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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Aug 23, 2008 0:58:53 GMT -5
It was incomprehensible that she should feel shy after what they had done last night, but she felt her cheeks burn when he called her beautiful. "Yes," she said, still smiling. "I slept very well. I was really exhausted."
She couldn't quite believe that, after that scene with her sisters, she was able to smile this morning. If she hadn't convinced him to stay with her last night, she might have been waking up after a night of uncomfortable sleep and intermittent crying. But he'd stayed, and she couldn't quite keep the smile from her face.
"How about you? Were you comfortable? I don't snore, do I?"
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Post by Ted Tonks on Aug 23, 2008 1:12:41 GMT -5
He smiled, shaking his head slightly. "No, you didn't snore. You were perfect the whole night through," he assured her, a hint of a roguish grin on his lips. "I think my arm might be asleep though," he said, gesturing to the one that was under her.
He hated to bring them up, and the logical part of his brain yelled at him to shut up, but he frowned and asked, "Are you feeling okay today?"
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Aug 23, 2008 1:26:13 GMT -5
Andi was about to smile and suggest they do something to "wake up" his arm again, but his question--which she totally expected--made her stop. The smile slipped from her face and she let out a soft smile. "Better than last night," she replied. There was just a dull ache and a feeling of emptiness when she thought of her sisters now. Maybe one day the ache would fade and the emptiness would be filled with new things, new people. But it was manageable.
She kissed him again, closing her eyes to the feel of his lips on hers. What she really wanted at that moment was to stay locked up in here with him forever; just shut out the outside world altogether. She knew that couldn't happen, but right now the world felt like a dark and terrible place, and in here with him she would be safe and happy.
"I love you," she said. It was getting easier and easier to say, and she wanted him to know that she hadn't changed her mind about it during the night, when her emotions weren't raging out of control inside her.
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Post by Ted Tonks on Aug 23, 2008 1:45:55 GMT -5
Ted instantly regretted asking the question. "I'm sorry, Andi, I didn't mean..." he trailed off, and reached out, as if he was scared that she was going to pull away. "It will get better," he promised, silently adding that he was going to be there for her for all of it.
"I love you, too," he told her, a little less scared to admit it to her now. Neither one of them was backing out... that was a good sign. "Let's do something today," he said, suddenly. "Take our minds off everything for a while. I think we could both use it."
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Aug 23, 2008 1:55:11 GMT -5
She kissed him again. "No, it's OK. You don't have to apologize for asking about it," she assured him. "I am better than I was. Because I have you. Remember when I asked you if you were my Perseus? Last night, you answered that question for me. You are. Thanks to you, I really did finally break away from that rock last night." She sighed. "It hurt. It still does a little. But I'm going to be OK, as long as you're with me."
She smiled again, her eyes brightening again. She'd never get tired of hearing him say that he loved her. It was like music to her ears. "I was sort of thinking maybe we could do... nothing today," she said with a wink. "But we could go out, too. Go some place fun and just lose ourselves for a while. But maybe we could start with breakfast. I'm starving!"
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Post by Ted Tonks on Aug 23, 2008 2:20:09 GMT -5
Ted propped himself up on his elbows as she spoke. She certainly had more energy than she had last night. Well, when she was crying, anyway. She had found the energy a little while later.
But she was almost bubbly now, and it was amazing to see her happy. And, for one night at least, she had needed him. That alone was a feeling he would never cease to love.
"Nothing would be fine, too," he said. "Whatever you want to do, Andi. I just want to be with you, and none of the rest of it matters."
There was one nagging question on his mind from the night before, but he bit it back and decided not to ask. Not yet. "Hold on... you're too energetic right now," he laughed. "I'm not awake enough to get up." That was a lie. He was awake, he just didn't want to move.
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Aug 23, 2008 9:29:44 GMT -5
Andi smiled. "I know what you mean," she said. "A part of me doesn't want to get up at all. But you know, we never did end up eating last night. I think if I had tried to eat last night, I would have been sick." She sighed softly. "Ted, I want you to know... in spite of what happened and how much it hurt, I have no regrets about any of it. They were being awful, and I stood up for myself and for you. I wouldn't change what happened, not for anything. I needed to do it. I don't regret choosing you. I regret that they made me make a choice, that they couldn't just accept that I love you. That's why I was crying... I was crying for them and their narrow-mindedness. They're snobs, and I think that was the first time I really saw that."
She looked at him sadly, hoping he would understand. In so many ways, this hadn't even really been about him at all. It had been about her sisters, her heritage, and her beliefs.
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Post by Ted Tonks on Aug 24, 2008 0:21:03 GMT -5
Ted sighed. "Of course it hurts, Andi. They're still family and you can't just forget 19 years of your life at the drop of a hat," he said. He understood. Well, he thought he had some vague idea. He would never truly know what she was going through. "And I think you're the strongest woman I have ever met... what you did took a lot of courage. I want you to know that I'm here for you. I'm always going to be here for you."
He was making a very sincere promise, one that he would die trying to keep if he had to. She meant the world to him, and what she had given up to stand up for him...
He smiled and squeezed her hand. "Let me make you breakfast. Please?"
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Aug 24, 2008 0:55:26 GMT -5
Andi smiled. Looking at his face and those beautiful eyes, shining with love for her, she knew it was all worth it. "Thank you," she sighed. "I didn't really feel brave at the time. I was terrified... I just wanted to get out of there and have it all be over as soon as possible. But I couldn't just let them keep saying those things..."
She thought again about Narcissa. She hadn't really said anything too negative... Just a comment about how she was different from them and how she didn't really know her. Maybe there was still a chance for Narcissa. Maybe if Andi talked to her alone, without Bella to influence her, maybe she would listen. Cissa had always been particularly susceptible to Bella's bullying.
"But I also think maybe you're right... I should try to talk to Cissa alone one last time. She's always been the one caught between us... and I don't want to manipulate her or anything, but maybe she'll be able to see my side of things, anyway."
When he offered to make her breakfast, she felt another wave of love and tenderness sweep over her. Leaning in to kiss him, she smiled. "Like I'm going to say no to that offer," she teased.
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Post by Ted Tonks on Aug 24, 2008 15:51:01 GMT -5
"Whatever you think is best to do where your sisters are concerned. I hope that Narcissa will... see your side of things, but I don't want you to get hurt, either. I'll support you, whatever you do."
That grin she liked so much was back a moment later and kissed her lips quickly. "Good. Stay here," he said, sitting up and reaching over the side of the bed for his pants. "Relax, and I shall return with breakfast in bed." He was standing now, half dressed, and giving her a look that said there was something he wanted to say, but he shook his head, and turned to go.
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Aug 24, 2008 18:12:56 GMT -5
Andi gave him a sad smile. "I'm not sure anything could possibly hurt more than last night," she said quietly. "Maybe now I'll be come numb to it, and it will be easier to talk to Narcissa without emotion."
She lay back in bed, snuggling under the covers as she looked up at him standing there half-dressed. Merlin, he was beautiful. Wizards' robes, she thought once again, simply did not do justice to the human body. Maybe if someone was overweight or oddly-shaped, the robe could hide a lot of sins. But a body like Ted's... it seemed almost criminal to keep it hidden inside a robe. Just looking at him standing there bare-chested made her want to grab him and pull him back into bed with her. But, she reasoned, there'd be plenty of time for that later. And she really was hungry.
There was something else, too. She couldn't place what it was, but she got a sense that there was something he wanted to say. After she'd literally poured out her heart to him last night, was there something else she hadn't said? Something still preying on his mind? She sat up and looked at him seriously as he turned to go. "Ted? Was there something else you wanted to talk about?"
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Post by Ted Tonks on Aug 25, 2008 1:40:02 GMT -5
The pants didn't actually go with the robes, but he had always felt naked without them, no matter what he wore under them, so he often wore a plain muggle t shirt and then muggle slacks under them, which left him with just the slacks now. He wasn't sure where the t shirt was, so he assumed it had been thrown off on her side of the bed, and he didn't care enough to grab it.
Her words stopped him from looking for anything, anyway. She broke his heart, saying that. She deserved so much, but pain was not part of that. He prayed to whatever gods were listening that Narcissa would see things Andi's way, at least enough to remain close to her. Andromeda, he could tell, was a family girl. She was just unfortunate enough to be born into a family that didn't feel the same way.
But he did. He loved her, and he would support her in anything, in everything.
He turned to go and make breakfast... a French Toast he was somewhat famous for, at least in his family, when he stopped again and turned towards her. "No, nothing else. Would you like anything while I'm cooking?" he added, glazing over the question.
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Aug 25, 2008 18:37:37 GMT -5
Andi knew there was something still bothering him; he'd answered too quickly. But she also knew better than to press him on the issue at that moment. There would be time later, she reasoned. After breakfast. "No," she replied. "I'm fine. I may get up to use the bathroom while you're gone. Just try not to take too long, OK? I'll miss you too much." She gave him a little smile at that.
With the covers still strategically arranged on top of her, she turned around and began to stack her pillows up behind her, so that she could sit up and eat when he returned.
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Post by Ted Tonks on Aug 25, 2008 19:16:46 GMT -5
He head a half-quirked smile, watching her for a minute, before he seemed to snap back to reality. "Right. I'll be quick. I'll even use magic to help," he told her, and smiled once more before he left the room.
In the kitchen, he looked around, feeling bad for using her supplies... the dishes, the food... but he supposed he had better get over that, and he'd just make her a really nice dinner next time she was at his place.
He tried not to think too much while he was away from her... his thoughts weren't as great as they should have been. He didn't regret what they had done, what she had done... but he was still worried that one day, she would.
He came back twenty minutes later and produced a plate of french toast, drizzled in chocolate and peanut butter, as well as maple syrup. "I know it looks digusting... but you have to trust me and try it. If you don't like it, I have plain french toast too."
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Aug 25, 2008 23:04:38 GMT -5
While he was gone, Andi had slipped out of bed and gone into the bathroom to freshen up a bit. She was horrified at the streaks of black all over her face. She could only imagine how much worse it had looked last night, when the tears were flowing freely and her eyes were red and puffy. They were still a little swollen this morning, but they could have been worse. The streaks were much worse. So she washed her face and ran a brush through her hair, which was tangled and wavy from the knot she had worn earlier in the evening.
When all this was done, she'd slipped into a bathrobe and went right back into bed, sitting propped up against the pillows. She was still sitting there when he returned, and she broke into a smile at his entrance. "French toast with chocolate and peanut butter?" she repeated with surprise. "That sounds perfect! You have been holding out on me!"
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Post by Ted Tonks on Aug 26, 2008 6:20:36 GMT -5
For some reason, he had only just then looked up, and his breath caught slightly. "Look at you," he said softly. He truly hadn't noticed the streaks from her make up before, but he noticed the absense of them.
He shook his head quickly though, bringing himself back to the present, and shrugged as he handed her the place. "It's really the best thing I know how to make. I couldn't find any kind of tray to put it on for you... and I don't know what you'd like to drink." He thought to himself that he needed to get to know her apartment a little better, but just smiled sheepishly at her. "Just tell me and I'll get it for you."
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Aug 26, 2008 16:28:51 GMT -5
Andi blushed at his comment. "I just washed my face and brushed my hair," she said sheepishly. "Honestly, I don't know how you could even stand to look at me last night. If this morning was any indication, I must have looked like my face was melting."
Accepting the plate from him, she balanced it carefully on her lap. "This smells amazing," she said, beaming at him. "Um, if you could just get me some water, that would be fine. I have a pitcher in the refrigerator with water in it... I like to keep it cold. And you know where the glasses are."
Agamemnon, who had stirred from his spot at the foot of the bed, came wandering forward to sniff at her food. "Not for you, silly cat!" she laughed, lightly pushing him away. "I'll get your breakfast later, OK?"
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Post by Ted Tonks on Aug 26, 2008 16:46:51 GMT -5
"You were beautiful last night, Andi," Ted told her gently. Even if he had cared and noticed the make up and the puffy eyes, she still would have been beautiful in all of her vulnerability. But the fact remained that he still felt guilty and to blame for her pain, and he wished he could make it go away.
Ted nodded. "Water it is."
He eyed the cat for a second, and smiled, coming closer and picking the small animal up. "I know where his food is, too. I'll take care of him," he said. "In fact... I will take care of you today completely. You're not allowed to do anything but relax... okay?"
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Aug 26, 2008 19:03:15 GMT -5
Andi laughed lightly. "Liar," she said teasingly. She highly doubted that she had been beautiful that night, but it was OK. If he thought she was, it was just proof that he really loved her. And that made her love him even more.
As he picked up Agamemnon, she smiled again. "Thank you. Really... you're completely wonderful, do you know that?" He was too far away to kiss, so she blew him a kiss, then picked up her fork and began to eat. "Mmmmm.... and I want you to make this every morning..."
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Post by Ted Tonks on Aug 26, 2008 22:13:17 GMT -5
"Cross my heart and hope to die," he insisted, grinning at her, with the inward thought that it was really quite morbid to say something like that. Still, she would understand what he meant.
"Okay... every morning after we do something like we did last night," he said, winking as he added the stipulation. "Well... minus the catastrophies beforehand." With that, he gave her a gentle, apologetic smile for bringing it back up, and finally left with the cat, setting him down on the tile in the kitchen and getting him half a can of his food.
Then, he got a glass of water for Andromeda, one for himself, and made his own plate of French toast. Balancing all of this in his arms, he made his way back to her. "Can you grab the water before I spill it?"
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