Chapter 3

Jack Frost was walking on air.

Both in the figurative and literal sense.

When he had met the guardians, he thought that his days of solitude and loneliness were over.

He had been right in a way, North was now like a father to him and the other guardians like siblings, and that made them family.

But you couldn't always be friends with your family.

For one, everyone was always treating him like a little kid. He knew that he was the youngest Guardian by far, and that he was also the youngest in years both in looks and in age. For another thing, he couldn't carry out any of the conversations that he really wanted to have.

Bunny had once told him that he was always talking and would never shut up, and that Jack never spoke about anything important.

Jack still wasn't used to having people to talk to though.

300 years of speechlessness will give a person a lot to talk about, and Jack just wanted to make use of his new audience.

But the other Guardians never paid him that much mind when he went on one of his rants. They would just go about their business and halfheartedly throw out a "yeah" or a "uh-huh" every once in a while.

But with Syl, it was different.

Syl actually listened to Jack.

The entire time they were on the roof Syl had sat with her head in her hands and had looked him in the eyes when he was talking.

While it was mostly a one sided conversation, Jack still felt much more appreciated around her than he had with any of the Guardians.

He still loved them all dearly, but Jack felt that he could really relate with Syl.

Jack stopped in midflight, realizing something.

He really didn't know anything about Syl at all.

When they were on the roof together, all she had said was her name and what kind of spirit she was. That and she had apparently invisible wings.

Jack face palmed inside the jet stream.

Stupid.

Why hadn't he asked more about her? Why couldn't he shut up for five seconds and learn more about the friend he had just made?

Jack decided that, no matter how hard it was for him to keep his mouth shut tomorrow, he would sit quietly and ask Syl more about herself.

He was genuinely curious.

It would be nice to know what life was like for a fellow wandering spirit.

The Guardians didn't really know what it was like, they were the big four. They always had believers.

But then Jack stopped in midair again.

He was making assumptions.

What if people did believe in Syl? What if they could see her?

Then he remembered her saying that she didn't think he would be able to see her when he was sneaking around.

That had to count for something right?

Syl couldn't believe it.

Jack Frost, the spirit of winter, bringer of the snow, had visited her.

And he was incredibly kind too.

Syl hadn't really had a conversation with anybody in well over a decade, and all of those had been with less than perfect company.

Syl wished she hadn't have had to send Jack away for the night, but she couldn't risk him sticking around after the sun went down. She wasn't so sure how much he would want to visit her then.

She wondered what they would talk about tomorrow, but, then she realized, she didn't really care.

As far as Syl was concerned Jack could talk about the flight pattern of pigeons and she would be enthralled with him. He was just so easy to listen to. Then again, she hadn't had anyone worth listening to besides her gargoyles, and they only made grunts and hissing noises.

She couldn't wait until tomorrow.

"Jack? Where have ju been?"

The moment Jack touched down at North's workshop he regretted being so conspicuous.

"The yetis have been looking all over for you! They always suspect dat you're getting into some kind of trouble, especially Phil."

Jack let out a sigh. Why was North always worrying so much? He'd taken care of himself for over 300 years and now it was like he couldn't go five feet without breaking something.

"Ju really should tell someone when you're going to go off like dat Jack."

Jack wished North would mind his own business. Why should he have to explain himself to the Guardian?

He could tell North the truth about where he'd been, that he'd met Syl and was planning on meeting her the next day too. But then Jack thought about the implications.

North would be sure to want to meet Syl right away, and Jack was pretty sure that Syl would be very shy around one of the big four, or any other spirit for that matter.

He also felt like he had spilled every one of his valuable secrets to the Guardians. It was about time that Jack got back to his old lifestyle. After all, he wouldn't always be able to rely on North and Bunny to bail him out if he got into a sticky situation.

"I was just doing my job North. It may be spring but I can still bring some cold gusts to the top of the world. I have duties too you know."

"Alright, alright. No need to be so touchy Jack."

North had gone back to his work around the shop, yelling at the elves to "get out vrom under boot."

Jack really needed a new place to stay.

While his self-proclaimed home was in Burgess, he didn't actually have a place to stay when he retired from spreading winter joy. And he certainly couldn't stay in Santa's workshop all of his life. Jack had some pride left.

He walked back to the spare room that North had fixed up for him, freezing elves along the way.

What would Jack ask Syl tomorrow?

He could ask about life was like 800 years ago, or he could simply ask her to tell him about the mechanics of her job.

What was being the spirit of gargoyles like after all?

Jack couldn't begin to fathom the responsibilities that Syl had to carry, but he was certainly looking forward to finding out.