This is Better (human!Winterwatcher)

five (june sophomore year): in which studying is (mostly) dreadful

It's the last night before their last final and Moon really needs to finish studying but she's exhausted and her vision is blurry and she can't stop thinking about touching Winter's face a few days ago, the way he sighed, the way his hair felt in her hand. It makes it even harder than usual to focus on reviewing the industrial revolution. She hates the endless lists of people and places and dates and events, all interconnected in ways her sleep-deprived brain can't remember.

"Remember Napear Bonapear?" Winter asks, folding a sheet of paper in a way that doesn't look at all productive.

"Of course." Moon laughs. Almost done. She hates having history sixth, but at least she has it with Winter.

"Superior to the real thing." He leans back against his bed, staring at the stacks of notes covering the floor. They've commandeered Winter's room for the evening- Qibli is attending a last-minute tutorial for his Latin class. "I still don't understand why any of this is remotely relevant, history or most of chemistry."

"Don't you know? When we're sixteen, we'll have to spend a semester in the nineteenth century."

"How could I forget?" Winter looks at her, voice soft, and their eyes catch. Moon isn't sure she ever wants to look away.

"Winter?"

"What?"

"I..." She has no idea what to say, what she meant to say.

"I don't want to leave," he whispers.

"Me neither." And Moon knows he means this moment as well as the school, knows his heart is racing, just like hers, knows that, yes, she wants to kiss him, yes, she wants to stay here, yes, she's holding her breath.

They're both leaning forward and Moon doesn't know what she's really supposed to do and don't people do something with their hands in books and she's so tired, so tired and Winter's eyes aren't nearly as blue as they look from further away.

He's closing his eyes and Moon thinks maybe she should close her eyes too.

But doesn't and she's kissing Winter and it isn't really how she imagined. It's like running down a hill as fast as she can, feeling gravel under her feet and knowing she can't stop, worrying she might fall at the bottom but feeling, for now, a little like she's flying.

She has no idea if she's doing this right, if there is a right way to kiss people, if she's supposed to open her mouth or keep it closed- in books everyone always knows how to kiss, even if they've never done it before.

Moon can tell Winter doesn't know how to kiss her either, which is reassuring. Or is it? Would she rather have a perfect first kiss with someone who knows exactly what he's doing?

But there's Winter's mouth on hers and he has a hand in her hair so she pulls away to breathe and puts a hand on his back and then they're kissing again and- oh no is that Metallica?

Winter sits back and turns off the music. "Sorry. For the music."

And Moon's just sort of blinking at him and smiling and how did she end up almost in his lap? Her heart is pounding like she's just been running and spinning in circles and Winter is breathing short and shallow.

"Was...was that alright?" He frowns, running a hand through his hair. They've messed up some of the papers on the floor.

"Oh. Yes." Moon nods and takes a deep breath. "I...I should go. But. Yeah. That was great. I think."

Winter looks both happy and worried. "You think?"

"Mm-hm." She gets up and grabs her notes, feeling shaky and euphoric and unsure what to do next. Is this the last time she'll see him before everyone comes to her cabin in august? Moon doesn't know and she really wants to sit back down and kiss Winter again, learn how to kiss him properly, but she's not sure what that would mean and she's still tired, so she walks to the door and waves goodbye.

"See you tomorrow?"

Moon looks back- Winter is gathering his notes, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth. "Yeah."

She doesn't get a chance to say a proper goodbye to Winter before she's in her mom's car, done with finals and done with her first year of boarding school. It's going to be a long summer.