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It’s not Jacks usual sort of night. The sky is perfectly clear and he prefers heavy clouds that make snowstorms easy. The less work he has to put into snow then the more time he can have playing with it.
But the air is cold and crisp and sharp and the sky is full of stars. It’s not his usual sort of night, but it’s a perfect night to perch on a roof and watch the way all the burning torches and candles the humans use reflect the stars above them.
“I’m sure this is the longest I’ve seen you sitting still in one place. Did you actually manage to finally turn yourself into ice?”
Jack nearly falls off the roof as he flails and has to quickly snatch his staff when it nearly goes flying into the streets below. He REALLY should be used to this nonsense by now. How does Pitch keep DOING that?
“How do you keep doing that!? I nearly had a heart attack!” He turns to look at where Pitch is standing calmly a few steps behind him. “You did that on purpose!”
Pitch looks far too pleased with himself. Smug asshole. “I really have no idea what you’re talking about Jack. You simply don’t pay attention to what’s going on. Ever.”
Jack snorts and rolls his eyes, feeling a grin beginning to grow in spite of himself. “Yeah sure ok, point is you’re an ass. A huge one. What are you doing here anyway?”
He can see Pitch coming up from the corner of his eye and blinks when the tall figure folds to sit next to him. Pitch looks oddly out of place with his endless spindly legs folded up under him, sitting on a roof like it’s something he does every night.
“It’s not a good night for Nightmares.” Pitch says with a shrug. “Clear nights like this, the humans are far too caught up in their dreams of heavens and stars. There are a few dark visions, but not any that warrant my special attention.”
It’s not really an answer but Jack will take what he can get. At least Pitch is talking to him now. It’s been over a year since what Jack has dubbed “The Tooth Palace Incident” and Pitch is still...weird.
He isn’t outright avoiding Jack anymore, but he’ll have these...moments. Right when Jack thinks everything is ok Pitch will go still and quiet and all...looking weird at him.
And there are times when Jack can feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and he’ll find Pitch staring at him like he was an especially difficult puzzle. During those times Jack really feels like that gaze is carefully pulling him open and peering inside. It’s both unnerving and...almost exhilarating. Which is something he doesn’t want to look into too much.
So he will happily take this calmer Pitch who isn't avoiding him or mentally dissecting him.
Though he can't help but stare in mild fascination as Pitch leans back on his hands and stretches his long legs out. It's such a...normal pose and Pitch, who is so far from normal that it's almost hilarious, settles into it with his usual lanky grace as if it’s perfectly natural.
Pitch notices his stare and raises his brows. "What?"
"It's just...I'm not used to seeing you all relaxed. You're always stalking around and looming everywhere. I thought that was all you did."
Pitch gives him a flat, then slides his gaze back out to the city with a small smirk. "Ah, well, my legs get tired. I can't keep that up forever, you can't hold the occasional break against me. I assure you I'll go back to looming as usual soon enough.”
“Oh that’s good to know, because this is almost scarier than your shadow lurking.”
“I just get a crick in my neck, looking so far down whenever I try to talk to you. It's much easier down here."
Jack’s mouth falls open. What? What!?
“What!?” He yells. “I’m not short! You’re just a friggin pine tree!”
“A pine tree.” Pitch says flatly. He doesn’t look as offended as he should be.
“You know what I mean you asshole!” Pitch is simply sitting there, looking at Jack with the most irritating condescending smile. “And stop that!”
“Stop what? I didn’t say anything. Do go on though, this is very entertaining. Is this you being clever, Jack?”
“Just. Shut up!” Jack makes to smack that smug grin right off Pitch’s face and very nearly manages it.
Unfortunately he had not accounted for Pitch, who blocks his swing easily with one hand then just as easily yanks the staff out of his grip. Jack can only sit there making a strangled shocked noise because WHERE is this all coming from?
Pitch looks even more smug and Jack lunges for it. Yelling wordlessly as he flings himself at his staff.
And ends up with a face full of roof when Pitch simply vanishes in a whirl of shadows and reappears standing a few feet away.
With Jack’s staff in his hand and a wide grin on his face.
“Oh nice.” Jack mutters, pushing himself up. “Yes we’re all very impressed. Look at you with all your vanishing about.”
“Look at you lying uselessly on the roof.” Pitch retorts.
“Hah. Hahaha. You’re so funny. Give it back.”
Pitch makes a show of considering it, spinning Jack’s staff in his fingers. “Hmmm. No. I don’t think I will.”
“Oh come on!”
“I don’t see why I should give it back if you’re going to just try and hit me with it.”
“Oh I’m gonna do more than try.” Jack says darkly as he stands up, angrily brushing dirt off his cloak.
“Yes you’re definitely convincing me.” Pitch says, still grinning. And seriously, what is WITH him?
It takes Jack a few seconds to finally put it together.
This is Pitch being playful. He’s in a honest to God good mood.
Jack almost wishes he’d go back to the sulking and lurking if this is what he’s like when he’s feeling chipper.
He feels the grin coming back though, slow and wide. “Tell you what.” He says, “I won’t hit you if you cut it out with the short jokes.”
Pitch raises both brows at that, looking perfectly haughty,but Jack can see the corners of his mouth twitching. “I can promise no such thing.”
“Then I may try to hit you again.”
“Hmm. We appear to be at an impasse.”
“Truce?”
Pitch takes longer than necessary ‘considering’ it before he nods imperiously and holds the staff out. “For now.”
Jack snatches the staff back, giving Pitch a slight tap on the forehead as soon as it’s in his hands. He leaps back when Pitch makes a halfhearted swipe for it and doesn’t even try to hold in his laughter.
He crouches at the top of the roof, still chuckling while Pitch smirks. This is...nice. It almost feels like things could start getting back to how it was before the Tooth Palace, if not better than before.
He looks back out over the city, grinning widely and enjoying the peaceful feel to the silence that falls over them.
Of course it’s then that the hairs on the back of his neck start to stand up, which means that Pitch is doing the “I’m trying to look inside your head” stare again.
And things had been going so well.
Jack sighs and stubbornly ignores the creeping feeling going up his spine. He doesn’t know what Pitch’s deal is, but he’s not going to let it ruin his fun.
A flash of color in the distance catches his eye and he blinks, then squints to try and get a better look.
“And there are the fairies, I was wondering when the pests would show up.”
Jack nearly goes falling off the roof again because Pitch is RIGHT behind him. He is really going to die of a heart attack one of these days.
He shoots Pitch a glare and Pitch blinks at him in perfectly innocent confusion. Bastard.
At least he' not doing that freaky look anymore. Jack thinks as he watches the fairies. There must be hundreds of them zipping through the city, filling the air with their bright and excited chirps and squeaks.
"You know, I USED to think those things were cute." He says.
Pitch snorts. "They've always been obnoxious pests if you ask me. And unnecessarily noisy. So what changed your mind about them?"
"Probably happened when one tried to peck my eyes out."
Pitch looks down at him in surprise. "When was THIS? They're annoying but not outright aggressive! What did you do to it?"
"I mayyyyy have grabbed at it. I needed to ask it where-" He stops suddenly, the words dying in his throat when he remembers WHAT he was going to ask the fairy.
Pitch goes still and Jack can feel the sudden tension in the air.
He shifts nervously while Pitch becomes completely fascinated with something out in the distance.
"Well, I really don't like them anymore is what I'm saying."
Pitch gives a noncommittal "hmm" and keeps his eyes firmly on the horizon.
That got awkward fast... Jack scowls out at the flashes of color as if this is specifically their fault.
He spends a few minutes glaring out at them before the idea strikes.
"You know..." He says thoughtfully, holding out his hand and forming a tightly packed ball of snow. He grins and tosses it up and down a few times as he considers the swarms of fairies. "I need to work on hitting moving targets."
He chances a glance and sees that Pitch is watching him from the corner of his eye, looking interested. Jack grins wider and raises his eyebrows and Pitch's mouth twitches.
"Those things are smaller than your snowball, you couldn't possibly hit one from here."
"Was that a challenge, McBroody?"
"That was a fact."
Jack's grin grows bigger and he rolls his shoulder, getting his arm ready. "You’re gonna eat your words Mr. Boogeyman!"
------------------------------------
Three hours later and he still hasn't hit a fairy, though it's gotten close a few times! Close enough that the little things are now moving much more carefully between buildings and constantly looking around in agitation. Which is making them more difficult targets.
On the upside, Pitch is no longer brooding, scowling, or making weird faces at Jack.
"There! There's another one over there!" Jack is grabbed and spun around so quickly that he almost gets whiplash. He reorients himself while Pitch points excitedly over his shoulder with one hand.
And keeps the other hand on Jack’s other shoulder, which is getting distracting.
"Would you stop yanking me around!? I'm getting dizzy!"
"Shut up it'll get away!"
"Alright alright!" Jack can't stop smiling as he catches sight of the fairy. There have been fewer and fewer as the night wears on, and both of them may be getting a little too into this game. Though admittedly, Pitch is a lot more into it than Jack had expected. "What are you so excited for anyway?"
Pitch is almost buzzing with energy and puts both hands on Jack’s shoulders now. Everything gets a bit…fuzzy around the edges at that. Jack still isn’t used to touching, and Pitch's hands are like two brands even through the cloak, vest, AND shirt.
Jack feels like he’s completely surrounded. Pitch is looming over him looking out over the city and his heat is everywhere. There are large hands completely covering Jack’s shoulder and warmth radiating over his back. Jack makes himself breathe slow and even, though the air feels warmer in his lungs.
Of course Pitch seems entirely unaware of what he's doing and drums his fingers excitedly. "The little idiots haven't figured out where the snowballs are coming from!" He cackles, "They're all paranoid to the point of near panic!"
Jack shakes himself, pulling his attention away from how overwhelmingly CLOSE Pitch is. The guy never did have concept of personal boundaries, Jack just needs to get used to it. He makes himself relax and feels the smile returning.
“Heh, Nice. Let’s see if I can up the paranoia a little bit huh?”
He takes careful aim at where the fairy is darting around a window. He’s finally got a good lock on where she’s buzzing when Pitch leans down closer by his ear.
“Alright now, remember, aim in FRONT of the little bug and remember that there IS a breeze out here.”
Jack stammers for a second, feeling himself growing colder even as the heat presses in on him. He can actually hear Pitch breathing he’s so close. Luckily everything Pitch is saying is absurd enough for Jack to latch onto that instead.
“Look I think you can give me advice when you actually throw a snowball yourself.”
He feels the puff of air when Pitch snorts. “And you can disregard my advice when you actually manage to hit something.”
Jack grumbles and gets his sights back on the fairy, which is difficult when all he can think of is the fact that Pitch is practically plastered to his back.
“Ok seriously take like, five steps back. I can’t even bring my arm back for a swing without smacking you in the face, as appealing as that sounds..”
There’s another irritated huff on his face, but Pitch lets go and steps back and Jack tries not to be too obvious when he sucks in refreshingly cold air.
With that distraction out of the way, he carefully aims how HE wants to, and throws.
There’s a tense moment of silence as they watch the snowball fly through the air.
Then there’s the distant sound of a wet thud followed by an enraged squeal.
“I GOT IT!” Jack crows.
“Did you see that things FACE?” Pitch wheezes through his laughter.
“Oh my god it fell like a rock! I think it actually went INTO the snowball!” Jack has to lean on his staff to keep from falling over he’s laughing so hard. It really wasn’t his most stellar prank but he honestly can’t remember the last time he laughed so hard that his sides were hurting.
He finally flops down to sit on the roof again, gasping for air between bursts of laughter. There’s a movement next to him and he barely registers through his giggles when Pitch sits down next to him.
“Oh my god, my stomach hurts. That wasn’t even that funny but I can’t stop laughing!”
Pitch has calmed down and is quiet again, though Jack is still chuckling to himself. He feels all bubbly and floaty, he’s done things that were more fun, but never WITH someone.
“Jack.”
Jack looks out over the town, scanning for another fairy and can’t keep the grin off his face. “Huh? What?”
He gives a violent start for the third time that night when a warm hand comes up to rest on the side of his face.. Several thoughts run through his head at once; including the fact that Pitch’s hand is almost big enough to cover the side of his head, and that it’s so warm that he feels like his skin is melting on contact.
Though his main thought is “What?” as the hand turns his face and oh-
What?
Pitch is doing that weird stare again only this time it’s really close and it looks way, way more intense from here. His eyes are gleaming gold and silver in the sparse light and they keep flicking up and down before catching Jack’s eyes and holding them. It’s the same dissecting stare as before, only now it looks determined.
Jack’s lungs seize up, he has no idea what Pitch is doing or what is going through that weird head of his but he’s trapped by that stare. He feels like he should ask what the hell is going on, or what Pitch’s problem is. Or several other things that should be asked. But he can’t really think of what they are because Pitch is close, really close. Way too close/
And then he’s getting closer, which feels like it should be impossible because he’s already too close and Jack can hear the sharp intake of breath and feel fingers tense against the side of his face and what is going on what is Pitch-
There are lips on his, a soft press that’s at odds with the way Pitch’s fingers are digging into his skin. And they’re so, so much warmer than the rest of Pitch. He can’t breathe and still doesn’t know what’s happening because Pitch’s lips are on his and this is so far from what he was expecting from that stare.
It lasts a second, or it lasts a whole day, Jack can’t really tell but it’s both too soon and not soon enough when Pitch pulls back slowly. As soon as he’s free Jack gulps down air like he was drowning all over again. The air is too warm but feels freezing against his lips after that heat and he can only gasp while staring up at Pitch in shock.
Pitch stares back looking just as surprised. And no. He doesn’t get to do that! He can’t look like that after. After...
A kiss. That was a kiss. Pitch just KISSED him. Since when does Pitch do anything like kissing?!
Pitch is still staring at Jack wide-eyed and shocked, like he’s not quite sure how Jack got there. Even though he’s the one keeping Jack there with a hand on his cheek. And ok, no that is ridiculous! Pitch can’t look surprised at his OWN kiss.
Jack’s trying to remember the right words to TELL Pitch this when a second hand grabs the other side of his head and all thought processes go flying out the window as he’s yanked back in.
There’s nothing soft and hesitant now, there’s searing heat on his mouth and lips moving against his with a purpose. He flails and ends up clutching at the front of Pitch’s robe to keep from falling over while his lips are bruised against his teeth.
Pitch has an iron grip on his face and uses it to tilt Jacks head just slightly, somehow pressing further into the kiss while crowding up into Jack’s space.
Everything is burning, though Jack can feel his insides twisting and growing colder. It’s like the world zeroes in on the mouth pressing onto him and the pounding of his own heartbeat in his ears. He tries sucking in air through his nose but can’t get enough no matter how deeply he tries to inhale. There’s a faint fluttering like the beginnings of panic rising up as he tries desperately to fill his lungs.
Pitch makes a soft sound almost like a growl and digs his fingers into Jacks hair, gripping and somehow pulling him in tighter. Teeth scrape sharp and sudden against Jack’s lips, lighting everything like white fire and Jack’s mouth opens automatically with a gasp.
Everything gets much worse and much better because within seconds Pitch’s tongue is in his mouth. It’s molten as it slides over every available surface and Jack’s whole body feels raw from it. His hands are shaking from gripping onto Pitch’s robe so hard and every slide of that scorching tongue against his sends a shudder running down his spine.
He thinks he should do something. Actually, he’s pretty sure he should do something. Though thinking of what that something is becomes more and more difficult with every slow drag in his mouth and every nick of teeth on his lips. He can’t do anything but sit there and shake while Pitch takes him apart.
He still can’t comprehend what’s happening. Still has no idea where this is coming from or how Pitch is even capable of this. But he definitely doesn’t want it to stop.
Jack’s eyes slide shut and he hesitantly presses back. He’s really not sure what he’s supposed to be doing here. Whenever he saw humans kissing it never looked anywhere near as intense as this. So he falls onto instinct and leans towards Pitch, relaxing into him and shakily pressing his tongue against the one invading his mouth.
At first he thinks he has to be doing something wrong, because Pitch goes rigid and stops entirely for a heartbeat. Then he makes a low, guttural sound that vibrates through Jack’s body and dives back into the kiss with a renewed desperation.
It’s almost too much again. Pitch’s hands let go of his head but slide down over his neck, down his back, up his sides and clutch at his arms and shoulders and waist. Jack squirms and stops trying to keep track of where Pitch is grabbing at him and bruising him with long spindly fingers. One arm finally wraps around his middle and hauls him up flush against Pitch’s front while the other hand runs up and down his back.
He feels like he’s being devoured, and really should be more scared by that than he is. Pitch is inhaling him and pushing into him and drawing him in further with each stroke of his tongue. Jack is surrounded and smothered by Pitch and still presses in for more, wrapping his arms up and around Pitch’s neck to try and pull him in closer. He’s practically in Pitch’s lap and Pitch is literally inside his mouth but it doesn’t feel close enough.
He can’t tell where he begins and where Pitch ends or what feels hot or cold anymore. It’s not enough but it’s far beyond too much and Jack finally has to pull back and gasp for air like a dying man. He’s pretty sure his lips are about to fall off and he feels like he’s been flayed alive in the best way possible.
Which doesn’t make any sense but he’s too frazzled to try and think it through. Thinking is overrated. And kissing is underrated. If that is what kissing is then he suddenly understands the preoccupation humans have with it. Really he doesn’t understand why they don’t do that all the time!
Pitch’s breathing is ragged and his fingers are digging into Jack like he might try to escape. He looks half-wild and his eyes dart over Jack’s face like he’s some new strange thing that just appeared before him.
Well, at least this explains those weirdly intense looks Pitch kept giving him.
Now that he can tell up from down again Jack starts feeling the bubbly, floaty feeling return. It’s different from the bubbly laughing feeling though. It’s like his whole body is trying to float away while wanting nothing more than to sink in and stay right here. He’s staring and Pitch is starting to look nervous but he still can’t quite believe it.
Pitch kissed him.
Pitch had kissed him a lot.
The grin starts small, he’s still shaking and feels absolutely giddy as the smile grows onto his face.
“Wow.” He says intelligently.
He planned on saying more but Pitch makes a sound like he’s dying and crushes his mouth against Jack’s again.
Yeah. Ok. Jack is on board with this. He is perfectly ok with this for however long Pitch wants to keep doing it. Or longer.
Unfortunately it’s shorter this time, Pitch barely smashes their lips together before he’s pulling away, just far enough to growl against Jack’s mouth.
“Jack Jack oh you perfect boy. You’re perfect and you’re mine. You understand? You were meant for me Jack, you were made to belong to me!”
Jack gasps and shivers, Pitch’s voice is rough and absolutely wrecked. All his usual articulate calm is gone and torn. It should be scary. It is scary. But Jack clutches harder at him and chases Pitch’s words with his lips.
“Yeah…” He says shakily. His voice sounds even worse than Pitch’s but its right. It’s so right.
He feels owned and it should be terrifying instead of feeling like home.
“Say it, Jack!” Pitch hisses against him, lips moving over his face, pressing quick and hard between words. “Say you’re mine! I need to hear you say you’re mine!” His hands are back on Jack’s head, threading through his hair and holding him in place.
Jack swallows thickly, feels his breath catch on a whine and tries to nod through the grip on his head. “Yeah. Yeah I-“ He feels a small laugh burst out of him and all of this is still strange and a little terrifying but it’s good. It’s so good. “I’m yours Pitch. I’m pretty sure I was yours a while ago.”
The words are barely out of his mouth before it’s covered by Pitch again.
It takes them nearly an hour, or a lifetime, to surface for air again.
When they finally pull apart Jack is fully in Pitch’s lap. Two long arms are wrapped around him and he curls into Pitch as much as he can, wanting to feel completely absorbed by warmth. He’s still reeling from how sudden this all is. It seems like it was ages ago that he hit that stupid fairy with a snowball while trying to pull away from how close Pitch was.
Now he feels like he can’t get close enough. His heart pounds while he presses his face into the crook where Pitch’s neck meets shoulder. From here he can feel Pitch’s pulse fluttering against his face while he rests a hand over where Pitch’s heart is slamming against his ribs.
Pitch has his face pressed against the top of Jack’s head and has his hands wandering easily and aimlessly over his body. There’s no real purpose to the touches, just a calm and slow exploration that makes Jack shake while soothing him at the same time.
“Well…” Jack says, surprised at how steady his voice is. “That was certainly something.”
“Hmmmm.” Pitch sighs into his hair. “It was much better than I had ever thought it would be.”
Jack blinks. “You’ve uh, thought about that a lot huh? The uh...kissing I mean?”
“Extensively.”
Jack’s eyebrows shoot up. He just got used to the fact that Pitch kissed at all, the fact that he thought about kissing a lot was a new foreign concept. “Huh…”
“What?”
“It’s just…you mean we could have already been doing that?” Jack feels cheated. As shocking as that was he feels like it should have happened way sooner.
Pitch barks out a surprised laugh that Jack can feel all over. He’s in awe of how much he can feel when he’s pressed this close to Pitch.
A hand presses against his jaw, gently tilting his face up. “Well.” Pitch says with a delighted grin. “I suppose we could make up for lost time.”
Jack’s laughter is caught against Pitch’s lips and trapped there. Which Jack is perfectly ok with.
“Mine.” Pitch sighs against his lips, sounding more content and calm than Jack has ever heard him.
Jack smiles, feeling perfectly at home and far safer than he should.