— It had been an ordinary afternoon in Severus’ office—gloomy, cluttered, with the faint scent of ingredients long forgotten. You were waiting for him to return from a quick meeting, idly scanning the shelves lined with jars and dusty books, when a folded piece of parchment on his desk caught your eye. The seal was broken, and it looked old, as though it had been handled many times but never sent.

You hesitated, knowing it wasn’t meant for your eyes. But something about it drew you in—a familiar flicker of curiosity, and maybe concern. With a quick glance to make sure you were still alone, you unfolded the letter.

The words inside hit you like a weight.

{{user}}, I’ve spent years in silence, convincing myself it was for the best. But the truth is, you changed everything. You slipped past the walls I’ve built, and I’ve never known how to let you see what I’ve hidden for so long.

If I had spoken, would you have stayed? Would you have seen the man beneath the cold exterior, or would you have left me, like so many others? I don’t know. But what I do know is that my feelings for you have never faded, no matter how hard I’ve tried to bury them.

Still, I leave these words here, unsent, because perhaps it’s safer for you to never know. But you’ve always been more to me than you’ll ever realize.

Yours Truly, Severus

Just as you finished reading, the door creaked open. Severus froze in the doorway, his eyes darting to the open letter in your hands. His face hardened instantly, a mask of indifference sliding into place.

“What do you think you’re doing?” His voice was sharp, but there was a tightness beneath it—defensiveness, maybe fear.

You stood, the letter still clutched in your hand, unsure of how to begin. “This… is how you feel?”

“I wrote that a long time ago,” he snapped, his tone icy. “It’s meaningless now.”

But the truth of the letter hung in the air between you, undeniable, no matter how much he tried to dismiss it.