It had been a small thing that set them off, not even something that normal people would have even noticed, but then again they weren't really normal were they? The sky outside was just beginning to lighten up with the first rays of sun to make it near their cozy abode. It was winter, his time to work and he had just returned home hoping that he would catch his husband- or whatever they had decided on being, it was rather complicated after all- before he went to sleep. The snow on the ground made the land seem brighter than it should have been from this time of morning and when he opened the door he had to blink a few times to get used to the dim lighting. Pitch always left a few candles on for Jack when he got home, Pitch of course didn't need them, him being the self proclaimed 'king' of nightmares and all.

Pitch was in bed when he slumped through the doorway, he usually was as he spent most of the nights spreading fear to children (the good, healthy fear this time though). Jack was lucky he never wore shoes as right now he wanted nothing more than to cover up and sleep. He snuck into the covers on his side of the bed, trying not to wake Pitch, but he seemed to anyway as the man curled an arm around him and pulled him closer. Jack was glad Pitch didn't seem to mind the cold. Pitch nuzzled into his neck and breathed in. Jack relaxed and was almost asleep when Pitch said something that nearly stopped his heart.

"You smell like flowers." Pitch sat up, his voice stern and cold. Flowers only meant one thing: Aster. Jack rolled over to face him, a struck look stuck upon his face.

"I-I stopped by a meadow on the way home." He rationalized, praying that Pitch would just go back to sleep. It didn't work.

"In the middle of winter? The flowers are dead Jack."

"Not in the south!" He exclaimed before he could stop himself. Pitch stood up and Jack followed. Pitch's mouth was frozen into a firm line, his eyes were alight with anger.

"Oh, the 'south' you say? I thought you were supposed to be in the North today, checking on the other frost spirits progress." Jack avoided his gaze and paced over to him.

"I took a detour." It was an obvious lie, but why couldn't Pitch just let it go? Did he really think he would cheat on him-and with Aster nonetheless? Pitch graced Jack with mocking smile.

"A detour? A DETOUR? We're at the North pole Jack! That just about as far from the south as you can get! And if I recall right-" He was up in Jack face now, and the candles around the room snuffed out as his shadows contaminated the room.

"We moved here so you could be closer to your over-eager, sleigh-riding, candy-cane eating "father" as you so fondly refer to him as. Not so you can run off with the Easter-loving fool without me knowing!"

Jack was passed being worried now, he was furious. Every time he tried to do something right with this relationship Pitch found some reason to think he was leaving him, and he was sick of it. Ice crawled up the walls and splintered on the floor.

"You're always sabotaging us! Is it so hard to believe that someone-anyone could love you like I do?" Caught up in his rage Pitch grabbed ahold of the front of Pitch's hoodie and shook him.

"No one- NO ONE could ever, EVER love me!" shouted Pitch, he stared into Jack's shocked eyes, and after a moment released his hold on Jacks shirt with trembling hands. Jack stumbled back and rushed to the door, fumbling to open it. As the handle pulled open, he spared one last glance at Pitch before stepping through the threshold.

"I was at Aster's. He conceded, his voice hollow as the barren land outside their house.

"He was helping me make your anniversary gift, and I wanted to keep it a secret, but…" He stuffed a hand into the pocket on his hoodie and pulled out a small figurine. He tossed it to Pitch who caught it without even thinking about it. Looking down at the ice creation in his hands his eyes widened in wonder. It was his daughter. Jack had carved the image of his daughter into a block of ice, and it was perfect. The light from the open door shined right through it and made her eyes twinkle like they had done so long ago… He looked up in desperation at the door, expecting to see Jack waiting there, but he was gone. They door was wide open, letting in snowflakes from the arising storm outside. What had he done? With a cry Pitch sprinted outside, shouting to the high heavens for his Jack. He didn't answer. Pitch collapsed to the snow covered ground and just sat there on his knees with the figurine clutched tightly to his chest. His Jack was gone.

And that was how Jack found him many hours later, after the storm had finally died down. Covered in snow, and shaking. Jack frowned as he approached him, Pitch had never been able feel temperature before, why would he start now? Was something wrong? Jack flew to his side and laid a pale hand on his shadow covered arm. Pitch flinched and looked up, it was then that Jack realized why he had been shaking. Tear tracks made their way down Pitch's face, he grabbed a hold of Jack's hand as gently as he could, recalling how he had been earlier.

"Jack I- I am so, so sor-" He was cut off by a single finger against his lips.

"Shush now, you silly man, I know…I know." He hushed him as he helped him up. As he walked Pitch back to their snow covered house he had only one though in his mind.

'Maybe…Maybe we can make this work.'