Ice Cubes
Summary: His blue eyes reflected so many things. And as they watch him laugh and joke around, sometimes it's easy to forget, that the boy in front of them had suffered 300 years in silence.
Shades of Blue
"Jack has beautiful eyes." Tooth sighed, as beside her, her mini selves fluttered about in adoration and agreement. Sand and North both looked at her with curiosity and surprise at her queer statement.
It was rare for Tooth to notice something else other than Jack's perfectly white molars.
The three guardians were currently under a shade of colorful tree. Toothiana, North, Sandman, and even Jack had come to the Warren to give a certain Easter Bunny a surprise visit. The Pooka hadn't been visiting them because Easter was coming again, and this year he was getting most of his believers back. Although Bunny didn't show it, he was working himself too hard trying to make this year the best Easter in years.
Surprisingly, it had been Jack's good natured idea to go and see how Bunny was doing, Sandy had taken a break from scattering his dream dust, thinking that people deserved a dreamless sleep now and then. While Tooth and a few of her fairies had given their night shifts to the fairies left behind in the palace. It was the only way they could take a break.
So here they were, sitting under one of Bunny's colorful trees, watching a certain Winter Sprite tease a stress Bunnymund who was painting his eggs. The guardian of Fun was enjoying himself ashe created a mini snow cloud on top of Bunny while the Pooka tried to ignore him.
"Are you alright, Tooth?" North asked a she gazed into slightly dazed amethyst orbs. He could see that the Toothfairy was thinking of something, maybe a little too deeply since she had not, even once today, commented on how white Jack's teeth were. "First Jack's teeth, now eye? You wanna be an eye fairy now?" Santa asked in a confused tone.
Sandy covered his mouth in a silent chuckle. The humming bird queen gave the jolly man a slightly scandalized look at the thought of being something else than the tooth fairy.
"Of course not!" She fluttered nervously about but excitement could be heard in her voice, as her eyes shined."I still love seeing those cute little molars in the palm of my hand with their little blood and gums-"
"Eh!" North waved his hands , effectively interrupting the fairy. "No need to go into details!" He patted his stomach as he said in a gruff tone. "Just had milk and cookies, no need to hear about little kids' blood, no?"
Sandy who had covered his ears when Tooth started talking, sighed in relief as he wiped away and imaginary sweat.
"Now, we go back to first topic!" North said in a deep voice as he turned his attention back to the duo not faraway. He chuckled when he saw that Jack had given up on the small snow cloud and had started to amuse himself by trying to grab Bunny's twitching ears. "He is blue eyes, yes? Like me! We white-haired men always have 'popping' blue eyes."
"Yes." Tooth sighed as she continued to watch Bunny and Jack. "But it's more than just the color North." And as though to strengthen this statement, the sparkling violet eyes darkened and dimmed as they narrowed in concentration.
The guardian of Wonder, not understanding just exchanged looks with Sandy who formed a question mark on his head, not understanding as well.
"His eyes changes color when he's in different moods." Tooth sighed, oblivious to the conversation going on beside her.
"Change color? You mean his eyes can turn red?" North said, surprised. He had never known Jack had such ability!
Tooth shook her head rapidly as she flew around North. "No, no! Of course not! I mean it can, you know… His eyes turn into- into different shades of blue!"
"Oh…" North said, slightly disappointed that their youngest guardian couldn't change his eye color willingly. There goes his chance to brag about their new recruit to the groundhog. Sandy clapped his hands together in understanding.
"Periwinkle, cobalt, sapphire…" Tooth said dreamily as she finally settled down beside North. "Every shade of blue represents his mood, I noticed."
"Oh?" North said as he squinted at the fair-haired boy not far. "So what is their color now, eh?"
"Celeste!" Tooth said, chirping happily. "A happy color, but a sad one too."
"Sad? Why is Jack boy sad?" North asked in confusion. The spirit of Winter seemed to be having fun in his eyes. What would make him sad? Maybe Tooth was just over reading things.
Sandy watched Jack silently, his head tilted.
"I don't know. He gets that look sometimes. His eyes become light blue when he's sad but lighter when he's happy. Right now he's more happy than sad, but still." Tooth stated. "I get the feeling that Jack might be thinking about the time before he met us."
Sandy nodded quietly as his sand shifted to form a sad boy sitting on a branch of a tree, all alone.
"And you think he feels sad now he is with us, no?" North said, still confused.
"No, I think he's thinking about how much he's missed interactions like this. Interactions with people who can actually see him. People who actually care for him."
There was silence.
A distant shout however broke it and the three's attention were once again turned to the duo not far. Bunny was angrily shouting at Jack who had frozen in the air as he watched Bunny's paws clench as he spoke.
Tooth covered her mouth when Celeste became the color of electric indigo and she immediately rushed to Jack's side with North lumbering behind her and Sandy readying a ball of sand in his hands.
"-And you're a bloody dill tha' shoulda gone beyond the black stump and never ever came back-!" Aster was shouting, his expression morphed into irritation as Jack watched him explode with an unreadable from all the pressure Easter had caused him. "A bodgy bludger who-"
"Hey, hey! Bunny!" North said as he placed a hand on the Kangaroo's shoulder. The guardian of Hope bit his lips as he felt North hold him back. "Easy, mal'chik was just having little fun, yes?" He said as he led the distressed guardian away. Sandy's golden eyes followed them.
"Oh Jack, are you alright dear?" Tooth asked when she turned to the winter spirit who was still slightly stunned, her mini fairies were behind her, chirping in concern. The young Frost recovered himself with a smile, his eyes lightening to dodger blue.
"I'm fine, Tooth. It's not everyday I get to see the Kangaroo explode over some of my jokes." Jack laughed but the tooth fairy noticed that he had placed himself down on the ground unsteadily. He was most probably shaken from the outburst. But he forced himself to look like what happened had not hurt him one bit.
Tooth knew that Jack probably didn't understand any of the words Bunny had said, but she knew Jack was smart enough to know that the cranky guardian had just told him to go as faraway as possible. The dark hue in his once bright blue eyes was proof of that.
Sandy on the other hand was looking at Bunny carefully, his ball of sand hidden behind him just in cases. He was only a few feet from North and the guardian of Hope who looked like he wanted to say something to the guardian of Wonder.
"Hey Jack, I'm sure Bunny didn't mean any of what he said." Tooth said as she placed a hand on his shoulder which he shrugged off casually. The tooth fairy bit back the hurt.
"How do you know?" He asked in a hurt tone which he quickly covered up with a nonchalant shrug, "Not that I care or anything."
"Because I've known Bunny the longest, and it's just the stress of things that's causing this, I'm sure." She assured. Tooth looked to the side and saw North giving Bunny a good talking to while the grumpy Easter spirit just took it with his ears down.
Jack gave off a hesitant chuckle. "Yeah, I know." He said and his blue eyes lightened to a sadder tone almost looking gray. Periwinkle. "I should go and apologize to him, huh?" He added in a quieter tone. The queen of Fairies blinked in surprise. Jack was actually the one who suggested to apologize to Bunny first!
"Y-Yes…" Tooth said regaining herself as she smiled. "That would be good. It'll help ease Bunny's stress."
Jack shifted his feet in discomfort as he continued in a quiet tone. "I-I didn't mean to go far…" He said in a low tone. "Well okay, maybe I was planning to take it a bit farther…" Tooth gave him a disapproving look which made him raise his hands in defense. "N-No, I-I didn't mean it like that. I don't hate Bunny! I just… I just thought it would be good if he- he got angry for awhile." Jack said as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
Tooth's amethyst eyes widened. "You made Bunny angry on purpose?"
"Yeah."
"You wanted him to get angry at you and shout at you?"
"Y-Yeah…"
"And by doing so, you wanted to ease his tension?"
"…"
"Jack?"
A small sigh but a sound of confirmation came from the blue lips. "…yes."
"Oh Jack!" Tooth said as she tackled the young teen. Thankfully, the teen didn't tumble to the ground but he did take a few steps back in surprise.
"W-Whoah!"
"You're the kindest, most caring winter Spirit I have ever known!" Tooth said as she cried happily, hugging the cold teen closer.
"Easy there, Tooth." Jack said laughing, but he stopped when he saw North and Bunny making their way towards him. The tooth fairy let go as she joined her friends to watch Bunny step up to Jack and scrutinize him. The Easter bunny looked at Toothiana who was sniffling.
"Made Tooth cry did ya'?"
Jack winced at the tone as he leaned back against his staff. "Look Bunny I-"
"Hey." Bunny raised a hand to keep Jack quiet. "Look ya' gumby, I just came here to apologize. I'm sorry about all the stuff I said. I didn't mean any of 'em. Okay?"
Jack stared at Bunny for a while, contemplating. Aster frowned and he opened his mouth about to say something but Jack had broken into a grin and said. "I didn't even understand what you said, so I don't see what you're apologizing for. Let's just say we're even and call it a truce, deal?"
Bunny blinked in surprise but then sighed as he nodded his head. "Deal."
Jack gave a sharp nod as he levitated a little and gestured to the still unfinished eggs Bunnymund had been painting. "So, should we get back to work Kangaroo?"
Green eyes lightened at the prospect that Jack was finally gonna help him instead of being a nuisance but the Easter bunny huffed at the nickname throw his way. "As long as ya' don't get in my way."
Jack laughed, making a mischievous smile as he didn't answer the rabbit.
Tooth watched the two fondly while Nick laughed in a jolly manner. Sandy smiled serenely as he finally let the ball of sand go, deciding that they weren't going to need it after all.
"Ah yes, this is much better! A happy Jack and Bunny! All is right with the world! So comrades, shall we get back to helping?" North said as he gestured forward.
Sandy nodded enthusiastically and Tooth smiled as she saw Jack's eyes turn to Alice blue. "Let's."
She decided then and there, that if anyone asked her what her favorite shade of blue was, she'd remember this day and happily state that it will always forever be, 'Alice Blue'.
The color of Jack's eyes when he was happy.
Humming to herself, Tooth followed Nick and Sandy as they went to get more unpainted eggs.
Meanwhile…
"Hey Frost." Bunny said to Jack who had already started painting.
"What?"
"What did North mean when he said you had 'popping' blue eyes like him?"
"Uh... what?"
Notes: Okay, this was gonna be longer but it's almost time for me to go to school so I had to make it quick.
To Night Fury-1 , yes there will be a second part to the first chapter titled, 'Eyeglasses' which will come out in a few chapters. I can add a bit of brother Jack/Bunny there if you wish.
Thank you for all of your reviews! To those who did not understand what Bunny meant when he was angry, here's the translation:
"You're a bloody idiot, who should go a long way away and never come back, a lazy person with inferior quality who-"
Okay, harsh Bunny. Please forgive me, for making Bunny say those things, he was stressed ya' know?
So the next one is called, 'Weird Habits', one of my favorites and I hope everyone stays tuned!
I'll also edit the mistakes on Chapter 1 in the future, meaning when I get home or get my hands on the laptop.
