Author's Notes:
Love-PRN, you are wonderful; thank you.
And to my sweet James, let me rip your soul out a little more. ;) I'm sorry I tangled you up in my obsession with this damn pairing. IT'S NOT MY FAULT... I am a victim.

02. Romance

As the designated "Guardian of Fun" and sole personification of winter, Jack Frost's duty was to deliver the coldest season of the year around the world. Which meant that to his great dismay, he could never stay in one place for very long. The only exception he ever made was for Arendelle, where his Snow Queen always waited patiently for his return.

On that day in particular, Jack had been gone for a little over a month. His flights were normally quick, but December was the most strenuous month of the year that called for his attention. But as he returned to the country that had become like a stationary home to him, he drifted through the sky at a swift, relaxing speed, watching Arendelle pass below as the cool wind ruffled his shocking white hair into more of a disarray than it already was. His staff was in hand, sending a flurry of snowflakes beneath as he soared, until his bright, indigo eyes sought the castle; peering back at him like a beacon of heaven overhead.

Quickening his speed, Jack landed precisely on top of the window outside of the queen's bedchamber. His fingers worked at the lock until the clasp opened. Stepping inside, he gazed around at the emptiness of the royal bedroom before moving out into the second corridor. As usual, the servants - who all didn't believe in him - couldn't see him, making it easier to sneak through the castle as he casually sauntered down to check Anna's room, creaking it open to peek inside. Yet, there was no sign of Queen Elsa. Frowning, Jack retracted his footsteps until he found the grand staircase, sliding down the curved rail with amusement until he hit the bottom of the first floor. Skidding slightly to regain his balance, he finally heard a few voices from inside of the dining area. And with little to lose as his heart quickened in anticipation, Jack slinked forward until his head glimpsed around the mahogany doors that concealed the young woman he was anxious to see.

Queen Elsa sat at the head of the table, looking disastrously bored and somehow as elegant and regal as always, despite that her normally stiff posture was off as she rested her chin against the palm of her hand. Her white-blonde braid rested over her shoulder, adorning a white gown. There were three servants that accompanied her, one of her which was standing in front of her with two colors of fabric that looked identical to Jack.

"What shall we go with, your majesty? Red or blood orange?" The bespectacled woman asked, her voice ecstatic and chipper.

Elsa must have been dazing off into the distance, because her eyes widened with the attempt to look alert.

"I'm sorry, what?"

Jack half-laughed, half-snorted at her haze of sleepiness. But this did not go unnoticed to Elsa, whose head turned towards him to find the source of the noise he had made. Once their eyes met, it seemed that Elsa tried to hide her face behind her hands. She brought both of them up to cover her mouth, as if hoping no one would see the fact that she was smiling.

"Red or blood orange, my queen?" The woman was beginning to sound impatient. Jack hummed a little, gesturing with his forefinger for her to follow him before he wandered down the corridor again and into the open, spacious room of portraits. But he could still hear Elsa's excuses, and the sound of scraping her chair made against the floor when she pardoned herself.

"Excuse me, for a moment..."

"Your highness? Is everything alright?

"Yes, everything is fine. I'll be back, just... One second, please."

Grin playing mischievously at his own mouth, Jack turned to await the queen's appearance in the portrait room. But he didn't have to wait long - before the young woman stepped professionally into the vicinity, closing the door behind her.

"Did you decide? Blood orange or red?" Jack asked her jokingly, placing both hands on his waist with frankness.

Whatever he had been expecting from her had been wrong, however. The clutter of his staff hit the ground beneath, rattling noisily against the floorboards when Elsa came at him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You're back." Her lips touched the hollow base of his neck. Jack could feel her smiling into his skin, fingers clutching the back of his shirt. For a few seconds, he was shocked. This behavior wasn't normal for someone as reserved as Elsa, who had always been so cautious with any physical contact that he had offered her in the past. Easing her into even the slightest embraces or tender touches hadn't been easy, but Jack couldn't complain as his arms gathered around her and held her close, smiling into her hair.

"Yeah, sorry it took so long... It wouldn't be so difficult if I had a partner. You should come with me next time." Jack suggested playfully, waggling his eyebrows at her when she finally pulled back to look at him. Elsa's thin eyebrows trailed up her forehead, a smirk resting deftly on her lips.

"Oh yes, absolutely. I've never wanted anything more in my life but to scare people to death by using my powers in order to aid Jack Frost in his winter escapades... How ever did you know?" Elsa responded dryly, amusement gleaming in her eyes. One of her ivory-skinned hands reached up to touch his hair, rearranging the strands that stuck up in all different directions.

"Whatever, we can get you a costume or something..." Jack retorted sarcastically. His hands reached for hers, winding their fingers together. Elsa chuckled deeply at the response, one of her arms reaching down to wind itself around his waist.

"A costume? Of what?"

"Dunno, maybe an... Ice cream woman or Mrs. Clause."

Elsa gave him a pained expression of annoyed torture in return.

"I hope you're not serious, Jack." She mused, cheeks growing pink when Jack opened her hand and raised it towards his mouth.

"Nah." Jack answered comically, uncurling her cool fingers with his own. "I'm only serious when it comes to the way I feel about you, your majesty."

His lips then touched her palm, closing his eyes briefly as her arm squeezed around his waist in appreciation.