Remus hurried through his shower, and for the first time in a long time, he resorted to using his wand to remove his stubble rather than shaving just to save time. Adrenaline and desire were a potent combination, lending swiftness to his actions, and in under ten minutes, he stood in front of his closet, pulling out a soft blue shirt and a pair of black jeans, slipping into them without benefit of undergarments; with any luck, the clothes wouldn't be staying on for long.
Finally ready, Remus pulled his wand and drew a deep breath, and then he Apparated to a small park he had noted on the map close by Severus' home.
He ignored his surroundings when he arrived except for orienting himself in the direction of the address Severus had given him. As he approached the correct number, he finally took note of the buildings, impressed at how nice they were. Nothing posh, but genteel, much nicer than the area where Remus himself lived. Severus had said he was doing well for himself, and so it appeared. He didn't dawdle to admire the architecture however, especially not when he located the right building. He mounted the stairs and spotted the door bearing Severus' number, and he took a deep breath to wipe the ridiculous smile off his face, lifted his hand, and knocked.
The knock on the door startled Severus even though he had been anticipating it, and his heart was racing when he uncurled himself from the sofa and hastened to answer the door. He unlocked it and flung it open, staring at Remus for a moment. It was real, then, not a dream. His online companion really had been Remus Lupin, and they had fallen for each other, and now they were about to have sex. He hoped.
Belatedly, he remembered he was wearing his glasses, and he whipped them off and pulled out the elastic band tying back his hair as well, stuffing them into his back pocket before stepping aside and studying Remus intently. It had been about nine years since they had seen each other; during the last year of the war, Severus had had no dealings with the werewolves, so he and Remus hadn't crossed paths at all, and then he had left the Wizarding world without looking back. Remus had changed, of course. There was more grey in his hair and wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, but he still looked young for his age, and the blue shirt he wore made his eyes absolutely mesmerizing.
"Come in," Severus said, his voice deep and quiet. "You took eighteen minutes, you know."
Remus' gaze immediately riveted on Severus' face, searching the dark eyes he remembered with startling clarity. Severus looked older, but good; very good, actually. He didn't have the seemingly permanent frown line between his eyes any longer, and the expression which had often made Remus think that Severus perpetually smelled something bad was gone as well. He looked... well, as he should have looked all along, like a successful man who was enjoying his life. A sexy, successful man with long hair that Remus itched to bury his fingers in.
"Then you're three minutes overdue for this," he said, lifting his hands to cup Severus' cheeks and craning up on his toes to capture Severus' lips in a light, questioning kiss.
Surprised by the unexpected kiss, Severus didn't respond immediately; his brain was frozen with the effort of processing the fact that someone was kissing him and that the someone in question was Remus. But as soon as the shock wore off, he rested his hands on Remus' hips, tugging Remus closer, and he parted his lips, deepening the kiss and shifting it from questioning to exploratory. He wanted to know how Remus tasted, and since Remus had broken the ice and made it easier for him, he didn't hesitate to claim Remus' mouth with confidence.
Remus suffered a moment of hesitancy when Severus stood still and impassive, but then between one breath and the next, Severus changed, taking control of the kiss and pulling Remus closer, close enough that Remus could feel the firm lines of Severus' body as he tasted the spicy warmth of Severus' mouth. It was better than Remus had thought it would be. It wasn't just that he hadn't been kissed in a long time; it was the way Severus was kissing him, and the way he found himself responding to it. It felt wonderful, perfect, and with a soft moan, he arched against Severus and wound his arms around Severus' shoulders, wanting more of Severus' kisses and not caring that they were standing in the open door of Severus' flat where anyone and everyone could see.
Digging his fingers into Remus' hips, Severus maneuvered Remus into the entrance hall and kicked the door shut; a wave of his hand turned the lock, and then they were safe and snug in the privacy of his flat, all without Severus having to break the kiss and lose one second of tasting and exploring every inch of Remus' mouth. Winding one arm around Remus' waist, he pulled Remus close and tight against him, a soft moan escaping him at the feel of Remus' body aligned with his, and he continued the kiss, slow and deep and tender.
There was a sensation of movement; Remus was vaguely aware of it, but it registered distantly. He was far more interested in the kiss, the slow, warm slide of tongues, the soft rasping of their breath and the closeness of their bodies. His arousal seemed to grow with each passing moment, and he managed enough coherent thought to register that this was so much better than anything he had ever imagined. Severus, or Ethan, it didn't matter the name; this was the man he wanted, the man he had fantasized about for weeks, and now the reality was everything he had ever wanted and more.
When the need to draw a deep breath caused him to pull back, flushed and panting, he smiled up at Severus, rocking his hips against Severus' suggestively. "I hope it was worth the wait," he said, teasing as he gave in to temptation and lifted his hands to run his fingers through the thick mass of Severus' hair.
"Well..." Severus raised one eyebrow and gave Remus a haughty look that was softened by the caresses he smoothed up and down Remus' back, shivering a little at the feel of Remus' fingers in his hair, which felt far better than he expected. "It was a very long three minutes, but I suppose you have adequately made up for it." He regarded Remus somberly for a moment. "I hope," he said carefully, "you have no regrets now that the truth is out, and we have moved from the virtual world to the real one."
Remus shook his head, his smile going from seductive to reassuring. "No, I don't have any regrets. I probably would have - no, I know I would have regrets if things had turned out differently. If you'd disappeared or had rejected me outright. I don't regret that you are you and not a Muggle I had never met before, either. Perhaps it's fate, or karma, or just some way the cosmos has of making us see the mistakes we made years ago, but it's a lesson I'm more than happy to learn. We knew each other for years without knowing each other at all, and now that I know you as you really are, I want to be with you even more than when I wrote that email."
Severus shook his head, bemused. "Then you really are mad," he replied. "But perhaps you are right: this was not a cosmic joke, but a cosmic lesson." He released Remus and stepped back, reaching out to clasp Remus' hand. "I am ready to learn more."
He led Remus to his bedroom, where the promised king-sized bed awaited. Rather than the massive four-poster bed with drapes he'd had at Hogwarts, this bed had a headboard with little ornamentation, although the wood was mahogany, as was the rest of his bedroom furniture, which consisted of a wardrobe, a dresser, and a bedside table. The walls were painted a warm ivory, and while there was nothing in the way of art, there were a few framed photographs - the kind that didn't move - and what seemed like personal mementos scattered around, including a couple of award plaques he had won at the company he had first worked for. This room, like the rest of the flat, illustrated that Severus' taste ran to the simple, classic, and functional, but it was hardly austere.
With a wave of his hand, he turned back the covers, and he brought the lamp on the bedside table to life with a murmured "lumos". He led Remus to the side of the bed and stopped, winding his arms around Remus again and slipping his hands beneath the hem of Remus' shirt, pushing it up.
"This is a little better than a sea captain's cot, but I still intend to pillage and plunder," he murmured, bending his head to trail kisses along Remus' jaw up to his ear.
Remus glanced around as they walked, curious at this glimpse into the life Severus had made for himself. Like Severus - or the mental image of "Ethan" Remus had built up during their acquaintance - everything was understated and neat, but also welcoming in its restful simplicity. He grinned at the sight of the bed, squeezing Severus' hand as he turned into the embrace, mirroring Severus' actions as he trailed his fingers lightly over the warm, bare skin at Severus' waist.
"I'd like that," he said, gazing up at Severus with eyes grown dark and sultry with need. He licked his lips and tilted his head back to give Severus better access to his neck, and he groaned aloud when Severus' lips seemed to home in on the exquisitely sensitive area just beneath his ear. He tightened his hands on Severus' waist, his voice becoming husky. "Oh, God. I don't care if it's the bed or the floor. I want you to take me and fill me, Severus. I want to be so consumed by you that I can't remember any touch but yours."
The touch of Remus' warm hands on his skin made Severus gasp; it had been so long since anyone had touched him as a lover, and his skin was touch-starved, hungering for more. He could scarcely believe Remus was saying such things to him; he had never heard the words "Severus" and "I want you" used in the same sentence before, and never had any of his few previous lovers responded to him the way Remus was. It was baffling and amazing, and it made his own need flare higher and hotter than before.
"I want that too," he murmured against Remus' throat, breathing in and letting Remus' scent fill his nose. Matching action to word, he pulled back just enough that he could tug Remus' shirt up and off, and he paused, drinking in the sight of Remus' bare torso. No longer did Remus appear scrawny and underfed; he looked healthy, his body a delectable banquet that Severus couldn't wait to devour. Letting the shirt fall to the floor, he splayed his hands on Remus' chest, stroking gently, molding his palm to the planes and angles of Remus' torso as he began to memorize Remus' body through touch.
It was amazing how arousing it was for Severus to be focusing on him with such single-minded intensity, making every inch of Remus' skin unbelievably sensitive as it sucked up the sensation like a hungry sponge. He gasped, fisting his hands in Severus' t-shirt, tugging at it restlessly as he writhed beneath Severus' hands. Finally the desire to feel Severus' skin grew too great, and he made a rather desperate sound in his throat as he stripped Severus' shirt off.
Feasting his eyes on Severus' bare skin, Remus licked his lips before pulling Severus close again, enjoying the slide of warm bare skin against warm, bare skin. "So good," he said, sliding his hands up Severus' chest, brushing his thumbs over Severus' nipples teasingly. "I want everything so badly, I don't know what to do first. I want to map every inch of your skin with my lips and tongue and teeth, leaving marks all over you, and I want to kiss you until you moan. I want to go to my knees for you." He shifted his hips restlessly against Severus'. "What do you want, my Captain? Anything you want is yours. Just tell me what would please you best, and your loyal mate will do it."
A low hiss escaped Severus, and he arched his back instinctively against Remus' hands, but as if the intense stimulation wasn't enough, Remus' words threatened to make him combust then and there. He didn't answer right away; he couldn't. He had never been given such an offer before, and he wanted everything all at once, but that was impossible. He wanted to explore and memorize Remus' body; he wanted to wallow in sensual satiation of needs that had long been neglected. But they had both been deprived for so long, and their mutual need was too great; there would be plenty of time to make love at their leisure. This time, he didn't want to go slowly.
"I want you naked and on my bed," he said, his voice deep and demanding. "Now."
"Oh, yes," Remus growled, running his hands one more time over Severus' chest before stepping back. He toed off his shoes and peeled off his jeans in a smooth motion, allowing them to drop to the floor in a pile at his feet. There was a flush on his cheeks, but he stood proudly, not hiding any of his scars from Severus. He hadn't been naked in front of anyone in a long time, but he knew that Severus wanted him as much as he wanted Severus, and that made it something he could almost flaunt.
Rolling his hips, Remus backed toward the bed, stopping when he felt the edge of the mattress against his thighs. He held Severus' gaze as he leaned to one side and slid into the bed, settling against the pillows and holding out his arms invitingly. "Like this?"
"Exactly like that." Severus took a moment to look at Remus, letting his gaze roam freely, knowing he had the right to do so. Remus' scars didn't bother him; he had his own, inside and out, and Remus' didn't detract from his masculine beauty in Severus' eyes. When he had looked his fill and his need to touch swelled to a keen ache, he stripped off the rest of his clothes and joined Remus on the bed, moving into Remus' arms eagerly.
He rolled Remus beneath him, aligning their bodied with exquisite perfection, and he bent his head to claim another kiss, reveling in the full body contact, savoring the pleasure of skin against skin.
Remus watched with hunger as Severus bared himself, impatient for them to finally be together, to explore in reality the things they had talked about so often. Fantasies were good, and they had their place, but Remus was more than ready to be possessed and fulfilled in a way that words simply couldn't match.
"Severus," he breathed, wrapping his arms and legs around Severus as he parted his lips to accept the kiss. Warm mouths and hot, hard bodies, the scent of passion rising from Severus skin' and the sound of their hearts pounding together all threatened to overwhelm Remus' senses completely. He slid his hands down Severus' back, nails rasping over the long, clean length of Severus' spine as he sought to bring their bodies even closer. Finally, his hands came to rest high on the curve of Severus' arse, and he moaned hungrily into the kiss as he kneaded his fingers into Severus' flesh and arched upward, seeking even more contact, aching with the depth of his need.
Moaning, Severus arched into the rake of Remus' nails, and he shuddered, growing light-headed from the pleasure of this contact alone; it had been so long since he had touched or been touched, and as much as he tried to fight it, his desire for his online companion had grown, making his neglected desires that much stronger. Now that he was able to unleash them at last, he scarcely felt in control of his own body, his senses drowning in the taste and feel and scent of Remus Lupin.
Flinging out one arm, he summoned his wand, and he muttered a couple of charms that would prepare Remus for their joining. Perhaps he was acting in as much haste as a randy adolescent, but he didn't care. He needed Remus now, and that need would no longer be denied. Positioning himself carefully, he eased forward, the feel of tight heat surrounding and welcoming him wrenching a desperate groan from his throat, and he trembled with the effort of moving slowly until he had filled Remus completely rather than taking Remus hard and fast.
Anticipation tingled along every nerve in Remus' body as he felt the charms take effect, and his groan rose in harmony to Severus' as Severus brought their bodies together in a slow, hot slide. It had been so long, and it felt so good to be filled and taken with such careful deliberation. He was panting, sweat breaking out all over his body as he shivered, holding still only by sheer force of will when he desperately wanted to pull Severus in faster.
It was worth it, though, when they were finally joined deep and tight, and Remus let out his breath in a long, low growl. He tilted his head back so that he could see Severus' face, moving one hand up so that he could trace a finger over Severus' lips. "So good, so perfect," he murmured. Then he lifted his other hand as well, placing them both over his head and turning them so that he could grasp the headboard, his body arching backwards in a seductively submissive pose. "Take me, Severus. Love me and set us both free."
The submissiveness spoke to Severus on a deep, primal level, bringing out all his aggressive, dominating instincts to the forefront, and he let go, no longer holding himself in check. Bracing himself, he began to move, thrusting deep and hard, unleashing all his passion, letting it overtake and consume him. A sound that was half-groan and half-growl rumbled in his chest, and his body was taut, his skin drenched in sweat as he claimed Remus with wild abandon.
Remus threw his head back, eyes narrowed to slits as he focused on Severus' face, the sight of Severus lost in passion almost as overwhelming as the feeling of Severus pounding into his body, every thrust sending jolts of electricity through his body, driving him higher and closer to toward a glittering peak. He urged Severus on, matching his rhythm with ease, murmuring praise and encouragement until he could no longer shape words. He gave over to incoherent moans, his knuckles white as he gripped the headboard.
Pushing his hand between them, Severus curled his fingers around Remus and began stroking him, matching the hard, swift rhythm of their bodies as he sought to drive Remus over the edge. He was so close himself, panting with the exertion of holding back, but he wanted to watch Remus come undone, wanted to see the moment when Remus was completely lost in ecstasy.
The pressure of Severus' hand caused Remus to gasp, his eyes flying wide as he felt himself driven even higher and faster toward the edge of oblivion. Then he cried out Severus' name, arching backward as he shattered into a million fragments, his body no longer able to contain the exquisite sensations that coursed over him. It was the most intense thing he had ever experienced, and it was made even more precious by the knowledge that it was Severus giving it to him, healing the regrets of years in the indescribable bliss of their joining.
"I love you, Severus," he said, moving his hands to grasp Severus' hips. "Now come with me."
All it took was hearing the words - those words, the ones he had never expected to hear from anyone - and Severus fell. Literally, figuratively - in every way possible. Ecstasy sang in his blood, washing over him and sweeping him along, pulsing to the rhythm of those words, and he cried out with the force of it. He gave over himself body and soul, and he put his heart into Remus' hands, holding nothing back.
Spent and sated, he slumped atop Remus, too breathless to speak, and he nuzzled slow, tender kisses along Remus' throat and jaw up to his lips, claiming them again in a deep, possessive kiss that expressed everything he could not say.
Remus enfolded Severus in his arms, murmuring approval of the kisses, running his hands over sweat-damp skin in languid, sated caresses. He returned the fierce kiss with equal emotion, melting into it as he felt the pure emotion Severus was offering him so fully and freely. Remus didn't need words; they'd had plenty of words between them before now, after all. He needed this, the feeling of Severus in his body, in his arms, the touch and taste and scent of him, the fact that he was here saying more than whole novels ever could.
When the kiss ended at last, he gave a breathy chuckle, nuzzling against Severus' cheek as he felt the purest happiness he could ever remember flowing over him. "You know how you once told me it's hard when there is no happiness to leaven the times when the darkness consumes you at night? Well, you've just given me so much happiness, I don't think any darkness can ever touch me again."
Severus cupped Remus' cheek in one hand, gazing down at him with amazement in his eyes. "I also once said I have never been truly happy. I can make that claim no longer."
Summoning his wand again, he murmured a spell to clean them both up, and he eased away from Remus, but only just long enough to roll onto his side and pull Remus into his arms again, entangling their limbs. Releasing a slow, quiet sigh, he relaxed, drowsy and content in Remus' embrace.
Remus felt his heart swell as Severus made that admission, knowing instinctively that for someone like Severus, it was tantamount to a declaration. He sighed with contentment as Severus pulled him into his arms, giving himself over to the snuggling wholeheartedly. "I'm glad I could be the one to make you happy. I'm glad that you're the one who made me happy. After everything that's happened, I feel like all those bad times in my life have lead to something at last, if that makes sense. It no longer seems quite so pointless, if that's what it took to get me here to you."
"That's just the sort of nauseatingly soppy sentiment I would expect from you," Severus replied even as he nestled closer. "However, as I am inclined to agree, I won't be as scathing as I could be about it." He pressed a kiss to Remus' forehead. "The only question is - now that we have this happiness, what do we do with it? Do we begin to date like normal people, or do we move forward in a different way?"
Remus snorted and gave Severus a small swat on the arse. "Cheeky bastard. No wonder I want you madly," he said. "Hmmm... Well, we've never been normal people, have we? I don't know if I'd even know where to start. As far as a different way... I suppose that depends on what you have in mind. If it involves breeches and boots, it's definitely not normal, but I'm certain to adore it."
Making a mental note to see about buying or commissioning an Eighteenth century naval uniform, Severus considered the options. He supposed if they considered their weeks of interaction online as dating, there was little point in dating in the real world. Perhaps it was rushing things, but...
"We could go ahead and move in together," he said.
Remus' eyes widened, but it was only from surprise that Severus was willing to move that quickly. He certainly didn't mind, and his look of surprise melted into a brilliant smile. "I'd like that. I'd like it very much," he said, tightening his arms around Severus for a moment. "But only if you're really comfortable with it. I don't want you to feel as though you're being stifled or overwhelmed by me. I want to be with you, but I'd rather give you space and have you be happy if that's what you need."
Severus gave him an aggrieved look. "I would not have suggested it if I did not want to do it." He reached up and traced Remus' smiling lips gently with his forefinger. "I have spent too much of my life denying myself or being denied the things I want. Life is short, even for Wizards, and there is no point in wasting more time. I want you. I want to talk to you without resorting to turning on my laptop, and I want to have sex with you on a regular - even frequent - basis, which will be easier and more convenient if we are living together. Therefore, I want to live with you, either here or in a place we choose together."
"So do I," Remus replied, and he pursed his lips to kiss Severus' finger. His expression grew a bit more solemn. "You're right, life is short, and we shouldn't waste any of it. Especially as we've already seen the worst of each other and know that we can accept it."
He stroked Severus' back again, letting his fingers linger provocatively at the jut of Severus' hip as his smile returned, this time wickedly teasing. "And how can I refuse the offer of frequent sex? Especially after going without for so long? Not that our trysts online weren't enjoyable; I just look forward to indulging each other in person." Remus licked his lips. "Although you realize we might have to modify this bed; the size is wonderful, but there isn't anywhere to tie the ropes."
Severus gave a snort for form's sake, but the thought of enacting the bondage fantasies they had shared made him shiver with anticipatory pleasure. "I'm sure we can make the changes easily enough." He paused, lost in thought for a moment. "There are other considerations. I assume you haven't broken all ties with the Wizarding world as I have. I hope not, since one of us must procure the ingredients I need to brew the Wolfsbane potion for you. Unless you have someone else making it for you?"
"No, I haven't," Remus said, feeling a surge of gratitude for Severus' offer and all it implied. "I still go back at the full moon to transform out in the Forbidden Forest, where there is a warded area set up for me. Even with my Muggle salary, I don't have enough money to pay someone to make the potion for me. Are you sure you want to do that, though? I know it takes a lot of time, and if you don't brew anymore, I'd hate to be a burden on you that way. I can keep going to the forest."
"I brew my own analgesics and other simple potions when I need them," Severus replied, giving Remus another aggrieved look. "I haven't brewed anything as challenging or complex as the Wolfsbane Potion since I left, but again, I would not have suggested it if I did not want to do it. There is no point in you being exiled to the Forbidden Forest once a month when I possess both the time and skill to make the potion."
"Then I accept with gratitude," Remus replied, cuddling even closer to Severus with a sigh of contentment. He stroked his hands over Severus' back as he thought about everything that had happened over the years since the end of the war, especially the past few weeks; he never would have thought things would turn out this way, but it was one time when reality managed to be even better than fantasy. "Do you ever have any desire to go back, Severus? I mean, since your name was cleared and it's been so many years, have you thought about popping back in and saying, 'Ha! See, told you so!' or something? After how you were vilified over Albus' death, I certainly understand you wanting to leave, but it wasn't really a choice, was it? If you'd stayed, there is no telling what they might have done, but I know it wouldn't have been pleasant even after you were vindicated."
Severus grimaced when he thought of how things might have turned out had he stayed. At best, he likely would have ended up a pariah; at worst, he would have ended up dead. "I admit the thought of being able to say 'I told you so' has crossed my mind, but not strongly enough to make me do it. There are things about the Wizarding world I miss, but I have carved out a life here that has made me far more content than any aspect of my life before. Perhaps it would be different now the war is over, but I have no significant ties there. No friends, no family. I still use magic, so it isn't as if I am cut off from that aspect."
He frowned a little, casting his mind back to the end of the war. "It was a choice, actually. It was the first choice I made of my own volition in quite some time. I could have stayed and dealt with the fallout, perhaps lived to see my name cleared, but it did not matter enough to me to do so. I had a moment of clarity amid the chaos of battle: I was free, and I wanted to leave. So I did, and I have no need or desire to return." He glanced at Remus. "If you visit, that is fine. However, I would ask that if you speak of our involvement to anyone who might know me, refer to me as Ethan Prince, a Muggle who designs custom computer security systems."
Remus listened to Severus, his expression somber. Then he nodded, tightening his hold on Severus as a gesture of comfort and understanding. "I do visit, but rarely. More rarely still after the rash of weddings right after the war finally subsided and the first of the children were born. That's why I'm living as a Muggle as well; I have friends there, but no family, and no one has much use for a gay uncle who couldn't find a job, and I always felt as though I was in the way or a reminder of things everyone would rather forget. It was easier to find work out here too, and so... here I am." He smiled. "Here we both are, and this is where I want to stay. I'll go back for the potions ingredients, but I think I'll get them from somewhere I'm not known. It would be just my luck for someone to see and wonder about what I'm doing, since everyone knows I was pants at potions."
"You were at that," Severus replied with blunt matter-of-factness. He caressed Remus' hip idly while he considered the options. "There are other apothecaries than those in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. If you still have an owl, we can always arrange to have things delivered through the post as well. We will find a way of getting what we need. I don't see why we shouldn't have the best of both worlds," he added, his expression growing determined, almost fierce. "We've earned it, damn it."
"Yes, we have," Remus replied, and then he closed his eyes and gave a small hum of pleasure as Severus caressed him. "You know, if you keep doing that you're going to have to take care of anything that comes up."
Smirking, Severus slid his hand around to grope Remus' arse. "That will not be a problem," he purred, and then he leaned in and bit down lightly on Remus' neck, hoping something did come up.
It did.
In one respect, it was a typical evening at home. Severus was on the sofa, wearing a pair of old sweatpants and a tee shirt with his glasses perched on his nose so he could better see the action on the screen. There had been a new episode of Blood Bathory on, the first since its mid-season hiatus, and he hadn't wanted to miss anything.
The difference was that he wasn't in his flat; he was in their house. There were still unpacked boxes scattered around, and their furniture wasn't all placed where they wanted it, but the bedroom was all set up just as they liked, and that was the important thing. Rather than remain in London, they had gone house-hunting in the smaller towns outside London. Remus could work from anywhere, after all, and Severus could easily commute to his office via Apparation.
The difference was that Remus was snuggled against his side, and there was a large bowl of popcorn - light salt, no butter - to share.
The difference was that just prior to the programme beginning, they had been in bed, panting and sated. The uniform Severus had commissioned had arrived at last, and he had hastened to the bedroom to change while Remus was distracted with something on their desktop computer. Summoning his laptop, Severus had turned on chat and sent a message: "Are you busy with a client?" When Remus replied no, Severus had smirked and sent a message he knew would make Remus come running: "Come here, Mr. Lupin. I wish to discuss your impertinence in front of the men. It was intolerable, and you must be punished."
Remus' reaction to the uniform had been everything Severus had hoped it would be and then some. Fortunately, the rips and missing buttons could be mended easily enough with a charm, and it would be as good as new for the next time - and there would be a next time. Severus felt quite dashing in that uniform, which was a novel enough experience in itself without the added benefit of the look of besotted lust on Remus' face when he looked at Severus wearing it.
But playtime was over, and now they were enjoying their first night of Blood Bathory in their new home, snuggling on the sofa, and Severus was quite pleased by the differences indeed.
Remus gave a sigh of contentment and curled closer to Severus, resting his head on Severus' shoulder as he reached into the bowl of popcorn. Life in the last few weeks had been better than he had ever dreamed as he and Severus had found the interests which had brought them together and the bonds of attraction and affection forged without ever seeing each other had continued to grow and deepen once they were together in the flesh. It wasn't just sex - although that was certainly a wonderful benefit - but also their shared history that helped them meld their lives smoothly. Once the barriers between them had come down, they found they had even more in common than they imagined. They had meshed together almost seamlessly, and Remus' only real regret was that they hadn't managed to do this years ago.
"I have to say, this is a much more satisfying way of watching the show," he said, lips curving into a playful smile. His hand made for the popcorn again, but he missed on purpose, letting his hand come to rest on Severus' thigh. "Not just the cuddling either; now if they show something erotic, neither of us has to take a cold shower."
Severus glanced at him, one eyebrow raised, but he also covered Remus' hand with his own, squeezing gently before draping his arm across Remus' shoulders. "After what we did earlier, you would need a cold shower? I thought after being trussed and ravished within an inch of your life, you would be sated for at least - oh - three or four hours."
"Are you kidding? How can I ever get enough of you?" Remus asked, tilting his head back to give Severus a lustful look. "Every time we make love, it just makes me hungrier for more. Besides, we both have years of celibacy to make up for, you know. After having starved for so many years, I find it difficult to keep from indulging in the feast."
"Hhm. Yes." Severus allowed a hint of a smirk to curve his mouth as he bent to brush a kiss to Remus' lips. "I understand that sentiment well enough. Given the direction things are going, I wouldn't be surprised if we are both eager for another round after watching each week. Will and Evan certainly are steaming up the screen." He paused, feeling a slight twinge of guilt. He had never owned up to creating a false identity, although he knew the conflict had driven Remus crazy. "I wonder if tonight's episode will draw out that stupid girl who doesn't like slash again. Or did you ban her?" he asked innocently.
Remus didn't say anything for a moment, trailing his fingers over Severus' thigh in lazy circles. "They are hot together, aren't they?" he said casually. "No, I didn't ban her, nor do I think I'll have to. She made such a stink about the writers never getting Evan and Will together, she'll no doubt expire of humiliation now she's been proven wrong about the kiss. Not that I cared for her overly much, as horrible as that sounds for me to admit. I much preferred lugosi_dies, although I couldn't take sides in the argument. It wouldn't have been fair, you know."
Schooling his features into a carefully neutral expression, Severus reached for a handful of popcorn. "Oh?" he asked in as casual tone as he could muster. "I thought that one might have caused you a headache. He or she didn't exactly pull any punches, if I recall the comments correctly."
"Maybe a small headache, but I think he more than made up for any discomfort he caused in the satisfaction he gave me," Remus replied, pausing in his caress of Severus' leg to tighten his hand. "After all I can hardly fault him for defending slash so strongly, now can I? It's all been to my benefit."
"You seem to be quite confident that lugosi_dies is male," Severus replied, studying Remus' face intently. He wondered if perhaps Remus suspected he was behind the persona, but he wasn't quite ready to confess yet.
"As certain as I am that you were male," Remus said, looking up with an innocent smile. "And a good thing for me, don't you agree? After all, I'd have been very disappointed if I had been indulging in any other kind of wank with you than the one we ended up with."
Severus wasn't fooled by that innocent smile, not for an instant, and he fixed Remus with a suspicious glare. "Out with it - you knew it was me all along, didn't you."
Remus couldn't hold it in any longer, and he chuckled. "Yes, I did. You have to realize that you have a very... unique way of expressing yourself. Just as I knew that Pir8blocker was an educated older man, so did lugosi_dies come across the same way to me. And given that as far as I can tell, you and I are the only forty-something males in the community, it wasn't too much of a stretch to put two and two together."
With a grumbling sigh, Severus slid lower against the cushion. He had thought he was being clever, but he supposed he hadn't disguised his "voice" well enough. "I only did it so you wouldn't have to send me another reprimand by email. I thought it might spare you a headache or two if you didn't feel torn between your loyalty to the community and your relationship with me."
"I appreciate your trying to spare my feelings," Remus replied, tongue firmly in his cheek. "But Severus, you should know that it could never have gotten to the point of me feeling torn, especially not after that evening. I like the show, I enjoy the fandom... but I love you, whatever guise you might be wearing. I was already starting to feel it at that point, I think, and there is no way I would have put moderating that community anywhere near the importance of a relationship I was desperately hoping would become more than just an online relationship. Not to mention the fact that you were quite right in everything you said to her. A very naughty part of me hopes that she fainted when Will and Evan really did kiss!"
Mollified, Severus shifted closer, his scowl smoothing out somewhat, and he reached for more popcorn. "I imagine she was so disgusted, she washed her hands of the entire thing. The ironic thing would be if seeing the kiss made her change her mind. I shan't hold my breath, however." Tightening his arm around Remus, he rubbed Remus' shoulder and leaned his cheek against the top of Remus' head. "I am quite glad to know I take priority over the community. It would be most distressing to think I took a back seat to a flock of squeeing adolescent girls."
"Never in a million years," Remus vowed. He picked up the bowl of popcorn and sat it on the sofa table, and then he crawled into Severus' lap. Winding his arms around Severus' shoulders, he smiled up at him tenderly. "I do hope she learned a lesson. Just as we have. One about not making hasty decisions about how you feel about something, since it might turn out to be the very thing you were searching for all along."
He craned up, kissing Severus softly on the lips for several long moments before pulling back and stroking Severus' cheek with his fingertips. "So, have I been sufficiently impertinent to deserve being chastised again? Or would you prefer me to show you all about my fetish for neck biting accompanied by partially clothed shagging against the wall? Or perhaps bondage... So much to choose from, I don't know where to begin."
Sliding his arms around Remus, Severus smoothed his hands up and down the length of Remus' back, popcorn and telly forgotten in the face of much more desirable entertainment. "We indulged in the uniform fantasy already tonight. I think it's time to play 'The Seductive Vampire and His Innocent But Willing Victim'. After that, perhaps we should make a list. We have the rest of our lives to explore every fetish and fantasy to our hearts' content."
"A lifetime isn't enough," Remus replied softly, even as he shivered in delighted anticipation beneath Severus' caressing hand. "But I suppose it will have to do." He widened his eyes, blinking them in a parody of innocent confusion. "Why, however did I find myself here in yours arms, you brooding hunk of man? What do you intend to do with me?" He licked his lips. "Whatever it is, I think I might like it."
Severus tightened his arms around Remus, gazing at him with an exaggerated version of vampiric intensity. "I intend to hold you in my thrall and make you my eternal companion of the night. But for right now, it is not your blood I want to suck..."