In the far outskirts of civilization, located in one of the most lustrous and green mountains was a fortress, a green fortress.
Endless greenery stretches over the higher and lower slopes and vibrant colors scattering all over the ground. Flowers shone like diamonds, the grass were greener than average and the place smelled of an aroma so sweet that it could lift your spirits.
The fortress was home to fairies, nymphs, brownies and creatures alike. This was their sacred ground, given to them and is guarded by them with their lives.
The Man in the Moon bestowed this fortress to these creatures in secrecy from the humans, much like what he did to the rest of the mythical creature's homes.
Stories of beautiful, colorful and vibrant creatures all originated from here, the birthplace of beauty, hope and peace. Like the gods had blessed the place for themselves.
As the morning drew, the sun's golden rays began to streak down and glitter down the sleeping forest. Endless meadows of flowers everywhere with dew slipping from its petals, creating a shimmering like effect to resemble diamonds.
Stooping tall sturdy trees layered the far side of the meadow, standing tall like they were guarding the meadows with their lives. Overgrown thick vines hugged each tree's branches, the white flowers refusing to bloom even with the sun glowing down on them. This was a deep forest overstretching the area up until the mountains.
If you listen carefully, you'd hear the stream rapidly snake its way through the forests. The water was crystal clear and clean and was said to have healing abilities. And whatever weather may be, come what may, the water is always refreshing and cool to the touch.
And located in the heart of the forest was a castle - a tall, overgrown century year old castle made entirely out of white marble. The castle glittered against the sunlight, standing tall and proud as it is in the middle of the grand forest. Tall hedges surrounded the castle, creating a maze-like pattern to confuse whoever wants to stop by. Behind the castle were a rather spacious circular garden, and a mini-waterfall just by the northwest side of the garden.
The owner of the said castle was a said to be a well-known mythical nymph.
But unlike any mythical being, she didn't need to be believed in to exist or be seen.
Her powers were nonexistent, just like that of her father's – the Man in the Moon. To the rest, she was all but a meek creature, a pacifist with an attitude. But nonetheless, she had remained as one of the most respected creatures in the mythical world.
She was only 317 years old.
Her skin was radiant like that of a flower petal; she had imprints on her skin that resemble ferns and flowers decorating the sides of her left arm, her face and her ankle. Her curly hair was brown like mahogany, stretching down all the way to her knees. A flower tiara lay on her head, intricately drawing the attention to her soft, innocent and beautiful face. She had deep forest green eyes and eyes with a semblance full of wonder and awe. Her clothes were of the finest silk and garments that hugged her petite frame – a tube-like empire dress with a mullet skirt flowing just by her knees.
She was Mother Nature.
And just like her name, she was to protect and keep balance of the seasons. Young as she was, she never stopped to forget that her duties were of utmost and great reverence and duty as her father assigned to her.
Oftentimes, she'd fly off from her fortress and bring the seasons to places herself.
Not only was she to keep balance of the seasons, but she was also the Keeper of Peace. There was not much she can do but try to avoid conflict from happening as much as she can. Seasons change and so do people, and with that, there is also peace.
Walking on barefoot, the nymph stretched her limbs to gaze out her forest. She smiles proudly at herself at the sight of golden glow painting down her humble home.
Spring was coming.
She hugged herself in glee, a wide grin spreading across her face.
Unbeknownst to her, a pair of glacier eyes had been observing her for a while. Stealthily watching her at a vantage point with precise control of his actions, he wanted this moment to be perfect.
Jack Frost had dropped by uninvited in the events of winter drawing to an end. So why not welcome spring with a little prank?
He watched as she skipped over the stream and walk away from her marbled castle. Taking this opportunity, he came out from his hiding place and floated behind her trail. Controlling his ability as he entered the forest, it had taken him forever before he finally mastered to control the ice.
She had her back to him, completely unaware of the winter spirit's harmless mischief he has in plan.
Once she had stopped to stare at a blooming flower, he had stopped as well and immediately hid behind a tree. Peeking his head out, he watched as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she bent over to smell the flower. He had fought every ounce of urge in his body to stop this prank and just hug her.
No, his mind went. That had to wait later; he had a prank to do.
Nodding to himself, he swiftly flew towards her. She remained oblivious to his presence as her attention drew solely to the flowers at bloom; he was already behind her without knowing.
Jack Frost's trademark smirk stretched across his face.
Mustering every air into his lungs, he tiptoed closer to her before scaring the poor nymph.
"BOO!"
The nymph jumped in surprise with an adorable squeak. Behind her, the winter spirit had begun laughing at her.
The moss beneath her made her slip, she had almost forgotten she was standing on it and had almost toppled forward but was saved by Jack's gnarled staff that wrapped around the nymph's small waist. She sighed in relief but yelped in surprise when she felt being dragged towards him.
The winter spirit was still chuckling at her as their gazes met.
The nymph's cheeks puffed angrily, her forest green eyes glaring daggers at the winter spirit. At the back of Jack Frost's mind, he couldn't help but think that this was one of the cutest expressions he has ever seen from her.
"Haha, man I wish I had a camera with me." He says, drawing her closer until she was at good few inches.
"You wouldn't dare." The words came out as a threat, but her gentle soft voice said otherwise.
Jack Frost only chuckled even more.
The nymph was only a two heads shorter than the winter spirit thus allowing him to ruffle her brown hair. "Nice to see you too Gaia~"
She frowned up at him; especially with the name he had called her. The only ones allowed calling her that were beings much older than her, to the younger ones; she was Mother Nature to them. But Jack Frost being Jack Frost, he just went with Gaia much to her annoyance.
"What are you doing here Jack Frost?" she asks, swiping his hand away.
He shrugs and drapes his staff over his shoulders "Just thought I'd drop by, being that winter's coming to a close." Gaia raised an eyebrow at him, her annoyed expression now replaced with a look mirroring Jack's. "Well, that was nice of you."
"Thank you," he says with a polite bow.
Seeing that she was on steady ground, Jack offered her a hand. She eyed it suspiciously then to Jack, his glacier eyes pleading. She was skeptical of him since he was always up to no good. But on the other hand, they barely spent time together. Why hesitate?
Keeping the thought in mind, she slowly slipped her slim hand into his calloused ones. Instantly, Jack Frost's face brightened up and the two began strolling down the forest. Occasionally, the two would talk about how they've been doing, how the rest of the guardians were, how things are looking and such. [Cue in 'Beautiful' by Carly Rae Jepsen ft. Justin Bieber]
It's funny that the two are complete polar opposites – Spring and Winter.
Coldness and Warmth,
Mischief and Tranquility,
And yet, they can be on such good terms with the other.
How long was it since they've started to feel this comfortable with each other?
In actuality, they both don't really know when.
It just came naturally to them.
For Gaia, she has always tried her earnest to distance herself from the winter spirit. Seeing him as nothing more but a nuisance who wouldn't stay put, passing off duties by playing around. Even going as far as to freeze her beloved flowers! She hated him.
Yes, she had distanced herself from him for too long and made it a point never to dwell with the likes of him.
But then, there were certain traits from him that she admired.
Like the way he could be so optimistic, joyful and loving towards the simplest things.
Of how he can bring fun even in freezing subzero with his little blizzards, snowballs, nips and snow days.
How he loves and relates with little children with his little pranks.
But what really found in Jack that she can't find in any other was him, him just being his jolly, annoying, fun and mischief self.
Sometimes, he'd pop into her mind and she'd think of how he's doing. And it was then that she somehow knew that he was more than some annoying spirit.
To her, he was the most beautiful being she has ever met.
To her, he was almost perfect.
And despite his many mistakes, failures and downs, she still believed that he was still beautiful, he just didn't know it.
She can almost say those words to him now.
For Jack Frost, who has been alone almost all his life as a spirit, he has always tried his best to catch people's attention. To be believed in. That's all he ever wanted, but yet so hard to achieve. But then, she came in and gave him just that.
They started off as strangers, then as acquaintances, then as friends, then as best friends.
The beginning of their friendship marked the end to his loneliness.
When she's not with him, he's incomplete.
How did that even make sense, he did not know.
But deep inside him, he wanted more than just being friends.
When he met her, he felt a new side of him he never knew.
It just bloomed from deep within him when he met her.
Denial at first, but he just knows that she feels the same.
Some of the times, without knowing, she'd take his breathe away.
Sometimes, it scared him to know this much he felt about her. But some other times, he felt like he could get away with it.
She was perfect just the way she was.
She was beautiful without even trying.
It was unfair that she doesn't even have the slightest clue that she was all the things she is.
And if she still couldn't bring herself to believe that, then he'll have tell her that himself.
Having walked for hours, the two sat in the middle of a meadow for a little picnic, the fairies and brownies giving them a basketful of food much to their delight. They ate the food whilst poking fun at each other as they do so.
After eating, they laid against the grass all fat and full.
Laying side by side at the polish grass, with the sun overhead above them. They named random cloud formations above them, Gaia laughing at the oddest formations Jack could come up with.
Oh how he loved to hear her laughter, it was music to his ears. His glacier eyes softened towards the laughing nymph beside her, her head thrashing to the sides. He hasn't heard her laugh in a while, and seeing that he's the reason of her laughter only brought up warmer feelings down his chest, his heart beating loudly.
Jack was an absolute joy to be with, he knew how to make you laugh and drive those worries away. Immature, yes. But fun, now that is saying something! He's nothing putting his name to shame. She also loved the way his voice sounded, so smooth and full of life.
The two beings were too busy relaxing and lazing, their duties long forgotten, useless problems gone with the wind, nothing wearing them down. Just them together, relaxing and lazing around like normal human beings.
Like an eternity had passed by, they were so entrapped in each other's presence that time seemed to stop just for them.
Almost immediately, awkward silence drapes between the two.
Subconsciously, their hands reach out for the other. A static conducts upon contact, tearing their gazes from the clouds to each other.
Forest green clashing with blue glacier, the intensity of both hues were overpowering.
Her mouth dries, he's tongue-tied.
He clasps her hand and grazes her knuckles with his thumbs, her mouth parts lightly.
She turns to her side, hands not letting go of his. He does the same.
They remain like that for a while, unconsciously not realizing that their foreheads are resting against the other. They remained that way, gazing into each other's eyes in a way of deciphering a hidden message against those gentle hues. A hidden message set on the beautiful being just before them.
They didn't even notice that they had slept her head on his chest and both his arms around hers in a protective manner.
When they had come to, it was already nighttime - time to part.
It saddened her, she snuggled herself deeper into him to feel his abnormal warmth. But not as much as it saddened him, his hold around her tightened his nose buried into her hair.
Reality calls.
They both know that this was a selfish thing to do, but the thought of probably not seeing each other was unbearable. How they wanted moments like these to last much longer. Just one selfish wish, but as selfless beings, they cannot.
Subconsciously, he rests his lips against her forehead. She doesn't flinch from the contact, but felt the message.
Begrudgingly, Jack floated them upright and gently laid her down. His hold ever so tight slowly slipped away from around her waist.
The nymph wasn't used to floating much, especially when it was in the equinox of winter and spring.
The moon chose this time to show itself, as usual, in its celestially delicate ways. Its moonlight draping down on the nymph like a long lost friend, Gaia only smiled at the action. Jack watched her when an idea promulgated in mind.
He quickly grasps her hand, startling the nymph and begins to drag her up.
"Jack, what are you doing?"
"Oh." He says easily, like he was forgetting something and completely passing off her shock.
"Don't 'oh' me Jack Frost, what are you doing?" she asks, her forest green eyes searching into his.
He mentally rolls his eyes "Close your eyes."
A frown crosses her adorable face "Why?"
A genuine smile forms on his face "You'll see. Now close."
Shaking off his unexplainable enthusiasm, she complies and slowly shuts her eyes. The winter spirit's smile being the last thing she sees before darkness blankets her system. "Now don't open them unless I tell you so okay?" Gaia nods once. Her bare feet shuffle with the grass beneath her and Jack's presence towering over her petite form.
She hears him chuckling before taking her other hand and lifts her up.
Cold wind instantly shots up, a shiver running down her spine. But she still doesn't open her eyes, not allowing the mildest of curiosity to take over.
Her body suddenly feels lighter than air; she's suddenly lying on her front.
"Stretch out your limbs." Jack commands his voice just beside her.
Slowly, she does as he says; spreading her legs and arms, the air whipping by past her. But still, she doesn't open her eyes. Her brows furrow, how long until she keeps them closed?
As if sensing her annoyed state, Jack tells her to open her eyes.
Opening her forest green eyes, the first thing she sees is the moon. It's so big, bright and beautiful. Surrounding her was a thick blanket of darkness shrouding over the horizon with bright twinkles of countless stars and light fluffy clouds floating just past her.
Wind courses through her hair, the chilliness of the air tickling her scalp. She almost forgot how bare her clothes were.
The fluffy clouds, she was curious to touch them.
As she reached out a delicate finger towards them, they stuck against her fingers but soon faded away with the wind. A light giggle erupts from her.
Jack, who was watching her the whole time with soft glacier eyes, laughed along with her. His heart practically leapt out of his chest when she looks at him with a genuine smile on her face.
She squeezes her hands to his, he squeezes back.
When they look at each other again, mirth of laughter and joy breaks out. It's was a wondrous feeling to be with each other.
The night was beautiful; it consorted well with Jack's depiction he had on mind.
Forest green clashed again with Glacier blue, their feelings came to mind, unspoken words just dying to be spoken. Both eyes softened at the other, like they could feel it through their souls.
Should they admit it now? Right now? In this very moment?
"Jack…" she says.
"Gaia…" he says with equal emotion.
She wants to tell him, he's waiting to hear those words from her mouth.
But nothing comes out, nothing. The words die down her chest, like always.
He's about to say those words himself, the words at the ready. But nothing comes out.
Gaia suddenly laughs at him, a hearty laugh. He looks at her in question, only to find himself to do the same. Her forest green eyes locking into his glacier blue eyes once more, the message already clear and evident.
Words weren't enough, actions speak louder.
But sometimes, you have to speak those words to confirm it.
"Thank you Jack…" she says sincerely, gripping unto his hand like her life depended on it.
"You are very welcome." He says, gripping her hand back. The feeling was equal.
Side by side, they soar into the evening sky.
Side by side, they travel towards the night sky unto somewhere only they know.
Someday, I'll be able to say these words to you…
…just not now, but someday, I swear.
A/N:
So once again, this is the most random thing I have ever written. DAMN HANDS, IMMA CHOP YOU OFF KARUN! BAHAHAHA. Just thought I'd give justice to that dream Lia had. Who knew I was going to write that soon enough? RAISE YOUR HANDS FOLKS! NAHAHAHAHA. I LOVE YOU ALL IF YOU KNEW THAT I'D WRITE SOMETHING LIKE THIS, YAAAAAAAY!
Yes, I am aware that Man in Moon is not her, Mother Nature, original father but Pitch.
And for those who are now angry at me at why there's no kissy and such here, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN MIDDLE-AGED! :D HAHAHAHAHA! Kiddingkidding.
Y'know, Lia and Jack seem to have a lot of theme music, Sunshine and City Lights for one, Beautiful the next, and Truly, Madly Deeply. HAHA, funfact, I made a fanfic with all these songs.
So this will be the last thing for Four Seasons guys, SWEAR. I'm debating whether I should make a series fic for Lia and Jack or just multiples of one shots.
FUN FACT: The original plan was to use the song with Jack and Lia singing it to each other. BUT THAT'S TOO MUCH FLUFFEH, I HATE FLUFFPUFFS GAAAAAAH.
I OWN NOTHING.
I LOVE REVIEWS.
I LOVE MY CAT.
I LOVE REVIEWS.
I LOVE PANCAKES!
I LOVE REVIEWS!