The Way Water Remembers (JELSA)

8 - What is family?

POV Jack

I watch how a rock bounces over the water surface. Then I toss another one on the calm waters and it starts to hop on the water and goes farther than the previous one. Last leaf drops down from the trees and I feel the cool northern wind blowing through the enchanted forest.

Winter was about to come.

"Jack... you've been staying alone a lot after we came back from Ahtohallan," Elsa spoke and I turn around to look.

"Nope, you've been busy keeping the forest in good shape," I smile to her and throw another rock.

"What are you doing?" She chuckles and I smile slyly. Her presence was enough to make me forget my thoughts.

"I am tossing rocks on the water. They bounce if you find a flat rock and throw it with right angle and speed...haha, your dad never taught you to do this?" I chuckle and she shakes her head.

"Well then...let me be your dad for a moment," I wave her my hand to urge her to come closer but then my eyes widened.

"No! I didn't mean it like that...aaaah...um... just let me teach you like I am your--," I groan and feel stupid.

"Brother?" Elsa said and for some reason it felt like someone just stabbed me which was odd.

"Yeah, that's right," I smile and she comes next to me.

I pull her in front of me and then I guide her to pick a right kind of rock by showing her examples. Finally she found three pieces that were good enough.

"So... I just throw it like this?" Elsa asks and throws the first one.

It made a plop sound and sank like a rock without a single bounce.

We stare at the circles which formed on the water surface from the spot where the rock sank in.

"Haha, that was bad...look at me again," I chuckle and show her the right way to use wrist and to toss.

She watched me carefully and then she tried with her second stone. It bounced couple times and then sank.

"Look! I did it!" She cheered and made this victory dance by spinning around.

"Yes you totally did! Well, ready to toss next one to the middle of the lake?" A grin spreads on my face.

"No, that's not possible. Maybe for you it is," she hums and looks at the last rock which was on her palm.

"We're a team remember? Let's do it together?" I suggest to her and go to stand behind her.

My arm wraps around her waist and I drop my staff down on the ground. My hand covers her and were holding the same tiny rock in our fingers. She flinches when I rest my chin on her shoulder.

"It's fine...so...first let's blow some magic in it," I whisper to her ear and then I bring her hand closer to my mouth.

She was blushing as I blew at the rock and it frosted lightly. Then I turn our side towards the lake and move her arm to a throwing position.

"When I count to one...we'll let it go," I tell her and make sure that our bodies are moving as one.

"Uh...ok," she whispers and then we worked like a team.

We made the toss and I counted from 3 to 1 and then we let the stone fly away. Now we watch as it makes the first jump, then second, third... To be honest I lost the count when it reached the middle of the lake and then sank.

"We did it!" Elsa cheers and turns around while still being in my embrace.

She hugs me and jumps up and down. I laugh because of her reaction and then I grab her from waist and lift her up. I spin her around few times and then I let her down.