"I don't see how this is going to help anything," Bunnymund grumbles, shifting his weight from foot to foot.
"I'm with Trix on this one. What are we doing out here, Jack?" Cassandra agrees. She glances down at her snow pants, buried almost knee-deep in the freezing snow.
Jack hovers over the snow before them, wearing the same outfit as the day before- a blue hoodie with intricate silver threading, tight brown pants that are torn and rolled at his mid-shin. No shoes. Cassandra shrugs to herself. It works for him, considering his feet hardly ever touch the ground.
He holds is staff out in Bunny's direction and the intimidating rodent ducks, holding his muscular arms up for protection.
"Silly rabbit," Jack taunts, "this is for kids only."
He pulls his hood over his snow-white hair and grins devilishly. Jack waves his staff playfully at Bunnymund.
"Sorry, mate, but you're on your own. I have other things to attend to," Bunny mutters to Cassandra, turning his back.
Jack raises his staff and winds up, as if pitching a ball before pointing his staff at Bunnymund's retreating back. He is instantly pelted by dozens of perfectly formed snowballs. A giggle bursts from Cassandra's lips. He turns around, his eyes narrowing, and smiles grimly.
"Bring it on, Twinkle Toes," Bunny says, his deep voice reverberating. Cassandra knows better than to stay in the line of fire and dashes off.
Bunny pulls a dangerous boomerang from his back and rushes in the opposite direction.
A cold hand grasps Cassandra's and she finds herself being dragged into the chest of Jack Frost.
"Let's fly," he grins. She wraps her arms around his neck, and lets out a sharp cry as they rocket into the air.
"Jack!" Cassandra shouts, her legs flailing and ultimately latching around his slim hips. Jack revels in the sound of his own name falling from her lips. It has been a long time since a girl his age called him by name.
His laugh is carried away by the wind. They swoop above North's palace, catching sight of Bunnymund scurrying away towards a barn-shaped building. He makes a steak of gray on the white landscape.
"What's that?" she asks, leaning into Jack's ear so he can hear me.
"The stables," he replies. "I'll show you the reindeer sometime."
Cassandra grips tighter to Jack as the two plummet to the snow-covered land below.
When her feet hit the ground with a soft thump, Jack breathes, "You're it."
She whirls around to catch him but he's gone in a blur of snowflakes and cold air.
"Ja-ack!" she sing-songs. "Jack, come back!" Her cheeks and nose are flushed from the cold, but her eyes are dangerously bright.
In the clothes North lent her, Cassandra stumbles through the snow. Her snow boots and pants keep the ice from her skin, and the long-sleeved shirt provides limited warmth. The brown cape around her shoulders whips in the wind, but keeps her warmer than the shirt does.
"This isn't funny!" she shouts, attempting to sound firm.
Cassandra can't keep the grin from her face, however, and Jack's sparkling laugh echoes as he bends the wind. He sneaks up behind her and twines his arms around her waist.
"We're supposed to be training," Cassandra reminds, leaning back into his unexpected embrace. "Don't make me call back Bunny."
"You wouldn't dare," Jack growls, his cold lips brushing her ear lobe. The contact is intimate and sends shivers racing down his spine.
She opens her mouth to call, but cold powder invades her mouth.
"Jack!" Cassandra shrieks in protests, crunching on the snow.
Jack grabs her again, tossing her into the air. With a wave of his staff, the wind holds her up several feet above the ground. She laughs loudly, joyously. Jack can't help the smile that spreads across his face. Adrenaline courses through her veins as Jack has the wind set her gently on her boots.
She rushes to Jack and tackles him, both falling to the snow. Limbs tangled, Cassandra brushes her nose against Jack's in an Eskimo kiss. Jack pulls away and clears his throat. If they stay so close together, he might not be able to control himself. Her lips are very pink and very tempting.
"Okay, okay, I need to have something to show for today incase Bunny decides to test me," Cassandra relents.
Jack nods and taps his staff to the snow. Perfectly round balls begin to roll themselves, glowing an odd blue.
"We're going to make you deathly powerful with a snowball. Your attempts at a food fight last night prove you have exceptional aim; let's put some potency in your throw," Jack suggests, picking up a snowball and weighing it in his palm. He places it in Cassandra's hand and their cold fingers brush together.
He puts his arms around Cassandra, one on her lower back to correct her stance and the other on her arm. Jack demonstrates how to throw -"Not like a girl. Under-hand, like pitching for baseball"- and how to catch -"Baseball, not football. The snow is going to go right through your fingers, Cass!"
Cassandra grows increasingly frustrated by his playful words. He isn't taking this seriously and she knows it. Finally, full of pent-up irritation, she winds up and throws a snowball at Jack. It gets him in the side of the head and he turns. His blue eyes are wide.
"Well, huh. That almost hurt," he snickers. She grabs another, fuming.
"Maybe that's enough for one day, eh, Cass?" Jack says, holding his hands up in surrender. She chucks one more anyway just for good measure.
"Now we can go," she says stubbornly.
Jack grins at her audacity and wipes the snowflakes from his face. He sweeps his arm under her knees and lifts her into the air. She crosses her arms over her chest and glares up at him, refusing to wrap her arms around his neck. He grins. If she wants to play that game…
Once they are a hundred or so feet in the air, he drops her, letting the wind carry her as he flies alongside. She screams and curses loudly. In a heap, she lands on the balcony of her room at North's palace. She pulls herself to her feet, gripping the golden banister of the balcony. Jack lands gracefully and smirks.
"I don't see why Toothiana has such a crush on you. You're kind of a pain," Cassandra sneers, winking to show she's only joking.
Jack leans on his staff, smiling boyishly at her. Pleasure at her reaction tingles through him.
"You jealous, Cass?"
She tosses her hair and huffs, unlatching the balcony doors and stomping inside.
"I have to meet with North. He wants me to design a new ribbon pattern." She waves a hand at the absurdity of the task.
Jack stays on the balcony, walking along the banister like an acrobat. "I have to go freeze some small towns in Massachusetts so I won't see you tomorrow."
Cassandra, surprised, steps back onto the balcony. She unties the cape and tosses it over her shoulder. Jack is glad she likes it; it was his, after-all.
"When will I see you again?" she murmurs. Jack crouches down and cups her face in his hands. She leans into the cool, even though she had been out in the cold all day.
"Soon. We still have to get the thing that goes bump in the night," Jack grins, but his blue eyes are humorless. "Stay safe until I come back for you."
"Don't catch a cold out there, Jack Frost," Cassandra replies. In a flash of courage, she leans up and kisses his smooth cheek.
He smiles slyly and is gone with the wind.
Yay another chapter :D Tell me what you think!