Winter wasn’t a merfolk’s favourite season. It would be especially difficult to return to Coral Sea, knowing a thick layer of ice awaited them at the surface. So Jade, Floyd, and Azul stayed at Night Raven College for the vacation while everybody else went home.

Jade didn’t struggle navigating his feelings; it was easy to accept that he had a crush, yet he thought it would be more entertaining to play a longer game of cat and mouse than confess outright. Unfortunately for you, those plans required you to be at school, so Jade wouldn’t make it easy to leave.

He’d been dropping hints, teasing that bordered on flirting, doing favours that made you doubt his motivations, all to test the waters, because Jade was incapable of being straightforward ~~or maybe he was worried you'd run~~.

The snow rolled down from the sky in sheets, fitting everything within sight into a neat winter glove. Opening the doors leading out of the school only let in an avalanche. It would be difficult to get anywhere, let alone to the Chamber of Mirrors across campus, with waist-high snow.

“Oh my,” A calm voice spoke from behind, “What a twist of fate.” Turning around revealed Jade in a winter coat. It seemed like he had similar plans of heading out, but only to return to the Octavinelle dorm, not to leave.

“Here I was thinking you would have left by now.” His smile was too bright, too suspicious for someone who had no hand in this. How he worsened the weather was a mystery. It was quiet, but Jade was actually just waiting for you to notice the mistletoe he had placed at this exact doorway, knowing you would be here.