Love

I led Jack Frost on a tour of Cloud Nine, keeping close to him the whole way through. He was raptly interested in everything about me and the palace and I was deeply intrigued by everything about him. I had seen many attractive men in the last thousand years, but none so quite like Jack. I couldn't place my finger on it, but he was different. In appearance, in personality, in everything he was. There was no one like Jack Frost. Perhaps it was because he was a spirit, too? Did that common factor of ours make him that much more desirable?

I didn't know, but I didn't care about the specifics. Who needed them? I was willing to accept that there was an extremely handsome young man in my home and he wanted to know me as much as I wanted to know him. As the winter spirit and I spent some time together in Cloud Nine, I completely forgot about everything else. The only thing I wanted to focus on was how I was going to get him to hold my hand again.

After showing him the storage room and the garden, I led him to my bedroom where he explored the objects I'd procured over the years. I sat on my bed as he strummed my harp curiously, smiling at the whimsical sounds it made.

"So how long have you been around, Cupid?" he asked, examining my hourglass.

"Since the year 269," I answered, leaning back on my arms.

His dazzling blue eyes widened and he turned to me. "T-two-hundred-sixty-nine?" he asked incredulously. "That's, like, over a thousand years! You only look like you're twenty!"

I giggled behind my hand. "Yes, and I'll be staying this way for the rest of eternity." I shrugged. "You should be looking like that forever, too, Jack Frost. When were you born?" I tilted my head curiously. I sure hoped he would look this handsome forever. If I could just look at that face every day, I wouldn't have any complaints.

Jack found the button on top of the hourglass and pressed it, watching time tick away, fascinated. "Well, it's been 188 years, so…" He looked up in thought, clicking the button again and setting down the hourglass. "It was the year 1712." The chandelier above our heads caught his eye and he flew up to examine it closely.

"You're pretty young, compared to the other spirits," I noted, going over to the wall where a switch was placed on the wall. With the press of a button, I flicked off and on the lights of the chandelier, demonstrating the insane technology I'd barely gotten used to. Jack Frost grinned at the flickering lights and flew down beside me to rapidly turn the lights on and off. I laughed and shook my head. "I'm still captivated by electricity myself."

He turned to me, crossing his arms. "I'm surprised considering you live on top of the Eiffel Tower!"

"You'd be surprised how often I've gone out since this place was built," I admitted. And then I was struck by a great idea. Touching his shoulder to grab his attention back from the light switch, I gave Jack Frost my proposal. "Hey! Now that I've shown you all of Cloud Nine, would you mind showing me how you bring winter?"

His eyes sparkled at the idea. "You'd want to?"

"Of course!"

Blush rose to my cheeks as he took my hand in his. "Well what're we waiting for?" he exclaimed. As we ran out the front door, I called a farewell to the cherubs and in less than three seconds, I was flying in the air side-by-side with the one and only Jack Frost.

… "What about his teeth? What are they like?" she asked excitedly.

I sighed dreamily, hugging my knees close, leaning backwards precariously, wings fluttering. "Oh, they sparkle like freshly fallen snow," I swooned, and Toothiana giggled, kicking her feet.

Bunny's sarcastic chuckle broke into our girlish bonding. "Yeah, yeah. Ya know, I don't even see what you two find so dang attractive about the guy, alright? He's a- he's a punk is what he is!"

"Oh, stop it, Bunny;" Tooth said gently, "you should be happy that Cupid made another friend. I don't know anyone who's actually hung out with the Jack Frost."

"Exactly my point," Bunny said, shaking his paintbrush at her in reproach. "We don't know much about this guy. For all we know he could be working for Pitch!"

At that, I quickly swallowed the eggnog I had been drinking. "Now hold on, Bunny, I've been spending time with him for more than a month now; he's a sweet boy."

Catching our attention, dreamsand appeared over Sandy's head. He gave Bunnymund a skeptic look, smirking, as three eggs looked to be snowed upon.

"I do not just dislike him because he messes with my egg hunts!" the Pooka exclaimed indignantly.

As we debated this, completely disagreeing with that statement, North came back with a tray of cookies that the four of us devoured in no time. It was four days before the Christmas of 1900 and North thought it was about time for another party, to celebrate the new millennia. Bunny and I sat shoulder-to-shoulder as I drank eggnog and he painted eggs. Sandy sat to Bunny's left on a floating carpet of dreamsand with his legs crisscrossed. Tooth, preferring to use her wings, hovered above me to my right, though she sat on air as if there was a chair there. North took a seat on the floor on Tooth's right, settling down his weary muscles.

As conversations carried on through my friendship with Jack, to the toy preparations, to the goings-on of the past year, things remained as jolly as they should be. An elf had scuttled over to me and sat on my lap. I noticed he had a black eye, but I didn't bother to ask how he got it. Though I contributed to the conversations at hand, there was something on the back of my mind, and Bunny's fur constantly rubbing against my arm reminded me of it every other second.

Bunny didn't like the fact that I made friends with Jack Frost. Apparently they'd met before and it didn't end well. Jack, I found, was a trouble-maker. Like Hallow, he was fun-loving, and that can get on people's bad side sometimes. Like Bunny's. While I found it amusing how flustered he got when conversation turned to the playful winter spirit, I began to grow worried. Was there…something more to his distaste?

Night wore into day and of course Tooth and Sandy were the first to leave. It was nice seeing them again. I had missed the Guardians deeply. It was nice to know that though we didn't communicate much anymore, we were still the closest of friends. Tooth even invited me to come over for tea next February, which I agreed to eagerly. The Tooth Fairy flew off into the distance as I hugged the stout Sandman. He was squishy and small, like a stuffed animal. When he pulled away, there was dreamsand on my toga, which I brushed away whilst laughing about it. He crafted a flying dinosaur to ride upon and, too, flew off into the rising sun.

Bunny and I spent a little more time with North before deciding it was time to get back to eggs and cherubs. I hugged North tightly and thanked him for another wonderful party. Wished him well on the Christmas to come, and turned to hug Bunny as well. But he stopped me and offered to take me home personally. I complied and, after he and North said their goodbyes, jumped into the rabbit hole leading to the base of the Eiffel Tower. Very few people were awake then, but none were children, so no one noticed the Easter Bunny climbing to the top of a giant tower and then disappearing into the nonexistent dome perched at the peak.

Upon arrival, we were bombarded with excited cherubs. The boys were especially excited to see Bunny again, though some of them asked where their beloved Toothiana was. After we pried them off of us, we made our way to my room. There I checked my reflection once more and Bunny looked around to see if there was anything new to see. When he found there was nothing, he sat on my bed.

I sat on the other side, removing my sandals and ribbons. I didn't need to sleep, of course, but at the moment dreaming a sweet dream seemed like the best thing in the world. Being from the "days of old," I was had always had this shyness about showing my ankles too much. I preferred my toga long like it was and the human world wasn't trying to convince me otherwise (yet).

Bunny glanced over to me. "You plannin' on sleepin'?" he asked gently.

I nodded, stretching out my wings which I felt like I rarely used. Yawning, I joked, "I think some of Sandy's dreamsand stuck with me. I'm feeling a bit exhausted."

Bunnymund cracked a smile and chuckled. I lay down on my side, tucking my wings in and in return, Bunny tucked the blanket around me snugly. "You sleep well, Lovey," he said softly, standing.

"Good night, Bunny. I love you," I said, eyes sliding closed.

There was a pause. And then the rabbit petted my wings. "Sweet dreams, Cupid. I love ya, too." With my eyelids weighing heavy on me, Bunny left me to the darkness of my room where I drifted to a blissful sleep, filled with cold kisses and a human man with familiar spring-green eyes.

…

Twenty-one years later, Hallow and I decided that it was time for me to get with the program. We had been out into world many times and we started noticing something odd. Two things actually. The first was automobiles. Automobiles were these frightening, loud, metal monsters that took the place of carriages and chariots everywhere. We tried inspecting one, but we couldn't understand why people were so attracted to these things. They smelled and released a gross gas from the rear. I personally preferred horses over the confusing cars.

The second thing that bewildered the two of us was the fashion growing wildly popular. They called them "flappers;" women who followed this trend. They cut their hair as short as Hallow's and wore short dresses, showing off their legs and ankles. In my day, that would be unheard of. But times have definitely changed. Technology and factories were taking over and people were becoming more and more independent. Women and non-whites were finally gaining the freedom they deserved.

Personally, I never found anything wrong with those a different color than me or different gender or those with different interests. We were all living, breathing creatures. Why can't we all just get along?

Well, just because I couldn't cure the humans of their horrid ways didn't mean that I couldn't admire the changes of the world. Hallow saw my fascination of the fashion and decided it was high time for an attire change. Despite my objections, the Halloween spirit went home and sewed together a new outfit for me. Hallow was amazing at sewing costumes, so it didn't surprise me that the new clothes she designed for me really caught my attention.

One October she burst into Cloud Nine, announcing, "Cupid, hold onto your wings! Wait till you see what I made for you!" I noticed that she also made something for herself, too. It was a dark red cloak and a pumpkin clip for her hair.

After changing into the new clothes in my room, I gasped in awe at my reflection in the mirror. "Whoa…Hallow! How did you make this? I love it!" I twirled around, watching the white skirt spin with me and sway to a stop. It stopped at the middle of my thigh, made of the same cotton material as the shirt. The creative shirt was white, too, but it was different than anything I ever thought about wearing. It had only one sleeve: the left was long-sleeve and loose. I was also given long, fingerless leather gloves because Hallow said they looked "cool."

Because Hallow knew the short skirt would make flying uncomfortable for me, she also fashioned some black tights to go with the outfit. They stopped at my knees where my ribbons still wrapped up my calves and my sandals still adorned my feet. I still wore my gold belt, and the gold armlet was still worn on my bare right bicep.

For about an hour, I gushed over how amazing her sewing skills were and how much I loved the new outfit. She was right when she said that after a thousand years of wearing the same clothes, it was time for a change.

When we settled down, talk turned to Jack Frost. We sat on my bed, eating Bunny's chocolates. Conversation died down for only a few seconds and that's when Hallow jumped into the topic. Her mood had improved over the years when she came back and learned how willing I was to get out of Cloud Nine and have fun again. But just like Bunny, there was something there behind her voice when I spoke of Jack Frost and my secret admiration for him. There was something that she wasn't telling me. They had met only twice, but the meetings were brief, as I was eager to go out and spend time with Jack.

"So, when's Frosty coming back?" she asked, popping a caramel-filled sweet into her mouth.

I shrugged, immediately smiling at the mention of his name. "Who knows? He comes and goes with the seasons."

"He should come trick-or-treating with us sometime," she said carefully, eyes shifting up to me as if she was testing dangerous waters.

"That would be great! I'll ask him next time I see him!" I exclaimed, sitting up. "You know, he's been wearing the same outfit for over a century too. Maybe you should make him new clothes, too?"

A frown pulled at her lips. "Yeah, maybe…" she muttered. She never did tell me what her reluctance about him was, but I could only guess. Jealousy? Perhaps.

But of whom?

Unfortunately we didn't get to trick-or-treat with him. I only saw Jack in the winter, rarely in fall or spring, never in summer. But that was fine with me. I treasured every moment with him. The following month, when he arrived at Cloud Nine, I was in the garden, playing a song on the harp for the cherubs about to awaken, singing to them a melodic song I had made up.

"Winter rolls in and I'm alight

Because I know that in the night,

I'll see you.

I've waited all year to hear your voice

Tonight, I've made the choice…"

Before the song I made up was finished, the tulips opened, revealing the sleeping cherubs inside. I welcomed each of them into the world, hugging and speaking with them. After waving off the last cherub to go to his job, I turned and found Jack Frost standing in the doorway, leaned against his staff. I jumped a bit, startled by his sudden appearance.

"Jack! How long have you been there?" I asked, blushing.

He chuckled, coming over to me to touch the tulips curling back into the soil. "Since you started singing," he said. "You have a beautiful voice, you know that?"

I shifted from foot to foot. "Th-thank you…"

There was a moment of silence as Jack's incredibly blue eyes studied my new attire. "Wanna come bring winter with me?" he offered and I said yes…

…When Jack and I landed, we were in Asia. Our feet barely made any noise as we stepped onto a roof and took a seat. After flying around the world all day, we were in need of a break. It was night and the stars were shining brightly here. Manny sat silently. I got the feeling that he must have turned his back on us to give us our privacy.

Leaning back on my hands, I extended my wings and let them air in the cold night breeze. With the wave of his staff, Jack produced majestic snow that drifted gracefully from the sky. I watched, captivated by Jack's power. From the corner of my eye, I saw him smile at my wonderment. No matter how many times I'd seen it, the winter he brought always astounded me.

A snowflake drifted closer to me, twirling in the air, until it landed and nipped my nose. I laughed lightly, rubbing my nose with my finger. "Very funny, Jack," I said jokingly. I paused a moment before looking back up to the sky. "What you do, Jack…it's beautiful. I wish I could do this," I said distantly.

"What about you, huh?" he asked, lying back on his forearms. "I've seen your work; it's pretty amazing."

"Oh, yes!" I exclaimed, blushing and grinning. "I love my job. Love…is the most beautiful thing in t world. No doubt." I shifted my red-eyed gaze to meet his crystal blues. "Snow and romance go well together. So I have to thank you for making my job easier."

Jack Frost nodded, looking up at the sky. He considered something a moment before speaking. "Cupid…have you ever…" He trailed off, gesturing to me. I thought I knew what he was going to ask, but I wanted to hear him ask it.

"Have I ever what?" I prompted.

He exhaled deeply, running his hands through his white hair. "OK, you don't have to answer me if you don't want to, and it's okay if you don't. I mean, I don't know-"

"Jack!" I interrupted, breaking out in a grin. "Get on with it."

He laughed, shaking his head. "Alright. Have you ever been in love?"

I thought he would ask that. I had been avoided thought of my past loves ever since I met Jack. Though sometimes it was inevitable. Of course I would think about William.

And Domitus.

Even when I was mortal, I didn't prefer thinking about my undeniable love for him. And then once I became a spirit, I let go of those feelings completely. I had no choice.

In a thousand years, I had only been in love with three people. Jack was the third one, though I found it hard to admit it to him because of his innocence.

I didn't want to talk about the others that I'd loved to Jack, but a question was asked and it had to be answered. "Yes, I have," I said quietly. "Twice, actually. The first person was named Domitus. I was young, but when we met I immediately fell for him." I sighed. "Unfortunately so did my best friend. And he loved her. So because I loved both of them so much, I – let him go. They were married and I let it happen. It was better that way."

Jack was silent a moment, taking in the sad tale. His eyes flickered over me, taking in my nostalgic expression. Talking about it out loud hurt. I was surprised by that. But I supposed it was because I had never talked about it. Just kept it bottled up inside, hiding that fact even from myself. When Jack saw that I was done with telling that story, he cleared his throat, scooting closer to me. "Was it…Hallow?" he asked cautiously.

I smiled, shaking my head. "No," I chuckled. I had never seen Hallow interested in anyone. "Her name was Aelia."

"Oh…" He averted his eyes away before turning back to me. "What, um…what about the second person?"

William's story hurt even more than Domitus's. Although my heart clenched and tears threatened the back of my eyes, I told Jack anyway. "His name was William. I had known him since he was young and as he grew older, I realized that I was slowly falling for him. But, like Domitus, he never returned my love. Instead he fell for women who didn't deserve him, or he just slept around."

I was reluctant to go on, mouth suddenly drying. But then Jack's cold hand touched mine, silently encouraging me to finish the story. Taking a deep breath, I continued, "In the end, he couldn't take the hurt he had endured and – took his own life. Right in front of me." I shook my head, closing my eyes against the tears. "I haven't been able to get over it. The depression I went through was indescribable."

We were quiet for a long time after that. I refused to cry in front of Jack. He watched me, speechless, as if he didn't know anything that could make the pain of my past go away. But then, after what felt like an eternity of flashbacks, his arms came around me and he pulled me close to him. My eyes widened, shocked. Never in the twenty-one years we had known one another had he embraced me. It felt nice. He was cold, but it felt good against my flushed skin. He was so skinny, my arms wrapped around him perfectly.

I held myself close to him and Jack rested his chin on my head. He didn't say anything – didn't know what to say. But that was how I preferred it. He smelled like a welcome winter at home. The night was officially perfect. I never wanted to let him go. Perhaps one day I would tell someone the tales of my affection for Domitus, William, and Jack Frost.

Author's Note: What's hip-happening, readers? Guess what? Well, as I looked over the upcoming chapters, I realized that the screen time of Jack and Cupid's relationship is a bit lacking. This is why I thought it would be a grand idea to hear from the fans! :D The next chapter will be focusing on strengthening Jack and Cupid's relationship and showing their adventures together. I want to hear from you! What kind of things would you like to see them go through over the next 89 years? It can be a great big adventure or just a little fluff. Heck, you can even request to see more of Cupid's relationship with the other spirits, if you want. Whatever it is, let me know in either a review or a private message, and I just might put it into the next chapter. Thanks for all your support. I can't wait to hear from you all! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. See ya next time!

-Eri