy?" He asked. I nodded.

He got dressed himself, wearing a pair of checked pyjama bottoms and a loose white buttoned shirt in a soft material. Which I buttoned up for him, as he laughed at my insistence.

We wandered into his kitchen. Peter no where to be seen, which felt like an extra blessing.

Remus charmed eggs and bacon to be cooked for us. Scrambled and crispy. Not wanting to spend too much energy cooking without magic.

He rested against the wall as we waited, getting progressively more hungry with the aromas that began to fill the kitchen space.

He yawned. His energy levels beginning to fall again. I couldn't imagine how draining a transformation could feel, but I would hazard a guess that all his body wanted to do now was sleep and eat. I could now understand why he would have a number of days off during school. He would have been visibly exhausted and stiff with his movement. Just like he was now.

Thankfully, despite how tired he still was, there was life back in his face. A warmth returning back into his skin. That same glint that I have come to love, appearing once more. More smiles and laughter amongst yawning.

Last night made me feel terribly sad and uncomfortable, the way I couldn't see him behind his eyes. The way he had to force any sign of emotion, which was quickly dropped from his face. How pale he was, when he usually has a little golden glow within his tone. He looked so ill. So frail. So depressed.

I had anticipated wounds. I was ready to clean them, dress them and view something horrific if I had to. Something physically painful. I hadn't anticipated how much of his personality was robbed from him when he had been drained of all energy.

It did make me realise how strong his personality really is though, how much it even vibrates through silence. He doesn't have to speak for it to usual reverberate around a room. Without it, everything felt so bleak.

Today, nothing physically had changed except the fact that he was managing the pain better (thanks to the numbing curse) but I could feel him in the room with me again, not needing to be physically next to him to sense him around. Which I was incredibly thankful of.

He never told me that he was falling in love with me too. I would have liked to hear a reciprocative response but I didn't expect one. I wondered whether it would take more time for him to feel the way that I did, if reading those letters gave me any sense of a clue. He thought I actively ignored him for years, it made sense if it took a while longer to feel a similar way to how he used to. I didn't need to hear the words anyway, he treated me with enough care and kindness that I didn't mind waiting.

I stayed another night by Remus' side , only returning back to his room when hearing a key click into the door and watching Peter walk in, surprisingly late in the evening. I took that as my queue to begin to leave any space he occupied, sharp looks being directed towards me. Hiding in Remus' room. I made sure he was safe and comfortable and reminded him, once again, that he couldn't make any sudden movements that would disrupt healing whilst under a numbing spell, tomorrow it would begin to wear off and I wanted to be there for him in the morning if there were any issues.

The night was slow, wonderfully so. We spoke most of the night and I read him a few chapters of his book. Frequently stealing kisses and sharing laughter until the sky was pitch black.

-

Sunday.

I woke up peacefully, curtains still open after forgetting to close them the night before, allowing light to began to stream in clouded golden beams. A light breeze gracing the room and the sound of songbirds outside.

I rolled over to look at Remus, waking up earlier than him once again. Admiring how the golden light complimented his pale but warm complexion. Highlighting the red tones disguised in his brown hair and showcasing the soft fluffy facial hair that hadn't yet grown corse or full.

He had such beautiful eyelashes, long and healthy. The scar that was usually a pale shade of pink across his nose and cheek was still a deeper rose colour. Which I could only imagine was influenced by how his body was pumping blood around his body with the intention to heal itself. Like how sunlight can uncover freckles, heat creates a blush or the cold can turn lips a cool shade of lavender.

I wondered how his body must be feeling now that the curse was beginning to fade. Would he begin moving stiffly again? Last night he was moving a lot easier, only struggling to get up and down. Would he be absolutely fine? Was he always in a state of discomfort which meant it wouldn't phase him?

"Stop staring at me." Remus mumbled, eyes still closed.

"How did you know I was staring?" I giggled.

"Hunting senses, just big dog things." He lightly smirked, still attempting to go back to sleep.

"Just big dog things?" I laughed at him. Not expecting a sense of humour around his werewolf condition.

"Stop staring." He said again, biting back a smile.

"Fine." I said, but didn't stop. Actually moving in a little closer, pretending to get settled back into bed again. Laying back down entirely but keeping my face looking in his direction.

Suddenly Remus snapped his head in my direction and playfully bit the tip of my nose and pretending to bite the rest of my face.

"I warned you." He said feeling satisfied by my laughter. Leaving a little kiss on the tip of my nose that he just gently bit before attempting to tickle attack me.

"Wolf attack! Mercy, mercy!" I surrendered.

He began laughing himself, eventually laying back down into a rested position.

"You're so goofy." I rolled my eyes at him playfully.

"Well, you're the one falling in love with me so what does that say about you?" He looked chuffed with himself.

I blushed and felt giddy like a school girl with a crush. As did he.

"I'll probably have to go home today, actually change into some clean clothes of my own." I pulled a sad face.

"We can meet at the pub later on?" Remus said, to offer opportunity to still spend a while with eachother.

"You're gonna go?" I asked, wondering about his pain level.

"I hobble into the pub regularly. I wasn't going to go to avoid you asking what happened to me...but if you know, I'd quite like to leave my room." He explained.

"How many people know about...your condition?" I asked.

"Uh, everyone in the group bar...Alice, Frank, Sonny, Dorcas and Mary. They don't know." He listed.

I wondered how Alice and Frank didn't know, despite being a part of the group for so long. Why did Lily and Marlene know but not Alice? How did Frank share a room with them all and not know?

"Alice and Frank don't know?" My curiosity got the best of me.

"To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if they do, we've just never spoken about it. As much as they're part of our group they also went off and minded their own business a lot." He shrugged.

I nodded. They often were in their own little world together.

"I know by the way, about Mary." I tried to say not awkwardly.

"Oh? Did she tell you?" He asked. Observing my reaction for any sign how to approach the topic.

"No. Peter did." I exposed.

Remus looked taken aback.

"Why would he tell you about that?" He seemed confused.

"You tell me...was I ever rude to him at school or something? He hasn't been very welcoming." I asked and approached the conversation, wondering whether I had overlooked my own behaviour towards him. Trusting that Remus would tell me the truth.

"I've literally never heard him say anything bad about you. Maybe he's just being overly protective of me. Once he finds out there's no need to worry, I'm sure he'll come around." He said, though seemed to still be confused.
"Sorry you had to find out that way." He added.

"It's okay. She's very pretty." I said honestly, though I could tell jealousy mustered under the surface.

"She's just a friend who...truthfully was a safe person to be...physical with, when I wanted that." He cringed.
"I was one of many. There was never any feelings behind it." He said.

"Really?" I asked. Not totally understanding how you could have sex with someone without there being feelings behind it.

"Not to sound like a loser and bad in bed because of obvious reasons," he gestured towards us both. As if he was explaining that he didn't want me to think either of those things.
"But you're the first person I've one hundred percent been naked around and we haven't even slept together and I've never actually slept next to another person, romantically, before. Until you." He admitted.

I was shocked.

"I don't think that makes you sound like a loser." I said.

"But you think that makes me sound bad in bed?" He shook his head sadly, jokingly.

"Well I wouldn't know! You could be." I looked at him with pity.

He genuinely looked offended, tilting his head to one side.

"Right, fuck off back to yours." He gently pushed me, trying to roll me out of the bed.