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The loosely dubbed 'Work Wing' of Snape Manor was extensive, to say the least, but was based on a series of small rooms rather than any large one. Much space was devoted to supplies, and equipment, and the actual main laboratory looked surprisinglt modest. Looked. In the small, efficient space, a nickel and rhodium cauldron was simmering, whilst Severus pared some mantagorella leaves, and sealed them in a small dish sitting on a tripod nearby. He moved through the room easily, selecting equipment without even needing to look up. Here... here he was at home.
The yawn snuck up on Sirius just as he entered the laboratory, and he paused to stretch and enjoy the yawn before sauntering into the room and looking around. He spied Severus at work and walked behind him, close enough for him to feel him pass, but without touching. He moved to recline on a large leather couch near the greenhouse style window and fireplace. "Incendio." he purred at the fireplace, making it just high enough to warm the area where he would be sitting and not overheat Severus or his work. The couch made soft sounds as he reclined on it and looked over at Severus with half lidded, and slightly bloodshot looking eyes. He was dressed in a purple velvet lace up shirt, unlaced of course. His lightly tanned chest and the soft black hair covering it could be seen underneath. His pants, leather custom fit trousers of course, and since it was wintertime, he wore black velour slipper socks over his feet.
A low-feeling, satisfied wave emenated from Snape for a moment, as he was left to his work. He watched the leaf cuttings darken, and used a pair of tongs to lift the small heating jar from the tripod just before the edges crinkled up and they started to carbonise. He tilted them into a pestle, containing a reddish-brown powder, and notably relaxed. Difficult operation complete, he slipped behind the bench and into the storeroom to find the things Sirius had brought earlier, allowing himself to split his concentration a little now. Tired already? I thought exercise woke you up.
Comfortably numb.... To coin a phrase... came the dulled reply, That, and too much Wormwood in the bathwater... he sent then made himself sit up on the couch, and leaning on the back of it, his back to the room, looked out over the grounds at the rain pouring down. How goes it? he inquired, then glancing over to a side table nearby, he spotted a photo album. He paused a moment, relaxing before picking it up, and thumbing through it.
No disasters yet. I shall have a word with the Elves about that. They always put too much in- they probably thought it was for me. Snape found the small bundles, wrapped in brown paper, and tied with magical ribbon. He brought them through, to a small, uncovered spot, and his wand found his hand. "Linquo," he uttered, and the bows unwrapped themselves, pooling on the table, used. He hefted the large claw, examining it carefully for imperfections which could ruin his work. Satisfied, at length, he found a two-handed file. "Not bad," he said, as he prepared to shave off some of the material.
Sirius nodded, accepting the compliment. Well, the name of Sirius Black and the House of Snape does still carry plenty of weight without the stigma of Malfoy or others. he thought in a proud manner. You have all the power and respect without the close watch of the Ministry now. He smiled at that, then reaching over for the top album on a small pile, he opened the black leather cover with it's gold engraving and intricate decorations. He smiled at the title page and it's contents, Severus and Sirius Handfasted 21, December. He turned the page, and through the moving images, began to relive the day.
Snape took the board he'd caught the scrapings on and added these, too, to the cauldron, stirring it slowly- clockwise, anti-clockwise. Counting as he did. Finished, he let the ladle lie against the side again, making barely a sound. Hm. I'm still not convinced they don't have ravens posted at every corner, at the very least. Not that it bothers me. It did, but only a little. Almost done now, he seived the mantagorella in, judging the amount by eye, until he was satsfied. With a slight noise, he set about cleaning the rest.
Sirius stopped at the page containing the photo of him and Severus standing facing each other with the priest and priestess in the background, their wrists had just been tied together, and they stood there in their Wedding robes. Both were in black robes with silk sashes to correspond with the elements they were bringing to the union.
Sirius wore a sash of spun gold silk, signifying The sun, male energy, wealth, financial wisdom, conscious mind, attracting happiness, activity, intelligence, unity, longevity, prosperity, strength. Severus' sash was of a deep, earthy brown silk signifying, The Earth, grounding, trees, concentration, telepathy, healing, skills, talent, nurturing, home and hearth, spells to locate lost objects, protection of the familiars, pets, and animals, They were gazing into each other's eyes, speaking their self written vows, then when that was completed and the blessing had been given, Sirius leaned in to give Severus a long, slow and deep kiss, to the quiet applause of all attending.
"A year and a day...." he said softly, then turned the page, looking at the pictures of the garden reception and the festivities that followed long into the small hours of the morning.
Snape piled the things into the sink. For the more delicate objects he usually supervised the spells or the House Elves cleaning them- but these were not all that special and so he felt he could surrender them more easily. One last look around, and he wrote down the instructions in careful, elaborate script, before slipping off his work-robe, and walking to the peg to hang it back up again. "You're surprisingly quiet. Have you dozed off?"
Sirius was busy looking through the photo album, too lost in the memories to hear the verbal comment. At a year and a day, he was in bed with a case of malaria that almost took him from his mortal coil. Severus had never left his side, staying up with him for days on end, and when he wasn't soothing his fevered and wasting body with a cool cloth he was brewing potions and draughts to cure him. It was a full two months past the Handfasting date when he was well enough to hold a smaller, more private ceremony that made the promise eternal, permanent. He smiled as he recalled all of that.
Snape frowned, and walked over to where Sirius was sitting, looking down. He spied what he was reading, tilting his head a little to look at the cover properly, grunting something that could have been interpreted with a variety of meanings, or none at all. "Much more?" he asked, a little quieter, but deeper this time, with the slightest of mental prods.
Sirius blinked and turned to look up at Severus. "Done already?" he asked slowly closing the album and setting back on the table as he turned to site on the couch properly. "How did it go?"
Severus nodded, lacing his fingers lightly before him. "Done, for now. We shall have to see whether it works or not in a week's time... But- I am rather optimistic," he admitted, his brows meeting a little.
Sirius looked up at him, offering a wide smile. "I have full confidence in your skill and abilities." he said quietly. "Are you hungry at all?" he asked, holding up a chocolate covered dried cherry from a dish on a side table near him. He held the sweet up for Snape to see, then popped it into his mouth and then selected another, tossing it up, high enough for Severus to catch if he wanted.
One hand instinctively caught the object, and he held it between one long finger and thumb, examining it a moment and squeezing slightly. He moved to sit on the couch beside Sirius, putting it to his lips, and eating it slowly. When he was completely finished, he spoke. "A little too tart... but otherwise acceptable." The hint of a grin tugged his lip.
"Just like you...." he chuckled back. "Need to alter your diet again...." he said, slipping into the vulgar again. He opened his eyes wide as a particularly bright flash of lightening illuminated the dimly lit room, and then the thunderous crash of thunder that followed. It was so deep and close, it make the lab glassware rattle. "That was quite an impressive one..." he commented, then selected another cherry to lift to Severus's lips, waiting.
The professor made a grumbled comment about variety being the spice of life, and turned his head slowly to look out the window as the flash blazed across his retinas. "I do hope the conductors were checked. I did ask, but you know what they are like..." he carried on speaking as he turned his head back, only stopping when he curled back his lips to take the proferred treat between his teeth.
Sirius retrieved his fingers, then licked them playfully as he thought about Severus's comment. "I am sure it is fine, the elves seem quite on the job since you returned to the Manor after so long. I think it borders on overcompensation at times." he said in a bored tone. Being lazy, at ease and quite wealthy was setting well with him considering how half of his earlier life had gone. He then laughed softly, and leaned over to nuzzle into Snape's hair and stroke the tip of his cold nose on the warm skin just below his ear. He rubbed, then licked, then moved his teeth to tug on the small gold hoop earring in the pale lobe. "Grrr.."
"I suppose you are right," Severus admitted, eventually, still thinking. He'd never really run the house- not having visited it much since he had gone to Hogwarts all those years ago, and never really left the place. He vaguely remembered a lot of shouting at them in his youth, but he hadn't paid them much attention. Before long, his attention was distracted from affairs of the household, though, and his voice sounded a little thicker when he spoke next. "I'm assuming someone is trying to tell me something... perhaps they need feeding, too?" he wondered aloud, and leaned to pick up another cherry himself.
Sirius bit down, moderately harder on the lobe then whispered in the ear, "Well, we should get something in our bellys unless you want to be hungry all through those awards tonight and wait until the reception afterward to eat." he said, reminding Severus about the social event scheduled for that evening. The Awards of Merlin. "I know well enough to eat first or I shall be so drunk by the time they finally get underway I will be more useless than normal."
A low, unhappy moan issued from Snape then, and he sighed, slumping forwards a bit. "I had hoped you'd forget about that and we wouldn't have to go." Severus was not one for large social gatherings. Definately not. And he didn't care for the majority of the company, and told him such. Of course, they had already had this discussion on many occassions- but it didn't make him want to go any more. "Why can't we just stay here and eat instead?"
Sirius let his his head drop back against the high back of the couch, sighing exaggeratedly, "God Severus.. another Saturday night spent at home, overeating, drinking, and shagging each other silly on that ancient expensive rug in front of your Father's portrait in the den? You are SO set in your routines", he grinned.
"We could take the rug up," he put in, with little hesitation, and more resignation than anything else. "I happen to like routine," he said, defensively. He put the cheery back down on the plate and folded his arms. "You know I'll be miserable if we go."
"Precisely." he smirked, eyes closed, head still leaning back and throat bared. The Ouroboros making slow circuits of his neck. "You get to be the Master Tormentor and Alpha in bed, I get to be the pain in the ass all the rest of the day..."
A low growl, and he leaned forwards to rest an open mouth on that neck, tongue held back, only sharp, strong teeth touching for a moment. You're too good at being a pain in the arse, you know. They won't be expecting me to go anyway- so if you're missing it isn't that much of a thing... he wheedled, licking with one slow, thorough swipe of surprisingly warm tongue.
Sirius felt the grip of his mate's teeth and mouth on his throat, and his body tensed, then shuddered. Harder.... please. he replied as he felt instant desire rocketing through his blood. He was never so aroused as when Severus held him helpless, vulnerable. You're nominated again you know. he added as a weak argument and afterthought. You could win it this year, then you get to give a speech... he thought, then a wide smile crossed his face at the visualization of that.
'You're a bigger bunch of fools than I thought. I refuse. Goodnight,' he thought, in a perfect speech-maker's voice; clear, well-enunciated, loud, and steady. All whilst biting down a little harder on either side of Sirius' adam's apple, pressing down harder with his tongue now, heavy, drawn-out licks. He gradually moved closer in on the couch, narrowing the distance between them, and placing one hand on the knee closest to him. I think I have it almost perfect.
Sirius tried to laugh, but the grip on his throat prevented much of that. I see you do. But this means I don't get to teeter up onstage with you and make an arse of myself by telling some vulgar joke. You NEVER let me have any fun... he pouted, then slid a hand over, and under the folds of robe over Severus' lap.
Do you ever stop complaining? They won't give it to me, anyway, because I told Albus last time that I would never accept it and they wouldn't have the upset it would cause by me declining it. It might even look like I was modest, and they couldn't have THAT. Enough of that, he thought, and started paying more attention to the underside of his lover's jaw, then. He stroked with his hand, up a little, feeling the warmth of his thighs even through the fabric of his pants. Tell me this isn't fun then.
The more you complain, the longer God let's you live. he replied, then as if on cue, Sirius' stomach rumbled loudly, sounding like a beast of it's own. He kept up his flat palmed rubbing of the bulge under Snape's robes, and feeling the touch on his leather covered thigh. We could drop in on Malfoy, and drink his Glenlivet, and eat his caviar... he offered as another suggestion. The Dog was social, the Raven was not.
You have a death wish, and I want to keep on living? he asked of the world. Am I the only one sensing a problem with this? He started placing bites along Sirius' jaw. And I can't imagine their faces if they saw the state I'm going to leave you in anyway... Severus' other hand moved to Sirius' back, and started pulling his shirt loose there, and sliding his hand up along his back.
Sirius shuddered again. Play? He loved to play. He had taught Severus well over the past couple of years, perfecting his skills with pain and pleasure, and he felt himself harden the rest of the way at just the thought of it. What he could do to him. Yes, that would be difficult to explain, all those marks... Sirius rolled his head to the side, and while keeping one hand busy with petting Severus, he reached for the Potion Master's left hand and laced his fingers with his, then lifted it to his lips to kiss the pulse point beneath the thing layer of skin. He then placed a trail of kisses up the underside of his arm, stopping at the pale shadow of what had once been a dark and ugly mark. It was nearly gone now, fading more and more with each passing day.
Seeing you try alone would just about make up for the night... he conceeded, Just about. The fingers laying more or less splayed open near the top of one thight tightened, and he dug his long, strong fingernails in deeply, only prevented from making red marks by the material which covered them. His other hand scratched lightly under one shoulderblade, going over the same spot again and again. We will have to see... Though I think it is best we leave here, after all the effort you went to getting the ingredients- to spoil it now... not to mention the other things we could break... A lesson learned after rather too enthusiastic 'games' in the past had led to unpleasant things being spilt.
Sirius stiffened as his back was scratched and his right leg began to tremble, then it was gripped tighter in a boney, vice tight grip and he stopped moving. The Play Room after dinner and some wine then? he conceeded, knowing he, the both of them would enjoy that much more anyway. Tied up, tied down, flogged and shagged, cut and branded, and then cuddled and called those secret names. Yeah, that would do him just fine.
Nose buried deep in damp hair, Severus spoke aloud, a rich, honey, or treacle-thick sound, that seemed to pour more than anything else. Warm breath hitting spit-slickened flesh, "If you insist. Dinner shall be ready shortly." He sought out Sirius' lips with his own, pushing his tongue past teeth to stroke deep over tongue, palate, and anything and everything he could reach, his left hand moving quickly up to his groin and giving a quick squeeze, mind humming with contentment at what he found there. Best go make sure the plates are warm, he thought, sliding out of his partner's reach silkily.
Sirius was left head back again, panting openly, "You are such a cruel bastard..." he complained without any power behind it. Then he slowly turned his head to look over at Severus. "Have I told you lately now much I adore the way you twist me around those boney fingers of yours until I break?" he asked with a lowering of his eyelids, then while Severus watched, he slid a hand down into his pants, and groaned. "I can't stand up like this...." Again, another weak complaint.
"Yes, I am, and no, you haven't," Snape said, with an evident smirk visible on his lips. Snape moved until he was standing in front of Sirius, rubbing together the palms that held those bony fingers, feeling the light slickness of sweat there. His legs were already slightly parted, so it took little effort to stand between them, and even less to talk. "Do you think I should spoil my appetite or not?" he asked, with a vaguely uninterested tone of voice.
Sirius lifted his head up to look at Severus again at hearing that, and opened his eyes wide. "Why, I hardly think it would spoil your appetite, or put unneeded weight on that thin frame of yours...." he mused and pulled his hand back out of his trousers, and crossed his wrists behind his head. "Up to you My Lord...." he whispered, closed his eyes, and waited to see what would come next.
"You know more than I do when it comes to culinary matters," Snape said, with effusive deference, and used his hands to push his hair back behind his ears, and out of his face. He kneeled, then, the thought of later retribution almost making his head swim. Possibilities... possibilities were good. Very. "But now you're not allowed to complain if I eat little later on..." he grinned, thoroughly wickledly, as his fingers slipped to the fastner on Sirius' trousers.
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