As Elsbet lay sleeping soundly at last, Snape slips quietly out of her bedroom, through the dining room and into the living room. Everyone is asleep. Everyone but Loki and Cambion...He gives them little scratches on their heads and asks them when Andromeda and Ted arrived. Hour'go, Cambion tells him, then Snape looks at the timepiece on the wall. It's later than he though; Dro and Ted must have been awoken by the commotion in the park. On the loveseat to his right are Therion and Malfoy, sound asleep, Malfoy's frosty-maned head on Therion's shoulder; on the couch (far end), are Dro and Ted, and near end are Remus and Tonks, her head on his shoulder. Curled up tightly on the floor at Remus' feet is a beautiful blond wolf.
Snape sighs deeply and Layne wakes. He looks up at the Dark wizard with his stunning yellow eyes and whines softly. His eyes flick from Snape to the back door, then whines again. Rising slowly, almost timidly, Layne tugs at the blanket folded up on the arm of the couch above him. He can't pull it down without waking Remus, so Snape takes it carefully for him. As he does, he notices how Layne seems to cringe when Snape leans over him. Snape acts as if he does not see, but it actually hurts his feelings a little. Layne seems to slink toward the back door, and Snape follows quietly, sliding it open for him when they reach it. Once outside and the door closed, Layne whines loudly, plaintively, as though he is suffering.
"Do you wish to shift?" Snape asks him, his voice soothing, and Layne's ears perk up. Snape wraps the blanket loosely around the wolf, and watches silently as the animal returns to the wizard he knows. It is some time before Layne lifts his eyes up to Snape, and when he does, they glitter with tears. Layne pulls the blanket tightly around him and wipes his face. It's awkward for the wizards and Snape wishes it wasn't. "Are you in pain?" Layne nods, wiping his face again, and Snape rises. Layne pulls the blanket even tighter around him and Snape winces. "Why are you afraid of me?" The blond wizard sobs, then catches himself, then turns away. "I am afraid for you to see what I've become." Snape approaches cautiously, and sits down in the grass near him, with his back against the house.
"There's no reason to be afraid. I promise." Layne looks over his shoulder at him and turns slightly. "Remus told you...that Greyback got me?" Snape nods slightly. "In a way...Lucius showed me." He taps his head and Layne sighs sorrowfully. "I couldn't fight him, Severus...he's too powerful. It happened so quickly, I didn't even have a chance to do anything. He'd been watching me. He was waiting for me..." Snape gently places his hand on Layne's back and tells him, "he can't hurt you now, my friend. He can't hurt anyone now." Layne faces Snape and meets his eyes directly. "What do you mean? Is he in Azkaban?" Snape chuckles softly. "No. Something much more final. He's dead."
Layne stares at Snape for a moment, as if he doesn't believe. "You're sure...absolutely sure?" Snape nods. "Oh, yes, quite sure. I was there." Layne shakes his head a little and looks out at the night sky, then back at Snape. "You killed him?" Snape shrugs slightly. "I was part of group--" Layne gives an odd, almost choked laugh, and puts his head in his hand. It's relief, Snape knows, but before he can say anything else, he notes that the blanket has come open, and he sees the scarring on Layne's chest. It's bad, even after the Silhouettes' healing ministrations. Snape reaches out and touches the scarred skin tenderly, and while Layne is surprised by both the touch and the tenderness, he does not refuse it.
"Let me guess...the pain is much easier to deal with in your animagus form." Layne whispers yes, and closes his eyes for a minute, enjoying the warmth and feel of Snape's hand in spite of himself. He draws away suddenly and Snape frowns slightly. "Talk to me." Layne sighs. "Severus...I don't...I don't know what all this means." He makes a funny gesture with his hand and shakes his head as if to clear it. "This little tribe of yours..." he half chuckles, then turns back to Snape, who frowns again and rubs his head. "You don't approve?" Layne laughs in earnest, and it's a lovely sound. "Approve of it? I don't even know what it is!" He moves closer to Snape and the dark wizard says, "you helped make it possible."
Layne blinks. "Did I? You mean when I brought you here?" Snape nods and tells him yes. "My little tribe, as you call it, my family...it's very precious to me." Layne grins and sits back against the wall beside Snape. "Just explain the dynamic to me, please, because I can't get my head around it." Snape bites his lip and closes an eye, looks up at the sky, then sighs. Layne says, "ok, stop me if I'm wrong--" Snape holds his hand up and says, "we're together because we care for each other." Layne's grin widens and Snape can see he really is trying to understand. "But there's sex, yes?" Snape flashes a wicked grin, briefly, then flicks a pebble toward the little pond. "Yes. Great sex. And a lot of it," he says almost conversationally. Layne sits forward suddenly and the small rabbit in the neighboring plot goes back into its shrubby home.
"But is everyone having sex with everyone else?" He laughs in spite of himself and ignores his empty tummy. "I can't believe I'm asking you that..." Snape smiles and rests his head against the wall. "There has only been one orgy so far, and it wasn't really an orgy, more like a...'getting to know you' grope." Layne blushes bright red, laughs, and covers his face with his hands. After a moment, he asks, "who were you getting to know?" Snape raises an eyebrow. "Remus and Tonks, but--" Layne laughs loudly, loud enough to cause three rabbits to return quickly to their burrows, and the laughter falters a bit. Snape pulls the blanket up over Layne's shoulder and doesn't let on that he saw the scars on his back. "It's not quite as you may think, Layne."
Snape hears the other wizard's stomach rumble and knows that if he weren't sitting here, there would be one or two fewer rabbits in the city tonight. He knows from what he was shown that Layne has spent almost two years alone, in his wolf form, but he knows too that he longs to be part of something. He understands Layne is not now the wizard he was when they were at Hogwarts, but he knows that courage is still in his heart. Snape senses Layne's emotional flux and the familiar need to be needed, and knows that if he can just bring the suffering man into the comfort of the family, that he will be alright. Together, they can heal him, help him be strong again.
"Elsbet and I and Lucius..." Snape pauses and Layne looks at him with interest, "the night Lucius met Elsbet, he told me he loved me. How could I choose between them?" Layne takes a moment to take it in, then asks softly, "did...did you love him then?" Snape leans forward and flicks a beetle off of his boot, then sits back and meets Layne's gaze. "I was aware, deep inside, that there was an attraction to him, that there had been for a very long time, but it was not something I was going to act upon. Or ever fully acknowledge. Even if Elsbet was not in my life." He shrugs slightly and there is an almost comfortable silence. "I knew what it took, how hard it was, for him to confess his love. I was not about to crush him and potentially endanger myself and Elsbet."
Layne looks away, and Snape says, "yes, I love him. Almost as much as I love her. I would not wish to live without them." Layne pulls the blanket close around him again and rises unsteadily. "And Therion?" he asks as he stretches, face turned toward the rabbits he knows are hiding in the next plot. "Therion is very important to us..." Snape says, then adds, "yes, he is loved." Layne nods, then asks, "Remus and Tonks?" Snape rises and straightens his robe. "I would kill to protect them." Layne turns quickly and faces the dark wizard, but says nothing. He sees the truth in the deep, black eyes. He is silent even as Snape draws close to him and brushes the wayward hair out of his face.
"You know, Layne, this tribe of mine, this family...it is like a pack...in a way. There is a place for you with us, you must know that." Layne's yellow eyes water as Snape steps away and turns to the back door. He glances back at the rabbits, then back at Snape. "Forget the rabbits, Layne," Snape says softly, "I can fix you a far better meal inside." Snape doesn't look back, but leaves the door open for him. Layne knows his next choice will determine the rest of his life. Does he want raw, bloody rabbit and sleeping under bushes alone, or good, home-cooked meals, made with love and shared with people he cares about, and sleeping in a warm bed, perhaps in someone's arms? He glances up at the sky again and smells bacon, and hears the crack of eggs. Tonks' crackling voice as she wakes, asking, "oh, is it breakfast already?" and the sound of ravens happily anticipating food.
He wraps the blanket around himself and goes in, pulling the door closed tightly behind him.
Snape sighs deeply and Layne wakes. He looks up at the Dark wizard with his stunning yellow eyes and whines softly. His eyes flick from Snape to the back door, then whines again. Rising slowly, almost timidly, Layne tugs at the blanket folded up on the arm of the couch above him. He can't pull it down without waking Remus, so Snape takes it carefully for him. As he does, he notices how Layne seems to cringe when Snape leans over him. Snape acts as if he does not see, but it actually hurts his feelings a little. Layne seems to slink toward the back door, and Snape follows quietly, sliding it open for him when they reach it. Once outside and the door closed, Layne whines loudly, plaintively, as though he is suffering.
"Do you wish to shift?" Snape asks him, his voice soothing, and Layne's ears perk up. Snape wraps the blanket loosely around the wolf, and watches silently as the animal returns to the wizard he knows. It is some time before Layne lifts his eyes up to Snape, and when he does, they glitter with tears. Layne pulls the blanket tightly around him and wipes his face. It's awkward for the wizards and Snape wishes it wasn't. "Are you in pain?" Layne nods, wiping his face again, and Snape rises. Layne pulls the blanket even tighter around him and Snape winces. "Why are you afraid of me?" The blond wizard sobs, then catches himself, then turns away. "I am afraid for you to see what I've become." Snape approaches cautiously, and sits down in the grass near him, with his back against the house.
"There's no reason to be afraid. I promise." Layne looks over his shoulder at him and turns slightly. "Remus told you...that Greyback got me?" Snape nods slightly. "In a way...Lucius showed me." He taps his head and Layne sighs sorrowfully. "I couldn't fight him, Severus...he's too powerful. It happened so quickly, I didn't even have a chance to do anything. He'd been watching me. He was waiting for me..." Snape gently places his hand on Layne's back and tells him, "he can't hurt you now, my friend. He can't hurt anyone now." Layne faces Snape and meets his eyes directly. "What do you mean? Is he in Azkaban?" Snape chuckles softly. "No. Something much more final. He's dead."
Layne stares at Snape for a moment, as if he doesn't believe. "You're sure...absolutely sure?" Snape nods. "Oh, yes, quite sure. I was there." Layne shakes his head a little and looks out at the night sky, then back at Snape. "You killed him?" Snape shrugs slightly. "I was part of group--" Layne gives an odd, almost choked laugh, and puts his head in his hand. It's relief, Snape knows, but before he can say anything else, he notes that the blanket has come open, and he sees the scarring on Layne's chest. It's bad, even after the Silhouettes' healing ministrations. Snape reaches out and touches the scarred skin tenderly, and while Layne is surprised by both the touch and the tenderness, he does not refuse it.
"Let me guess...the pain is much easier to deal with in your animagus form." Layne whispers yes, and closes his eyes for a minute, enjoying the warmth and feel of Snape's hand in spite of himself. He draws away suddenly and Snape frowns slightly. "Talk to me." Layne sighs. "Severus...I don't...I don't know what all this means." He makes a funny gesture with his hand and shakes his head as if to clear it. "This little tribe of yours..." he half chuckles, then turns back to Snape, who frowns again and rubs his head. "You don't approve?" Layne laughs in earnest, and it's a lovely sound. "Approve of it? I don't even know what it is!" He moves closer to Snape and the dark wizard says, "you helped make it possible."
Layne blinks. "Did I? You mean when I brought you here?" Snape nods and tells him yes. "My little tribe, as you call it, my family...it's very precious to me." Layne grins and sits back against the wall beside Snape. "Just explain the dynamic to me, please, because I can't get my head around it." Snape bites his lip and closes an eye, looks up at the sky, then sighs. Layne says, "ok, stop me if I'm wrong--" Snape holds his hand up and says, "we're together because we care for each other." Layne's grin widens and Snape can see he really is trying to understand. "But there's sex, yes?" Snape flashes a wicked grin, briefly, then flicks a pebble toward the little pond. "Yes. Great sex. And a lot of it," he says almost conversationally. Layne sits forward suddenly and the small rabbit in the neighboring plot goes back into its shrubby home.
"But is everyone having sex with everyone else?" He laughs in spite of himself and ignores his empty tummy. "I can't believe I'm asking you that..." Snape smiles and rests his head against the wall. "There has only been one orgy so far, and it wasn't really an orgy, more like a...'getting to know you' grope." Layne blushes bright red, laughs, and covers his face with his hands. After a moment, he asks, "who were you getting to know?" Snape raises an eyebrow. "Remus and Tonks, but--" Layne laughs loudly, loud enough to cause three rabbits to return quickly to their burrows, and the laughter falters a bit. Snape pulls the blanket up over Layne's shoulder and doesn't let on that he saw the scars on his back. "It's not quite as you may think, Layne."
Snape hears the other wizard's stomach rumble and knows that if he weren't sitting here, there would be one or two fewer rabbits in the city tonight. He knows from what he was shown that Layne has spent almost two years alone, in his wolf form, but he knows too that he longs to be part of something. He understands Layne is not now the wizard he was when they were at Hogwarts, but he knows that courage is still in his heart. Snape senses Layne's emotional flux and the familiar need to be needed, and knows that if he can just bring the suffering man into the comfort of the family, that he will be alright. Together, they can heal him, help him be strong again.
"Elsbet and I and Lucius..." Snape pauses and Layne looks at him with interest, "the night Lucius met Elsbet, he told me he loved me. How could I choose between them?" Layne takes a moment to take it in, then asks softly, "did...did you love him then?" Snape leans forward and flicks a beetle off of his boot, then sits back and meets Layne's gaze. "I was aware, deep inside, that there was an attraction to him, that there had been for a very long time, but it was not something I was going to act upon. Or ever fully acknowledge. Even if Elsbet was not in my life." He shrugs slightly and there is an almost comfortable silence. "I knew what it took, how hard it was, for him to confess his love. I was not about to crush him and potentially endanger myself and Elsbet."
Layne looks away, and Snape says, "yes, I love him. Almost as much as I love her. I would not wish to live without them." Layne pulls the blanket close around him again and rises unsteadily. "And Therion?" he asks as he stretches, face turned toward the rabbits he knows are hiding in the next plot. "Therion is very important to us..." Snape says, then adds, "yes, he is loved." Layne nods, then asks, "Remus and Tonks?" Snape rises and straightens his robe. "I would kill to protect them." Layne turns quickly and faces the dark wizard, but says nothing. He sees the truth in the deep, black eyes. He is silent even as Snape draws close to him and brushes the wayward hair out of his face.
"You know, Layne, this tribe of mine, this family...it is like a pack...in a way. There is a place for you with us, you must know that." Layne's yellow eyes water as Snape steps away and turns to the back door. He glances back at the rabbits, then back at Snape. "Forget the rabbits, Layne," Snape says softly, "I can fix you a far better meal inside." Snape doesn't look back, but leaves the door open for him. Layne knows his next choice will determine the rest of his life. Does he want raw, bloody rabbit and sleeping under bushes alone, or good, home-cooked meals, made with love and shared with people he cares about, and sleeping in a warm bed, perhaps in someone's arms? He glances up at the sky again and smells bacon, and hears the crack of eggs. Tonks' crackling voice as she wakes, asking, "oh, is it breakfast already?" and the sound of ravens happily anticipating food.
He wraps the blanket around himself and goes in, pulling the door closed tightly behind him.