Just The Way You Are: A Ronks Story

Sneakers Finds Love

The next morning, things weren't any better. If looks could kill, then there was a chain saw, seven knives, three spears, and a dagger right through Remus's head. Tonks seemed to be the only one close to losing it, for Remus seemed unbothered by the fact that he and Tonks were fighting. Sirius's eyes were pinging back and forth between Remus and Tonks. Earlier, the Animagus had delivered a message to each of them that they had to take turns between their bed and the couch. Remus had told him to forget it, and that he'd sleep in the basement.

"What's wrong, Tonks?" asked Remus pleasantly. Tonks stormed out of the kitchen. Remus's remark was, "Hmm, what's with her?"

"Remus, that's mean," said Sirius. "Can't you two just forgive and forget?"

"I will if she will," was Remus's flat answer. 

"Someone needs to end it. Like you." Sirius looked anxiously between Remus and the door that Tonks had disappeared through

"No. Not me," said Remus. He felt like apologizing, but wasn't about to admit that, especially to Sirius. Sipping his coffee, Remus replayed the events of the past few days in his head. They hadn't been pleasant ones. And Tonks probably wouldn't want to be his girlfriend after all he'd said-- and after all she'd said. It seemed to really bother her. "That's her problem!" Remus exclaimed out loud. He clapped a hand over his mouth. He hadn't meant to say that.

"Excuse me?" asked Sirius.

"Nothing," said Remus. He pushed his coffee away from him. "I'm just gonna... lie down. See you later." Shoving his chair away from the table, Remus walked up the kitchen stairs. His shoulders were slumped, and it hurt Sirius to see his two best friends in the whole world, (that were living), so miserable.

Remus immediately went off in search of Tonks. He felt ready to apologize-- But he also felt like Tonks might not accept his apologies. 

He eventually found Tonks on the back porch, sitting in a pile of dog hair. Remus brushed some hair off the porch before he sat down. Tonks acted like she didn't see him, although Remus knew she did. 

"Tonks?" asked Remus. Tonks's eyes flickered over to him, but then focused on something only she could see in the distance. 

"What?" snapped Tonks.

"Can I sit here?" 

"I really don't care." 

The two sat in silence for a few minutes. Sneakers barked at the door, and Tonks silently got up to let her out. The dog ran across the yard, heading first to one corner, and then changing direction to the other, in hot pursuit of a pair of squirrels. One ran up a tree, and the other climbed over the fence, chattering triumphantly, and scattering some birds that had been sitting there.

"Well, I guess this is how it's gonna be," said Tonks.

"What do you mean?" asked Remus, who was fiddling with his watch.

"We're obviously not getting back together." Tonks tore a leaf in half, bitterly. It sounded like it hurt to say those words.

"If that's how you feel," said Remus.

"Oh, you're saying it's my fault?" Tonks stood up abruptly and placed her hands on her hips. "I totally get you. Okay. So, it's my fault. Happy?"

"No, I'm not. And that's not what I'm saying," said Remus. He leaned forward, putting more weight on his legs. "So, listen, okay? Then you can talk, and say whatever you want."

"Fine." Tonks folded her arms and tapped her foot impatiently on the porch. "Fine."

Remus took a deep breath. "Tonks, I like you, I really do, but..." The werewolf looked helplessly at Tonks, his feelings nearly impossible to put into words.

"But?" prompted Tonks. She looked less annoyed.

"But we're always fighting now. And I really can't live with the stress of it."

"Neither can I, Remus, but you know part of that isn't true. I like, no, I love you too, and it's just a few disagreements."

Remus sighed. "I knew you'd feel this way. Like everything's fine."

"It can be." Tonks sat back down and placed her hand on Remus's shoulder. "It can be fine. Can we please give this another chance? I'd hate for it to end like this." Tonks gazed pleadingly at Remus. He looked away, and Tonks saw tears form at the corners of his eyes.

"I... I..." Remus was unable to put words together and form a sentence. "Yes, I do want to give this another chance. Forgiven?" Remus put his hand out.

"Forgiven." Tonks shook it. Then they hugged. The hug was interrupted by loud barking from Sneakers. She was staring through the fence at something and wagging her tail. Tonks ran over to investigate, Remus close behind her. "Aw, Sneakers found puppy love," said Tonks adoringly. "Isn't she cute?"

"Uh..." Remus backed away from the fence.  "Sneaker's boyfriend is a German Shepherd, Tonks. Think of the puppies." Remus shuddered.

Tonks shrugged. "Let's go back in."

Remus was once again attached to CNN, and Tonks was playing another round of Flappy Bird, and comparing her score with Sirius's, when there was a bark at the door. "Probably Sneakers," shrugged Tonks."

"I'll get it," volunteered Sirius. He trotted over to the door, and pulled it open. "AHHHHH!!! Not Sneakers, not Sneakers!" 

"Why would it be Sneakers?" called Remus, still glued to the TV. "Sneakers is right here."

A large German Shepherd paraded into the house. Tonks shrieked in what Sirius thought was fear.

"AHHHH! He's so cute!" squealed Tonks, throwing her arms around the very confused German Shepherd. She buried her face in its soft fur. "Let's feed it!"

"Sure!" said Sirius nervously. "I volunteer Remus!"

"Whaaa?" asked Remus, noticing for the first time that there was a large German Shepherd in the room. Tonks kissed it on the nose.

"I know, isn't it adorable?"

"Send it back to where it came from," said Remus."

"Fine, I'll take it next door," said Tonks. She and the dog disappeared. Through all this, Sneakers remained on the couch next to Remus.

"Oh, right, time to feed you," said Remus, noticing Sneakers staring at him. Pouring some food into a bowl, Remus set it on the floor. Sneakers sniffed it, and lay down next to it.

"It looks like you fed her too much," observed Sirius. "Her stomach looks swollen."

"What?" Remus slid back off his armchair, and knelt on the floor beside Sneakers. "But Tonks told me that she hasn't eaten all day."

Sirius smiled. "I think someone's going to be a mother!"

"Sneakers?" gasped Remus. "Puppies? Troublemakers? GANGSTERS? NOOOOOO!" Remus's cries of outrage scared the remaining birds away from the fence.