Inubaby26 – It means Severus Snape/Remus Lupin. SSRL. You see? I put it there so people would know the pairing of the story.

Chapter Seven Don't Run From Me

Remus had tried to talk to Severus after the incident. He sent owls, showed up at his doorstep, intercepted him right in public. And the letters were always returned unopened, the doors slammed in his face, and Severus just walked around him like he wasn't there.

It sucked.

Sirius had been nice for a little while. But when Remus went after Severus and rescued him, everything changed. It had been nearly a year. A year full of torture and tears, and Remus having to go to Lily and James just to get any sort of medical attention. St. Mungo's wouldn't take him unless he had his parents, who he would never tell about his abuse, or his domestic partner, Sirius. So he had to rely on Lily's healing skills, which had improved considerably because she had to patch up Remus once a week.

Sirius was away for training for the night, and had left Remus quite beaten. It was the middle of the night, and Remus didn't have the heart to wake up Lily, who was very much pregnant. There was only one other person he could go to.

Oooo0000oooO

A year felt like forever. Severus had taken up smoking, drinking, and cutting his problems away, while he brewed potions for the Dark Lord. He had been approached by Lucius Malfoy and had quickly agreed, thinking it would at least make him useful for something. He heavily regretted it, however, when he came to realize that Remus was in the Order of the Phoenix, and he was a Death Eater. He had told Severus about how he was going to join once school ended. All his friends were, and Severus had been thinking about joining himself before everything fell apart.

So he avoided Remus. What would he want with a dirty Death Eater anyways? He would be disgusted with Severus if he knew the truth, and Severus just couldn't take that.

There was a loud thump, interrupting him from his thoughts. He considered using a spell to clean up the beer bottles, cigarette butts, and blood/potion stains, but figured it was just someone telling him about a new potion he had to brew, and they wouldn't care what his front room looked like.

Severus did however take a quick sobering potion before getting up and answering the door. Before he could slam it shut, however, Remus passed out, falling forward on him. Severus almost moved out of the way, but thinking of the glass littering his floor he grabbed Remus, looked around outside quickly for anyone who might have seen, and carried him inside, sitting him on the couch.

Wonderful.

Remus opened his eyes, and saw nothing but black. He panicked, thinking immediately that he had been caught by Death Eaters on his way to Severus' and he was about to get interrogated, but a light quickly flicked on when he screamed and Severus stood in the doorway that led to his kitchen, looking startled.

"Stop screaming, Remus, you'll wake the neighbors." He said, even though Remus was sure he had seen no other houses when he arrived here.

"What happened?" Remus demanded instead of pointing this out, trying to sit up but winching.

"I should be asking you that! Were you attacked by Death Eaters or something?" Severus was already plotting against whichever Death Eater had done this to Remus.

"Worse." Remus breathed.

"…You-Know-Who?"

"Sirius, Severus! Sirius did this to me, okay?" Remus closed his eyes and sighed. "I usually go to Lily, but she's pregnant, and it's the middle of the night, so I thought maybe you had some extra potions I could use…"

"No." Severus said and Remus winched.

Of course he doesn't, idiot. Why would he want to help a little whore like you? A voice in the back of Remus' mind said. He started to get up, ignoring the pain, thinking of where to go next, when Severus spoke again.

"I don't brew a lot of healing potions, but I'll start some now." He said and Remus froze, looking at him strangely.

"You'd do that for someone like me?" He asked and Severus felt like someone had stabbed him in the heart.

"Someone like you? What do you mean, Remus? You're perfect. I should be honored you came to me for help." Severus whispered and Remus started to laugh despite himself.

"Yes, I'm perfect, Severus. That's why no one will hire me, my boyfriend beats me senseless when the mood strikes him, and I'm a werewolf. Perfect." He rolled his eyes and Severus came over to him, and wrapped his long pale arms around Remus. Remus gasped, having not expected it, but Severus didn't pull away.

"You are the most beautiful, wonderful person in the world, Remus. Don't ever put yourself down. I never once stopped loving you." Severus murmured against Remus' hair.

"Why do you avoid me if I'm so perfect?" Remus asked and Severus trembled slightly.

"I'm a Death Eater, Remus. I didn't want you to get hurt because I know you're in the Order. I just wanted you to be safe." He waited for Remus to insult him for joining with Voldemort, but Remus only pulled back slightly and reached out, grabbing his left arm. He lifted his sleeve slowly, looking at the dark mark etched into Severus' skin.

"Why?" Remus asked. It wasn't accusing, just a question.

"I didn't really know what I was getting myself into when I agreed. Do you hate me now?" He said softly and Remus shook his head.

"I always loved you. I always will. But you…you told me to go back to Sirius that night. I thought…you had finished with me and wanted me to go." He looked away and Severus realized that Remus had no idea he had said Sirius's name that night.

Severus pulled away and Remus looked up at him sadly. He started to get up as well, thinking his should leave, and collapsed on the floor promptly. Damn it!

Severus knelt down and pulled Remus up, hugging him. He wouldn't let Remus walk out of his life again. No, things were going to be better now.

"Move in with me." Severus said quietly, and Remus looked up at Severus, his eyes swimming with tears.

"Really?"

"Yeah…" Severus bent his head down and kissed Remus softly. Remus returned it and they fell back against the carpet, neither caring about the beer bottles or stains, and cuddled and kissed softly for hours.

Not the end! Still! XD It will be soon, though!