such_heights: amy and rory looking at a pile of post (Sand Heart)
Amy ([personal profile] such_heights) wrote2007-02-26 07:33 am

Fic: The Shores Of The Sea, for [livejournal.com profile] sambethe

The Shores Of The Sea
PG, 900 words.
Remus/Sirius
Summary: Remus comes to meet Sirius by the sea before he finally leaves for the fugitive life.
Dedication: For [livejournal.com profile] sambethe - happy birthday! &hearts



"Sirius?"

The name bounces along the rocks, before getting thrown into the crest of a wave. Remus stands on the Normandy shoreline, the wind blowing his robes back and half-blinded by the setting sun. For a few minutes, he can hear nothing but crashing waves, and sees nothing but sky.

The rocks begin to chink together behind him, and he turns around to an emaciated dog creeping towards him. A sudden flash of happier days, a different shore, and his heart cracks open.

"What are you still doing here?" Remus asks. "It's not safe, it's too close. Look, you can almost see Britain." He stares out over the sea, as though to illustrate his point.

There's no reply. Remus looks at the dog and sits down. What feels like a long time passes, then he feels the need to break the silence.

"I resigned, you know. Now part of that fine tradition of one-year Defence teachers, I suppose. I'll be able to get by for a little while on what I saved of my wages, but after that?" He shakes his head. "But that doesn't matter, not really. Luck of the draw, that's all." The dog shifts its head on its paws, looking up at Remus. "You look terrible, you know," he says with a grin, receiving a furrowed forehead in answer. "You need to get out of here. I mean, I don't-- I want you to stay, and the injustice… Oh for God's sake. Sirius, I've been reduced to talking to myself for years, please change back."

It takes a shuffling moment to comply, then Sirius sits against a rock. Where there was wild burn energy, that night in the Shack, now he seems almost drained of all life, but he smiles, and Remus is helpless to do anything but smile back.

"I'll be leaving soon, don't worry," Sirius begins to say slowly. "Just want to make sure Buckbeak's ready to go."

Remus nodded. "Okay."

They stare at each other, until Remus bows his head and starts laughing. "Sorry! I don't know what to say."

Sirius looks confused for a moment, but then his smile widens and he laughs shortly too, a sound that grates against Remus' ears, but he doesn't care.

"It's alright," Sirius says. "You don't have to say anything. You came."

"Yeah, I did."

And now it is Sirius' gaze that is drawn out inexorably towards the sea. "I think I'd like to stay by the sea, wherever I go." It is then his turn to be silent for a while.

"I forgot about you, sometimes, in there. Because James, Harry, Peter, so much there for them to feed on. But all of my memories of you, they took them, or I hid them away so deep I couldn't remember any more."

"I hated you," Remus replies.

"But then I got out, and it's taking a long time, but I'm remembering again, stupid things, really. Like that summer we all went to the seaside, and you got that daft stripy sunburn."

"Entirely your fault," Remus says dryly.

"Really? Oh good."

"I don't want to know where you're going, I'm sure you understand. And I probably won't be able to meet you anywhere either. I was talking to Dumbledore before I left, and there's going to be a lot of questions. Snape is dying to put the blame on me, you can imagine, and you know no one's going to believe me whatever I say." Remus grunts shortly. "Some things haven't changed."

"Clearly." A flash of anger crosses Sirius' face for a moment.

"Some things have, though. Peace time, Sirius – can you imagine? We didn't fight for nothing."

Sirius sighs. "I wish I believed it was going to last. You know it won't, don't you?"

Remus shrugs. "I don't know."

"If you'd heard what I've heard…" Sirius shakes his head. "We'll see."

"And when it should come – if it should come – we'll be ready, this time."

Sirius bites his lip. "Fat lot of use I'll be, running away."

"It's not forever." Remus stands up. "Come on, you have to get out of here."

"Right."

Remus gently helps Sirius to his feet. Sirius walks away, and Remus finally notices the sound of an impatient Hippogriff pawing at the ground.

Soon, he reappears, arm tucked around Buckbeak's neck.

"You know I'd come with you, if you asked," Remus says.

Sirius nods, and then suddenly moves towards him, gripping him in a shivering embrace. "Remus--" he begins.

"Don't." Remus shuts his eyes for a moment. "We'll have time, later. But you have to go now."

Remus feels a feather-light brush against his lips, a sigh against his neck, and Sirius steps back and smiles. "I'll just say goodbye, then."

"Goodbye." Remus manages to produce a smile back. "I'll see you soon."

"Yeah." Then Sirius is mounting his great steed and slowly soaring upwards, looking back constantly until he is a speck against the last rays of sun. Remus watches him go, with sea spray in his eyes, until at last the stars come out and call him home.

[identity profile] ladygrey-lj.livejournal.com 2007-02-26 10:13 am (UTC)(link)
♥ I'm a sucker for fics like these. And your HP fics make me want to read Good Omens so I can read those fics of yours as well.

[identity profile] shaggydogstail.livejournal.com 2007-02-26 10:18 am (UTC)(link)
Aw, that's lovely. *sniffs*
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[identity profile] crooked.livejournal.com 2007-02-26 10:48 am (UTC)(link)
awww. *snuggles them both* this is just a lovely piece, sweets.

and *snuggles you* too. ♥

[identity profile] sambethe.livejournal.com 2007-02-26 04:38 pm (UTC)(link)
*flails incoherently*

Angst? For me? You are wonderful!

And this. This is just - ngh. I don't know the word. It hits everything just right. I want to smile, I want to cry and I just want to pet them both.

Sirius, I've been reduced to talking to myself for years, please change back.

*sniffle* Oh, Remus.

And, this...

Peace time, Sirius – can you imagine? We didn't fight for nothing.

Ohh, the hope in this and the fact that it can't stay that way is just perfectly captured in this.

*hugs*

This is just lovely and unexpected! Thank you so much!

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[identity profile] melandry.livejournal.com 2007-02-26 05:19 pm (UTC)(link)
What a true moment, when Remus makes Sirius turn back so they can talk only to find he has nothing to say. ♥

[identity profile] truthsetfree.livejournal.com 2007-02-26 06:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Nice. Very quiet, but not lacking for intensity. Well done.

[identity profile] glass-icarus.livejournal.com 2007-02-26 06:51 pm (UTC)(link)
*flails incoherently*
&hearts &hearts &hearts

[identity profile] sazzlette.livejournal.com 2007-02-26 07:28 pm (UTC)(link)
ksldmf Remus you fool go with him :(

Oh this is so gentle and quietly heartbreaking. <33

[identity profile] trowicia.livejournal.com 2007-02-26 09:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Ooh, I've been craving Post-Azkaban fic, and this is excellent! Love the loss for words, the simple discussion, and the last sentence. Very nice!

(Anonymous) 2007-02-27 01:34 am (UTC)(link)
Wow i really liked this. Not sure if it was suppose to do this but it calmed me down from my day. It seemed so gentle somehow, like everything was going to be alright for them.
Note: I never comment on stories no matter how good they are, so making me comment means something lol.

[identity profile] carmine-ink.livejournal.com 2007-02-27 01:55 am (UTC)(link)
Lovely and calming and oh so beautifully written. Great job. ;)

[identity profile] wanderlight.livejournal.com 2007-02-27 02:25 am (UTC)(link)
Rita's Heart: *breaks* This is lovely, Amy. And lines like this are deceptive in how hearbreaking they really are: Sirius, I've been reduced to talking to myself for years, please change back.
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[identity profile] vyadh.livejournal.com 2007-02-27 09:51 am (UTC)(link)
There's something very subtle about the way Sirius speaks that appeals to me here. I can't quite place my finger on it.

It's a painful sort of story, but lovely, too, in a sad way. I like it very much. :)

[identity profile] lupinsmoon12391.livejournal.com 2007-02-27 08:12 pm (UTC)(link)
I, too, liked the subtlety of the story and the exchange. Good job, m'dear.

"I'll see you soon."

here via hogwarts_today

[identity profile] secretsolitaire.livejournal.com 2007-02-27 11:43 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, how lovely and bittersweet.

[identity profile] annowre.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 09:52 am (UTC)(link)
This is so simple and beautifully realised. The description at the end is quite lovely. And I love that this never descends into melodrama, just stays very Remus/Sirius.

[identity profile] magnetic-pole.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 03:08 pm (UTC)(link)
How did I miss this? Great job! I love fic like this that doesn't pretend to be anything more than a moment (but sneakily finds just the right moment). It's just a passing comment, but I really like this line: I resigned, you know. Now part of that fine tradition of one-year Defence teachers, I suppose. Very Remus. Well done! Maggie
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[identity profile] avendya.livejournal.com 2007-04-23 12:29 am (UTC)(link)
*wibbles* I saw this linked from your Remix post, and I have nothing coherent to say, other than wibbling like mad. Oh, Remus. Oh, Sirius.

Fic: The Shores of the Sea

[identity profile] secondsilk.livejournal.com 2007-07-14 07:47 am (UTC)(link)
Lovely.
Sweet and soft. And just that moment for them, memories and the future.
blueberry_ash: (Lupin - "moony")

[personal profile] blueberry_ash 2008-01-12 12:08 pm (UTC)(link)
This is so incredibly beautiful.

[identity profile] lyras.livejournal.com 2008-12-07 08:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Just found this via [livejournal.com profile] rs_small_gifts, and oh, I am all sniffly now. You really capture the moment of a meeting that's so full of things they haven't said all those years, and now don't have time to say. Truly beautiful.

[identity profile] callmesandy.livejournal.com 2009-01-18 06:51 pm (UTC)(link)
I really enjoyed this! :0