A/N: Just a short fic about the moment Remus gives in and lets Tonks more completely into his life. It was originally written for LJ's rtchallenge, and the prompt was 'temptation' if that gives you a hint at all!
And, as always, hers not mine. Like I could own these guys, sheesh.
A hundred and one things told him that it was wrong. There were so many reasons she was off limits. Their ages, of course. She was young, beautiful, and vibrant. Any man would be lucky to have her, and any man could, if she'd give them a second look. He, on the other hand: older, looking even older than his age. The lines around his eyes had deepend, the silver streaks in his hair increasing daily. There was also the matter of their financial statuses. Though Ted Tonks certainly couldn't hold a candle to the Black family fortune, he'd supported Andromeda and Nymphadora well over the years. They never longed for anything. There was always food on the table, new clothes on their backs, and a warm and comfortable roof over their heads. Remus was lucky to even have a home, inheriting his family home from his own parents. His robes were secondhand, his jumpers threadbare, and there never seemed to be enough heat.
None of that compared to the fact that he was, in fact, a werewolf. No matter how many times she told him she didn't care, the fact remained. She'd grow old, in time, and there was always the off chance that his financial status would change, or that she could support them both-much as he didn't want her to. But there was no cure for lycanthropy. He would, until the day he died, remain a half-breed, transforming into the cruelest sort of monster with every full moon. Of course he took every precaution he possibly could. But it didn't change the fact that it happened, that it made him feel like less of a man.
But there was always that smile. Always that bright, encouraging smile. Even through her tears-and he'd made her cry more times than he'd like-Tonks still smiled. No matter he tried to push her away, she insisted on breaking through his barriers. He'd run, she'd find him. He'd reason, she'd argue. In the end, he was no match for a tongue as sharp-witted as hers.
Remus hadn't planned on kissing her. She was sly, though. He'd turned her down, yet again, and instead of arguing, she simply took his face in her hands and pressed her lips to his. It was nothing intense. She didn't ask for more. But she let her lips linger longer than necessary. She touched his bottom lip with the tip of her tongue before pulling back, giving him a taste of something he'd denied himself so desperately.
"You shouldn't," he began to argue, but she pressed her index finger to his mouth.
"Don't," she whispered, staring up at him. It was only then that he'd noticed her eyes had turned to match his, her hair in his favourite shade of bubblegum pink. The little imp knew how to play her cards. She played up her assets well, just as most in the Black family did. "Don't fight me on this, Remus. I know how you feel. I'm not stupid."
His head bent; he took long, slow breaths. There were so many reasons. So many glaring him right in the face. But when he opened his eyes, he didn't see those reasons. He saw only her, her face pleading with him. "You're a fool, you know," he murmured. "You, who could have anyone your heart desired. Why me?"
"Why me?" Tonks replied with a careless shrug, stepping forward and sliding her arms around his far too thin waist. "We don't choose who our hearts want, you know. Think my mum wanted to fall in love with someone her family would hate? Doubt it. And admit it. You don't want to love me back."
Of course he didn't. It was mad, the feelings coursing through him at the slight touch. Shaking his head, he went to pull away, but her grip on him tightened. "Give in, Remus. You know you want this as much as I do. I can see it. It's in your eyes."
How she could read him so easily, he'd never know. Temptation. Much as he shouldn't be, Remus was tempted. Not only physically, though his breath caught as Tonks nestled her small frame closer to his. He wanted to love. He wanted to be loved in return. It was crazy. She was daft. But she was his, whether he wanted it to be so or not.
Tilting his head slightly, he lifted one hand to take her chin between his fingers. "I ought to hate you for this."
Smiling michievously, she looked up at him, eyes twinkling. "Maybe. But you don't. You love me. Just give in."
And he kissed her. Despite every part of his brain screaming at him not to, Remus for once pushed logic aside, let go, and kissed her the way they both wanted her to be kissed.