December
"Let's waste time
Chasing cars
Around our heads
I need your grace If I lay here
To remind me
To find my own
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?"
Jack's Point of View
It seems strange to be in Dahlia's room when she isn't sleeping or thinking she is asleep. But the main reason it seems strange is because now she knows that he is real. And he isn't a figment of her imagination. As if all the tension in the air was lifted away and everything seems so relaxing now. A peace Jack always wanted to feel for himself. Jack looks out into the dark neighborhood as he sits on the window's edge with one of his legs propped up touching his chest, while the other one hangs down. He stares out the window but his icy hues move to watch Dahlia, only when she isn't looking.
At the moment she is on the floor of her bedroom taking off her silver shoes; however it seems like she is having some trouble. The face she makes is amusing to Jack to the point he smiles to himself. As if she could sense him staring towards her, Dahlia moves her head to look over at him. Quickly, Jack turns his head back with a cold expression planted on his face. Hoping she won't know that he was indeed, staring at her. He stares outside and he smirks softly to himself seeing small pieces of snow fall from the sky. Seems his presents is causing winter to come even earlier.
"What are you looking at?" Dahlia asked as she places her shoes beside her large bed.
Jack just shrugs his shoulders, keeping his eyes positioned outside. Never looking over to her.
"Nothing," he said as he keeps his icy hues on the view from her bedroom window.
He keeps his glaze towards the dark neighbor, all the lights within the house are turned off and all the kids are asleep. Jack can't help but to wonder if Pitch is out there, scaring some child while he is just sitting here in Dahlia's room.
But, that job is for the real guardians. It isn't like anyone wants him…or believes in him. But why should they? He doesn't bring gifts, or painted little eggs, or money for some teeth. Why do they want him anyway when they don't treat him like a true guardian, the thing they say he is?
"Jack…are you okay?" Dahlia asked, causing Jack to snap back into reality.
He only nods and holds his leg closer to his chest. Slowly, he returns his glaze over to her and he watches for a few moments. His dark brows tighten as he thinks to himself as he watches her just walk around her room.
Why is he here? Why is he sitting in a human's room? And why does he have a need to be around her? He has never needed a person in his life. A rebel without a cause, that's what he is, and nothing more. He is a loner, like a wolf in the arctic who howls in the moon.
But, it seems that everything has changed in his life. And he isn't sure how he is supposed to handle all the strange changes.
Suddenly, a pillow slams in the back of his head which causes him to turn his body towards Dahlia. He glares over at her when he sees her with a bright smile on her silky face. His blue eyes move down to the wooden floor and leans down to pick up the pillow.
"What was that for?" He asked with a frown on his face, "That kinda hurt."
Dahlia only shrugs her shoulders, "I wondered if you would go through your body or not."
Jack throws it back at her and it hits her in her stomach, but it is only a light touch. He smirks towards her and shakes his head. Dahlia turns her back to him, exposing her bare back till the blue fabric starts at the tip of her hip bone. Her bare skin seems so bizarre to him. Probably because he has never been able to touch a human's skin or even see it this up close. Her hands reach towards the jewel studded collar wrapped around her neck, but her fingers can't seem to find something she is searching for.
"Um…will…you…um…do me a favor? Will you unhook this for me?" She asked Jack, keeping her back turned to him
His face flushes a deep red but quickly shakes his head. "W-What? I-I mean, sure whatever. It's just a dress. Where do I unhook this dress?"
She points to the jewel studded collar wrapped around her small neck. He squints his eyes until he notices a small hook in the back. He mumbles to himself and he walks over to her. He extends his hand forward but pulls it back suddenly. Fear grows in the pit of his stomach. What if he touches her and his hand goes through her? But, he has touched her before, so why would it be different this time? Leisurely, he places his pale hand on the collar; his fingers try to unhook it. He groans softly when he can't get it at first but after a minute the collar unhooks. Quickly, Dahlia holds the dress up to her body and hold it up.
"Thanks," she said as she walks into her walk in closet.
Jack rolls his blue eyes and his eyes move to the side until he notices a large piano. Walking over, his hands touch the cold piano and his fingers softly touch the keys. The piano gently hums as his fingers walk over the white keys. He smiles to himself and one of his fingers touches a black key which makes a deeper sound. His frozen hues then move up to the sheets of music along the piano's stand. So many songs he has heard from years of living, songs he wishes he could play or just hear all the time. He picks up a song called Winter Moon by Bradley Joseph. The name catches his attention, that's the only reason he picked it up. The sheets of music seem so foreign and outlandish to him, he isn't sure how anyone can read notes. But, somehow she can. And she can play beautifully, like she is in her own world and no one can touch her.
Deep down, he envies her. He hasn't found peace like that. Nor will that peace ever find him.
He walks away from the piano when her closet door opens and she steps out. He just smiles softly to himself seeing the way she is dressed. Just wearing a oversized sweater and long baggy blue pants that ride along her hip bone, and with her hair in a messy bun on top of her head. It's funny how one moment ago she looked like a winter goddess and now she is just being herself. And it still never ceases to amaze the winter spirit.
She looks over to him and then to the piano. Walking over, she bends down and picks up the sheets of music laying on the ground, and places them within the bench. Jack watches her and then looks toward the piano.
"How long have you played?" He asked.
She shrugs her shoulders and walks over to her bed. "Since I was seven," she said as she picks up her favorite white pillow and leans her head on it. "But my mom played piano music when I was just a baby so you can pretty much say it's been part of my life since I was born."
Jack nods and walks around her room, studying the photos taped to the wall. There are photos of her winning rewards and on a large stage with a piano. But he doesn't see many photos of her and her family. What is the story there? But, he doesn't have any room to talk since he doesn't even know his own family or where he is even from. He also notices she has torn out pages of books and taped them to the wall, highlighting over some of the sentences.
"What are you staring at so hard," she questioned which causes him to turn towards her. "It's just a wall with photos and stuff. "
He shrugs his shoulders and walks over to her bed, but keeps his distinct from it.
"Humans are strange to me and you are a strange one. I'll tell you that." He said with a small smirk on his face.
Dahlia only rolls her eyes and yawns loudly. He raises a brow towards the yawn and looks over to the clock that sits on her bedside table. It is 12:00, or just midnight. Humans have to sleep, unlike him.
"Why don't you go to bed…you look kinda…tired." He said walking away from her bed.
"Wait!" She exclaimed towards him, making him stop dead in his tracks. Her blue eyes move over to the opened window and then back to him. "Are you…leaving?"
Jack's eyes widen and he quickly looks towards the wall. She wants him to stay? Why? Why did she whisper his name that one night? Why does she want him now? And, why does he want to stay and just watch her sleep. Like he did that one night, the night he felt the peace he always wanted.
He doesn't say anything but slowly he shakes his head. "Not unless you want me to leave…" he murmured over to her.
She shakes her head as she climbs under her thick covers, her black locks falling onto the pillow. His feet walk over to the opposite side of the bed. Everything feels so awkward now. Before, he could easily lay with her because she thought it was all a dream. But, now she knows that is real and that he can touch her. Maybe he won't want her to lay in the bed with her now.
"Do you sleep?" She asked with a loud yawn that follows.
Jack presses his lips together, unsure what to say.
"Y-Yes," he lies right through his teeth. "But only for a little while."
Dahlia turns on her side, facing away from him. For some reason that is like a stab in his frozen heart.
"You can sleep on the other side…goodnight…" she yawns once again and pulls the covers closer to her body for warmth, "Jack…"
Just hearing her say his name makes his heart beat, even if it is a faint beat, it means something. He turns his head to the side and spots his trusty wooden staff, just in case Pitch tries to come in her room to haunt her dreams. Placing his leg on the bed, he positions himself on his side, his body facing her back. His hand itches to touch her, just a tiny bit of her black locks. But, he keeps his hands away from her. Gradually, he closes his eyes but finds no rest like humans do. After all, he is immortal. Why would he need to sleep?
After an hour passes, Jack notices Dahlia breathing has changed to slow and graceful. She is asleep. He inches closer over to her and just studies her face that is halfway hidden in the covers. She is so peaceful in her own dream world. His eye lids lower as he watches her, feeling a small peace grow within him. Then, his eyes widen when she turns her body to face his and inches closer to his body. As if seeking warmth, but he is only winter. She presses her head against his arm that is stretched out on a pillow, burying her nose into the blue fabric of the hoodie. He only smiles to himself and he runs his hand undoes the messy bun that sits upon her head, letting her locks fall down to her face. His hands run through the raven hair ever so slowly, watching the strands fall onto her face. The peaceful look on her face never leaves, if anything it grows. It is so innocent it makes Jack's heart weep for her. How many people look this innocent when they sleep, especially when they are eighteen? Not many. His pale finger runs down her face and stops at her lips. She softly mummers in her sleep and buries her head deeper into his arm and the pillow.
In that moment he knew he would protect her from anything. Anything evil in this world.