Dead || Jack Frost

Ten

Dia awoke to the soft jingle of bells. Groaning, he pulled his fists up to rub harshly at his eyes. Everything ached with a deep muscular pain. It felt like he had spent that last few days exercising. Then light stung his eyes when he tired to open them and Dia then was forced to spend the next several minutes with his eyes screwed shut as they adjusted. While he waited, he slowed down his breathing and concentrated on the feeling of his power. It hummed strongly, informing him that there was no permanent damage.

When Dia opened his eyes again, it was to see a the face of a small elf centimetres away. He recoiled instinctively and smacked the elf away. It bounced off of the bed and disappeared over the edge, the little bell on top of its pointy hat ringing. Dia pushed himself into a sitting position, wincing a bit at the ache, and looked around. The room was a small guest room at North's workshop. The decor recognisable by the wooden carvings on the walls and Christmas style decorations. Three more elves were stood frozen on top of a chest of drawers next to the bed. Half eaten cookies hanging from their fingers.

Dia scowled at them and they promptly dropped the food and fled, climbing down to the floor and disappearing through the slightly open door. Dia pushed back the plush duvet and forced himself to move off the bed. (It was a extremely comfortable bed. Dia might have to sneak back here for a nap later). There was a mirror next to the window and he peered at his reflection. He was still dressed but the skull makeup had faded from his face. His tanned skin glowed with its usual warmth but his green eyes were tired and his hair was a fluffy mess. On a chair underneath the mirror were his purple and yellow scarves. He counted then as he tied them back around his waist.

Dia steadily relaxed as he tied each scarf around his waist. There were ten in total. Each square piece of material different and well loved. A few were covered in patterns of purple and gold, others purple and green. Some had golden discs that jingled as he moved. (He may have been given them by the ghost of a belly dancer). While others were purple bandanas stolen from market stalls or given to him by the spirits of children. It took a while for him to tie them all on as he had to do it in a specific way. Four were tied around his waist like belts while the other six were looped through or tucked in.

Just as he was finishing, there was a knock on the door and a blue hooded head poked through. Jack lit up when he saw that Dia was standing. The snow spirit entered fully, one hand pushing his hood back to expose his white hair. "You're awake. You had us all worried there for a second. Are you okay?" Jack asked as he stepped closer, looking Dia up and down for any obvious injuries. "Nice bed hair by the way".

Dia ran a few haphazard hands through the fluffy black strands. It didn't do much good as Jack's smirk grew noticeably wider. Huffing, he tugged our one of his purple bandanas and tied it round his forehead. "I'm okay. What happened?"

Jack's expression fell. "Pitch killed Sandy. You got swept up in the black sand and disappeared. I'm not sure what happened next, I was just so angry. Somehow I managed to freeze the sand and it shattered. Luckily it freed you but you were unconscious and wouldn't wake up so North brought us all here to regroup".

"Oh", Dia muttered, the events coming back to him. Feelings of suffocation, cold and weightlessness. "Thank you". Something must have shown on his face. Expressions naked now without the skull makeup. The other boy picked up on it.

"Hey", Jack gently took Dia's hands. His fingers were cool and reassuring as he squeezed them. Big frost blue eyes fixed on Dia's greens. "I'm glad you're okay. Sandy wasn't your fault. We were too far away".

"It wasn't your fault either", Dia replied. The two of them shared soft warm smiles, hands interlinking smoothly.

Jack's smile slowly grew into a mischievous grin. "Have I told your that you're pretty cute without the skull face?" The peaceful moment shattered as Dia flushed bright red. Jack couldn't help but continue speaking, watching amusedly as a Dia grew more and more flustered.

"Your hair looks adorable ruffled like that. You look so soft and warm like a cat. I just want to shower you in snowflakes and"-

Dia, who was literally glowing with a pink light emanating from his chest, made a squeaking noise. He dropped Jack's hands and covered the frost spirit's mouth with his palms. "Stop before I cover the floor with flower petals". Dia tried to make the threat menacing but the pink light diminished his glare. He could practically sense Jack's smirk.

"MurhyrHdnf".

"What?" Dia frowned in annoyance and slowly removed his hands. It should have been impossible for Jack's smirk to grow bigger but somehow he managed it.

"I said that if you wanted to shut me up, you could have just use your lips". He made a kissing motion for emphasis. Dia made a noise and buried his face in his hands, pink glow brightening. There was a rustling noise, like the wind through trees. Jack looked down in time to watch as millions of rose petals burst out from under Dia's feet. They covered the room in a shower of colour. Tones of yellow, orange, pink, and red littering every available surface. It looked like a floral bomb had gone off, everything smelt of roses.

Jack burst out laughing. He doubled over, stomach heaving as he took in the room. Dia sunk into a embarrassed crouch, petals landing in his hair. "Stop it", he whined. "I warned you this would happen".

Jack shook his head, petals falling free. His laughing having calmed to a happy grin. "This would make for some great pranks", he remarked as he dusted off his clothing. Once he was mostly free of petals, Jack crouched down and gently pried Dia's hands away from his face. The day of the dead's glow had faded to a pink hue and his eyes were downcast.

Jack rested his palms on Dia's cheeks, touch refreshingly cool. Green eyes met blue and Jack smiled hesitantly. "Sorry for laughing. I didn't mean to make you feel embarrassed. It just surprised me".

Slowly, Dia watched with stuttering breath as Jack leaned in a pressed their foreheads together. His eyes fluttered shut as Jack rubbed their noses together in a strangely intimate motion that had Dia glowing pink again.

"I think they are very beautiful", Jack muttered, forehead still pressed close.

Dia panicked. He pulled away so harshly that the momentum sent him sprawling on his arse in the petals. Jack peeked open his eyes and started laughing. Dia's frowning glare, pink glow and messiness looking quite amusing. "Fuck you", Dia growled. He pushed jack over with his foot and the winter sprite toppled with a cloud of petals.

"Your face!" Jack gasped between giggles. Dia threw a handful of red petals at him angrily. A few got frozen to Jack's cheeks, standing out against his white skin. Dia snorted. Jack stopped laughing and raised an eyebrow challengingly. He raised a hand, snowflakes forming in the air above his palm as he grinned.

"Do you want to play Flower boy?"

Dia smirked, more petals appearing at his feet. "Bring it on Snowman".

Unedited.

Picture above of Genderbent Esmerelda from The hunchback of notre dame.
As I said in the intro. This image is how I imagine Dia.  So the edit and image are to give you readers a more accurate idea of how I visually picture him. All credits fo to the artists who made them.
Hope you enjoyed the update.