Hello and Welcome!

This is my first story, and it is a Rise of the Guardians Fanfic between Jack Frost and Pitch Black! (OTP) This story takes place before the events in the movie. It is rated M for mature content, but there will also be some emotional points in the story. You have been warned.

I have not read The Man in the Moon book, so my information may not be 100% specific to

details, but I'm doing a lot of research as I write to make it more accurate to both the book

and the movie.

Thank You and Enjoy the Show!

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Chapter 8: A Night of Nightmares

Jack soared high, close to the thick clouds, with the sharp wind in his hair and his arms outstretched. It felt good to fly through the chilly winter evening again and in his own clothes. He opened his bright eyes to see where he was going. He peeked at the wooden staff in his hand out of the corner of his eye and saw the majestic Nightmare King riding Onyx with perfect posture a few feet below him. He had asked Pitch if they could travel to Burgess by wind and horse instead of shadow. The shadows made him feel disoriented.

Pitch agreed to his terms, and watched the frost spirit from afar, but not too far away so he would lose sight of him in the clouds. The boy needed this freedom; to run free as he wished, and to enjoy himself as much as a teenage spirit could. It made Pitch happy knowing that he could bring Jack happiness. And he was excited to show him his work for the first time!

Wait.

Jack had never seen Pitch's work before. How would Pitch know whether or not his nightmares would frighten Jack, or how his nightmares would affect him seeing the children? Normally, Jack was the one who would scare the children with his daredevil stunts and tricks, usually ending in joy and laughter. But was Jack one to become frightened? He at least had to ask.

Pitch called up to Jack so he could speak to him. Jack hovered down and seated himself behind Pitch, wrapping his arms around the slender male to hold on as Onyx galloped through the air.

"Do you often become frightened or scared?" A blunt question, but he had to ask. Jack giggled.

"No, not really. I worry, but I don't get scared easily." Pitch smiled and placed his big hand over Jack's hand on his torso. "That's why I'm not afraid of you when most people would be." Jack rested his head on Pitch's back. The darker man felt his face heat up at the comment. So Jack wasn't one to become frightened easily after all. Pitch worried about Jack's reactions to his nightmares, but he trusted Jack.

Then there was the issue about Jack unknowingly wanting to know about where he came from and his family. Pitch shook his head.

'One worry at a time,' he thought to himself.

They quickly came to Burgess, quieting down from the day's businesses and recreation activities. Lights in houses were flickering on and the evening sky morphed into a dark blanket of stars and clouds. It looked so beautiful.

"Jack, why don't you go find a child that's already asleep," Pitch suggested, landing Onyx on a high rooftop. Jack hesitated at the request, but the breeze picked up and Jack was off. Onyx disappeared as soon as Pitch's feet hit the cement. He looked confused as to why she left so early - while they were flying, she seemed really uneasy about something.

Pitch held his hands loosely behind his back. The chilly breeze running through his robe and his hair; it felt so much better than staying in a stuffy lair all day. He took a few steps forward, admiring the quiet town and inhaled deeply. The cold, fresh air was actually very calming. He looked across the rooftops and saw Jack jump into the air from between two buildings a few blocks down and head straight towards Pitch. Jack clicked his staff to the cement.

"There's a girl down there about eleven years old," Jack informed.

"You don't have to come if you don't want to, Jack."

"Aw, come on, Pitch! I think it'll be fun for us to be with a kid or two tonight!" So innocent; but Jack needed to see, first-hand, what it was that Pitch actually did.

"Alright," Pitch reached out to the teenager and hugged him close. "For this part, we need to travel by shadow." Jack held Pitch tight as the darkness surrounded them and the air was still.

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When Jack opened his eyes, his vision was fuzzy. The child's pink window curtain was opened slightly and he saw Pitch standing on the side of the small bed with a strip of moonlight running down his body from his face to his abdomen. His focused facial expression and motionless body made him more fearsome that usual. Jack looked at the girl, sleeping under pink blankets.

Curly blonde hair, a couple freckles across her nose, and an adorable little snore. A junior's softball trophy sat on her nightstand. Probably very good at a snowball fight if given the chance.

Pitch had been working on a new project to improve his nightmares. Onyx was the first of many in his plan. But it only worked if Sandman's sand was active in the child's mind. For now, he'd just use this child's fears and go with that.

"Spiders," Pitch whispered and chuckled at the simplicity of the little girl. Spiders and snakes were two of the easier nightmares to create. Jack leaned against his wooden staff, watching intently.

Pitch waved his hand over the girl, and out from under her bed, a little black spider crawled out. Well, it was big enough for anyone to be startled, but not tarantula big. It crawled to a small lump under the blankets, the girl's feet, up her body, and stopped at her shoulder. Pitch snapped his fingers and the spider leaped from her shoulder to her head. The sand dissolved into the girl's hair. The girl started to squirm in distress until another spider came down from the wall and climbed onto her head like the first spider. She dug her head into her pillow, as if to get away from the arachnids. The same happened when Pitch delivered two more spiders. The girl flopped onto her other side and unconsciously drew the blankets up to her chin. Pitch snickered.

"Pitch," Jack interrupted, wondering what must be going on in the child's mind.

More spiders.

A squeak like a sad puppy escaped from the girl's throat.

"Jack, let's see what happens when it gets really cold in here. Freeze something," Pitch looked like a happy little kid with what he said.

"Stop, Pitch! This isn't funny anymore!" More spiders. "Pitch! She's going to wake up crying pretty soon!" The dark grey man bared his teeth in a grin. Pitch's eyes shot back to the little girl. She was waking up.

Jack grabbed Pitch by the collar and dashed through the small window away from the fear in the room. He couldn't handle seeing a child in pain. And Pitch wanted him to contribute to the child's fear. Jack loved Pitch, but he couldn't do what Pitch asked.

They flew back to the rooftop where they landed previously. Jack crouched on the edge of the building and Pitch was trying to catch his breath from the sudden flying.

"Why would you want me to see that?!" Jack exploded, gripping his staff almost too firmly.

"I said you didn't have to come if you didn't want to." Pitch brushed himself off. Jack didn't look pleased with being proven wrong. "That's what I do, Jack. I'm the Nightmare King, what did you expect?"

"I was okay with you bringing nightmares to the kids, 'cause that's who you are. No offense. What bothered me so much was your reaction to how much that little girl feared you. You looked like you were addicted to it and craved more," Jack loosened up a little bit. "And the fact that you actually wanted me to help you? I'm sorry, Pitch, that's not who I am. I don't want any child fearing me." Jack's eyes started watering. He didn't want anyone fearing him before they believed in him, nor did he ever think he'd say he was okay with kids having nightmares. He was upset with his own reasoning and for Pitch's sanity.

Pitch stood there in front of Jack, watching him blink back tears. Perhaps this was why Onyx left so early. He couldn't stand to see his little frost prince upset, especially when it was about him. It made Pitch feel so guilty. He knelt down on his knees so he was eye-level with Jack.

"I'm sorry. I should have warned you what I was capable of once I got started." Pitch wrapped his arm around Jack's small body and pulled him against his half-exposed chest. "I promise I won't get so out of control when I work, and you don't have to come if it upsets you this much."

"No, you don't have to do all that. Although I, personally, am opposed to scaring kids in their sleep, you are the Nightmare King and I don't expect anything less." Jack dried the few tears he shed on Pitch's soft black robe.

Pitch kissed the top of the white hair. He understood why Jack was upset. In the past, he'd sometimes go overboard with his nightmares and practically torture children in their sleep. He was happy that someone actually kept him in control, even felt like this for his sake.

They stayed like that until Pitch's legs were numb from kneeling.

"Jack? Maybe we should think about heading home," Pitch waited for an answer. Jack nodded his head, continuing to rest against the taller man. "Can you stand on your own?" Jack shook his head. The corner of Pitch's mouth twitched to a small smile. He scooped the adolescent into his long arms and took the staff in his own hand.

Jack drew little frost circles with his finger over Pitch's heart, instantly melting away from Pitch's body heat. Pitch mentally called out to Onyx, but she didn't come to pick them up. He called again, still no sign of his mare. They'd have to walk or go by shadow.

"Keep your eyes closed, Jack," Pitch pressed his lips to Jack's temple before the shadows took them to the silent forest shadows. Pitch continued to kiss Jack's forehead as they walked to the entrance of Pitch's lair. The cracked wooden bed frame stood above the wide hole in the ground leading to the tunnels.

Before he plummeted down into his home, Pitch checked to make sure Jack was still awake. Icy blue orbs were gently closed and frosty breath escaped slightly parted lips. Yep – dead asleep.

Pitch dove feet first into his domain to one of the many stone bridges. He took the time to walk down the bridges to the main stairwell leading to his chambers and entered his room. He laid the sleeping winter spirit under the black satin sheets and left his staff near the closest mirror along the wall.

Pitch's stomach rumbled. It was nearly midnight, and Pitch hadn't eaten since breakfast when he made pancakes and coffee. He figured he'd eat something and maybe have a nice little chat with Onyx before bed.

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Hello Again! ^u^

I do hope you enjoyed it!

So sorry this took forever, but I had a lot of information I didn't know what to do with, so it took me a while to get it all figured out and perfect.

Also, I start school on Tuesday! YAY! I love school. Unfortunately,

that means I won't be able to write so much; but I will continue whenever I can!

I have nothing left to tell you guys except next chapter gets a little spicy! Uh-oh!

Thanks a Bunches!