As Long As They're Happy

The days after the fall of Darkstalker were the most painful for Winter.

Every moment of every day was spent agonizing over how he'd failed her, how he could've done better. Every night, he watched the stars and the moons, hoping to see her lithe black shape flying towards him, asking him to come home to Jade Mountain. And every day and every night, she never came looking for him.

And when he eventually did venture back to his school, his cracked heart shattered.

Because even if Moon and Qibli never directly said it, it was obvious, present in the secretive smiles and little touches and the starry-eyed looks they gave each other. Winter watched them as they laughed and joked around with Kinkajou and Peril, who'd joined their winglet, with Turtle watching from the sidelines with warm amusement in his eyes. He tried to replicate the look, crinkling his eyes just right and turning up the corners of the mouth, and the brilliant smile Moon bent on him in return almost convinced him that he maybe was okay.

And the even brighter smile she turned to Qibli told him that he most definitely was not.

Why can't I be more like him? Warm and funny and kind. Qibli never yelled at her; he's always patient and kind and gentle.

I ruined every chance I had at being with her. I hurt her.

And as he watched Moon shove Qibli into the lake and get dragged in after him, laughing, he realized that he had never been good enough and never would be.

Then I'll be good enough to protect you both. Qibli knows what I feel for Moon, but she won't have to, not ever.

I'll keep you both safe, never let anything intrude on your happiness. I'll be happy for you and smile and laugh. I'll play with your dragonets and bring them presents and their first pets and dragonet-sit them when you go out on date nights.

You don't need to know what you did to me. That burden is mine to bear.

I'm sorry I can't be more for you.

The next seven years passed remarkably swiftly. Winter took on an apprenticeship with Queen Glory, who for some reason thought he'd make an excellent ambassador and was genuinely interested in his scavenger projects. Moon moved to the Kingdom of the Sand to be with Qibli, which simultaneously made living in the rainforest better and worse. He taught Peacemaker how to fight, but told him only to use it to defend himself, and also shared with him him a few IceWing recipes. He helped Hope map out the Night Kingdom so that it could be studied for history. He gave lectures at Jade Mountain and watched a new group of heroes rise to explore the Lost Continent. He tried not to look for Moon in the sky anymore (and failed every time). He wrote the others letters and got some in return, and fought back tears whenever Moon sent him her love. He played the loyal, supportive, protective best friend, smiled at all the right times and got angry right when he was supposed to and never, ever showed that his heart was nothing more than a pile of ice shards.

Of course, Winter couldn't stay as strong as he'd liked when he got that letter.

To: Prince Winter of the IceWings, nephew of former Queen Glacier, O Hear His Name and Tremble (ha-ha, Qibli, very funny, he'll grumble to them, the classic irritated IceWing).

From: Qibli of the SandWings and Moonwatcher of the NightWings (her signature was beautiful to him, despite it being a messy scrawl, and he wished that he could watch her write it).

You are cordially (or not?) invited to the wedding of Moonwatcher, Hero of Pyrrhia, and Qibli, also a Hero of Pyrrhia. We can't wait to see you there! (He'd be there, smiling and waving and grousing at Qibli just like usual, the skyfire around his neck hiding his pain from Moon again).