It was winter, my favourite season. I'm biased, given that my ancestor is the spirit of Winter and that the cold doesn't affect me like everyone else.

Snowy landscapes at night were the best. The moonlight reflecting gently off the snow was just gorgeous. However, again, I'm biased.

I was leaving the meeting place after a long combat session. I was tired, but not exhausted.

Evening had already began to fall, and I was thinking about what to have for dinner. I'd started living on my own now, still in Burgess though, I hadn't wanted to leave my Branch, or Jamie.

I'd been feeling weird about Jamie lately. When he got his first girlfriend I started plotting freezing her solid. I don't know what happened, I didn't even know what I was feeling. I'd never even met the poor girl, and I decided that I hated her.

When she and Jamie broke up I hated her even more, because she'd made Jamie upset.

It came back into my mind now as I walked home, and I leaned my forehead against a nearby lamp post. Why? Why did I keep feeling like this? What was this?

Taboo had nothing to say on the matter, just watching in amusement as I thudded my head against the lamp post.

"You'll lose brain cells doing that."

I made an irritated noise in the back of my throat and lifted my forehead off the now frosted lamp post.

Makes no sense... I was now leaning my back against the lamp post, looking at the cloud filled sky.

"You're still on about that? If you're that worried talk to someone! I'm sure Tina and Sally would be able to help."

I can't bother them about it. I don't even know it is.

"Well maybe they will."

We'd had the same conversation several times over the past few months. Each time it ended the same; I didn't want to talk about it because I couldn't explain it.

"You might want to start moving before people start thinking that you're about to
re-enact 'Singing in the Rain'."

I gave a small smile at the idea and pushed myself off the lamp post. I shoved my hands in my hoodie pocket and began walking towards my flat, hoping that it wasn't going to rain.

"Excuse me. Hey!"

I turned to see someone I really didn't want to see. Jamie's ex-girlfriend.

She wasn't anyone from Jamie's group of friends, she was someone entirely new from his high school. She had straight red hair and shining blue eyes, she was also slim and dressed fashionably.

Remain impartial, remain impartial, remain impartial. I chanted in my head as she began to speak.

"You're one of Jamie's friends right? Jackie?"

"Yes."

"Hey, I'm Britt, one his friends from high school. I don't think we've met."

"No, we haven't." Go away go away go away.

"So, I was wondering if you knew where Jamie was. I haven't seen him."

"Neither have I, and if you don't mind I'm running late. Bye."

I heard her also say bye, but I'd already turned on my heel and was already walking down the street, my mood soured. Once I was out of sight I pulled up my hood and shoved my hands deep in my hoodie pockets.

It wasn't fair to her, she seemed like a nice person. I just didn't want to be anywhere near her.

It didn't help that Taboo was giving me suggestions on how to take her out, each one getting more and more violent.

Shut up. I told her irritably, to which she laughed.

"Don't tell me that you wouldn't want to see that though."

When I didn't answer Taboo just laughed again.

"Seriously though, talk to someone about this. Wanting to attack someone without my input is rare for you."

I didn't respond as I entered my block and took the stairs up. I hated taking the elevator, it was an old, creaky device that sounded like it was about to fall whenever you stepped into it.

Taboo obviously didn't smell or hear anyone nearby, so she jumped out of my hood and walked beside me as we ascended the stairs.

"Seriously, bottling something up has never done you any good in the past-."

"Who are you? Jiminy Cricket?" I asked as I opened my door.

"Well apparently your own conscience and common sense have taken a holiday, so I might as well be!"

I slammed the door shut harder than I intended and dropped my kit bag in the hallway.
Taboo stalked past me and settled down in the living room in front of the sofa.

I made my way to the kitchen to try and get something sorted for dinner, making clear that the current conversation was closed.

The next day I was doing my shift at the bookshop. I was there most of the day and it was usually quite quiet, which gave me plenty of time to doodle while at the till.

Annoyingly today, I just couldn't think of anything to draw, my mind just refused to stay in one place.

I groaned and lowered my forehead onto the table. This never happened. I prided myself on how quickly I could get myself to concentrate and stay concentrated, I just couldn't understand why I couldn't do it now.

"Jackie."

I looked up to see Sally looking at me over the counter. Or trying, she wasn't very tall, so she was standing on her toes.

"Hmmm?"

"Something wrong?"

I'd long given up trying to lie to Sally, it just didn't work.

"Can't concentrate."

"Not like you."

"I know."

I stood up straight and spun the pencil between my fingers.

"You've been distracted for a while."

"Really?" I frowned in confusion at the small blonde.

"Ever since Jamie said he had a girlfriend." Sally raised her eyebrows knowingly.

"It's not that." I muttered, my gaze on my sketch. "Dunno what it is."

"How to you feel about Jamie's girlfriend?"

Despite myself I felt myself tense up, and the image of her frozen solid passed through my mind. Sally just nodded, a knowing smile on her face.

"I know what it is. You're jealous."

"Jealous? I'm not jealous."

"Really? Every time Jamie mentions his girlfriend you go strangely quiet, and look like you're about to freeze something."

"I do not."

"Yes, you do." Sally was looking right at me, and I tried to avoid her gaze.

"So, why are you jealous?"

"Are we really doing this now?" I asked, looking up and down the shop.

"They aren't any customers." Said Sally with a shrug, "And you can't leave the tills unattended."

"So you've purposely started this here, where I can't escape."

Sally's grin turned to a sly one. "You said it, not me."

Realising that she was waiting for me to answer the question I started poking the pen pot to the side.

"I don't know. I just don't like the idea of her being around..." I trailed off when I realised where I was going. Sally just nodded, like she knew it all beforehand.

My mouth moved, but no words came out as I fumbled for an answer.

"B-but, he's a kid! He's sixteen, I'm twenty one! That's just weird."

"Only five years. Many married couples have that age gap."

"M-marriage!? No! J-just, no!"

Taboo laughed from behind the till while Sally just smiled.

"You're right, a little early to think about that. And you'd better not say anything for a while, he's still trying to get over his last girlfriend."

"I don't- I-I-I don't..." I thudded my head onto the counter and sighed. "I don't know."

"You're never had a boyfriend before." It wasn't a question, but I answered with a shake, or roll, of the head.

"Take it slow, be supportive. At this age the five year age gap does seem more daunting, so Jamie probably doesn't see you like that. You're an adult, you're out of reach. Only let him know how you feel when you're comfortable."

"That sounds easier said than done."

"Of course it is." Said Sally calmly, and I was suddenly glad that it was Sally giving this advice. Tina would have just scoffed like it was obvious. "But that's what makes it worth it."

Sally patted my head, which was still on the counter. "Don't worry about it too much. The best thing you can do now is be there for your friend, okay?"

"Got it."

"Basically, expect to get friend zoned."

Sally and I jumped as Tina entered the conversation.

I looked up to see that she was standing behind Sally, and I frowned in confusion.

"...What's 'friend zoned'?"

Tina sighed and shook her head. "You need to get out more. The Friend Zone is when the person you like sees you as just a friend. Given how young Jamie is compared to you, you can expect that to happen."

I winced. "Please don't phrase it like that. It makes me sound like a pedophile."

"Jamie is legal." Said Tina, and my head met the counter again when I realised what she was implying.

"No no no no and no. Just... no."

"I'm only teasing." Defended Tina. "Be patient, and like Sally said be supportive. How's your cooking?"

I looked up with a disbelieving expression. "Given that I can't stand being near anything that produces heat?"

"...Touché. I'll leave out the 'the way to man's heart is his stomach' thing."

"He's sixteen."

"When Jack was human Jamie would be counted as a man."

"Yes, and I'd have been married off years ago, but this isn't the seventeen hundreds. Can we drop this now?"

"Fine, but if you want any other advice, you know where to go." Tina winked and left to check the stock room. Sally and I just looked at each other, with Sally shrugging, her small plait bobbing up and down in her long blonde hair.

"Just don't tell her if you're ever going on a date." She said, and I nodded slowly, not quite understanding.

"She'll give you a makeover." Sally clarified and I shuddered. That was not something I wanted to be subjected to.

"Thanks for the heads up."

Sally just nodded and got back to whatever she had been doing earlier.

I was still thinking on Sally's advice at the next meeting. Ideally I should act like nothing was different, but now that I knew why I wanted to freeze Britt solid things were going to difficult on my end.

So throughout the entire combat session I couldn't help but watch Jamie out of the corner of my eye. He was getting really good with a sword, not quite on par with the rest of us, as we'd been training for much longer, but good for a guy who'd been training for three years.

He also seemed a little distracted today, but I imagine he was still recovering from the break up.

When it got to the water break I went over and struck up a conversation.

"So, how's things?"

"Fine."

Oh boy, now I knew why the others found it annoying when I gave one word answers.

"Hey, it's my job to give the one word answers." I said jokingly, but Jamie didn't seem to be in the mood for jokes.

I shrugged to Taboo and took a swig of my water.

"Sorry, it just, since Britt..."

I managed to remain relaxed this time.

"Well, I have no advice. I don't have any experience with that kind of thing."

"I know you don't, and sorry, I don't mean to dump it on you."

"You're my friend, I don't mind."

"...Really?"

"Really, you idiot." I nudged him with my elbow. "Now stop acting so love sick, you're depressing everyone, especially yourself."

"Hmmm." Jamie seemed lost in thought. He was silent for a bit, then.

"Britt talked to me last week. Said she wanted to try again."

I resisted the urge to sigh and punch something.

"Well, that's your decision."

"I don't know if I want to though. She's nice and everything, but..."

"But?"

"...I don't know."

I tapped the sides of my bottle, trying to think of what to say.

"Hey, if you want a man to man talk about it, I suggest Billy. He's had plenty of girls at least flirt with him."

"Yeah, but..." Jamie muttered something I didn't catch.

"Sorry?"

"Nothing." He said, a little too fast, screwing the cap back on his bottle. "Better get back." He stood up and went back to the training sword so quickly that I was left wondering what just happened.

Later that night I was at the lake, as always, practicing. Taboo had decided to stay at the flat tonight, so I was alone, and once the snow had settled I was glad in a way.

The moonlight shone down through the gap in the trees above the lake, making the ice shine. The snow caught in the light glittered, and the moon itself was large and full. Truly a beautiful night.

"...Jackie."

I jumped about a foot in the air, then berated myself for not hearing anyone coming.

"Sorry." Said Jamie as I turned to face him from the branch I was sitting on. "Didn't mean to scare you."

"You didn't scare me, you, just, took me by surprise."

Jamie smiled. "Sure I did." He looked at the tree trunk, then up at me. "Mind if I join you?"

"No, go ahead."

Jamie nodded and easily climbing up to my branch, and I shuffled along to make room.

"Sorry about earlier." Said Jamie, his breath clouding as he talked. "I wasn't thinking straight."

I didn't really know what to say to that, so just looked at the moon.

"I know you haven't been happy that I've had a girlfriend."

I spluttered and started to deny it, but Jamie put a hand up to stop me.

"I've seen that look on your face whenever I bring it up, no matter how hard you try to hide it. You look like you want to punch something."

"... I didn't think I was that easy to read." I said, although Jamie had always been better at this kind of thing than me.

"Only when you're frustrated." Laughed Jamie. His laughter quickly died and he continued talking.

"I don't know why you looked like that, and I don't want to guess. Did you know Britt before?"

"Never met her."

"Hmmm."

An awkward silence fell, and I searched for something to say. Then I struck upon what could be gold.

"Hey, remember when we used to sit here at night?"

"Huh?"

"When we were younger. We'd sit here waiting for Jack. Your idea I believe."

Jamie seemed unsure about where I was going, but nodded. "Yeah, I remember." Another pause, then he nudged my shoulder with his. "You were so grumpy back then."

"Was not!"

"Yes you were! You practically brooded!"

"I did not brood!"

My annoyance was broken when Jamie started laughing. I'm not sure why it was so funny, but quickly I started laughing too.

After a while the laughter died and we sat. Suddenly Jamie leaned his head on my shoulder.

I was so glad that he couldn't see my face, because I'm pretty sure I went several shades of red. I was also panicking, what was I supposed to do? Lean my head on his? Wrap my arm around his shoulder? What do people do in these situations?

"I've missed this." He said softly, startling me from my panicked thoughts. "I feel like I'm growing up, I don't see Jack as much."

"Growing old is something we can't help." I said softly. "Growing up, however, is completely optional."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

The silence now was comfortable as we just looked at the lake, each of us lost in our thoughts.

"I don't think I'm going to go out with Britt again." Jamie said suddenly.

"You sure?" I asked, trying not to sound as happy as I felt.

"Yeah, it didn't work."

I'm pretty sure that Jamie closed his eyes on my shoulder.

"Erm, Jamie?"

"Hmmm?"

"Are you going to sleep there? It's only going to get colder tonight."

"...Cold doesn't bother me." He said, sounding a little sleepy now.

"Good to know, but your mom would kill me if you got frostbite."

"Won't get frostbite. Not after how much time I spend around you."

"Hey!"

Jamie just laughed, definitely sounding sleepy now.

"C'mon sleepy head. You've got to go to bed."

"...Alright."

We got down from the tree and I helped Jamie get home. When we got to the front door Jamie seemed more awake, and a little nervous about something.

"Is everything alright?" I asked.

"Y-yeah." Jamie seemed to be hopping from foot to foot. "Well, night, I guess."

"Night Jamie." I said, smiling as I backed down the porch steps.

Jamie seemed to relax slightly and went inside. I just shook my head and walked. There were times were I just did not understand what was going through his head.

Well, I can just imagine the flames that this might start up.

This is, in a way, my answer to Bennefrost, which is a pairing I'm not a fan of. If you like it, fine, it's just not my thing.