A/N: Hey y'all! This was written for the Weekly Drabble Competition on HPFC and for Hogwarts.
Floristry Task 1: Write about a couple who've been together a long time (10 years or more)
Word Count: 704
Quick note: This was for "write a fluffy fic about your NOTP" with the prompts jet black and "You know you love me." Do I ship Snupin now, you might ask? The answer is… I am not against them. I think. Maybe.
WARNINGS: Mentioned wartime injury
Thanks to Lizzy for betaing!
Enjoy!
Remus awoke to fingers combing through his hair. For a moment he just laid there, his face pressed comfortably into his pillow. It was rare that his lover showed such open affection, but Remus knew it would be unfair to keep up the ruse for long.
He inhaled deeply and opened his eyes slowly. He smiled when his lover's face came into focus. "Mmm. G'morning, Severus."
The Slytherin's fingers paused their movements, and Remus spared a moment to mourn the loss of the caress. Even after twelve years of being together, Severus was still wary of opening up completely to Remus. The werewolf just smiled lazily up at him and pressed his hand to Severus' chest. "It felt nice. Wish you wouldn't stop."
To Remus' surprise, Severus didn't roll his eyes and take his hand away; he continued to push the hair from Remus' face. His fingers were shaky, it was true, but it made Remus' heart swell all the same.
He was forty-five, his hair was more grey than tawny, and his joints never seemed to stop aching, but Remus still swore that Severus could make him feel more alive than he'd ever felt in his youth with a single touch.
Remus knew better than to comment on it, though. Instead, he lifted his own hand to Severus' face. The jet black strands of his hair tickled the back of his hand as he ran his knuckles along his lover's jaw. "You seem happy this morning. And much too awake—it's too early to be coherent, you know."
That drew a small laugh from the Slytherin. "You seem to be managing well enough."
"I need to be, to keep up with you," Remus protested, but his smile undermined any fake annoyance in his tone. "Doesn't mean I have to like it."
Severus tugged gently at Remus' hair in admonishment. "You complain a lot, Lupin."
Remus hummed in agreement and grinned up at the Slytherin. "You know you love me."
"Salazar knows why," Severus grumbled, "but I do." He leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to Remus' forehead. Remus caught the back of his neck before he could pull away and engaged his lover in a proper kiss.
It only lasted a few seconds, but Remus didn't mind; now that the war was over, they had time. Severus watched him with dark eyes, some unnameable emotion barely concealed behind the black irises. Remus raised a brow questioningly. Severus, in turn, furrowed his.
A long-fingered hand reached out to cup Remus' jaw. Severus was staring at him not adoringly, not reverently, but in that moment, Remus had his full attention. It was a truly glorious feeling.
"Seven years ago," Severus murmured, "I almost lost you." A pause, during which uncertainty flickered through Severus' eyes. Slowly, he said, "I would not be the man I am today if not for you."
Remus pushed himself up to one elbow. His amber eyes locked onto his lover's without hesitation. "But you didn't," he whispered, "and you are."
They've both made mistakes. Their entire relationship was borne of frustration and pain: two broken souls looking to be whole for just one night. Feelings came later. What they had now was better than anything Remus had ever imagined he could have.
And they were happy. Above all, Remus truly believed that he and Severus were happy.
But he could see that the ifs still bothered his lover, especially when the anniversary of the last battle, which nearly took Remus' life, came around. So he leaned over until his forehead rested against Severus', their noses pressing together.
"I'm not going anywhere," he promised. "I love you." He let out a breathy laugh that ghosted over Severus' skin. "I'm who I am today because of you."
Severus inhaled deeply and rolled over in bed, taking Remus down with him. "Go back to sleep," he said hoarsely.
Remus chuckled softly and rested his head on his lover's chest. Before either of them could slip back into unconsciousness, Remus spoke.
"We have the rest of our lives together, Severus," he whispered. "Don't forget it."
He didn't receive a verbal response, but Severus tightened his hold on him. It was more than enough for Remus.