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northoftheroad · 4 years

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The Robin 80th Anniversary Special

It's not a secret that I'm first and foremost a Dick Grayson fan, whether he comes dressed as Robin, Nightwing, Batman or something else. But I try to be charitable and be happy for fans of the other Robins that they got a pice of the birthday cake, i. e. the Robin 80th Anniversary Special.

For your enjoyment (?), here are my thoughts about the book. Spoilers ahead, obviously – don't like, don't read!

I honestly thought almost all of the stories were ok – but pretty forgettable. Marv Wolfman's spin on Dick leaving to become Nightwing, in "A little nudge" (art by Tom Grummett and Scott Hanna), is probably the only one I will remember and reference in the future. I don't know if or how it is supposed to fit into the (any?) continuity, but as far as I can see, it works nicely in the current setting.

Dick's parting from Robin and Bruce was successively portrayed as more and more hostile. When he originally left Robin to become Nightwing (1983–1984), the two still had a good relationship. This changed in comics to, first, that Bruce decided to retire Robin, and then to that Bruce outright fired Dick and kicked him out of the cave. This lead to that their relationship was portrayed as poor, antagonistic even, for a good many comics years.

The bad mood was picked up by Batman The Animated Series, where Dick left being resentful of Bruce and his methods.

I don't have a lot of good things to say about what has happened to the Bat-family after Flashpoint. But from what we've seen from scattered panels, Dick was the one who decided he wanted to leave Robin. You can read Marv Wolfman's story as confirmation of that. Which is nice.

Bruce is only a little bit of a jerk in this story, being utterly rigid about that Robin has to follow orders. Dick, however, chooses to stay with a kid that had been shot instead of following the criminals.

Dick has had it with Bruce's rules and leaves the cave, but he says "later" rather than "goodbye".

It's made clear that those strict rules were Bruce's way to say, "I know you've grown up, and you should move on; I'll be fine without you."

Batman # 408, where Bruce decides to retire Robin because he got scared when the Joker shot Dick, is firmly established in my mind as the "correct" leaving story in my mind. It was the only one I had read and knew of for many years, and the two still part on decent terms. But Marv Wolfman's 80th Anniversary version has a lot going for it.

On to the rest of the stories...

"Aftershocks" By Chuck Dixon, art Scott McDaniel and Rob Hunter.

Set during Cataclysm (a storyline from 1998) where Dick lived in Blüdhaven before he moved back to Gotham and became Batman. It's an action-filled story where (fingerstripe) Nightwing comes to Gotham after an earthquake has hit the city.

It's interesting to read this, living through the corona crisis that is going on right now. I don't know how it is where you live, but where I am, people are setting up networks to help people who can't go out to shop or walk the dog, University students are helping kids do their math lessons with the help of Facebook, people make masks for health workers etc. But when Chuck Dixon writes what happens after a catastrophe, Dick has to fight his way through masked thugs who are trying to rob an ambulance of "painkillers and tranks" when he tries to save a cab from falling with a damaged bridge. A woman is giving birth inside the car, and the story ends with that the mother wants to name the boy after Nightwing.

"Well...Robin works, right", he says.

"Team building" by Devin Grayson, art Dan Jurgens and Norm Rapund.

Well, I'll always soak up everything that has to do with Dick and the Titans – Teen Titans, New Teen Titans, Titans, any Titans...

Devin Grayson wrote The Titans 1999–2000, which is the setting of this story. Most of it takes place inside a H.I.V.E. locale, where an exasperated boss (Damien Darkh) chews out his soldiers after a fight with the Titans. But Darkh decides not to kill the lot of them, because they did distract the Titans while he stole a red crystal/power source. Of course, it turns out Dick is the soldier who has kept his helmet on; he takes the crystal with him and gives Darkh a bit of advice on team-building on his way out.

"Generally speaking, fear of execution isn't a great motivator. I've found basic team-building and morale-boosting to be much more effective. Like, I'm just spitballing here, but... You ever consider a pizza night?"

Well, it did keep me amused, and it shows us that Dick is a good leader and strategist, (and a great acrobat who manages to get out of the H.I.V.E. uniform with one hand, on the way out), although it isn't exactly a surprise that Dick was in the building when you get near the end.

"The Lesson Plan" by Tom King and Tim Seeley, art Mikel Janín.

Now, I do like some things about the Grayson run, but with a bit of distance, I've realized it was mostly the art. The sexualization of Dick and how King and Seely wrote him as a guy who jumps first and plans never got tiresome. This story is in-character for Grayson; Dick is accompanied by a girl (Paris) from St Hadrian's on a mission, and on the way, he remembers the lessons Batman gave him and imparts his own interpretation of them to Paris. As is Batman says, "plan everything", and Dick says "Improvise. Leap first... figure it all out on the way down." Ergo, classic King and Seeley. Also, it is possibly implied Dick made out with a beautiful girl that turned out to be gorilla in disguise...? Yep, vintage King and Seeley.

Other than that, I don't have a big problem with the story. Some things ring true to me – as when Dick remembers Batman saying, "At their core, people are cowardly and self-serving. Trust no one until you know them. And even then, never completely". And what Dick says is, "Give the benefit of the doubt until you gotta knock 'em out."

For my own peace of mind, I'm reading this as Dick is half-joking with his advice. It's not like we've never seen him make plans and be suspicious post-Flashpoint.

On a side note, one of the best characterizations of Dick Grayson to my mind is a panel from Black Mirror. When Dick explains he had injected James Gordon Jr with a subdermal tracer, and says about himself, "I am a softie. And I do try to see the best in people... but that doesn't mean I'm stupid."

Detective Comics # 881. By Scott Snyder, art Jock and Francesco Francavilla.

"More Time" by Judd Winnick, art Dustin Nguyen.

Jason has a cute story about him repairing Thomas Wayne's watch as a present to Bruce. He started the work as a tiny Robin (too tiny, in my opinion, but with Dustin Nguyen on art it probably couldn't turn out any other way) and finished the work as Red Hood. Jason delivers the present to Bruce on his birthday, placing it on the Batmobile while it is parked in a Gotham alley.

"Extra Credit" by Adam Beechen, art Freddie E. Williams II.

Tim has an appointment with the guidance counsellor at Gotham City High School. Tim sees a future in law enforcement (that's the first I've heard of that, but I'm no expert on Tim) and he's adopted (again, something I haven't seen post-Flashpoint). But the counsellor doubts that Tim will be admitted because he has nothing to show when it comes to extracurricular activities. It's kind of a fun few pages where the counsellor suggests things that Tim could do, and Tim thinks about what he does as Robin on his spare time.

"Boy Wonders" by James Tynion IV, art Javier Fernandez.

Tim, Red Robin, is unsure what he wants to do with his life and goes to his brothers? fellow Robins? for advice.

I know emotions have been running high because Dick tells Tim that he is "demonstrably smarter" than he is, which makes it sound as if Dick is not really smart at all.

Again, for my peace of mind, I choose to read this as I want: that "big brother" Dick is encouraging, he has always thought highly of Tim, he has no ego to preserve. This doesn't make Dick a reliable narrator on the subject, and the page ends with that Tim thinks "He was the first. He's the best. He's always going to be the role model. "So, two brothers who admire each other.

Tim also talks to Jason and Tim, and the story ends with that he tells Batman he wants to start Gotham Knights protocol, the team in Detective Comics (Rebirth.) 2016-2018.

"Fitting In" by Amy Wolfram, art Damion Scott.

Stephanie, as Robin has problems because Tim's Robin suit doesn't fit her female body. But at the end of the day, Bruce gives Stephanie her own "changing room" in the Bat-cave, because she's female.

...are Bruce and Alfred idiots? Did Dick, Jason and Tim have exactly the same body type when they were Robin? Stephanie deserved a story worth being told, not this one.

"My Best Friend" by Peter J. Tomasi, art Jorge Jimenez.

Jonathan Kent writes a school essay about his best friend, Damian. As he writes the words on his laptop at home, they are illustrated with pcitures of the two as both Robin and Superboy, and as Damian and Jon in civvies. Tomasi and Jimenez worked with Super Sons (2017–2019), and though I didn't read that, I'm pretty sure this story is an extra chapter in that series.

"Bat and Mouse" by Robbie Thompson, art Ramon Villalobos.

It's not the worst story in the book, but somehow the one I disliked the most. It is part of what is going on in Teen Titans and Bat-titles right now; we see Alfred's tombstone and how Batman and Robin have a strained relationship and difficulties in communicating. I'm not keeping up with what is going on with Damian and Bruce in detail, so I really can't say whether this story is consistent with how things have been going lately. I'll let Bruce-and-Damian fans take that ball.

To be honest, my reaction to "Bat and Mouse" is probably due to that I really, really don't like what's happened in the Bat titles lately. I firmly hope that the current situation will be changed and Alfred will be alive again, and I wish I could go back and re-read this book years from now without being reminded of this very dark time when DC seemingly doesn't want any money from me for new comics...

Being who I am, I probably take it waaaaay too seriously to try to understand where/if these stories fit in the DC continuity... The writers have probably (rightly) thought more about writing a good story than making it consistent with any grand plan for a timeline for all of the DC universe. But whatever.

The Grayson story clearly happens in a post-Flashpoint universe, as does Damian's and Tim's stories. But Tim says he's adopted, which I believe has never been said outright post-Flashpoint. And Stephanie has as far as I know not been Robin in this continuity. Chuck Dixon's Nightwing story is explicitly set during Cataclysm (a storyline from 1998) where Dick lived in Blüdhaven before he moved back to Gotham and became Batman. Post-Flashpoint, he moves to Blüdhaven for the first time in Nightwing vol 4., so Dixon's story should take place in the old continuity.

On the other hand. The last pages of the book are made to look like profile overviews in the Bat-computer and use pictures from different Robin runs. If the snippets of information are supposed to be the current continuity for the Robins, a lot from the pre-Flashpoint universe is back in canon.

Shortly, Dick was adopted (that's the word they use), formed the Teen Titans, moved to Blüdhaven and was Agent 37 for a while. Blüdhaven comes before Agent 37, but it's not explicitly stated when he first moved there. Because if Dick was in Blüdhaven before his time with Spyral, it is inconsistent with parts of Rebirth Nightwing. (Which I can live with...)

Jason's story starts as the street kid who tries to steal the tires of the Batmobile, his stint as Robin was short, and today, Red Hood has formed a tenuous alliance with Batman. Tim uncovered Batman's secret and made a bid to become the new Robin – and his new moniker "Drake" is acknowledged. Stephanie was Robin for a very short while. Damian was created with genetic material that Talia stole after a romantic tryst with Bruce, and he was bred to be an assassin.

Personally, of course, I think that Dick Grayson was worth more of an effort from DC on his 80th anniversary. But on the whole, the things we got were decent, "A little nudge" gave me something I will keep with me, and several of the covers are great.

(The cover photo is still pinched from Dan Jurgens' Twitter – I haven't bought all of the variant covers.)

#Dick Grayson #Robin #Nightwing #Jason Todd #Tim Drake #Damian Wayne #80 years with Dick Grayson

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inviouswriting · 4 years

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Heat

For @finalfantasyxivwritings ‘s wonderous tails.

My prompting for this story is Alpha/Omega going into heat.

Kiya x Aymeric. The story takes place in their honeymoon pilgrimage, and Kiya ends up in her first heat cycle.

Alpha/Omega going into heat.

Kiya feels it when she wakes up, she is nestled into Aymeric’s arms, they had spent the previous night together, but when she woke up she ached. She was aware that once she became sexually active it was a matter of time before a heat cycle would begin. She just didn’t expect it to hit her while in the middle of their honeymoon excursion.

They have been traveling through Limsa Lominsa, greeting Merylweb before they would travel towards Bronze Lake. They had spent the night at the inn, after a night of drinks in the Drowning Wench, Kiya had never seen Aymeric look so free than enjoying the merriment with dance and pulling her along. They retreated to their room for privacy.

Kiya tugs Aymeric’s hands off her, he reaches for her to pull her back into his arms. He does that when he is too comfortable. Kiya smiles and gives him her pillow to cuddle into for now. He looks so inviting for her, but she must take care of her body. Slipping to the washroom attached.

Kiya sighs as her thighs ache, her whole body feels on fire, and part of her wants to climb on top of Aymeric. Kiya sighs as she starts the water for a bath, her hands go to her thighs and squeezes. She bites back a pained moan, as her fingers work their way to touch herself. She sits down on the side of the bathtub and keeps her back to the door.

The heat she feels is intense, she flattens her ears to her head and grimaces as her fingers bury themselves into her body, frowning that they don’t reach as deep as Aymeric’s. She was letting him sleep, she finally lets out sighed moans moving to kneel and press her front to the cold floor. Finding it relieving her heated flesh even a little bit.

Aymeric had been awake for a while and missed seeing his wife’s face when he opened his eyes. She was off to him, and he figured out why when he hears the water, but the sighs he can hear, his hearing a bit more acute. He hears her pleasured sighs, and moans. He almost feels a little disheartened that she didn’t wake him.

Aymeric opens the door to the bathroom quietly and sees his beloved on her knees trying to relieve herself. He sees her face, eyes closed and tail twitching in a different manner with her touching herself. He watches as she sinks her fingers in and moves from the door to aid her. He presses a hand to the center of her back and follows her spine down to her tail. He gently tugs it ignoring the jolt she makes.

“Aymeric! I… I hope I didn’t wake you.” Kiya feels flustered that he sees her in such a state, serene blue eyes regard her as he flips her onto her back, he also reaches into the bath to stop the water from overflowing.

“I wish you did wake me though. Seems you are having fun by yourself.” Aymeric traces her fingers where they’re buried in her, he tugs her hand to remove them and replaces them with his own. His eyes widen at feeling how hot she is, he looks at her in question.

“Kiya? Are you?” He asks, he knows that there is a heat cycle, he just never knew when she would have them.

“In heat… yes…” Aymeric’s eyes soften more, and he buries his fingers inside sinking two in. She is very hot on his fingers, and he hears her sigh his name.

“Kiya, let me know these things so I can help you. I am your husband now.” He reminds her as his fingers pump gently, earning her moans louder, hearing a hint of pain to them, he feels her walls twitch around his fingers. He wonders if she is in pain with her cycles.

“I know, I thought I could ebb it out while you slept.” Kiya is met with one of his stares, heated but reverent.

“My love, if you are aching, wake me so I can attend to you. Now, can you tell me how I can help you?” Aymeric is already parting her legs to fit between them, seeing her play with herself, made him want her.

“Just love me till I can’t walk.” Kiya feels hot when Aymeric guides himself into her at her words. She lifts her hips and bites her bottom lip when she feels him stretching her. Her hands going to his hands to hold them as she feels him settle himself deep. Aymeric lets a sigh escape him, not realizing how hot she is inside, he knows these cycles can yield children, the idea excites him that the possibility of her having his. How would they turn out, would they show their mix, or be more like their dominant parent elezen or miqo’te.

Aymeric pulls his hips back only to push back in deep and slow. He locks gazes with her, and smiles seeing her face lit in pleasure. He eases into a rhythm with her, pulling his hips back then rolling them back to hers. He draws sighs from her and moans, their hands locked together, fingers laced as he presses her hands next to her head. Kiya holds his stare and feels the reaction of his slow and teasing pace.

Aymeric leans down and claims her lips in a full kiss, he picks up the movements and starts to thrust hard into her. Kiya cries underneath him in pained heated moans. Aymeric almost wonders if he is hurting her, till he hears a high pleasured moan, and feels nails in his back. A groan comes from him, and understands the pained moans is from the heat.

Kiya arches up underneath him as she does; he thrusts just right, and the head of his penis hits her cervix making her shake in his arms and cry out in pleasure louder. Aymeric looks at her face and angles himself to repeat that, earning her shuddering underneath him in bliss.

Aymeric places his hands on her hips and angles them enough to keep hitting that spot inside her, each thrust against her womb makes her shudder and shiver in pleasure till her legs do nothing but shake. She is close, and she can feel Aymeric work her into a frenzy. Kiya writhes under him, her hands find his arms and hold onto them as a gush of fluid comes from her. Her orgasm is hard and messy. She feels Aymeric follow with a few more thrusts and she feels hot warmth spilled inside her.

Arms wind around her and pulls her close to Aymeric’s body, he works with her body to bury himself deeper. He grinds against her still feeling her hot, trying to draw her into another round, he feels her legs wrap more at his waist. Kiya is far from done, and he is only getting started.

If she is in heat, then he will do everything to bring her down from it. He works with her and lifts her into him, Aymeric hears every sound that escapes her, that needy sigh that emits. He places another full kiss to distract her as he works his thrusts to make her feel good. Hands toying with breasts, or one going down to find the nub and rub it with his movements.

Kiya feels him go harder again, Aymeric feels her around him, and sees the effect of him working on her. Her eyes glazed over in bliss. Her arms winding around his neck as she pants in pleasure. She is turned on now and happy in their lovemaking compared to that semi pained expression he saw.

“Does it hurt?” Aymeric nuzzles her face with his, and feels her kiss his cheek.

“It aches more than hurts. It only hurts if I ignore it. It’s like… a woman’s monthly but for me it is different. This is my first official cycle that could… yield children.” She blushes bashful at the last part of her words. Aymeric smiles down at her and claims her lips before he speaks.

“Then I will do my part to take care of you in these moments. If you need me I will tend to you.” Aymeric lifts her hips into harder thrusts he makes. Kiya starts to cry out underneath him in such a way, he wonders if others will hear her voice through the walls. Aymeric lifts her into his lap and moves her hips with his, grinding hers with his on every few thrusts.

Kiya feels absolute bliss with the new position, and the ache she feels is still there. Aymeric centers his thrusts to be as deep as he can get. Kiya watches his face lit up in his own pleasure, ice blue eyes locking with hers, half lidded. His mouth parted in his own pants and his skin glossy in sweat with hers. He is a vision to behold just as she is to him. Milky white skin damp, black hair with blue ends sticking to her, and heated emerald green eyes locked with his, mouth parted in cries.

Aymeric reaches a hand down behind her and tugs her tail, gentle but firm. A spot he had found during their experimenting. Kiya grounds her hips to his and cries out louder, her voice rising in pitch as he presses on every hot spot he knows. Lips finding her left ear and tugs it with his teeth. His thrusts hard enough to bounce her just right finding that one spot inside that makes her see stars. Hand teasing her clit and the other pulling her tail even stroking it at the base where skin meets fur.

The next orgasm she has is more powerful than her earlier, Kiya’s voice louder than he has heard her in a while as her body seizes up. He feels tight heat around him and another gush against his lap, powering his own to push deep and fill her full. Both of them in pleased moans, Aymeric lifting her head to kiss her deeply.

Kiya returns the kiss, and feels her body shaking from her orgasm, her legs shudder, and hands shivering from aftershocks. Her sighed sobs in between the kiss. Aymeric smiles into the kiss knowing he has pleased her well.

“Was I good to you my love?” He murmurs into an ear, Kiya nods and rests her head against his chest panting. She wriggles against him, and looks up at him with a stare he knows. She’s uncomfortable, and he kisses her again then lifts her to pull out. One of his hands goes down to rub around her folds not to please her but to massage where she had been stretched by him.

“Always amazing Aymeric. I think that made me feel a bit better. But I should let you know, I will be feeling it again later..” She informs him, knowing she’ll need him most of the day.

“Should we postpone our traveling for a day then? Make use of here for another night? I can spend my time to make sure you are well cared for.” As he speaks to her, his fingers tease along her folds now. Just enough for her to feel them and him to get a blush out of her.

“I think that would be wise. I don’t feel inclined to wear clothes today.” She tells him.

“I don’t think I am either. Now… shall we use this water before it gets cold?” He lifts her up with him to step into the lukewarm water of the bath she drew. Kiya nods and fits into his arms. She feels that sensation of him pushing fingers into her as she sits in his lap.

“Again?” He asks, already helping her hover her hips over his. She nods, and feels him push her hips down on his. Kiya sighs into his shoulder this round being more loving, more gentle. Aymeric places kisses on her shoulder till he reaches her light blue painted lips and kisses her deep.

He loves her in a bath he can take his time, use the water to his advantage, and make it romantic. Each kiss he gives her is a small peck, enough to make her seek his kisses. The slow movements with him guiding her down onto him. She loves it when he is tender with her. Kiya parts from the kiss and he trails his tongue from her lips down her neck.

Kiya feels him hold her hips down on his and grind her against him. The motion makes her head spin, she feels so loved by him. Aymeric kisses his way up the side of her face till his lips are next to an ear.

“Feeling good?” He can see her face lit with love more than pleasure, he lavishes her in this kind of attention, and she can never get enough when he is like this. Kiya nods and looks away from the intensity of his icy gaze. Aymeric turns her head back to his.

“Look at me.” Kiya does, and as she locks eyes, he moves his hips against hers. She makes an embarrassing moan almost like a mewl, and watches as his eyes lower a bit. Kiya buries her face from the sound she made, and Aymeric chuckles. He is tugging her hands away from her face.

“You sound so cute. Let me see you. Let me hear you.” Aymeric holds her stare when she returns her eyes to his. A warm smile is given to her, a loving look in his eyes as he places his hands back into the water to guide her with his movements again. She wants to look away from his intense eyes, even as she lets another mewled moan escape.

He is loving her instead of just helping her through a cycle. Her own hands go down to be over the top of his. Kiya brings his hands to her hips and has her squeeze while she rolls her hips to meet his gentle thrusts. The shorter paced ones make her feel better. Not the punishing hard ones he used earlier to break the fog of her heat. Aymeric slips his hands out of hers to ghost them up her back and hold her to him. Kiya loops her arms around him and rests her head against his shoulder.

Kiya is still sensitive from the earlier orgasms to where she reaches another without much warning. A breathed sigh and moan in his ear. He feels her tight for a few moments and he buries deep till his seed leaves him and into her.

They are careful to not make a mess of the bath, the softer movements to prevent splashing. Aymeric holds her and rubs her back with his hands. Kiya breathes hard against his neck. She sighs when he pulls from her and helps arrange her to fit in his arms. Her back to his chest, legs propped up with his knees and head under his chin as he rests it on her head. Arms wound around her. Now he is content, and Kiya feels at ease.

“Better?” He asks.

“Much.” She answers.

“Full glad am I.” Aymeric feels at ease knowing he took care of her. Now he just wants to feel her against him.

Kiya smiles and lifts a hand out of the water. She notes she is still shaking a bit, Aymeric grabs her hand and laces his fingers with hers on her outstretched hand. He brings her hand to his face where he litters kisses over her fingers.

His last kiss ends on her wedding band.

#aymeric #ser aymeric #aymeric de borel #final fantasy wonderous tails #aymeric x kiya #kiya shinikami #miqo'te heat

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safyresky · 6 years

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Fusion AU Part IV: The Not-So-Triumphant Return of Jackie Frost

[I had to split this one in half as well, yikes! Please enjoy Jackie’s opening act! It covers Crystal Springs from the Prologue to Chapter 11--if you’d like more deets on Jack and Jacqueline’s reunion, sans fusion, feel free to read it here! Part 5--Jackie’s proper return--should be up eventually. Enjoy!]

EDIT: THIS PART WAS MISSING A WHOLE ENTIRE SCENE!!! I CANNOT BELIEVE I DIDN’T NOTICE IT! ANYWAY, I’VE ADDED THE SCENE AND WOULD LIKE IF EVERYONE COULD REBLOG THIS VERSION THAT, AH, ISN’T MISSING HALF OF THE TEXT.

Jacqueline had had a very odd morning, that was for sure. She woke up very warm, her cheeks rosier than usual, and with a horrible craving for nachos and the spiciest salsa possible.

That wasn't even the strangest thing. There was also the fact that just yesterday she recalled having woken up plotting to overthrow Santa, because just yesterday, her dear, dear brother had been Santa and she had been Jack Frost.

Only she had remembered the truth—that he wasn’t Santa. And even stranger, still? When she talked to her family this morning, they didn't remember that timeline at all.

It didn't take long after that for Jacqueline to put two and two together. Judging by how warm she was, and how the timeline had been set back to rights, she came to the conclusion that something impossible had happened.

Her brother had been thawed.

Now she found herself on the outskirts of Elfsburg, loitering by the Dome, trying to get the courage to go down and sneak a peek to see if she was right. It was not going well however, nope, not at all. Not only had she been there for nearly an hour now trying to get herself moving, but someone else was approaching and Jacqueline had felt their anger from however far away they were. So she hid in a snowman, and had promptly been thrown into a snowbank by none other than Bernelle.

“Wrong Frost,” Jacqueline simply said.

“Jacqueline? Gingersnaps! I’m sorry, I didn’t realize it was you.”

“It’s okay,” Jacqueline said, accepting the fusion’s outstretched hand. “Thanks.”

“Least I can do after knocking you into the snowdrift. What are you doing out here?” they asked.

“I could ask you the same thing, you know. Shouldn’t you be out and about vacationing?”

“I was until Judy popped over and gave us-me-the news.”

“Still adjusting?”

“I guess so. You doing okay? You look...very not icy.”

Jacqueline glanced down at her white dress, and shoved her very poofy, very straight, very brown hair behind her. She cleared her throat. “Yeah, I woke up like this. I mean, I usually do wake up lacking the freeze dry but the thawed dress is new. Usually it stays on overnight. I guess you heard about what Jack did?”

“Yeah,” Bernelle said, frowning. “He froze Neil and Laura solid, shoved them in a closet with Lucy, and managed to force Santa to use the Escape Clause and become Santa himself! Did I get everything?”

“More or less,” Jacqueline replied. “Do you remember that timeline?”

“No. I don’t, and nor do the other two. None of the elves do, according to Judy. She seemed shaken by it, though; she didn’t remember either but I’m guessing from the aftershock it was not a good timeline.”

“It really wasn’t,” Jacqueline said.

“You remember?”

A nod. “Jack Frost was Santa. Someone had to be Jack Frost.”

“Right. That would fall on you, wouldn’t it?”

“Yeah! And nobody would believe me when I said that he wasn’t Santa. It was brutal. Bernelle...I woke up yesterday ready to stop Santa Jack. I woke up today in the proper timeline and looking like this. I think something happened between the fix and now. I think...I think something thawed Jack.”

“What?” three voices replied. There was a faint glow and Bernelle poofed, leaving a shocked Bernard and confused Elle in the snow.

“Thawed him? But I thought it couldn’t be done!” Bernard exclaimed, jumping up.

“Thawed him?”

“He was a frozen winter sprite,” Bernard supplied, holding out his hand. “Sometimes winter sprites are born frozen.”

“Like a frozen heart type of thing?” Elle asked, grabbing his hand and pulling herself up.

Both Bernard and Jacqueline nodded. Elle dusted the snow off of her backside, thoughtful. “That’s...I mean I knew he was frozen, but I didn’t even realize it was that complex."

“Not necessarily,” Bernard said. "It depends on the sprite." He hazarded a glance at Jacqueline, who was staring off at the Workshop, looking conflicted. He glanced at Elle; she shrugged.

“Everything okay snow buddy?” Elle asked.

“Could you guys do me a favour?” she said suddenly.

“Course,” Bernard said. “What’s up?”

“Could you...could you tell me? Tell me if it’s true. Tell me...tell me if something really has thawed Jack.”

The couple shared a look, then nodded.

“Absolutely,” Elle said.

“We promise,” Bernard added. “As soon as we find out, Elle will let you know. Or I’ll pop by.”

“Thanks you two,” Jacqueline said. “And sorry for, uh, you know...making you fall apart.”

“That’s alright,” Elle said. “Bernelle has been at it most of the day and if they appeared here, well...”

“Not all the elves are as sophisticated as you guys when it comes to fusion, right,” Jacqueline teased, her friend nodding.

“This has been a lovely chat Jacqueline, but we don’t really have time for it! We have to get back to the Workshop asap. I have an elf to talk to, and who knows what other messes we’ll have to clean up,” Bernard finished, starting to head back down. “Nice seeing you, Jacquie. I hope you feel better.”

“You too, B-Man,” Jacqueline said, watching him head down.

“I better get going. He’s real upset by this whole thing. I am too, but Bernard is especially angry.”

“Might be residual, from the Frostmas timeline. He...well, let’s just say that it didn’t go well for him.”

“What about me?”

Jacqueline looked away. “I…I don’t know.”

“Oh,” Elle said. She could tell the sprite was lying, but decided not to press. “Maybe that’s why I’m not as upset? Because I didn't experience it?”

“Who knows, I’ll never understand time stuff.”

“That makes two of us. Look, I gotta go. But we’ll let you know what we find, Jacquie! Promise!” Elle waved and headed down, rushing to catch up to Bernard.

“Thanks,” Jacqueline said. If Jack had really and truly thawed, then...well, things would definitely change, Jacqueline decided. She turned on her heel and disappeared, nothing but two forlorn sticks in a pile of snow telling of her presence there that evening.

Eleven months later, Jacqueline found herself sitting in Santa’s office, face to face with her formerly frozen brother.

Eleven months later Jack found himself completely powerless and in a position he never imagined he would find himself in ever again: face to face with his little sister, who wasn’t so little anymore.

With Jack’s thaw had come a power shortage; he had hidden it well for most of the year, but by October things were looking bad. He had built up relationships and made amends, but with the Dome melting and him not doing anything...well, all the work he put in to prove he had changed almost fell apart, until a forced Council Meeting had caused him to admit the truth: that he couldn’t do anything.

Well, what else could they do? The only fix they could figure out was partially enacting the Legate Law, bringing in Jack’s Legate—his second-in-command, next in line for his title, his little sister—to see if she could help the Dome, and by extension, Jack. So here Jack stood, staring at Jacqueline, as she stared back, both of them equally thrown off.

It wasn't until Mother Nature cleared her throat that both sprites snapped to attention. "Shall we get to work, children?"

"Children?" Jack said, offended.

"I mean, compared to her we are," his sister replied, shrugging.

"Yes! Let's get to work on that ceiling!" Santa said, excited to fix the Dome. Even if it was temporary. "How do you guys plan on doing this? Is there going to be a fusion involved?"

A harsh silence fell, the smile on Santa's face falling immediately. Mother Nature grimaced; Jack looked away, just catching Bernard and Jacqueline sharing a look.

"Sorry," Santa said. "I just thought, seeing as how Berline tends to take care of, you know, big things—"

"Berline?"

"Yeah, you know, Bernard and Jacqueline's fusion?"

Jack frowned.

"They've never met," Bernard supplied.

"Ah," Santa said.

"Well we won't need any fusion to fix the Dome," Jack said, voice cracking a bit. "I managed it by myself easily, I'm sure I can take care of it again. Jacqueline will take care of it, rather," he corrected.

"Excellent," Mother Nature said. "Now then, I trust you will all be fine on your own. If any of you need anything, just call for me," Mother Nature said, staring at Santa and his Head Elf in particular. "As for you two," she began, turning to the sprites. "Jack, you know how to mend the Dome. Jacqueline, you do not. Jack, you will teach her. Alright?"

"Alright," they both replied.

"Excellent. I'll be off. Take care, all of you." And with a bright flash, she was gone.

"Shall we?" Jack asked his sister, gesturing to the door.

"I don't know the way up," Jacqueline replied.

"Right. Follow me, then," Jack said, and both the sprites left the room.

"I thought that sprites were super cool with fusion," Santa said. "They did not seem cool with fusion. What's up with that?"

"They've fused before, when they were both much younger," Bernard explained. "It was fun at first, according to small Jacqueline. But whenever it happened closer to the Day of Darkness...it never went over well. Jacqueline didn't like hearing the thoughts Jack had. And after what he did to her..."

"Yeah, I don't think getting stabbed helps make a well-balanced fusion," Santa said.

"Nope," Bernard agreed. "But they might make up in time."

"Here's hoping. Otherwise, I think we're doomed," Santa said, thinking of the melting Dome.

Jack realized two things as they headed up to the Dome. One: it would have been better if they had teleported. Two: the silence was thick enough to cut with a knife and Jack had no idea how to fix that problem.

He had been trying to think of small talk, anything to lift the awful tension, but nothing he thought of felt safe enough. He figured then that he was damned if he did, and damned if he didn't; so, he asked her the only thing currently on his mind.

"So you've fused with the head grouch himself, huh?"

"Really? After fourteen hundred years, that's the first thing you ask me?"

"I've been trying to think of something to say the whole way up but nothing felt...safe. I couldn't take the silence, I had to break the ice somehow."

"Hmm, maybe a hi, how are you? A sorry for fourteen hundred years of silence perhaps?"

"I just never knew you and the Bean Pole were that close. It threw me off."

"There's a lot you don't know about me," she snapped back, speeding up as they approached the top of the hill and the melting Dome came into view.

It was...bad. The area they faced was covered with slush. In the distance, they could hear the sound of rushing water—and it sounded fast, which was...very not good. The slush had traces of mud in it; even more not good, both sprites realized.

"This is really bad," Jacqueline said. "My dress is getting all dirty, yuck."

"We can't have that."

"At least I'm not the one wearing white," Jacqueline pointed out, crossing her arms.

Sure enough, Jack's pant bottoms were getting visibly dirtier than Jacqueline's dress. "Ew," he said. Before he could properly reply to his sister, there was a large cracking above them. They dove just in time as a piece of ice fell between them, right where they had just been standing.

"How did you let it get like this?"

"Do you think I asked for this to happen?"

"You don't want to know what I'm thinking!"

"Oh really?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, really!" She placed her hand on the wall and the Dome shuddered, instantly stopping both siblings' angry retorts. "Oh no, what did I do?"

"Nothing bad! Listen." The cracking had stopped, the sounds of the rushing water a bit quieter now. "It's waiting for you," Jack explained.

"What?"

"The skill used to fix the Dome is called ice whispering. You place your hands on the Dome, and the ice tells you where all of the cracks and what have you are, and then with your help, guides the frost over to fix it."

"So I place my other hand on the Dome, and it'll just...tell me?"

"Theoretically, yes."

"What do you mean theoretically?!"

"That's how it usually works for me, and as you've oh-so-plainly pointed out Jacqueline, it's not really working for me right now because I'm powerless."

"I know that!" Jacqueline said. Angrily, she placed her other hand on the Dome. The walls lit up; her anger melted as the light raced upwards, until even the very top of the Dome was glowing brightly. "Woah."

"I told you."

"You said it was theoretical," she sassed back. "Now shut it, I have to concentrate.” She lifted her palms off of the Dome once more and placed them back on the wall. Blue tendrils shot out from her palms, the Dome brightening as the magic stretched on, healing all of the cracks and crevices. Soon enough, Jack could feel the magic leaking out of the Dome—the beginnings of what was known as the Deliquesce—slow to a drip. Jacqueline had done it (though it was only temporary. He could tell).

Said sister's hands dropped from the wall. She exhaled, turning to look at Jack. She looked…very upset. And very hurt.

"Why did you do it?" she began. "Why did you leave us? Why did you leave me?"

He paused for a moment, his guilt beginning to weigh down on him harder. "I felt like I had to. Santa had taken—"

"You know what, I don't want to hear it," she decided, turning on her heel and teleporting.

"Wait, not while you're angry!"

Jack poofed as well, following Jacqueline's trail. He reappeared just outside the town square, Jacqueline a few feet ahead of him.

"Jacqueline, I'm sorry," he began.

"Sorry?! That's all you have to say?"

"What else do you want me to say?!"

"Sorry doesn't cut it, Jack!" She stomped towards the center of the square. Snow had started falling now—which Jack knew was not good. It wasn't supposed to snow as fast as it was right now beneath the Dome.

"Did you ever think at all during those centuries about what you had done? Have you ever felt even a little bit of remorse for the Day of Darkness?"

"All I've been doing this year is feeling remorseful and just trying to make up for what I did!"

"I never would have guessed, seeing as how even after your thaw you still didn't appear! Did you ever think as you messed around with timelines, frosted up the ecosystem, threw things out of balance, how that affected us?"

"How it affected you?"

The sprite looked surprised very briefly; then the anger was back, her fists clutched at her sides. The snowfall was beginning to turn into a storm, tears falling now.

"You didn't get the luxury of dealing with the fallout, but I did! Mom refroze herself, Jack. And while you can't possibly understand what that means, being frozen all your life, allow me to paint the picture for you! She was cold, and aloof, and always looked at me disappointed. And Dad—he had it bad, too! He was always tired, always upset and tiny me, well, she couldn't quite figure it out now, could she? So she came to the conclusion that it must've been her! It had to be me! A constant reminder of what you did, living right there with them under their roof."

"Jacqueline, I—" A snowball to the mouth silenced him.

"Oh no you don't! I'm not done yet! Nothing changed until the Twins came along—that's right, we have siblings, Jack, that you don't even know about because you left us! You left me! And then, after fourteen hundred years of silence, instead of an apology or anything like that, you just wanna make small talk, as if...as if it never happened!"

Jacqueline collapsed, the cold winds stopping. Jack moved closer, trying to find the words. Before he could say anything, Jacqueline looked up at him, frozen tear tracks on her face. "You may have been able to forget it. But I haven't forgotten any of it."

And with that, she disappeared. Jack had no idea what to do or where to find her.

But the smaller than average elf that had seen the whole thing knew exactly what to do.

It wasn’t long before word of what had happened made its way into the Workshop, the head grouch himself heading outside to asses the situation, much to Jack’s dismay.

"You saw the whole thing, didn't you?" He asked, taking the hand that Bernard offered.

"I did. I knew she was angry but wow, that was angry. What did you do?"

"Made small talk instead of apologizing about the whole stabbing and leaving thing," Jack said, voice cracking. "Asked her about fusion...probably everything I shouldn't have done, really."

"I coulda told you that," Bernard said.

"Oh I bet you could've," Jack said.

The elf shifted, hands on his hips. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Everything okay out here?" Elle asked, arriving on the scene. "What happened? I thought Jacqueline was supposed to be here!"

"She is, but Jack upset her and she poofed."

"What did you do?"

"Small talk."

"Which led to the mini snowstorm?"

"Yeah. She's really angry," Jack said. "I figured she would be upset but...well, I don't know what I was expecting," he frowned, scratching the back of his neck.

"You should probably give her time to cool off, and then talk to her properly," Bernard said.

"Thank you for the advice, Bernard. Oh so helpful."

"Don't patronize me," he replied over his shoulder, as he talked to a few elves about getting some shovels and digging out the doorways.

"Hmm." Elle said, helping a few elves out of the snow banks that had formed.

"What?"

"I might be able to find her. I could figure that out and then tell you where she is.”

"Then what? Go find her so she can start yet another snowstorm?"

Elle rolled her eyes. “No. You go find her and talk to her, once she’s chilled out.”

"I don't think it's that easy, Elle."

“You haven’t even tried!”

"Woah, what happened here?"

Jack sighed. "I tried to make small talk with my sister after she repaired the Dome."

"So it's fixed?"

"Temporarily."

"And the small talk ended in, uh...this?"

"Yup," Jack said.

"Fourteen hundred years of pent up angst," Bernard said.

"I know, thank you Beanie bag."

"Hey, be nice," Santa scolded.

“Yeah Jack, be nice,” Bernard said.

“Oh, you’re one to talk!”

Santa rolled his eyes. "Baby steps though, right Jack? She got the anger off of her chest, maybe now she'll be more open to talk." he shrugged.

"I don't even know where she is," Jack said.

"I do," Elle said happily, joining the group. "I'll see if she's good to talk. And if she is Jack, you go talk to her, and fix this. Like you've wanted to."

Jack nodded. For about fifteen minutes he helped clear the square, glancing over at Elle to see if she had heard from Jacqueline yet. Finally, as they wrapped up the tidying and were heading in, Elle grinned and called him over.

"You heard back?"

"Yup!"

"You know where she is?"

"She said she would show you," Elle said.

Sure enough the moment she said that, an image of the freakishly large tree he liked to spend time in popped into his head. "That's where she is! I should've known," he added.

"Well, what are you waiting for Frost? If she told you where she is, you very well may be getting that second chance of yours."

Everyone stared at Bernard, confused.

"What? Just because I'm enjoying this doesn't mean I don't want them to make up. So what are you waiting for, Jack? Go get your sister back."

"Well thanks Bernard. I really—"

"Don't ruin the moment."

Jacqueline was in the outskirts of Elfsburg, among the ruins that once were the stronghold of the Elves before the Christmas Elves. Jack had taken to exploring the area during his year thawed. There was one place in particular that had become his sort of hideaway, where he would go to think and hide and wonder why he was so powerless, and if they would ever come back. 

There was one tree in particular that he had liked to sit in. The branches had grown to be very thick and wide, growing in such a way that up in the tree, it was nearly its own natural tree house. It just needed a roof—which, if it wasn’t magically growing in the North Pole, it would have had; a nice, leafy green canopy. But the branches were thick and bare and lacked any leaves, the only thing really sticking out being the blue of Jacqueline’s dress as she leaned against one of the branches.

“Listen,” he began softly, stopping at the base of the tree. “If you don’t want me to come up, that’s fine, I’ll wait down here until you’re ready.” He waved his hand to form a chair; nothing happened. With a sigh, he began moving snow against the tree, shaping a chair by hand.

“Wow. They really are gone,” Jacqueline said. She had moved closer and watched him now, a curious look on her face.

“They sure are.”

She sighed and walked back into the depths of the tree.

“If I may?”

“It’s not my tree.”

Taking that as a very flippant yes, Jack walked up the trunk and mirrored her stance against a thick branch.

“At least that’s still working,” Jacqueline said.

“Hmm? Oh! Yeah. It’s nice that I have some magic left.”

“Then it’s probably all still there,” she replied. Another sigh. “Listen Jack, I’m sorry about freaking out on you like that.”

“Jacqueline, you stop right there. You had every right to be angry. Have, that is.”

“I know. But I had hoped that I wouldn’t get so angry when we met up again and yet, here we are.”

“I have that effect on people.”

Jacqueline laughed. 

“I know it’s a little too late for an apology, but I am sorry, Jacqueline. I really am. I know that it doesn’t mean much, I mean you said so yourself, fourteen hundred years and all—but I am sorry. Very truly sorry that I left you and hurt you the way I did. If I could change it now, I would. I know I can’t so...all I have for you is an apology. And a promise to never do it again.”

Jacqueline’s hand briefly fluttered to her gut, before she smiled. “That means a lot,” she said. “Thank you, Jack, you stupid brother.”

Jack laughed. “You’re welcome, my dear, dear sister.”

The next thing he knew, Jacqueline nearly knocked him out of the tree with a hug. He blinked, his hands up in the air before he smiled and returned the hug.

“I’m also sorry for ah, picking at the fusion thing. It’s just—knowing that someone like Bernard was there for you enough to actually fuse with you every so often just. It really got to me, but I shouldn’t have bothered you about it.”

Jacqueline let go, looking up at her brother. “No, you shouldn’t have. But I forgive you. I get it, you know.” she crossed her arms and smirked up at him. “You’re a little jealous that he was a better big brother than you were.”

Jack threw his hands up. “You got me, guilty as charged.” She laughed, and Jack grinned. Little victories, he thought. “I suppose...well. Even this Santa knows your fusion with Bernard. What was their name?”

“Berline.”

“Right. To think that Berline—who I’m sure is ah, pleasant enough—” Jacqueline snorted. “Has been around more than Jackie? It’s upsetting. Especially because I don’t quite think Jackie would be around any time soon.”

“Well, no. Not any time soon. But it doesn’t mean they’ll be gone forever,” Jacqueline pointed out. “Maybe they’ll be around again soon, who knows.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Sure,” Jacqueline said, floating down from the tree as Jack walked down the trunk behind her. “Things may get bad, but they get better too, and that includes sibling relationships, Jack. Fusions are, after all, manifestations of relationships. Forgiveness takes time and we...well, we have plenty.”

Jack contemplated everything silently, falling into step beside Jacqueline as they made their way towards the short skyline that was Elfsburg off in the distance. “We’ve got a long walk ahead. Why don’t you catch me up while we head back? Tell me about the family. Twin siblings, you said?”

“Yeah! They’re a riot, and quite literally hot-headed,” she said.

A feeling of comfort overtook Jack as they headed back towards Elfsburg. That hadn’t been so bad. As he listened to Jacqueline tell him about their siblings, and things she had done while growing up, Jack felt that perhaps things were looking up. Perhaps things would get better—it was finally feeling that way, after all.

And it could only get better from here, he thought.

Things were definitely not getting better, Jack decided, two days later. He held Jacqueline in his arms; she was unconscious. That wasn’t all, though. This had been the second time since she arrived at the Pole that this had happened—they were all at a loss.

Something weird was happening to her, and combined with Jack’s own power shortage (which, despite their work, wasn’t quite improving; Jacqueline was at a loss of what to try next), things weren’t looking good for the two frosty siblings. Lately, Jacqueline would be going about her business, mid conversation when suddenly she would freeze up. she would talk to herself, argue with what everyone thought was herself, and then would begin to destroy everything around her.

It was very not-Jacqueline, especially considering the weird red tone her eyes seemed to take when these attacks happened.

So far, she had nearly destroyed the town square, frozen a bunch of the toys and inner workings of the Workshop’s main floor, and scratched Jack’s favourite side of his face with some stray ice. This time around was a tad more concerning; last time, she had awoken in a matter of seconds. This time, minutes were ticking by and she was still out.

It was the longest five minutes Jack had experienced in a while.

Hismus had finally arrived, trying to fuss over Jacqueline but not quite being able to with the people surrounding her and the odd sleeves she wore. Jack found himself bickering with Santa and Bernard as they waited for Jacqueline to wake up, Elle keeping an anxious eye on Bernard’s pocket watch.

“Okay, let’s all calm down—”

A loud gasp cut off Santa as Jacqueline shot up, breathing heavily. She looked around; she realized she was on the floor and winced.

“It happened again, didn’t it?”

The silence spoke volumes enough.

With a sigh, Jacqueline began trying to clean the mess she had made but was thwarted as Jack grabbed her around the waist and began to drag her towards the Elfirmiry. After a bit of a struggle, a few snowballs and much protesting on Jacqueline’s part, they were finally seated. Jacqueline pouted on the bed, her arms crossed.

“Oh, stop your pouting. You really ought to take better care of yourself, you know.”

“Look who’s talking! I’m not the one who let themselves stew with no powers for nearly a year. Maybe you should take better care of yourself!”

“No need to be nippy.”

“Sorry. I’m just…” Jacqueline sighed, head on her hands. “This is getting worrisome. I’m afraid. Maybe I am turning forcibly evil.”

“No, you’re not. You’re the least evil person I know, Jacqueline.”

“Then what’s happening to me?”

Jack faltered. “I don’t know. But hey, chin up sister dear! We’ll figure it out together,” he said, squeezing her shoulder, ignoring the chill he felt on the back of his neck.

Jacqueline blinked, eyes going wide.

“What? What is it?”

“Your hair,” Jacqueline said.

“My—what?” Jack put his hand on his head, feeling the top of his head. It felt like regular hair (still no frost). “What are you talking about?”

“The back of your head, you blizzard brain.”

His hand roamed to the back of his head, where the hair went from relatively fluffy to hard and cold. It was—it was frozen? “Is there a mirror?”

Jacqueline glanced around; no mirror. She put her hands together and pulled them apart, a reflective piece of ice about the size of a small vanity mirror, the kind that flips to magnify on one side. “Here you go,” she said, ignoring Hismus’ shout of “Careful with your magic! You were just unconscious!” from across the room.

“Thanks.” He angled it towards the back of his head, adjusting until he could see the reflection himself. “Wow.”

“It’s frozen!”

“Wow,” he said, with more emphasis. “How did that—?”

“It happened after you said we’d figure this out together. Jack, I think I have an idea…but I’m not sure you’re going to like it.”

“I’ll try anything, at this point.”

“I think it’s time we returned home.” Jacqueline said, with a small half smile.

It took a bit of convincing on Jack’s part, but thankfully he had had a few days to think about it while Jacqueline wrote home to brief the family and prepare Blaise, Winter, Fino and Fiera for her arrival home—and Jack’s return. He had hoped they would tell her to leave him here but unfortunately, Jack was very wrong. Their parents sent a reply by tele-mail almost instantly, and Jack wasn’t sure how to feel at first (though the image of Bernie’s desk nearly catching on fire thanks to the method in which Blaise sent tele-mail was very funny and made him laugh very hard).

It was actually reading Blaise’s letter that had finally turned the tide for him.

I talked to your Mother and we both agree. You should come home…with Jack. Frankly, I think it’s about time. Your Mother agrees. We’ll start looking into potential power shortages from the past as well as what may be causing those blackouts of yours. We’ll talk more once you’re home.

See you soon. Both of you. Stay safe.

Love, Blaise and Winter

“You see Jack?” his sister had said. “They want you home; both of them do.”

“I want to make things right. I miss them all so terribly. But what if…what if they don’t?”

“I promise you Jack, they do want to make things right. This is their chance, and more importantly, it’s your chance. Isn’t this what you’ve wanted since the thaw, all timeline hijinks included?” she had asked.

“It is.”

“Then I think the answer is easy.”

And she was right. In that moment, his resolve had steadied; he was going to make things right with his family, like he had wanted to for oh so long (and the note freezing in his hand as he thought about returning home probably helped the decision a fair bit as well).

They had discussed departure times (Jack was very against Jacqueline’s thought of leaving at dawn) and had decided on a nice lunch and a quick cup of cocoa the very next day, and then they would be off. Now he was beginning to second guess himself as they stood in the stables, just outside of the grand doors in clear view of the top of the not-as-lustrous-as-usual Dome, ready to leave. A few elves milled about, watching with interest as they tended to the reindeer. Bernard and Elle stood beside Santa, who held hands with Carol, baby Buddy strapped to a carrier on his big belly.

“Make sure this is a good fix,” Santa teased. “I want you both to take all the time you need with the family before heading back up, and the stronger the fix, the better.”

“So no pressure, right?” Jacqueline said nervously, eyebrow raised. Santa chuckled.

“It’ll be fine, Jacqueline.” Jack said. “Just do it like I taught you and you’ll manage a beautiful fix. It is, after all, my own special method.”

“Right. So, I bring my hands together like this,” she began, cupping her hands.

“Yes, exactly! And focus on the Dome’s magic in the air—what we can still feel of it, that is—and watch.”

Jacqueline’s eyes were shut tight in concentration. A small, light blue glow began to grow within her palms, tendrils of magic slowly stretching up. She opened her eyes, grinning. “I’ve got it!”

“That’s my sister!” Jack said, grinning himself and squeezing her shoulder when something interesting began to happen.

The light that encompassed the two of them was overwhelming. It was big. A shape began to take form, and Bernard’s eyes widened.

“We should all step back a bunch,” he suggested, already dragging Santa and Elle a few steps back.

“Why? What’s wrong with them?” Carol asked. “Should we call someone?”

“Nothing’s wrong yet,” Bernard said. “They just may be a bit unstable. And unpredictable.”

“What do you mean they?!” Santa asked.

“They’re fusing,” Elle realized. She had moved to Carol’s side and was pulling her back now.

“What?” Carol asked.

“Remember that giant fae thing I told you about?” Santa said.

“Yes?”

“That’s what’s happening right now with Jack and his sister.”

“Oh boy,” Carol said.

The shape had taken a form, but it hadn’t solidified yet. Elle thought that they were the second biggest fusion she had seen (Diteline was a little bit taller). She had to crane her neck to see the huge form that was apparently Jack and Jacqueline’s fusion.

Finally they came into view. Big was an understatement; their fusion was incredibly tall and something about their aura made you feel that they were perhaps a bit “too much” at times. The work around the Claus family and the two head elves had stopped. Everyone was focused on the finally corporeal fusion in front of them, enthralled and mildly concerned.

And this was just from looking at their back!

“Look at THAT,” the fusion said, grinning at their palms. “Oh, that is bea-UTIFUL!”

The Dome had begun to grow incredibly bright. The small tendrils of ice that had been in Jacqueline’s hands were now at least three sizes bigger and glowing just as bright as the Dome. Shifting their weight back, Jack and Jacqueline’s fusion leant back and, with a flourish and an “alley OOP!” they tossed their hand upwards, the magic shooting forth from their palms and hitting the Dome. The ground nearly shook; the Dome shone brighter than anyone had ever seen it before, a light blue light coating the ice from top to bottom. The last of the tendrils left the fusion’s palms, and they grinned up at the Dome, watching as the light glowed extraordinarily bright and then disappeared, leaving the North Pole incredibly silent.

“WOW! What a fix! That’s incredible! A shame it isn’t permanent,” the fusion said with a sniff, hands on their hips now. “It’ll hold for a while though.” They frowned. “Why do I sound so weird? I don’t recall wearing poofy sleeves. No, wait, I always wear poofy sleeves. No I don’t! But I do. Hang on a sec…” they looked down at their hands, bringing them up to their face. “What?” they squished their face and turned behind them. “OH! Oh my GODS,” they said, all four eyes widening and a glow once again encompassing them.

“Duck!” someone shouted, as the fusion fell apart in a brilliant flash, snow billowing about everyone.

Jacqueline lay flat on the ground, Jack in a sit beside her. She lifted her head, blinking, and turned to look at Jack.

“Did we just?”

“I believe so.”

“I know I said soon but that was…”

“Unexpected,” Jack finished, getting up and offering his sister a hand. “You okay?”

“Yeah, for the most part. A little shocked is all.”

“That makes like, five of us,” Elle said, breaking the silence.

“Did you fix it?” Santa asked, hopeful. “Did your fusion permanently fix it?”

“Santa, did you not hear them? They said it was a great fix, but not permanent,” Bernard supplied.

“A very good fix,” Jack confirmed, staring up at the Dome. “But not at all permanent.”

“Look how bright the lights are! It hasn’t been this solid in a while! Wow!”

Carol watched as Santa headed out the doors, looking up at the Dome. She turned her attention to the two frosty beings before her, smiling. “You two better get going. The sooner the better, otherwise Scott is going to drill you two about the Dome,” she said with a laugh.

“See ya, Mrs. C,” Jack said, accepting her hug.

“I’ll miss you guys—it’ll be quiet without the two of you around,” Carol said, hugging Jacqueline now.

“That’s for sure,” Bernard said.

Elle laughed. “Throw me a thought every so often, will you snow bud?”

“Of course!” Jacqueline said. “We’ll see you all as soon as we can.”

And, with a wave, the sprites disappeared on the spot, both of them realizing that they had a lot to talk about.

#fusion au #fusion au part 4 #dani writes #the santa clause #tsc #crystal springs #tsc: crystal springs #fusion #I HAVE HAD THIS DONE FOR A WHILE!#well this part at least #I realized today that part 4 was nearing 8k which was the same amount as part 3 #so i decided-with help from pals-that i should split it up #instead of cutting content #this means more jackie action when they kick pyros' ass next part (spoiler alert i suppose) ehehe #anywho i'll stop babbling #enjoy!#:D

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sunlightdances · 7 years

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Pairing: Dean x Female Reader Rating: M for language. Warnings: Dirty talk, barely any smut. A/N: Just something fun since I’m alone in the office today and didn’t feel like doing anything. PSA: I’m a terrible employee. I got the idea of a haunted zoo from this article.

“Don’t move.” You tell Dean, carefully tiptoeing towards him. His breathing is shallow, and you fixate on his shoulder.

“I swear to fuckin’ God, kid–”

“Stop talking.” You hiss. “Do you want to die?” In retrospect, taking a case at the city zoo was probably a bad idea, but what were you supposed to do? As soon as you heard ghost animals, you jumped at the trip. Dean, however, wasn’t so sure.

“If you don’t get this fuckin’ thing off me, I’m going to freak.”

You snort. “A little late for that, don’t you think?” You get closer, trying to figure out how the hell you’re going to get this poison frog off Dean’s shoulder.

The ghost animals turned out to be real, as was their ghostly zookeeper, and the struggle ended in the reptile house, with a few broken glass panes. Of course Dean was here for this. The guy wasn’t keen on reptiles in the first place, and you’re pretty sure he’s two seconds away from losing it and shooting the damn thing.

“Let me–” you get closer, “Let me find a stick or something.”

“That sounds like the worst plan.” Dean shifts on his feet, clearly uncomfortable. “Just shoot it.”

“And get the poison everywhere? No thanks. Plus, this frog didn’t do anything to you. Don’t be so cold-hearted, Dean.” You pause, snapping your fingers as you grin at him. “Or should I say, cold-blooded?”

He rolls his eyes. “Jesus Christ.”

“We’re in the reptile house. I couldn’t help it.”

“Okay, that’s great, I’ll be sure to applaud you later. Just– get this fuckin’ thing off me so we can find Sam and get out of here.”

You find a fake branch in one of the broken enclosures, and you inch towards Dean again. “Why do they even have poison frogs at a zoo?”

“For science.” Dean says, like you’re asking a dumb question.

Much to your relief, the frog practically leaps at the branch before you even get to Dean, and you let out what you’ll deny later is a yelp before you hurriedly put the little guy back where he belongs. “Okay.” You sound a little breathless. “Let’s get the hell out of here before you make another friend.”

You and Dean hurry outside and meet up with Sam towards the zoo entrance, and you know if you don’t get out of there soon, the cops are going to show up. The alarm in the reptile house started going off as soon as the glass broke, and you really don’t want to spend time explaining your way out of that one.

Back at the hotel, you call dibs on the first shower, and to their credit, the boys only grumble a little. It’s been a long few days working this case and you’re tempted to stay in the shower a bit and– well, relieve some tension. You’ll use all the hot water though, and you don’t feel like having an argument about it with Sam or Dean later.

When you get back out to the main room, Dean escapes into the bathroom after you, squeezing by you in the small hallway, making you shut your eyes in frustration. You’re– okay, you’re a little hard up for it, but it’s not your fault.

You travel with two very extremely attractive dudes on the regular, both of whom do nothing to curb their own desires - they just go out and find a nice girl and go to her place.

You don’t have as much luck. Not for a lack of trying, though. It’s just– you’ve never liked one-night stands. Nothing wrong with ‘em, but you just don’t think you’ve got the emotional bandwidth, as Charlie would say, to deal with that. You’re too quick to get a crush on someone.

So, you deal with it the best you can, but some days it’s harder than others. It doesn’t help that the longer you hunt with the Winchesters, the more affectionate they become. Sam is more shoulder squeezes and arms around your shoulders. It’s Dean– Dean’s the one who’s always gives you hugs, and flirts with you (the guy doesn’t have an off switch, apparently), and gives you these looks sometimes that make you flush.

You’re not sure if he’s doing it on purpose, so in the meantime, you just suffer.

Later, you’re asleep when you hear the door, and you’re instantly upright, scrambling for the knife under your pillow.

“Relax.” Dean’s voice is deep in your ear.

“Sorry–” Sam says sheepishly, “Go back to sleep.”

“Where are you going?” You ask, groggy. Turning to Dean, “Where is he going?”

Dean chuckles. “He’s got a date.”

“It’s late!”

Now Sam laughs too. “Calm down. You were only asleep an hour. It’s eleven. I’m going to have a drink with that marine biologist.” He waggles his eyebrows. “Don’t wait up.”

You groan and flop back down, pulling the blanket over your head as Dean laughs. “Ugh. Shut up.”

“I mean, at least you’re prepared for anything?” He says, teasing.

“Why are you in this bed?” You ask, grumpy. You hate being woken up. You feel like you slept for hours.

He gets quiet. “You were– you were kinda thrashing, a little. Thought you were having a nightmare. Didn’t want you to punch yourself in the face.” He tries to lighten his tone at the end, but you frown anyway.

“I don’t remember it.”

He shrugs. “No worries. Just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

You roll over, facing him. “Thanks.” You prop your head up on one hand. “Why aren’t you out with the– what was she?”

“Angela worked in the butterfly exhibit.” He says, indignantly.

You snort. “Yes. Right.”

He shrugs. “Didn’t feel like going out.” He drops his hand and it brushes your thigh, just barely. You suppress a shiver.

You sit up, leaning back on the headboard beside Dean. He flips the TV on, and you sit there in a comfortable silence until he shifts, too close to you to be casual. You side-eye him.

The small clench of his jaw is the only clue that he realizes you’re on to him. “You, uh–” He stops himself, then seems to decide he wants to go on. “Am I crazy or were you getting off in the shower?”

Your jaw drops. “What?” You blurt. “I–”

“Don’t answer that.” He holds his hand up. “Sorry. I– I shouldn’t ask you that. None of my business.”

You’re staring at him now. “Why would you even–”

“I just thought I heard–” He hangs his head, clearly embarrassed. “Nothing. Never mind. I’m a huge asshole. I’m really sorry.”

Your cheeks are flushed, but you almost want to laugh. Nothing about this hunt has been normal, so why not throw this conversation into the mix? “What if I was?”

His head snaps up to look at you. “Excuse me?”

“Why are you so curious? Maybe I was.”

Dean’s eyes go dark. “Is that right.”

You feel an ache start to build in the pit of your stomach. “Maybe.”

“Maybe isn’t a great answer, kid.” He says. His voice sounds dangerous.

He slides a little closer, and must see how eager you are, because he starts touching you immediately. His hand slides up your thigh, and you shiver. “You need help?” He asks, a low rasp.

“Dean–”

“You want me to stop, I’ll stop. But if you want to get off, I can help you do that too.”

You whimper as his mouth hovers over your ear, and jaw. “Want to touch you.” You manage to get out, and he groans softly.

“Want that too.” He tells you. “Been wanting to touch you. For weeks, months.” His hands slide up, up, up, until they dip under the hem of your sleep shorts.

Your hands find purchase on his broad shoulders, and you relish in the way he shudders slightly. “Dean, if you don’t kiss me in the next two seconds…”

His mouth slants over yours before you can finish your sentence. You gasp into his mouth, and your hands frame his face as you hold him to you in hopes that he never, ever stops kidding you.

“Jesus.” He says, his mouth sliding down over your jaw and your neck, sucking a mark into the hollow of your throat. You whimper again, and he ruts his hips against you in reaction. He pulls back and his hands slide down where you’re warm and aching for him. “Goddamn, kid.” He mumbles. “The zoo really got you worked up, huh?”

“Shut up,” you say, breathlessly, almost keening as he presses his fingers against you.

Neither of you talk for much longer, not until he gets both of your clothes off, and then– Dean’s inside of you, and he lets out a groan, and starts talking again. You’re starting to think the dirty talk is as much as thing for him as it is for you.

“You feel so goddamn good.” He whispers as he sets a steady pace. “Fuck.”

“If you stop, I’ll shoot you.” You warn when his pace falters, and he grins.

“Just making sure you’re– shit.” He swallows hard. “Just making sure you’re feeling good.”

You smile up at him. “Never better. Now shut up and fuck me, Dean.”

His eyes darken even more, and he picks up the pace, until you’re practically writhing underneath him. He tells you how much he’s thought of this, how many times he’s pictured you spread out underneath him, and you whimper.

“C’mon.” He whispers. “C’mon, sweetheart. Let go. I want to see you. I want to watch your face when you come for me.”

You arch your back as your orgasm overtakes you, and Dean’s face looks strained as he struggles not to close his eyes. “That’s it, baby. That’s it. Fuck, yes.”

He says your name on a low moan when he comes, and you hold him close to you as you both ride out the aftershocks. A few minutes later, he lets out a breathless chuckle. “That was… unexpected.” He kisses your collarbones. “Good, though. Really good.”

You grin back at him, unable to tear your gaze away from his sparkling eyes. “Yeah. Good.”

“You gonna freak out? Try to bail on us tomorrow?” Dean looks at you with a surprisingly vulnerable look on his face.

“Nah.” You say, casual. “Too much work to change my identity and all that.” You wink at him.

“God.” He snorts. “You’re such a brat. I almost can’t believe that I–” He stops himself, and your heart starts pounding. “Can’t believe that I actually like you.”

It’s not an admission of love, but it’s enough. Dean doesn’t do emotions. The way he’s looking at you, though– it makes you want to do some cartwheels or some shit.

“Hey.” He says, getting your attention. “I do, though. Like you.”

You smile softly. “Same, Dean.”

You drift off to sleep in his arms, and in the morning, he holds your hand as you walk out to the Impala to load your stuff in the back, only letting go when he goes to the front desk to check out while you wait for Sam. He looks over his shoulder at you twice on his way there, and you think that if this is how it’s gonna be from here on out, you could get used to this.

#dean x reader #dean x you #spn reader insert

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