When Lyall meets Sirius Black for the first time every suspicion he's had of his son resurfaces. The boy is pretty and posh. He wears a leather jacket and too much jewellery, and when he speaks to Remus it's with crinkled eyes and no care for anyone else.
But Lyall doesn't mention it.
He lets Remus introduce Sirius as his mate. He finds extra bedding for their sofa and pretends not to notice the way Sirius's eyes linger on his son.
There's nothing to confirm his suspicions, just tug at them. That is until the fourth night, when he can't sleep and stumbles into the kitchen for water. The light is already on and the door to the backyard is just open enough that when he looks out the kitchen window he can see the two boys sat on the last step of the stoop, encompassed by the kitchen's warm glow.
"Lloer," Sirius whispers just loud enough for Lyall to hear.
His pronunciation is off -he can't round his 'oh' enough while also rolling his 'r'- but the words is unmistakable non the less.
Moon.
Remus laughs, in a way he's never heard his son laugh before- so warm it could have been the sound of his own heart beating- and tilts his head to look at the other boy.
"Lloer," Remus says slower.
"Lloer," Sirius repeats.
It still isn't perfect, but it's better, and his son seems satisfied as he takes a drag from the cigarette.
For a moment neither boy speaks, they both stare at the sky, the sound of rustling leaves and their own breaths filling the space. They sit shoulder to shoulder and quietly pass the cigarette back and forth.
The silences lasts so long Lyall almost turns away, though Sirius's voice stops him.
"and what's my?" the boy whispers
"fy."
There's another stretch of silence, and then a response so soft Lyall almost misses it:
"fy lloer."
Remus smiles, the warmth evident even shrouded in shadows, and buries his face into the crook of the other boys neck. He mumbles something into his shoulder and Sirius laughs before pressing a kiss to the top of his head, an act so natural he may as well have been breathing.
Lyall turns away, before either boy decides to glance back, and leaves them to their moment.
The next morning he finds his son at the kitchen table a cup of tea and book in his hand. Remus hums a good morning, but otherwise doesn't look up, even when Lyall takes a seat across from him.
In the daylight he looks tired, his curls a mess and eyes dark, but still the healthiest Lyall has seen him in a long time. He isn't too skinny the way he has been and there's a new glow that seems to linger in his eyes.
"I like Sirius," Lyall says casually blowing at his own cup of tea.
Remus's eyes flick up -a small sign of his nerves- but when he replies his voice is steady. "People tend to."
Lyall hums, and looks down to his own cup as Remus goes back to his book.
He doesn't know how to do this. Connect to his son. Tell him he doesn't care who he's with, as long as he's happy and safe. That Lyall's love for him beats his heart, and nothing could change that.
Hope would.
He taps the side of his mug then swallows.
"He's good for you," he finally says and Remus glances up once more, a small smile across his lips.
It isn't everything he wants to say, no where near, but he hopes his son understands.
