Am I obsessed? Yes. Do you have proof of this? No. And instead of trying to prove me wrong, just read the bloody thing. T'is BlackIce this time... though I am planning on more White Christmas since I can't do Bunny's accent to do JackRabbit Fun.
Warnings: Slash and a single curse word... I'm doing good.
Disclaimer: Sorry, don't own Rise of the Guardians... wish I did though.
Regrets
RotG Slash
By:
Kiyoshi Michi
Jack looked back at the tree line, his hands stuffed into the pocket on the front of his jacket. The children had all gone home and the other Guardians had left, leaving Jack alone in the last place he had seen Pitch. He had actually looked scared and the Guardian of Fun was not sure how he felt about that.
The one thing Pitch had been afraid of was the only thing keeping him company.
Jack sighed and scuffed his foot along the frozen lake. He actually felt bad for Pitch. He knew what it was like to walk among the humans and be completely invisible, without a friend in the world for a long time. But whatever he had dealt with, Pitch had been going through the same thing for a much longer period of time. Pitch did not even have the Guardians to try to cheer him up on his worst days.
The winter spirit bit his lip and stared in the direction he knew the opening to Pitch's lair to be. He really wanted to help the man, but in doing so, he was afraid he would lose the Guardians. Pitch was their enemy as they were his.
He huffed and rubbed his arm across his eyes, hating the fact he was tearing up over the person who was supposed to be his enemy. He wanted to talk to someone about this, but there was no one he knew he could speak to. No one who would not automatically brand him a traitor and an enemy then banish him as well.
The youngest Guardian rubbed his forehead before calling the Wind, using it to guide him back to North's workshop.
North stroked his beard in thought, staring at the Guardian of Fun as he raced the Yetis. Something was off about Jack, ever since Pitch had been dragged back down into his lair underground. He often found Jack staring into the distance with a guilty expression. The winter spirit's frost designs were becoming less art and more blobs of thick, ugly ice.
The Cossack was becoming increasingly worried, as were the rest of the Guardians. Even Bunny had noticed something was wrong with the youngest Guardian.
North had been the one voted to talk to him, however. Jack trusted North more than any other Guardian and they all knew that. North had been the very first to not only accept him, but to put him onto the path of finding his center. North was practically Jack's father.
And North was more likely to calmly accept whatever Jack was going to say.
"Jack."
Said boy stopped in midair and looked to the Cossack who waved him back into the workshop. Jack furrowed his brows and dropped back into the workshop from the roof, landing softly on the floor. "Uh, something up, North?"
Jack was actually concerned when the Guardian of Wonder put a hand on his back and guided him to the workroom where they had the conversation about centers. This could not be good. Was this when North told him the Guardians no longer needed him and sent him on his way? Or when he was banished to some far away place?
"Jack… Guardians think something wrong. What is wrong, Jack?"
"… what do you mean?"
"You always look guilty… you lack happiness… no pranking! Not even on Bunny. You no Guardian of Fun. More like… Guardian of Mopey. Is not a good thing, Jack. So, what is wrong?"
Oh no. They had started to figure out something was seriously wrong. He could feel sweat starting to form but immediately freezing. He did not want to have this conversation. He could not have this conversation. North would find out Jack was feeling sorry for Pitch, then tell the other Guardians and they would become furious and come after him and-
"Jack! Is fine. Breathe."
The youngest Guardian released a breath he did not realize he had been holding.
"Jack, can tell Santa anything. No judgment. We here to talk about you. So, talk freely."
He took several deep breaths, steeling his nerves. This was not going to end well. With that thought in mind, Jack began to speak with barely any pauses to even breathe.
"I feel terrible about Pitch. Sure, he was the bad guy and I wanted him to stop messing with the kids, but he was just acting like I do. He was – is – lonely like me. No one believes in him so no one can see him. But he doesn't even have the Guardians there to keep him from losing himself. He has no one to keep him company, especially not after his own creations turned on him after the fight. And then we just left him alone. He's just lonely… like I was."
Jack buried his face in his hands, waiting the rejection he knew was going to come. It would probably hurt – it was likely he was going to be attacked and injured. Then, he would literally be thrown out and told to never come back and that the Guardians c-
He squeaked loudly when thick arms wrapped around him and lifted him from the ground in a tight hug. Jack blinked dumbly a few times before giving North a questioning look. This only earned him a hearty laugh.
"Jack, is good to feel compassion. Even for enemy. Means you have BIG heart. Cannot say I share feelings, but is still good."
The Guardian of Fun was shocked, to say the least. So… his feelings were not only accepted, but encouraged? All right but what did he do now? "North… I don't know what to do now though. I really don't want him to be alone for years like he was before."
Finally, the Cossack put Jack back onto the ground, resting his fists on his hips. "You go see him. Keep him company, make him happy. Maybe if he is happy, kids not scared."
"… you won't… hate me? Or get rid of me?"
North laughed a booming laugh and slapped Jack's back, causing the boy to nearly fall flat on his face. "Is funny, Jack! Guardians love you. Part of family. You never… get rid of us."
Jack smiled and gave the Cossack a hug around the middle (as much as he could anyway). "Thanks, old man!" The Guardian of Fun had called the Wind and was out the window before North could say anything. North just shook his head and laughed, not at all worried about Jack's safety.
He would be fine.
He would not be fine.
Jack balanced on the edge of the hole, second guessing himself. What if he went in there and Pitch attacked him outright? He had his staff with him, but who knew what would happen down there. The winter spirit contemplated turning around and running back to North to bemoan his lack of courage.
"No, Jack… you told yourself you would do this so no one else had to lonely like you were. You need to jump down there and just let whatever happens… happen."
Jack peered down the black hole and wrinkled his nose. Sure, saying that was all fine and dandy, but actually jumping down there and being accepting of whatever happened was an entirely different matter. The Guardian of Fun took a deep breath then took a step over the edge, using the Wind to insure a safe landing at the bottom.
Oh awesome – it was just as creepy down here as he remembered.
This was going to be fun…
Or not.
Jack pulled the staff closer to his body and looked around, slowly walking forward. He peered up and saw the cages that once held Tooth's adorable little helpers were still there and still just as ominous. His nose wrinkled again as he took in the shadows thrown all over the walls and the barely there lighting that seemed to come from nowhere.
Pitch needed to redecorate.
"Oh Jack, how lovely to see you again."
Jack had to stop himself from shouting out in surprise. He barely resisted grabbing at his chest over his heart. Seriously, Pitch needed to learn to announce his presence better. Jack turned to see that said man was sneering at him. Oh, this was just going to be an absolutely wonderful meeting, wasn't it? The winter spirit opened his mouth to respond, but Pitch stopped him before he could utter a single syllable.
"So Jack, have you come to gloat? It has only been a month, after all, and my defeat must still be fresh enough to cause amusement."
When Jack shook his head in the negative, Pitch's eyes narrowed. "Instead come to kick me when I'm down, then?" Again, Jack responded in the negative and could tell Pitch was becoming angrier. "To mock my existence, to prattle on about how you have believers now, to tell me the Man in the Moon has revealed he made me to be a joke, to finish me off and be rid of me once and for all?"
Jack swallowed thickly before he shook his head, actually flinching when the man had suddenly crossed the distance and was glaring fiercely down at Jack. "Then why. Are. You. HERE!?"
Pitch was breathing harshly, still a bit too close for comfort in Jack's opinion. All right, so he had expected something much worse on Pitch's part so… so far so good. Maybe. "Actually… I just came to talk."
The Guardian of Fun nearly laughed when Pitch's eyes widened and he leaned back, away from Jack. He was about to press on when he heard a soft sound. Jack paused to try and figure out what the sound was, but soon had his answer when it suddenly increased in volume – Pitch was laughing. And it was the dark sort of laugh one would expect to come from Pitch when something appealed to an extremely dark sense of humor.
And then it suddenly came to a stop and Jack was honestly terrified.
"You came… to talk… to me? Oh, that is just rich. You couldn't have thought up a better lie than that? I am far from some lonely waif longing for companionship, you know."
"It's not a lie. I really came to just talk. I felt bad for you when I-"
Pitch's lip had curled up in disgust. "I do not need your pity. Nor… do I need you or anyone else to keep me company." And with that, Pitch had turned to disappear back into the shadows, leaving Jack alone.
But Jack was a stubborn boy.
"Fine then. You don't believe me yet, so I'm just going to sit here and wait until you do."
Jack flopped down onto the strange ground, crossing his arms over his chest with his staff lying beside him. And there he waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Until he fell asleep.
It was a few hours later that Pitch decided to glide back out of the shadows and raised a brow at the boy lying on the ground of his home. Did the Guardian of Fun honestly just fall asleep in the Boogeyman's lair? This gave the man pause – had the boy not been lying? If he had indeed been here to take down Pitch, why would he have fallen asleep on the floor, almost completely vulnerable?
Still, this was entirely too strange for Pitch and it was making him feel uncomfortable.
He squatted down next to the boy, his knees practically digging into his chest, and poked Jack's cold cheek a few times. Seriously, having the Guardian of Fun sleeping away peacefully on his floor was just too strange for him. His lips curled again. "You insufferable boy, get up! My home is not some boarding house for misfit Guardians."
Pitch's lovely rant that he had already cooked up in his mind was all for naught when the winter spirit decided Pitch was a lovely item to attach himself to while asleep. Pitch was not pleased with this turn of events. Not at all. "Jack Frost… release my person immediately."
"No."
Pitch felt his eyelid twitch. "If you are awake now, then leave. After you have relinquished your hold."
"No."
He really was insufferable! "Jack, if you do not-"
And Pitch cut himself short in surprise, for the insufferable brat had just kissed his left cheek and patted the right. "Shhh. I'm trying to sleep." Which Jack proceeded to do while the bloody Boogeyman was left slack-jawed. Such an unbecoming expression, yet he could not help himself.
Instead, Pitch could only mouth "what just happened?" to himself.
North had been standing in the doorway of his workroom for about five minutes, wondering at the sight before him.
Jack was sprawled out on his worktable, alternating between doodling random patterns on his ceiling in frost and pulling out his hair with the disjointed rambling of a madman. All-in-all, it was quite hilarious and North could no longer hold his laughter in. So, he let it out, which startled Jack and caused him to fall off the desk, which only served to make North laugh harder.
"Oh Jack… Guardian of Fun again. Is good."
"Shut up! You just startled me…"
Jack pulled himself back up as North walked further into the room. He looked up at the designs on the ceiling then had to stop to start laughing anew. He vaguely noticed the winter spirit's cheeks become enveloped in frost – was he blushing!? Oh, this was just such a grand day!
"Jack is in love! Tooth be very excited to hear this."
"NO!"
North actually paused when he saw the panicked look on the boy's face. The large Cossack then took a seat at his worktable and stared at Jack. The silence became awkward and stifling very quickly, and lasted nearly fifteen minutes. Jack thought he might go insane if this went on a moment longer.
"Is Pitch, yes?"
North's hand shot out to grab Jack's arm just as he tried to make a break for it. The winter spirit struggled in his grip for a few futile moments then hung his head. "Jack, must stay – listen. I said compassion good. Big heart. You go back to Pitch everyday… for three months. You talk a lot?"
Jack nodded.
"He is good?"
Jack nodded then paused and shook his head.
"To you… is good to you."
Jack nodded again. North pulled Jack back to his worktable, so he could look the boy in the eye. "Jack, is okay. Love is powerful thing – can change people in short amount of time. A Guardian's love… is not easily obtained. Live for long time, always busy, can be snappy. Jack's love no different."
"But what if I'm just doing this because I don't want to be alone?"
"You know what is best. You will make right decision. Now come, other Guardians here – we feast together!"
North lifted Jack up to carry him out to the circular table where all the Guardians met for various reasons. Tonight, it was simply to be in each other's company and have fun together. Jack smiled and took his normal seat between Tooth and Sandy, placing his feet on the table until Bunny smacked them off.
He said something about dirty feet didn't belong on a table, but the winter spirit was not listening. It was just another rant so why not tune it out? It was not as if he had not heard this a hundred times before anyway.
"Jack, you're zoned out. Are you okay?"
The Guardian of Fun looked at the Guardian of Memories and blinked a few times before giving her his cheerful smile. "Never better, Tooth. I just didn't want to hear Bunny give me a lecture on being dirty. He can't be the cleanest either."
Bunny glared at him while North laughed loudly, pounding his fist onto the table.
"Well, isn't this quite the warming scene?"
All chatter and laughter stopped as everyone turned to see Pitch standing in the corner, staring at his nails with a bored expression. Jack nearly groaned and slammed his head into the table – he just knew this was going to happen! Pitch had been talking about how he wanted to make an announcement to the Guardians and he wanted to do it in such a manner that the shock would cause them to remember for centuries to come.
This was not going to be pleasant.
"Pitch. Oh, you have some nerve showing up here!"
Jack tried to hide his face without it being noticeable – he really did not want to listen to Tooth confront Pitch.
Said man rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. I am here for more important matters than fighting the Guardians again. I would rather not have a repeat of our last battle so soon. I am not so terribly fond of losing. Instead, I am here to make an announcement that will surely cause a great deal of disbelief and confusion."
Pitch held his hands together and smirked at Jack, who wanted to just sink below the floorboards and disappear forever. He was actually afraid of what Pitch was going to say to all the Guardians and oh SHIT! Pitch was walking – gliding? – this way!
"You see, your little friend Jack here has been visiting me for three weeks now. We have been discussing many things during that period of time and I have come to the realization that I have gone about obtaining believers in the wrong way. Obviously, your method works much better."
Jack had sunk down into his seat when everyone but North looked at him.
"Do not fear – I have not corrupted him in anyway. If we wish to be technical, he has corrupted me. While I still desire to be believed in, the desire has altered itself to include not children but a specific individual."
Frost pulled the hood up on his jacket and tightened it around his face when North snorted like he was trying not to laugh. He let out a surprised sound when the hood was pulled back off and Pitch was there, smirking at him while the rest of the Guardians stared in a mixture of awe, disbelief, and distrust. Well, except for North, who had a knowing smile on his face with his arms crossed over his chest.
"So, my dear Guardians, without further ado, I present to you my true intentions for the visit to this wretchedly happy place."
With that said, Pitch placed his hands on the winter spirit's cheeks and pressed a firm kiss to his lips. Jack's brain shut down right after Tooth's gasp and North's snorted laughter. Pitch pulled away after only a few seconds and released Jack's face, only to have the boy fall to the ground.
He had fainted.
Mere seconds later, Pitch, North, and Bunny were laughing uproariously and pointing at Jack while Tooth tried to wake him back up and Sandy tried to reprimand Pitch for causing the poor winter spirit to faint.
All done! There you guys go~ Enjoy, and R & R.