Who: Tonks and Sirius When: Thursday after seeing Remus Where: The Beach What: A continuation of her crappy day Rating: Low Status: Complete
Sirius sat in the sand, elbows propped up on his knees, face in his palms. This is what being a lifeguard was, was it? He might get a fetching tan, which was good. But being alone and having nothing to do? It gave Sirius a lot of time to think, and while he stared out at the endlessly stretching ocean, he decided he didn't like this place one bloody bit.
Harry was all grown up. They didn't have any magic. He couldn't transform into Padfoot. He'd been punched in the face. Then told he was supposed to be dead. Could it get any worse? Sirius didn't know if it was possible, but he didn't want to tempt fate.
--
Once when she was really young, Tonks' parents had taken her to a beach in Southern France for a holiday. She had loved the feel of warm sun, the smell of salt water and the sound of the ocean. And since she was in such a crummy mood, Tonks figured she'd take a dip in the water. Maybe it would help.
Walking across the sand, Tonks stopped short when she saw her cousin. She knew he was here, but seeing him was different. He was alive!
Heading over to him, Tonks stepped in front of Sirius and blocked his sunlight. "You have got to be the ugliest Black there is. And that's impressive considering our family tree."
--
When a shadow fell over him, Sirius shielded his brow and glared up at whoever it was. His no-good very bad mood wasn't being helped right now.
"Aren't you a charmer. Just who the hell are you?" he demanded to know. With the sun behind their head, he couldn't see who it was, and if it was family, he doubted he would give two flying fucks about them.
--
Tonks smirked. She had already lived through Remus not knowing her, so Sirius wasn't a big shock. "I'm bigger than you remember," she said. "Much bigger. And I don't run around in fairy wings anymore. But I still have pink hair, just not here."
Sitting down next to Sirius, Tonks grinned at him. "Why so gloomy? Don't you love the Island of Shite where husbands don't know their wives and mothers don't know their sons?"
--
Fairy wings. Pink hair. There was only one person in his family those things connected to, but it couldn't possibly be– Sirius's head swiveled over to get a better look at the woman's face. The shock was written all over his face as he searched hers with his eyes.
"Dora? What the fuck? Why are you big and old too?" Sirius scowled at her as if it was all her fault, but his scowl was soft. "I hope you're not talking about your husband and son because if you are, you're bloody ANCIENT."
--
"I'm not old! I'm 23! Ass." She felt old though. War did that to people. And she probably looked a hell of a lot older than 23 without her moprhing to hide the scars.
"You're young. I like it."
--
"23? Makes you older than me, granny." Sirius barked a laugh. After encountering Harry and Fred from different times, it was easier to accept Nymphadora was too. "Do you have kids and a husband? Or were you joking? I hope you're having the mickey on me."
--
Well. There was a tricky question. And she wasn't sure how Sirius was going to react. Probably badly. "I had a husband. Still do back home. Here I'm flying free. And yeah, have a kid too. Which was news to me. His name is Teddy."
--
"Had? What does that mean? Is he here?" Sirius scowled, not concerned with the kid so much as the wife-abandoner. "If you need me to kick his arse, I will. That's just not on."
--
Bugger. She was going to have to explain this.
"I married Remus. But he doesn't remember it. So on this island I don't think we're married. And we have a kid, but I haven't figured out how to tell him that part yet."
Tonks visibly braced for his reaction. Finding out your baby cousin had married your best friend wasn't going to be easy to take.
--
Sirius didn't even know how to react.
He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He just couldn't. It wasn't sodding possible!
"Good one, Tonks. Real funny." He wasn't smiling or laughing or showing even a hint of mirth. "Now tell me who you really married."
--
"Remus," she said again. "I married Remus. He didn't believe me much either," she said sadly. Tonks looked away from Sirius and stared out at the ocean. "Sorry," she said although she didn't know why she was apologizing. She hadn't done anything wrong, but.. well, it felt like she had. Because she hadn't come across anyone who was happy about her marriage yet.
"Not like it matters, does it? He doesn't know me. And with all of you here..." Tonks shrugged. She didn't think she'd matter to him anymore. And she would understand why he'd choose to spend time with the life he knew rather than her. "Well I don't think I'll be in the way."
--
Sirius was stunned. It was a difficult feat to render him completely speechless, but Tonks had done it. It took a few beats before his brain reconnected to his mouth and he knew what to say.
"Doesn't matter? But he's AGES older than you, my age! And.. ugghhh." Sirius made a face just thinking about him and her having babies together. "Fuck. It's just wrong." And wronger than that was the pang of jealousy that stabbed him right in the chest like a fist.
--
Tonks' eyes narrowed into thin slits. "Ugh? Well. Thanks." Okay, so coming to the beach hadn't helped. Her cousin was alive and he was disgusted at the idea of her marriage. Her marriage that didn't exist and was breaking her heart. "This is stupid," she said and stood up. "This whole place is stupid." Never before had she felt like she was wrong for being married to the man she loved, but that's how Remus and Sirius were making her feel. Like she was in the wrong for loving him and giving him a home and happiness.
"I'm going back to my place. I'd rather be with Snape and Percy than you people right now." Which was saying a lot since she didn't much like Percy or Snape. Standing up, Tonks left the second person that day. Her life was shite. Utter shite.