"Hey, North, sorry I'm late," Jack called out as he swooped in through one of the open clerestory windows. The yetis made sure to keep one unlocked for him at all times for just this reason. "I got caught up with some kids in New Brunswick. Nearly a dozen new believers in Fredericton alone! We had a snowball fight and—heeey, everyone, what's up?"
While he had been talking, he had been leisurely flying around North's globe. The window he'd entered through had been on the direct opposite side of the controls, so he didn't immediately see the group gathered on the other side. When he finally crested the edge of the globe—right over the Canadian territory of New Brunswick, by chance—he stopped. North was by the controls, one hand still resting by the aurora lever, the other gesturing at Bunny. Bunny, for his part, looked both worried and annoyed, ears erect, body action-ready, and tapping a boomerang absently against his hand. Tooth was buzzing erratically around the two, alternately fretting, threatening the air, and giving orders to her mini-fairies. Sandy alone looked calm, though considering he was absently shaping different weapons out of his sand, Jack wasn't sure that was an accurate assessment.
"Jack!" Tooth yelled, zooming up and enveloping him in a rather tight hug. "You're alright!"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Jack assured her, patting her on the back with his free hand. His other hand, holding his staff, was trapped awkwardly against his side. He didn't think it was meeting day, so why was everyone here? "What happened? Did North send out the aurora?"
"You missed curfew, ya gumby, we thought something had happened to you!" Bunny called up.
"Tooth, let him go so we may assess him for injuries," North rumbled.
"Oh, sorry," Tooth said sheepishly. Instead, she grabbed his hand and towed him down to the other three.
"Curfew? Wait, you mean you were serious?" Jack said incredulously to North. North patted him down, then physically turned him around and checked his back, presumably for injuries. Which he didn't have. Jack slapped away his hands, using a bit of frost for emphasis. Manhandling was not okay.
North nodded. "Serious as grave. Curfew important for children, provides stability and routine."
Jack narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Did you read that out of a parenting book?" North was about to answer, but Jack held up his hand and said, "Never mind. North, I don't need a curfew. I'm over three hundred years old. I'm not a kid."
"Then how will we know if you get home safe?" Tooth worried. "We were so worried when we saw the aurora. You could have been seriously injured! What if you'd been attacked and were lying in a ditch somewhere waiting for us, but we wouldn't know because you didn't have a curfew!"
Jack tried to follow this gem of illogic and completely failed. "I can take care of myself you know," he said sarcastically. "I've been doing it for a long time now. C'mon, Sandy, back me up here!"
Sandy created a series of images that could have been Jack can take care of himself or Sandy smash.
Jack pressed his hand against his face and dragged it down. "I can't believe this. Really, guys? You really sent out the aurora because I was late for a curfew I didn't even know existed?"
None of the Guardians looked repentant.
Sandy created another series of images which could have been We'll keep you safe or could have been We'll wrap you in cotton wool and lock you away in the highest room of the tallest tower so nothing can ever hurt you.
Jack sighed.