Skyla wished she could say charming Jack was her idea. Then she could say everything had gone according to plan. It wasn't like that though, and it bothered her. 'Things never go the way I want them to when Jack Frost is involved. It's my own damn fault. I can't help but act like a love-sick idiot around him. Especially when he does things like call me his love...' She pressed cold hands to warming cheeks as they turned red, 'What the hell. Why does he have to be so- So- Perfect! I love him'
The game didn't enter her small bubble of happiness for a moment. She was simply happy and in love. Leaning against a window, she watched as the Winter Spirit flew around in the steadily falling snow storm outside. Finally he looked as if he didn't have a single worry, like nothing could take away his smile again. Oh, she wished it was true. For the moment it was, and that's all she needed. For the time being she watched him, occasionally eating a cookie or trying to cool her blush.
Jack did another flip then twirled towards her. He floated to the window and pressed a hand against it, "Come out and play!" She could barely hear his words and gave the same response she had earlier; holding her arms and shivering. It's too cold for her to play outside at the North Pole. But still, she pressed her own hand against the window over his and smiled. He smiled back at her and told her, "Then I'll come inside!"
Before she could argue he had flown away again. 'He was having so much fun out there though. I was enjoying it, too. When he's happy, I'm happy. Spending some time apart from him, separated by something as insignificant as glass, is nothing. We'll always find a way to be together again. He'll always come back to me and take me into his arms! Yes, a short time apart is nothing. I'll always have him. I'm his love, and he is so undoubtedly mine.'
Skyla waited patiently for him to arrive, twisting a lock of brown hair around her fingers. 'I hope he remembers which room I'm in. It will be embarrassing for both of us if he doesn't. Also if he takes too long I'll be forced to eat the last of these cookies and really no one could blame me for that. They really are the greatest cookies I've ever tasted. Especially these pink ones-'
Jack burst in through the doors and closed them almost as quickly behind himself, "Bunnymund is on the look out. I don't think he wants me around you right now." he set his staff against one of the little tables that sat about the room and walked slowly over to her, "Think we're hidden in here?"
"Probably not" she replied, letting him fold her into his arms, "But we shouldn't need to hide. It's not like we're cheating so why should it matter that we're spending time together."
"Unsupervised time" he corrected, "He thinks you have too much control over me. As certain as he is that I'll win, he still doesn't trust me to be alone with you. He knows how much I love you- well, everyone does. But he's the only one who's taken the time to try and understand it. So he knows better than anyone how likely I am to lose. How badly I want to kiss you"
As his hand smoothed her hair back in gentle motions, Skyla leaned her head against his shoulder and let the chill ease through her. She was sure she was still blushing, but knew if he saw that it could be accounted to the cold. "Kissing isn't everything, Jack." she joked softly, her heart not into it. All her heart wanted was for him to never let go.
"Hmm, but. I've been thinking about it and- Kisses are so much more than just lips touching lips, right? Just think of all the emotions- all the love and passion that can be behind it. You can express so many things with a kiss and that's what we do. Because we love and care for each other. We're trying to understand each other. We'll always be here for each other. And- I don't know, so many other things! I can't tell you enough with words and that simple interaction gives me a better chance at telling you how much I-"
"Love you." she finished for him, rubbing her cheek against him for one blissful moment, "Just a hug is enough, Jack. Just you holding me tells me so much more than your words. Ever hear the expression actions speak louder than words? The little things -every touch- tells me everything I need to know."
"Good. Because it's the best I have most of the time. Words fail me when I'm around you-"
"Not as much as they fail me. Though they've never done me much good so what did I expect."
"Skyla, do you really need to keep talking? You're right, my love. You're awful with words." he pulled back slightly to see the bright blush on her face, "It still affects you that much?"
"I-I'm not used to it! It's only been, what, two hours? Please, never stop calling me that. It's- I can't even explain it-"
"Did you save me any cookies?" Jack asked, catching her off guard. She backed up, hitting the wall and he grinned at her as she pointed to the table beside them. He looked from her to the scene outside the window, "You know, you look really great with a Winter back drop."
Skyla decided not to say anything. She watched him reach for a cookie and looked on as he took a bite. He was still just in the dark tee-shirt Phil had given him and the little muscle flexes made her giggle slightly. Jack stared at her for a moment before grinning around the Christmas tree shaped cookie. He passed her a cookie and the two ate in relative silence as they nibbled and chewed, laughing in between bites as Skyla kept blushing.
"I should probably change out of this, huh?"
Skyla mentally shook herself to focus, "Wh-what? I mean, I know I told you I like your usual style but- It hasn't even been a full day! Let me enjoy it just a bit longer! Please?"
He raised a questioning eyebrow, "They're just arms, Skyla. Better watch yourself, I think you're slipping."
His words did nothing to kill her blush, "I know but- it's more skin than I've ever seen from you. I mean, your sweater lifted up a little one morning but even then it wasn't much. And you have muscles! I wasn't sure what to expect."
He flexed his arms, poking them. "I do have muscles, don't I? They're not that large, though. Maybe I should work out more" he frowned. Skyla shook her head and laughed, hooking herself onto one of his arms. Jack sighed happily, "If you like them, they're fine. Besides, I'm not sure any sort of workout could change my muscle mass. It really is a good thing you like me the way I am."
"I do. You're perfect. Your hair, your eyes, your muscles are perfect. I love you, Jack. Everything about you."
"Oh?" his eyebrow lifted again and he somehow managed to make her let go. He backed away a few steps and placed a hand over his stomach, ruffling the shirt fabric, "Does that mean you want to see more of me?" his hand slowly dragged up an inch and so did the shirt, revealing some of the skin underneath.
Skyla smiled shyly and pressed her hands to the wall behind her, "I mean, if you're offering." she joked, her voice just above a whisper.
"I am offering, my love. If you'll accept." his shirt lifted another couple of inches and he smirked, stepping right in front of her again. His free hand took hers off the wall. "You can touch me, you know"
Skyla, much to her own relief, didn't giggle like a fool. She watched the way his thumb rubbed against her knuckles in a slow, smooth motion. Then he pulled her hand closer to him and she hesitated, her fingers barely an inch away from his exposed skin, "This isn't a trick is it?"
Jack frowned at her and shook his head, "I thought you wanted to? Maybe I misunderstood when you tried to take my sweater off that morning. I'm only sorry I stopped you."
"Oh? You're not sorry for throwing me through a magic portal?"
"You're not still mad about that, are you?" he asked with his best version of puppy dog eyes.
"Just a little bit." she answered. Smiling, she let her hand wander forwards, splaying her fingers across his cool stomach. Jack took in a small, tense breath and she rubbed her thumb across his skin, "Is this alright?"
"Y-yeah." he swallowed, "Like I said, I'm just not used to it." the shirt slid up a bit more and he took control of himself again, grinning at her, "Admit it. You want to kiss me right now."
Shrugging slightly, Skyla lifted her head to once again look him in the eyes, "Maybe. But not as much as you want to kiss me. I can tell you're nervous, Jack." Slowly, her fingers moved up and as his own hand fell to his side, hers rested on his bare chest, "I feel really perverted."
Jack laughed, pulling her close, "I started it. But yes, I blame you too."
She happily let her hand get caught between them, "I love you"
"Love you." he replied, taking her free hand and twining his fingers through hers. He took in a deep breath like he was smelling her hair, then let it out, the cold breeze gliding lightly over her shoulders. Skyla shivered and he held her closer, "I love that you're human and I can affect you like this."
"It's not fair. I can't do anything to you-"
"My love, you have no idea the ways you affect me. When you melt against me, as you are now, I nearly do as well. I'm frozen to the core so it's a bit more difficult for me."
It was true; she was melting. Even though his skin was so cool, touching him warmed her. That jolt of electricity she'd felt after he gave her his heart returned and it buzzed inside of her, stirring the excitement. 'Do not kiss him. You have a plan, and you're going to stick to it. Come on, Sky. Pull it together before-'
"Skyla" Jack whispered in her ear, "why won't you kiss me?" It was a loaded question, not one she could actually answer. Not without fear that she'd answered wrong somehow and fallen for some trap. She could kiss him instead, and not have to answer at all. What good would that really do though? Jack pulled away to look her up and down, "Come on. You can do worse than me." he joked.
'Much worse' she agreed silently. 'I'm still trying to figure out what you're testing though. Is it my loyalty? Restraint? Maybe you're testing yourself? I have no idea what you're thinking, Jack Frost. And that worries me.' Her fingers started feeling his skin again, roaming over his chest. She smiled at him, relieved that he smiled back. Her hand went over his heart and stilled, the smile and electricity fading together, "What's that?"
"What? Is my heart beating faster- Oh, wait. It's not mine anymore and-"
"Jack. What is this?" she pushed on the still-healing skin and watched as he flinched, "It's a scar. And it hurts. Jack, what the hell-"
"Skyla," he sighed, "Don't worry about it. It's nothing. But- what did you expect? This is reality. Of course I got a scar from what that creature did to me- It's really hard to explain but I promise you I'm fine. Just- Just stop poking me."
She brought her hand out from under his shirt, "Sorry. I know it isn't a fantasy or a story book, I just never expected to find a scar on you- What you did, giving me your heart, did that make it worse? At all?"
"No." he answered, gripping her arms, "You've been told that I'm healing a lot faster than I should be. That's thanks to you. Dammit, Skyla. Stop thinking you make things worse. That you're a nuisance."
"I don't really think that way-"
"You are not a nuisance. You have been helping this entire time. You've kept me fighting and stood by my side while I did. You haven't left yet. And I know you don't plan to. Without you I wouldn't have made it this far- Or, at least not yet. I'd still be hidden away while the others would be researching and pleading with the Moon to do something- to just help me-"
"He did nothing-"
"He saved me. He led me to you." The room went quiet. Skyla took in his words as his icy blue eyes stared desperately into her stormy greys. He truly loved her, and finally she was beginning to really believe it. Finally she was willing to let him. The idea of forever, of eternity, didn't scare her because in that moment she accepted it. She was ready for it.
The doors behind Jack were thrown open and a very upset rabbit-slash-kangaroo glared at the two like he'd caught them in an intimate moment that shouldn't have been happening. Technically that was true. "Jack. We're leaving. Grab your staff."
"No, no way!" Jack groaned, turning to face his fellow Guardian, "Bunny, if you care about me at all-"
"Don't start. Let's go."
"He's right" Skyla interjected, "You should go. We've had a big day of flirting and manipulation. I need some rest, and so do you."
Bunnymund eyed her suspiciously while Jack just glanced between the two. He shrugged, "Alright, I was just giving you opportunity to go along with your plan. You had one, right? Since you said the game would be over tonight."
"Wha-" Bunny yelled.
"Actually I said the game would be over by tomorrow." she corrected, "I love you, Jack. See you later" Skyla grinned and lightly pushed him towards his staff. He gave up quickly and left with a huffing Bunnymund, calling a short goodbye along the way.
NOTES:
Okay, okay
I promise
Skyla's plan is in the next chapter.
And it's great.
Hopefully I don't rush it
Like I did this
Sorry
THANK YOU FOR READING
I can't thank you enough for sticking with me while I attempt this writing thing
(That I do so ever love to do)
*hearts*
