A Birthday Wish

Jack laughed as he won the race against a flock of black geese. "Maybe next time, ganders!" He taunted as the familiar sight of Burgess came into view. With a shout the mischievous teen nose-dived down into the town. It was the day after Easter and there were still signs for the Easter Egg Hunt tacked up in store fronts and street posts.

As Jack flew passed one such street post he reached out and snatched a poster. He couldn't wait to show it to Bunnymund at the next Guardian meeting. With a bubbly laugh he tapped the rest of the posters with the curve of his staff and watched a thin layer of frost covered the stylized Easter Bunny as he danced near a large pile of brightly colored eggs. He drifted through to the town towards his destination. When he reached the Bennett's Residence he hovered over to the second window on the second floor and looked in.

There was a mug of hot coco on Jamie's desk and the winter sprite grinned with mischief as he gently pushed the vertical window open and glided into the room. He made sure to close the window again before he fluttered over to the human and lightly blew over the mug, turning the hot beverage into chocolaty ice.

Jamie's head snapped up as the unnatural breeze that came over him and noticed that his drink had been ruined. "Jack!" he exclaimed as he spotted the Guardian.

"Hey, little man." Jack greeted his friend, grinning widely at the surprise in the brunet's voice.

"You're here!" Jamie turned in his swivel chair to face the white haired fiend.

"Yep!" Jack agreed.

Jamie giggled in delight, a habit most boys grow out of when they are told that giggling was a more feminine trait. It was a sound that Jack enjoyed immensely. "What brings you here?"

Jack bounded around that the room, unable to hold in his excitement. "Today is a very special day." Jack insisted. "Do you know why?"

Jamie crossed his arms over his chest, deep in thought. "Hmm, it's Monday?"

"Yes, it is, but that's not why it is a special day. You wanna try again or do you give up?"

"It's the day after Easter?" Jamie supplied, confusion making his brows crease together.

"Yes, but not what I was looking for." Jack pointed out with a swing of his staff. "Today's my birthday!" he declared and raised his arms up in celebration.

"Oh, cool! Guardians have birthdays?"

"Oh yes, just like you do. Only mine is a little different, even for a Guardian." Jack lowered his arms and gave Jamie his trademark one sided smirk. He knew this next bit wasn't going to sound as fun if Jamie thought about it for too long. "Because well, I don't remember my human birthday or even the day that I became Frost. So you know what I do instead?"

Jamie shook his head, curious. "No."

"I celebrate the day you said my name and saw me."

"You do?"

"Yep," the Guardian nodded. "To me it's the day when I truly became real. It's also the day that I became a Guardian."

Jamie giggled. "I know, I was there remember?"

"I remember, but well, I like to think that it was all because of you." Jack itched to reach out and hug the teen, but he had very little experience with teenagers, most of them stopped believing in him at Jamie's age and they couldn't see or hear him anymore, so he couldn't talk to them like he once could. It left him at quite a loss and he didn't quite know what to do. So, instead he settled on asking what it was he wanted. "Jamie, I know this may sound strange, but I have a request."

"For me?"

"Yep!" Jack nodded.

"Really?!"

Jack chuckled at Jamie's incredulous tone and gave the teen his best smile. "Yes!"

"Okay, what is it?"

Jack pointed his staff at Jamie. "Well, first you have to promise on the staff that you won't laugh."

"I promise," Jamie pledged and touched the curve of the staff before Jack finished talking.

Jack studied the young human in front of him. Whatever it was he was looking for he seemed to have found in Jamie's eager face. "I know that it has been a long time, but do you think. I mean would it be okay if I…can I … hug you?" The winter sprite asked, making a face at the words.

Jamie's eyes lit up like it was Christmas morning. "Not if I hug you first!" He chuckled and before Jack could reply the sixteen year old launched himself at Jack and wrapped his arms around the mischievous Guardian's waist.

The white haired sprite took a step back to accommodate the new weight before he smiled and returned the hug. He didn't know why he had been so worried over something as simple as a hug, Jamie had never disappointed him and so far it looked like the burnet never would.

He felt Jamie's arms flex around him as he hugged him closer. Heat radiated from the human and penetrated Jack's hoodie. The warmth made Jack shiver. Jamie was so alive it was almost painful to be near him. As much as he loved being Jack Frost, Jamie's body heat was a reminder of what he had lost all those years ago.

"Thanks, little buddy," Jack said and placed his chin on top of Jamie's head.

Reluctantly, Jack straightened up and pulled away from his first believer. "Now, go warm yourself up before you catch a cold." He added and touched the tip of Jamie's nose with his finger.

"Okay!"

Jack stayed for the next three hours describing the new places he had traveled to and the tricks he had played on the people who lived there. Jamie listened raptly and asked many questions, but it wasn't long until Jack could see that his brunet friend was having trouble keeping his eyes open.

"Alright, bud. It's time for me to go."

Jack jumped over to the window and pushed it open.

"See you later?" Jamie inquired as Jack perched on top of the windowsill.

"Count on it." Jack promised. and just before he was flung away he gave Jamie a more natural grin. "Thanks forspending time with me on my birthday, J."

The brunet teen answering smile turned into a yawn. "No problem, Jack. It was fun," he agreed, leaning back onto his pillow as softly glowing golden sandy filtered into the room.

Jack ducked out of Sandman's dreams and grabbed the side of the window leaving a trail of frost on the glass as Wind guided the laughing boy onto his next adventure.