Summary: Slightly AU, set somewhat if in the middle of the movie, it took a different turn. Mentions of Dark!Jack. And a much more evil Pitch.

In order to once again claim the world, Pitch had to trick a winter sprite into falling under his control. The Guardians had been too focused on themselves and their duties, and had not caught onto Pitch's plan until too late and are now paying the price. The remaining Guardians must now hold on to the one called "Shadow Creeper" until they can find Nightlight, the one The Man In The Moon has told them to temporarily recruit.

But little do they know she is a target for Mischief. And who is hellbent on capturing her.

*Jack/OC
one-sided Tooth/Jack
maybe Tooth/Bunny

T for language and mentions of death. May be rated M later for future mature content and maybe graphic writing.

Listen to: "dreamer" by Ghost Town

Ch6:Coax

ˈkōks | (verb) 1. persuade (someone) gradually or by flattery to do something.

Shadow ceased her struggling, her body paralyzed momentarily. She stared wide eyed in front of her, gaze intent on the empty space at the end of the bed she occupied.

That voice...

"Because I've had enough of not being believed in."

...There was no way...

Shadow's wide eyes darted to the open closet far to her right. Her struggling became more earnest, but stopped when the figure stepped out of the dark closet.

"...Unlike you."

Shadow's eyes widened in surprise at her guest, then narrowed back to their normal hostile look.

"Jack," she stated as either a mutual greeting, acknowledgment, or both. "How'd you get here?"

He didn't answer and she saw him tuck away something in his pocket. His gaze studied the large bedroom instead. Shadow felt her heart stop when his eyes fell upon her, and she hissed a curse to herself under her breath for being stuck in this predicament.

"You didn't answer my offer earlier."

"What offer," Shadow muttered aloud. Then it hit her: to go to that restaurant in Paris. "Oh, that. ...Well..." She stalled, thinking of how to tell him 'no,' when she frowned, an evil smirk playing her lips. "I'll answer your question when you answer mine."

Jack had been looking around the room but he now snapped his neck in attention to her. "You really don't want to play that game, sweetheart."

That got just the response he hoped, and he grew a dark smile watching Shadow frown and stick her chin out defensively.

"I asked first."

"No. Actually, I did."

"Ladies first, remember Frosty?" He had called her an annoying pet name, so she wasn't going to let herself be the only victim.

Jack's stance changed and she saw his grip on his staff tighten. He warned, "don't make me angry."

"Well too bad. Petty little nicknames aren't so fun when it's you, huh?"

Jack glared at her. Shadow's heart jumped again watching him take a few warning steps toward her.

He still wore that damn hood and all she wanted to do was rip it off to finally fully see his face instead of glimpses and shadows.

"My offer lasts only until the end of today..."

"This is ridiculous arguing like this..." Shadow felt in...the condition she was in. And she voiced this out loud, much to Jack's amusement.

"Well then...let's not argue like this..."

Shadow gave a questioning look wondering what he could possibly be thinking now. Her eyes grew wide once more as he sat along the edge of the bed and leaned over beginning untying Santa's supposed-to-be magically-bound ropes.

She didn't expect him to help her at all. This was Jack Frost! At most, she had braced herself for him to freeze her hands and feet to ice and then break them off.

And his staff was propped against the bed. He never put down his staff.

Jack had freed her right hand and was now leaned over her, undoing the thick rope around her left wrist. Shadow, despite the inner voice disagreeing, she took that opportunity to sneak a glance under his jacket's hood. But he swiftly back up on his knees when he noticed what Shadow was trying to do and she looked away, the slightest hint of nervousness shown for the first time.

She could tell he was upset. Angry even. They've never been this close in proximity, ever.

What else was she supposed to do?

"Can't I see? Just once?"

Jack's brows furrowed, not understanding what she meant.

She clarified: "you always wear that hood. Can't you take it off for once?"

Now he was frowning. But Shadow refused to say "please;" she refused to show submitment to someone like him. And luckily, he eventually didn't refuse.

Jack's appearance greatly contrasted what her suspicions had been. He looked a lot younger than his voice and tone let on, and his skin was much paler than she thought.

Her hand raised, her paling skin almost the complete opposite tone to his.

Shadow's now-freed right hand ran thru his messy hair—white speckled with dark grey, giving the appearance of a smokey white. The only thing that wasn't different were his eyes—they were just as stern and attentive and catching as she'd thought.

"Happy now?" Jack asked bitterly.

Shadow reached up with her other hand he just untied to run those fingers thru his hair. She noticed his eyes still hadn't left hers.

"Mmmm..." She didn't answer him, letting out a sound as if she was thinking, instead. Shadow shrugged.

Jack stared at her, his brows crinkling. And she was beginning to feel uncomfortable when he moved to place both hands and knees on either side of her, his body hovering above her. Instead of frowning even more, Shadow's eyes grew wide as he inched his face closer and closer...

His lips brushed hers just the slightest bit. He said something but the blood pounding in her ears didn't let her to hear.

"Wh-what'd you say?" Her voice suddenly became breathless and she cursed again, hoping it was just from reflex.

"Language," Jack warned, his deep voice sending vibrations thru her. "I said," he answered in mock annoyance, "what about now?"

Shadow swallowed. Why was she acting so wimpy and stupid?! There was nothing different as now. ...Just that she'd never been this close to anyone before, at least someone who could see her.

"N-now...?" She could feel her heart racing and her face became hard again. She scowled and opened her mouth to holler for him to get up when he leaned back onto his knees. Now she had room to breathe!

But instead of getting off of her, Jack merely leaned back and untied her ankles. She had been struggling so much, red rings were left where the rope hand been.

Jack glanced nonchalantly behind him and then at the space on the bed.

Shadow was really upset now. Before she could ask what he was staring at, Jack had picked her up, sitting back on the bed and dropped her on his lap, making her breathless once again.

Her fist balled up, ready to punch him; he saw this coming and grabbed her wrist, directing it away from his throat and to grip his shoulder instead. Shadow glared at the knowing, smart-ass grin on his face. And she suddenly realized she was straddling him, her knees holding her body up the only thing keeping them from touching. Her hands fisted his jacket.

Shadow leaned back to get away from Jack, but he wasn't allowing that. She felt his hand on her back press harder whenever she'd struggle, keeping her to him. He was stronger than she thought...

Shadow shook her head a little. Her body stiffened when his hand glided slowly up her body to rest behind her neck, his cool touch making her shudder.

"And now, little phantom?" He sat back slowly into the pillows, making sure to bring her down with him. Their faces were so close she could feel his cool breath tickling her nose. He rubbed his hands along her sides, happy she didn't have that oversized hoodie on. He liked this tank top better, though he'd much rather not have it on at all...

Shadow shuddered feeling his hands slide up to glide across her breasts and then down to hold her hips. She had to put her hands on his shoulders to keep herself up.

"Jack..."

He looked up at her from under hooded eyelids. His grip returned to the back of her neck and he ushered her face closer... "Hmm?"

"Wh-what...?" She tensed again feeling a hand sliding into the back of her shorts.

"Relax~" he purred in her ear.

Her arms wobbled. "W-we... Jack, we-we shouldn—-"

Shadow didn't finished, her voice broke off into a gasp as Jack's lips touched hers. Oh, was the feeling not like any other.

By now her mind has turned to mush, rationing going out the window.

Jack took the opportunity of her gasp to delve past her sweet lips. She whimpered feeling his tongue play with hers and his hand grab a handful of her hair. His temperature here was drastically different than the outside of his skin. Her hands where no longer grabbing his jacket angrily.

'His tongue was even softer than his mouth...'

That's when Shadow noticed just how close they were—her back stood erect when his hips slowly bucked upward.

"Oh...oh god...!" She gasped involuntarily once more. In the back of her mind, Shadow knew this shouldn't happen. Somewhere in the back of her mind, that voice there was going to come back and bite her in the ass. But right now, that thought was not what she was focused on at the time.

Jack tangled his fingers into her dark hair. He forced his hips up again and he french kissed her again, smirking at the shaking breaths she took. He had her right where he wanted her; if he had to bring her back to Pitch, he might as well have some fun with her before Pitch did whatever he needed with her.

As the minutes ticked by, so did all of Shadow's rational sense. With each thrust, Jack made sure the next was faster and firmer, making her breath hitch higher. His vise tightened. Jack could feel her breath against his neck quickening and coming out in shorter and shorter puffs. She had little to no defense as his hands explored her body.

Shadow leaned up and arched her back, giving him a nice view of her chest, her hands ruffling her already-messy hair. Jack gave a pointy-toothed smile. It was a devil's smile. Shadow looked down at him from under half-closed eyes. Her eyes had darkened greatly and he couldn't tell if that was a good thing or bad.

"Shadow..."

She looked down, little surprise shown on her features when she paused. Jack had never called her name before. His narrowed blue eyes never left hers. She looked down, watching the fingers of one hand twine with hers.

"Hmm...?" She didn't want all this talking right now. She just wanted...

She wanted to forget. She wanted to forget everything, even if the time would be temporarily. Just to feel just a little better. But was this the right way...? With Jack, even at all...?

She wanted him to shut up.

Shadow felt his fingers fiddle with the fastenings of her shorts and buried her face in his neck again. She felt him take in a deep breath. He was smiling.

Before Jack could open his mouth, a heavy knock banged on the door. It wasn't a knock at all, but a pound of a fist. The two stopped, turning toward the bedroom door.

"Shadow? SHADOW! Open door this instant!"

It was good ol' Saint Nick.

Jack growled deeply and Shadow knew she had liked it a little too much.

Jack pried her grip off him and sat up. Shadow sat back on her knees, the two having personal space in—she looked at the clock on the bedside table—almost an entire hour!

She jumped hearing a rather dangerous hit on the door. Any more and North was going to break the door down.

"Shadow!" he called again. "Open door!" It had not been locked when he left, so the only thought had been that Jack had done it.

Shadow turned back to Jack to find he wasn't there. The cool space where he had been sitting was the only indication he had existed there at all. Confused, Shadow looked from the door to the sheets in front of her lightly decorated with frost.

Another splintering bang on the thick door motivated her to jump out the bed, stumbling a little, and swing open the door . North fell on the carpet as if he had been putting all his weight against the door. Which Shadow no doubt knew he had been.

She looked down at him with a cold air about her, ignoring the yetis standing in the doorway who had come with him.

"Well you did tie me up. You need to give me at least a little time first before breaking the door down."

A/N: Well, so i didn't want to make this too much, given this is just the beginning of the fic. Is this mature enough? Writer's block has crept up on me again and any thoughts, suggestions, or plot ideas would be a big help with getting more chapters out quicker.