Sorry for cheesy summary, not good at them lol. I wanted a good JackJamie story that eased naturally into a relationship and all the fics I read on here were a big help for inspiration. Yey Rise of the Guardians!

Chapter 1

All slept peacefully that night. Jack had watched from his perch in the trees as his fellow friend in arms carried on with his nightly duty. A smile tugged on his blue tinged lips as he allowed his temple to rest against his propped up staff. The dream sand really was a pretty thing to watch. It was like you were able to see the stars a thousand times more close up than usual. Over the course of the last few years watching Sandy give the children dreams had become something of a routine for him. Now that he was a part of something greater, watching like this made him feel more at peace with himself.

With a grunt he stood up dusting his legs off. That frost wasn't going to put itself on the ground. His content smile turned into a smirk as he eyed the air then looked down to survey what work was left to him.

"My turn." He chuckled, dipping down pushing on his staff for leverage before leaping out of the branches flying over the grass. Oh what the heck, tonight he felt like taking his sweet time. Jack turned over, sailing on his back arms tucked behind his head to watch the sky smiling as the Man in the Moon silently watched back. Even though he never said a word he had a feeling he was chiding Jack for tarrying. "Relax, I got this." He murmured back, closing his eyes as he flew. His fingertips grazed the blades of grass.

A sigh left his lips upon feeling the greenery bend to his will. The frost grew like delicate arts sprouting lines and swirls rolling and rolling from one blade to another. Hey this was an art okay?

Kicking himself up off of the ground Jack shot up letting his staff graze the tree trunks around him. From up the air he smiled over his shoulder down at the glen now coming alive with wintry beauty before flying off to carry out the rest of his work into town.

Through the air he let himself enjoy the moment, to find the fun in his favorite pastime that had lately become a job, a chore. A twist here, a turn there, he lazily but at a decent speed he let his talent bloom over every known surface making it stretch wide and far.

In the lights of windows and streetlamps he watched how the refracted light bounced off each ice crystal giving an almost ethereal glow to the window panes, to the glass of the lamps that housed the dull orange glow along the empty streets. As they should be. Everyone sound asleep in their beds. Lost in the moment, he rose higher in a burst of excitement not noticing that he had just busted through a stream of sand gasping softly as he felt the pleasant tingle of sweet dreams being bestowed to innocent children. The golden glow outlined his features, his pale face full of first surprise then wonder.

The sand twinkled and wavered around him before slowly merging back with the stream to trickle down onward with its duty. He never dove headfirst into the dream sand before. Not that it was terrible, it was a pleasant surprise but he'd have to be more careful. How would you say, it was akin to the feeling of a human getting suddenly doused with water. Not unpleasant per say but one would be careful not to do it intentionally again in the future.

Jack looked up and saw the surprised look on Sandy's face and then watched it lighten with silent giggles. He had to give a sheepish smile of his own back when the elder guardian silently asked if he was okay.

"I'm fine." A little sleepy but fine. He laughed lightly and sighed, eyes watching the trails weave in and out of homes, above and over through the skies never-ending.

Jack found himself standing atop a building looking over the town. His job was finished for the night. Just a light layer of frost was all was needed even though he really wanted to unleash a month's worth of snow. He really would of done it too if North hadn't made him promise not to do so. A white Christmas was wanted. And almost every year Jack had burned himself out on work that he hadn't felt like giving the world a seven inch blanket of snow on December the 25th.

It was cool though. He understood North's intentions. Like a child waiting for Christmas, he had to wait for the best part of the season to make it more magical if not for North than for the children.

He rolled his eyes and drew his lips into a slant as he remembered the conversation. Well it really wasn't a conversation as it takes two for that so North was really just talking at him. "The big guy is still a kid himself." He spoke aloud to himself slipping a hand into his hoodie pocket as the other allowed him to lean his weight onto the wooden cane. "That's okay though." Another sigh left his pale lips as his eyes darted back up to look at the town illuminated by the Moon. Sandy's work was almost done too he thought to himself noting the sand thinning out. "Good job Sandman!" He called out waving his staff to the other. In recognition Sandy waved back and covered his mouth hiding a yawn, his turn to smile sheepishly as he bade Jack good night and made his way to his home.

Now every kid should be asleep. It couldn't hurt to do a few rounds before heading off to sleep himself. He walked off the ledge of the building gliding effortlessly down onto the hazy opaque white streets remembering at one time what this town looked like centuries ago. When candles were sources of light and before steam engines gave room to electricity. Ugh he was thinking on the past an awful lot these days. Resting the old wooden staff on his shoulder he wandered the streets looking up into the windows making sure not just the children but their parents were asleep too. And just as well too, it was well past one in the morning.

After ten minutes of being a makeshift sentry a sound caught his attention somewhere on down the otherwise silent street.

"Odd…" His brow furrowed in confusion. Just when he was about to go to bed too.

Upon flying down the street and over the houses he realized it was familiar. Jack grinned in recognition knowing now it was Jamie's street. The house near the end to be exact…and…exactly where the sound had come from. Sure enough a boy stepped out of the front door, a light jacket draped around him, small billows of breath leaving his lips.

"Hello. And just what does he think he's doing?" Jack murmured to himself, lips twisting wryly into a half curious smile deciding to follow.

Jamie didn't wander too far just past the town square to sit on a bench just outside the glen where the Jack's pond resided. He sat there for a couple seconds until he decided it wasn't where he wanted to be. Instead he stood up and walked further into the trees until the water's surface came to view. Even alone like this he felt safe. With a small grunt Jamie sat at the frosted edge of the lake, drawing his knees up.

From a bare tree Jack gazed down at Jamie and had to smile when the boy started talking to himself. The kid had a bad habit of doing that.

"You know." Jack began, talking quite loudly his voice startling the other. "If you wanted someone to talk to, you just had to ask." Standing up, Jamie looked around wildly.

"Jack?"

"Who else?" Deciding to stop teasing the boy, he slid out of the tree floating down to land in front of him giving him one of his cool lopsided smiles. "How've you been kid?"

Jamie stared; brown eyes somewhat wide, hands in his pockets.

"Cat got your tongue?" Jack laughed leaning on his cane crossing a leg over the other. Now that he got a good look, Jamie wasn't quite a kid anymore. Since the first time Jamie was able to see him, Jack made it a point to see him occasionally. He was, after all, the first person to see him in over three centuries. It was naughty of him as North put it, to call Jamie his favorite. But the boy would always have a special saved space in his memories.

"I didn't expect to see you…" Jamie uttered.

"Huh?! Didn't expect?" He looked taken aback. "What you think the kangaroo did all this frost then?"

"He'd hit you if you heard you say that." That familiar smile found itself back to his lips. It was the one Jack liked best. Possibly it was one of the many reasons why Jamie was his favorite child. It was a smile he wore out on his sleeve full of honesty and belief. It was his 'I believe' smile. And it honestly had been a long time since he had seen it.

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him." Jack cackled, lips curling back to show his pearly whites.

"You always say that and then you always get a goose egg to show for it."

"Just means I gotta be careful and make sure I know he's there so I can say it to his face instead." They shared a couple more laughs before Jack walked around Jamie a bit. "So kiddo, what are you doing out this late?"

"Jack I'm not a kid anymore." Jamie laughed out a defeated sigh, smiling despite it all.

"You're a kid at heart though. You have to admit that."

"True. You got me there." Jamie ran a hand through his hair. His voice wasn't light as it had been when they first met. Deeper but still soft.

"…when did you grow up so fast?"

"Wasn't that fast. You just missed out on a couple of years." The younger boy sighed rubbing his cold cheek to get a little warmth back into it. Yeah, a couple or ten.

"You hit a growth spurt since last year." Jack commented sizing him up. "Not bad. Another year and maybe you'll be as tall as me." He had to laugh at the sour look he got from Jamie, but it was just teasing.

"And to answer your question, I couldn't sleep."

"Couldn't sleep?! Sandy gave you enough dream sand to knock out a bull elephant!"

Jamie yawned to show that the Sandman had in fact visited him that night but had been fighting off all urges of sleep. He covered his mouth frowning lightly. "It's the first day of winter."

"Tell me something I don't know." Jack pressed a finger to his nose lightheartedly making Jamie squirm.

He wriggled his nose and rubbed some warmth back into it. "I wanted to see you. Well, was hoping to…I haven't seen you in so long. I know you're always busy and stuff."

"So you still believe?"

Jamie looked up from his thoughts at the somewhat serious look on the winter spirit's face. It was almost cute really. As he got older he learned what eternal loneliness meant, understood the severity and even managed to grasp the concept of how the unseen spirits and guardians worked.

"I'll always believe Jack…I'm just…a little scared." He tugged a little on his flimsy jacket. "What if believing isn't enough? What if I stop seeing you one day because I've grown up?"

"That'll never happen." Jack leaned in, murmuring gently as he rested a hand on his shoulder. "Not if you still dream." When the brown eyes looked up into Jack's periwinkle irises, the smile on Jack's face softened. "If you need help, just remember it's only a tooth away." Both boys chuckled in thought of a happy Toothiana when she held all of Jamie's baby teeth so proud of the way he took such good care of them. "I'll always be here Jamie. All you have to do is look for me, I promise. Remember your dreams and hope you held. And all that wonder and everything you knew will all come flooding back."

In one motion Jamie pulled the cold body against his own hugging him surprising Jack almost as much as himself.

"Jamie…"

"I never want to stop seeing you." He whispered, his low voice almost lost against the cool fabric of the elder's jacket and crisp winter air. Jack had to smile despite the unexpected surprise.

"You know…you always had such a wild imagination. I liked that." Jack chuckled, resting a hand on Jamie's back. "But don't use it like that. Alright?"

"Yeah." Jamie uttered back, sighing as his arms unleashed the guardian.

"I really mean it." He added and frowned when all he got was a nod in reply. "Hey what's that look for? You don't believe me?"

"I-I do…"

"I went and said all that sappy stuff and you don't believe me?"

"I do!" Jamie huffed blushing.

"Then say it will ya?"

"I-I believe you Jack!" Jamie stammered out.

"Much better." He ruffled the locks of brown. It should be a crime the way he teased the human so. But last he checked it wasn't and poor Jamie made it so easy. Jack was concerned about him anyway. Making the boy laugh was no incredible feat and he liked making him smile. "So why the long face? You know your face just might freeze that way."

After about a couple more seconds of uncharacteristic silence, Jamie moved his eyes from the winter being to out on the lake stepping forward to the surface actually stepping onto the water, and he wasn't the least bit surprised when Jack froze it solid under his feet. Jamie must not be in a kidding mood anymore. "I haven't seen you. I looked and I only see you once a year."

"Well winter does come once a year." He followed behind Jamie, making sure each step that the brunet took was heavily enforced by thick layers of ice.

"I mean, once, a year."

"Ah well…winter does happen in other parts of the world…and the wind only takes me places so fast…" So that's what was up. He knew Jamie knew he was just making up excuses. He could have made time for him. He should have.

"Will today be the last day I see you until next year?" Jamie continued walking out onto the center of the lake.

"What? No of course not."

"Then why don't you come see me like you promised?" A couple years ago that voice would have cracked with child's heartbreak. But now all Jack heard was a teen's frustration and maybe even raw emotion left over from childhood. He looked down at the water around them and watched the ice slowly grow, lazily making its way over the surface.

"I'm really sorry Jamie. It has been a while since we've had any fun huh?" He perked suddenly getting a mischievous idea giving Jamie a push.

"J-Jack don't-!" He wobbled. "The water-!" Very nearly doing the splits, Jamie threw his arms out for balance looking down at what had just been water seconds ago. To test it, he stamped his foot wobbling again. "It's solid…like…all the way?"

"Yep." Jack grinned and slid over the water, toes barely skidding over the calm ripples. The younger boy's eyes caught the sight of his childhood friend moving about in his whimsical grace with some renewed wonder. Just by Jack touching it, the water started to freeze. The staff had been a source, now an amplifier. By having more children believe in him, Jack was able to accomplish more feats of magic as a guardian.

"You couldn't do this before..."

"Well I've been practicing." Skating to the center of the lake he slammed his staff down into the water and a shockwave of frigid air blasted over the surface. Flurries of snow made Jamie's lashes flutter as he moved his shoulder up to defend his face. When he looked back he had to give a little laugh in excitement as he watched the crystallized frost bloom over the frozen water for extra flourish.

"You're so flashy."

"Everybody's a critic." The winter spirit rolled his eyes but smirked at Jamie regardless, moving to slide effortlessly on the ice. "Wanna skate?" Letting go of his staff he tucked both hands into the pockets of his hoodie waiting on the other to make up his mind.

It had been a long long time. He knew how to skate. On skates that was. Ice skating was an entirely different snowball game. The only time he could do it is when Jack was around. So was that considered cheating or helping? "Sure." Jamie took a few more tentative steps out. Some apprehension was slowly melting away as he let himself move.

"How cool is this huh?" The guardian chuckled. "No skates needed."

"Yeah." Jamie laughed back. "Only, I'm not going anywhere fast."

"Here then."

"No no no no wait Jack-!" He gasped as the spirit grabbed his wrist and pulled him along. His worried brown eyes locked onto Jack's laughing blues.

"What's the matter with you? You're so tense, loosen up! You used to love this!" Jack gently swung Jamie out making him glide backwards. "Believe in me, I won't let you fall." Holding out his other arm for balance, Jamie silently stared back into the carefree grinning face of his friend before he too smiled back.

"I'll hold you to that then." Jamie reached to tweak Jack's nose, laughing at the look he was rewarded with. What was this? This fun he missed out on. It had been so long since he had this much fun. He forgot how Jack made everything better and could only hope he would keep his promise and stay around longer this time.

"Hey, remember when we first met?" Jack spoke up his mischievous grin tugging on his pale lips.

"Of course I do."

"No you don't."

"Yes I do!" Oh it was so fun to get Jamie flustered and huffy. "I should know, you slammed a sofa into me!"

"But you had fun."

"Yeah until the la-z-boy knocked out a tooth." Jamie smirked.

"And even that was fun too. You got to see Tooth in the end."

"I guess you're right."

"Of course I'm right." Jack tugged him along until Jamie found a balance to where he was able to lean on Jack and propel himself. It also helped that the bottoms of his shoes were now thankfully iced. "Look at that, you're a natural!"

"You don't have to baby me, Jack." Jamie slowed but still slid along the ice making small figure eights.

"Not babying." He held up his hands wiggling his fingers showing he had no hold and that Jamie had no help. "It's all you." He hummed to himself as he skated beside the teen. They really were almost at the same height. A bit of pride swelled up in his chest. Jamie was becoming a young man. The idea, while depressed him also made him happy at the same time and both for the same reason. Jamie was growing up. Too lost in his thoughts he failed to notice that the other had been trying to get his attention.

"Jack!"

"Huh?" He blinked, almost stopping in shock. "What is it?"

"That song." Jamie grabbed a hold of Jack's wrist, twisting around for momentum to push himself to the other side not surprised to feel Jack's wrist twist so he could grab Jamie's as well following after him like a shadow.

"Song?"

"The one you were humming just now?" He had been humming? Jack chuckled shyly.

"It's a song I remembered recently. About a couple of years ago actually." When he looked back at Jamie he blinked at the look he received and smiled knowing he wanted an explanation. "It was a song my mother used to sing to me. And my sister." He added.

"You had a mother?" Jamie's eyes widened.

"I did." Jack grinned wide.

"What was she like?"

"Oh like any other mother. Like yours. She liked to cook and bake. Pumpkin pie was her specialty." Jack smiled upon recollection silently wondering if Tooth helped with his memory.

"What about your sister?"

"Heh, like Sophie." He cackled drawing a laugh from Jamie. "Always following after me. Wanting to stay close. I looked out for her a lot. Kind of like how I look out for you like the brother I never had." Jack rubbed the brown locks drawing another laugh from him. "She's grown a lot by the way."

"She has. And she still believes in the Easter Bunny."

"Oh I'll have to tell Aster." The elder teen beamed. "His precious ankle biter still believes. That'll make his day."

Jamie continued skating with Jack for a good ten more minutes sharing laughs and jokes when he stopped to look up at the Moon. Slowing to a stop Jack stopped as well and gazed up with him.

"You know. I think he's either saying hello or it's time to go."

"Huh?"

"The Moon." The winter guardian nodded up to the sky. "He talks. Doesn't say much but I've learned to understand him a bit more. He talks to North often apparently. Though I don't quite know why."

"Maybe he does and you just don't listen." Jamie's eyes darted over the sky from star to star to land back on the bright full moon.

"Possibly."

"Or maybe he likes teasing you as much as you like teasing me."

"Hey." He frowned and then gave an accusing frown back at the Moon. Both He and Jamie seemed to be giggling together. That was nice. Team up against him why don't they. "It's getting late." He noticed from the position of the Moon. Sure enough Jamie took a look at the watch on his wrist and his expression fell; and all because of the numbers illuminated by the pale green backlight. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Jack you really promise?"

Young Jamie, old Jamie it made no difference. His sad questioning look remained the same as it did nearly a decade ago. "Of course I do."

"Pinky swear." Jamie held his bare hand out, pinky extended. Expectation was locked deep in soft brown eyes. Jack had made a promise and this time he intended to keep it.

"Pinky swear." He smiled and wrapped his own pinky around the other teen's their fingers squeezing before Jamie let go and moved to skate off of the lake. "How does tomorrow sound?"

"T-Tomo-?!" He whipped around in surprise losing his balance. Closing his eyes bracing for impact he found it never came. He opened his eyes and found the mildly worried look on Jack's face peering into his own.

"You alright?" He was holding him tight…and he was really close too. So close he could smell hints of what smelled like wintergreen on his breath. So close he could see the flecks of light in his widened blue eyes.

"Y-Yeah I'm good."

"You sure?" He gave him a questioning look still holding him, hesitant to let him go but he did so when Jamie nodded swallowing audibly.

"Yeah…"

"…Alright…" Slowly he released him but kept his hands on his arms that slid down to his hands until he let go altogether. "Told you I'd catch you. Sheesh you scared me. Don't do that." He chuckled softly flashing his teeth in a toothy grin. "Yeah tomorrow. Come on I'll walk you home." Of course when he meant walk…

"Didn't mean to-whoa!" Jamie gasped and smiled nervously when the wind caught him up. Jack reached out to his staff grabbing it as they whirled around the iced pond a couple of times. Guided by Jack, Jamie felt the excitement of flying again.

"Window or door?" Jack inquired as they flew, the other teen's house coming into view.

"Window." Jamie didn't need to point it out. Jack knew it by heart. He ought to have by now. He reached out and pressed the glass open as the winter spirit rested him inside the dark bedroom, letting go of his hand with practiced ease. "Thanks."

"No problem." He squatted down on the window sill, sighing as he sat comfortably smiling lightly. Same room alright but it looked so different. His eyes scanned the room again before resting on Jamie who was still staring at him outlined by the Moon, overshadowed by the spirit's shadow. "What? …?" He blinked as the younger boy reached out and tousled his snow white hair. "Hey, wha?"

"Just always wanted to do that." Jamie smiled at the befuddled look and bit his lip to keep his smile from growing when the confusion turned into an expression of shy embarrassment. He never knew how much of a kid Jack could be. It was kind of refreshing.

"Night Jamie." Jack sighed but smiled shaking his head, turning to head back out the window, looking over his shoulder when he heard the brown haired teen speak.

"Night Jack…see you tomorrow." Hope became alive in his soft doe brown eyes stopping Jack in his tracks to stare a moment longer.

"Yeah. Tomorrow." Pale lips curved in what had to be his softest smile in a long time. And the beauty of it was only Jamie could make him smile like that. With that, Jamie was left alone in his room.