OMFG, this took so long! I don't know what has happened but creativity seems to have abndoned me in this quarantine. My joyless job is sucking the life out of me and this took longer than I wanted, but I REFUSED to be deafeted by this prompt.

To the incredible thelittlegreenwitch3 (aka moleyakii on tumblr), you have presented a mighty challenge but I hope you like it!

This was for one of the Bastille sentence starter challenge and although the lyrics are not directly on the story, I think they are at least implicit. So I kinda did it, but not really :D *cries in fic writer*

The song was "An act of kindness", and I actually ended up listening to the song when riting most of it. So it totally counts, ok? xD

Warnings: a couple of swear words and 1 f-bomb, but not really that many tbh.

Enjoy!

You warm me to the core and you left me wanting more ( 3 times Jack makes Emily's heart melt and 1 time she melts his)

The first time Jack used a pet name while talking to Emily wasn't even the first time he really did it. It was more of a first time that she had actually noticed that he was doing that and it made her stop in her tracks for a moment to take a look at the winter spirit.

It was after one of their training sessions. He was still having some troubles in controlling the frost he left on everything he touched, and Jack Frost was determined to be able to hold up a plant and not kill it with his ice magic.

The evening was slowly crawling over them, as the moon started to rise on the horizon, and the weather became even colder as a snow storm was starting to form, clearly the result of Jack focusing his strength into regulating his hand's temperature enough to not kill the poor flowers they practiced with.

She had called off the rest of the lesson and convinced him to leave it for another day as she sensed his frustration building up.

Now they were comfortably seated in front of the fire, enjoying a game of chess.

When she first introduced the idea of playing a few months, Jack had not been too enthused with it at the beginning – claiming that it bored him to death. But a few matches and some back and forth banter later, and he was hooked into trying to defeat her.

"One of these days, I'm gonna beat you." He said while eyeing the delicate pieces that North had intricately carved himself. He had her bishop pinned down but was rather worried of the quick advance her knight was doing across the board. "And then, you'll have to admit you're not as clever as you think."

"Oh, the day that happens, I'll personally climb up a mountain and shout it for the whole world to hear." Emily said while sneaking a discreet glance at him.

There was something about him tonight, but she couldn't exactly put her finger on it. Maybe it was the smirk that adorned his lips, or how his bright eyes scanned each piece to figure out his next move. She felt a small pleasant shiver travel down her back, but something told her it was not due to the warmth coming from the fireplace.

Maybe it was how his body slouched relaxed against the chair, his elbow resting on the armchair and his head supported by his hand.

"I wouldn't count on it, though." She taunted while capturing another one of his pawns.

He hummed and after a few minutes in silence, he quickly retaliated by taking her bishop and stepping dangerously close to her queen. His smile stretched into a rather cocky smirk.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, princess" He said while raising his eyes to meet hers, the blue orbs sparkling with a hint of mischief. His eyes then fell back to the board.

Emily Jane felt her heart beating faster as the word rolled of his tongue. Her breath got caught in her throat and she only stared at him, completely caught off guard and unable to subdue the blush she knew had gathered on her cheeks.

Jack looked at her again and frowned, not realizing the effect his words had on her. "What is it?"

Had she really heard him correctly?

She shook her head and forced her eyes back on the board, trying to not think about the jolt of happiness she just had felt. "Nothing."

It took her more effort to concentrate, but in the end, she won the game by a very narrow margin.

"How long till it's Jamie's turn?" He asked while trying – or rather failing – to suppress a yawn.

He guardian of fun looked tired. Emily guessed that the late night patrols, the guardian lessons and their own training sessions were taking a toll on him.

"There are still 4 more classes to go, according to the program", informed the young woman.

He groaned and leaned back his head against the tree trunk they were sat at, suppressing a huge yawn.

He had promised Jamie that he would be there for his end of the school year festival and he would be damned if he was going to miss it. It did not, however, help with his battle against the drowsiness that was slowly overtaking him.

She glanced at him and smirked. "Although I don't even think you'll make it that long if you keep yawning like that."

"And what do you suggest, princess?" He gave her a smug smile which, for the record, did not give her butterflies, at all. She was probably just hungry.

"Take a nap." She proposed. "When Jamie comes on stage, I'll wake you up."

"Promise?" He asked, his eyes already half closed at the perspective of getting some rest.

She nodded and gave him an easy smile. Jack leaned his back against the tree trunk and closed his eyes, easily falling into a deep sleep.

She kept her focus on the stage, watching as each performance came and went, but was pulled out of her rapture when she felt something land on her shoulder and tickling her cheek.

Emily Jane froze when she slightly turned her head to see that Jack's head had landed on her shoulder while asleep. His eyes closed and a peaceful smile on his lips, giving a more child-like air to his features.

Emily forced herself to pay attention back to the spectacle bellow, anywhere that was not the guardian of fun curling up closer to her side.

She had seen him asleep before when their training sessions took too much out of him or even sneak in a quick snooze if North was running the meet up with the rest of the guardians too long, but never quite so close. He had never fallen asleep on her, that's for certain.

His head was a comfortable weight, and she was certain that if she leaned down just a little she could smell the pine from the woods he liked to visit and the slightest hint of peppermint from the candy he had probably nicked from North's workshop.

Jack hummed in his sleep as he borrowed closer to her, a soft and content noise that made a smile tug at the corner of her lips and a wave of warmth spread to her heart.

Not only did it felt pleasant, it felt… natural. Almost like they were always meant to be like this.

It was a dangerous thought, but it was persistent.

Emily should not be giving wings to this feeling.

She should be angrier at him, because he was too close and looking too adorable for her to refrain her heart from beating faster and from her mind not to go into pleasant tangents.

The hope that bubbled in her chest almost made her give in into the want to turn her head and kiss his forehead.

But it was too big a risk, considering that she might ruin their friendship for doing something that might not be reciprocated.

'It doesn't matter if he reciprocates it or not.' She chided herself. 'You shouldn't be thinking about it. You can't be thinking about it.'

Emily should move so that the winter spirit would have to change position, but it just felt so nice to stay like this, that she surrendered and let him sleep till Jamie Bennett stepped onto the stage alongside his other classmates.

Jack woke up by been gently shook by Emily, a little startled for discovering himself asleep on her shoulder.

If she had minded it, she didn't not comment upon it.

Emily barreled down the hall, with Jack closely at her heels. She was too angry and if she said something it would probably end in disaster.

"Princess" He called but she continued as if she had not heard him.

"Emily!" His hand shot out and managed to catch her elbow, making her turn to face him. At seeing her cold expression, a flash of hurt crossed his features before he managed to bury it deep within him. "Princess just talk to me, please. Why are you angry at me?"

Why was she angry at him?!

Something ruptured inside Emily. Maybe it was her fiery temper emerging since her self-control seemed to have abandoned ship.

"Keeping the balance is hard enough without infighting" She spits out, but knows this has nothing to do with the situation at hand. It's simply a lifeline for her to anchor her fury. "I knew bringing you to the fae court was a mistake. How could you be so stupid?"

"He insulted you and called you out, I called his bluff" Jack gritted out, feeling anger rise within him now.

"And you solved nothing!" She huffs. "Do you know what happens to those who attack fae? And you thought it wise to hurl a blizzard at Prince Oisin?"

"You're right, I should have aimed for his mouth." Jack retorted with a grumble. "That would've shut him up"

"What you did was completely unnecessary!" Emily snapped, eyes gleaming with anger. "I'm not a maiden in need of defending!"

"That asshat talked shit about you and you just let him drag your name through the mud!"

"My name's been through a lot, I can take it"

"He deserved to be knocked on his ass for what he said to you. I put him in his place" He raised his voice.

'Why can't he understand it?'

"Or you could have died and the world needs you alive"

"I'm not afraid of an idiot like him."

"The guardians need you alive, Frost!"

'I need you alive.'

"And I can handle his slanders by myself just fine." She turned to start to walk away. "I have done so before."

"But you don't have to, Emily!" He turned her around by the shoulders, pinning her to the spot so she would stop running from him.

She was about to give him some other remark when he cut her mid sentence by taking her face in his hands, and kissing her.

All coherent thought in her evaporated and left her anchored in the feel of his lips on hers. There was no one else in the world. No fae court, no friends or foes. Nothing.

When they finally broke the kiss, it took Emily a few seconds for her mind to even grasp what had just happened – who was not at all used to being caught off guard.

"I love you, princess." He said almost reverently as he stroked her cheek with his thumb. "And you don't have to do this alone"

She looked shocked. He looked expectant.

But before any of them could say anything, a heavy door not too far away opened, the sound of laughter and music bursting their little bubble.

Emily was the first to step away and quickly make her advance towards the ballroom they had previously abandoned.

"Go home, Jack." She said in a cool detached voice that gave no place for rebuttal.

"Em", a crestfallen Jack opened his mouth to respond, or protest…anything to stop her from leaving.

"Go. Home."

She returned to the party. She didn't get to leave and ponder about what had just happened. She didn't get to slump on her bed and go over every word and glance he had given her.

Not to mention anything about the kiss.

All she could do is try to end the night as peacefully as she could and not fire up any passionate tempers among the party goers. Which, when it came to the fae, it could be triggered by seemingly the most innocent of words.

The moment she saw Jack sent a blast of frost to the prince who had stood up and tried to discredit her in front of the Seelie court, she feared that the guardian of fun would have to face death for daring to harm fae royalty (they had always been so touchy when it came to others administering punishment on their kind).

It had pushed her heart to her throat and fear had taken over her in those fractions of a second.

But now she schooled her expression back into the cool and collected mask she had created for herself. It was something she was used to do. Something usual and safe.

It did nothing to quell the gossip that surrounded her with each step, however.

Maintaining her polite smile and forcing her mind to focus on the conversation was giving her a headache.

On a quick intermission from her social duties, she escaped to the balcony. Breathing the chill air loaded with the fragrances of the garden bellow, she tried to concentrate on the present and not on a certain young spirit with white hair.

She forced herself to roll her shoulders back and unclench her teeth, with a tired sigh she nipped at the glass of mead in her hand.

"That was quite the demonstration." A familiar voice came from besides her. She did not turn towards its owner. "I bet the entire court will be talking about it for the next decade."

"The Seelie Court needs to find better forms of entertainment." Emily's glance traveled to the garden beneath the balcony and the couples that skipped through it to find a more private setting.

"I think you bringing a companion more often would suffice us." A tall beautiful man with black hair approached, the silver circlet around his head and the gleaming gold pendant with the coats of arms of his house showing off his high status among the fae. He added on a light tone: "I personally enjoyed seeing that witless fool get knocked on his arse."

"Alisdair!" She giggled and playfully swatted him on the arm. "You're the queen's advisor; you're not supposed to be behaving with such a lack of decorum."

"I make sure to only have it when it's necessary, a chara"

She gave him a half-smile, more relaxed now.

Despite being a full-blooded fae royal and a member of the queen's council, he had always been kind and amicable towards her.

He had whispered the appropriate words into Queen Oonagh's ears, and managed to open the doors to Emily when she first arrived to Earth and no one would dare go near her.

After years of knowing each other, they had developed a friendship of sorts. They at least had reached the point where they could drop many of the stuffy formalities that surround fae culture, which was a breath of fresh air to Emily when having to be many hours at the Seelie court.

"It was quite the gesture, I would say." He mused. "Although judging by the frown you had not moments ago on your face, it does not seem quite like that to you."

She grumbled, choosing to ignore the implication; it's taking too much energy to respond.

"Despite what you may say, he did us all a favor. The queen was growing tired of Oisin and needed the perfect excuse to cast him out. Jack Frost only speeded his fall from grace."

"And he almost gets killed in the process." She said dryly. "Despite my esteem for Queen Oonagh and how convenient it's for her so that she can keep her court in line, I will not have him risk himself for me."

"I think it was rather sweet of him…almost poetic, rising to defending you against the slander."

"He shouldn't have to," Emily murmurs while emptying her glass, eyes fixed upon the sky full of stars.

"Well, I'm not an expert on humans, but I can tell that he wants to." Alisdair's voice softened, giving away a hint of fondness at how quick the young guardian had stepped up and refused to let Emily bear the insults. He had to admire his spirit. "It looks like you have him wrapped around your little finger."

Emily closed her eyes. 'Or rather the other way around', she thought.

"Why are you here?" The guardian of fun questioned, hiding from the bustling of the workshop and from the other guardians' constant worry. Although, he appreciated his friends concern, it was tiring to have everyone constantly asking if he was alright.

"I'm here because I want to talk to you," she answered.

Jack crossed his arms, "Well, I don't want to talk to you."

"Then how about just listening?" She knew that this wouldn't be easy, but was determined to fix things once and for all.

He didn't respond, silence engulfing the room.

She took a deep breath, "I was an ass"

Jack's composure almost breaks and he had to really hold back his laughter. Mother Nature never cursed. Give flowery epithets that seemed to be taken out of a Shakespeare play, yes.

But simple and to-the-point-slang was something he had never heard before.

"I was…"Emily's teeth borrowed into her lip, unsure how to proceed. "I have never been really good at opening myself to others"

"I can tell", Jack answered back, but his tone did not have the bite he had expected.

It sounded more like he was stating a fact, than trying to get back at her for hurting him.

It still stung her.

"When I first arrived to earth, I got separated from Sandy. I was alone." She explained. "No one would take me in and most avoided me. Turns out when your father turns into the nightmare king, people don't take it very well."

Since hearing no input from him, it encouraged Emily to continue.

"And then there were those who started coming after me. Be it for revenge, power hunger, or heavens know what else." Emily Jane fixed her eyes to the ground, as she was not particularly proud of the next part. "I had to claw and bite my way to survival, and I convinced myself that if I became strong enough…no one would hurt me. So I fought and plotted my way into becoming someone they would think twice before wronging; to become powerful enough to be at the top."

"Turns out when you get there, it's rather lonely. And you always end up looking over your shoulder." She sighed, fidgeting with her fingers. She looked up towards him. "And people never had a way to get to me because I never showed any weakness…until now."

"Why? Because we got close? Because I like spending time with you?" Jack asked, slowly closing the distance between them and his voice growing agitated. "That's what worried you? That you would look weak by being with me?"

"No, it's not that!" She defended herself, looking and sounding truly contrite.

"Oh c'mon, Emily! You pushed me away because you're too attached to your ice princess act and I wasn't worth the price of losing your pedestal."

"That is not true, Jack!" Tears welled up in her eyes.

"You left me, wondering if I had done something wrong" He snapped, each word wounding her. "I told you how I felt and it made me feel that I had ruined everything all over again."

Emily was sure that a punch to the gut could not as much as hearing him say this.

"I didn't mean to." She let out quietly.

Something within Jack stirred, screaming him to believe it had been all a huge misunderstanding. That she actually had fallen for him just as hard as he had for her.

He wanted to say he loved her again. But he was not about to put his heart on the line again without knowing for certain that his feelings were not unrequited.

"You didn't mean to? Then why, Emily?"

"I pushed you away because you almost get yourself killed because of me. The moment prince Oisin was about to strike back, I felt like I was going to die." She answered, unwilling to hold anything back now. "I pushed you away because I got scared"

"Scared? Emily, have you seen yourself?" He scoffed, not daring to believe her. "You're the strongest, most powerful woman I have ever seen. You could have put him in his place in the blink of an eye. What is it that scares yo so much?"

"It's you I'm scared of!"

Jack took a step back with a shocked face.

"It's you and your stupid hair, your silly jokes and your ridiculous smile. You flirt with me and I get hopes that there might be something between us…only to remember that it can't happen." Her voice started to gain volume, heart hammering in her chest. "I could have lost you that night, and it frightened me. I have you in my thoughts constantly and I've never felt like this for someone and that fucking terrifies me and-"

She drew a breath, feeling a pair of soft lips on hers. Jack. She stilled for half a second, processing what was happening.

Jack Frost almost feared that she would push him away once more, but every trace of worry evaporated in an instant.

Because this time, she kissed him back.

Arms going up his shoulders, snaking around the back of his neck to pull him down, the world melted away once more.

One of Jack's hands rested on her waist, while the other tangled among her long black hair.

Eventually they pulled back a little. Emily's forehead rested against his, her breathing a little uneven and tears freely rolling down her face now but she was not ashamed to show them. The guilt and regret that weighted her heavy heart began to lift from her.

"I love you" she murmured, almost afraid to burst the small spell that had formed around them. "There is no excuse for hurting you the way I did. I can only ask that you give me a chance to fix this. I promise that I won't do it again."

They both knew she's not perfect. That she still had a long way to go when it came to other people, and that she will probably make a million mistakes.

But as they pulled in for another kiss, they both know that what they have was worth it.

Did you guys like it? Plese don't forget to leave your comments. They really keep me going!