So, another chapter. Hope you guys like it just as much as the last one!
Leaving the goodbye note on the pillow left Viper crying for a few hours and even more heavily when he decided that it was high time that Tom knew just what he had lost. He left the ring he had bought a few months prior in the pillowcase he knew that Tom would be hugging when he fell asleep, just like every other night for the past two weeks. It was a reminder to Tom just how much Viper had wanted it to work, so much so that he had planned on proposing to him until he started pushing everyone away.
Not only that, but it was a reminder to Viper of what could have been and he didn't exactly want that.
Severus had been the most helpful companion throughout the entire ordeal, even helping him pack his bags for their combined holiday together. He would put his metephorical stamp of approval on which robes and outfits would compliment him most in the different climates and would vehemently decline the ones that were either impractical or unneeded while they were away. Everything that Severus had declined was being transported to Viper's home in India for safekeeping.
And when he turned to look back at the mansion that they had lived in together for two years, he let the tears flow freely. He had read about how hard it could be to walk away from someone you loved so dearly and heartbreaking to realize that the reason you were walking away was because you no longer knew who they were. It wasn't something easily done, and now he knew exactly why.
Because now he knows what those stories and books say when they talk about your heart feeling like it's being left behind and what it's like to feel like everything you've ever known has betrayed you and walked away from you. Now he knew what it was like to shatter his own heart so that way someone else didn't slowly pull it into tiny little pieces. At least this way he had larger pieces to put together which would be easier and faster to mend than the alternative.
He felt Severus's hand on his shoulder and the next thing he knew, they were gone.
Never had he welcomed the uncomfortable feeling of apparating so warmly.
The next day, Viper woke up in a bed...alone. He didn't cry, but he wanted to. He knew eventually he would need to wake up by himself on something better for him than a couch or a chair he just hadn't realized how much his chest would ache when the day actually showed up. He didn't bother with any breakfast.
Less than a week later, he was traveling to Italy with Severus. The one person who was patient enough to deal with the constant moping of a heartbroken demon and who was willing to listen to him rant and cry equally about the one person he loved. And Viper was forever grateful for that.
They traveled around for a week, just visiting different parts of Italy as muggle tourists would and then they arrived at the most elaborate castle Viper had ever seen. His eyes widened even farther when he realized that that's where Severus lived and where they would be staying over the course of the next few weeks.
And when he actually walked into the building, he gasped.
Severus smiled when he heard the young demon gasp at the interior of his castle. He never liked showing off, in fact the only reason anything was even remotely clean was because when he offered for Viper to come with him he told his house elves to do nothing but clean and clean and clean until it was spotless and up to its former glory from when it had first been built. The elves had been all to happy to oblige, apparently they had been going insane inside to know that it was going to the dumps and were itching to get it back up and running again just like old days when they had only been children.
Even Severus was astonished to see his marble staircase to be spotless and polished to perfection with light gold filigree designs on the handrails, even his bronze candlabras had silver filigree he never even suspected to exist let alone be able to give off such a beautiful shine. Not even the candles needed to be lit because of how brilliantly everything shined in the light given off of the large gold and crystal chandalier. It was completely extravagent and completely gorgeous. Why he hadn't have the elves clean it up sooner he would never know.
And it was in that moment, rich with beauty and golden tones, that Severus noticed that Viper had turned to get a full view of the doors from the inside. And in getting the view he wanted, it put Severus on display as well as Viper's face. He would forever wonder if it was a mistake to notice that his cheeks were slightly flushed with golden overtones, his eyes lit up with wonder, his hair flowing down his back practically floating in the atmosphere and that his cheekbones were more prominent in this lighting or if it was some form of devine intervention from the universe telling him to notice what's right in front of him and to appriciate the beauty that it has to offer.
Reguardless of which one it was, he silently vowed on the spot that he would do anything to make sure that this demon knew that he was actually an angel in disguise and deserved better. And whether he liked it or not, he would do his absolute best to hide the fact that he wanted to be the one that could show this man in front of him just how love is supposed to work over the course of a lifetime.
And as always, don't forget to review and let me know what your thoughts are on the chapter and what's going on! I love getting inspiration from the reviews I get, not to mention how much more I want to write when I get a reminder that people actually read still :D