Love As Cold As Ice (Jack Frost Fanfiction)

Chapter Eleven: Truth That Cuts

"I've told you everything that hurt me." Jack looked betrayed and I bit my lip, hating that look, especially when he was looking at me like that.

"I know, and I'm sorry." I bit my lip harder, drawing blood.

"So can you please tell me about this?" Jack asked a little harsher than I liked. I stepped back just a bit, my leg brushing the edge of the bed. "Tell me about your magic and why you won't use it, because you won't tell me anything else." Jack put one hand on his opposite arm, his hood up again.

"I won't tell you because everything else is crap." I snapped.

"Can you just start talking about your magic?!" Jack inhaled deeply and sharply, "For the sake of the Guardians, just tell me!"

"I will!" I shouted and then decided to edge out a half truth. "I've never used my magic because I'm always with my dad. My dad controls the shadows. If I use my magic, that means he can take it away. He can control me, in a way."

"You weren't with your dad when we met." Jack pointed out, crossing his arms. "You weren't with your dad when North took you to the Tooth Palace. You weren't with your dad when..." Jack shook his head, "You know what I mean. You could've used your magic beforehand. I'm not even mad as to why you hid it from me... well, maybe a bit angry, but I'm curious why you won't use it."

"I won't use it because-" I choked on the words, unable to try and say what I had to say. I just wished that Jack would back off.

"Because why?" Jack asked coldly, "Or is that another thing you have to hide from me, Kiara?"

I love you. Jack's words came back to me again and I gritted my teeth, holding my head as I wished that it had all just gone away. I shook my head and cursed, "Dammit..."

"Why, Kiara?" Jack demanded forcefully and he gripped my uninjured shoulder, "Tell me why!"

"Because I hurt Shade!" I shouted and then my eyes glowed a bright golden light as my shadow magic activated. Shadows writhed up and down my figure, lacing my legs, my arms, my torso, and my neck. I glared down at Jack, hurting all over. "I hurt the only friend I had at that moment. I can never forgive myself!" Jack was on the ground. I hadn't even realized that I had pushed him, or my magic had knocked him away. I closed my eyes and swallowed everything back, chilling the nerves that were excited to work after years of being suppressed.

After a moment, Jack climbed to his feet and I turned away, walking towards the door. But then, Jack gently grabbed my wrist and then pulled me towards him. I looked down at the ground, at our matching bare feet. I trembled with held back sobs and Jack lifted my chin, making me look at his face. "What do you mean you hurt Shade?" He barely whispers.

"I..." I shook, "I was practicing my magic when I was young... and... and Shade came through the window. He was just a cub. He didn't mean to do anything, but I... I was startled." Images appeared in my head and I pushed them away, not wanting to remember any further than I have to.

"And then what happened, Kia?" Jack asked me softly.

"Then-" I choked on the word before I spoke again, barely audible. "The shadows zoomed out of my control. They started to attack Shade and the more I tried to make them stop, the more they hurt him. Shade finally fell from the window and onto the ground. He... He almost died."

Jack sucked in a sharp breath and I trembled in his grip.

"Dad had to stitch him back up. Shade was bleeding so much... and I... all I did was watch and cry, like the useless girl I am." I wiped at my face, my fingers coming back wet. "I don't want everything to spin out of my control again and then hurt someone. I almost hurt you!"

"You didn't hurt me!" Jack shook his head, "No way! I promise you that you didn't! And you're not useless at all, Kia. Don't describe yourself like that ever again."

"I let Sandman die..." I sniffled.

"We all couldn't save him." Jack reassured me, "It wasn't just on you. It's on all of us."

"You don't know how this is affecting me." I whimpered, "I let someone else get hurt in the past. I hurt my best friend and instead of taking responsibility for my actions and taking care of him, that was left up to my dad. Now all I can do is watch as people around me get hurt. Sandman paid for my mistakes." My father's words echoed through my head, from somewhere long ago in my past. You are my daughter. "Dad's right. I am his daughter."

"Kia... You are his daughter. That is true and a fact that you can't change." Jack said and I buried my face in my hands. Jack thought that I was just like my father, too. He knew what I was destined to be. I knew it. I knew he wasn't going to be my friend after this. I knew it... "But Kia, listen to me." Jack took my hands off my face and gently clasped them in his.

"What?" I asked, looking up with tearstained eyes.

"Just because you're Pitch's daughter, it doesn't mean anything." Jack shook his head, "It means nothing to me, okay? Nothing. You are just the Kiara I know. Sweet. Kind. Beautiful." He hooked one hand under my chin and lifted it up so I'd meet his eyes. "You are not your dad. You don't have to end up like him. All you have to do... is just continue being the kind, beautiful, sweet girl you are."

I wiped away my tears and leaned into Jack's shoulder, my breath coming out in short, ragged sniffles. "Thank you, Jack. That meant a lot to me."

"Of course." Jack whispered, running his hand through my hair.

After a long moment of silence and just Jack hugging me, I whispered, "So... what are we going to do now...?"

"You decide." Jack responded, "I know that you're injured and everything, so maybe you'd wanna go back and rest? That would be a good option."

"I won't be able to sleep." I admitted bluntly.

"I don't blame you." Jack whispered. "How about... what do you want to do then, Kia? For once, I'm out of ideas for fun."

"... What are the other Guardians doing?" I asked.

"I don't know. Probably having their own cooldown time after the memorial, you know. People need their separate times to grieve." Jack shrugged his shoulders.

I bit my lip and then slowly asked, "How about... we train?"

"Train? With what?" Jack tilted his head.

"Magic." I flicked out my hand and shadows danced across my fingertips before I curled my hand into a loosely clenched fist, making the shadows go away. "I've been suppressing my magic for so long that I... Well, I never practiced it and that's probably a good idea. So... I was wondering if you'd be willing to train with me, Jack."

Jack looked down at my hand and then at my shoulder, "Are you sure it's a good idea...? Your arm-"

"I'll be fine." I reassured him, "If it hurts, I'll tell you."

"You promise me?" Jack asked, looking me in the eyes.

"You've made me so many promises that I have to make you this one, you know?" I smiled slightly and my smile grew as Jack smiled as well.

"Yeah, you kind of owe me, happy eyes." Jack teased and I smiled at him.