innerslytherin (innerslytherin) wrote in viciousmoon, @ 2007-03-23 11:50:00 |
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Current music: | Nine Inch Nails - That's What I Get |
Entry tags: | remus lupin, severus snape |
The day after the full moon
Remus opened his eyes and groaned, wishing someone would put him out of his misery. He didn't remember much of the full moon, but from the way his entire body hurt, he knew it had been a hellish one. He blinked down at his hands and cringed at the bloodied fingertips. A cool breeze hit his lower back. Shivering, Remus dragged himself to the ragged bed. He was still in the Shack. It must be very early, if Severus hadn't come for him yet. His eyes stinging with exhaustion, he fell into the bed and sneezed at the cloud of dust that rose from the impact. He slept.
Loud footsteps echoed in the early-morning still of the Shack as Severus made his way inside a little later. He drew his wand and held it loosely in his right hand as he eyed Remus' still form on the sorry excuse for a bed.
He'd splashed water on his face before leaving, but he was still sluggish with sleep and had to stifle a yawn as he approached his lover. He Summoned the clothes Remus had discarded the night before in anticipation of his transformation and shrunk them down enough to stuff into his robe pockets. Then he knelt down by the bed and brushed his fingers across Remus' forehead, staring at the sleeping face. Shifting onto his heels, Severus glanced down the rest of Remus, noticing a few scratches and bruises that hadn't been able to heal before he'd transformed back into a man. He hated thinking of Remus as the mad wolf, biting and clawing at himself to sate his fury. If only there were something to be done about that, he thought to himself. Even if the transformation itself could not be stopped, if only there were something he could give Remus that would sedate the wolf so he didn't have to go through that.
Although Remus said he usually couldn't remember what happened, that he wasn't in his own mind during the transformation, he obviously felt the effects of what he did. Being confined to the Shack was a solution that kept him being a danger to others, but what about the danger to himself? Even if it healed, his body went through enough torment with every transformation. It wasn't right, Severus thought, and he wondered if there might possibly be a solution. Perhaps if Remus took a sedative potion before he transformed? But what would sedate a werewolf?
Severus decided as he straightened to his feet and levitated Remus off the bed that he would have a new research project. Perhaps after he finally got the potion perfected for caring for Remus' complaints on the morning after the full, he could manage something there. He had a feeling it would be a larger endeavour than this had been, but he was more than willing to give it a go.
They Disapparated from the grotty shack and a moment later were in the comfort of Remus' flat. Severus gently lowered Remus to the bed with a spell and did another to pull the blankets over him, checked to see that Remus was still sleeping, and went out into the kitchen to collect a dose of his latest try at his Morning After Potion (which needed a proper title) from a cauldron. He ladled it into a mug and brought it back to the bedroom, sitting down on the bed's edge and watching his lover sleep.
Remus woke slowly, first aware from the smell that he was home. "Sev'rus," he slurred. His mouth hurt. He wondered if he'd tried to chew one of the silver fittings in the Shack. Dumbledore hadn't been pleased with the way John Lupin had insisted the Shack be equipped with silver chains and shackles, before Remus be allowed to come to Hogwarts, but he'd given in, and Remus' father was the only person who believed the shackles had ever been used. All the same, Sirius and Peter both swore that Moony occasionally chewed on the shackles, though none of them could imagine why he would.
"Morning," Severus said softly, then yawned again. "Got a potion for you to take."
"Mmm, you're very good to me," Remus said, muzzy but happy. He tried to sit up and managed only to push himself up on his elbows.
"Need help?" Severus asked, but immediately drew his wand and used a charm to help Remus sit upright in the bed, even nudging the pillow behind his back. "Here you are, then." He handed Remus the mug and sat down next to his hip.
"Feel wretched," Remus muttered, and drained the potion. He tried not to shudder, but for some reason the most helpful potions always seemed to be the foulest-tasting. He sighed.
"Sorry, I know it tastes awful." Severus took the empty mug, setting it on the bedside stand. He rested a hand on Remus' leg, watching him. "I've tried to improve the recovery time."
Remus snuggled against Severus as best he could. "S'not your fault what it tastes like, and anyway, if it makes me feel better I'm not going to complain, am I?" He swallowed and then said, "Erm, but could I have a glass of water?"
"Oh, yeah, I should have thought of that, sorry." Severus cleaned out the mug with one charm, then filled it with water using another, and handed it over to Remus. "There."
"Thanks." Remus smiled faintly and drained the glass, then sighed and leaned on Severus again. "Will you come to bed?"
Severus levitated the mug to the table and crawled carefully over Remus, then shed his robes and pulled down the covers so he could get in next to his lover.
"Mmm. That's better," Remus said, nuzzling him. He closed his eyes, feeling the potion's effects start to creep over him.
Severus helped Remus to lay back down and fixed his pillows, then put an arm around Remus and held him close. He closed his eyes, thinking he might get some more sleep while Remus rested.
"Thank you," Remus murmured drowsily. His pain was beginning to fade.
"Of course," Severus said. "I've added something that should help you to sleep better."
Remus chuckled. "Oh, that's why my eyelids don't want to stay open."
Severus smiled. "That's why. Just enjoy it and rest."
Remus mumbled something else, but it ended in a faint snore.
Amused, Severus relaxed in his lover's arms until he, too, fell asleep.
When Remus woke again, he was achingly thirsty and also nauseous. He frowned but didn't move, wondering whether it was even safe to try drinking tea.
Severus was awake again, but hadn't moved from Remus' side. He was enjoying relaxing next to his lover.
Remus' stomach gave an unpleasant rumble. He swallowed, then swallowed again. "Mgoin't'besick," he mumbled, pushing weakly but urgently at Severus.
"Sick?" Severus mumbled, pushing up onto his elbows as he felt a pressure against his ribs. He looked down at Remus, then realized that he was looking rather peaked. "You're not supposed to be sick," he informed Remus, but Summoned a mixing bowl and held it out in case Remus wasn't going to make it out of bed in time.
"Oh, Merlin," Remus groaned, and threw up. A small part of his mind was proud that he managed to hit the mixing bowl and not Severus or the bed, but mostly he was occupied with heaving miserably.
Wincing, Severus did a charm to keep Remus' hair out of his face -- something he'd learned after his very own experiences with Cardinal Chunder after a particularly rowdy Death Eater bash -- then turned his head away, trying to avoid seeing Remus be sick.
Remus shuddered and finally lifted his head slightly, blinking away the reflexive tears. "Here, point your wand over here," he said. "I'll aim it and you can Vanish this mess without looking." His voice was hoarser than usual.
"I'm not that much of a girl's blouse," Severus muttered, glancing at the sick just long enough to banish it away. He frowned, watching Remus, and summoned the glass to give him some more water. "Here." He puzzled over the situation as Remus drank. "You shouldn't be sick. Why were you sick? How do you feel now?"
"Eurr...." Remus swallowed the water and then swallowed against a gag reflex. "Shaky and unpleasant." He collapsed back against the bed.
"Oh bugger," Severus sighed, and summoned his potion journal with quill and ink to make more notes. He looked over the list of changes he'd made, wondering where the new batch had failed. Remus hadn't ever been sick before.
"M'head doesn't hurt, though," Remus offered. He closed his eyes and tried to quell the heaving of his stomach by sheer willpower.
Remus didn't sound too good. "Do you still feel nauseated? I have a potion for that."
"Please, yes," Remus said.
Severus summoned that, too, and poured a dose into Remus' cup. "There you are."
Remus managed to get that down, and he hoped fervently it would stay down. "Don't like being sick," he mumbled, scrubbing a hand over his face.
"Yeah...um...sorry about that," Severus said, frowning.
"S'not your fault," Remus said. "You're trying to help me." He sighed. "I'm just difficult."
Severus found himself laughing at that, though of course it wasn't funny. "It's not your fault you were sick."
"You're really very nice to me," Remus said. He thought he might've said that earlier. Perhaps he'd only thought it. "M'still feeling bit fuzzy," he said, his eyelids lowering.
"Well, I'm trying to make you feel better, not worse." Severus sighed. "Here." He shifted the mixing bowl away from Remus. "Lie down again and get some more sleep."
"Will you stay if I promise not to be sick on you?" Remus asked. He shifted over on his side, facing away from Severus, but he looked over his shoulder hopefully at him.
"Of course. I'll be here, trying to figure out where I cocked up," Severus assured him, shifting to a more comfortable position.
"You didn't," Remus said. "Trial and error, right?" He yawned and half-buried his face in his pillow. "Am thirsty though."
"More water?" Severus asked, refilling Remus' cup without looking up from his notes.
"Thanks." Remus took the cup, sipping at it gingerly and hoping he would keep this down. After a few sips, he set it on the bedside table and buried his face in the pillow again.
Severus stroked his free hand down Remus' side, chewing on the end of his quill.
Remus hummed, feeling soothed. At least he wasn't alone. Severus made everything better.
After he'd thoroughly gone over his notes, Severus came to the conclusion that either he was missing something entirely, or he was right and his potion should not have caused nausea. The only other thing he could think of, then, was that perhaps Remus was allergic to one of the new ingredients. It seemed unlikely, but he decided to ask Remus when he was feeling better.
Remus didn't exactly sleep, but he drifted in and out of full consciousness for some time. When he finally felt more alert, he was grateful to realise his stomach had ceased its roiling.
Severus had fallen into a light doze, just as he was propped against the headboard, notes in his lap and head hanging forward.
Shifting around, Remus looked up at Severus, smiling affectionately. Remus knew he would never be a poet, because he didn't think he would ever be able to define in words all that Severus was to him, or just why he was so precious. Remus watched Severus' face.
Severus' eyes slid open and he blinked blearily, glancing at Remus. "Oh, sorry," he muttered. "Feeling better?"
"Yes, much," Remus said, lifting one hand to touch Severus' cheek. He smiled.
Severus smiled back. "Glad to hear it. Take a look at my notes and see if you're allergic to anything on here."
Remus took Severus' papers and looked over the ingredients. "Not that I know of. But the only allergies I know of are silver and aconite." He grinned. "You didn't put monkshood in there, did you?"
Severus smirked, shaking his head. "No. Hmm. I wonder what it could be, then."
"I could be allergic to something and not know it, couldn't I?" Remus looked over the list again. "Are these common ingredients in other potions?"
"Common enough ingredients," Severus agreed.
Remus shrugged. "Well, you'll have to test the new ones, then, right?" He looked up at Severus. "So I suppose I should anticipate being sick after the full for the next few months?"
Severus sighed, partially out of still feeling sleepy and partially out of defeat. "Well, either that or I can just go back to the previous formula, and forget about adding to it."
"No, you're brilliant at potions," Remus protested. "Besides, it'll be worth it in the end." He stretched to brush his lips against Severus' cheek.
"This is much more difficult, experimenting on someone I care about," Severus muttered, frowning. He didn't want to put Remus through that, on the one hand, but on the other, if he could find out which ingredient made Remus sick, he could remove it and complete the potion.
"Well, as long as it's only making me be sick once a month, it's a small price to pay," Remus said, smiling. He kissed Severus again. "I do adore you, Severus."
Severus sighed, but smiled at him. "How are you feeling now? Do you need anything?"
"I feel thirsty," Remus said. "I think I'd like tea, if you don't mind making it. And perhaps some toast?"
"You trust me to make toast," Severus said, acting impressed, and smirked as he slid out of bed.
"Well, toast is hard to ruin," Remus said, smiling.
"Thanks," Severus said dryly, glancing back at Remus as he disappeared out of the bedroom.
He put the kettle on and stuck two slices of bread in the toaster, then went about clearing up the remains of his now useless Morning After Potion. When the bread popped up, it wasn't even golden, so he stuffed it back down, and finished clearing away his makeshift laboratory. Then the kettle whistle went off, so he poured it into the tea pot to brew, and left it sitting while he puzzled over his ingredients.
The rather unpleasant smell of burnt toast wafted to him sometime later. Severus looked up in alarm, and saw that the toast hadn't popped back up. He swore to himself -- very quietly, because he didn't want Remus to hear and realize what had happened -- and examined the toaster. The bread was jammed down in there, and quite black. Well. Apparently even toast wasn't safe from Severus.
He sighed and looked around for something to dig the toast out with, but when a wooden cooking spoon yielded nothing but a few bits of burnt breadcrumbs, Severus decided to just accio the mess.
It landed, quite hot, in his hands. "Bugger," he whispered furiously, and dropped his wand.
"Bugger!" he whispered again, and this time dropped the charred remains of the toast. He hurried to turn the tap on, and stuck his smarting palms underneath.
Remus wrinkled his nose at the smell of burnt toast, but decided that making his lover throw up would make Severus feel bad enough, so he just buried his face in the pillow so he couldn't smell it.
The toaster was on fire.
Severus stared in alarm, wondering how he could have been so stupid as to leave the toaster on.
He dropped to the ground, peering around quickly for his wand, then dove under the table, where it had rolled. He banged his head on the way back up, swearing louder, and finally got to his feet, sending an extinguishing charm at it. His accio had apparently missed some.
Angered by his complete ineptitude, Severus pulled down the biscuit tin and set it none-too-gently onto a tray, added the teapot, cups, and sugar, and marched back into Remus' bedroom. He dropped down onto the bed and set the tray between them. "I hope when you said you wanted toast, you really meant biscuits," he muttered darkly.
Remus rolled over, trying to look groggy. "Hmm?" he asked, hoping Severus would believe he'd fallen asleep in the interim. He'd wait until later to take the piss.
Severus eyed Remus, smoothing his expression out when it became apparent that Remus had fallen back to sleep. "I thought em, the sugar would do you good. Have a biscuit." He opened the tin and then poured Remus a cup of tea, sweetening it as he liked.
"Oh." Remus yawned and sat up. "Thanks." He took a biscuit and nibbled tentatively at it, then sniffed. He hoped Severus hadn't set the flat on fire. "Oh, did the toaster go? I knew it was getting a bit wonky, but I hoped it would last a while longer." He sipped innocently at the tea Severus handed him.
"Yeah. The toaster's...dead." Severus bit his lip. "It appears to have been of natural causes." He'd destroy the evidence later.
Remus sighed. "Old age gets us all if nothing else does," he lamented. He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing.
"Right." Severus stared broodingly at his socks for a moment. "Well, um, how do you feel? Do you need any pain potion or anything?"
"Not just at the moment," Remus said. "I feel fairly relaxed. The tea and...biscuits will help."
"Okay. I left something in the kitchen," he lied, and slid back out of bed. Severus hurried from the bedroom before Remus could ask questions, then wondered why he'd never bothered to learn any air freshening charms, with the amount of time he spent around stinky cauldrons. He threw out the remains of the toast, then unplugged the toaster and binned that, too. Just for the sake of his story.
Remus indulged in a brief snicker when Severus left the room, but quickly returned to his tea. Once Remus judged Severus sufficiently recovered from the double trauma of apparently ruining Remus' toaster as well as making him throw up, he would definitely tease him about this.
Severus returned to the bed and went back to his notes studiously.
"The tea is lovely, Severus," Remus said, leaning against the headboard. "It's just the thing."
"Oh good, I'm glad it's helping." At least he could still do tea.
Remus hummed and turned to nuzzle Severus contentedly.
Severus smiled, distracted from his strop, and kissed Remus' hair.
"Mmm," Remus said, snuggling closer. "You make me feel better, too."
"I'm glad," Severus murmured, putting an arm around him.
Remus smiled. "It makes me happy just knowing you want to work on a potion to help."
"Of course I do. I've got an idea for another one, too, but it's very much in the formative stages, just now," Severus said. "Just thought of it this morning, actually. It's going to take some research, and it'd be more trial and error, if I did come up with a solution, but that should be a ways off, I think. At least, I'll give you a break between finishing this potion and starting another."
"You're extremely kind. I hope you'll mention me as an exemplary test subject when you publish your results and become famous," Remus teased.
Severus snorted. "Well, of course, so long as you agreed to be outed that way."
"Oh, I suppose there is that," Remus said. "Well, perhaps you'll just write about your clever and cooperative and dead sexy test subject and not mention him by name, then."
"All the other brewers will be mad with jealousy," Severus said, smirking. "Especially if I mention the sexual favours."
Remus laughed. "Yes, certainly they will," he agreed, kissing the sensitive spot behind Severus' ear.
"Mmm. And I will know that I'm even luckier than they think, because my test subject is madly in love with me."
"Yes, exactly," Remus murmured, sliding his arm around Severus' waist. "I do love it when you say things like that."
"That's why I say them," Severus said, shifting a little.
Remus hummed and nibbled very lightly at the shell of Severus' ear. "I am madly in love with you," he whispered.
"I'm so lucky," Severus uttered, a little shiver going through him at even that little attention.
Remus didn't speak, but he ran his tongue along Severus' ear in the opposite direction to how he'd nibbled.
"Mmm. You're a tease, even after a night of being a dark creature and a morning of being sick." Severus sounded amused, but he was growing aroused, too, the more Remus made him pay attention to what he was doing.
"You like it," Remus said lazily, kissing his way across Severus' cheek to seize his mouth in a kiss.
Severus couldn't help returning the kiss hungrily. "Until it stops," he murmured when they broke away.
Remus gave him a slow smile. "You can finish what I start," he suggested.
Severus sighed. "I suppose."
"I'll make it up to you when I'm feeling more...energetic," Remus said.
"I didn't mean to imply you should attempt it now," Severus assured him, frowning. He shifted again.
"You're frowning at me," Remus said, letting a petulant edge creep into his voice.
Severus arched an eyebrow. "Surely that's normal."
"Yes, but what have I done to deserve it?"
"Teasing me," Severus said, though he thought that should've been obvious.
"Well, but you get to shag me," Remus said. "I just haven't the energy to shag you, that's all." He nipped lightly at Severus' lower lip.
"What? Shag you?" Severus hadn't realized that was what Remus meant at all. "I'd say that's even too strenuous just now."
"But I want you to." He stroked a hand down Severus' chest, wishing Severus were less clothed. He kissed Severus again, noting that his mouth was hurting again. Bugger. Perhaps Severus would give him more pain potion.
"Why do you always insist that you're fine to be shagged when you're not?" Severus asked, once they'd kissed each other breathless and he'd recovered a bit. He supposed kissing Remus like that contradicted his tone a bit, but he couldn't bloody help it.
Remus pouted at him. "Because I like it when you shag me," he said finally, but the pain in his back and joints was creeping back in again now, too.
"Sometime I should take you up on it just to prove you wrong," Severus grumped, though he did enjoy hearing Remus say so.
Remus buried his forehead against Severus' neck and sighed. "Sorry."
"Are you all right?" Severus asked, stroking Remus' hair. Remus' mood had seemed to shift suddenly.
"Pain potion's wearing off," Remus admitted after a silence. He relaxed muscles he hadn't realised were tensing.
"Shite, let me get you another," Severus said, unaware of his anxious tone as he Summoned a bottle of pain potion. He poured a dose into the other cup he'd brought, since he wasn't drinking any tea anyway, and handed it over. "You should say so right off."
Severus sounded worried. Remus relaxed more, oddly comforted by Severus' concern. He drank the potion and leaned more heavily against his lover. "You're lovely and warm," he murmured. "I just hate worrying you."
"Yes, but if you're in pain..." Severus sighed. He didn't understand Remus at all.
"Mm, it wore off pretty quickly," Remus said. "Otherwise I might'n't have given in so quickly about the shagging." He kissed Severus' neck, but it was more tired than teasing now.
"I figured," Severus said wryly. "You got rid of most of the first potion when you were being sick, so I suppose it makes sense that it wore off quickly."
Remus sighed. "Good point. You're incredibly patient with me sometimes."
"It's not your fault you were sick," Severus said, surprised Remus was apologizing.
"I suppose I shouldn't have teased you, though," Remus said. He wondered how Severus would take it if he tried to burrow closer to him.
"Well, no, but I'll live. You were right," Severus added, smirking. "I do like it." He nuzzled Remus, wishing his lover felt better.
"Mmm." Remus snuggled against Severus. "You must get bored, though, when I sleep all day."
"Not really; I read. It's nice and quiet, and you're good company when you're asleep," Severus teased.
"Oh, thanks ever so much," Remus said, trying to hide his amusement.
"You're welcome," Severus said, ignoring Remus' apparent annoyance with a smile.
Remus bit him gently.
"None of that; I'm trying to calm down." Severus shifted again.
Remus laughed and snuggled against Severus, winding both arms around him. "You're utterly charming sometimes without even meaning to be." He was feeling much more comfortable and drowsy now.
"Oi, give me some credit. Maybe I mean to be charming."
"Did you just now?" Remus asked, smiling against Severus' skin.
"Yes, actually, I did." Severus wasn't sure what part of 'just now' Remus was referring to, but he thought it was the right part.
"Mm, all right," Remus said. He yawned. "Need to lie down. I'm getting sleepy."
Severus helped him do so, then moved the tea tray off the bed and curled up against Remus' side, liking the feel of his lover's warm presence.
Remus smiled and covered a yawn, then kissed Severus contentedly and closed his eyes, relaxing almost at once.
Severus rested an arm around Remus, relaxing and letting himself drift.
Remus fell asleep listening to his lover's heartbeat.