Little Snow's Guardian
Chapter 3
Oh my conqueror, time and again at my heart you make a stopover.
You lean a little and look and inside you I'm getting hooked.
Like a question I become when in my thoughts you appear.
Oh soul pacifier of my heart, you are my only cheer.
Elsa's eyes were distracted. She tried to finish her document as soon as possible. It was a really quiet night. The balcony was filled with a cool breeze, shimmering down in the moonlight. But the calmness was taken away by the hawk eyes that stared at her. It was uneasy and irritating.
She tried to ignore those eyes and started to scribble down her notes, muttering the words to herself. But each and every five seconds, her eyes caught his'. She sighed. It was really really creepy.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" She asked.
Jack Frost who had been so busy watching her murmuring and writing that large file was startled with this sudden question.
"Huh? I'm not staring. I'm just watching you work." He replied.
Elsa frowned. "Doesn't that mean the same thing?"
Jack shook his head. "It is not the same. Besides, your father used to tell me that he would sit with you all night when you study."
Elsa rolled her eyes. "He is my father. But you are not."
"Hey, I'm still your spouse." He reasoned.
Spouse. She humorlessly chuckled. They barely talk to each other every day. Every morning when she wakes up, she would always remind herself that she is married now, with Jack Frost.
The boy who was active like the tiger, giving Elsa the title of the Ice Queen. Throwing stationeries at her purposely. He was such an enthusiastic child. Maybe he could be the bad version of Anna. But now, he was completely different.
She knew how devastated he was when he lost his parents. But even so, he never lost his charm. He was the same bully who bullied her during her school days.
But now he was entirely different. The way he looked and talked with her. Everything was so different in him, that she would make sure that he really was Jack Frost.
The silence between them lingered, with both staring at each other. The couple had the same question running through their minds. Was it really the person they knew in their childhood?
Jack was the first one to break the gaze. "What are you thinking about?"
Elsa kept her eyes on him. The stare she gave looked like she was searching for an answer. After a few seconds she said,
"My father, he held me in his palms. He made sure I learned everything. He was there with me when I was alone at home. He would make sure I didn't fall asleep when I learned the whole night. And now he's gone."
Jack felt like stupid when he saw a single tear roll down her cheek. His palms refused to wipe them away. But to his relief, those were wiped away by her own hands.
"I'm sorry." She apologised. "I never feel so comfortable when I talk about him."
He swallowed thickly. He thought it would be best if he didn't open his mouth. The normally strong and steady voice quivered. That made him dejected. He stood up and left her without saying anything.
Elsa frowned in confusion as she saw him leaving the balcony. A small whimper caught her attention. She turned to see Marshmallow wagging his tail like a sad puppy. "I'm okay Marshmallow." She patted his head to which he responded by snuggling in with her.
With a sigh, she returned to her work. Her pen scratched across the paper lazily. Her mood to finish this pile was completely spoiled. She felt sleepy all of a sudden. But a tiny part of her brain urged her to complete it.
Tomorrow was Saturday. She has to cook for a whole family without screwing up. For that she had to finish this work somehow. With a yawn, she rubbed her tired eyes and proceeded with her file.
A futile minutes later, she blinked open her eyes when something steamy hit her nose. Her eyes focused on the hot cup presented before her. Wha? She rubbed her eyes and looked up slowly. Jackson?
Before she could verify she was not dreaming, Jack spoke. "Coffee."
With a shocked expression she slowly took the cup he gave her. Jack took his seat opposite of her, placing his chin on his hand.
"Uh… is it for me?" Her question completely made sense. Because she was handed a cup of coffee by the one and only Jackson Overland Frost, who just left the balcony without saying anything. And above all, he never cared about her.
"No it's for your father." He said.
"Huh?"
"It's for you ice queen. Drink." He smirked seeing Elsa narrowing her eyes in anger.
Elsa took a sip and chuckled. "I thought you never knew how to cook."
Jack raised his brows. "I'm not that bad. I know how to make coffee."
Elsa nodded. Marshmallow on the other hand had serious eye contact with the cup of coffee. That's suspicious.
"Why did you make me a coffee?" Marshmallow had the same question in his mind. Thanks to Elsa, she asked Jack. He was planning how to ask by barking.
"You looked tired. Your eyes were dull." She didn't look just tired but also sad. He never wanted to face her with that long face. He never liked seeing people cry. Even if he never liked her, she was still his wife, his first priority.
"So you could say how people feel just by looking at their eyes?" She asked him teasingly.
"Yes I can. I am a trained salesman and I can tell with their eyes whether they are lying or not."
"I think they haven't trained you well. Otherwise, you would know what exactly I'm feeling right now." She took another sip, giving a playful look to his eyes.
That didn't go unnoticed by him. He caught her gaze and returned the same playful stare to her with a confused smile. Marshmallow looked at both of them and gave them a confused look.
"So how is it?" He asked her while playing with his pyjama shirt. He felt nervous all of a sudden and patiently waited for her answer.
"Not bad."
His fingers stopped. "Not bad? I thought it was good!" He asserted.
Elsa handed him the cup and asked him to taste and tell how it was. She pointed with her chin to take it. Jack took it slowly and steadily.
The moment when his lips touched the ceramic, a blush dusted on his cheek when he realised that he had to place his lips where Elsa had. He shook away his thoughts and focused on the taste.
"It's too sweet." He implied.
I wonder why? Marshmallow mused.
The minutes went by quietly. The breeze was just as chill as it was before. Marshmallow started to doze off. The climate was so good to sleep.
"So." Jack hesitated a bit in asking this question, but asked this anyway. "Do I look like your father now?"
Elsa's pen stopped once again. She didn't bother looking up. She shook her head and said. "Nope."
"Hey, I've made you a cup of coffee and made sure you don't fall asleep. That's what your dad will do right?" He tried his best to sound hurt, but Elsa didn't seem to see it.
"And that's why you are here?" When she heard no answer from him, she shook her head and returned to write. The rest of the night went silently.
Jack's hands gripped his knife tightly as he cut the onions like it was the most important thing in the world. He had a quick glance at Elsa, who just cut the tomatoes like it was no big deal. Sweat dripped down from his brow.
Why? Because never in his life had he ever stepped into the kitchen. For the first time in forever, he stood inside the kitchen, actually helping Elsa to cook. He didn't know whether he should cry or laugh at this pathetic situation.
This day started in a shamble. They woke up at noon and had their breakfast at one. He had to go to the market and buy the things on order, which turned out to be a big confusion since he didn't get what he expected. They had to rearrange their menu for tonight. And here they were, cooking food.
"Make sure that it's not too big." Elsa said, pointing at him with her chin.
"Okay." He chopped the onions. "So tell me, how did the ice queen become a chef?"
"I am not a chef. I just know how to cook, Mr. Salesman." She huffed.
He rolled his eyes. In truth he never tasted Elsa's food. Because of his prestige of course. But based on how well she knows about the dishes made him regret the rejections he made to eat Elsa's fares.
But tonight he's gonna taste them anyway. His whole family is coming home. So the amount of food that should be prepared must be in large amounts.
"Is your sister pregnant?" His question was just a confirmation, for he knew the answer already. Unlike Elsa he loved Anna. That girl was nothing but a sweetheart to him. They would go trekking around their house, increasing the anger engine of their parents and irritating them.
But Elsa was very very annoying. She would pry her sister away from him like he was a kidnapper. Gosh he was a little boy who just wanted to play!
"Yes. Two months actually." He smiled. Anna would make a wonderful mother. What if Elsa was a mother?
"Stop daydreaming and chop the onions quickly." A strict one for sure. But she was not like that with her dog. Hmm he gave her a sideway look. Meh, just leave it. His voice told him.
Elsa lit up her stove and started her rustle up. Her instructions were prim and short which he absolutely hated. He nodded to everything she said and proceeded it gently. He was surprised that his doubts were cleared patiently.
"Why are you adding salt to water?" He observed her way of cooking.
"It adds flavour." Jack nodded. Man he loved to learn something new. He went to the counter and checked every ingredient that had been bought, recognizing everything.
"Pepper, salt, sugar, chilli powder, salt… wait two salts?" He tasted it with his tongue. "Why does this salt taste sugary?" He scrunched his nose.
"What!?" Elsa hustled beside him and pondered why salt would taste like sugar. After she looked at what that really was she seethed her teeth in frustration and clouted his head with her knuckles.
"Oww!" He cried.
"It's powdered sugar you halfwit!"
"You don't have to break my head for that!"
"How stupid you must be overlook sugar!"
"Stupid and Halfwit? You are the halfwittest person I know."
"Halfwittest is not a word." But whenever she tries to teach grammar, rather than his knowledge, his middle finger raises to the peak.
"Am I a kindergarten student or what? I know how to speak. You don't have to correct me." His face was burning with anger. What is with this woman and grammar?
"Oh yeah? I must have brought Mrs. Pederson to teach you how to speak proper English at our wedding. You are a grown up man, Jackson. At least act like that."
Marshmallow, who had been waiting patiently for his tit-bits, just gave up. He slouched on the floor with a grunt and watched the humans fight. Jeez, at least cats are better than them.
"I am acting like a- wait .Mrs. Pederson came to our wedding?" His vexation came down from the peak.
"She did." She bit her lip before adding that. "She asked for Vanessa."
Upon hearing that name, his face flushed again. It was not because of anger, but of embarrassment. Vanessa. He shuddered at the thought of her name.
FLASHBACK*
" Truth or dare?"
"Dare." Jack smirked.
His friends smirked wider than him. With a devilish smile they said, "We dare you to kiss Vanessa. Or else, we bald your hair."
The smirk disappeared slowly. Vanessa?! He gulped. He unsteadily stood up and made his way to her. His friends' cheers were barely heard. His heartbeat was the only thing heard in his ears.
"V-vanes-ssa." He squeaked.
The rotund girl whipped her head toward her crush. Her crush. "J-Jack." She squeaked back.
Dear Lord God of the heavens above, please help me to do this. He puckered his lips, with a disgusted face and fisted his hands, and slowly kissed her.
The whole class stopped from whatever they were doing. Vanessa just passed out before him. No one, not even a single soul raised their voice. The sight was just…. Unbearable.
"Wow Jack, I didn't know that she was your type." My God! Mrs. Pederson was one of the souls too?!
PRESENT*
His mind came to reality when he heard Elsa doubling over on the floor, wiping her tears away. He covered his face like a shy girl and shouted, "Stop laughing!"
Elsa shook her head with her uncontrollable giggles. "I'm sorry… it's just…. I can't." She wheezed. Her ribs hurt with the travail as she took in the gasps of air between her laughs. She looked back at Jack and started laughing again. With a great effort, she took deep breaths and stood up. Her wide grin was still plastered on her face.
"Poor Vanessa though." She countered.
After a few moments, the duo returned to their cooking. As Elsa instructed him, he fried the meatballs very carefully. "Am I doing it right?" This was the fifth time he had asked this to her.
"You are doing great." Was her reply. Elsa's eyes were always on him. Since it was his first time, she had to make sure that he did it without hurting himself.
Once the sauce was ready, Jack was asked to bring the meat balls. But apparently, he was zealous to do something. "Can I put them in? Please?"
Elsa nodded with an amused smile. She never understood this man. Jack's thirty two teeth were visible. It was like he was doing the top most mission granted.
Then for blending and mixing, Mr. Frost adamantly said that he would do that. Elsa just nodded to him. Cooking is fun. He thought. The minutes went by by their prates and put togethers. Above all, Jack was the happiest man alive in their house.
"And all done." Elsa announced with a proud smile. But it soon turned into a mischievous one. "Did you invite Vanessa?"
Jack's fists racked on the kitchen shelves. "Stop talking about her!" Elsa didn't flinch. But to their dismay, the flour container took a spill on their heads, making them look like zombies.
A Few Moments Later*
The boys sat absolutely still. Jack's eyes stared at the floor, unoccupied and Marshmallow by his feet. He came to his senses when he heard a faint phone call. His hands immediately went
to his pockets but his phone wasn't there. That's when he came to know that the ringing was coming from upstairs.
He stood up quickly and ran upstairs. Since he was in a hurry, he didn't bother knocking the door. Humming his own song, he picked up his phone and answered his call.
"Hel- '' His brain stopped functioning when his eyes darted on the figure standing before him, only with her bathrobe.
Elsa, who had just come out from her shower, felt her heart stop when Jack Frost entered the room like a monkey. Panicked, she screamed. "AAAAAAH"
Her wet legs slipped on the smooth floor and she felt gravity pulling her down. Jack's adrenaline rushed when she saw her falling down and jumped to catch her. Both fell on the floor with a thud.
One hand below her head and the other under her waist, his head hit her. His nose touched her's, lips barely away. His eyes fell on the faintly dusted freckles she had. She has freckles? Her panicked eyes fluttered open to stare at his'. Jack's heart bursted when he stared at them. He unconsciously licked his lips when his eyes fell on her's.
The pair lay there staring at each other however they missed the aggressive push of their bedroom door. "JACK! Are you alr- OH MY GOD!"
They whipped their heads towards the stranger. Bunny and Olaf stood there with their faces crimsoned. Jack didn't bother that as he felt blood rush through his face. No words came from his mouth until the door was shut. "My eyes are clean!" Olaf shouted.
The couple stood up like lightning. " What Is Wrong With You Pervert!" She spat like a venom. Her hands frantically adjusted her robe, their faces still red as crimson.
"S-sorry." He sputtered and ran out of his room, only to find his friends smirking at him like devils. His head was still dizzy from all the happenings. Great. Just great.
A/N : So what do you think? And Elsa, please close your door next time. Take care!