Never Surrender [ Snape x Lupin ]

Chapter Twenty Four

Remus was surprised with the answer, he had no idea what he was talking about. Only when Snape gave a brief look to his covered forearm that Lupin suddenly understood.

"Wait, wait, who is coming, Severus?" he asked. "Are you sure? I noticed you've been casting more spells around the house, but who would find us here? I'll cast some glamour around the place and secure the windows. Just sit down for a moment and don't walk around, there is glass all over the floor" Remus said getting very wired up all of a sudden

"Us. He said us. He didn't give up on you yet" That was all that resonated in Severus' heart and all he could think of is how much he didn't deserve him. Lupin was so fast repairing his window from the kitchen and casting protective spells on it that Severus didn't have time to react further into telling him to leave and save his life.

Severus had the first mental impulse to articulate whatever words would make Remus run away. All he could think of was how good he was at hurting people's feelings and that maybe this would be the only way. But seeing his lover's shadow in the corridor casting spells to protect him, he just couldn't bring himself to hurt him more than he knew he would.

After regaining some level of control, Snape went outside to cast the glamour Lupin talked about, Severus wouldn't want Remus to expose himself unnecessarily. On his return to the inside, Snape sealed the door and the floo network. Remus awaited for him at the kitchen, now without shattered glass on the ground and with a restituted cup of water waiting for him by the table. Lupin seemed concerned, but not proportionally to Snape's terror.

The werewolf observed his lover sit close to him silently. They exchanged a few words about the rooms and entrances being safe. Lupin was ready to be firm with Severus and demand some answers, but when he saw his hand shaking while reaching the cup, his heart softened against his will.

"Now, the windows are all as safe as the ones in Hogwarts when we had dementors there, and I assume your house looks abandoned when seen from the outside. So, tell me Severus, what is going on? You're scaring me, honestly" Remus said holding his hand in a far more tender way than he intended

Severus felt his lips tremble in sadness, he looked at Lupin in solemn silence and for a moment, Lupin retributed the look because he somehow knew, that the words to be uttered next would change everything. They lingered in that thin light that connected their gaze, that last loving look, that last glimpse of twilight in the most beautiful day, that one last time they would be allowed to feel what they truly wanted for each other.

They instinctively met each other midway in the charged air that separated them, with their arms entwined, Lupin held Snape close and touched his hair the same way he would do to say goodbye before his lover left for a trip he'd never come back from.

"It's ok, it's ok, I got to say good-bye this time. Wasn't this what you always wished you could have done when it was Lily and James?" Lupin thought as he felt thick tears roll down his cheeks. "Why won't you let me stay? I don't want to leave you" he cried in a low tone to Severus

Severus held him strongly and brushed Lupin's arm in a comforting way.

"I love you too much... to condemn you, Remus. I know I cannot save you if the worst takes place and I could never forgive myself if anything happened to you. It is unthinkable to me to endanger you this way, make you live in fear by my side... I can't steal your chance to have a happy life, I can't... you deserve so much more" Snape said while still in their embrace.

Snape felt Remus go first a little stiff on his arms and later, he felt him crumbling ever so slightly inside the solid structure of their embrace.