Remus feels the ground quake. He grabs onto the nearest stable thing he can find. Sirius.
"It's nothing, love," Sirius assures him.
The earth has been restless over the past several days, and nothing has come of it. He wants to believe Sirius, wants to believe that there is nothing to fear. But Remus can feel it in his bones. Something is different today.
He has heard whispers throughout the town. Talk from the soothsayers of Pompeii. Talk of the wrath of the great Vulcan to rain down upon their home in the near future.
Trembling, he grabs Sirius by the wrist, pulling him from his home. In the streets, he almost regrets his choice. Perhaps it would have been better to stay inside.
The mountain gives a great tremble, ash and smoke pouring from it into the sky. Remus holds Sirius tighter.
"We have to flee. Now!" Remus says, watching as fire flows from the mountain.
"What have we done to anger the gods?" Sirius asks, his eyes wide. He does not budge.
"Sirius! Now!"
Their home is in chaos. Others have fled their homes, and the marketplace is a sea of panicked bodies. Moving is not easy. Remus stumbles over a small child, falling to the ground.
"Remus!"
Sirius pushes through the crowd until he reaches him.
"You should not have turned back!" Remus snaps, but he is grateful when Sirius helps him to his feet.
"I would rather die than be without you," Sirius says firmly. "Together. Everything together. Always."
Remus scowls. He wants to tell Sirius that he is a sentimental fool, that emotions have no place tragedy. Instead, he throws his arms around him, burying his face in his chest, crying. Around him, ash falls and people scream, but he has Sirius, and he thinks that maybe that is enough.
"We must get to the shore," Sirius says, his panic seeming to fade. He is the calm, confident man that Remus loves again, the main who always has a plan. "We can find a boat and flee."
Remus swallows dryly, glancing over his shoulder. The fire flows from Vesuvius like water, destroying everything in its path. He's never seen such a thing.
He clings to Sirius, taking several deep breaths to try and calm himself. It doesn't work.
"Remus, my love. We must go."
Slowly, unsteadily, Remus nods. Now is not the time to panic. Sirius takes his hand, and they begin their slow trek through the crowd.
"My baby! Has anyone seen my baby!"
"Pompeii is falling!"
"Lucius? Lucius!"
Remus wants to cover his ears. It would be easier to be strong if he could shut out the noise.
Another boom, another great tremor in the earth. Remus stumbles, but Sirius keeps a hold on him.
"We'll never make it," Remus whispers.
Sirius looks at the crowd before him. He seems to reach the same dark conclusion. He nods. "Stay with me," he whispers.
"Together. Always."
…
The screams still fill the air. Those closer to the angry mountain have long since died as the fire covered everything in its path. Remus sits on the steps, holding Sirius' hand in his, waiting.
"It will be an honor to die at the hands of the gods," Sirius says quietly. "And an even greater one to die with the man I love."
Remus nods. The liquid fire continues to ooze. Its terrible flood creeps closer. Above him, the sky is white, no light from the heavens able to penetrate the heavy ash.
The marketplace is still crowded with panicked villagers. Remus can only hope that some of them have made it to safety.
The great fire is nearly upon them. Remus can feel his skin blister, even at this distance. Sirius holds him closer. "Together, my love. Together."
And their lips meet. Suddenly, it does not matter that Vulcan's fury is upon them. Suddenly, it does not matter that his body feels as though it is covered in flames.
He kisses Sirius, and he does not pull away, even as the fiery flood washes over them.