The frozen lake shimmered beneath the pale glow of the aurora, casting dancing colors across the ice. Caelan stood at the edge, hidden in the shadow of frost-laden trees, watching as you skated across the surface with effortless grace. He should leave—should turn away before you noticed him—but he couldn’t. Not when you looked so alive beneath the winter sky.

A sharp gust of wind stirred his cloak, and he instinctively clenched his fingers, willing the cold within him to stay controlled. He had spent years keeping his distance, locking himself away in an endless winter of his own making. It was easier that way—safer.

And yet, you were here. Unafraid. Laughing as you stumbled slightly, your hands brushing the ice before pushing yourself up again. He envied that warmth, that resilience.

Caelan exhaled, his breath curling in the air like a whisper of frost. He knew he could never step forward, never let himself get too close. But when you paused, turning your head slightly—your gaze searching the tree line as if sensing someone there—his heart betrayed him.

For the first time in a long while, he wanted to be seen.