Late November, 1980
Remus stared down at the owl and swore. He didn't know why it was taking him by surprise; they'd known it was a distinct possibility. Sighing, he put the curl of parchment on the table and went back to cooking. Severus would see it when he got home.
With a whoosh of air and a flare of green flame, Severus Flooed into their house on Spinner's End and shook powder out of his hair as he looked around the house. He could smell good smells coming from the kitchen, so he headed in there, eager to see his lover.
Smiling at the sound of the fireplace, Remus turned in time to see Severus entering the kitchen. "Hi," he said, feeling a rush of warmth go through him. Merlin, sometimes it still took him by surprise that they got to live like this.
Severus found himself smiling back. "Hello," he greeted, not stopping until he got to Remus for a kiss. "How are you?"
"Mmm, very pleased to see you," Remus said, smiling up at him. "And you?"
"The same," Severus assured him, winding an arm around Remus casually. "What are you making?"
"Shepherd's pie and Firewhiskey," Remus said, and kissed him again.
"Oooh," Severus said, suddenly feeling his hunger. "Brilliant." He kissed Remus again. "I'm glad, I'm starved."
Remus found it a little amusing that Severus hadn't even asked why Firewhiskey was on the menu. Then again, considering the letter that was curled against the base of the Firewhiskey bottle... He just returned Severus' kiss and then pulled away to finish getting ready.
Severus watched Remus, pleased, his thoughts drifting as he began to unwind. "I didn't remember that we had any Firewhiskey," he said absently, and headed upstairs to change clothes.
Hearing that, Remus couldn't quite suppress a nervous giggle, though he didn't think Severus had noticed. They hadn't had any Firewhiskey, but what Remus did have was friends who had quite liked Remus' boyfriend and thought he deserved a bottle.
Severus returned to the kitchen not ten minutes later in a jumper and a pair of trousers, though he'd been tempted to wear the tight pair of jeans Remus had transfigured for him a couple months ago. He thought that might've been too out of the blue, however.
Remus had got everything on the table, though he was waiting for Severus before he actually sat down. "You look good in that," he observed, thinking how nice it would be to cuddle up to Severus in a jumper.
"Thanks," Severus said, and sat down at the table. "So why are we having Firewhiskey with dinner?"
Remus raised his eyebrows. "It was a gift."
"A gift?" Severus repeated, confused. "From who?"
"From my friends," Remus said, "to Tobias."
Severus stared at Remus in surprise. "Oh."
"Yeah." Remus gave him a crooked smile. "They say--well, here, you can read it." He held the parchment out to Severus.
Severus took the parchment and read.
"So, you know, you're a capital fellow, and Sirius in particular quite likes you," Remus said, torn between being amused and being appalled.
"Oh Merlin," Severus groaned.
Remus sighed and shook his head. "We should have known."
"Well I knew they got on with him, but to want to see him again?" Severus demanded, covering his face with a hand. "What are we going to do about that?"
Remus poured them both glasses of Firewhiskey before speaking. "What do you want to do?" he asked finally.
"I don't know," Severus said. "I don't particularly fancy being 'Tobias' again."
"I could tell them Tobias and I split up," Remus said. He took a drink. "Though I expect Sirius might start trying to foist me off on pretty boys."
"No," Severus said immediately, horrified at the thought of Sirius trying to set Remus up on dates with boys much more attractive and probably also nicer than him.
Remus laughed. "It isn't as if it would work, Severus. You ought to know I don't pay any attention to what Sirius thinks about my love life." He tilted his head. "I'd been going out to clubs and shagging strangers for ages before I met you, you know. Well, for a couple of years, anyway. And he never even knew about that."
Severus told himself that the clubs didn't mean anything. All those shags had never mattered to him before, but suddenly he thought it might mean that Remus could possibly be lured away from him. He told himself he was being stupid.
"But if you were single..." Severus paused, feeling his throat constrict. He didn't like Black thinking Remus was single and needed someone. "I like them thinking you're not single, at least."
Remus sighed. "Um...Tobias could get called to Greece for a...a family emergency?" he hazarded.
"That's a good idea," Severus agreed. "And he has to stay there a while. Help out and sort out family stuff." He couldn't believe they were making this up.
"Ooh, maybe that's where I'll have to go when Dumbledore sends us on holiday," Remus said, grinning.
"Mmm, I wish we could go to Greece," Severus said longingly. "I just want to go on holiday now."
"You know, there are places in Greece where no one speaks English. I'm sure we'd be safe enough, if we went somewhere. Crete, maybe, or...or..." Remus shrugged.
Severus sighed. "Oh, I don't really care where we go. It's not like I want to sightsee, I just want to spend the entire time with you pretending there's no war." And no Lucius Malfoy.
Remus swallowed. "Do you know how insanely happy moments like this make me?" he asked softly. "Sitting at the dinner table with you and just talking about things? I love this." He smiled. "I love you."
Severus smiled back. "I love you too."
"Well, that's settled, then," Remus said, taking another sip. "Here, our food is getting cold." He dished himself some shepherd's pie. "I'll tell them Tobias has had to go off to deal with family matters in Greece. Perhaps you ought to write me a few love letters from Greece, just so it'll be authentic." He grinned.
Severus blinked for a few moments, wondering what that would matter, then suddenly smirked. "You just want me to write you love letters."
"That would be nice," Remus admitted, smiling at him over his whiskey glass.
Severus served himself a plateful of shepherd's pie. "Will you write me love letters back?"
"Of course," Remus said, his smile curling wider.
"I should like that, then," Severus said, his smirk slowly spreading.
For some reason that surprised Remus. He took a long drink, watching Severus, pleased that his idea had made Severus look like that.
"I've always wanted to get love letters," Severus confessed. "Even though I thought it was ridiculously stupid and soppy. Once I thought I got one, but it was from Potter and Black, apparently on behalf of my shampoo bottle."
Torn between being annoyed at his friends and feeling unaccountably sad for Severus (after all, Remus had never got a love letter, either), Remus said, "I shall write you love letters every week."
Severus smiled at Remus. "You are ridiculously sweet to me."
Remus wrinkled his nose cheerfully at him. "I quite enjoy it."
"I try to be sweet to you," Severus said between bites, though he used 'try' instead of 'am' because he wasn't really sure that he quite managed it.
That made Remus feel a bit melty in the region of his chest. "You are sweet to me," he said. "You do all sorts of lovely things for me, and to me. I love you."
Relieved, Severus found himself smiling quite soppily once again. "Love you too," he said after swallowing a bite.
"Is it all right?" Remus asked, nodding at the food.
"Yeah, delicious," Severus assured him, then paused to continue eating.
Remus smiled at the table and took another drink of Firewhiskey. "When's the next time you see Dumbledore?"
"Well, I was just there, actually," Severus said. "I'll see him again in two days though."
"Oh, I wasn't sure where you were," Remus explained. He shrugged. "I'd like to go with you next time. So we can talk about this holiday."
"Sure," Severus agreed. "I have an appointment at eight o'clock."
Remus nodded and then concentrated on finishing his meal.
Severus finished his helping and had another before he finally sat back and wiped his mouth, his hunger sated.
It gave Remus a very warm and satisfied feeling to watch Severus enjoying his cooking. He felt appreciated.
"Thanks, that was brilliant," Severus said, finishing off his Firewhiskey. "You still cook much better than I do."
Remus smiled crookedly at him. "I'm very glad you're pleased with it," he said. He really wanted to snog Severus all of a sudden.
"Always, why do you think I tried to avoid learning so long?" Severus joked, then fished out his wand and levitated their plates to the sink.
Remus laughed and leaned back in his chair, watching Severus heatedly.
When Severus had everything washing, he lowered his wand and caught Remus' look, his own gaze heating.
"I never knew the washing up could be so sexy," Remus commented, striving for a light tone despite the hunger in his eyes.
Severus laughed. "Me neither," he said with irony. "Although everything you do is sexy."
"Mmm. So if I pounced you and fucked you over the kitchen counter..." Remus trailed off teasingly.
Severus stared, his breath abruptly stopping. He hadn't expected that, but Merlin it made his cock hard. "That would definitely qualify," he laughed breathlessly.
"Would it," Remus said, standing up slowly and pushing his chair back. He stepped around the table, his gaze fixed on Severus'.
Severus rose to meet him, desire shivering through him.
Smirking, Remus seized Severus' upper arms and hauled him in for a hungry kiss. Then, before either of them were really satisfied with it, he broke away and turned Severus gently but inexorably to face the cabinets. Pressing against Severus' back, he pulled his hair aside and kissed and nibbled at the back of his neck, walking him forward until they reached the counter.
Severus gripped the edge of the counter, thinking he'd definitely need the support by the way he was breathless already. He let his head hang forward, giving Remus better access to his neck. It felt good.
Growling, Remus worked his hand down to Severus' zip, undoing it expertly and shoving at Severus' trousers.
"Oh Remus," Severus gasped, shifting to facilitate his trousers falling down his legs.
Remus didn't reply except to take his growling up a notch in volume and switch his efforts to his own trousers.
Severus shifted impatiently, the cool air of the kitchen sliding around his bare arse.
With a louder growl, Remus closed his teeth harder on the back of Severus' neck, wanting Severus to hold still for a moment. He wondered if that would work. At the same time he finally got his own jeans open.
Gasping audibly, Severus stilled automatically without wondering about it. He still felt impatient with his arousal, but Remus' teeth were a constant warning that he heeded.
Oh, that was bloody marvellous. Remus shoved his jeans down and rubbed his already-hard cock against Severus' arse, licking and sucking at the back of Severus' neck. "Severus," he murmured, sliding a hand up Severus' stomach, then down to stroke briefly at his cock.
Severus moaned, pushing back against Remus' cock and spreading his legs further. "Remus!" he gasped to feel a hand on his cock.
"Want you," Remus said, doing the spells nonverbally. He ghosted his lips along Severus' neck.
"Yes," Severus gasped desperately, arching back when he felt the charms take. "Merlin, Remus."
"You're so fucking sexy." Remus growled and rubbed his cock against Severus' arse again.
Severus whimpered, curling his fingertips into the countertop. They had got to this point incredibly quickly, but he was hard, and he desperately liked how much Remus wanted him, so he decided it was all right.
"Love you," Remus murmured, "Want you. Want to fuck you hard. God!"
That sent a jolt of pure lust through Severus, making his cock throb and his fingers curl again. "Yes!" he gasped.
Growling happily, Remus began stroking Severus again and pressed inside, trying not to be too rough despite his eagerness.
Severus wondered, absently, if it was close to the Full moon, then cried out as Remus' cock breached him. He arched back into it, panting as Remus filled him. "Oh fuck, Remus!"
"God, you're so fucking sexy like this," Remus murmured, fisting Severus' cock and beginning to move inside him.
Severus was quickly reduced to incomprehensible noises between the hand on his cock and the cock thrusting into him. He wanted more contact between them, wanted to hold Remus or even just see him, but he told himself next time. It was so sexy, how much Remus wanted him, that he'd take him like this.
"Fuck," Remus bit out, thrusting harder and nipping at the back of Severus' neck again. He was already spiralling so high in pleasure it was surprising. He wasn't going to question it, though.
"Oh God," Severus groaned, bracing himself as Remus' thrusts rocked him. Remus was so strong. He leaned forward a bit more so his forearms were resting on the counter and tried to meet Remus' thrusts with more force. His own pleasure was dizzying; he felt as though he couldn't keep up.
Remus was out of coherent words. He panted and groaned and thrust, tugging at Severus' cock with an uneven rhythm as he lost himself in his own pleasure.
Severus cried out again as Remus' thrusts hit his prostate just right, suddenly thrown into an overwhelming tide of pleasure. He whimpered as he came hard, tensing up as Remus' hand pulled his climax out of him, milking him against the cabinets below the counter.
"OhGOD!" Remus gasped when Severus' muscles all clenched around him, sending a wave of pleasure over him. His thrusts grew faster, shallower, harder, and in a short while he cried out Severus' name as he spent himself inside his lover.
"Remus," Severus panted, clenching his muscles through Remus' climax. He lowered his front onto the counter, tired from the frenzy of their shagging. "Merlin, Remus."
"Mmm." Remus leaned down over him, draping himself along Severus' back and wishing he'd taken the time to get their shirts off so he could feel Severus' skin against his. "Love you. So good."
"Love you too," Severus uttered, wondering now that they were relaxing how that had happened so fast.
Remus chuckled as his gaze fell on the clock. Less than ten minutes since Severus was washing up. "I'm continually surprised by our sex life," he murmured, nuzzling Severus. "Merlin, I just suddenly wanted you more than I could bear."
"I'm not complaining," Severus uttered, turning his head a little so he could feel that nuzzle.
"Mmm. Except I want to feel your skin," Remus said. "Let's go in to sit on the sofa," he suggested. "The fire's still going, isn't it?" He drew away from Severus and murmured a cleaning charm, caressing the curve of his lover's arse lovingly.
"Should be," Severus murmured, raising up after Remus moved his hand and smiling at him as he turned.
When they were face to face, Severus moved closer and wrapped his arms around Remus, embracing him tightly before releasing him.
Remus smiled broadly, his hand coming up to stroke Severus' hair, then falling away when Severus released him. What a perfect night this had been. He hitched up his pants and jeans, then began unbuttoning his shirt, turning to go out to the front room.
Severus did up his trousers and followed Remus into the front room, his gaze drawn to the fire's flickering flames.
After blocking the fire to calls, Remus shrugged out of his shirt and sat on the sofa. He looked invitingly at Severus.
Severus shucked his shirt quickly and joined him, sinking down next to Remus and leaning against his side.
"Ohh, this is perfect," Remus murmured. He nuzzled Severus, stroking his palm up Severus' chest.
Severus smiled against Remus' shoulder. "Mmm," he agreed, liking the feel of Remus' hand so he mimicked the gesture on his lover's chest.
Remus made a happy noise and relaxed against Severus. "So happy."
"Me too," Severus agreed, pleased that they were snuggling now. He turned and slid his arms around Remus, nuzzling his shoulder.
There were no words required now, Remus decided. He held on to Severus and buried his face in his lover's hair.
Severus curled against Remus' side and sighed contentedly. It was a perfect moment.