This is a story in which Remus tells his parents about his relationship with Sirius. Clearly, this is an RLSB story with a mildly sexual scene. Enjoyyyy!

The Enlightening of Mr. and Mrs. Lupin

Back in Fifth Year, Sirius Black had left Grimmauld Place for good. He had taken up residence with James Potter and his ever gracious family. Almost simultaneously, he had started dating Remus Lupin, the object of his affection for years. Needless to say, that was a tumultuous year in the life of Sirius Black. Now, nearly two years later, things had settled down considerably. This summer, Sirius had decided to spend the summer holiday at Lupin's cottage rather than the Potters'. Of course, he knew he was free to visit James and his family as often as he pleased, but Sirius had a strong feeling that he would not mind an entire summer in Remus' company.

However, one small barrier stood in the way of Sirius' glorious summer. In the entire two years he and Remus had been together, the lycanthrope had never enlightened his parents to his relationship or his sexual preferences. This, Sirius knew, was bound to cause some serious problems. Sirius was not a shy boyfriend. He assumed that the Lupins deserved to be warned of what was to come in those summer months. For the entire trainride home, Sirius had tried to reason with Remus – as he had on several previous occasions – as to why exactly he needed to tell his parents about his relationship. But the werewolf was incredibly resistant and defensive. It wasn't until Sirius threatened under the Marauder's Oath that he would give Remus the most passionate kiss of his life as soon as he saw Mr. and Mrs. Lupin at the train station that Remus conceded and agreed to share his long-kept secret with his parents that very night.

Unfortunately for Remus, that 'very night' crept up on them rather quickly. Sirius and Remus had already begun to unpack and settle themselves into Remus' room. Sirius had to constantly refuse Mrs. Lupin's insistences that he take the guest room across the hall. She didn't think it would be comfortable for the two boys to share the one room all summer long. Sirius glared at Remus over Mrs. Lupin's shoulder through the entire exchange. They both knew that if Remus had revealed their relationship to his parents sooner, Sirius and his mother would not be faced with this debate over his sleeping arrangements. It was all Remus could do to shoo her from his room when she started looking for something sufficient to transfigure into a comfortable cot for Sirius to sleep on.

"Sorry, Pads," was all Remus said as his mother exited, Sirius shaking his head in exasperation at her retreating figure.

Later that night, as the Lupins and Sirius had nearly finished eating, Sirius urged Remus to speak with a swift kick of his foot under the clean, yellow tablecloth.

Remus grunted quietly at the contact, eyes widening incredulously in Sirius' direction. Sirius merely smiled placidly, looking pointedly between Remus and his parents. It was not hard to get the hint.

Momentarily placing his fingers on his closed eyelids as though trying to rid himself of a headache, Remus spoke feebly. Sirius grasped his free hand under the table, squeezing it confidently, his smile never wavering. Remus tried to embody the confidence that seeped off of his lover. It didn't really work.

"Mum," he began as Mrs. Lupin took her final bite of roasted chicken. "I've something I need to tell you." He paused at the pure cliché of the situation. His father had become suddenly alert, and his mother's face had paled with worry. "It's nothing bad!" he tried to assure them. "I don't think it's bad at least." But that certainly didn't mean his parents wouldn't. His gaze flitted to Sirius' smug face before he turned back to his mother. He tried to concentrate on her. He knew she was several times more likely to accept this than his father. After all, Remus was John Lupin's only child; his only son. This surely wasn't what Mr. Lupin had expected to become of his son. A part of Remus – the strongest part of him that wanted to walk away now – felt as though he was about to deliver to his father the greatest disappointment of his difficult life. He hated to let his father down, and the thought tore at his heart.

But he pushed on. "Mum," Remus tried again, "I've met someone I'm not sure you're going to approve of." Well, that was putting it lightly.

She placed her fork carefully upon her plate. She looked at her son contemplatively. "Why would I disapprove?"

Remus felt so anxious. "It's not so much that you won't approve," he amended, "it's just someone you probably wouldn't have ever expected." Remus knew well that his parents loved him unconditionally – thus far – but the guilt he felt upon looking at his father's expression broke his heart. His father was a reasonable, benevolent man, but that did not make him any less susceptible to shock and anger. Remus could see him shifting his gaze between Sirius and his own son. At that moment, Remus was certain that his father had figured him out. Yet, the man hadn't said anything. Was his anger too strong for words? The thought forced Remus to swallow hard. He felt Sirius' hand squeeze his thigh in reassurance. He had come this far; he wasn't about to back out now.

His mother was waiting expectantly.

"Mum," Remus said once more, drawing on every ounce of courage and confidence he possessed, "I'd like you to meet Sirius Black, my boyfriend of two years."

The following silence was deafening. His heart pounded in his ears as he stared determinedly down at his plate. He could not face his father. In all reality, he was surprised his father had remained silent and in his seat this long.

"Well," he mother said, her gaze moving between the two boys as the shock wore off, "You could have saved Sirius and I a lot of bickering if you had told me sooner."

Remus was sure 'I told you so' was written all over Sirius' face, but he couldn't bring himself to look up at the boy. "Sorry, Mum," he whispered to his plate, "Sorry, Dad." He didn't want to bring his father into it, but he felt as though he owed the man an apology at the very least. Sirius' hand tightened momentarily on his thigh.

"No, no," his mother interjected, "There is absolutely no reason to apologize." She stood and began carrying plates and cutlery to the sink. "If this is who makes you happy, then we're happy for you; both of you," she added, smiling fondly at Sirius. "Right, John?"

Remus' father merely grunted. Whether it was in agreement or disapproval was indistinguishable. Remus felt the urge to apologize to him again. He refrained as John Lupin removed himself from the table and busied himself with helping his wife with the dishes.

Remus felt that this was their cue to leave. He and Sirius slipped from the small kitchen and practically ran from the hallway to their currently shared bedroom. Remus sat on the very edge of his bed, his face hanging in his hands. Sirius wrapped a comforting arm around his shoulders, pulling the boy against his side.

"They would have found out eventually," Sirius said, resorting to his old excuse. "It's better this way. I'm proud of you." He hugged Remus closer. It appeared as though Remus had not heard a single word. He put all of his efforts into keeping his tears from cascading down his cheeks. He felt humiliated. More so than he would like to admit; he did not wish to add the act of crying to his current pile of humiliation. With a deep sigh, he removed his hands from his face and turned to look at his lover.

"Did you see the look on his face, Sirius?" Remus inquired quietly, sadly. "He looked so… disgusted and… and disappointed." He hung his head once more.

But Sirius gently lifted his chin. There weren't many situations in which Sirius could be tender and sympathetic. It wasn't in his blood to be any kind of empathetic. For this reason, Remus knew to savor the moments where Sirius let him see this side of him.

"I love you, Remus," he said gently, "And your father deserves to know. He loves you too, Rem, even if it doesn't feel that way right now." Remus nodded. He believed Sirius because Sirius was right, but that didn't make him any happier in his current situation. Again, he felt the subtle nagging of tears. He refused to let them fall.

With a short flick of his wand, he shut and locked his door. He turned his sadness into passion, as Sirius had so expertly taught him how to do in their years together. He twisted his sobs into growls. He pulled himself upon Sirius' lap, pushing himself flush against the other wizard. He bent his lips to his lover's where he kissed and bit and begged them to open for him, to envelop him. Sirius was slow to respond.

In his exasperation, Remus tore Sirius' shirt over his head, breaking contact long enough to plead that Sirius, "Let me forget. Let me find peace."

Sirius could not deny the boy. He slowly peeled the werewolf out of his shirt, leaning him back upon his knees so he could kiss and suckle a path down his neck and chest. He knew what it was like to need to forget. It was something he had asked of Remus several times. It felt good to return the favor. Remus threaded his fingers into the black silk on Sirius' head as Sirius reached for the lycanthrope's belt. Gently, Sirius turned them, placing Remus upon the edge of his bed, bending to the floor before him. He smiled as he kissed a sensual trail back up Remus' torso, his fingers fumbling with his jeans the entire time. With a deep chuckle, he pushed Remus roughly against the mattress, pulling his pants off by the cuffs. Resuming his position on the floor, Sirius kissed Remus' thighs, tickling him with his stubble.

"Please, Sirius," Remus whispered, his eyes screwed tightly shut. He could feel himself throbbing in anticipation. He needed this. He needed it.

Sirius did not need to be instructed twice. He closed himself over Remus, grasping the werewolf's hands in his own as he created a rhythmic pattern over Remus with his lips and tongue. He loved how Remus squirmed and jerked beneath him. Each movement felt like a subtle token of his love and appreciation for the animagus. Sirius felt as though he couldn't love the werewolf more, as Remus alternated between moaning and holding his breath. Sirius dropped one of Remus' hands to play with the golden hairs that sprouted below his navel. Remus' freed hand soon found itself entangled in Sirius' hair. Sirius tried not to chuckle as Remus' grip pulled him away from the object of his ministrations. As if realizing this, Remus loosened his grip considerably.

It did not take long for Remus to shudder in completion. He lay relaxed and immobile as Sirius cleaned their mess. Crawling onto the bed, the animagus curled himself around the werewolf, holding him protectively to his chest. Remus wore the widest, laziest smile Sirius had seen on him in quite some time.

"I love you, Pads," he whispered. Sirius clutched him tighter, burying his nose in Remus' tawny hair, immersing himself in the boy's scent. It was in this manner that the two lovers fell into sleep.

But their peaceful slumber was soon broken.

"I don't care if he says he loves him!" came the loud and angry voice of John Lupin. Remus woke with a start. Immediately, he wished he hadn't. He knew exactly what this was about. He didn't want to have to hear it.

He heard his mother next. Her voice was soft, calm; a perfect contrast to his father's. "Be reasonable, John. He's your son." Remus' suspicions were confirmed.

"Reasonable?! I am being completely reasonable! Could the boy do anything to ostracize himself more?!"

Remus could hear his father pacing angrily across the floor of his parents' room down the hall. A part of him couldn't believe Sirius was sleeping through the volume of it all. He tried to bury his head in Sirius' shoulder, but it wasn't enough to block out their voices.

"He's happy, John," his mother advocated, "No one looking to hire is going to inquire about his sexuality. He is not ostracizing himself."

Remus heard his father huff angrily. He imagined John Lupin sitting beside his wife in frustration as the sounds of his heavy footfalls ceased. "How did this happen?" his father said in a much calmer voice, full of the sadness and disappointment Remus never wanted to hear.

"The same way you fell in love with me, darling," his mother replied, calm as ever. "Love is love no matter how it comes."

At that moment, Remus felt he could have cried with appreciation for his mother. Her heart knew no bounds and her compassion was limitless. He heard his father sigh, giving up to his wife's rationales. It was a hard pill to swallow, but John Lupin loved his son so deeply. He would learn to accept this part of who Remus was. He would embrace it as Remus had embraced his lycanthropy. A boy who could live through the horrors associated with that horrible affliction deserved nothing but his father's love, awe and appreciation. John Lupin knew this well.

"As long as he refrains from acting like a ponce in front of me."

Mrs. Lupin's laughter carried down the hall. "Well, we'll never have to worry about him getting anyone pregnant," she quipped. The entire mood had lightened so quickly. Remus felt his heart following the same path. He exhaled the breath he had been holding and buried him deeper into Sirius' embrace. Things were going to all right.

The next morning dawned with the stretching of achy limbs. Remus decided to ask his mother how to widen his damn bed. There was no way his spine and muscles could survive a whole summer of sleepin like that. After much yawning and coaxing and kissing and cuddling, Remus managed to get Sirius dressed and downstairs for breakfast. They entered the kitchen hand in hand. Remus didn't mind because he knew his mother wouldn't and he knew his father had left for work hours ago.

"Morning, Mum," he said, dropping Sirius' hand to envelop his mother in a strong embrace. "Thank you."

She smiled warmly, returning his hug. "You're welcome, darling." Letting him go, she turned to Sirius. "Sit down, Sirius. Please. Both of you, eat."

They did as they were told, loading their plates with a whole assortment of breakfast items his mother had fried up.

Halfway through their meal, Mrs. Lupin joined them. Picking at a sausage, she asked conversationally, "How did all this happen?" She pointed back and forth between the two of them with her half-eaten sausage.

Remus blushed at her bluntness, but Sirius jumped right into the tale. "Well, first off, Madame," Sirius began, "You have created a beautiful son." Remus reddened further. "And clearly your personality had rubbed off on him." He shot her a glittering smile.

Mrs. Lupin laughed. "Is that so?"

Sirius nodded boldly. "I have never met a better man," he concluded ,claiming Remus' hand in his own, squeezing it gently. He was telling the truth and both Mrs. Lupin and Remus knew it.

Mrs. Lupin's smile widened. "I am very happy to hear that, Sirius," she said, turning her benevolent face to her son. "I must say that I do feel the same."

Remus chose that moment to end the sappy exchange between his mother and his boyfriend. It was becoming highly embarrassing. With an exaggerated clearing of his throat, he thanked his mother for the food before carrying his plate to the sink. Sirius followed suit.

Later that night, Remus and Sirius were forced to resurface from the depths of Remus' room where they had spent their entire day. John Lupin was home and dinner was served. Remus had never been more nervous to see his father in his life. Sirius had not heard last night's fight, and so he saw no reason not to pull Remus against his side as they entered the kitchen. Remus blushed crimson and avoided eye contact with his father, whose reaction was about the same.

The two boys sat opposite Remus' parents. About ten minutes into the meal, John Lupin cleared his throat in a manner that strongly suggested his intention to speak. He looked pointedly at his son, his lips closed in a thin, concentrated line. Remus wanted to look away, but he knew he had to be as strong as his father. He had to show his father that what he and Sirius shared was not so abnormal. It was okay to feel uncomfortable as long as his father could accept him.

"Remus," his father began, thoroughly uncomfortably, "Sirius," he nodded at the boy beside his son. "I won't even pretend to understand what you boys share, nor do I care to, but I support your decision." By the end, he was looking directly into his son's eyes. Remus felt as though the room had raised a few degrees in temperature. Sentimental moments with his father were uncommon and unmanly. For this reason, Mr. Lupin did not have many heartfelt moments with his son.

Remus nodded, fighting to hold contact with his father. "Thanks, Dad," he said honestly. "I appreciate that." John simply nodded in return before turning back to his meal. Beside him, Mrs. Lupin beamed. She winked openly in Sirius' direction. Sirius beamed back at her. Again, Remus felt as though her compassion were unending. He internally sighed the largest sigh of relief in his lifetime. To know that his parents knew about him and he had come out of it alive and loved in the end lifted a great weight from his shoulders.

Dinner ended much as it had the night before. Sirius and Remus returned to his room shortly after.

"Told you it was better this way," Sirius said confidently as he and Remus lazed about on the latter boy's bed. "You're parents fuckin' love me."

Remus laughed, kissing Sirius lightly. Merlin, he loved his arrogant, stubborn, mildly annoying boyfriend. And now, everyone who meant anything to him knew about it. He would never admit it – and risk inflating Sirius' ego further – but the animagus was right. It was better this way. Remus liked the idea of his mother and father knowing the real him. He didn't like hiding things from them and he never had. They had done so much for him over the years. He owed them honesty.

He felt like a better person as he allowed Sirius to pull himself on top of him, instigating yet another night of excitement. But this night would be better, for neither of them were trying to forget themselves. Neither of them had anything to forget or ignore or avoid. It was always better this way.

Well, that was interesting, no? How 'bout you let me know? In a review? Yeah, thanks!