Four seasons with Jade came and went faster than I could have imagined. First a blistering summer, then a fall filled with tears from both my seasonal depression and Jade starting up classes again, then a vicious winter that brought us closer when we huddled to keep warm against the ice and snow, and finally a spring filled with even more romance than last year.

  We did many things together, each adventure worth its own story. He introduced me to his professor, a woman who was surprisingly accepting of our relationship, perhaps because she seemed ecstatic to study a forest nymph up close. I regressed a bit on the forgiveness front by beating up Jade's roommate after he kicked him out of the apartment for the night (in my defense, I wasn't sure if it was proper to forgive someone for wronging my significant other instead of me). We ate sweets together, and I snuck into a town with a disguise, and we kissed softly under the moonlight many times.

  And now, with another year at its end, so has Jade's education come to a close.

  A hundred or so humans are gathered in the center of town, a round and flat clearing of stone bricks. Jade's graduating class streams up a makeshift wooden stage in the middle to accept their diplomas. I stand in the very back, wearing a dark cloak Jade loaned me. It probably doesn't cover as much of me as it should, and I'm pretty sure the human standing next to me caught a glimpse of my green skin and is staring ahead out of terrified silence, but there was no way I was going to miss this moment.

  At last, Jade ascends the stage. His loose strip of green hair has been reduced to a tip, steadily replaced by his natural brown. He turns to the audience and smiles. I stand on the tips of my toes and clap as loud as I can, refraining from cheering to not draw too many stares.

  I don't pay attention to the rest of the ceremony, only tuning back in when all the students up front toss their graduation caps. As the crowd starts to move to meet their friends and family, I shuffle on the sidelines, eyes sharp for my boyfriend.

  Jade finds me first. He jumpscares me by encompassing me in a hug from behind.

  "You really did it, you silly human." I turn and ruffle his hair, which was flattened by his cap before he threw it. "Who knew this sweetheart had such a brain?"

  He laughs and hugs me again. Then, I take his hand and dash from the crowd.

  "Where are we going?" he asks. We run through the stone streets of town, passing wooden buildings and weaving around folks who look twice when they see my tail. One woman shrieks and nearly faints.

  "I have something to show you!" We don't stop until we're beyond where wandering eyes will find us, at the edge of town bordering the forest. We pause at the road, Jade breathing heavily from the sprint.

  "What is it?" he manages to ask between gasps for air.

  "How long have you lived with your roommate?"

  "All of college," he says. "Why do you ask?"

  I can't hide my grin. "Let's just say me and my family put our heads together. Jade, I don't want you to spend one more night sleeping in a place you aren't comfortable." I lead him past the road and to the edge of my territory. "So, I present to you—"

  "I said WEATHERPROOF, Thorn! That means rain, too! Did you even test this roof?" My mother's voice echoes from past the line of foliage.

  "I thought you meant wind!"

  Dad says, "He's a human, for natures' sake! Animals hate water!"

  Forgoing my grand reveal, I trudge past the plants and trees and into the little grove we've been working on. Then, I cross my arms.

  In a small clearing, we've crafted a house of plants, with sturdy logs for walls and a tightly woven roof of branches. Thorn is currently on the roof, peering down at our parents, who are instructing him from the ground.

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  "Ahem!" I call.

  They all turn around and stand at attention as Jade walks through. His eyes widen.

  "Well, here it is," I say. "It, uh, might have a few quirks to work out..."

  "I'll fix the roof up, I promise!" Thorn says.

  "I don't know HOW you humans get water running into your houses, but I won't give up until I've figured it out!" Dad proudly boasts.

  Mom walks up to us. "Do you happen to know of an open-minded human who would know how to help us?" she whispers. "Perhaps under the supervision of a curious nymph?" She tilts her head towards Dad.

  There have been many developments in my family over this year, the most surprising being Dad finally coming around to Jade. It took a lot of time, and certainly some nagging from Mom, but he finally got to the point where he was willing to help us with the house. And now, he's a lot more invested than anyone else.

  It might have something to do with the fact that he and Mom seem to have experienced a shift, too. They've been fighting less. Joking with instead of at one another. I don't know what happened, or which one of them stepped up first, but they almost look like a couple again. In fact, right now, I think I spot a few stray petals in Mom and Dad's hair, a splash of pink in the green and red I haven't seen in years.

  I shuffle my feet and look at Jade again. "Um, sorry it's not perfect. You really don't have to move in if you don't want to. I just..."

  But his eyes are already sparkling. "You built me a house?!" He looks downright giddy. "I love it!"

  A grin grows over my face. Of course he does.

  Mom goes back to coaching Thorn, and Dad heads in through the door, testing our experimental vine hinges.

  Jade lifts the hood from my head, taking a bit of effort to get it over my horns. "Thistle, have I ever told you how much I love you?"

  "Yes. Many times."

  "Well, I'll say it again. I love you." He closes his eyes and presses his forehead against mine. "I love you, I love you, I love you."

  Flowers cascade down my hair, my tail, my arms, everywhere. "H-hey, don't you know being sappy is a plant's job?"

  Jade just chuckles. "Have you been thinking about the future, Thistle?"

  "All the time," I breathe. I wrap my arms around him, this time bringing him into a tight hug. "You?"

  He nods, rubbing my forehead with his. "My professor wants to hire me in her lab, on a special project that's never been done before." A smirk touches his lips. "Forest nymph outreach, a study into their culture and biology."

  "Is this your way of saying you want to 'study my body?'" I playfully poke his chest.

  He lets out a full-belly laugh, pulling back enough to look me in the eyes. "You're such a freak!"

  "I'm your freak, Jade."

  "I know, I know."

  I stop and think for a moment. "You know, it's a shame we couldn't have kids without pollen...I'd be curious to see what a half-human, half-nymph looks like, if it was possible."

  His eyes widen. "Already thinking about kids?"

  "Just eventually! I don't plan on propagating anytime soon."

  Jade relaxes. "Well, when we do, I could raise a flower for you, then let that be the surrogate."

  "Well, there's an idea! As long as it's not a viperweed," I chuckle. "Something nice, but hardy. A wildflower, maybe!"

  Jade reaches up and brushes the flowers in my hair with his hand. "We can figure something out when we're living together, I'm sure."

  "Living together?! And we just went to all this effort to make you your own house!"

  "Well, not right now," he assures me. "But one day, maybe when we're...married?"

  The thought triggers another burst of flowers in my hair. "Married? You really want to?"

  "Of course I want to marry you!"

  I lunge at him, grasping him tightly and planting a kiss on his lips.

  He staggers back from my weight. "I-is that a yes?"

  "Yes, you silly human!" I kiss him again. And he kisses me back, elation making his heart beat so fast I can feel it drumming beneath his skin.

  "Great forests, keep it under your roof!" Mom's voice echoes off the trees.

  "Blegh!" Thorn sticks out his tongue. "Ewww, you two are gross!"

  "Shove a stick in it!" I call. I take Jade's hand in mine and guide him towards the house. "Now, let's see about decorating the inside. And maybe getting it ready for those human luxuries you so enjoy."

  "Oh, trust me, I'll take a quiet night without the smell of smoke and alcohol even if it means washing myself in the river," he says. "But I'll see about utilities. Maybe my professor knows a particularly progressive contractor?"

  I don't know what any of those words mean. "Whatever you need to do," I say.

  Mom and Dad enter the house first, then Thorn crawls down from the roof and jumps inside. Before we enter, I give Jade one more kiss.

  "Thank you," he says. "Thank you for everything."

  "No, thank you," I say. "I..." I hold myself back before pouring my deepest thoughts out to him right here and now.

  "Hey lovebirds! Are you coming in or not?" Thorn yells.

  Jade smiles at me. Before I finish my sentence, he says, "I know."

  And I'm more than inclined to believe him. Hand in hand, we enter his new house. All the way, he just looks at me, or maybe through me, or into me, I'm not sure.

  It's the kind of look that makes me certain he's going to give me a drawing of this moment later. One where every detail of my face is filled in, and perhaps a bit flattering.

  One where there will certainly be flowers in my hair, and I won't look one bit ashamed of them, because they are exactly where they belong.