Disclaimer: I own no guardians
The guardians had returned to the North Pole. Pitch was gone, the children were saved, and Jack was once more visible to children. It was a good day. As North steered his reindeer through a somewhat bumpy landing, Bunny groaned.
Jack grinned. "How many years have you been flying in this sleigh?"
Bunny scowled. "Several hundred years too many."
Tooth smiled, sympathetically. "Its such a shame you haven't got over your travel sickness."
Jack looked slyly at Bunny, cautiously making his way back to the main under ice building. "Are you sure it's sickness and not fear, Bunny?" Sandy grinned, and looked from one to the other.
"Watch it, mate," the tall blue fluff growled. "I am not afraid of flying. I get travel sick. That's it."
Jack shrugged, and held his hands up in front of him. "Sure, whatever." Tooth gave Jack a mock scolding glance.
"What?" Jack Frost's innocent expression was somewhat lacking to those who knew him.
North led them back down to his home. "Cookies!" he bellowed to the little elves that appeared to be scurrying about aimlessly. Then he pushed open the wooden door to a room Jack hadn't previously noticed. It was a warm room with a fire in the grate, carpets spread over the floors, and an assortment of armchairs and sofas in a rough circle facing it.
"We haven't had a proper time out for ages," said Tooth, flitting to a chair. She curled her legs up, and looked eagerly about at her colleagues.
North let himself fall into a red sofa, which looked as though it had seen better days. It sagged in the middle as he stretched his legs out in front of him, and groaned as he eased his hands behind his head. "Well, it has been long time since our last big fight, Tooth."
Sandy chimed in agreement, taking a space on a sofa. Bunny took the space next to him, and Jack slowly sank into a spare armchair. "What are we doing now?" he asked, slightly suspiciously.
"Taking time out," Bunny replied, closing his eyes.
"Seriously?"
Sandy nodded, smiling.
"By doing what?"
"Hopefully eating cookies," North replied, loudly. Some shamefaced elves shuffled in with a plate of baked goods. North helped himself, and waved them over to his fellow Guardians.
"Well, I love a bit of grown up time," Tooth smiled at Jack, "don't you?"
"Uh…what?"
"Well, being a guardian is a pretty tough job," she said, lounging back in her chair. Jack watched in amazement as she languidly moved to place her back against the arm on the chair, arching her back, and dangled her legs over the other. "a mojito please, elves," she added to the little red clad minions.
Jack noticed that there was also a bar in the snug lounging room.
"Cosmopoliton," grunted Bunny.
"I'll have a beer," North added his order, "Sandy?"
Sandy made the image of a martini glass and a pack of cigarettes.
"Jack?" Tooth asked, politely.
"Uh….. you guys drink?" he spluttered incredulously.
"Only when we're off duty," Bunny replied.
"Which does not happen often," North added.
"Anything else I should know about?"
"Well, we used to have naked races through the snow, but seeing as Bunny and Tooth don't really do naked like the rest of us, it seemed a little unfair," North deadpanned.
"But we can now!" Tooth said gleefully. "How about it Jack?" There was a definitely naughty twinkle to her purple eyes.
Jack blinked. "You're not serious."
The rest of them burst out laughing. Or jingling, in Sandy's case.
"You guys are nuts while off duty." Jack concluded.
"Well, hundreds of years with serious endless duties to protect the innocence and joy of childhood takes its toll on a person," Bunny shrugged, taking an offered cigarette from Sandy.
"Except once every few years, when we have the odd party."
"Just you guys?"
"There are a few others," North said. "Leprechaun, Ground hog, Mother Nature, (Manny is excellent DJ by the way) Fairy godmother, Father Time…"
"Huh, and here I thought all our fun was to do with the joys of childhood."
Tooth looked at Jack directly. "But we're not children, Jack," she said, seriously.
"Uh, yeah, I guess not."
Authors Note: Thanks to everyone who is following and favourited my story- what a compliment! Any suggestions for things these off duty guardians should get up to?
