A/N: I know, I know; I started a crossover only recently and should concentrate on that - but I found this list of 50 prompts (I don't even remember where) and they were really inspiring, giving me ideas, so I decided to just go with it and do some one-shots.
Updates will be very sporadic (whenever inspiration hits me) and I'm not sure how many of the prompts I will end up filling. You'll find them in the chapter titles.

Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians nor any of the characters. Just the plot bunnies that randomly attack me and make me write things.
Cover image was drawn by me.

Warnings for this chapter: character death and some angst.

I miss you

All life had to end some time – Jack knew that. He knew it very well.
That still didn't change the fact that this simple truth sometimes tore him apart. For he did not live – living meant growth, progress, change - always in a constant flow.
No, as a spirit, Jack existed - forever unchanging.
And thus he had to watch the life around him fade away with time.

His bare feet were making barely any sound in the snow, the quietness of the place left undisturbed as he made his way past snow-covered headstones, until he arrived in front of the one he had been heading to. Slowly he bent down, brushing some of the snow off the cold, grey stone, revealing delicate scripture engraved into it:

In loving memory of
Jamie Matthiew Bennett
Apr 18th, 2002
Sep 2nd, 2056

Pale fingers hovered over the name for a moment. When he closed his eyes, Jack could almost hear the hearty laugh he had grown so accustomed to throughout the years, almost see the understanding look in those warm brown eyes.
The winter spirit let out a shuddering breath, resting his forehead against the cold stone. He thought the visits would probably never be easy for him, no matter what the others said about time helping with that.

It wasn't the first time Jack mourned a person he had watched throughout their life. In the course of the centuries he had grown to like certain kids, dubbing them his favorites, and had watched them grow old and often have children of their own at some point. And whenever the life of one of his favorites had come to an end, it had saddened him deeply.
But Jamie – Jamie had been special. He had been his first believer – no, more than just that; his closest friend, a constant companion, and later on even the first adult Jack had been able to actually turn to for help and advice, the first person he had trusted enough to share the shades behind Jack Frost's fun-loving, easy-going persona with.
Jamie had been family - a brother in spirit.

After staying in that position for a few minutes, the white-haired youth raised his head again and sat down cross-legged in the snow, staff resting across his legs. For a moment the lone figure simply kept staring at the inscripture, snowflakes falling down around him in gentle circles, until the silence was broken by his soft voice.
"Hey... Been a while since I was here."
There was no answer – not that he had expected any.
After a few seconds, he continued, "I was at Sophie's today. She had the kids visiting, and it was quickly decided that they'd go sledding when I came over. They went crazy as usual, screaming for me to make them go faster. Must have that from their granddad." A soft smile spread across his pale lips. "When she decided that they'd stayed outside in the cold long enough and made them go home, Peter kept whining about wanting to do some more sledding. Little rascal kept looking at me with his puppy-eyes, and you know how easy I fall victim to those." A light chuckle escaped his lips. "So, I gave in, and froze the street going down the hill leading to Soph's house, so he could have one more go. He was shouting in glee all the way down." Jack stopped for a moment there, smile disappearing, teal eyes glazing over. "It reminded me of the day I met you."

Silence spread once more over the cemetery, the winter spirit visibly trying to hold back the tears forming in his eyes. He knew there wouldn't be any reply, had expected that, really, but the silence still hurt. He lost the battle when a lone tear made it's way across his cheek, and Jack brushed it away angrily with his right sleeve. "I can't do this!" He glared at the lifeless stone in front of him, before his face disappeared into his hands, muffling his voice. "I can't act as if everything's alright!"

Because nothing was alright.

He would never be able to talk to Jamie again, never again share laughs or worries with him. Never share new experiences and adventures with him. Never have those understanding eyes simply looking at him and knowing what Jack couldn't put into words.

"I miss you, Jamie!"
Missed him so much, that it almost physically hurt.

And for the first time since Jamie's funeral, Jack wept.

It took him almost an hour until he had calmed down enough for the tears to stop falling, eyes unusually bright and slightly reddened. Jack simply continued sitting there, silently staring at the headstone that was covered in fresh snow, feeling numb.
When dusk was approaching, the winter spirit finally decided to leave again. Casting a last glance at Jamie's final resting place, he let the wind carry him away, leaving a lone flower-shaped ice sculpture resting against the headstone.

Jack wondered if it would truly get easier to deal with the pain with time, as everyone kept telling him. If missing Jamie would ever become more bearable.
And even if that was the case, he did not know if he'd ever find the courage to grow this close to another human again – for he'd have to face the prospect of them leaving him, too, one day.

Because Jack existed forever unchanging; watching life around him fade away with time.

A/N: And of course the first prompt I chose that inspired me the most, turns out to be quite melancholy... Now I made myself a little sad, haha. Oh man.

Anyway, thanks for reading!