The warm winds of summer quickly replaced the sweet breeze of spring. Graduation came and went, and I soon found myself preparing for my first year of college. I would continue to live at home for at least my first year of university, and thankfully, the college was just a twenty minute drive into town. I was content to remain close to home. Pitch had remained my shadow in shining armor through all the craziness. My love for him only continued to grow with every passing day. Yet, I had not told him of Jack's newfound knowledge of us. I wanted to tell him, but I didn't want to worry or upset him by bringing up the Guardians. The mythical figures had yet to come knocking on my door, so maybe Jack had kept my relationship with Pitch a secret after all.

My romance with the Nightmare King had been the only thing that had remained constant in my life as June had approached. Priscilla had left for some big city university in California. My ex-boyfriend had supposedly received a sports grant despite all he had done to me, and he was away at some community college across the state playing on a small football team. My best friends had remained in town with me, but both were super busy working long hours to save money for a cross country road trip they wanted to take.

"New school year, new beginnings..." I murmured. I decided that my room needed a makeover. I took a quick trip to the hardware store down my street, picking out two shades of pale blue paint for my bedroom walls. Once back at home, I set to work covering my bedroom furniture with plastic and moving everything into the center of my room. What items that were still sitting loose on my dresser, desk, and floor were placed in cardboard boxes that I stacked randomly around the perimeter of the bedroom. I placed a cd into my music player and quickly got to work, humming and dancing around happily to each of the songs that came on.

Some time passed without incident. However, about an hour into my cleaning and painting adventure, the nearest box beside me toppled over, crashing to the floor with the contents spilling out. I winced at the loud sound, stooping over to pick everything back up. Thank God it was only some of my books. Stacking them neatly in a pile, I placed them back in the box and set it back in its place. Suddenly two more toppled over across the room, one full of stuffed animals, the other packed with clothes. My eyes widened in surprise, before I heard a deep grumble under the pile. It was a muffled sound, but someone clearly said "Ouch." Only one person could get through that side of the room, as the window and door were both blocked as well, leaving only the blank wall with a little space between the totes and the sheetrock. Pitch.

I giggled, the clumsiness being totally out of character for the Nightmare King. I tiptoed over the mess, helping to move the clutter off of the Boogeyman. "Well, well, well, what have we here?" I chuckled as he sat up with a grunt and wince. "You think you're so clever..." He muttered, but I could see the ghost of a smirk cross his lips as he recognized the quote from a Tim Burton film. "I am, thank you. Trying out new scare tactics, I see." I teased, holding my hand out to him. Pitch accepted my help, rolling his eyes as he got to his feet. "Haha. Hilarious. For your information, I was trying to pay my favorite human a visit. At least, until I was harassed by a pile of cardboard and plastic." He replied. I laughed, wrapping my arms around his neck. "You know you love me." I smiled, standing on my toes to kiss his cheek. His molten metallic gaze softened. "Of course I do, my lovely nightflower." He agreed. We both stared at one another for a moment, before slowly parting.

Pitch looked around then, finally noticing the full state of disarray my bedroom was in. "What in the name of the moon are you doing?" He wondered, glancing down at me in interest. "Oh well, I wanted to repaint my room, it's been years and was never done completely the first time. Plus, now that senior year is almost over, it's time for me to buy some new stuff for college, so I'm rearranging the place." I explained, walking back over to my original spot. The paint can was still open, shimmering blue liquid swirling inside. My roller and brush were still dripping, a patch of the wall with fresh paint shining brighter than the rest. "So I see," Pitch replied, looking around the room with curiosity. I smiled back at him, before turning back around and lifting my roller to the wall once again. "And the music is blaring through the house because?" He asked. "My mom's at an appointment, so I can have it as loud as I want to. It helps me concentrate." I replied simply, returning my attention to my chore.

It was silent for a few more moments, the only sound besides the music was that of the roller smearing the paint on the once pale wall. "Perhaps, I may be of assistance?" My lover finally spoke up. Eyebrow raised, I glanced back at him over my shoulder, pushing my hair back away from my face. "If you would like to, you can. But you don't have to at all. I appreciate you being here just to keep me company." I replied. Pitch stepped closer, bending down to grasp the handle of the other brush. "You are my Nightmare Queen, how could I let you slave away without lifting a finger myself?" He gave me a mischievous smile. I chuckled, watching as he stepped closer, reaching above me to get the edge where the wall met the ceiling that I couldn't reach.

I smiled up at my boyfriend with complete adoration. "You're too good for me." I told him, continuing my previous actions. "Ah, my dear, it is you that is too precious for me. I don't deserve you. I am the Boogeyman, and yet, despite your purity, you love me. I don't understand it." His voice softened even more. "Sometimes I think you might be better off without me..." He sighed. I frowned, before hearing the music change to the perfect song for this moment in particular. The cellos, violin, and guitar picked up an edgy upbeat melody. Thank you, Leann Rimes.

I smirked, placing my paint roller in the tin, and stepped forward to hold out my hand to him. He placed his own brush on the edge of the paint can, golden-silver eyes reflecting the confusion he was feeling in response to my actions."Know all about, yeah 'bout your reputation," I sang, poking his chest playfully. His eyebrow rose. "And now it's bound to be a heartbreak situation." I sighed and looked at my toes, pretending to be disappointed, before flicking my attention back up to his face. "But I can't help it if I'm helpless every time that I'm where you are." I feigned weakness, pressing the back of my hand against my forehead. "You walk in and my strength walks out the door. Say my name and I can't fight it anymore." I grinned, leaning against the doorframe in the sexiest position possible, my arms over my head, one leg bent with my foot up behind me.

I made a 'come hither' motion with my finger, continuing to sing. Pitch watched me intently, doing as directed without question. "Oh, I know I should go, but I need your touch just too damn much! Loving you, that isn't really something I should do. Shouldn't wanna spend my time with you, yeah. Well, I should try to be strong but baby, you're the right kind of wrong. Yeah, baby, you're the right kind of wrong." Pitch's expression turned wicked, his lips forming a smirk as he tried to lower his mouth to mine, hands on the wall on either side of me.

Getting a devious idea, I slipped under his arm, escaping his clutches with a smile of my own. "Might be a mistake, a mistake I'm makin'," I looked over my shoulder at him. His eyes were wide in surprise, a small frown crossing his face. I turned back to him, wrapping my arms around his neck this time. "But what you're givin' I am happy to be takin'. 'Cause no one's ever made me feel the way I feel when I'm in your arms." I trailed off, feeling his arms encircle my waist protectively. I spun in his embrace, pressing my back to his chest, allowing his fingers to rest on my stomach. My face turned up to him once again, while my finger cupped the side of his face, capturing his gaze and keeping it locked with my own. "They say you're something I should do without. They don't know what goes on when the lights go out. There's no way to explain, all the pleasure is worth all the pain!" My voice took on a sultry tone that took even me by surprise.

We slowly broke apart, my face turning red with slight embarrassment as I stepped away. Pitch chuckled darkly, still staring at me. "Loving you, that isn't really something I should do. Shouldn't wanna spend my time with you, yeah." I shrugged my shoulders. "Well, I should try to be strong but baby, you're the right kind of wrong. Yeah, baby, you're the right kind of wrong." Regaining my self composure, I returned to my place in front of the Nightmare King, taking his hands in my own. "I should try to run but I just can't seem to. 'Cause every time I run you're the one I run to. Can't do without what you do to me. I don't care if I'm in too deep, yeah!" He laughed again, letting one of my hands go and spinning me in a circle.

The music slowed just a little bit, Pitch pulling me back into his arms and leaning me back into a dip. "Know all about, yeah, 'bout your reputation. And now it's bound to be a heartbreak situation. But I can't help it if I'm helpless every time that I'm where you are..." I smiled up at him happily. Pitch returned the look, pulling me back into an upright position. "You walk in and my strength walks out the door. Say my name and I can't fight it anymore. Oh, I know I should go, but I need your touch just too damn much, yeah! Loving you, yeah, that isn't really something I should do. I shouldn't wanna spend my time with you, yeah. Well, I should try to be strong. But baby you're the right kind of wrong. Baby, you're the right kind of wrong...Baby, you're the right kind of wrong...Yeah, baby, you're the right kind of wrong." I finished, pecking his lips lovingly. Pitch smiled at me as we broke the kiss. "You have an enchanting voice, my love." I blushed crimson again, "Thank you, my Nightmare King." I murmured, hugging him close once more.

About twenty minutes of silence went by when Pitch and I got back to work, painting together as the music thrummed against the walls. Thanks to Pitch's help, we were already on the final coat of the last wall, something that would've taken me another hour or so by myself. Noticing a light patch on the area above me, I moved to dip my roller in some new paint, when Aphrodite suddenly jumped over the rolling tin, knocking the roller out of my hand. Blue paint splashed into the air, a few large droplets hitting my skin. Unfortunately, Pitch's pure black robes were now streaked with color, almost looking like a galaxy print fabric. I couldn't help the giggle that escaped my lips as I took in his expression of pure disbelief. He was completely aghast, eyes wide, mouth dropped open, still as stone.

Upon hearing my laughter though, Pitch smirked mischievously. "My dear Anara, do you think this is funny?" He asked. I nodded, wiping tears of amusement from my cheeks. "Well then, shall I share in the fun?" He chuckled, approaching me with his paintbrush and wiping a streak of liquid over my face, from the top of my left eyebrow, over my nose, and down to the right side of my jaw. My own eyes widened and I gasped at the feeling of the cold paint dripping down my face and neck. "Pitch!" I shrieked, taken completely off guard.

Pitch laughed loudly, holding his stomach with one hand. Time for payback... I thought, forgoing any utensils and instead dipping both my hands in the swirling paint inside the deep canister while Pitch had his eyes closed. Fingers dripping with the sky blue varnish, I stepped closer to Pitch and leaned into him as though I wanted to kiss him again. The Nightmare King felt my close proximity and opened his eyes, quickly noticing my position, and leaned in to meet my lips. Without warning, I placed both my hands on the side of his face, coating it in a good layer of the paint. Pitch gasped and yelped in shock. With his quick reflexes, the Boogeyman grasped what paint had lingered on his skin and smeared it through my hair, leaving the strands coated in a thick, glistening, coat of artificial color.

This banter lasted many moments, until both of us were practically covered in paint. We were each laughing hysterically, which only heightened when I slipped on a blue glob on the floor. I instinctively grasped at Pitch's robes, pulling both of us down at the same time. We landed in a heap on the floor, with Pitch lying over me. Though the fall had knocked the wind out of us, we were still giggling at the mess we had made of ourselves and each other. It almost seemed like there was more paint on us than the walls. When I finally gained my composure, I smiled up at Pitch and stroked his cheek lovingly. He smirked down at me, finally closing the distance between us and kissing me gently once again. I felt his hands cradle the back of my head as our lips met, and he pulled my face even closer to his. His fingers ran through my hair, thumbs trailing along my jaw and down my neck. My arms wrapped around his shoulders and I hugged him close. Eventually, we parted once more, falling into yet another fit of giggles.