Ice at Midnight: A Winterwatcher Fanfic

❄️Chapter 17: Is This Happening?❄️

   I love the above image. They're both so confused, and it's adorable! Also, looks like the artist didn't quite align their eyes so that they're looking at the other's eyes, because Winter appears to be staring at her nose, XD.

 Winter stood, waiting impatiently by the punch bowl in Jade Mountain Academy's Great Hall. He was growing annoyed and nervous at once; the dance had started fifteen minutes ago and Moon hadn't shown yet. He fidgeted with the navy blue and white-striped bow tie around his neck, the fabric irritating the sensitive scales. Maybe it was just his nerves. 

  Is she mad that I didn't ask her instead of the other way around? Then again, I probably wouldn't have been able to bring myself to, even though I guess I did want this. Why else would I be here? 

  The pale blue IceWing looked over across the space, where he could see Blizzard - still relatively new here - trying to work up the guts to talk to Sparrow. The dark blue dragon had spilled the fact that he liked her to Winter about four days ago, which puzzled him, as Blizzard had only been here a couple weeks. How could he know he liked someone that quickly? It had taken Winter two months to figure out that he...

  Liked Moon. As more than a friend.

  He still despised himself every now and then for letting those feelings blossom into what they were now, a desperate desire to be something more with the pretty NightWing, even if he rarely consciously admitted it to himself. He hoped to the love of everything that she didn't know that he felt this way. 

  He'd pretty much figured out by now what those weird feelings he always got when he was around her were: he was in love. Badly. He'd confirmed it after reading that scroll he'd gotten two days ago.

  Winter turned and filled a glass with some fruit punch to take his mind off of things. He'd never been a huge fan of sugary things, since he'd never had any real fruit before, but everybody knew the flavoring in this drink was artificial and loaded with sugar. Besides, he was feeling a little tired despite his anxiety, and could use a pick-me-up.

  The lighting here was dark, the only fire globes lit being dark blue ones that made the grand cavern seem like it was midnight. Blue and silver ribbons and streamers strung from stalactites and stalagmites added to this, and there a few dragons Winter barely recognized playing instruments including a harp, a musical triangle, and possibly some sort of wind chime to create very calming sounds, almost sounding nature-like. 

  Winter drank down his glass of punch quickly, then nearly choked on it when he noticed Flame at the other end of the cavern, standing next to Tamarin. What was he doing here? He'd been expelled earlier that week, and should've been long before that! 

  The IceWing saved himself from a possible bout of choking, only to actually start choking as he saw Moonwatcher enter the Great Hall through the single entrance cave on the far left wall. A purplish-blue SeaWing approached him, wearing a worried expression, but he held up a talon as he cleared his throat of the sugary drink. 

  "I'm good," he croaked as soon as he was once more able to speak. They just nodded and walked away, and Winter decided to avoid the punch for a bit, at least until it seemed all the surprises were over.

  Pull yourself together! You're an IceWing, for Pyrrhia's sake! Now go over there and talk to her, before she catches you gawking like a half-wit!

  Winter didn't ignore his own command. He took a couple deep breaths until the shaking in his arms stopped, then walked over to where Moon was looking around, either admiring the decorations or looking for him. She saw him coming and flashed a genuine smile, her off-white teeth showing and everything.