I Am Thine, Thou Art Mine

Jack was frightened when he awoke, and that was perfectly acceptable. He came to consciousness with one prominent thought: Pitch. The thought was entirely justifiable. The last time he had awoken from a night spent in the Boogeyman's arms, he had been alone and betrayed mere minutes later.

Yes, he was completely allowed to be gripped by fear upon waking.

What also gripped him seconds later were arms. Warm, strong arms that tightened further, for they were already blissfully around him, and prevented him from leaping up. His heart thudded noisily in his chest and his eyes darted about, landing on an unlit fireplace, burgundy walls, empty bookshelves.

Then, a voice soothed his brain. "You're alright. I'm still here."

Jack shuddered and curled into Pitch's chest, breath coming in quick gasps. They were lying on the new couch, a tangle of limbs and Pitch's black robe. Jack had a feeling that for the next few times he'd fall asleep with Pitch, he'd awaken similarly: confused, terrified, and wary.

"I don't blame you," Pitch said above his head, carding his fingers through his soft hair. "What I did was unforgivable."

"And yet I forgave you," Jack replied with a shaky breath. "Though I'm still not done making you pay."

Pitch chuckled. "Even after yesterday, you still find energy?"

"I hope so. I am immortal, after all." Jack slowly pushed himself up and moved to the edge of the couch, glancing at that patch of floor they had christened over and over again yesterday.

He had cried a great deal after Pitch's silent declaration, and had he not been trembling so much, he'd have found it funny how the man was fretting over him, trying to get him to stop with kind words and worried kisses. When Jack finally did get a hold of himself, he'd scooted closer between Pitch's long legs and rubbed their members together, saying he loved him over and over and that Pitch hadn't done his job, because Jack certainly hadn't been fucked into the floor at all. So Pitch had proceeded to make good on that. Multiple times.

Jack grimaced at the evidence that had dried on that floor. All over that floor, in fact. "You're going to have one hell of a cleanup job."

Pitch sat up too and pressed his nose to the crook of Jack's neck. "You have to help me. Half of that mess is yours." He stayed there, breathing slowly, drinking in the spirit's scent and emotions. "And…half of this house is yours too."

Jack turned sharply and stared at Pitch, daring him to be joking, because the hope that started squeezing his heart was painfully intense.

"Of course," Pitch continued smoothly, as though he hadn't just asked Jack to move in with him (that was what he'd asked, wasn't it?), "you will also be responsible for fixing this house up. The decades of neglect have been harsh, and I'm certainly not doing this all on my own. And it must be done by hand. Unlike you, this structure means something to me, and I'll not—"

He was silenced by a simple kiss. Jack crawled into his lap and wrapped his arms around his neck. "You're a real romantic, you know?"

The Nightmare King scowled falsely. "You clearly mistake romance for convenience. You are so insistent to share lives. That means you'll have to share the work too."

Jack rocked slowly, feeling something stir down below on his side and Pitch's. "That's not the only thing we'll share."

Pitch held him captive with his hungry golden gaze for a moment before suddenly rising and dumping Jack unceremoniously on the couch. "There is work to be done."

"No, there isn't," Jack cried as Pitch went about gathering their scattered, trampled clothes. "We're done, out of danger! Faust is captured, and all you guys are supposed to be doing is explaining things to me. You can do that on your own while we do something else."

Pitch didn't look at him, so Jack took the moment to appreciate the view. The man really did have a great ass, and his legs were things the Guardian could just climb. He saw Pitch's small smile, but pretended to stare unabashedly at his nudity. Well, it wasn't pretending.

"We can't." Jack knew Pitch was trying to sound serious, but it really came out as very pleased. "You must believe me when I say that, were it possible, I'd take you in every room in this house."

"It is possible."

"Not today. We have this room down."

"We could go a few more rounds." Never in his wildest dreams could he have ever imagined having this conversation. He loved it.

"I have to be at the Workshop too. You're only going for an explanation. I'm going to get something back."

Jack moved to the armrest and took his clothes from him. "What did you lose?"

"It was taken from me." Pitch opened a hand, and a bit of darkness swirled up and disappeared. Jack's eyes widened. "Yes. The shadows Faust stole have not been returned to me."

"But—but you…are you okay?" Jack whispered, reaching out and clasping his hand worriedly. Pitch didn't look any different.

"Do I look okay?"

He wasn't sure if that was a trick question. "…Yes?"

Pitch nodded. "I am. While it was painful, Faust couldn't have hoped to remove everything from my body. The darkness I harbor is almost boundless. Almost, but it does have an end. Still, he only took a small portion. I feel emptiness in me, and I want to fill it."

"Why didn't you get it back sooner? Couldn't figure out how?"

"No, we knew exactly how. It was my decision to wait for you to wake up."

"Wanted me to see the show?"

The man inclined his head. "Would you love me if I was less than what I was before?"

Jack stood and pressed his hinds to the shade's abdomen. "Of course."

"And would you love me if I wanted to take back the evil stripped from me?"

"Yes." Jack supposed he should have hesitated before saying that. Pitch actually wanted to have more darkness in him. But as Jack stood there and looked up into the king's eyes, he realized that he couldn't have hesitated if he had wanted to. He meant it. He would take Pitch in any way he came, whether that was half the man he was before, or saturated in the darkness and fear he loved to taste.

"Yes," Jack repeated.

Pitch looked moved by the simple answer, and bent to kiss him. "I…" His voice stalled out, and he snarled in frustration.

Jack pressed their lips together comfortingly. "I get it, okay? You can't say it. I don't know if that's because of a mental thing, or because you physically can't force the words out, but when you say it – when, not if – I don't want it to be forced. Until then, I'll say them for you. I love you."

Pitch looked at him gratefully, then suddenly stepped back. Jack saw it then: his stirring arousal. "I think we should leave before we both do something we regret."

"What's to regret?" Jack purred.

"Shall I amend that?" Pitch said dryly, pulling on his clothes. "Before we do something that will delay us."

"Fine," Jack grumbled good naturedly, following suit. "But when we get back…"

"I'll continue 'apologizing'," Pitch finished.

"I wonder if I could keep you 'apologizing' for the rest of our lives."

"Keep wondering."

Jack suffered a fright almost as bad as when he'd woken up last morning when they arrived at the Workshop. He and Pitch walked in and made for the Globe Room. They strode close together, side by side, brushing up against one another from time to time. Pitch had decided to don his armor for the meeting, and Jack had a silly smile on his face that just couldn't go away; he was so close to this man, could smell his midnight mist scent sweetly.

That was when he felt the fright. The smell.

Jack tried to backtrack from the entrance, but Pitch just gave him an annoyed, puzzled look and dragged him along by the hood. Jack stumbled in and stopped breathing when he saw his friends. North greeted them warmly and gestured to some seats. Sandy waved, looking a little concerned when they walked in together, then smiling when he saw that Jack was unharmed. Jack swallowed nervously as he glanced at Tooth and Bunny.

Tooth looked positively delighted that they had arrived together; Bunny looked peeved. Then both of their eyes widened simultaneously as Jack had expected. The terror washed over him, tenfold. He chose to look at Tooth; God forbid if he saw the horror in Bunny's gaze. Tooth pursed her lips and beckoned Jack over, and he came quickly.

"You two really don't know a thing about subtlety, do you."

Jack's face was enflamed as he hissed back, "I forgot, okay? How bad is it?"

Tooth bit her lip and sniffed curiously, but she was smiling, dammit! "It's like you two took a swim in pools filled with each other's scent."

"Oh my God. Do…do you think Bunny…?"

They glanced over at the Pooka, who was scowling at Pitch, nose wrinkled to the closest degree. Tooth shrugged. "Well, he definitely smells it, but chances are he won't reach the conclusion."

"How can he not?" Jack moaned. "No one is that clueless."

"Why don't you go find out?"

Jack slinked over to Pitch and gave Bunny a shaky smile. "How's it going?"

"Look, mate," Bunny started, noting Jack's cringe. "No, no, I won't judge. You can be friends with whoever you want to. And I get you like to show affection by huggin' people and all that, and if you have to hug him, go ahead, I guess. But fer one, don't hug him so tight! You really rub off on 'im."

Jack could hear Tooth tittering and wanted to throttle himself.

"An' fer two…" Bunny glared at Pitch. "That doesn't mean you have to hug him back!"

Jack turned to see how the man was taking this. Surprisingly well, in fact, if the calm gaze and curiously innocent incline of the head were anything to go by. "It is my right to return his gestures as I see fit."

Bunny bristled. "You probably don't even like him. Just because he thinks of you as a friend—"

"On the contrary," Pitch cut in, voice suddenly hard, "I have grown to appreciate Frost. My reciprocating actions are genuine. So if you'd do me a favor and not tell me how to treat my companions, I'd actually appreciate it."

Bunny looked taken aback by the declaration, then flattened his ears against his skull. "Doesn't mean I have to like it. Just…don't hug him back too often. My nose is really sharp, and it bothers me, smellin' you guys on each other."

Jack laughed nervously and pushed Pitch to the other side of the table. "Right, okay." He scowled at the man when he heard the quiet snort. "Shut up." He took a seat next to him. "We need to be careful."

"Oh, but think of the ways we could torment Bunnymund's pathetic mind! It's not too late to join me."

"Haha, no."

They all settled in when Fuinor and Pyotr arrived. Pitch sneered when the latter took a seat on the other side of the Guardian of Fun, and if he inched his chair closer, Jack didn't comment.

"Alright, so I guess I'm the only one who needs catching up! Who wants to start with what happened? Pitch already explained the whole thing with Irdu, which was a stupid idea anyway," and Pitch cuffed Jack over the head, ignoring Bunny's hostile glare, "but that's it. Let's start with why I wasn't hurt."

"No," North disagreed. "We start with why you went into the light without thinking."

"Hey, I was thinking…sort of. I mean, I had a quick thought that maybe the thing was mostly meant for darkness, seeing how it hurt Pitch and Faust so much. I had to make it stop, so I just moved. It hurt a whole lot more than I expected though. I think I was wrong then, but I woke up feeling fine when I know I should have still felt like crap, even after two weeks of being under."

North nodded slowly. "You were half right. It was meant to only seal darkness and evil, but the light would still hurt if one came in contact with it. It is a very purifying magic. It was foolish—"

"Stupid," Pitch emphasized.

"—to do so. But you did stop it. It is never supposed to hurt an innocent, and the spell ends when it comes in contact with something of good or if the castor ends it himself."

"And since I froze the castor, it didn't stop until I touched it. Huh. Well, I felt great when I woke up, but why was I out for so long?"

"You only touched the light for a few seconds," Bunny explained, "but just a few seconds is enough to overload you. Still, it'll leave ya feelin' energized."

"Now when we say it, we mean…?" Jack prompted curiously.

Bunny set something on the table that Jack grimly recognized as that damn ring Faust had been wearing. It wasn't glowing now with its eerie magic, but it still gave him the chills. "The Seal of Solomon."

"Looks old," was all Jack could say. The artifact was meant to cleanse evil, but to him, it was evil.

"Ancient," Bunny agreed. "And difficult to find. So how Faust came across it, we don't know."

"You do know," Jack said with realization. "Someone gave it to him. Your theory was right all along. Hasn't he said anything?"

Eyes turned to Fuinor, but the elf lord shook his head. "Unfortunately, the man is resistant to our methods."

Of torture remained unspoken.

"However, we had reason to believe that this was the work of a spell when, during a lesser tactic, he seemed to finally feel the pain. He began to cry out, as though he were awakening from a trance. Our mages went over him and confirmed it: someone has a hold on his mind. Whatever magic it is, it's preventing him from feeling much pain, or at least keeping some part of him unconscious."

"All we need to do is find them then," Jack said.

Fuinor gave him a surprisingly patient look. "Easier said than done, Frost. Whatever this magic is, it is not a spell. We can't trace it back to its castor. It is not controlling Faust at all, but it does have a firm hold on some parts of his mind. Worry not. We'll get to the truth soon enough."

Something – a theory – scratched the back of Jack's mind, but he ignored it and tried to voice his understanding. "So the culprit didn't start this by controlling him, but by coming to him with a suggestion that he liked?"

"A suggestion of power," North affirmed.

"Right. So he picks up a couple spirits and a large mass of tengu to help him gain darkness. He goes around stripping magic from others, especially dark magic, like from your people, Fuinor. But why does he need power? He's never needed it before."

"Whatever that person suggested to him," Tooth murmured lowly so that everyone had to listen carefully, "it must have been a very appealing suggestion. Or a very threatening one."

Now there were two possibilities that they had to consider. Jack took in the solemn mood falling down upon the table and tried to put a little cheer in his voice. "Well, let's say it was appealing, because I don't feel like pitying the bastard after what he put us through." The chuckles came around. "Now we've got Faust and that person who was helping him is trying to protect him from Fuinor's…methods because Faust will definitely squeal a name if he's overwhelmed."

"Seems that way," Bunny said. "But it's not over. We've got a lotta repairin' to do. You sure that little bird boy's coming back?"

"Yes," Jack said softly, feeling Pitch tense up irritably beside him. "But I don't want to call him back right now. Let's give him a little while, maybe extend an invite to accompany us to Japan in a couple weeks. I don't think the tengu will do much without Faust, since he was the entire reason they started this."

"Is good idea," North agreed. "Now, onto magic business. We return what was taken."

Fuinor stood eagerly as Bunny took up the ring and murmured a few words to it in a different language. Jack had known Bunny was a spell castor and an alchemist, but he had thought he'd only dabbled in those arts, mainly focusing on Easter. Now, as Bunny drew burning symbols in the air with one blunt claw, Jack could see that he was clearly a master at this craft, so easily manipulating the ring's parameters.

The six-pointed star appeared slowly, giving an extra glow to the room. Bunny's fur was ruffled in anxiousness as he spoke a few more words and live flames suddenly sprung up all about the star. There were many bundles of different colors, all burning brightly as Bunny continued to coax them forth. When the flames had spread out in their little bunches, each as big as Jack's head, Fuinor stepped forward.

"Which one belongs to my people?"

Bunny searched the flames before dragging one forward with his bare paw, unburned. The bundle was violet and snappy, jumping violently and recoiling as Fuinor approached. Bunny gave the king a nod, and Fuinor eagerly plucked the purple fire away from the others and stepped back.

"You know how to distribute it when you get home?" Bunny asked.

"Of course," Fuinor said, looking like a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders now that he had his people's magic with him. Now he could give back what they missed the most. "You haven't the slightest idea of how some of my soldiers have gone on this long without this. It is part of their souls."

Bunny nodded and turned to look at all the dancing lights. "Crikey, that's a lot of steals."

"He took so much," Tooth whispered palely, fluttering away from the magic as though it hurt to look at the evidence of ruined lives.

"We're going to return it all, right?" Jack asked.

"Of course!" North bellowed, casting all the seriousness from them and making them all jump. "We may have our own schedule, but we help fellow spirit as well! We make time. Phil! Send out notice! Let the healing being."

Jack blinked gratefully and Bunny began to end the reversal spell.

"Not so fast, Bunnymund."

The Pooka flinched like a child who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Turning, he gave the Boogeyman an eerily frightening smile. "Somethin' I can help you with?"

Pitch opened a demanding hand. "I believe I'd like my shadows back."

Bunny glanced over the flames and the smile turned into a violent grin. "Don't see 'em."

Pitch was not amused. He snapped something in that foreign language and the glowing star was suddenly alight with twisting, writhing black fire. Bunny leapt away from it and held out a boomerang to stop Pitch's approach, trying to make an appeal to his fellow Guardians. "Aw, c'mon! When are we ever going to have a chance to keep Pitch from rising again? He doesn't need all of that darkness. He doesn't even look any different."

"But he feels empty without it," Jack protested quietly, not really meaning to. Bunny heard him anyway, ears tamping down to his head.

"Look at all of that," he said, pointing to darkness encasing the holy star. "That's a lot of black magic, Jack. I would know. I dealt in these things extensively before I took up my Guardianship. That's a lot, and the worst part is, there's plenty more where it came from. Pitch doesn't need it."

Jack pursed his lips. "Just give it back."

Bunny glanced hostilely at Pitch. "You're so insistent on bein' Jack's friend. If that's the case, then take a second to think about it. Having a little darkness locked away from you isn't bad. Think about what's best for him."

That won't work, Jack thought smugly, but his opinion wavered as he watched Pitch hesitate, face falling. "You've got to be kidding me."

Pitch looked at him with wide golden eyes, and Jack saw the vulnerability there. Everyone else was stunned into silence because they saw it too.

"No, no way! Didn't I just tell you that I was fine with it?"

Pitch frowned and looked between the flames and Jack. Then Bunny said something lowly that only Pitch could hear, and something in his eyes shifted in a way Jack didn't like.

Pitch took a step away from the flames.

That did it.

"I've had it!" Jack exclaimed, throwing up his arms and marching forward. He pushed past the other bits of magic – they were surprisingly cold – and stood next to the burning black star. "I said it's fine. What's it going to take for you to believe me? Do I have to get it for you and shove it down your throat?"

His hand stretched out towards the black magic.

The simultaneous cries of "NO!" nearly gave him a heart attack, and he was bowled over by Bunny. Everyone had taken a step towards him, even though he hadn't been going to touch it, honestly. When he finally wriggled his way out of those furry arms, he looked up and saw Pitch starting at him, but to his relief, the stare was reassured.

The shade pried the darkness away from the star so it glowed again, and consumed what was rightfully his. Bunny shut down the spell and the room was snapped back to its original rich hue, but shadows clung to Pitch Black and swirled around him, covering him, hiding him from Jack.

For a moment – only a moment – Jack's heart stuttered with doubt. What if the lack of shadows had been the key to getting Pitch to silently admit his love? What if—

As it was only a moment, he could only finish the one thought, because the shadows snapped down suddenly and everything was flat, clinging to Pitch's armor so none of the gold patterns shone through. The man's eyes were closed, and he had a peaceful look on his face, swaying slightly as though he could hear a sweet melody. From his mouth came a long sigh, though it was more of a hiss that had the other Guardians on edge.

The eyes opened.

Bright vibrant eclipses looked only towards Jack. Pitch extended a hand, which Jack slowly accepted to stand. He searched Pitch's face for anything, but he was wearing his annoying mask of stone again, and Jack had to stare very hard before the corners of those thin lips turned upward.

Jack smiled back. "Alright?"

Pitch gave an almost imperceptible nod, and that was all Jack needed to fling his arms around him in a tight hug, uncaring of who saw. He heard some amused chatter and a squeaky gasp, but then he was yanked away from Pitch by a very annoyed Bunny, who grumbled sorely, "Don't do that in fronta me, would ya?"

Jack hugged him too.

He got Pyotr alone a little while later.

"I'm sorry," he said immediately before the warrior could speak. "I can't come with you right now. Part of that reason is because I…I just need to spend some time alone."

"By alone, you mean with Pitch," Pyotr said good-naturedly.

Jack blushed. "Ahem. The second reason is that I don't think he'd want me to go right now…we just sorted things out, I think, and I don't want to mess it up by leaving him."

"Don't worry," Pyotr laughed, slinging an arm around his shoulders companionably and shaking him. "You are free to visit any time you want. And in any case, I will be a bit busy for a while anyway."

"With what?"

"Searching for your culprit."

"But you don't have to! It's not your job. I thought your king didn't want you to get involved."

"Well, I didn't. And now I will go to him with a formal request to aid you. If this happens again, I don't want to risk involving my people, so we should get to the bottom of this as soon as possible. Think of this as a favor to you."

"Guess I'll owe you big time."

Pyotr nodded. "I'm sure I'll find a way to collect."

"Collect another time, frost spirit." Pitch was suddenly behind Jack, wrapping an arm around him so that his hand was splayed across the front of the blue hoodie possessively. "And I'll have to approve of said collection."

Which was probably code for, You set one foot out of line, and I'll gut you.

Pyotr just smirked, bowed gracefully, and flew away, back to wherever he was from. And Jack realized, very stupidly, that he'd never asked where he was from.

"I never asked where he was from."

Pitch gripped him when he felt him start to float up. "No. You'll find out another day, I'm sure." He lead Jack back to the Globe Room where Fuinor was preparing to leave.

"I'll be back in a day or so to continue," the king was saying. "Admon doesn't foresee returning, as his land is too wounded and sick to be left alone. He's doing all he can."

"Of course," Tooth agreed graciously.

Fuinor clasped hands with North. "Thank you for the gift. Getting in touch will be much easier now." Jack could see a lovely little communicator of magic ice in his other hand. "Call as you wish. I and my army will be at your disposal. I cannot thank you enough for your help."

"We are all still in need of help," North said.

"Yes. Farewell." The dark elf approached Jack and Pitch, giving the latter a very kingly bow and a kind word in the elfish language. Pitch replied in turn, and Jack just looked between the two, confused and silent.

Fuinor then looked down at the young winter spirit and said, "Jack. While we have not seen eye to eye and I still think you are an inexperienced, arrogant whelp," Pitch laughed at the way Jack bristled, "I find your presence rather refreshing, and hope that we may get along as we find ourselves working together in the future."

Jack snorted, but shook the hand that was offered to him. "Okay. You're alright, I guess."

Fuinor chuckled and cuffed him over the head with a fatherly air before turning and leaving in a sudden whirl of violet smoke and mist. Jack had never seen the king leave before, and cocked his head in wonder. "So that's how he does it."

"His people are lords of the shadows like myself," Pitch said.

Jack turned and smiled coyly at him. "I like your way better."

Pitch looked dangerously close to kissing him, but the appearance of Bunny killed any thoughts of that. "Oi. I gotta be heading out. I'm going to start returning some of the magic. Want to come with?" He spoke only to Jack, pointedly ignoring the Nightmare King.

Jack shook his head apologetically. "Think I'm going to just fly out. I've been asleep for two weeks, which is super weird. I just want to spread some snow."

"It's summer," Pitch deadpanned.

"I can think of a couple mountains that could do with a sprinkle." The look shared between them was heated, and still went unnoticed by the Pooka.

"Whatever, mate. We'll call you if anything crops up."

That was all. Jack found himself over the ocean minutes later, flying next to Pitch on his Nightmare.

"It's…over?"

"No."

"Yeah, I guess not." Jack sat behind Pitch and wrapped his arms around him, pressing his face against the amazingly warm armor. "But I think if we just find this person, it'll be done."

"I don't believe so. This was just the appetizer. We've a long way to go."

"Then I'll share the main course with you," Jack vowed quietly. He felt a hand grip his gratefully.

"And when this is over, you'll be dessert?"

Jack laughed, and Pitch twisted to scoop him closer and kiss him as the wind blasted them. "Speaking of food," the shadow king murmured lustily against his mouth, "I'd like to try fixing up the kitchen next. While you were asleep, an unbidden fantasy sprang to mind. Something about me, you, naked…watermelon slices."

Jack would have started rutting against him right there if they weren't on a horse in midair and that horse weren't sentient, because that was a little weird, Onyx knowing what was going on between her master and his friend. Instead, he squeezed Pitch's middle so hard that he was sure he left bruises. "I like that idea, but you haven't finished anything. Every room you started on isn't complete. Shouldn't you…?"

"I was waiting for you."

And wasn't that one of the most romantic things Jack had ever heard. "You mean you were too lazy to finish, so you thought, since I'm so eager to shack up with you, I could just finish it for you."

"Not at all," Pitch said in a way that sounded like that was exactly it, even though Jack knew it wasn't true. They were quiet the rest of the flight, and when they touched down before the lovely home in the mountains of Lakeland, Jack eagerly sprang for the front porch only to be dragged playfully back into Pitch's arms.

His heart felt so light. He hadn't thought he might actually find someone in his eternity that he might love, least of all one such as the Nightmare King. He also hadn't expected to encounter this much trouble, the kind that came with Pitch. But he found that he wouldn't have it any other way, thank God.

He noticed that Pitch had buried his nose in his pale neck awhile ago. "Like what you smell?"

"Hm."

"No fear, sorry. I'm not scared of you anymore."

"That's fine." They started a slow walk up the stairs to the front door. "I like the taste of these other emotions." They entered, and as soon as the door shut, Pitch had him pressed up against it, sucking his bottom lip in without a second thought.

Jack moaned quietly and threaded his hands through the shade's thick black hair, breathing his scent as though it were the only air he'd need for the rest of his immortal life – and he'd be happy if it was.

"I love you," he murmured quietly as he felt a hand unbuckle and unzip him. "I love you, so don't leave me. Don't go anywhere. Stay."

"Alright," Pitch said desperately, finding his member and squeezing. He kissed Jack when he whined. "Then you must promise me the same."

"Stupid," Jack panted. "'Course I'll stay."

"It's not stupid." Pitch paused his ministrations on his cock and fixed him with a very serious look. Jack did not shy away from what he found in that golden gaze. He welcomed it. "We're not out of danger yet."

"I know."

"It will grow worse when we find our culprit."

"We can handle it," Jack growled, loving how Pitch had used "we" and "our", but hating that he had stopped moving. "Now keep going."

"Jack," Pitch purred almost sadly, removing his hand entirely. "Do you understand what I'm saying? Do you recall the battle at the Pole? This will be much worse, when we—"

"You're joking." Jack took his face into his hands and kissed him almost angrily, forgetting about his erection for a little bit. "You do realize that if all the crazy shit we've been through couldn't drive me away before, it's not going to drive me away now or later. Now you're the one drawing conclusions that are painful for both of us. So just stop. Get it? I'm with you, every step of the way."

Pitch stared at him a little longer, waiting for him to take it back, but he did relax and embrace him gently. "Thank you."

Jack hummed softly. "I love you."

"You'll grow tired of that."

"No I won't, and neither will you." He felt the arms tighten around him, cloth brushing against his hard dick, and he was brought back to the issue at hand – or the issue which was not in Pitch's hand. "Okay, you started this. Now finish this."

Pitch gave him a very devilish look and began to slink down his body, breathing on the flushed head when he reached it. "I feel like you're only going to use me for sex."

"Nope. This is still part of your apology package."

"Package," Pitch grunted humorously, taking him into his mouth.

Jack tried to think about all the wonderful centuries ahead they would spend together, because it was a nice thought, really, but that mouth was intent on apologizing and making up what they didn't finish this morning. Pitch seized his hand and pushed their fingers together, and Jack saw through hazy, lusty vision a dark shadow creep over his pale skin, Pitch's personal statement of love.

Jack iced back, and Pitch gave an approving suck that had him coming far sooner than he had intended. He slid to the floor, and Pitch caged him in against the door, kissing him, giving him a familiar taste of both of them.

"This is going to be a habit, I can tell," Pitch said amusedly.

"A good habit?"

"Definitely." His sharp eclipse eyes suddenly darted to the window, and he started to laugh, pulling Jack into his lap. The frost spirit didn't see what was so funny until he looked too.

It was snowing.

Jack joined Pitch in laughing, and the beautiful sound rang through the hallowed, unfixed halls.

Author's Note: Hey! Done! Add me to your watch list, or just check back in a month or so, for another ROTG fic (which will not be the sequel). Thank you for reading. Have a lovely summer.