#hell spawn teddy

James: Teddy still hasn't warmed up to you?

Sirius: he gave me a Father's Day card that just said "sike, you'll never be my dad :)"

Remus: I'm fine with anything.

Sirius: Teddy? What do you want?

Teddy: for you to stop fucking my dad

Sirius:

Remus:

James: I just hug my dad and tell him I'm sorry

Lily: I tell mum I won't do it again

Teddy: I tell Sirius that I still think he can go to hell where he clearly belongs

Teddy: turns out that's my stepdad when he was in high school

*

The video starts with Teddy, sitting on the floor.

He’s only a few years old - dressed in a yellow onesie with blue clouds on it, and what appears to be small bunny socks (with a tail and ears, even). His hair is wild and curly and brightly ginger, and there’s an army of plushies behind him.

He seems to be playing with a couple small figurines (wooden, perhaps - looking like a prince and a knight), quietly babbling to himself every now and again, or making a variety of strange sound effects, appropriate for whatever imaginary scenario he’s playing out.

It goes on for a minute, maybe two, and then little Teddy looks up.

Immediately, his face breaks out in a smile (missing one tooth) and he drops his dolls and reaches out with his hands, opening and closing them at whoever’s holding the camera.

“Daddy!”

There’s a laugh, and the camera shakes as the person holding it moves.

“Ready for bedtime, love?”

“Yeah!”

The camera moves around the house - the old house. Through the hallway, past that one ugly potted plant.

“Play with me?”

“No more playing, no. It’s bedtime now.”

The camera hovers up to a mirror.

Teddy - squishing a plushie duck to himself - is resting his cheek on his dad’s shoulder, kicking his feet. Dad is smiling.

“You know what day it is tomorrow, Teddy Bear?”

“Pa’gwound?”

Dad laughs, kissing Teddy’s head. Teddy squeals, and kicks his legs harder.

“We can go to the playground if you want. But it’s also a very special day, you remember? Me and papa told you at breakfast today.”

“My b’day!”

“That’s right, baby. And how old will you be?”

“Thwee!”

“You’re so big now, aren’t you?”

Dad chuckles, and then looks at Teddy in the mirror.

“Just a few years and you’ll be off to school. Before I turn around you’ll be all grown up.”

“‘am gwown.”

“Right, right. You’re a very big boy now.”

The camera moves away from the mirror again, all the way until they’re in what seems to be Teddy’s bedroom. On the bed, there’s his other dad - he immediately frowns when the camera

“What is this supposed to be?”

“It’s his birthday tomorrow!”

“Then you should be filming tomorrow, not today.”

“I just want him to have something to watch when he’s older.”

Dad walks towards the bed, and sits down - the camera wavers and shifts, until the current frame shows Teddy tucked into bed.

“What’s so interesting about reading him his bedtime story?”

“We can watch it together one day. Before he goes to college, so we can cry about our baby being so grown up.”

“Fabian, he’s three, not thirteen. There’s still plenty of time for us to cry about him being grown. Now pass me the book.”

“Dwagons.”

“Of course, the one about the dragons. C’mon daddy, we don’t have all night. And give me that, I guess. You do the voices better on this one.”

Dad picks out the right book from the bookshelf, and then sits himself next to Teddy, on the other side of his husband. The camera gets pointed at the book, and Teddy’s little hands holding onto it.

“Once upon a time-”

*

Back in the present, Teddy listens to the video, tears streaming down his face. Later on, he cuts out the last section - the reading of the book - and sends it to his phone.

With headphones in his ears, he listens, ignoring the sobs building in his chest. Until he can’t ignore them anymore.

He never realised he forgot what dad’s voice sounded like.

he tries but it's very hard to think of a good comeback on the fly, especially when you're bickering with your very feisty stepson so I imagine it's mostly like:

Teddy: fuck-

Sirius: hey, watch your mouth!

Teddy:... what are you gonna do about it, huh? Ground me?

Sirius:

Sirius: I'll- I'll go tell your dad!