A/N: Oh man, I'm so sorry for the delay! Work has been getting pretty busy, among other things...I probably won't be able to keep up with updating every other day anymore, though I will certainly try. Also just to reiterate from previous chapters...I love any kind of feedback! I promise, it'll only take just a few seconds of your time, and even something as simple as 'you spelled so-and-so wrong' will be greatly appreciated!

The Jamie half of my Jack/Jamie wallpaper has been finished! (replace bolded words with the characters)

sunatsubu dot deviantart dot com slash gallery slash # slash d5s4akl

And for those who have voted on my poll/let me know in their review, I have NOT forgotten, I promise! I'll definitely (eventually) get to drawing art for those chapters! :)

Enjoy!

Delayed Realizations

Jamie sighed, kicking glumly at the snow on the sidewalk. His eyes gravitated once more to the crinkled paper in his hands, focusing on the angry crimson marks. The brunette resisted the urge to stick his tongue out at the scribbled words at the top.

'Creative use of several urban myths, although integration and flow is still somewhat choppy. Additionally, characters should be developed further, as several seemed too contrived.'

How the hell could his characters be 'contrived?' They were based on actual people!

Jamie shook his head, stuffing the paper into his pocket once more. Though his professor hadn't said it outright, he knew exactly who the man was referring to. Everyone knew who Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, Sandman, and the Easter Bunny was, so who else could be 'contrived' but Jack Frost?

Maybe adults like his cranky professor were a lost cause, but the poor grade only served to fuel his determination even further to become a children's writer someday. It just rankled him every time he came across such a stout nonbeliever of his winter spirit friend, though he knew he shouldn't really be taking their ignorance so personally.

Unfortunately, thinking of Jack only served to lower his mood even more. The Guardian had recently returned to his previous schedule of visiting only once a week, with the explanation that he was long due for maintaining winter in other parts of the world. Only a day, and Jamie was already missing the spirit's presence! At least it had been nice while it lasted, though he still hadn't gotten an explanation on what prompted the sudden daily visits.

"Whoa!" The brunette's thoughts were suddenly interrupted as he felt his feet slipping on ice. Maybe it hadn't been the best idea to come through this poorly maintained route, but he'd been wanting to catch a glimpse of the frozen waterfalls from the suspension bridge for some time.

Jamie suddenly stopped to stare as he finally managed to get his balance. Come to think of it, this path was starting to look awfully familiar for one that he'd never gone through before. He glanced back and only confirmed that yes, there was indeed an unusually decorated lamppost by the end of the bridge. But he definitely would have remembered this route considering it went by the only waterfall on the campus...

Looking farther down the route, Jamie suddenly realized when he'd been here before, though he'd been far too drunk to really appreciate the scenery. He felt his cheeks flushing in embarrassment as he remembered the horrors of Connor's party.

Jamie grimaced as he inadvertently remembered more details. That had probably been the worst party experience he'd ever had, and although he hadn't been one of the few unfortunates to vomit up their stomach contents all over the floor, he'd come very close to it. The day after he'd been so incapacitated he'd ended up skipping all of his classes.

He hadn't even remembered how he'd gotten home, though now that he was recognizing the scenery around him, he supposed he'd simply walked back. The fact that his memory had failed him so spectacularly however, had scared him enough into putting off the drinking for a while. Or forever.

As he continued to walk through the snow covered path, Jamie marveled at how he'd managed to keep himself from slipping and cracking his head open that night. This wasn't even a 'path' really, more of a walkway through the woods that only a few pairs of feet had traveled on. Rocks, twigs and other forest debris were everywhere, and one badly placed trip could have ended him. In fact, he found it hard to believe he'd managed to find his way through an unfamiliar route all by himself. Had someone walked him home?

Or flew him home? Now that he thought about it, he did remember someone throwing a snowball at his head, AND it was after that particular night that Jack had started coming by every day. Maybe it was because he'd said something to worry the winter spirit enough to check on him more frequently. But what could have been so bad that the Guardian refused to say just what that had been?

The brunette furrowed his eyebrows as he tried to remember what he'd said or done that night. He did remember that party being particularly bad because he'd been feeling especially depressed about Marron lately, and had wanted to get completely wasted. Maybe he'd said something about her? Unfortunately the only thing he could really remember was lying in a pile of snow, talking to a pair of blue lips...

Wait, what? Why had he been focusing on Jack's lips of all places?

Sudden shock jerked him to a stop as the memory returned to him at full force. Jamie felt himself slipping again, but didn't even consider trying to stop himself from falling as his mind was occupied with only a single bewildered thought:

'Why the hell did I kiss Jack?'