Title: through the years and far away
Fandom: Rise of the Guardians
Characters: Jack, Tooth and mentions of the other Guardians
Genre: General/Romance
Warnings: Author is not a fluent english speaker. This one ended up short, sorry about that.


stalemate

Between them, it always ends in a draw.

There are all those hints here and there; the look that lingers just a second to long, the small smiles that seem like an automatic reaction, secrets whispered close – very close – to willing ears, the breath enclosed by words and that tickles and brings warmth to pale cheeks. The feeling – that feeling – is everywhere, it's dripping like honey from every action, every word, everything that was left lingering in the air – a kind comment, a touch -, the mystery of the unknown quite thrilling and bringing shivers to inattentive spines.

The hints and the signs are all there, ensnared on their interactions like thin paper to glue, but there's just one thing missing; the final proof to ease their anxieties. A final confession. Three words, eight letters, infinite possibilities.

(I love you)

And it's all about the way that phrase gets stuck on their throats, not really returning to their chests or setting free to the world to hear; the way it's impossible to let them out, the fear of rejection too great to be promptly ignored. A silly fear, they both know, but it's still there, it's there and it's as haunting as a nightmare, long dark fingers squeezing their necks and making it impossible to breath. Fear of not deciphering the signs on the right way, of not being self-conscious, of misinterpreting I like you to I love you.

(And there's a huge difference there, two letters bringing an abyss)

So, it will always end in a draw. A draw when fingers touch and no words come out, a draw when a knowing smile brings a warm feeling and then silence – dreadful silence -, a draw in a game that has no real losers since it's won a long time ago. It will take time until they realize that it's not really about winning or losing, that it's about who will gather all the clues and uncover this mystery - that is no mystery at all - and say it out loud.

I love you, secretly.


Author's Notes: I apologize for any grammar, spelling or any other mistakes concerning language (also sorry for this being so short). 2 out of 7, five more to go. I wonder if anyone has any prompt suggestions? Seriously, I would very much appreciate them. Pretty please?