yoonkiez

21 || she/her kariman lovahh

[wuvja]

I love your Snape x Prof!Reader fics!! It's exactly how I picture them!!

Do you take requests? ❤️💫

Hey, sorry it took me a bit to get back to you! I am taking requests now, even if I’m still a little unsure of my writing sometimes. But I’ll always give it my best shot! It honestly means so much that you enjoy my fics—thank you for the support, it really means the world to me. 🤍

[wuvja]

Swaying Hearts

| Pairing: young!Severus Snape x hufflepuff!Reader

| Summary: At the Yule Ball, Severus chooses familiarity over possibility—until a single glance makes him question everything.

————————————————————————

The Yule Ball sparkled like a dream.

Chandeliers shimmered overhead, enchanted snowflakes drifted lazily through the air, and soft music curled around the edges of the golden hall. It looked perfect—like something out of a fairy tale.

But you didn’t feel like the heroine. You felt like the girl in the background.

You tugged gently at your golden Hufflepuff robes, standing near the refreshment table, smiling like it didn’t bother you. Like you didn’t notice that your date—Severus Snape—had completely forgotten you were there.

He had asked you, hadn’t he? Mumbled something gruff and awkward about not wanting to go alone. You’d said yes because… because you liked him. Because maybe, just maybe, you thought he might like you too.

But now?

Now he was dancing with Lily Evans.

You watched the way he looked at her—like she was sunlight he could never quite reach. The way he leaned in to say something, and she laughed, touching his sleeve.

You looked away.

“You alright?”

You blinked up, surprised. Remus Lupin stood beside you with a kind expression, hands tucked into his robes. He glanced once at the dance floor, then back to you. “You look like you’d rather be anywhere but here.”

You laughed softly, trying to hide the crack in your voice. “That obvious?”

He smiled. “I’m told I’m rather observant.”

You looked down into your half-finished drink. “I shouldn’t have come.”

“You absolutely should’ve,” he said gently. Then, after a beat, “Would you like to dance?”

Your eyes widened. “What?”

“I’m an excellent dancer,” Remus said with mock pride. “And you look like you could use a little saving.”

Despite the ache in your chest, you smiled. “Okay.”

He led you onto the floor, gentle and thoughtful, giving you space. And for a little while, you laughed. Really laughed. Remus was warm, funny, and the music swelled just enough to let you forget the sting in your heart.

Then—

Everything slowed.

Across the room, Severus looked up.

And his eyes found yours.

Just for a moment, the world seemed to fall away. The music faded. The dancers blurred. It was just the two of you—caught in something that didn’t need words.

You weren’t supposed to be dancing with someone else. And he wasn’t supposed to be looking at you like that.

You blinked. He didn’t.

It was like being in the middle of a sentence that neither of you knew how to finish.

Then reality snapped back in.

You tore your eyes away first, and looked back at Remus. Severus looked down, returning his focus to Lily—though his grip on her waist had slackened.

Your smile faltered.

You took a breath and said quietly, “Remus… I think I want to go now.”

He looked at you gently, like he already knew.

“Of course,” he said. “Want me to walk you?”

You shook your head. “Thank you. But I think I need to be alone.”

He gave your hand a gentle squeeze before letting go.

You slipped out of the ballroom with your heart thudding and your chest hollow.

The moment the door shut behind you, the tears came fast and hot—falling in silence as you walked through the corridors alone.

What’s wrong with me?

You wanted to believe that maybe Severus had asked you to the Ball because he liked you. Not out of convenience. Not because Lily had turned him down.

But maybe you were wrong.

You hugged your arms tighter around yourself, steps echoing as you descended toward the Hufflepuff dorms.

Behind you—far too late—Severus was searching.

He’d turned to tell Lily something, a half-formed thought on his tongue, but you were gone. Just gone. The spot where you stood with Remus now empty.

He muttered something about needing air and left the hall in long strides.

But he didn’t find you.

He stood alone in the corridor, watching the rain start to splatter against the tall windows, his fists clenched at his sides.

You’d always been there. Always known how to reach him, even when he didn’t want to be reached.

And he let you leave.

[wuvja]

Even Still, You’re Mine

| Pairing: Severus Snape x Prof!Reader

| Summary: After a painful breakup, they reunite, unable to stay apart. In bed, one holds the other close, silently vowing to never let go again.

———————————————————————————

The first few hours after the argument were silent.

No yelling. No name-calling. Just quiet.

Too quiet.

Her trunk was half-packed. His hands were trembling. And the last thing she said before she left his chambers was—

“I love you. But I don’t think we can keep hurting each other like this.”

He didn’t stop her.

He couldn’t stop her.

Because the truth was, Severus Snape had no idea how to love softly. He’d only ever known how to cling too tight, speak too sharp, and ruin the things he cared about most.

And this time?

He’d almost ruined her.

Almost.

Because the next day, when he walked into the Great Hall and saw her seat empty, his chest cracked. And when he found her in the Astronomy Tower with puffy eyes and a look that shattered him, he whispered one trembling word:

“Please.”

She stared at him.

He swallowed. “Please don’t go.”

And that was all it took. One plea. One shared ache. One desperate second of reaching across the space between them. She fell into his arms like she’d been waiting for them all along, and he held her like a man who’d just remembered how to breathe.

Now, hours later, they were curled up in his bed, tangled in his too-soft sheets, wrapped around each other like the space between them had never existed.

She was asleep.

Tears still clung to her lashes, and her fingers were curled weakly into the fabric of his shirt. She looked peaceful—but also fragile, like if he let go, she might drift off again, somewhere far, far away from him.

Severus didn’t sleep.

He just… stared.

She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. Even in sadness. Even in silence. And with the glow of the candlelight flickering across her skin, she looked like something sacred.

His heart ached.

Because for a moment—too long of a moment—he really thought he’d lost her.

He’d replayed their argument a hundred times. He’d thought about the hurt in her eyes, the way her voice broke when she told him she was tired. And he knew he’d failed her. That his walls had gone up too fast. That he’d let fear speak instead of love.

And yet she was still here.

Curled against his chest like it was her home.

She sniffled in her sleep.

Without thinking, he brushed the tears from her cheeks and whispered, almost reverently, “I’m so sorry.”

Her body shifted slightly, pressing closer into him.

He watched her like he might forget her if he looked away. He thought of all the things he hadn’t said. All the things he would say now that he had the chance.

That she was everything.

That she made the dungeons feel like summer.

That without her, the world lost its color.

And most of all… that he loved her. Deeply. Hopelessly. Entirely.

He leaned forward and pressed the softest kiss to her temple.

Her brow furrowed slightly in her sleep.

Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, she mumbled, “Still mad at you…”

He smiled. It was small. A little broken. But real.

“I deserve that,” he whispered. Then tucked her closer. “But I’ll make it right. I promise.”

The only sound in the room was her breathing. Slow, warm, steady against his chest.

And for the first time in days, Severus let his eyes close.

Not because the pain was gone.

But because she was here.

And that was enough.

[wuvja]

A Moment to Breathe

| Pairing: Severus Snape x Prof!Reader

| Summary: Tears, blankets, and zero cuddles—until Severus storms in, scoops her up, and vows vengeance on busy schedules.

—————————————————————————

The castle had never felt so loud in its silence.

The echo of your heels down the corridor, the rustle of parchment on your desk, the dull clang of cutlery in the Great Hall—it all only reminded you of what wasn’t there.

Severus.

It wasn’t a fight. You hadn’t argued. There were no bitter words or stinging silences. Just… nothing. A quiet absence that had stretched out over the past week, slowly growing heavier with each passing day.

He was busy, of course. Between brewing for the Hospital Wing, supervising NEWT-level apprenticeships, and his usual, soul-draining pile of responsibilities, he barely had time to breathe. You understood. You always understood.

That’s why you hadn’t complained.

At first, you even told yourself you didn’t care. That it was normal. That you had papers to mark, students to manage, and faculty meetings to attend. You saw him in passing—a dark figure gliding down the hall or standing at the Head Table. He’d give you a nod. A glance. A fleeting smirk if he wasn’t too tired.

But no touch. No words. No warmth.

By the fifth day, you stopped trying to cross paths altogether.

And by the seventh, your walls began to crumble.

You sat curled on the sofa in your chambers, a thick blanket draped over your shoulders. A half-finished glass of tea sat on the coffee table, now cold. Your wand flickered idly, stirring the fire, but even the flames felt hollow tonight.

You hated this. The stupid ache in your chest, the stupid sting in your eyes. It wasn’t his fault. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. It was just… life.

And yet.

The tears fell anyway.

You didn’t even sob—just silent, trembling drops that ran down your cheeks as you buried your face in your sleeves. You missed him. His scent. His dry humor. The way his fingers ghosted over your wrist just before he kissed it. The way he always noticed when something was wrong, even if you didn’t say a word.

You didn’t hear the door open.

Didn’t hear the soft, measured steps. Or the quiet intake of breath as a tall figure paused in your doorway, staring at the small, trembling shape on the couch.

“…Y/N.”

You froze.

Your heart skipped, and you turned your head slightly, your breath catching in your throat as you looked up into his face.

Severus stood there, in his black robes, hair damp from the misty night air. His expression flickered—shock, guilt, and something impossibly tender all at once.

“…Severus,” you whispered, blinking quickly and wiping your sleeve across your cheeks. “What are you doing here? I thought you— I mean, you were busy—”

He crossed the room in three long strides.

You didn’t even have time to sit up properly before his arms were around you, pulling you into his chest. He sank onto the couch beside you, cradling you like you were something breakable. Like he’d been afraid you might disappear.

“I’m so sorry,” he murmured into your hair, voice rough, low, shaking. “I didn’t realize how long it had been. I should’ve come sooner.”

You pressed your face against his shoulder, fingers gripping the folds of his robes. “You didn’t do anything wrong,” you whispered, though your voice cracked. “I just… I missed you, that’s all.”

His hand moved slowly up and down your back. “I missed you too. More than you know.”

You stayed like that for a while, wrapped in each other, the fire flickering softly beside you. The silence now was a comfort, not a void.

Eventually, Severus shifted, just enough to lean back and pull you with him, so you were draped across his lap, your head resting on his chest.

“I should resign from half my duties,” he muttered, pressing a kiss to your temple. “Turn my classroom into a swamp, so Minerva bans me from teaching. Then I can stay here with you.”

You chuckled softly, your fingers playing with a strand of his hair. “You’d hate that in two days. Maybe three.”

“True,” he agreed. “But I could at least negotiate better hours.”

“You, negotiating? That sounds like another fight with Minerva.”

“I’ll take on three Gryffindors for every hour I get with you.”

Your heart gave a warm, painful squeeze at that.

“I don’t need all your time,” you said quietly. “I just need a moment. Just… one where we can breathe together.”

He looked down at you then, dark eyes filled with regret and something softer—something deeper.

“Then take all of mine tonight.”

You kissed him—just a soft press of lips against his collarbone—and curled deeper into his embrace. His arms tightened around you like a promise, like an apology, like every word he didn’t know how to say.

That night, the fire burned low and the castle was silent again—but it was different now. No longer empty.

Just peaceful.

[wuvja]

In His Own Way

| Pairing: Severus Snape x Prof!Reader

| Summary: Severus isn’t the most affectionate man — but with you, he tries, in his own quiet, awkward, and endearingly grumpy way.

———————————————————————————

You had long since accepted that Severus Snape would never be a hearts-and-flowers kind of man.

He didn’t gush, didn’t swoon, didn’t spout love poems by candlelight (unless you counted the occasional dramatic reading of a particularly scathing student essay — which, to be fair, was very on-brand for him).

But Severus showed his love in other ways.

Small things.

Everyday things.

Things that made your heart ache in the softest, sweetest way.

Like how he always set your mug out in the morning before you woke up — tea brewed perfectly, just the way you liked it, steam curling lazily in the air. He never mentioned it. Never looked for thanks. Just went back to his newspaper and sipped his own tea like it wasn’t the most tender thing you’d ever seen.

Or how he always put his hand on the small of your back when you walked into a room, like he needed to feel you near.

Or how he hexed every chair in the staff lounge to be just slightly less comfortable than the one you always sat in.

(“Coincidence,” he’d said with a straight face. “Poor craftsmanship.”)

But today… something was different.

Today, Severus Snape was trying to be affectionate.

Out loud.

And he was so bad at it.

⸻

It started in the morning when he very stiffly handed you a single chocolate frog.

You blinked. “What’s this for?”

He looked vaguely pained. “It’s… Tuesday.”

“…Okay?”

He cleared his throat, glaring at the fireplace like it had personally offended him.

“I thought you might want one.”

You smiled, trying not to giggle. “I do. Thank you, love.”

He nodded, still tense as a statue. “Good. That’s… settled, then.”

⸻

Then came the second attempt.

You were sitting on the couch, reading, when Severus entered the room, paced three times, then awkwardly hovered above you like a bat without a plan.

“…Yes?” you asked, peeking over your book.

He sniffed. “You look cold.”

“I’m actually—”

He dropped a blanket on your head.

“…thank you.”

⸻

Finally, that night, you were brushing your teeth when he appeared in the doorway, arms crossed, looking uncomfortable.

“…I’ve been trying to be more…” He waved a hand vaguely in the air. “…open.”

You spat into the sink and looked at him, amused. “Affectionate?”

He grimaced. “Yes. That.”

You dried your hands and walked over to him, tilting your head. “And how’s that working for you?”

“I hate it.”

You laughed — and before you could say another word, he pulled you into a tight hug.

Not his usual, half-second, cautious kind of hug.

A full one.

Warm. Secure. Both arms wrapped around you, one hand cradling the back of your head.

You froze.

Then melted.

“…You’re getting good at this,” you whispered against his chest.

He hummed. “Don’t get used to it.”

You smiled. “Too late.”

⸻

That night, as you drifted off to sleep with his arm curled around your waist and his hand absentmindedly playing with your fingers, you realized something:

He might not say I love you every hour of the day.

But he showed it — in little things, quiet things, awkward and clumsy and so unmistakably him.

And somehow, that made it even better.

Because it was real.

Because it was his.

Because it was yours.

[wuvja]

Operation: Silent Treatment

| Pairing: Severus Snape x Prof!Reader

| Summary: After a petty argument, the reader gives Severus Snape the Silent Treatment — and he absolutely loses his mind.

———————————————————————————

It started over something stupid.

(As all your fights with Severus usually did.)

He had made some sarcastic comment during breakfast — something about you being “charmingly disheveled” — and you’d been in a mood already.

Now, Severus Snape, feared Potions Master, Half-Blood Prince, your boyfriend, was being subjected to the deadliest punishment known to man:

The Silent Treatment.

And you were committed.

⸻

Severus first realized the gravity of the situation when he passed you in the corridor outside the library.

Normally, you would greet him — a little smirk, a teasing smile, a brush of your hand against his.

Today?

You walked past him like he was a ghost.

Didn’t look. Didn’t blink. Didn’t breathe.

Severus turned on his heel, stunned.

“Excuse me,” he called stiffly.

“Did you go deaf overnight?”

You kept walking.

Severus narrowed his eyes.

So that’s how it is.

⸻

Later, in the dungeons, he tried again.

He “casually” appeared outside your classroom door just as you dismissed your students.

You walked out, papers clutched to your chest, nose in the air like some vengeful queen.

Severus stepped into your path.

“Good afternoon,” he said, voice dripping sarcasm.

You swerved around him without a word.

Severus scowled, turning to follow you down the hall like a very offended bat.

“You are being childish,” he snapped.

You didn’t even flinch.

Severus, now openly glowering, stalked behind you like a black cloud.

⸻

By lunchtime, the entire Hogwarts staff had noticed.

At the staff table, Minerva McGonagall raised a brow over her spectacles as she watched Severus scowl furiously across the table at you — while you buttered your roll with deliberate, regal indifference.

“You’ve done something,” Minerva said dryly, sipping her tea.

“I did not,” Severus hissed under his breath.

Minerva looked at him over the rim of her cup with infinite amusement.

“You poor fool.”

Severus stabbed his peas with unnecessary violence.

⸻

By dinner, Severus had accepted the terms of war.

If you wanted dramatics, fine.

He could out-stubborn anyone.

But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t fight dirty.

He waited until you were deep in conversation with Poppy Pomfrey, then “accidentally” brushed his hand against your back as he walked past.

You stiffened — but didn’t react.

Severus smirked darkly.

Challenge accepted.

He waited until you were pouring tea, then leaned close — too close — murmuring just loud enough for you to hear:

“Still ignoring me, darling? It’s starting to hurt my fragile feelings.”

You splashed tea everywhere.

Poppy snorted into her napkin.

Severus looked insufferably smug.

⸻

Finally — finally — as you were storming back to your chambers that night, Severus cornered you.

Quite literally — in a shadowy hallway near the Astronomy Tower.

He stepped in front of you, blocking your path, black robes swirling dramatically like some sort of overgrown bat.

You crossed your arms, glaring at him.

“You’re blocking my way.”

Severus tilted his head, studying you.

“You are insufferable,” he said.

You arched an eyebrow.

“And yet you’re obsessed with me.”

A twitch at the corner of his mouth.

(You caught it. You definitely caught it.)

“Painfully so,” he admitted without shame.

You blinked, caught off guard — your heart doing an embarrassing little stumble in your chest.

Severus took a slow step closer, lowering his voice now, the humor fading into something more serious.

“I missed you today,” he said softly.

You swallowed. Hard.

“You were annoying,” you muttered, stubborn.

“I am always annoying,” Severus said easily, reaching out to brush your hair back behind your ear with the gentlest touch.

You scowled harder — but you didn’t pull away.

Severus smiled — a real, rare, devastatingly soft smile.

“I would prefer,” he murmured, thumb brushing your cheek, “that you yell at me. Hex me. Throw things. Anything. Just… don’t ignore me.”

You bit your lip, feeling your throat tighten unexpectedly.

You hadn’t realized…

how much it had bothered him.

(You also hadn’t realized how much it had hurt you to avoid him.)

Your lower lip wobbled slightly — traitorous and completely out of your control.

Your eyes burned.

Oh no.

Not now. Not in the bloody hallway.

You sniffled aggressively, trying to hide it — but it came out sounding like a wounded kitten.

Severus immediately froze.

“Are you — are you crying?”

You turned your head away quickly, mortified. “No!”

Another pathetic sniffle betrayed you.

He made a choked sound — was that a laugh?

You glared at him, blinking rapidly.

“You’re laughing at me?!”

Severus, utterly undone by you trying (and failing) to look furious while your eyes welled up, pulled you into his arms without hesitation.

“I’m laughing because you’re adorable,” he said into your hair, voice shaking slightly with amusement.

You sniffled against his chest, miserable.

“I’m mad at you,” you mumbled pathetically.

“I know,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. “You’re doing a terrible job showing it.”

You let out a weak punch to his chest — it barely moved him.

“Idiot,” you muttered, wiping your sleeve across your face.

“Insufferable,” he corrected fondly.

You scowled up at him — your watery, pouting scowl so fierce and so pitiful at the same time that Severus looked like he was fighting for his life not to laugh again.

You shoved him half-heartedly, and he caught you easily, pulling you even tighter against him.

“There you are,” he whispered against your hair, like he’d been searching for you all day.

You huffed a grumpy breath but curled your arms around him anyway.

There, in the quiet hallway, you finally let yourself relax against Severus — all your ridiculous grumpiness and stubbornness dissolving into the safe, warm, slightly amused embrace of the man who was, for better or worse, just as hopelessly obsessed with you as you were with him.

[wuvja]

In Spite of It All

| Pairing: Neville Longbotoom x Reader

| Summary: Snape’s stubborn Slytherin niece forms an unlikely bond with Neville Longbottom, despite her uncle’s disapproval. As their friendship turns into something more, Snape learns to let go — just enough to let love grow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone knew Professor Snape had a niece.

What they didn’t know was how fiercely he loved you.

He’d raised you since you were a baby, after your mother — his older cousin — passed away. And while he never smiled in public, never openly praised you, it was clear to anyone who looked closely: you were his soft spot.

You were also a Slytherin, through and through clever, sharp-tongued, stubborn as hell. Which made it all the more baffling when you started hanging around Neville Longbottom.

“Absolutely not,” Severus said, eyes narrowed over his desk in the dungeons. “That boy is one melted cauldron away from setting himself on fire.”

“I like him,” you said, arms crossed, chin high. “He’s not as hopeless as you think.”

Snape stood slowly, robes billowing. “You are not to waste your time on him. Do you understand?”

You stared back, unflinching. “No.”

For a second, his expression flickered — pride or exasperation, you couldn’t tell — before he turned away. “You’re exactly like your mother.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

He grumbled something under his breath, but didn’t argue further.

⸻

Neville, on the other hand, definitely wanted nothing to do with you. At least, that’s how it seemed.

He avoided eye contact in Potions. Sat as far away as possible during meals. Flushed red and mumbled excuses when you tried to talk to him.

It wasn’t until you cornered him outside Greenhouse Three that he finally confessed.

“I-I just… I didn’t think you’d actually want to talk to me,” he stammered, eyes on his shoes. “You’re Snape’s niece. And you’re in Slytherin. He already hates me.”

You leaned against the greenhouse door, arms crossed. “I’m not my uncle.”

He glanced up, cautiously. “No… you’re not.”

That was how it started. Quiet conversations in the greenhouse. Awkward study sessions. Laughing over how he once mistook a puffapod for a pincushion.

He even grew you a petunia — soft lilac, carefully pruned — and gave it to you in a tiny clay pot. You kept it on your windowsill, despite Pansy Parkinson’s teasing.

But of course, things couldn’t stay simple.

⸻

Severus found you together late one evening, long past curfew. You and Neville had stayed behind in the greenhouse, caught up in conversation and the scent of moonflowers.

The door burst open with a sharp creak.

“Miss Prince,” Severus said, his voice colder than the night air. “Mr. Longbottom.”

Neville stood so fast he knocked over a watering can. “P-Professor, I was just— We didn’t— I mean, nothing—”

“Save it,” Snape snapped.

You stepped between them. “Uncle. We were just talking.”

“It’s nearly midnight.”

“I know. But we weren’t doing anything wrong.”

His jaw clenched, dark eyes flicking to Neville. “I told you to be careful. I warned you.”

“And I listened,” you said. “But I’m not a child. You can’t protect me from everyone.”

There was a long silence. Then, quietly:

“I can try.”

Your eyes softened. “You’ve always tried. And you’ve done more for me than anyone ever has. But this? Neville? This is my choice.”

Neville stepped forward, voice trembling. “I’d never hurt her, sir. I promise.”

Snape looked between you — his niece, so sure of yourself, and the Gryffindor boy standing protectively beside you.

Finally, he exhaled.

“I’ll hold you to that, Longbottom.”

⸻

A week later, Neville invited you to a “sort-of-maybe-not-quite-a-date” in the greenhouse.

Fairy lights hung from the beams, charmed to hover in the air. A blanket spread over the floor, with sweets from Honeydukes and two steaming mugs of cocoa.

“I read that greenhouses were good for Slytherins,” he said nervously. “Earth and water and… calming energy, or something.”

You laughed, sinking down beside him. “You’re such a nerd.”

“You like it,” he muttered, blushing.

“I really do.”

You leaned in and kissed him softly — a brush of lips and warmth and surprise. When you pulled back, his face was bright red, eyes wide.

“Was that okay?” you teased.

“Yeah,” he breathed. “Very okay.”

You smiled, resting your head on his shoulder as the fairy lights shimmered above.

And somewhere in the castle, Severus Snape sat alone in his quarters, grading essays with his usual scowl — but the scarf he’d given you earlier still sat folded neatly on the arm of his chair, and for once, the fire burned just a little warmer.

————————————

[wuvja]

Unspoken

| Pairing: Severus Snape x Reader

| Summary: Jealousy, potions, and one very explosive confession. When Severus Snape finally snaps over your closeness with Remus, buried feelings erupt, and things get dangerously romantic.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You didn’t need Legilimency to know Severus Snape was angry.

He barely looked at you during staff meetings anymore. The once frequent late-night lesson planning in his office had dwindled to cold nods in corridors. You’d tried to ignore it, but the way his shoulders tensed every time you so much as smiled at Remus made it impossible.

You and Remus had grown close. Quiet conversations over tea, shared lessons, soft laughter echoing in the empty halls. It was innocent. But it was the kind of closeness Severus never allowed himself to want.

Until now.

It was late when you found him in the Potions classroom, scribbling in his notes with more force than necessary.

“Severus,” you said carefully, “have I done something?”

He didn’t look up. “Nothing you aren’t free to do.”

“Then why do you act like I’ve betrayed you?”

He stood suddenly, chair screeching across the stone. “Because watching you with him makes me want to set this bloody castle on fire!”

You froze.

His chest heaved, voice shaking as he continued. “Do you have any idea what it feels like to watch someone else receive every smile I’ve memorized in secret?”

Your heart cracked.

“I never meant to hurt you,” you whispered.

“And yet,” he said bitterly, “here we are.”

Silence stretched.

“I thought maybe,” you began, stepping closer, “maybe you felt something too. But you never said a word.”

“I was afraid,” he growled. “Afraid of what I’d become. Afraid you’d see me the way I see myself.”

You reached for his hand, lacing your fingers with his. “Then let me show you how I see you.”

He stared at you, all that fury crumbling into something far more fragile.

And then he kissed you. It was like the first time you’d exhaled in months. All that tension, all the unspoken things, melted away in the warmth of the kiss. He wasn’t careful with it—he was desperate, hungry, as if trying to make up for every moment lost.

When you pulled apart, you smiled. “So… do you still want to burn the castle down?”

“Only if you’ll stand in the ashes with me.”

——————