Disclaimer: I don't own ROTG.
From Bandit to Hero.
In the middle of the night a pair of amethyst eyes shot open. Toothiana woke with a start, it took her a small moment to realize that she was on the large chair in North's first floor living room, where Sandy must have forced her to sleep.
Tooth really wished he hadn't.
It wasn't like she didn't need the rest, after the past three days she would have been happy to get her usual fifteen minutes of sleep... Just not under these circumstances. Not when her telepathic link with her fairies was just up again and she was still gaining information from them and their time in Pitch's captivity.
Not when her mind was being filled with the image of cages.
Cages, Tooth shivered.
Damn Pitch for using such barbaric, medieval dev-
"Toothy?"
Instantly more alert her wings lifted her from the chair, turning to the door a smile lit up her face when she saw North standing in the door opening, holding two large mugs with warm milk.
"North! It's so go-"
The fairy cut herself of when North held a finger to his lips, a warm smile on his face. When he saw her surprise he jerked his head in the direction of the bright red couch.
Following his gaze Tooth felt her expression soften. Clearly she hadn't been the only one put to sleep by the Sandman.
There, on North's large red couch, both fas asleep, lay Jack and Bunnymund. Jack lightly fisting the Easter Bunny's fur and Bunny had an arm wrapped loosely over Jack's back.
"Oh if only we had camara right now!" She quietly gushed clasping her hands together underneath.
"I already took picture." North whispered an all too large grin on his jolly face. "Lets let them sleep, yes?"
Nodding Tooth followed North to the kitchen where they sat down at the kitchen table and North handed Tooth one of the mugs. Taking a sip, Tooth let the warm drink sooth her nerves. Warm milk... If she hadn't been so insistent all those years ago about North drinking milk and taking care of his teeth(that man eats way too many sweets, drinking extra milk would compromise that.), milk wouldn't be associated with Santa Claus.
When the tradition of leaving cookies and milk for Santa started she wasn't sure if North still drank it to please her. After a while it became clear that she had gotten the man addicted to the beverage.
But he already had two mugs ready when he came in the living area...
"How did you know I was awake?"
North grinned, still that same infuriating grin he had worn when he was young. "I see when you when your sleeping," Nicholas said holding up one beefy finger. "I know when you wake-"
"You know if I've been bad or good, for goodness-sake" Tooth finished the old running joke between them. Her wings lifted her from her chair, she'd already been sitting still for far too long!
As scatterbrained as she may appear to be Toothiana was no idiot. Milk was good for your bones(and your teeth!) people also drank milk for another reason.
"You couldn't fall asleep, could you?"
North smiled at her in answer.
Tooth studied his expression, his eyes of course automatically gaining her full focus. Those large blue eyes full of wonder were shining with... Well, wonder.
Not the usual kind, not the kind that shone when North got inspiration for a new toy, there was a subtle a difference there. Tooth could tell difference, only because she had seen that look there before.
The first time was after they defeat Pitch the first time, when people thanked them for saving them from the king of nightmares. The second time she saw that look of mirth in Nicholas st. North's eyes was on the very first Christmas morning when the children discovered their presents and North could feel their believe in him. The way he looked... a mix or shock and amazement.
It didn't take her much effort at all for her to figure out which person had brought on that look this time. Tooth had seen the grateful look Jack had sent North earlier... Admiration.
Queen Toothiana felt her expression morph into that same grin she had given North the first time in reply to that look. "It feels good doesn't it bandit king?" 'being a hero, being someone's hero.'
"It does." North nodded, still as honest but a little less stiff as he had been that day. Even know he still found it hard to believe how far he'd come. From being the king of bandits to being Santa Claus.
"North."
Tooth's tone was different from the joking one from before, letting North know that she was serious. "You were my hero to this time Nicholas." it was thanks to him that they tried collecting the teeth together. If it hadn't been for that she would have faded long before Easter. "Thank you."
This time the look in those large was on of something else... so warm but also something else.
Tooth liked that look.