"You look tired." Tonks yawned.

Remus wasn't exactly having a great morning on his feet. "Morning." He grumbled.

"What's wrong?" She asked, turning in her seat.

Remus didn't hesitate to smash his toe into the doorway. He couldn't even muster up the energy to curse, he just closed his eyes and sighed really loudly. "This is how... my entire morning has been going so far."

Her chair slid back. "Let me help you sit down then."

"I've got it."

"No really, I can-"

"I said, I've got it." He didn't mean to shout at her.

Tonks sink back into her seat. "Sorry. Go ahead then." Remus hobbled over to the table and managed to slowly sit down. "Can I get you some tea then?"

He sighed again. "No, I'll get it myself."

"You're going to burn your fingers-"

"I'll be fine!" Remus growled. "Will you please let me do this?"

"I'm letting you, I just offered to help for crying out loud!" She raised her voice back.

He mustered himself up to idly shuffle himself around the table to the kitchen. She was right, he did nearly burn his hand, but he didn't, and she didn't need the satisfaction of being right. "God... fucking... damnit..." Remus mumbled to himself. There was a small calamity and stuff came falling out of the cabinet.

"What's wrong?" Tonks called from the other side of the kitchen.

"You know, it would really be quite pleasant if people would stop moving the bloody sugar around!" Remus bowed his head, resting his forehead on his arm on the cabinet door. Then he was struck with a realization. "Tonks, don't you have a job you're supposed to be at?"

"That's an astute observation, however, it's four in the evening on a Friday." Tonks shot back.

"Wait... what?" Friday. It was Friday night already. Remus remembered falling asleep on Thursday night, but he didn't realize he slept all day. "Wait, if it's Friday, how did Harry's sentencing go?"

"It went fine." Tonks said. "The Ministry decided to drop it. He's going back to school."

"If it's four in the evening... should I ask how long the tea's been sitting here for?"

"It's fresh, I made it when I came home from work." She informed him. Tonks was walking around the table to get to him. "Are you hungry any?"

Remus shrugged. "No not really."

"I'm starving. I just got back from taking a shower." Tonks did sound more exhausted than usual. "I've been in a disguise all day. It's nice to finally feel like myself again."

That was another thing Remus picked up about her. She seemed to be a master of disguise. The other girls always talked about her changing her hair to something new or her changing her face as a sort of entertainment, and during the meetings, there was always talk of her dressing up as someone or another to get bits and pieces of informations. And Tonks was rather good at it. She had mastered the art of faking voices and changing them to match other people's and she also seemed to have a wide variety of wardrobe that she used to imitate people. Remus's only concern was that perhaps she was getting to know him in preparation of imitating him.

"I need to tell you something real quick." Tonks sounded concerned, like she must have been frowning. "It's about Sirius. He was really happy about Harry's sentence, but something's been weird all day. You know anything?"

"I've... obviously been asleep all day, why? What's wrong?"

"I... I may have been the one to fuel this, in part. I can't take all the blame, but I can say that I did start the drama with Sirius, because I... Well, we were just talking and I confided in him some things that were really personal about me and... actually, just forget it. I don't want to talk about it. I'm sorry if I made things tense, but I never meant to start a lot of drama."

"It's such closed quarters, I think it was bound to happen eventually. Do you... mind if I ask what you two talked about?" This was quite intriguing. Remus thought that this might be the moment Tonks confessed her feelings about his friend to him.

"I'm really embarrassed about it, if I'm being frank." Tonks got a bit too quiet for a moment. "Anyways, enough of this. This is all so... stupid, and... I'm hungry. Do you want to go somewhere and eat? I have money, don't worry."

"You didn't say anything and about me, did you? Just asking because Sirius and I are... he's being a bit of a prick and I don't want to bother his sulking right now. You might have better luck getting through to him."

"No, nothing bad, honest."

"Nothing, or nothing bad?"

"Let's just drop this whole mess, huh? Hey, why don't you go throw some shoes on and we'll go." Tonks was dodging the discussion, but it was almost too obviously that they both wanted to talk about it. "I invited him, but he said no."

This whole thing was confusing and mildly frustrating and Remus wanted to be done with it. He wanted to be done with people talking behind people's backs and just generally acting like teenagers. Then again, he was dealing with someone in their early twenties and another who had the mentality of one at times because he was still trying to manage all of the time he lost in Azkaban. He wanted to know what they talked about, why this started in the first place, and why they just kept running in circles with this game, but he was tired and come to think of it, he was actually rather hungry. He had gotten dressed, but not well at all. But Remus didn't care, so he put on some shoes and went to meet Tonks downstairs.

"I'm hungry." Tonks announced bluntly as they were walking down the sidewalk. It was still quite sunny outside as things began to slowly shift from afternoon to the nightlife. Tonks has a grip on his arm, steering him around people on the sidewalk.

"I thought we had already established that." Remus said dryly.

"I'm reminding you that I'm here and that I'm hungry." She leaned closer to him, nudging him.

"I knew that." Remus said. "I thought we were on our way to get the food."

"Then maybe you should act like you're hungry so I don't feel bad, like I'm the only one who wants to eat."

"I thought this was your idea."

"It was, but I don't want to be alone in it."

"Then pick somewhere to go and I'll follow you."

"I really don't like this 'being in charge' act you're having me do."

"Well what am I supposed to do, huh?"

"I dunno, tell me what you want to eat?"

"Just pick the next place we walk by." He suggested. "So, what does it look like we're eating?"

"Italian, I think, unless that's not okay with you, then-"

"We're eating Italian food, and I hope that's okay with you, since you have the decisive skills of a loaf of bread."

"Hey, that's a really mean thing to say about bread."

The food was actually quite good and surprisingly inexpensive. There were a few minor bumps that they ran into, but had an otherwise good experience. Firstly, upon being recognized by the host at the door, Remus was handed a Braille menu. This didn't bode well, considering he had to explain that he did not know Braille and would just had to have Tonks order for him. Tonks, for whatever reason, decided to drink wine. A man with limited mobility in an unfamiliar setting with a woman who drank wine faster than she ate her food? Not a great mixture.

Tonks was only stumbling just a bit more than usual when they left, her fine motor skills becoming slightly more adaptive.

"I never took you as a person who drank wine." Remus confessed.

"Thanks, I learned from my mum. She's big on stuff like um, like the white wine? I dunno. I guess I learned to like it." Tonks replied. "It's still light out. You want to walk through the park?"

"Sure." He shrugged.

"Really? You're up for it?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

They walked a bit further and the sidewalk turned into an uneven brick, before becoming fine grass. They walked for what felt like ages and ages of silence.

"Here, do you mind sitting on the grass?" Tonks asked. "This is a good spot."

"Are you going to make me sit in something?"

"Maybe."

"Tonks."

"No, I'm not going to make you sit in dog shit. Have a seat." Remus helped himself onto the ground. There was actually a pleasant breeze in the shade.

"Excuse me, but some of us aren't, what, five feet tall? I'm going to stretch my legs out because I can't sit on them, if you don't mind, but I don't want to kick you."

"I'm not five feet tall!"

"You're really short."

"You don't know that! You can't even see me standing up!"

"Maybe it's because you're so short. You're so short, I just can't see you."

She made a "hrrmph" noise. "I'm going to make you something."

"Make me something?"

"Mhm. I don't know if you noticed, but we're sitting next to a small patch of clover and dandelions."

"I didn't notice, but why is that important and why are you making me something?"

She gave this really cute laugh. "Because I'm going to make you something."

"You said that already!" Remus was only playfully frustrated, laughing along with her.

"You have to wait and see it when I'm done!" Tonks sassed him. It sounded like she was plucking grass out of the ground. Every now and again, she sounded exceedingly disappointed with herself.

Remus tilted his head back. "Is it safe to talk here? Are we alone?"

"We're underneath a tree right now, and we're not very close to the path. There's not anyone nearby, no."

"Tonks, may I ask you something sort of personal?"

"You may ask me anything."

Remus paused just to give himself the opportunity to not say what he was about to say, but he said it anyways. "This has been... driving me a bit insane for the past several weeks and no one seems to talk about it and I haven't a clue what's going on."

"Okay..."

"What's going on between you and... Sirius?" He blurted out.

"I... didn't think anything was going on between us... I mean, besides his usual self, being all secluded and depressed and all that crap... why?"

"Well you know, at first, he seemed rather jealous of the time we were spending together, you and me. And then the two of you—well, you didn't really fight—but things got really tense, right? I know how Sirius can act, and I know he's dreadful about taking out his feelings on other people, but I was starting to think perhaps... this fight was about something else?"

"No, no, you're exactly correct." She told him. "Sirius is upset because I choose to spend time with you and go out places with you."

"And not with him?"

He can't, or doesn't want to, or doesn't let himself, I dunno. I just know that maybe I can't save him from himself, but maybe I can... you know, help you get fresh air before you lose your mind just as much." Tonks explained, picking at the grass. "I promise, I know you two have had a good thing going for a long time and I don't want to get involved, but I'm concerned about how little time he's spent with you since the accident. He's not helped you adjust and you're not getting to go outside, and really, Remus, this could mess you up long term. I can already see Sirius having these problems and he's fully capable. Not that you're not capable, I meant physically, he-"

"It's fine, I know what you meant."

"I'm sorry if that sounded rude-"

"You're fine, really." Remus told her. "I- yes, I am concerned about that too, but you have to think about who we're dealing with here. He's one of the most stubborn people I've ever met, matched with being trapped in that house, I'm sure he's developing issues. But no, that's not... that's not quite what I meant."

"What did you mean then?"

"I meant, how little time you're spending with him compared to me. Not... not him being jealous that you're taking me away from him, but rather the other way around. That I'm taking you away from him."

"Why.. why would Sirius be jealous over who I spent time with?" Tonks sounded like she could laugh.

"That's what I'm asking." Tonks wasn't catching on. Remus panicked, embarrassed, and decided now was the time to retract his thoughts before she thought he was any more stupid. "You know what? Let's pretend we didn't have this conversation, shall we?"

"It's obviously bothering you, Remus." She was thinking really hard about this. "Wait... wait... what, do you think Sirius and I are... together or something? Or that we have... feelings for one another, yeah?"

"That's what I'm wondering."

"Why would we- Remus, he's my cousin. You knew that!"

"I did know that, but I didn't know if you were, say, 'third cousins, twice removed by marriage, someone's probably been adopted, and none of us talk anymore' kind of cousins!"

"His mum's mum and my mum's mum were sisters! And besides, we're not like that, okay? We are absolutely not like that. Not in any way, or any shape, or any form. It doesn't even matter. Where did you ever get the idea from?" Tonks sighed. At least Remus felt a bit better knowing that there was nothing going on between Sirius and Tonks. That would be... weird... the age difference was almost digusting to think about. Remus was just glad he didn't have to think about that. "That's... quite the opposite of what's going on here!" Remus didn't pester about what that meant.

"I dunno, you two were acting so weird, I thought maybe you made him angry and he decided to go and talk bad to me behind your back... or perhaps he was trying to hide it from me by saying how much he hated the way you dressed. This is Sirius we're talking about. He thinks like a fifteen year old when it comes to women. I think he thinks if he tells you how ugly you are, it means he likes you."

She scoffed. "Remus, you seem rather insecure."

Remus didn't know how to react to that abrupt comment. Should he agree? Be offended? Sarcasm? "And you seem to be lacking some context here."

"I wasn't talking about your eyes. I mean, it's like I start spending time with you, and you create this elaborate story about how Sirius and I have been copulating behind your back and now I'm spending time with you just to make him angry or something."

"You did mention him being handsome, did you not?" Remus defended.

"He's a nice looking man! I admire his tattoos! You said it himself, he looked just like me when he was younger. Dressing alike, and all."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I brought this up, but it's like you said, he's not really talking to me right now. I've really got no one else around at the moment, I think part of me was worried about losing my friend because she wanted to go date my other friend. And on top of that, I can't make up my mind on how I feel about Sirius, whether I should be mad at him or mad at myself because we just... we're never going to be friends like we used to be."

Tonks reached over and touched his hand. "I'm sorry."

Remus was a bit startled. He felt like he was talking too much and he couldn't shake off the thought that he wished they had never had this conversation, beating back any reassuring thoughts that they were actually getting somewhere. "It's nothing, really-"

"It's okay to admit that something bad is happening to you, you know. There's nothing wrong in saying you want him to be a better friend."

"But I could be a better friend." Remus said. "That's what gets me, is that I feel like all of this could have been prevented and I could just make the effort, take the time, to be the better person, but instead I'm-"

"Stop it." Tonks cut him off. "Maybe you could be a better friend, so why not start now? There's no shame in starting something you wish you were two months ago. You won't get anywhere if you don't start. Just watch and see. Maybe he'll reach back out to you too."

"I don't know if I'm allowed to be upset at him. I don't know if you can forgive someone who thought you were a murderer for thirteen years."

"That's not your fault, Remus. He's the one who has to go and forgive you." Tonks paused to breathe. "Are we okay now?"

"Are we? Who, you mean you and me?"

"Yeah."

Remus paused. He nodded. "Yeah, I think we're good now."

"Okay, lean towards me." She instructed him. He leaned his body towards hers. His face was almost uncomfortably close to hers. "Turn your head down towards me, if you don't mind, please." He did.

He could feel her fingers messing with the locks on his head, but very meticulous. "Are you... playing with my hair?"

"Well, obviously I am." She said.

"Why— what are you doing?"

"I dunno. I mean, when we've gone out before, it seems like you get really excited when I pick up stuff for you to touch or smell. Like flowers and stuff? I'm guessing you like them."

"You mean like that day lily you stole?"

"It was a flower! I didn't steal it!"

"It was in someone's garden!"

"That's not my point, okay! We're talking about you liking them!"

"Okay, sure, I like them."

"Good... because you look quite handsome with them in your hair." Tonks said lightly. She must have been smiling.

"Wait-"

"Be gentle!" She snapped. "You look adorable! I mean, you look quite handsome. I made you a little flower.. chain... thing... I dunno, I learned how to make them when I was a kid."

"Wow, really?" Remus was only being halfway sarcastic now. "Thank you."

"And I did a little bit charming so they won't wilt and get smushed like the day lily did."

"You mean the one you stole?"

"I. Didn't. Steal. It!"

"Sorry, you mean the one you borrowed?"

"You're awful." She hit him on the arm without warning.

"Ow! Tonks!" He exclaimed, more shocked that in actual pain. Remus reaches over to push her back just the same. She squealed with laughter. Something told him that she had fallen over onto her back, stretching out on the ground.

"I'll tell Molly you're being mean to me, and then what?"

"Oh will you now? Because I don't see Molly anywhere nearby. Doesn't seem like you've got much help here." Remus smiled. "You're not so big and bad all in your own, are you?"

Tonks laughed heartily. "Well neither are you!"