swim || remus lupin

jump then fall

"I said you can go! I'll just meet you there."

"Syd," Remus sighed and brought both hands up to cover his face. Due to the fact that his left arm was slipped under my neck, my head rolled into his chest at the movement. "It'll be much faster if you come with me."

"It will also be much more traumatizing."

Remus and I were situated on his bed, his navy covers tossed carelessly over top of us. Mid morning light shone brightly through his open window, blowing the allergenic smells of spring into his room. We were side by side on our backs, and, as I said, Remus's arm was tucked behind my head, his hands in the air as we argued lightly.

Over the break, he and I had passed our Apparition tests and could now legally Apparate on our own (I was far more reluctant than he was to take it). Seeing that this was our last morning at the Lupin's, Remus wanted to Apparate to the Potter's that evening rather than travelling by the Floo Network. I despised the idea.

"It's over in a maximum of two seconds," Remus tried, dropping his hands and rolling his head to the side to face me.

"What if you mess up and leave my arms behind! I like my arms, Remmy J."

Remus chuckled and I couldn't help but smile too. His eyes danced across my face, bringing back that familiar burning sensation in my chest.

"You don't need your arms, though," he rationalized. "I could take care of you with no arms."

"Oh, that's comforting," I scoffed.

Remus grinned and kissed my cheek.

"We can go by floo powder if you want," he caved. "But you'll have to get over this fear of Apparition at some point, my love."

"I'll think about it," I replied.

"You better think about it," he said with another laugh, shifting so that he was propped slightly above me, looking down.

"I will!"

"If you don't, I'm really sleeping on that mattress the next time we come here," he said.

I turned my head to the floor where there lay a fully made air mattress that was intended for me. Remus and I had been walking around it all week, the same as over Christmas, and not telling his parents. I had a feeling that his mom knew, but his dad definitely thought we were sleeping apart.

"You'd let me have nightmares?" I asked with mock fear, turning back to Remus. He resisted a smile.

"Yeah," he said. "The merpeople can have you."

"Oh, okay," I said, pushing back a laugh of my own. "But I get this bed, right?"

"Well, I'm not a monster."

"You sure?"

His smile cracked into a laugh and I felt mine do the same. Remus made a scrunched sort of face as though he were angry, but we both knew he wasn't. He pushed a piece of my hair aside as our laughter subsided into small smiles, and he placed a quick kiss on my lips.

"I love you," I said when he pulled back.

"I know," Remus replied.

I used both of my hands to shove his shoulders and he faltered slightly, his head thrown back in a new laugh. He leaned down to try to kiss me again but I swerved my head and put my hands up as a blockade.

"That was mean!" I cried, holding my stance tight as Remus tried to break through.

"I'm sorry, my love," Remus said, a huge smile plastered across his face.

"No you're not!"

"I am!" He protested, still attempting to pull my hands apart. "How ever can I prove my love?"

I dropped my hands at his words, allowing them to fall onto my stomach. Remus's left hand dropped beside my head, his arm still trapped underneath, and his right fell to my stomach as well, keeping its hold on one of my hands. I squinted up at him, forcing back the smile that was trying to match his.

"There are so many options here," I said. Remus laughed again and kissed my cheek.

"Slow down," he said. "It's barely nine o'clock."

"Ew!" I cried, scrunching my face. "Who said anything about that? You're too dirty minded."

"Oh, really?" He said amusedly. "You're sure that's not what you were thinking?"

His fingertips slipped under the loose fabric of my shirt, tracing lightly against my abdomen. Every spot he touched seemed to catch fire, sending rippling sparks through me. His eyes locked dangerously onto mine and a small smirk inched its way through his lips.

"Positive," I answered, doing my best to hold my voice steady as my skin jumped away from my body.

"If you say so," Remus said casually, his hand sliding to hold the side of my waist, still under my shirt.

"Slow down," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "It's barely nine o'clock."

Remus's smile grew and he leaned down to kiss me again.

I felt like I had been flipped inside out. With the impact of his lips, the ripples turned to crashing waves, reorganizing my body whilst stunning me in place. I almost felt seasick as he exposed every piece of me, leaving me entirely vulnerable and without a care about it.

I placed both of my hands on either side of his face in a meek attempt to find balance as Remus pulled back for less than a millisecond. However, the next kiss unravelled me further as he poured himself into me, drowning out any chance of steadiness.

"I love you," he said quietly as he withdrew the second time.

"I know," I answered, and his eyes caught onto a fire that lit up all of the waves he had just drenched me with.

With my hands still on his face I pulled him down again, feeling the need to immerse myself in the flames. This third kiss was shorter, but just as passionate, twisting me back inside my skin and resetting all of the damage from the first two. He and I were both grinning stupidly as we parted for the final time.

"I love you too," I said. "In case that wasn't clear."

Remus smiled wider and kissed my forehead.

"It was."

______

A/N

okay now i might be MIA for a lil because i have a tournament lol but there's a chance i'll have another chapter up tomorrow idk yet

song: jump then fall - tswift

how it applies: just like falling deeper in love without fear idk it fits just trust me