Sandy is acting weirdly.
Jack first notices it at the Pole, during one of the Guardians' gatherings. Sandy, despite being forever silent, was usually one of the loudest beings in the room. Yet that day he has been quieter than Jack has ever seen him. His usually bright golden eyes are duller, his face drawn taut. It gives Jack a double take, but at the time, he doesn't think much of it. All Spirits got tired, right?
The next time it happens, it is night, and Jack is in Burgess. Considering the Guardians' schedules, it isn't often they see each other on the job. But Jack knows exactly when Sandy makes his rounds through his hometown, every night like clockwork. Jack searches the night sky anxiously for the golden trails, but none ever come.
As dawn bleeds out onto the single night that the Sandman has been absent from his duties, Jack Frost begins to worry.
Jack watches carefully the next time he sees the Sandman. The golden man has lost his glow. His movements are feverish, and he stands as if he expects to be attacked.
When Jack approaches him, Sandy meets his gaze for the first time in weeks.
Jack's breath catches.
The Sandman's former vibrant gold eyes are pure, filmy black.
Bunny is the next.
Jack has said nothing about Sandy's condition. He wants to, but something about the way the not-Sandy's eyes glimmered tells him not to. His chest gets tight just thinking about it; his lips unable to put the words together. 'Something happened,' he wants to say. 'Sandy's gone.'
But the words never leave him, and the not-Sandy continues on.
If Jack doesn't see Sandy often, Bunny was a rarity. Unless he swings by the Warren or Bunny is at the Pole, he barely sees the Pooka.
Jack is in the Warren when it happens. Contrary to popular belief, Jack isn't bothered by the heat. Bunny's haven was as comfortable as anywhere else to him, and on off days he comes by, if only to be a constant buzz of annoyance to the rabbit.
It is one of these days when Jack sees it. Bunny hasn't noticed him yet, and Jack intends to keep it that way. It's quite a few months until next Easter, so Bunny isn't as busy as he would be.
He sees the Pooka from afar, and ducks out of the way before Bunny can see him. The rabbit's back is turned, and he seems intensely focused on what he's doing, which is probably the only reason he hasn't heard Jack's presence.
Jack's curiosity is boundless, and he goes to check it out. It's easy to get a better view point, and he crouches on a jut on the roughhewn walls. He cranes his neck to see past Bunny's broad shoulders.
His staff is subject to a death grip as Jack sees the source of Bunny's obsession, almost snapping under his trembling fingers.
In Bunny's paw, he cups a wisp of black smoke. It shifts in his hold, taking different forms at his command: a rearing horse, a growling wolf, a roaring lion. Bunny appears to be murmuring something under his breath, occasionally punctuated by his thick Australian accent.
Bunny's ears flatten to his skull, and Jack stumbles back at the sudden change, almost falling off the ledge. The smoke evaporates. The Pooka's head turns slowly, eyes narrowed. His nose twitches, and his gaze is raised to Jack's position on the wall. His mouth curves into a snarl as he meets the Spirit of Winter's horrified gaze, sun glinting off of his canines.
His eyes are dead and black, and Jack flies away before a single sound can be exchanged.
Not-Bunny and not-Sandy have seemingly cast a spell of silence over Jack. He doesn't speak a word about either of them, and he has stopped fighting the urge to. Not-Sandy has stopped giving out his Dreamsand, and no trails of gold can be seen from anywhere in the world.
Jack watches as both of their lights start to flicker on the map. Not-Sandy's begin to disappear, slowly at first, then sweeps at a time. Not-Bunny's haven't started to vanish yet, but Jack has a terrible feeling there won't be a next Easter.
The others don't say a word, and that's how he knows.
He is alone.
Not-Tooth lets the children wake up with nothing under their pillows but a fallen molar. Not-North had ceased all production in the Pole. The four stand with their empty eyes and move with frigid steps, as if puppets on a string.
Jack begins to think that is exactly what they are.
Not-Tooth's believers only last a month.
Jack knows he is next, so he does the only thing he can.
He goes to see Jamie.
Jamie is as excited as always to see him, but the smile on his face vanishes as he takes Jack in. Fun is not on the agenda for this visit.
Jack swears his first believer to secrecy as he struggles to recount what has happened. He grabs the wide-eyed boy's shoulders. "No one can know, Jamie," he says earnestly, voice low. "No one can know this is happening."
Jamie swallows, "Claude doesn't believe in you guys anymore. Most of the town doesn't."
Jack takes a deep breath, "I know, Jamie." He closes his eyes. "Now, I need you to do something for me, alright? One last favor."
Jamie nods with determination, "Of course, Jack."
Jack looks him in the eyes. "I need you to stop believing."
Jamie's mouth falls open, "Jack!"
"No, listen to me. I'm next. I know I am, and you know it too," he doesn't wait for a response. "I don't know what's going to happen to me when that happens. I don't know if I'll be able to control my actions. I don't know if I'll have a… conscious anymore." He takes a shuddering breath, and the room drops about ten degrees. "And if that happens, one of the first people I'll target will be… you." He takes his hands off of Jamie's shoulders, instead wrapping his arms around himself. "And if you can't see me, I can't hurt you."
Jamie starts to shake, "Target?" He manages.
Jack doesn't meet his eyes. "I don't know, Jamie."
"But, Jack." Jamie starts after a few moments of silence, "You're my best friend. You wouldn't hurt me, and I can't just stop… believing in you," he pauses, "Right?"
"I don't know, Jamie." Jack repeats quietly. "I have no idea. But while I still can," he flexes his fingers, as if to assure himself he still has control over them before he continues, "I am begging you to stop believing in me. Stop trying to see magic in the snow. Start listening to the weather man and don't think that I'm the reason behind blizzards."
"But you are." Jamie stresses.
"I know," Jack says, "But I need you not to."
"But I can't just stop believing-"
"Yes you can!" Jack says, voice rising in desperation. Jamie shrinks back, and Jack tries to take a calming breath. "You can, Jamie. When you wake up, you're going to laugh at what a funny dream this is," Jack's voice cracks, "You're going to go to school, and you're going to forget all about us. Alright?"
Jamie looks like he wants to argue, but something stops him. "But you can stop it, can't you Jack? Not be evil?"
Jack looks down, tracing the frost on his staff, "I don't think I can, Jamie."
"But you can try!"
Jack meets his gaze again, and something in Jamie tells him that this will be the last time he ever sees those crystal blue eyes. "I am, Jamie. I'm trying right now. If I wasn't trying, I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be asking you to do this. If I were evil, I would let you keep on believing until the very last minute, and I can't do that to you." He hangs his head, "I just can't, Jamie."
Silence hangs down on them both. Jamie finally nods, blinking back tears. "Alright, Jack. I'll do it."
Jack finally breaks, enveloping his first, and soon to be last, believer in a hug. Jamie shakes against the blue fabric of his best friend's hoodie, but makes no attempt to release him. Jack feels a wet spot start to form just above his heart, and he swallows back tears himself. He has to be strong.
"Thank you," he murmurs as he lets go, standing up from his perch next to Jamie. "I have to leave now, alright?"
Jamie swallows, unmoving, "Okay."
Jack simply nods, turning toward the open window. He is stopped by Jamie's small voice, "I'll miss you, Jack."
Jack's breath leaves him in a rush. "I'll miss you too." He hops onto the ledge, only sparing one last glance over his shoulder. "Goodnight, Jamie."
The wind sweeps him away, leaving Jamie to stare at the night sky, snow blowing quietly into his room.
He pulls his knees to his chest and buries his head in his arms as the final image of Jack's black eyes burns into the mind.
May end up continuing this. Thoughts?