Happy birthday!
October 25th, 2009 12:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shimotsuki![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif){kind=small}
gilpin25, you have been an inspiration from the time I first joined the Remus/Tonks community on LiveJournal. There’s your writing, with its powerful blend of humor and poignancy, always set off by believable human feelings that make your characters come alive. Then there are your kind words of encouragement about both writing and life that you dispense so cheerfully and generously. All of this is garnished with some of the most amusing travelogues it has been my pleasure to read!So here are best wishes for a happy birthday and a wonderful year to come. I look forward to hearing more about your original writing projects, seeing more photos of Rosie sleeping in the sunshine, and finding out how long before Craig gets himself voted off the show on Strictly... And, more generally, continuing our various conversations, even if sporadically. :)
In honor of the day, I come bearing fic. This one is...a little different, heh. But the idea grabbed me a couple of months ago -- I think you’ll be able to guess when ;) -- and I had to give it a try.
Encounter (535 words | G | post-DH AU)
Tonks is enjoying a seaside stroll with Remus when something interesting happens.
October 25, 2009
A sudden gust of wind sent Tonks stumbling straight into Remus.
“Oof,” he teased, tightening his arm around her briefly before settling her back on her feet. “This is why we aren’t walking at the edge of the cliff.”
“You’ll get no arguments from me about that.” Tonks pulled her tam down a little more firmly on her head and grinned at her husband.
They resumed their stroll, along—but not too near—the edge of a cliff on the Devon coast. Remus’s hidden cove was somewhere just below them. Tonks knew that the peaceful spot had once been a treasured place of solace for him, a refuge for times when loneliness or poverty had become too much to bear. Today, though, the cove had needed to be nothing more than a romantic, secluded picnic spot. And now they had even ventured out onto the public cliff path for a spot of exercise, as an antidote to the magnificent lunch that Mum had packed for them.
They rounded a corner and came upon another couple, hiking along the path in the opposite direction. The man looked cosy in a Quiksilver pullover, and the woman was wrapped in a warm green cardigan against the stiff ocean breeze. They’d obviously just been sharing a joke, as both of them were laughing.
Tonks thought the two of them had very nice smiles, and she found herself smiling back. “Wotcher.”
The woman seemed to take in Tonks’s wind-jumbled pink curls, and then she looked at Remus. Her eyes widened slightly, but her smile was still friendly. “Hello!”
“It’s a lovely day,” said Remus. “I’m surprised there aren’t more of us out here to enjoy it.”
“We’ve booked a holiday near this spot for next summer, actually,” said the man. “But it’s someone’s birthday today—” he grinned at his companion—“and as it’s a Sunday, we thought we’d come out and have a look round now as well.”
“Happy birthday!” said Remus.
“Thank you,” the woman replied. If anything, her smile grew.
“We’re out on a date today,” said Tonks merrily. “Our son went away to school for the first time this year.” She almost thought she saw the woman mouth of course, but she must have been imagining things. “But we’ve both been busy at work ever since, so this was our first real chance to make a day of it.”
“Very nice,” said the man. “Well, do enjoy your walk.”
“You too,” said Tonks. “And happy birthday!”
With more nods and smiles all around, they passed each other and went their separate ways along the cliff path.
“Those two seemed familiar, somehow,” came the man’s voice, drifting back on the wind. “Have we met them before?”
“Erm,” they heard the woman say. “Not...exactly.”
Tonks raised her eyebrows at Remus, and he stared back, looking equally puzzled.
“I’m quite sure we haven’t met them before,” he murmured. “But they seemed like nice people. Maybe we’ll see them around here again sometime.”
Tonks strolled on, enjoying the sounds of the seabirds and the surf in the warm October sunshine. Especially when her husband slipped his hand into hers to give it a squeeze—and then didn’t let go.
.
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Date: 2009-10-25 05:47 am (UTC)This is the cutest thing ever, and so very perfect for our birthday girl!!! :D
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Date: 2009-10-25 05:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-25 03:02 pm (UTC)One minor quibble. Quiksilver has no "C".
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Date: 2009-10-25 03:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-25 07:50 pm (UTC)You forgot a bit though, where the mysterious woman runs back and hugs both so hard whilst whispering "I'm so glad you're not dead!" LOL!
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Date: 2009-10-25 09:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-25 09:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-25 09:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-25 09:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-25 09:59 pm (UTC)And thanks. :)
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Date: 2009-10-25 11:19 pm (UTC)As I'm always saying, you're far too good at little details and characterisation, lol. It's spot-on in so many ways. Though rest assured that all walks in Devon will now be accompanied by cameras, a list of essential R/T questions, and there might well have been the ultra embarrassing moment when I suddenly announced, "Oh! I can tell everyone! Your eyes are--!!!"
Thank you very much, this really has made my day.
And thank you for all the kind words, good wishes, and here's to many, many more sporadic conversations. ♥
I don't want to spoil the SCD suspense for you, but unbelievably, Craig dances on. I use the word 'dances' very loosely...
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Date: 2009-10-26 12:03 am (UTC)The opening line is immensely appealing, then it was even more brilliant thereafter.
Glad to have read this :).
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Date: 2009-10-26 10:33 pm (UTC)I wasn't sure if this would give you a smile for your birthday, or would make you worry about being cyberstalked, lol. I'm glad it was the first one.
"Oh! I can tell everyone! Your eyes are--!!!"
WHY did I not even think of this?
here's to many, many more sporadic conversations. ♥
Hear, hear! And I can't believe I forgot to state for the record that you are also a reliable source of excellent things to read -- but that's another thing that I really appreciate. ♥
I don't want to spoil the SCD suspense for you, but unbelievably, Craig dances on. I use the word 'dances' very loosely...
*snort* Do you think he's getting the sympathy vote?
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Date: 2009-10-26 10:35 pm (UTC)No, you don't, lol. Trust me on that one. ;)
But thank you! And thanks for liking the first line. Beginnings don't scare me as much as endings, but it's close.
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Date: 2009-10-27 03:57 pm (UTC)Because you're nicer and politer than I am. I'm planning to follow up gazing deeply into someone's eyes who I've just met by saying, "And now I need to see your Patronus?!"
you are also a reliable source of excellent things to read
I hope it lasts! ;)
Do you think he's getting the sympathy vote?
Or the madness one... To be fair, he's knocked out equally poor dancers so far, but you'd think they'd be better known to the public than he is and I'm not quite sure what's going on, lol. But he'll have his work cut out to survive another week. (The bookies have him at 200-1, so my 'shrewd' bet is looking like the worst idea of all time!)
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Date: 2009-10-29 03:58 am (UTC)You mean: more boring!
I'm planning to follow up gazing deeply into someone's eyes who I've just met by saying, "And now I need to see your Patronus?!"
That settles it: I'm taking you with me when I finally get my chance to meet Remus. Otherwise I'd obviously be too likely to forget these essential matters.
(The bookies have him at 200-1, so my 'shrewd' bet is looking like the worst idea of all time!)
Unless he wins! ;)
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Date: 2009-11-01 12:49 am (UTC)Happy Halloween! :)
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Date: 2009-11-01 03:00 am (UTC)