@botanies * his posture remained steady, unmoving, even as the other drew closer. alexei held his gaze however, curiosity flickering across his sharp features like a shadow. truth be told, he’d had a gut feeling about this for some time now — a quiet tension coiling in his chest, urging him to stay vigilant. ever since his family had moved, he’d grown increasingly wary, his instincts sharper, his guard higher. the fact that his father and professor snape shared a history—one steeped in all the wrong reasons—only added fuel to his unease. it was enough to keep him on edge, watching snape’s every move, dissecting every word with an almost predatory precision. * and why do you believe that?