This is Better (human!Winterwatcher)

one (december sophomore year): in which winter and moon get absolutely drenched

Winter taps on Moon's half-open door, and her pulse speeds up. Which it shouldn't.

"Moon?"

"I thought you'd be at the formal." She sits up straighter, slipping her bookmark into her book.

He scoffs. "Of course not."

"Oh."

"But I was wondering if you'd like to go to Starbucks or something." Moon hesitates. Is Winter asking her out? Does she hope he's asking her out? "As friends, of course," he adds, running a hand through his hair.

"I...I was planning on staying in and finishing my book."

"It's the last night before we all leave."

Moon looks up, and, yes, Winter looks lonely. He usually looks lonely, but there's something different in his eyes, something sad.

"Okay," she says. Winter does have a point- Moon will have plenty of time to read over break. "But I think it's going to rain."

Winter shrugs, looking down. "I doubt it."

"I'll bring an umbrella."

Moon digs through the closet for her umbrella and grabs a scarf from her bed. She'd be more eager to go if it wasn't so cold here.

The halls are empty and quiet, lit with dim strip lighting. If she listens hard, Moon can hear snatches of pop music from the dance.

"Thank you," Winter says, once they're out of the school, walking down the edge of the road to town. "For coming with me." He won't meet her eyes.

"You're welcome."

"It's...it's nice here." Moon hears what he isn't saying: I don't want to go home.

"Usually."

"When we don't have essays due on the same day as the biggest test of the year."

"Or friends who dragged us out to an ice rink two hours away the day before said test."

Winter laughs, and Moon could listen to the sound forever. "That was a nightmare." The two of them had studied and typed in the common room until three am, fueled by caffeine and complaining. After seeing Winter half-asleep, draped over the back of a chair with horribly messy hair, griping about writing a history paper, he never seemed as intimidating as her first impression of him.

"At least we got Napear Bonapear," Moon mutters.

Winter's shoulders shake with silent laughter. He grins at her like...she doesn't know. She shouldn't be comparing Winter's smiles to anything.

Outside of the forest, it's pouring. Moon can't resist a pointed look.

Winter rolls his eyes. "If you say 'I told you so,' I will...I don't know."

"Glare at me?"

"Oh, I'll glare at you no matter what you do."

Moon glances up at Winter. He's pressing his lips together, but his eyes are all lit up.

"It's a big umbrella," she says. "We can share."

"Oh." Winter looks at her, then away again. Is he blushing? Probably not. "Sure."

"Here." Moon opens her umbrella and holds it out over her head, stepping closer to Winter. She's about six inches shorter than him, and Moon has to raise her hand higher.

"I can hold it."

"I...yeah. That would work better." She passes Winter the umbrella handle, holding it so their hands don't touch.