Through my Blood

Chapter XXXIV: Touching the Sky - Part 4

"Ow, ow, ow! Ugh... Damn it..." Remus groaned as he struggled while sitting uncomfortably.

"I told you to hold still! I'm still looking for it!" Serana snapped as she rummaged through their bags for a healing potion.

It was already evening and the two managed to set up camp at a rock shelter on the other edge of the frozen lake.

Serana's eyes lit up as soon as she found what she's looking for, before hurriedly sitting beside Remus.

"Here... be careful." Serana softly said as she uncorked the bottle, supporting Remus as he drank from it. Once it was empty, she moved closer to him.

"How're you feeling? Is it working?" Serana asked with tame eyes, showing visible concern. She gently placed a hand over Remus' chest.

"Potions don't work that fast – you know that. Give it a few minutes." He softly chuckled before groaning in pain again. "T-This isn't the first time I broke ribs. The potions will mend them soon."

Remus stared at Serana. The vampiress remained watchful, other than distressed. "You're still worried?"

Serana carefully pulled her hand back. "Of course, I am!" she answered, before slightly pinching the man's arm. "Who wouldn't be? You allowed yourself be trampled by a dragon!"

She gently cupped Remus' cheek with her hand, stroking it gently. "At first, the dragon souls weren't collected like way back in Ivarstead... and you weren't even moving... of course I'd be worried..."

"Yeah, I have to be conscious if that was gonna happen." Remus grinned as he placed his hand over hers. He looked amorously at Serana's eyes. "You surprised me though."

Serana felt warmth intensely rushing to her face upon hearing Remus' words while she witnessed a cheeky smirk that is slowly growing on his lips.

"Y-you..." Serana started to retort, pulling her hand back. But she found no words escaping from her lips. "—Forget it. I'll go and prepare some food. You need to eat."

Remus chuckled, much to the vampiress' slight annoyance. As she was about to get up, she glanced back at him.

"Don't move, okay?" Serana told him, her tone having a hint of both warning and worry.

Remus only gave her a small smile. "Okay. I won't."

He watched on as the vampiress moved towards the flickering fire before small sparks of electricity coming from her fingertips reignited the dying flame.

Remus had never been very familiar of feelings or emotions in general – especially before.

There have been constant yet tremendous shifts in his personality for as long as he couldn't remember.

Joining the Guild, Brynjolf called him a natural. Despite his seemingly immature attitude, he was efficient, deceptive, and silver-tongued.

Upon being inducted in the brotherhood, he was defined by the others as... cold. Distant. Unfeeling. Merciless.

He really didn't mind. His personality never mattered – as long as he got the job done.

There had been so many changes that eventually, these personas just finally converged into one person.

But after meeting the emperor... after becoming the Dragonborn... and after meeting his teacher, he developed a sense of responsibility.

He regained his sense of morality.

And as the years went by, he learned how to treasure the people who called him friend, and somehow, he learned how to move forward.