EDIT: I did some much needed editing to the dialogue here. Sorry if it ever sound overly formal. That's actually how I speak if I ever need to have a conversation in English. Which is not often. Do point it out to me if that happens. I'll be revising other chapters too.
When the first snow came, in late November, Jamie threw on his coat and ran outside. He looked around frantically, trying to spot the white-haired teenager that might or might not be responsible for this. It did not take long to find him, or rather to be found by him.
"Jamie! How've you been?"
Jamie almost fell over at the sudden voice coming from behind him. He spun around to see Jack grinning at him, casually leaning on his staff. Jamie threw himself at him, hugging him tightly. Jack tensed briefly before relaxing. He was cold, but Jamie did not care.
"You're here! You're really here! I didn't imagine everything from this spring."
"Of course you didn't. Did you expect that?"
"N-no... not really. It just all felt so surreal I was afraid... that it was all just a dream. But I didn't stop believing, I swear!"
"I know you didn't. Or else you wouldn't be able to see me or touch me right now."
Jamie frowned, pulling away. He had been wondering about that for a while now. About why he hadn't been able to see Jack before saying his name, even though he had been in the room.
"That's how it works?No one can see you if they don't believe in you? So the adults walking around us can't see you?"
"Yep, that's how it works. To them, you look like you've been talking to an imaginary friend right now. Hugging air, too. We might want to move to somewhere else."
Jack grinned at him, obviously amused as he blushed and threw glances around. A few passersby looked at him, shaking their head or smiling fondly at the antics of a child. Jamie could feel his ears turning red. He nodded slightly at Jack's suggestion, following the Guardian to the lake.
On his way there, he thought about what Jack had just told him. He remembered how, when he had seen the Guardians in his room, the Easter Bunny had said some things as if answering a question that Jamie had not heard. From someone he couldn't see. He had not believed in Jack Frost then. He did not think many did. He remembered how overjoyed Jack had been that Jamie could see him.
A thin coating of ice appeared on the surface of the lake as Jack sat on one of the large rocks surrounding it. His feet barely reached the surface, the ice thickening underneath. Jamie cautiously climbed on the rock to sit next to him.
"So..." he hesitantly started when they were settled, "was it something new for you, to be believed in? To have someone see you?"
Jack was silent for a moment, staring across the small lake. Jamie shifted uncomfortably, hoping his words did not hurt the teenager.
"Yeah. You were the first to believe in me."
"Is it because you're new?"
"New?"
"Well, yeah. You look pretty young. And they only made you a Guardian this spring! It must take a while before people start to know your name."
"It doesn't really work that way, Jamie. There's a lot of legends, but only four Guardians. Five, now. And we don't age. I've been around for three centuries. Many people knew my name, but they didn'tt believe in me."
"Oh."
Jamie did not know how to react to this. To think that Jack was this old was really mind-boggling. He could not really wrap his head around how long three centuries was. And all this time, no one had believed in Jack Frost.
"At least you had the others, no? Even if humans couldn't see you..."
Jack bit his lip and looked away.
"We weren't exactly on friendly terms, before the Man in the Moon chose me to become a Guardian."
"Then... who did you spent the past three centuries with? I mean... you must have had some friends to talk to?"
Jack did not answer. He stared down at his feet as frost raced over the surface of the lake. Jamie remembered the look on Jack's face when he asked him if he could hear him. As if he did not really dare hope. He had been breathless when he realized that Jamie could see him.
Jamie half-turned on the rock and threw his arms around Jack again, startling him.
"Children believe in you, now. I believe in you. I'll never stop believing in you."
"I know you won't"
But there was sadness in Jack's voice. As if he did not really believe his own words.
I got so much wonderful feedback today that I decided to write one more before I disappear for the holidays. I likely won't post anything until after Christmas, as I won't be home. I have one more with Jamie planned as well as something with Bunny, then I don't know. But I'll have a few days to think about that.
