"Enjoy the little things in life... for one day you'll look back and realise they were the big things."

Robert Brault

A/N - inspired by the song 'Travelin' Soldier' by The Chicks.

The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over the quiet neighbourhood where Severus Snape lived with his mother, Eileen. It was the day before his eleventh birthday, a milestone that held both excitement and trepidation for the young boy. But as he made his way down the familiar streets of Cokeworth and towards the local park, Severus' thoughts were consumed by one thing and one thing only - Tobias Snape.

Severus had grown up hearing stories about his father, tales of bravery and sacrifice that painted a picture of a man he had never known. Tobias Snape, a squib and soldier who had fought and died in Vietnam before Severus had even been born, was a figure shrouded in mystery and longing; a constant presence in their small household of two. And as he walked, the ten-year-old couldn't help but feel the weight of his father's absence pressing down upon him, a silent reminder of the void that had been left behind.

But amidst the swirl of emotions that threatened to overwhelm him, there was one thing that had always remained constant - the faded, royal-blue ribbon that had been plaited into his hair by his mother.

For as long as he could remember, the ribbon had been a source of comfort and strength; a 'security blanket' and tangible reminder of his father's legacy and the sacrifices his family had made for their country. And although he had been teased mercilessly by his peers for wearing it, Severus had never once considered removing it, for it was a part of who he was, a link to a past he could only dream of.

As he reached the park, Severus' attention was drawn quickly towards a group of children playing on the grass, their laugher ringing out like music in the warm summer air. And among them, he caught sight of a girl with fiery-red hair, her glee infectious as she chased after a ball with her friends.

Lily.

Severus felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of her, his breath catching in his throat as he watched her move with a grace and elegance that seemed to defy description. She was unlike anyone he had ever seen before, her beauty and confidence drawing Severus in like a moth to a flame.

Though as he approached, a sense of unease crept over him - a feeling that something was not quite right. For despite the warmth of her smile and the sparkle in her eyes, there was a distance in Lily's gaze, a barrier that seemed to be trying to keep him at arm's length.

"Hey, Sev!" the redhead called when she spotted Severus, her voice bright and cheerful as she waved him over. Yet her next words had the boy's steps faltering and a flush of embarrassment rising in his cheeks, the teasing tone in her voice cutting through the ten-year-old like a knife. "What's with the ribbon? Trying to start a new fashion trend?"

Severus opened his mouth to respond, but the words caught in his throat, lost amidst the laughter of their peers.

"Why don't you get that ribbon I gave you," Eileen did call as five-year-old Severus Snape rummaged through the small basket of odds and ends on the kitchen table, his tiny hands searching for something to help tame his unruly hair. Though his nose wrinkled in distaste as his eyes landed on the faded royal-blue ribbon, unable to help but protest as his small fingers traced the frayed edges.

"But, Ma, it's old!"

Eileen could only chuckle at her son, her eyes twinkling with a soft amusement. And she crossed the room, kneeling beside her son as she gently revealed, "I know it's old, love. But it's special," as she reached out and picked up the ribbon. "It belonged to your father."

Severus' eyes widened in surprise at the mention of his father, Tobias Snape; a man he had never known but whose memory loomed large within their home. "Daddy? Really?" he asked, his voice filled with an ever-eager curiosity.

His mother nodded, a wistful smile beginning to play at the corners of her lips. "Yes, really," she confirmed - even as her fingers deftly weaved the ribbon into a makeshift hair tie. "Your father used to wear this ribbon in his hair when we first started dating."

The five-year-old listened intently, his imagination taking flight as his mother's words painted a vivid picture in his mind. He could almost see his father, Tobias, with his raven locks tamed by the same ribbon that was being weaved into his own hair; a simple yet poignant symbol of their love.

"We were just two young kids, barely out of school, and we didn't have much, but we had each other," Eileen continued, her soft voice filled with nostalgia. "And every time I say your father wearing this ribbon, it reminded me of how much he cared for me, how he would do anything to make me happy."

Severus felt a swell of pride in his chest at the thought of his father, a man he had never met but whose legacy he carried every day. And as his mother finished weaving the ribbon into his hair - hair that he had inherited from the very same man who's ribbon did tame, he couldn't stop himself from declaring with a voice filled with determination, "I'll wear it, Ma, always. For Da."

Eileen smiled, her eyes shining with love and pride - and the possible glitter of unshed tears - as she leaned forward to press a kiss to her son's forehead. "That's my boy," she whispered, her heart overflowing with love for the son who reminded her so much of the man she'd loved and lost.

"I... I just thought it looked nice," Severus finally managed to stammer, his cheeks burning with embarrassment as he tried to brush off Lily's teasing with a forced smile; unsure of if he truly wanted to share the sentimentality behind the ribbon he wore, the longing he did feel for a father he'd never known, and of the life he had never had the opportunity to live with the redhead.

But as Lily laughed, a sound that grated on his nerves like nails on a chalkboard, it seemed the decision was made for him.

"Well, it's certainly... unique," Lily told him, her tone laced with amusement. "But I think I'll stick with my own sense of style, thanks."

Severus felt his heart sink at her words, a bitter taste filling his mouth as he quickly turned away, unable to bear the sting of rejection any longer; realising that, despite his hopes and dreams, he would always been an outsider - naught but a boy with a faded, blue-royal ribbon plaited into his hair and a father he could never truly know.