talking about her family only happened on rare occasions, with only a handful of people. but sirius and andromeda seemed to be tied by that rare exception, and somehow, no matter how hard she tried to put her feelings into words, and stretch them into something tangible for people to grasp. in the end, she feared that no one but sirius was the only one who would truly understand. after all, they were tied by the same fate.
now, dragging her feet awkwardly and trying to keep her back from slouching, it seemed their earlier conversation had dissolved into the pool of liquor, leaving them only with the kind of absurdity that somehow brought comfort. even her scraped knees felt more comedic than painful, and she couldn’t help but laugh, blaming poor sirius, who was in an even worse state, for the mishap.
“ you were supposed to catch me. i’m your favourite cousin.” andromeda declared, brushing the dirt off from her knees. “ no, you’re the only one drunk, i’m simply in a good mood.” she giggled. obviously drunk. "you’re so childish ! " she huffed, sticking her tongue out before breaking into a grin that barely held as another giggle threatened to burst free.
“ you’re right, i’d rather be eaten by those rats. why are mothers so …” her brows scrunched, eyes shifting as she looked up and tried to find the right words in the damp air. “ terrifying. or maybe that’s only a requirement for mothers of the black family. ” another laugh. one that might have been meant to conceal something, but in her intoxicated state, hazy and foolish thoughts won out. “ i think i’d be a terrifying mother, too.” it was a sad thought, but one she couldn’t shake. she wouldn’t know how to love like a good mother. to give that kind of love, you had to have felt it first. but it didn’t matter. she wasn’t a mother, probably would never be one. right now, she was just very, very and terribly drunk ... “ i guess our family is supposed to be that way," she mused. "terrifying. but maybe that’s useful… somehow. we should make use of that fact more often. we should team up and be terrifying together. ” andromeda rambled.
before she could process the thought any further, sirius already launched himself onto her back. for exactly half a second andromeda remained upright, before her knee buckled like a cheap chair. with a quiet yelp, she collapsed straight onto the pavement again. this would hurt tomorrow. but at least she’d have an excuse, while embarrassing, to visit the hospital to see that special someone.
“ oh, i think i’m dead. i’m sirius …” she managed the most foolish and overused pun in the presence of her cousin. “ but i refuse to die !!! ” she announced, nearly shouting. then, almost immediately ( and miraclously ) she sprang back to her feet, now grabbing his leg , dragging sirius strairght through a puddle. “ i guess, it’s also hair-wash day today for you, you can thank me later. where do you live again ?”