Snowy Monday - I recognise you! Thanks for coming back :))

Joud914 - Not a bad first conversation, I don't think. He deserves something good. I feel slightly sadistic with everything I'm writing at the mo.

"Frost!"

Uh oh.

Blue eyes snapped open just in time to see the red flash barrelling towards him. Hand on his staff, he swivelled off the branch he was perched on and called to his wind to sweep him away, using the leafy trees to cover himself from the golden-clad spirit's sight. Branches snagged at his face as he flew through the forest, trying to find somewhere to hide.

The sun teetered on the edge of the horizon, waiting to break free from the chains of the night, casting a sleepy glow on the forest around him. Branches and leaves muddled together into a gloomy haze, the blockage barely allowing any light through, at least helping the winter spirit hide in the shadows. He blended in almost seamlessly, the blue of his hoodie and the white of his hair barely visible beneath the concealing darkness.

"How many times do I have to tell you," a voice yelled from afar, hazel eyes darting through the sheltered woods for any glimpse of the white-haired boy. "To stay out of my season!"

Jack stared at the back of her head, sucking in a breath as she passed directly below him, desperately trying not to draw any attention to himself. Her wind whistled angrily through the gaps in the shrubbery. Splinters of ice began to flake out from beneath his feet, coating the warm hues of the autumn leaves in a cloud of fine white dust.

He could make a run for it, shooting towards the skyline before she realised he was there, but the proximity denied his chance at escape. If he made even the smallest of sounds, she would be over him in a second. Sensing his apprehension, his wind wrapped around him protectively, the cool breeze tousling his hair.

Crunch.

From directly next to him, the subtlest of noises sounded making him inwardly cringe, though the girl seemed not to notice, eyes still adamantly sweeping the clearing. He let out a silent breath, turning his head towards the root of the disturbance. Staring inquisitively back at him perched on a fallen leaf sat a small woodpecker, close enough to poke his eye out if it moved any further. Jack tilted his head, and the bird cocked its own in return. A small smile tugged at the corners of the winter spirit's mouth as the bird inched closer, ruffling its feathers against his cheek.

The bird snapped back suddenly, a small snowflake resting on its beak. It shivered, backing away from the unexpected cold.

Oh no, Jack thought, gripping his staff and preparing to fly away as it opened its mouth to chirp its surprise.

Father Time mustn't have been on his side, for the singular second slipped by his grasp; the bird's loud call ringing oddly loudly atop the tree before he had a chance to get up.

The girl whipped around at the noise, eyes twinkling furiously as they connected with his own, open wide in shock. With a flick of her wrist, the branch he was perched on snapped clean in two, his stomach curdling as the solid surface turned into non-supporting air. Gravity evaporated below him and he sank.

Freckled olive skin reached for the hem of his hoodie, hindering his fall. The branch continued plummeting, dragging dead leaves down as his feet dangled in the air, helpless with the vice grip she maintained. A torrent of dirt exploded as it crashed into the ground.

Cold air whistled around him, sending a sprinkling of snowflakes mixing with the air and colliding with the tree, spraying puffs of white. Ice trickled from the point of contact, the veins of winter disseminating over the bark.

With one forceful push, she threw him down to the earth, twigs and leaves collapsing around him as he sank through the trees with the weight of gravity. Fingers grasped the air around him as a forceful impact with a rather sturdy branch snapped his wrist back, causing his staff to fly out of his grip. Birds scattered the clearing, the loud thud sounding upon his greeting to the ground scaring them off.

"Look at what you've done," she seethed, glaring at the ice patterns now invading the oak like a plague. She turned her stare to the winter spirit, groaning on the floor. "You ruin everything, Jack Frost."

"Oh, come on Aurelia," he muttered, turning his body into a kneeling position as he searched the nearby shrubbery for his conduit. Without it, frost began to infect the soily dirt surrounding him at a hastened pace. "It's practically Winter."

He spotted the end of it sticking out of a nearby bush and made to grab for it. "Besides, I live here."

A black boot embedded with gold patterns clamped over his hand when he was not even a centimetre away from its reach. Hazel eyes glared down at him, unwavering in their scrutiny.

"Hey, Lia." He said sheepishly, absently rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand.

"Don't 'Lia' me," she warned, a mad glint in her eye. Brown hair tussled around her round face, matching the colour of aged wood. Smile lines crinkled around her eyes, but Jack wasn't sure how - he'd certainly never seen her smile before.

A golden crown sat atop her head, resembling plated leaves and twigs twisting intricately around each other to create the headpiece, catching the dazzling light. Red material flowed from her cropped dress; golden flowers embezzled into the seams. Dozens of delicate chain bracelets decorated her wrist, each consisting of a different species of leaf on a charm. Rings crowded her fingers, the red of her nails perfectly matching her dress. Though she only had an advantage of about ten years over Jack, she appeared wiser beyond her physical age. Head held high in a stance of power, the air around them seemed to bow before her, her and nature one singular being. Universes of knowledge swam deep within her eyes. She was the epitome of grace and beauty but, more often than not (at least when Jack was around), the apparent soft features were concealed by fury.

"Can you get off my hand?"

"That depends," she glared down at him, holding her stance steady. "Will you get out of my season?"

"I can't really go anywhere while you're standing on me." He rolled his eyes at her. He was half considering tackling her leg and making her get off when she moved back a step, stooping down to grab his staff before he could reach it himself.

"I don't want to see you again until the changeover." She said sternly, holding his staff just out of reach, her other hand held against his chest to keep him away. "In fact, I don't even want to see you then. Is that clear?"

"Give it back." He demanded, holding his hand out to grab it. Her hand met his chest, forcing him away with a swift push, staff held tauntingly just out of reach. His patience was beginning to wear.

"It's literally five days before autumn ends, is it really that big a deal I'm here?"

"Yes it is," she replied. She didn't go barging in on other people's seasons, so neither should he. That and the fact she utterly couldn't stand him - every year she worked so hard to make her season perfect, then along he comes and ruins everything. All her beautifully painted leaves, the delicate crunch of the earth, the gentle wind guiding through and all the animals she cared for over the months; he killed it all with his infectious frost. "Has anyone ever told you how infuriating you are?" She added snarkily.

"Yes," he sighed, growing more annoyed. How did she expect him to leave if he couldn't fly? "You. Many times."

"Oh yes, that's right," she smiled smugly as if suddenly remembering. "That's because it's true. Now," adjusting her stance, she allowed the winter spirit to grab hold of his staff while still keeping a firm grip. He tugged, but she didn't let go. Hazel eyes bore into blue ones as the two winds picked up, colliding around them. Clapping clouds swirled overhead. Leaves scattered from the trees, the howling torrent encircling them in a ring of upturned dirt. "Are you going to leave?"

"Yes ma'am." Heavy sarcasm accented his tone as he stood up straighter and saluted, snatching his staff back the moment her grip loosened. Frost patterns swirled to life upon it, rejuvenating his powers. His wind instinctively wrapped around him and lifted him off the ground, protecting him from the onslaught of flying twigs and rubble.

"This is your last warning," she seethed, finger pointing at his face. "Don't intrude on my season again, or next time I won't be so nice. I've had enough of you, Jack Frost."

Biting back a comment that was sure to get his ass handed to him, he nodded at her pacifyingly. She seemed surprised at his easy compromise but chose not to comment on it - it wasn't often Jack Frost did as he was told. Though in truth, Jack felt more resigned than cooperative.

He'd never understood why she hated him so much - he'd never given her any reason to. After all, Winter was his job much the same as Autumn was hers. He held no harsh feelings for Florence just because she removed his months of hard work, and though he doubted Seth could harbour any negative feelings if he tried, he knew that the natural season change would certainly not cause him any spite.

Sighing, he called to his wind to take him away, bursting through the trees into the open air without a parting glance, leaving behind a partially stunned autumn spirit. She regained herself almost immediately, though, turning her attention to the chaos around her. She had five days left of her season and was not about to let the little troublemaker ruin it this close to the end.

Jack halted above, watching with sadness as she worked seamlessly with the nature around her, the wind strong and steady beneath him.

Someday, he'd change her mind. For now, he allowed the wind to whip below him, soaring with the clouds and pretending he didn't have a care in the world.

A lot of words and not a lot happening, but it's more to get to know the relationship than anything else. Also, Aurelia means 'The Golden One' which I thought sorta went with autumn.