Pawprints

5. Letting Go

Ajax barked and wagged his tail as he ran between the hedges in Severus's garden towards the iron gate.

Thomas lifted the latch and entered, stopping to pat Ajax's head and scratch behind his ears. Thomas walked slowly towards the familiar red door while Ajax bounded past him, tail wagging continusly.

Thomas sighed, ran a hand through his hair and opened the door. He was faced by a smiling Severus who was wiping his hands on an old cloth.

It had been three months since their kiss and things had been progressing well in their relationship. They had made love quite a few times and even gone on holiday to Italy.

Thomas's mother was old and she had written to him a week ago, asking him to get married before she passed. Thomas had said he had time, he was still young and wanted to live life to the fullest without any regrets.

His family was from a conservative background, they had old morals and his father was a Muggle. They didn't know Thomas was into men or that he was seeing Severus.

Thomas's family too had their own homosexual tendencies and a lot of the men had married women just to uphold their status in society or because they were faced with disownment. Most of them would end up marrying women as the Kent family had a prestigious name in Italy, since having moved their 30 years ago and setting up a successful chain of jewelry shops and boutiques.
Their family was quite influential in Cesena and they belonged to a high social circle.

Thomas didn't want to lose this and knew deep down in his heart he would one day move back home and set up his own apothecary while helping with the family business.

His father had intervened into his mother's request and Thomas was facing a dilemma. He had to tell Severus without hurting him. Which was almost close to impossible.

He accepted Severus's offer of tea and sat at the cherry oak table that faced the garden. Ajax sat on the rug beside him. Severus brought him a mug of tea and sat at the table.

Thomas thanked Severus and stirred his tea slowly as he added a spoon of sugar. Clasping his hands around the mug, he sighed as the warmth of the tea soothed his frazzled nerves.

"My parents want me to get married soon"

Severus looked up at him, questions brimming on his tongue but paused, feeling that Thomas wanted to talk.

"I know it's hard to grasp, but where I come from in Italy, a lot of men marry women despite their sexuality. And it has to do with status and honour and various other things. You always knew I was going back home one day and you accepted it, I hope"

Severus nodded, heart beating wildly but allowed Thomas to continue.

"Mama is old now and she wishes me to marry a woman, preferably Italian. I told her I have time and I wasn't ready to settle down. But then Padre intervened and said I must listen to her, as I an the eldest and have to set an example for my brother and sisters"

Severus's heart fell, he gripped the edges of the table tightly.
Thomas leant across and gripped Severus's hands.

"I didn't know how to tell you, I got the letters from Padre three days ago and it's been eating me up inside. You mean a lot to me Severus, I love you, and I know you know that"

A tear escaped Severus's eye and he sniffled.

"Tell me what to do Severus"

Severus cleared his throat. He looked up slowly at Thomas. He spoke with a soft measured tone, the anger and hurt leaking through, his cheeks flushed and eyes bright.

"I think you should do what feels right. But I do not ever want to be second to some woman, I do not want to share you and hide away with you."

Thomas nodded.

"How could you make me go through this" Severus whispered as he wrapped his arms around himself. "I've been through a war but nothing has hurt so much as realising you will leave me too"

Thomas wanted to say he wasn't going to leave, that he and Severus could keep seeing each other and that nothing had to change.

"Well aren't you going to say anything?"

Thomas looked at Severus, his finger slowly tracing the rim of the mug.

"Do you still love me?"

Severus growled. He rose from the table and stalked off towards the kitchen. He was fuming. How dare Thomas have the audacity to ask that after telling him he was going to marry a woman?

Thomas sighed and stood up from his seat and followed Severus to the kitchen. Severus was leaning over the sink, ass out as he washed a piece of chicken roughly for Ajax's dinner.
He wasn't even using magic, he was so enraged by Thomas.

Thomas slowly approached him and placed a hand on Severus's back.
Severus spun around, chicken falling to the floor. Thomas pinned him to the counter.

Severus fidgeted. He was not in the mood for Thomas's antics.

Thomas ran a hand over Severus's cock and palmed him as he nudged Severus's cheek with his nose. Severus tried to move away but his body reacted against him and his hips jerked towards the familiar warmth of Thomas's hand.

Thomas chuckled and captured Severus's lips with his own. Severus moaned, he was going to miss Thomas.

Thomas felt a wetness on his cheeks. He opened his eyes slowly. Severus was crying silently, tears streaking past, his shoulders shaking.

He looked very old and tired at that instant. Thomas held him tightly whispered apologies in his ear.

Severus's hands roamed across Thomas and cupped his ass. His hands groped silently and firmly as he pulled the cheeks apart. Thomas moaned mid apology and stiffened against Severus.

Severus pinned Thomas to the counter, so that he was facing away, so that Thomas wouldn't meet his eyes or see his hurt expression.

He roughly pulled Thomas's pants down along with his boxers. He had no time to marvel at Thomas's smooth skim, the redness of his ass or to count the birth marks he had. Those were reserved for the good times.

Thomas deserved to be punished for hurting Severus this way.

Severus slapped Thomas's ass lightly and Thomas moaned as he leant into the counter, raising his ass to give Seveeus more access.

Thomas heard faint noises of Severus prepping himself and felt the familiar tingle in his ass. He wanted to look back desperately and make eye contact with Severus. He missed seeing that look of lust in Severus's eyes, and the wrinkle of concern in his brow. But now was not the time for that.

Severus entered Thomas harshly. Thomas moaned. The pain was soon replaced by pleasure.

Severus was entering his hard and fast and finally reached a rhythm that left Thomas's senses reeling and his cock hard and throbbing.

Severus's fingers dug into his back as he came moaning loudly. As Severus finished Thomas came too, finally slumping against the counter.

"Well Severus, that was quite the ride"
Thomas panted out as he caught his breath.

Severus murmured. He struggled to pull himself together and not break down. As he washed his hands and face, he watched Thomas slowly dress himself from the corner of his eye.

Thomas faced him and cupped his cheek.

Severus bowed his head into the familiar soft touch and drew back.

"Good bye Thomas and good luck, thank you for teaching me to love again"

Thomas nodded, soft smile on his lips and eyes shining with tears.

"Good bye Severus"