Free!... I think?

And on we shall go!

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"Cuz the players gonna play, play, play! And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate! Baby I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake! Shake it off! Shake it off!..."

Aster made a frustrated groan by the ongoing sound of Jackie's singing raging against his ears and gripped onto them, tugging them against his head. For twenty minutes- ever since they passed a small radio shack and heard that God annoying song, all the girl could do was sing. They've been walking since morning and Aster wouldn't be lying if he said his feet weren't killing him.

"My ex-man brought his new girlfriend, she's like 'Oh mah God', but I'm just gonna shake..."

Aster felt a jacket covered arm thrown over his shoulder and felt himself being pulled down to Jackie's height, maybe a little lower, so she could run her soft cold hands through his hair.

"And to the fella over there with the hella good hair..."

Aster beamed red when he felt her cool lips brush against one of his rabbit ears, tickling them a bit that they flickered. And, with a low purr (Aster felt tingled by), Jackie said, "Won't you come on over baby, we can shake... Shake... shake..."

Aster quickly intervened. Yanking away, he tugged at his ears and screamed into the air, "Stop! Cheesus, Shelia just sto-op! Yer killin' mah ears!" Jackie bursted into a fit of laughter, pinching at the spirit's ears. "What? Do these things have ultra hearing too?" she chuckled. Aster slapped her hand away in an attempt to protect his ears. "No! It's jus' ah rather die at this moment than listen to another dreadful song by Tyler Swiss!" he groaned.

Jackie snorted. "It's Taylor Swift, Aster, and second of all- my voice can put anyone to sleep, so admit it."

Aster smirked. "You mean eternal sleep. In other words, yer voice kills, Shelia."

Aster would be kidding if he said he wasn't lying. Jackie probably did- if she tried- have a voice worth hearing. Just like she had the beauty worth seeing. But that damn bruise on her cheek. Every time Aster looked upon it, it made him want to go feral again and run back to that house and murder Jason. For she reason, he felt like what he gave Jason didn't seem like enough for all that man had probably done to Jackie.

But they have gotten so far and hey, there's always another day.

Aster noticed a hill ahead of their walk and groaned, stopping. Great.

"Well, isn't that nice, eh? That looks like a hell of a hill."

Jackie followed his gaze and immediately drowned in tired agony. "Aaaaw! More like a mountain- it'll take as forever to go over!" She pouted, "and my feet hurt!"

Aster gazed at the girl with sympathy and empathy. "We could take a wee break?" he offered. Jackie nodded and leaned against her staff. "Agreeing with you there, Cotton-Tail."

Aster sputtered. "Co- what did you just call me?!"

Jackie smirked and made an innocent twirl of her staff. "What? It's a cute name," she crooned. Aster frowned. " 'Cute' mah arse-"

"Exactly. Your arse is cute, thanks to your little fuzzy friend you got stuck there," Jackie exclaimed. Bunny fumed red and crossed his arms. "Listen, those little name yer comin' up with won't-"

Jackie leaned in with a challenging look in her eyes. With a grin, she squiggled them. "Won't whaaat?" she drawled in a low purr. Aster gulped, bearing a red tint on his face. Damn those eyes, he cursed to himself. The way she looked at him.

If she keeps looking at me like that, I'll be wrapped around her little finger...

Aster stammered over his words, only placing sugar to Jackie's amusement. He had to think ofsomething to say without offending her. For some reason, Aster could not find the heart to say 'no' or go against Jackie's favors... So how can he...

Aha!

Aster grinned with confidence and with a husk voice, he crooned, "Ah wouldn't dare do a thing to ya... Frostbite."

Jackie's grin dropped and by that moment, Aster knew he had at least one this battle... Well, he could hope he did. "What?" Jackie strained and leaned back, "Frostbite?!"

Aster chuckled. "Yes, Ahm talkin' to ya, Frostbite!"

Jackie placed her hands on her hips and bent her knee a little. "Oh, so just because I have white hair and pale skin, it gives you the idea to call me Frostbite?"

"Well, just because Ah have rabbit ears an' a rabbit tail, does it give ya the right to call me Bunny, Cotton- Tail, and Bun-Bun?"

Jackie opened her mouth to retort, but could not find a combat. He was right. She crossed her arms and stuck out her lip in defeat. "Well, when you put it that way..." she muttered. Aster smiled I'm triumph. "Ahm right! Haha!"

Jackie's pout became a smile and she stuck her tongue out at him. "That's only one for you, Bunny, and like- a million for me!" she giggled.

The two found a good resting ground under a large tree and Jackie took the liberty in pulling out two blankets from her bag; one to for her and Aster to lay on, and the other...

Slightly going red, Jackie held the one blanket out towards Aster. "Um... I suppose you want this to cover with?"

Aster snorted. "Who do ya think Ah am? Some kinda ratbag bloke or somethin'?"

Jackie raised an eyebrow. "Okay, despite that I barely functioned anything that spurred out of your mouth, I'll take it as a...?"

Aster rolled his eyes and snatched blanket from the girl's hands. Jackie took this very harsh. Rude bastard, she thought to herself and sat down on the resting blanket with her knees drawn to her chest. Her mind quickly wandered to Jason. Was he still in that position of thorns?- not that she would cared, in fact, she hoped the asshole bled to death. For all that he placed her through... For all that he did to here.

Jackie shivered at the thought and hugged her knees tighter. What if Jason got out. He could be at the hospital, making a full recovery, then for all she knew it would hunting season for her. If Jason were to find her, God knows what he would do to her.

Suddenly, Jackie felt something warm drape over her shoulders and firm, gentle hands tuck parts of what seemed to be- the blanket?- around her body until she was enclosed in a warm enduring cacoon. Jackie looked at Aster. He seemed to be very focused on blocking away the winter crisp from the girl.

Butterflies fluttered in Jackie's stomach. She hadn't realised the sun was beginning to set. "Aster?" she murmured, confused for some reason. The young man did not say anything, but instead, gazed up at Jackie. His tender emeralds and cute (slightly tilted) rabbit ears made his soft gaze even more breath taking, that Jackie had to loom away as she felt her face heat up.

There was a snort, then a hearty chuckle. "What, you'd think Ah'll let ya freeze more than you already are, Frostbite?" Aster joked. Jackie smiled sheepishly (and shamefully by her misjudgement) and shrugged. "I'm not the one missing a shirt. Won't you get cold?," she asked. Aster looked down at himself and smirked, puffing his chest out and flexing his arms. "Me? Ger cold? An' what, hide these bad boys?" he purred.

Jackie laughed and playfully pushed the male. "Oh shut up, Hugh Jackman!"

Aster laughed with her and sat beside her. "Man, you know, Ah never seen anythin' like yer place. With all the moving thingys on wheels-"

"Cars you mean?"

"Yeah! A-and the small bright things people have in their hands-"

"Cell phones?"

Aster pursed his lips. "What's a cell phone do?" he asked. Jackie smiled amusingly and open her mouth to give him the answer... But instead...

"There's a person inside it you talk to. Helps you with anything you wish to know," she replied, trying not to ruin the (partial) lie by laughing. She nearly lost it when Aster's ears stuck all the way up and his face enlightened in amazement by her answer. It was so freggin cute! "Really?! Wow, Ah neva heard anythin' like it!" Aster gasped.

Jackie covered an escape laugh by coughing, and let a few out just to bare the over flooding and nodded. "Mhm! Yeah, welcome to life," she hoarsely said. Aster- smile big as ever- looked down at the patch of snow next to him. "That's... This place is amazing," he whispered to himself, looking up at the sky. Jackie followed his gaze to the sky until her eyes landed on the moon. Just a half quarter lit ball in the sky, giving them a little source of life. She looked at Aster's awe filled face.

His emeralds seem to glisten and the moons rays wrapped around his body. Jackie was caught by amazement. He's beautiful...

Her face flushed at the thought and she looked away. Aster noticed the girl's strange behavior and nudged her with his shoulder. "Jackie... Mind if Ah ask somethin', if you don't mind?"

Jackie shrugged. "Sure. Ask away."

"Why did you not run away long befo' you an' Ah met?" Aster immediately asked.

Jackie winced a bit by the question, looking down at her covered feet. She wiggled them nervously for a moment, repeating the question in her head. How could she answer? Jason had always told her some messed up things, which brought her back to the day before...

When Jason told her to repeat a damn lie of wanting go stay with him.

The thought made her sick.

Ever since Jason began his fury and abusing, he would always made her feel weak... Unimportant... Unwanted...

"Well. Aster... I... I don't know. I guess, Jason would always tell me stupid shit..." She gazed up at the misty skies of winter, "like... That I would never survive in a world that didn't want me walking. In a place that I wasn't strong enough to run about... He always told- every time- that one day if I ever did run, I would end up dead..." her voice cracked by the lump forming. Warm tears burned her eyes and her bottom lip trembled. "And... Nobody would care..." She was barely able to finish her sentence before she broke in a sob that was followed by more sobs.

She hid her face in the blanket and curled tighter into herself. Aster watched as the girl cried, and couldn't bare it for more than a second. Without hesitating, the spirit wrapped his arms around her frail broken body and pulled her close to his chest.

Jackie allowed herself to be embraced- yet again, a rare thing, and she cried onto Aster's naked shoulder. She felt a hand rub smooth circles on her back, and soft hums being purred.

To her shock, despite the blistering cold, Aster was practically warm; he was a sitting heater. This caused her to want more and she snuggled into the older boy as much as she could.

Aster held her in his arms, thinking about going back and ripping Jason into pieces, and felt something he was somewhat unfamiliar with. It caused him to hold onto Jackie tighter. That's when he felt something roll out his throat before he could stop it.

Jackie immediately caught the noise, that sounded like an animalistic growl.

Immediately, she tugged away, staring up at Aster in shock. "A-Aster? What was that?" She sniffled, wiping away her tears with the corner of the blanket. Aster silently pouted at the loss of the weight that was once in his arms and sighed. "Ah-Ah donno... Eva since that whole run off from that bloke, Ah've been feelin'... Off."

Jackie nodded. "Damn right. Hell, I still can't understand what happened back there with the whole vines and thorns voodoo."

Aster felt his body stiffen at the memory. He too, had no explanation for it... How he did that. It looked supernatural.

"Ah... Ah donno about that either, Shelia... All Ah can say is, when Ah jus' saw what that bastard was about ta do to ya..." He paused abruptly, feeling something hesitant clog his throat. He began to mindlessly stammer as he looked up at Jackie's confused face... His eyes enlightened as he felt warmth rise to his cheeks.

Her confused... beautiful, soft... Majestic face. The way the Moon's rays reflected off her milky white skin. The way they made her beautiful eyes sparkle.

Aster hadn't noticed he was slowly leaning his head lower to Jackie's face.

"Ah... Ah couldn't allow him ta hurt you anymore, mate... Not again..." Aster reeled sllwly back. No, he couldn't take advabtage of Jackie like this. Besides, she would never except someone like him... "Neva-"

Suddenly, Aster felt something soft collide with his lips. The young male eyes shot down in shock; his wide emerald eyes met closed milky white eyelids. They showed no strain or discomfort... Just calmness.

Jackie...

Holy shit...

Aster's heart pace quickened...

Jackie was kissing him...

Holy hell! Review!

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