"Jack?" Bunny called as I fixed my hair. "Ya in 'ere?" I cursed as he opened my door, streaking towards the rafters as it creaked open. He groaned at my empty room, shaking his head as he walked out. I quickly tucked my hair under my hood, before opening a glowing, blue bottle and sucking down the contents. Jumping down, I laughed, happily noting my voice had gone deeper.
"Gotcha, Kangaroo. What did you want, anyway?" I grinned, freezing his tail. He whirled around irritably, just in time for me to tease him. "What? Is little Kangaroo's tail cold? Awww, poor little thing!"
He sputtered at that, until his look hardened and he spoke. "Stupid. Anyway, some sprite was messin wit' Tooth. C'mon, we gotta 'talk' with 'im." he growled, creating a tunnel while he told me. My eyes widened, and I stumbled he grabbed my sleeve and dragged me into the hole, placing me on his back as we raced there.
****TIME SKIP, AFTER 'TALK'***
"Thank you all..." Tooth smiled, her teeth glinting in the light. "But you didn't have to do all that for me. I would have easily gotten him myself!" She laughed, fluttering above the floor. "Anyway, here's my thanks. I'll give you more later, but for now..." She quickly flew up to Sandy and gave him a peck, before kissing North's and Bunny's cheeks as well. I stiffened as she flew towards me, and I scanned the room desperately to avoid any awkward situations with the girl. I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut as she flew over to me. When nothing came, I cracked open one of my eyes to see why it hadn't come. Immediately after doing so, she kissed my cheek. Laughing, she winked. "I wanted your eyes to be open! Bye, everyone. Thanks for your help!" With that, she waved, turning and spiraling towards her castle in the sky.
Turning, I found North, Sandy, and Bunny staring. "What did I do?" I said awkwardly, embarrassed by their stares. "Whaaaatttt?" I moaned, falling onto my back. "I must of done something weird though."
"Is nothing bad, Jack. Your reaction to Tooth's kissies vas... strange." North forced an awkward grin, scratching his beard as he stared me down.
"What he's tryin' ta say, is you reacted kinda like a gay guy. Like you didn't like girls. Which is aright, but we'd like to know if that's the case." I cursed my mellow, violet blush as it crept to my cheeks. I shuffled nervously, tugging on my hood in a habitual effort to hide my (presently invisible) hair.
"I'm not, technically." I muttered the last part in quiet shame, and they seemed to accept my answer. Bunnymund gave me a strange look, but seemed to shrug off any suspicions. We talked for a while, before I excused myself and scampered off to my room. I was exhausted from talking to the three boys, after those awkward moments of them questioning my sexuality, I tried to have a normal conversation but it was far too difficult. I flopped onto my bed, face first. A quick twirl of my fingers, and I had created a 'Do Not Disturb' door hanger, before floating it over to the doorknob and leaving it there.
"Finally!" Sitting up, I pulled off my hoodie, revealing a dark blue, frilled tank top, them pulled my invisible hair out of it's ponytail. After stepping off the bed, I reached into my closet and grabbed a bright pink potion. I chugged it, happily stroking my fingers through my snowy hair. I grabbed my favorite hairbrush, spinning it slowly in my hands as I admired the blue, white, and purple swirl design. Sitting down on my bed, I gently and softly tugged the brush through my hair, adoring the soft feel of each piece of it after they were brushed. I must have spent a very long time braiding, twirling, straightening, brushing, and stroking my hair, because I suddenly heard a pounding at my door.
"Snowflake? Ya alright? North sent me to check on ya. Ya've been in there for almost an hour!" He stopped banging, but I knew he wouldn't leave until I answered him. Unfortunately, the potion did more than make my hair invisible: it made my voice different, too. I panicked, hastily making random voices to see which one resembled the potion's most. "Hello?" I gave up, and answered.
"S-Sorry, Rabbit! I'm kinda busy right now, so come back later, okay?" I struggled with my voice, flinching at it's femininity. I stood up quickly, opening my closet to place the hairbrush. And, of course, I tripped.
"Jack! Are you aright?" I heard Bunny raise his voice, and I curled up into a ball as he barged into the room. "J-Jack..." His eyes widened in shock at the sight of my long, pasty white hair and frilly tank top. Of course, not to mention the sight of my (covered) large chest "I'm so confused." I could have laughed at his response, but the situation made it impossible.
"Bunny, I'm sort of a girl." He looked like I had just stolen a kid's Easter candy. I stood slowly, allowing him to see that I was, in fact, female, and that it wasn't a prank. I let my head fall shamefully, guilt coursing through me for not telling them sooner. But how could I? The world outside the Guardians was dangerous. "I should've told you all, but I'm just so used to hiding what I am. Not many spirits like me and all, including guys, so having the whole world know about my gender would be difficult. You saw what happened to Tooth, right?" I looked down to the floor, my cheeks violet in embarrassment, shame and anger. That disgusting thing had come close to stealing the one thing I could say was mine, and I was infuriated. But he had seen more than anyone else ever had, and I was so very ashamed at how I hadn't managed to fight back. What would they think of me if they all knew?
"Snowflake... Ya don't need ta hide anymore." Bunny looked at me sadly, as if he was as upset as I was. "I'm sorry about wha happened. But hiding who you are now that you have us is useless. Ya can fight now, too..." Bunny smiled pitifully, trying in vain to cheer me up.
I raised my gaze slowly, his piercing eyes meeting mine. "You don't understand, Rabbit. Even after- even after I learned to control my powers, how to fight, everything, I couldn't even lift a finger against him. You don't understand; I'm weak. I was weak then, I'm weak now, and I never will have the power to defend myself. It's hopeless..." Bunny's eyes hit the floor as he attempted to hide his tears.
"Ya can't give up, not yet. Not when you 'ave family. Ya can't leave us behind!" He yelled, strength leaking into his voice. "Ya became a guardian. We're ya family, and when ya can't protect ya'self – hell, even when you can! - We will stay by ya and keep ya safe! Ya not alone anymore. Girl, boy, straight, gay, bisexual, smart, dumb, crazy, sane, positive or negative, no matter who you are ya will always be our snowflake. We all love you, Jack. And we won't eva leave you alone again." He smiled at me sweetly, and as tears welled up in my eyes he came to my side and held me. Smiling up at him, I whispered
"It's Jacqueline."
"Gotcha, Kangaroo. What did you want, anyway?" I grinned, freezing his tail. He whirled around irritably, just in time for me to tease him. "What? Is little Kangaroo's tail cold? Awww, poor little thing!"
He sputtered at that, until his look hardened and he spoke. "Stupid. Anyway, some sprite was messin wit' Tooth. C'mon, we gotta 'talk' with 'im." he growled, creating a tunnel while he told me. My eyes widened, and I stumbled he grabbed my sleeve and dragged me into the hole, placing me on his back as we raced there.
****TIME SKIP, AFTER 'TALK'***
"Thank you all..." Tooth smiled, her teeth glinting in the light. "But you didn't have to do all that for me. I would have easily gotten him myself!" She laughed, fluttering above the floor. "Anyway, here's my thanks. I'll give you more later, but for now..." She quickly flew up to Sandy and gave him a peck, before kissing North's and Bunny's cheeks as well. I stiffened as she flew towards me, and I scanned the room desperately to avoid any awkward situations with the girl. I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut as she flew over to me. When nothing came, I cracked open one of my eyes to see why it hadn't come. Immediately after doing so, she kissed my cheek. Laughing, she winked. "I wanted your eyes to be open! Bye, everyone. Thanks for your help!" With that, she waved, turning and spiraling towards her castle in the sky.
Turning, I found North, Sandy, and Bunny staring. "What did I do?" I said awkwardly, embarrassed by their stares. "Whaaaatttt?" I moaned, falling onto my back. "I must of done something weird though."
"Is nothing bad, Jack. Your reaction to Tooth's kissies vas... strange." North forced an awkward grin, scratching his beard as he stared me down.
"What he's tryin' ta say, is you reacted kinda like a gay guy. Like you didn't like girls. Which is aright, but we'd like to know if that's the case." I cursed my mellow, violet blush as it crept to my cheeks. I shuffled nervously, tugging on my hood in a habitual effort to hide my (presently invisible) hair.
"I'm not, technically." I muttered the last part in quiet shame, and they seemed to accept my answer. Bunnymund gave me a strange look, but seemed to shrug off any suspicions. We talked for a while, before I excused myself and scampered off to my room. I was exhausted from talking to the three boys, after those awkward moments of them questioning my sexuality, I tried to have a normal conversation but it was far too difficult. I flopped onto my bed, face first. A quick twirl of my fingers, and I had created a 'Do Not Disturb' door hanger, before floating it over to the doorknob and leaving it there.
"Finally!" Sitting up, I pulled off my hoodie, revealing a dark blue, frilled tank top, them pulled my invisible hair out of it's ponytail. After stepping off the bed, I reached into my closet and grabbed a bright pink potion. I chugged it, happily stroking my fingers through my snowy hair. I grabbed my favorite hairbrush, spinning it slowly in my hands as I admired the blue, white, and purple swirl design. Sitting down on my bed, I gently and softly tugged the brush through my hair, adoring the soft feel of each piece of it after they were brushed. I must have spent a very long time braiding, twirling, straightening, brushing, and stroking my hair, because I suddenly heard a pounding at my door.
"Snowflake? Ya alright? North sent me to check on ya. Ya've been in there for almost an hour!" He stopped banging, but I knew he wouldn't leave until I answered him. Unfortunately, the potion did more than make my hair invisible: it made my voice different, too. I panicked, hastily making random voices to see which one resembled the potion's most. "Hello?" I gave up, and answered.
"S-Sorry, Rabbit! I'm kinda busy right now, so come back later, okay?" I struggled with my voice, flinching at it's femininity. I stood up quickly, opening my closet to place the hairbrush. And, of course, I tripped.
"Jack! Are you aright?" I heard Bunny raise his voice, and I curled up into a ball as he barged into the room. "J-Jack..." His eyes widened in shock at the sight of my long, pasty white hair and frilly tank top. Of course, not to mention the sight of my (covered) large chest "I'm so confused." I could have laughed at his response, but the situation made it impossible.
"Bunny, I'm sort of a girl." He looked like I had just stolen a kid's Easter candy. I stood slowly, allowing him to see that I was, in fact, female, and that it wasn't a prank. I let my head fall shamefully, guilt coursing through me for not telling them sooner. But how could I? The world outside the Guardians was dangerous. "I should've told you all, but I'm just so used to hiding what I am. Not many spirits like me and all, including guys, so having the whole world know about my gender would be difficult. You saw what happened to Tooth, right?" I looked down to the floor, my cheeks violet in embarrassment, shame and anger. That disgusting thing had come close to stealing the one thing I could say was mine, and I was infuriated. But he had seen more than anyone else ever had, and I was so very ashamed at how I hadn't managed to fight back. What would they think of me if they all knew?
"Snowflake... Ya don't need ta hide anymore." Bunny looked at me sadly, as if he was as upset as I was. "I'm sorry about wha happened. But hiding who you are now that you have us is useless. Ya can fight now, too..." Bunny smiled pitifully, trying in vain to cheer me up.
I raised my gaze slowly, his piercing eyes meeting mine. "You don't understand, Rabbit. Even after- even after I learned to control my powers, how to fight, everything, I couldn't even lift a finger against him. You don't understand; I'm weak. I was weak then, I'm weak now, and I never will have the power to defend myself. It's hopeless..." Bunny's eyes hit the floor as he attempted to hide his tears.
"Ya can't give up, not yet. Not when you 'ave family. Ya can't leave us behind!" He yelled, strength leaking into his voice. "Ya became a guardian. We're ya family, and when ya can't protect ya'self – hell, even when you can! - We will stay by ya and keep ya safe! Ya not alone anymore. Girl, boy, straight, gay, bisexual, smart, dumb, crazy, sane, positive or negative, no matter who you are ya will always be our snowflake. We all love you, Jack. And we won't eva leave you alone again." He smiled at me sweetly, and as tears welled up in my eyes he came to my side and held me. Smiling up at him, I whispered
"It's Jacqueline."
