Even without the wine, you've always been better at speaking... unless you were simply indulging where I could not see.

[ But he's always made it a habit of watching Nikolas at larger gatherings -- fetes, festivals, anything where there would be a large crowd of people between them, and Winter could spy without being caught by the sharp side of Nikolas's tongue. Had Nikolas ever even noticed? Perhaps, given the things he's said thus far this evening, but also perhaps not...

Winter lets his head droop down until he can press it against Nikolas's shoulder. Just this is so very nice. ]

But the past is past. We can move forward from that... can't we?