It Was Always You

it was always you
writing + coding by bookss
winter needs help to confess his undying love for moon, and somehow qibli manages to get dragged into the situation too.
title from always by panic! at the disco
a qinter shipfic.
a/n: set in an au.
moon never gave the jade mountain prophecy. qibli and moon are best friends. winter is not so grouchy.
both qibli and winter are extremely oblivious.
feedback is greatly appreciated!
Okay. So Winter might have a small crush on Moon.
Maybe.
Like, he couldn't help but notice how she would always visit the library with their winglet's SandWing. How she always seemed so shy. How Moon would occasionally flash him shy smiles and sometimes Qibli would too. How she and Qibli could never seem to be separated and were always laughing together.
The latter made him a little bit jealous.
Were they together? The thought made Winter's stomach flip. No, of course they weren't together. They always said they were best friends. Hopefully, they were.
The problem is, Winter is pretty sure Moon does not reciprocate these feelings. Ninety percent sure.
And Winter is also pretty sure he has the perfect idea to solve this problem. 
"Winter?"
The IceWing stops pacing in the room for a second and looks up.
Qibli gives his clawmate a funny look. "What are you doing?"
"Actually," Winter says, his voice slurring slightly. "I was going to ask you that."
"What?"
"You're like best friends with Moon, right? Do you know if she's with anyone?" 
Qibli blinks, as if processing the question . "Um," he starts. "No . . . I don't think so."
Winter sighs in relief. "Okay. Uh, well, I kind of . . . fancy her?"
Qibli just stares blankly, slightly puzzled at why his clawmate was telling him this. "Good for you?"
"And," Winter says hurriedly. "I want to ask her out?" 
Qibli nods. "Uh huh. Yeah. I mean, totally go for it."
"That's the problem. I don't think she'll say yes?" It comes out more as a question than a statement.
The SandWing just frowns. "Am I your therapist?"
"No, no," Winter amends. "I just . . . kind of want to know her better?"
"Yeah. So why don't you go talk to her? I think she's in the library."
Winter bites his lip. "Actually, I was wondering if you could help me. You know, since you know her really well?"
"So you want to get to know her through me. Winter, I don't think that's how finding out about your crushes work. You should really -"
Winter shakes his head. "Doesn't matter. Could you just help me? Like, tell me stuff about her. Or like, tell me how to get her to like me."
Qibli sighs, giving in. "I guess so. I think there's a way to achieve that."
"What?"
"The five steps to falling in love."
They were pressed against each other in the library, hiding behind a shelf before Qibli nudges Winter to shut him up.
"Okay. Step One is accidental encounters. You have to 'accidentally' run into her, then apologise, so you seem nice, okay?"
Winter rolls his eyes. "I'm already a nice dragon."
Qibli sighs. "Okay, well, yes." He seems to flush slightly before continuing. "But you have to make sure she knows, okay? She's going to come in soon, and then I'll push you into her - don't look at me like I'm a jerk - and then you apologise. Oh, and compliment her while you're at it."
Winter nods several times. "Okay. Okay, got it."
"She's coming now -"
The doors to the library are suddenly flung open and Moon enters, talking quietly to a large MudWing. 
"Go," Qibli says and tries to push Winter toward the NightWing. 
Except the MudWing suddenly laughs loudly, swinging his tail into Qibli and the SandWing somehow manages to fall right on top of Winter, rather than pushing him forward.
Winter grunts. "Woah. You okay?"
Qibli's snout is slightly pink and he nods, craning his neck to look at Winter and he attempts to get up. "Yeah. Sorry."
And within this proximity, Winter couldn't help but notice that Qibli's eyes weren't black. They were, in fact, a deep, deep brown.
It was a very nice brown, to be honest.
And he could also see the faint pink of his cheeks and the sprinkle of brown freckles scattered on the SandWing's snout. They were like constellations.
Winter's eyes widen and he shakes himself from the thoughts. Qibli scrambles off him, quickly getting to his feet. Moonwatcher is nowhere to be seen.
Winter groans. "Well, that was a flop."
Qibli stares at his claws. "Yeah. I'm sorry," he says again.
"Nah, it's okay. There are more steps, right?"
Qibli blinks. "Yeah."
"We could try those another time."
"Yeah. Okay." Qibli nods, rolling his eyes. "You're head over heels for her, aren't you?"
Winter scowls. "No."
"Whatever you say."
"Okay, so. Step Two. You need to compliment her. A lot." 
Winter just nods. Anything to get Moon's attention. "Yup. Will do."
Their room was relatively small now that Winter thought about it, with the SandWing almost pressed against the wall. Qibli rolls his eyes, stretching his wings. "Like actual proper compliments."
"Do I not normally give proper compliments?"
"You said my eyes looked like the colour of muddy rocks the first time we met."
"Yeah, well, maybe it wasn't meant to be a compli -"
"Yes it was, you clearly stated after saying it that it wasn't meant to be taken as an insult."
Winter groans. "Fine. How do you even remember this stuff anyway? That was like, what, at the beginning of the year."
Qibli coughs, his face turning slightly red. "I have a good memory, okay? Anyway, proper compliments."
"Okay," Winter groans, dragging out the word longer than necessary.
"Something not stupid."
"Okay, I get it."
"Something like." Qibli suddenly smiles flirtatiously, taking a step towards the IceWing. "You're eyes are like sapphires, did you know that?" He almost purrs.
Winter laughs nervously, hoping his face wasn't heating up. "Okay, I get it," he says again.
Qibli suddenly looks up and pushes the IceWing towards the door. "She's there! Hurry up, go!" He practically shoves Winter out the door and he stumbles. 
Moon looks surprised to see him and tries to help him up. "Oh, Winter. Are you okay?"
"Huh?" Winter asks stupidly before nodding quickly. "Oh yes, I'm fine. Uh," he looks quickly at Qibli, praying for help.
The SandWing looks almost sad, but rolled his eyes when he saw Winter's helpless gaze. Compliment her, he mouths. Her eyes. Her smile.
Winter clears his throat, looking at Moon. "You have, uh, really nice eyes. They're like," he glances back at Qibli again for help. "A nice chocolate colour?" 
Qibli noticably facepalms.
Moon blinks. "Oh. Um, thanks?" She seems to look up at the ceiling of the cave. "My eyes are actually an emerald green, but it's probably kind of hard to tell because of the lighting, isn't it?" She tries to smile politely.
It takes Winter a good minute before he realises he had said the wrong thing. "Oh. Um, I'm -"
Moon shakes her head, a shy smile on her snout. "It's okay, really. Everybody makes mistakes." 
Winter's pretty sure his face is red. "Yeah. I'll see you later?" He doesn't wait for an answer, bolting straight back to his room where Qibli seemed to be trying not to scream.
"Really? Really? Chocolate colour? You've known her for the entire year, constantly blabbling about how nice her eyes are, yet you can't even state what colour they are?"
Winter backs up. "I forgot!"
"She was standing right in front of you."
Winter bites his lip. "Sorry?"
Qibli sighs. "Do you want to ask her out or not?"
"Yes. Of course."
"You're going to have to try harder." Qibli's dark chocolate eyes glare into Winter's deep blue ones. "At this rate, she's definitely going to say yes."
Winter frowns. "Really?"
"That totally wasn't satire," the SandWing deadpans, before getting up and leaving the room in a huff.
And being as oblivious as he is, it's then when Winter realises he had been describing Qibli's eyes instead of Moon's.
When Winter seeks out Qibli today for another attempt at wooing Moon, he immediately realises that Qibli wasn't wearing his earring.
He doesn't how.
"You're not wearing the earring," he blurts right upon meeting the SandWing.
Qibli takes a step back. "What? Oh, right." He tilts his head. "You're the first person to notice."
Winter felt something fuzzy on the inside but he just smiles instead. "Okay. So, Step Three?"
"Oh right. Yes." Qibli frowns for a moment. "Yes. You need to make small talk with her."
Winter gives him a look. "Like?"
"Like a normal conversation," Qibli deadpans, rolling his eyes.
"But what do I say? Hi, I'm Winter, nice to meet you."
Qibli sighs. "I think she already knows that."
"I like scavengers?"
"Knows that as well."
"See!" Winter flaps open his wings. "This is why I need help! I can't talk."
Qibli gives him a dry smile. "Yes. You can't talk."
"Just shut up," the IceWing swats at the SandWing. 
"Be yourself. Tell her things about yourself, and ask her questions. She'll open up."
Winter bites his lip. "Yeah, I don't think -"
"Fine. Pretend I'm Moon. Tell me things about you, and ask me questions."
"Um. I'm Winter." And Qibli just snorts and nods as if to say, keep going. "And I grew up in the Ice Kingdom. I have a brother and a sister and I don't know where my brother is. And I like scavengers and I'd want to build a shelter for them. . ." And Winter is suddenly rambling, words spilling from his mouth.
And Qibli doesn't seem to add in any sarcastic comment.
"And I'm pretty sure my parents hate me and." Winter pauses for a second, trying to pretend his voice didn't just crack. He waits for Qibli's unnecessary commentary.
It doesn't come.
"And they think I'm a disappointment so I try to be good and it doesn't work and they seem to hate me even more. I don't think I deserve to be here and it's not just my parents. Pretty sure my entire family despises my existence and I just -"
"Me too."
Winter looks up at the quiet sound of Qibli's voice. The SandWing hadn't spoken in a while. "Huh?"
The SandWing swallows. "Me too. Pretty sure my family hates me too."
Winter doesn't say anything.
"I grew up in Scorpion Den - that's some place in the Sand Kingdom - and my mother pretty much detested me as well. Like, she ignored me the entire time we were together. And I had a brother and sister too. Don't really know where they are now." He almost seemed wistful, before shrugging quickly. 
"Were they bad?"
"Oh yeah. Lots of threatening and bullying. But you got used to it." The SandWing looks away quickly. "I think Rattlesnake was the worst. She tried to stab me with her barb, but being the amazing dragon I am, I managed to dodge it." Qibli looks back up, flashing Winter a coy smile.
Winter didn't know what to say. He thought his childhood was bad, but this. This was terrible.
"You - You didn't deserve that."
"Being bullied? Yeah, I try to tell myself that, but it's hard to believe yourself when you know you're blatantly lying," Qibli says. "You didn't deserve it either. You know, getting blamed for Hailstorm."
Winter frowns. "When did I tell -"
"You didn't tell me. You sleeptalk, like, an awful amount and I've heard you retell the story several times."
Winter should be mad. He should be angry that someone had found out his secret. But in a way, he was glad it was Qibli who knew. 
And Winter then did the unforgivable. He promptly stood up and wrapped his wings around the SandWing, pulling him into a loose hug. 
Qibli suddenly went kind of red, ducking his head and his deep brown eyes quickly looking away from Winter.
He looked beautiful, in a way. Not Moonwatcher-beautiful, but in his own way - scrawny and handsome at the same time.
Winter really shouldn't be thinking these thoughts.
When he finally folded back his wings, Qibli stood up quickly. "You going to go talk to her now?"
"Uh, yeah. I probably should." Winter nods quickly. "See you later," he says and rushes away.
Qibli watches him go with an unreadable expression on his face.
"That went well!" Winter beams at Qibli. 
Qibli seemed to be distracted. "Oh. Yes, it did." He attempts a small smile but it comes out forced.
Winter frowns slightly. "You feeling okay?"
"Yeah. A bit dizzy, that's it. It'll go away."
"Huh." Winter just nods. 
"Anyway, Step Four is giving her gifts. Small gestures of kindness, you know?"
"Like," Winter scrunches up his face. "Flowers?"
Qibli blinks. "Sure."
Winter practically dragged Qibli out of Jade Mountain, managing to force the SandWing to go flower-picking with him. "What flowers does she like?"
"She mentioned fire lillies once. And scarlet avens." 
"So orange flowers."
"If that's how you see it, sure."
And the search for orange flowers began, Winter searching and Qibli sitting next to some daisies, looking extremely bored.
Winter found none. "Where the heck do you get fire lillies and scarlet avens?" 
Qibli shrugs. "I dunno. Maybe find some other flowers you think she might like."
"What flowers do you like?"
The world freezes for a moment and Qibli blinks. "Why are you asking me?"
Winter feels his cheeks slightly heating up. "I just thought that, well, maybe there were some flowers that you liked than Moon likes as well."
Qibli stares at the IceWing in confusion, before turning away quickly. "Daisies," he mumbles quietly as if it were an afterthought. 
So Winter got to work, scooping up all the daisies next to Qibli. Qibli occasionally glanced at the IceWing and fidgeted slightly. 
Winter frowns. Qibli was acting weird.
But that's okay. Everybody was weird sometimes.
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)
Category:Fanfictions (Semi-Canon)
Category:Content (bookaholic.9488)
Category:Genre (Romance)