make me stay.

nineteen

♜

flakes of thin snowflakes were melting on my red cheeks as we finally found some cover from the falling snow beneath some trees.

as he walked around the tree, i used the split second i had blocked from his views due to the tree to pick up a handful of snow. it didn't take me long to form a ball, pressing on its sides to harden it, before aiming at his nose and throwing when he showed up on the other side.

i froze, my mouth forming a shocked o, as i watched the snowball landing perfectly, coming into direct contact with his face. he wiped the remaining snow away with his glove, his eyes closed as he chuckled slowly.

"oh, mars," he says, and i can hear the authority ringing off his tone. i can feel my nerves rise as a reaction to his two words. he was powerful, could control me, even if it wasn't on purpose.

i took in a sharp breath as he made eye contact; "did you not listen to my story? i began my life here in the winter. i have the benefit out here,"

and suddenly, without even having to look in the direction of where he was directing his kick, he used his foot to hit the tree at his side, before taking a quick step forward. he grabbed the branch that jumped down as a follow from his kick, pulling it down as far as it would go before letting go.

it swiped up faster than my eyes could have followed if he had let my stare go, but he kept me locked and before i could react, snow fell from every level of the tree and covered me from top to toe. i barely had time to close my eyes before darkness swallowed me whole.

"you're kidding," i mumbled, accidentally eating some snow while speaking.

a muffled laughter could be heard on the outside, before he replied; "winter will always be my favourite season,"

"i prefer summer,"

"too bad you're stuck up here, then. winter never leaves, it just gets colder in the actual winter months."

my eyes widen, as i move as much as possible, breaking the snow walls keeping me in one place. i face mercer whom have walked up behind me while i was covered up, only able to speak the first thing that came to mind; "what?"

he simply shrugs, before suddenly raising his head, as if listening to the birds chirping. i raise my eyebrows, wondering what he is doing, before he seems glance around, this time searching for the birds.

"just handle it." he speaks out into the empty air.

i cock my head to the side; "i'm sorry?" i reply, despite being unsure if he was even speaking to me or not.

he looks back, holding out his hand for me to take. i frown, about to ask another question as he simply nods upwards; "take it, and be quiet." he lays an order, and i obey.

i take two steps towards him, placing my hand in his, and instantly, i hear it.

...moving it forward. we see storms like this every year, but most of our new recruits have never.

a voice speaks inside my head, and i am almost entirely sure i can clock it as belonging to one of mercer's nobles.

"just like the storms, we also see this issue every year, harry." mercer replies, as we both just stand there.