The Joy of Giving Characters: Remus, Severus Summary: Severus does a little gift-wrapping of his own as a special surprise for Remus.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, and the children were nestled all snug in their beds - and Severus was upstairs, desperately randy and plotting to seduce Remus.
The manor had been decorated to the rafters, and all their shopping was finished; they had spent the afternoon letting the children help them wrap gifts - the ones not for the children, at least - and that had given Severus an idea. He had waited until after bath time and story time, and then he'd sent Remus off on the pretense of wanting a cup of hot cider while he hurried upstairs to prepare.
Stripping off his clothes, he wrapped glittery silver and green ribbons down the length of his arms and legs and criss-crossed the ribbons around his torso, leaving the ends streaming loose from his wrists. He dabbed gingerbread scented oil at his pulse points and added a final finishing touch: a large, sparkly green bow at the small of his back.
Arranging his long limbs gracefully, he sprawled on his stomach on their bed; he sent a prepared gift tag that read "To: Remus, From: Severus" winging downstairs to Remus, and then he propped his chin in his hand and smirked as he waited for Remus to drop everything and hurry upstairs to claim his "present".
Carefully pouring apple cider into a pair of mugs - a set of Grinch and Max mugs that Gaius had given them the previous year - Remus was startled when a tag fluttered in the door and whirled around his head before he was able to snatch it out of the air. He read the note in Severus' handwriting, eyes widening as his heart suddenly beat fast in anticipation of what was - hopefully! - on Severus' mind. The cider hit the counter, tipping over and spilling, but Remus paid it no mind. He was already out of the kitchen, passing through the foyer and taking the steps two at a time.
Bursting through the door of the master suite, Remus wasn't at all disappointed at the sight which greeted his eyes. Severus had let down his hair and decorated himself far more enticingly than any other "present" Remus had ever received, and Remus licked his lips, desire flaring swiftly as he imagined what sorts of naughty things he could do with those ribbons.
"Well, I see Christmas has come early," he drawled, his voice low and raspy as he prowled toward the bed, the wolf's eagerness to join in showing in the sudden blaze of heat in his golden eyes. "I don't know what I did to deserve this, but I must have been a very good wolf indeed."
Severus watched Remus approach with a flare of heat in his own dark eyes, and his smirk widened. "You've been good, and tonight, I expect you to be even better," he said, his voice a deep, sultry purr. He flipped his long, dark hair over his shoulder and wiggled his arse provocatively, making the bow shimmer and shake. "Do you like your present?" he asked coyly. "I wrapped it just the way I thought you might want it."
"Oh, it's the most wonderful present in the world - the one I want more than anything else," Remus replied. He reached the side of the bed and stretched out his hand to comb his fingers though Severus' silken hair, enjoying the feel of it. Then he rested his hand on Severus' shoulder and began to caress Severus' smooth skin, stroking down to Severus' hip as he leaned over, nuzzling his nose against Severus' temple and breathing in his warm, spicy scent. "I'll be the absolute best I can be in order to please you, my gorgeous mate. And your wrapping job is exquisite. It means I can enjoy my gift without even having to untie him."
Severus arched against Remus' hand, purring softly in pleasure at the caress, and he gazed up at Remus with half-lidded eyes. "I confess that was part of my plan," he replied, feeling quite self-satisfied indeed. "I have no doubt you will please me. You always do, and I hope you enjoy this gift as well. I offer it freely and completely to you."
The words were music to the ears of both Remus and the wolf, and he growled deeply as he moved his free hand to capture Severus' chin, tilting his head back so that he could kiss him deeply. Thrusting his tongue between Severus' lips, he explored with thorough possessiveness, kissing Severus as he knew his mate enjoyed being kissed. When the need to breathe caused him to pull back, he nipped at Severus' bottom lip. "MINE," he said firmly, punctuating the word with a squeeze to Severus' hip. "All mine."
"Yours," Severus replied with a breathy moan. "All yours. Always." He gazed up at Remus with raw need in his eyes and licked his lips. "I belong to you and the wolf completely."
"Yes." The word was a declaration before Remus kissed Severus again, fierce and demanding, the wolf staking its claim as completely as the man. Then he pulled away and drew his wand, smiling ferally. "And now we shall show you just how much we cherish what is ours."
A quick flick of his wand sent the ribbons dangling from Severus' wrists snaking around the wooden posts at the foot of the bed, where they tied themselves in firm knots. There was enough slack in the ribbons to allow Severus to move a bit, but they were taut enough to make it clear he couldn't get away. Another pass with the wand and a quick incantation banished Remus' clothing, leaving him naked to Severus' view, his pale skin flushed with desire and his arousal obvious.
"I love seeing you like this," he murmured, kissing his way from Severus' mouth to angle of his chin, nipping at the soft lobe of Severus' ear. "Do you want me, Severus? Do you want your wolf to take you until you scream?"
"Yes!" Severus didn't hesitate to voice his assent, the little kisses making him shiver with need. He tugged at his restraints, not in an attempt to get away but merely to feel the security of the bonds, which aroused him even more. "Yes, I want you. I need you. I want my wolf to take me any way he pleases."
A low chuckle escaped Remus, his breath warm and moist against Severus' skin. "I shall give you everything you desire," he replied. Severus' small movements were a delight, as he knew that Severus enjoying being bound, and his own arousal flared higher.
He kissed his way down Severus' neck, interspersing the brushes of his lips with delicate nips with his teeth. Then he swept Severus' hair to one side so that he could bite down at the back of Severus' neck, worrying the skin to leave a vivid mark, a sign of the wolf's claim on his mate. Satisfied with the result, he laved the bite with his tongue, soothing it before kissing it gently.
His toes curling, Severus bent his head to offer Remus access to his neck, a soft cry of pleasure escaping him at the bite followed by a harder shiver at the rasping of Remus' tongue against his skin. "More," he moaned. "I want more."
"You shall have it," Remus promised, stroking his hand soothingly down Severus' back. "You shall have everything I can give you."
Remus took his time kissing his way down Severus' spine, exploring the patches of warm, smooth skin bared between the bands of the ribbons. When he reached the smooth, delectable curve of Severus' arse, he couldn't resist nibbling the firm flesh, breathing in the scent of desire rising from Severus' skin and allowing it to call the wolf even closer to the surface. He trailed one finger around the base of the bow, then lower, down the crease of Severus' arse. "So, is this a sign? 'Insert wolf here', perhaps?"
That actually coaxed a soft chuckle from Severus, and he glanced over his shoulder at Remus, visibly amused. "Something like that, yes," he replied, his voice husky and deep with arousal. "I thought perhaps a visual cue might help if you were too overcome with lust to think straight."
"Wise of you," Remus replied, returning Severus' amusement with a wicked look of his own. "You do drive me wild, my love. Absolutely insane with desire. You make me ache with the need of you. Let me show you..."
With that, Remus moved onto the bed, kneeling between Severus' legs. Leaning over, one hand on either side of Severus' body, Remus pressed his hips forward, letting Severus feel how hard and hot and desperate he was. "All for you, love... only you can do this to me... to us. Your wolf desires you and you alone. Only you can call him forth."
Groaning, Severus lifted his hips, wanting to feel the evidence of Remus' desire, and wriggled eagerly, his own arousal doubling. "Yes, mine. My wolf," he growled. "I want to be the only one who calls the wolf. The only one who loves him."
"You are, love, you are." Remus let the wolf rise up further; he wanted his mate, wanted to be part of their lovemaking. Remus held on to control enough to murmur the spell to prepare Severus, tapping Severus' hip with his wand before letting it fallunheeded to the mattress. He grasped Severus' hips with his hands, lifting him into position, and then with a deep growl, he moved, filling Severus in one deep, hard thrust, the familiar, tight heat of Severus' body engulfing him and making him moan with the pure ecstasy of it.
Severus cried out with pleasure and rocked back as best he could to send Remus deeper, wanting Remus buried so deep that neither of them could tell where one of them ended and the other began; he opened and closed his fists helplessly as he surrendered himself to their joining, eager for more. "Yes, yes, yes..." he moaned. "So good..."
"Good - wonderful... perfect," Remus gasped. Then the wolf was shouldering the last of his control aside, and Remus began to move. He started slow, the wolf smug as he savored the eager sounds his mate was making, pleased that he was the one giving Severus this pleasure. But it didn't take long for his own need to overcome pride, and he began to move faster, driving into Severus' pliant body with deep, powerful thrusts. Moaning as his aching desire spiraled upward in a dizzying whirl, Remus moved one hand around the jut of Severus' hip, wrapping his fingers around the hard heat of Severus' arousal and stroking him in counterpoint to the rhythm of his hips. "Mine... mine... mine..." he chanted, doing his best to drive Severus completely out of his mind, the wolf wanting to hear and feel and smell and taste his mate losing control beneath him.
Severus' words devolved into a litany of mindless moans and cries as he let go and gave himself over to the pleasure of the rough, claiming thrusts; he felt thoroughly possessed, and he loved it, loved being overwhelmed by both wolf and man. He held nothing back, writhing with helpless abandon beneath Remus, and it wasn't long before he cried out harshly, his hips bucking and his back arching as he shattered, chanting Remus' name.
The cry from Severus' lips was music to Remus' ears and those of the wolf, and even as he continued to stroke Severus, drawing out Severus' pleasure to the last possible moment, Remus felt himself losing control. He let out a desperate sound that was as close to a howl as a human throat could make as rapture overwhelmed him, his body arching as he drove deep a final time and shattered.
When the world spiraled back down toward sanity, Remus groaned and pulled back, fumbling for his wand as he gasped for breath. With a wave, he unbound Severus' hands, then collapsed to one side, pulling Severus into his arms and holding him close. Running his hands over Severus' damp skin, he hummed in satisfaction. "Mine... my love," he murmured, pressing his lips to Severus' in a kiss that was almost reverent.
With a contented purr, Severus wound his arms around Remus and rubbed sinuously against Remus as he returned the kiss with warm affection. "Yours," he murmured against Remus' lips, relaxing in Remus' arms, feeling well-loved and completely sated. "All yours."
Remus chuckled in satisfaction. "That was the most wonderful present I could ever imagine," he said, sighing in contentment. "You always know exactly what to give me - the perfect size and shape, and a classic that I could never tire of receiving."
A small but distinctly pleased smile curved Severus' lips as he nestled closer and tightened his arms around Remus. "Good. The best thing about this particular gift is that it is never sold out. It is always available and can be enjoyed in a variety of ways with different accessories."
"Indeed," Remus replied, nuzzling Severus' cheek. "In every way from the most simple to gaudily decked out in silk and gems. You're irresistible in every guise, my love. And I plan to sample your abundant charms frequently for the rest of our lives."
"Good," Severus said again, this time without bothering to hide the smugness in his voice. "My charms are for you and the wolf, and as long as you are satisfied, I am as well." He cupped Remus' cheek in his palm and leaned in to brush a light kiss to Remus' lips. "Your presence in my life has been a year-round gift, and I want to give back to you in return."
"You do. More than you could ever know." Remus returned the kiss with love, then sighed and snuggled Severus close. "Give me a little while to recover, and I'll give you a gift. One involving chocolate covered werewolf."
"My favorite kind," Severus purred as he settled down to recuperate. "A little rest, then, and perhaps a hot bath or a massage. Or both," he added archly. "I intend to make certain you have a very merry and very gay Christmas this year, after all."
"It's off to a good start, that's for sure." Remus gave a low, drowsy chuckle, still caressing Severus' skin even as his eyes drifted closed. "And I have no doubt you will be highly successful in making us both merry and gay. I'm lucky that way: you're fantastic at everything you do."
"Not to mention everyone I do," Severus replied, teasing a little even as he settled in and closed his eyes as well. "Although I save my best efforts for you, my wolf. You come first... or at least you will later." He pillowed his head on Remus' shoulder and released a soft sigh, wicked thoughts dancing in his head, which was fine with him. He liked wicked thoughts far better than sugar plums anyway.