A/N: Sorry about missing Thursday. I was over in California for the whole week and only just got back. Yeah! It rocked, in case any of you guys were wondering. Anyways. for this chapter I got a little writers block in the middle. In my mind I felt like there was a slight style change in writing this, but maybe that's just because I wrote it and know my writing really well.
Anyways, I'll let you guys get on with the story. I'll continue on as normal, posting next Thursday without delay. Next time I'm going to miss a week, I'll try to give you a little warning so you won't worry. ^-^
As night fell across the North Pole, Phil stood outside the workshop with a cup held in his paws. Steam came from his drink, and the yeti sighed as it's scent came to him. He took a small sip and savored the taste that came with it. He looked at his surrounding, enjoying the scene before him. The North Pole shone bright with the reflective light as the workshop's lights hit the white snow that covered the ground. The building was lit up quite nicely with a wide variety of colors, each shining as brightly as the stars that covered the skies.
Phil raised his cup to take another drink, but he found it empty. He let out a disappointed growl and turned to head inside, ready to get more. He stopped suddenly when a light snowfall started. The lights caught on the falling snow and the yeti's breath caught in his throat. With a full moon looking down, and a gentle breeze blowing, it looked like magic itself was falling from the sky.
The yeti must have blinked because one moment the sky was empty, and the next, there was a small figure floating in front of the moon. He was watching the snowfall with his eyes lit up in wonder.
Phil smiled as Jack Frost turned to see more of the lights. The winter spirit had flown lower, and Phil decided to call out to him. He didn't often see Jack up here in the North at night. The boy spent his normal nights at his lake, watching the Sandman bring his Dream-sand to everyone.
Jack had quickly turned at the sudden growl that filled the air. When he saw Phil, he smiled bigger and asked the winds to bring him down to meet his furry friend.
"Hey." Jack said softly.
Phil returned the greeting equally quite. They both seemed to not want to disturb the scene that was before them. Phil looked at Jack and asked what he was doing here so late.
He shrugged. "I've never been here at night, and I wanted to see what the place looked like, all lit up and stuff."
The yeti nodded in understanding and tried to take another sip of his drink, only to realize that it was still empty.
"So... what's that?" Jack asked while trying to peer over the yeti's shoulder.
Phil shrugged, effectively making Jack back away unless he wanted to be hit by the yeti's shoulder, and then Phil tipped the cup upside-down, showing that there was nothing in there.
"I meant what was in there before you drank it all."
His companion chuckled and answered the question, saying it was his special hot chocolate blend.
Jack perked up, and looked at the cup excitedly. "Can you make some for me?"
This made Phil a bit hesitant, because he wasn't sure how well such a hot drink would go with Jack, a winter spirit. Jack seemed to understand his hesitation because he smirk and turned towards the workshop.
"No problem, I'll just go make it myself." He said proudly.
Jack was off into the air before Phil could stop him. He headed straight for the kitchen that Phil had let him use before, seeing as that was the only kitchen he knew exactly where it was. As he blew through the halls, he heard Phil running after him, but he just laughed and got an extra speed boost from the wind.
:::
When Phil finally reached the kitchen, he opened the door to find Jack filling a pan with hot water from the sink. He quickly placed it on the stove and was ready to wait for it too boil. A cup was already set aside with a packaged chocolate mix in it. The yeti immediately walked over to Jack and started waving his arms dramatically, saying that that was no way to make hot chocolate and that he was doing it all wrong.
Jack just smirked. "Alright, you make it then." He said with a gesture of his hands towards the stove.
Phil was about to walk forwards to start on the drink when he realized how Jack had played that...
He decided to just let it go and make the boy his perfect cup of chocolate.
Jack tried to watch him, but Phil shoo'ed him away, saying that it was a secret recipe, and Jack had to wait outside the kitchen, and if he wandered off then he wouldn't be getting any.
"Hey, fine with me," Jack raised he hands in the air as a gesture of surrender to the yeti's requests. "As long as I get some..."
:::
After what seemed like forever, but what was actually only five minuets, Phil came out and invited him in. On the stove was a pan filled with what Jack assumed was the drink, but Phil had already gotten a cup for Jack and was now handing him a steaming cup of hot chocolate. Jack immediately reached for it as Phil called out a warning. Jack let out a hiss of pain as his hands touched the hot cup. He quickly let go of it, and was glad that Phil still had a firm grip on it.
He shook his hands, trying to get rid of the weird sensation that was running through them. Phil looked at Jack in concern and suggested he not have any of the chocolate.
"What? No, I'm fine. It just surprised me, that's all. I'll drink it carefully. Please?" He pleaded. "Besides, why let it go to waste now that it's already made?" He finished as he reached forwards to grab the cup. He carefully made sure to not burn his hands this time, and when the drink was fully in his grasp, he took a small sip.
The hot chocolate burned his tongue, but it didn't really hurt, it was just a faint tingling. As he swallowed, he felt the warm liquid go down his throat and he had to hold back from gagging. The drastic temperature difference between his normal drinks and this one... well, Jack would have to get use to it. Besides that, Jack found the drink... really good.
He smiled as the taste lingered in his mouth. He took another swig of the drink, downing the cup completely only after a couple of swallows.
After his final swallow, Phil could have sworn Jack shivered a bit, but the yeti shook his head, thinking he just imagined it. He walked towards the stove and started to refill his own cup when Jack came up to him, asking with his big blue eyes and small smile for some more. Phil obliged with a roll of his eyes. Jack gave a nod of thanks than he began drinking again. This cup lasted a bit longer, since Jack was savoring the taste, but it was still disappearing faster then Phil's.
Jack looked outside the kitchen and saw most of the halls empty. "Seems pretty quite at night." He said as Phil joined him in the halls.
They chatted for a few minuets, not really talking about anything. They just enjoyed each other's company.
Jack suddenly felt a rush of warm air flow through him and his eyes went black for a moment. He reached out and leaned against the wall to support himself. He panted and felt water drip down his face. When he brushed the liquid away, he looked at his hand in shock and bewilderment. He had never sweat before... He looked up at Phil, who was coming closer to see what was wrong. Jack pushed himself away from the wall, and tried to stand up straight. He didn't want to worry Phil, it was no big deal, he just felt a bit warm.
"Phil, it's nothing... I'm fine" He tired to wave away the yeti's concern.
Phil stopped but knew that Jack was holding out on him. He didn't want him to worry, but couldn't he see that hiding it away was only making Phil worry more? He let out a concerned growl.
Jack was about to reply when another rush of warm air came over him. He let out a gasp, and staggered a bit as the world suddenly became dizzy. He tried to shake it away but it only made it worse. Jack lost his grip on his cup and it shattered to the floor. The warm liquid flowed onto the floor, but Jack paid no attention to it. He felt his head burn, and decided that he needed to get outside into the cool air of the pole. He reached out his hand to lean against the wall once more, to help guide him to the exit, but his hand failed to find it. Without its support, Jack collapsed to the ground with a moan of pain. He felt Phil come closer, but everything became a blur as he slipped into a semi-unconsciousness state.
The yeti had tried to reach Jack in time, but he hit the floor before Phil could catch him. A furry paw was pressed against the winter spirit's head, and Phil became very worried when it was slightly warm.
Phil gently picked him up, and started to head for an empty room to help the boy get some rest, but Jack protested and mumbled about being hot. Phil could have smacked himself had he not had his hands full. Jack needed to cool down, and the best place to do that was in the freezing winds and biting cool air outside.
He quickly headed for an exit, trying not to jostle the boy in his arms too bad. When he got to the door, it opened roughly, and a burst of wind surrounded Jack. They were concerned for their spirit and wanted to know what was wrong. Phil tried to push through them to get outside, but they were making it hard for him to move. He eventually growled out some Yetish, saying that if Jack didn't get outside, he would only get worse.
The winds stopped immediately... then started pulling Phil with such force, he almost stumbled. Jack let out a moan at the sudden rough handling and Phil tried to glare at the surrounding winds. It didn't work as well as he hoped, seeing as he had no specific target to direct his glare at. Instead, he just went outside, and hoped the winds wouldn't blow him over.
Phil looked around at the snow that fell. It was falling rapidly, each snowflake harshly struck him. The yeti hoped the snowfall wasn't connected to how Jack was feeling now. It often reflected how the winter spirit felt, but right now it was hurting. That would mean that Jack was hurting...
Phil walked quite a ways away from the workshop. He had to get away from the magical barrier that surrounded the pole. It helped both in keeping mortals away (Who would come up here in this cold?) and keeping the heat in. It was a gradual change in temperature, but Phil finally reached the outskirts of the North Pole.
The snowfall had only gotten worse, and that's what scared Phil. Jack had often let gasps and moans escape him, but he was still conscious, though only barely His eyes seemed dim and unfocused, and what little movements he made were often sluggish.
Phil looked around for a good place to rest when he suddenly felt his a tremble in his hands. He looked down at Jack and noticed he was shivering. This scared him even more then his previous warm temperature. What kind of winter spirit got cold?
"P-Phil?" Jack mumbled, his voice quiet and horse. "I f-feel awful..." His eyes drooped and Phil suddenly got worried. He felt now would not be a good time for Jack to rest. He shook Jack a bit, helping him to stay away.
Phil growled to Jack, asking if he was too cold, or too hot. He wanted the boy to be as comfortable as possible.
"A l-little of b-both." He admitted. His breath was coming out in thick clouds of cool air, and his cheeks were becoming slightly pink. "Inside... I-I feel really h-hot... but o-outside, I'm f-freezing..." The snow and wind whipped around his hair and blew it into his face. With his eyes watery from his fever, and his warm cheeks, he looked so weak. Phil needed to find a way to help him.
He looked around and noticed a small cave and immediately he started trudging over to it through the snow. It was slowly getting deeper, making it harder for him to move much. When he got to the sheltered alcove, he set Jack down. The only difference being inside rather then out was that the snow was no longer striking them. Phil shook off the snow that had accumulated on him. A bit landed on Jack, causing him to shift in his rest. He wasn't quite asleep, but Phil could tell it was quickly over-coming him. He seemed to be doing a bit better without the winds and snow whipping around him, but Phil could see that he was still shivering. He brought the boy close to him as he sat against one of the walls. His thick fur rubbing against Jack's pale skin. He heard a sigh of contempt come from his patient as Jack got comfortable.
Phil let a sigh escape him as well, though this one held worry. He needed to keep Jack's body warm enough while his core temperature cooled down. He hoped he was assuming correctly when he believed that Jack felt so sick because of the contrasting temperatures in him.
Phil thought back to the workshop and wondered if it would have been better staying there... He dismissed the thought quickly. Out here, being in Jack's natural element would help him more. At least that what Phil hoped it would do.
He started rubbing Jack as he rested. The yeti thought back to earlier that day, when Jack had first tasted hot chocolate. He seemed to really enjoy it, not minding the heat... but Phil would guess that Jack had drank it too quickly. It must have warmed him faster than he could cool down.
Phil looked down at the restless figure that he held. He felt his eyes droop, but he snapped them open. He couldn't fall asleep, what if Jack needed him? For several minuets, the yeti fought off the exhaustion that came at him. I guess trekking through the snowstorm took more out of me then I thought... Phil ruefully admitted.
Just as he felt sleep come at him once more, a violent shiver escaped from Jack. The boy grimaced as a sudden cold wave radiated off him. Phil looked down in concern. He grabbed a hold of one of Jack's hands and gripped it tightly. It was freezing, but... wasn't it supposed to be like that? Jack was a winter spirit after all...
Phil let out a groan of frustration. What was he supposed to do? How was he going to help him? He thought about going to North, but Jack didn't look like he could move much, and Phil didn't want to leave him alone.
Another violent shiver overcame the boy, but along with it came a short scream of pain. Jack clutched at his chest, and his breath started to come in short gasps. Phil could only watch as it happened, his eyes filled with worry for his friend. The pain seemed to leave quickly, but Jack continued to breathe quickly for another few minuets.
Phil was able to relax a bit when Jack had calmed down. He felt his forehead, and was pleased that it had cooled down a bit. A frown came when Phil felt his hands. They had warmed up, as well as the rest of Jack's body. He sighed and hoped it would be alright. The winter spirit was still colder than an average human, Phil just hoped it was cold enough.
He re-positioned himself against the wall, making sure to keep Jack comfortable as well. He looked down and saw that the boy was now sleeping soundly, with little movements or sounds escaping him. Phil could only take that as a good sign. His eyes drifted to the entrance of the cave and he notice snow storm wasn't as bad as before. Phil looked out with hope. He was glad that it was night still, with the dark came the cold, and he hoped the natural chill in the air would help heal Jack.
After a few minutes of peacefully sleeping on Jack part, the yeti decided that he could rest a bit, though he would make sure to not sleep too deeply, in case Jack needed something. His eyes gratefully began to sink, and immediately Phil drifted off. His paw still gripping the winter child's hand.
:::
Jack shifted and tried to get rid of the heat that surrounded him. He felt it suffocating him, and he desperately tried to wake up so he could escape it. His eyes snapped open and he looked around. He saw Phil sleeping soundly, holding Jack closely with his paw holding tightly onto his hand. Jack felt a little guilty for trying to get away from Phil. Earlier, the yeti's warmth had been appreciated. It was strange for Jack to have felt cold, but to have Phil's fur warm him up was comforting. Now though, without the strange hotness inside him, the heat was slightly uncomfortable.
He gently pried his hand away from Phil's and stood up slowly. He smiled as Phil shifted in his sleep. Looking outside, he could tell that it was almost morning. The sun was about to rise, and Jack decided he was well enough to go welcome it. The winds lifted him soundlessly and brought him out of the cave. He flew to the top of a cliff and sat down facing the east. The sun's rays were just now reaching out to Jack.
The chilling breeze of the north hit him, causing a smile to form. He was now back to his normal self, and could easily withstand cold weather. He created a light snowfall that gently fell to the earth. With the light hitting it, the snow seemed to hold a magic of its own. It was different from last nights though. This came from the natural light of the rising sun. As the flakes landed on his face he closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of winter that came over him.
He had felt sick last night. Not just because of the strange heat inside him, but because it got rid of something that Jack was always use to having around. His chilling aura, and his resistant to the cold. He liked having them around, unlike most people who just found them annoying, but that may have been due to him being the spirit of winter.
Jack stayed up there for awhile daydreaming. He wasn't sure exactly how long it had been when he suddenly heard a panicked Yetish cry. He swiftly flew down and found that Phil had woken.
"Phil-" Jack started, but he was cut off when Phil grabbed him and pulled him into a fierce hug.
Phil let out some worried grunts, asking where Jack had been and how he was feeling. Jack tried to answer but found it hard to talk with his face firmly pressed against the yeti's fur coat. He eventually got out of the hug and sheepishly grinned.
"Sorry about that. I was getting a bit hot in here. Sure, the warmth was nice when I was sick, but when I started feeling better, your fur was kind of suffocating me. Not that I don't appreciate what you did for me," He finished quickly.
Phil let loose a relieved sigh. Jack seemed back to his normal self, and Phil was glad he had been able to help him.
"Am I still under 'yeti watch', or can I go out and enjoy the nice cold weather? I do have a job to do, after all." Jack said with a smirk.
Phil was a bit hesitant. He had just recovered so he should be resting... but he could tell that the winter spirit was only asking to be polite. He would end up leaving even if Phil tried to make him stay. He begrudgingly replied to Jack that it was alright, that he could go back to the world and bring about his usual tricks and troubles.
Jack grinned and was about to shoot off, when Phil gave him a warning. If he felt warm or hot or anything like last night, he would come straight back to the pole for Phil to take care of him.
Jack just rolled his eyes. "Fine, but I'm completely recovered. No worries."
The winter spirit let another smirk loose and quickly disappeared with a burst of wind. Snow was carried up and blew into Phil's face. By the time it had settled, Jack was gone. All that was left of the winter spirit was his laugh echoing back to Phil as he enjoyed the feeling of the winds beneath him.
Bonus Points: Who ever can figure out where my writers block happened and where I think maybe my writing style changed, they get a ... an eclair, like the one Jack got that was just insanely good, handmade by Phil and everything!
Thanks for reading, hope you review. ^-^
