In Her Eyes.
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. King James version of the Bible - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
As he wakes the first thing he comes aware of is the soft touch on his face, making that transition from sleep to consciousness a much gentler one. His eyes slowly focus and at once she is ready with a smile, which in turn makes him smile as well. Any tension he could have been feeling from his dreams, any bad thoughts that could have been lingering, seem to disappear and there's a feeling that settles in their place. It's a calm that is so relaxing, so refreshing, that all he wants is to just stay there with her until it's absolutely necessary to move.
It doesn't take long for her to settle down next to him, on her side and with an arm draped over his stomach, and Remus can't hold back a small grin that grows on his lips. She knows him a bit too well, he decides since he had been wanting her to lay down with him just like this, and he places a soft kiss on the top of her head once she rests it on his shoulder.
They have come so far, he thinks as his eyes close. Or, actually, he has come so far; she has always been ready and willing to love him wholeheartedly. She has always been the one that has been so strong, enduring all his insecurities and fears, and pushing them away.
'She deserves someone better,' a voice inside his head chimes in, those old fears and insecurities reminding him that they're still there. That Tonks hasn't been able to shake them all away from their hiding spaces just yet because, after so many years, they are now a part of him. They cling to him like a second skin that is too hard to peel away. What benefit, after all, did she have in having a werewolf as a husband? Why should she have to put up with all the prejudices, all the insults? Why shouldn't she have someone her age, someone who was healthy, and someone who could give her everything she deserves?
'Too old, too poor, too dangerous...'
His eyes flutter open as soon as he feels her turning to look at him, almost as if she knows what he's thinking. And he wouldn't be surprised if she can - she has managed to see through him most of the time.
Instead of saying anything, however, she just watches him. She takes in every crease on his face, every scar, every gray hair in his hair, and before he can look away her touch stops him. Gently she smooths back his hair and caresses his forehead before letting her fingers trail downwards to caress his cheek.
As her fingers make their way to the scars along his face, Remus is about to pull away and opens his mouth to tell her how she doesn't have to do that. Merlin, how can she not find those scars repulsive? he wonders, but he can't say a word. That look on her face stops him right in his tracks and pushes away all those fears, all those thoughts, all those insecurities that had started to weigh him down. They would be back, most likely, but for now they are gone. Her eyes hold no judgment. There's no prejudice, there's no repulsion whatsoever. All he sees in her eyes are the things he never figured he would see in a woman's eyes. Understanding, warmth, acceptance, and love. A love so strong that it makes his heart clench that she loves him so much despite everything.
She sees past everything. Every mistake, every wrinkle, every gray hair, every scar...
And she sees him. She loves him.
How he ever managed to get so lucky he doesn't know. Most likely he would never know. All he knows as he stares at his wife, at his Dora, is that he loves her more than he ever thought could be possible, and that he cannot imagine his life without her anymore.
As he wakes the first thing he comes aware of is the soft touch on his face, making that transition from sleep to consciousness a much gentler one. His eyes slowly focus and at once she is ready with a smile, which in turn makes him smile as well. Any tension he could have been feeling from his dreams, any bad thoughts that could have been lingering, seem to disappear and there's a feeling that settles in their place. It's a calm that is so relaxing, so refreshing, that all he wants is to just stay there with her until it's absolutely necessary to move.
It doesn't take long for her to settle down next to him, on her side and with an arm draped over his stomach, and Remus can't hold back a small grin that grows on his lips. She knows him a bit too well, he decides since he had been wanting her to lay down with him just like this, and he places a soft kiss on the top of her head once she rests it on his shoulder.
They have come so far, he thinks as his eyes close. Or, actually, he has come so far; she has always been ready and willing to love him wholeheartedly. She has always been the one that has been so strong, enduring all his insecurities and fears, and pushing them away.
'She deserves someone better,' a voice inside his head chimes in, those old fears and insecurities reminding him that they're still there. That Tonks hasn't been able to shake them all away from their hiding spaces just yet because, after so many years, they are now a part of him. They cling to him like a second skin that is too hard to peel away. What benefit, after all, did she have in having a werewolf as a husband? Why should she have to put up with all the prejudices, all the insults? Why shouldn't she have someone her age, someone who was healthy, and someone who could give her everything she deserves?
'Too old, too poor, too dangerous...'
His eyes flutter open as soon as he feels her turning to look at him, almost as if she knows what he's thinking. And he wouldn't be surprised if she can - she has managed to see through him most of the time.
Instead of saying anything, however, she just watches him. She takes in every crease on his face, every scar, every gray hair in his hair, and before he can look away her touch stops him. Gently she smooths back his hair and caresses his forehead before letting her fingers trail downwards to caress his cheek.
As her fingers make their way to the scars along his face, Remus is about to pull away and opens his mouth to tell her how she doesn't have to do that. Merlin, how can she not find those scars repulsive? he wonders, but he can't say a word. That look on her face stops him right in his tracks and pushes away all those fears, all those thoughts, all those insecurities that had started to weigh him down. They would be back, most likely, but for now they are gone. Her eyes hold no judgment. There's no prejudice, there's no repulsion whatsoever. All he sees in her eyes are the things he never figured he would see in a woman's eyes. Understanding, warmth, acceptance, and love. A love so strong that it makes his heart clench that she loves him so much despite everything.
She sees past everything. Every mistake, every wrinkle, every gray hair, every scar...
And she sees him. She loves him.
How he ever managed to get so lucky he doesn't know. Most likely he would never know. All he knows as he stares at his wife, at his Dora, is that he loves her more than he ever thought could be possible, and that he cannot imagine his life without her anymore.