Remus clutched the wheel so hard his knuckles were turning white. The cars in front of him were moving too slow and too leisurely, not enough urgency. They weren't far from their destination, just a little bit faster and they would be there, turning into their driveway, ready to wash the day away and collapse on the couch. Far from the looks he gets at work--for being a werewolf and having the audacity to keep a job. And now, Harry misbehaving at school. He just wanted so badly to absolutely pound his horn, shake the wheel, scream, crash the car, whatever. He knew the all-too-familiar red-hot rage--thanks to his bipolar, making things worse than they needed to be. The light turned red to match that rage.
In the back seat, Harry was inspecting a piece of paper he got from school. Some piece of homework having to do with addition--one plus two, four plus three--something Kindergarten-appropriate. Remus glanced at him through the rearview.
Those big green eyes caught him. Remus set his eyes back on the road and cursed the red light in his head.
"Uncle Remus," Harry said, "are you mad at me?"
Remus took a steadying breath. "No. I'm not mad. I'm okay, see?" He offered a smile. He knew the kid wouldn't buy it--for some reason, despite having a complete lack of spatial awareness, he picked up on people's bad moods.
"Then why my teacher get me in trouble?"
"The teacher didn't just get you in trouble willy-nilly, Harry, you threatened another student." Remus turned his body to look behind him. "That's not okay to do."
"I didn't threaten him!" Harry whined. "I mean...I guess I did. I said--"
"I know what you said, Harry." Fuck. It would have been easier if Sirius had picked him up. He would have dealt with it in a better manner, surely, and not have told Remus--or at the very least glossed it over. But the school liked Remus more, and now he was stuck with the multitude of scenarios unfolding in his brain.
You better stop being mean or look out, Harry had said to his classmate. My uncle's a werewolf, and he'll rip you to shreds.
He imagined the other boy's face, contorting into a look of terror. Even the school staff received Remus with furrowed brows. It was a muggle Kindergarten, which was good. The bad? They were probably going to send people to find out why Harry insists Remus just 'rips people to shreds' via child wellness check.
Harry's voice became smaller, making Remus' heart sink. "I only meant that you would help me."
The light turned green again. Remus didn't thank it--the road rage and pent-up emotions seemed to have left him.
"I know, baby," Remus said softly. "But you can't just...you can't use me as a weapon. Are you a weapon?"
"Then I'm not either. Besides, these kids don't know about magic, or werewolves, and they can't know. Okay?"
Harry clapped his rainboots together as he processed, scrunching up his face. Remus sighed. He's getting too big for that car seat, he thought tiredly, a bit apprehensive.
Harry's little breath drew Remus from his thoughts. "I'm sorry," he atoned. "But...what do I do when someone won't stop being mean to me? Like all the time?"
Remus licked the turn signal to pull into their driveway. As he waited for cars to pass, he saw the familiar face of his husband, turning his attention away from the small, poorly-managed garden and to the car waiting in the street. His wand was drawn--maybe not the best idea living alongside muggles. Still, Remus smiled.
"You call Uncle Padfoot."
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