The Guardians had been closeted in the third family room for hours now, and the yeti and tooth fairies were beginning to worry – and to hope. The four of them had hardly spoken for years, and now they were alone for hours?
Several yeti were clustered around the door, muttering among themselves but refusing to touch the door. Elves ran among their feet, not helping as per usual for elves, not being as respectful as the yeti as they pressed their ears against the thick door, running off when the thick and magical wood resisted their efforts to eavesdrop through it and they got bored.
The few baby teeth who had come to see what was taking their mother so long to come home were talking among themselves, squeaking excitedly. Oh, they so hoped their mother and her husbands were making things right with each other! A few of the yeti nodded, sharing that sentiment. It would be a shame if it took something this big to get them to realize what the yeti, eggs, elves, mermaids, and baby teeth had known for years, but if this was what it took then so be it.
It wasn't as if any of the things they'd tried over the years had worked, after all.
Inside the room, the four Guardians were still collapsed in front of the fire, though more emotionally drained than before. The last few hours had seen more tears than they'd shed in centuries as they talked and talked, trying to salvage what they could of what they'd had.
The conversation was rambling at times, and they couldn't seem to keep their hands off each other, even during the most sober discussions. Tempers had run high more than once, and it was only those soothing hands that brought them from the edge of full on arguments.
Everything was being pulled out and laid bare – just how irritating it was to have your holiday dismissed, how each of them had gotten so wrapped up in their own work they neglected everything else, every little thing that had been dismissed or set aside for a later that had finally come.
Finally out of things to say – for the moment, at least – they just laid together in front of the fire. Idly, hands began to roam, no real intent behind any of them beyond reassuring touch.
Sandy's hands found themselves preening Tooth's feathers, running between them softly, while North stroked through Bunny's fur. It took him a few strokes to remember just how much thinner and more sensitive Bunny's skin was than the yeti's, since it had been so long since any of them had helped Bunny comb out his winter coat or just help him to brush it out, to deal with tangles.
It was comforting, almost sleepy, as they stroked and petted each other. Bunny found himself sleepily nudged against North's leg, and the buzzing of Tooth's wings was slow, just an occasional flicker of motion.
Bunny cracked an eye open in time to see Sandy's eyes turn mischievous, and he blinked sleep out of his eyes to see what Sandy had planned.
Then Sandy leaned forward to press a kiss to Tooth's mouth, and Bunny heard the little gasp she gave as he deepened it further than she was expecting, the sleepy grooming suddenly turning heated.
She broke away and giggled, bright and happy. "You're as bad as Nightlight," she said, half scolding. He grinned, unrepentant, and gave her another kiss, sleepier and gentler than the last.
"I hope they'll be back soon," Bunny mumbled, arching a little into the hand North slid down his back.
"We will have big surprise for them, is sure," North agreed, stroking changing to rubbing at the base of Bunny's ears, where only fellow Guardians were allowed to touch. Bunny started to rumble and the others went quiet to simply listen, refusing to think about how long it had been since they'd heard such a sound.
Actually, it might have been... "How long have they been gone?" Tooth asked softly, snuggling closer to Sandy as he pressed another kiss to her cheek.
"Too long," was the answer she received, and there was little talking after that point.
A pair of arms shot from the snow, showing the shocked yeti. Jack's upper body followed, rising out of the snow like a vampire in a b-movie.
"I live!" he crowed, to the mingled consternation and amusement of the yeti guards. "Well, close enough," he muttered, pulling himself the rest of the way out of the snow. "...wait, were you guys...guarding me?" he asked, apparently only now noticing his audience.
The yeti grumbled an affirmative and Jack was too surprised to hide his shock until it was too late.
Quickly pasting on a smile that was only half fake – because yeah, they might have been there to make sure he actually went into the Pole to talk to the other Guardians, but the fact remained that they had been watching over him while he slept – Jack floated up about a foot to be on eye level with his guards. "Well, thanks, guys. The others all inside?"
The yeti to his left grumbled something, gesturing widely with both arms. Jack watched carefully, but still... "Sorry, didn't get a word of that." Jack grinned wider as the yeti groaned, burying its face in its hands. "Hey, it's not like you guys gave me lessons in yeti beyond 'go away'," Jack snarked at them. He'd picked up a general idea of what they were trying to say, but, well...
Both yeti looked abashed at that, or at least, as abashed as they could look behind all the fur. Jack tried not to let his irritation show. Yes, he'd been breaking in – but that was after the first few times when he came to the front door and was turned away. Their own fault for turning it into a game, really.
He tossed the yeti a grin and a lazy salute as snatched up his staff and took to the air.
It felt so good to be in the air again, where it was so cold he could feel the ice forming on his clothes and hair.
The air was thin this high up as he took his time before going inside the Pole, going up higher than was probably safe.
If he were human, he would suffocate up this high, but it didn't bother Jack. Eventually he'd start to see spots in front of his eyes and have to fly lower, but for these few minutes there was nothing but a sky so blue it was almost white and the white, almost featureless ground below.
Deciding he'd put it off for long enough, Jack dove down toward the Pole. The wind whistled around him as he picked up speed, drawing up at the last second to feel the snow on the roof blast out behind him from his backdraft.
Pulling up, he hovered, debating. Should he try the front door, now that North had said he'd be let in, or go for one of the windows, or even the balcony he could see jutting out of the side nearby?
A yeti pulled open the door to the balcony and waved, making up Jack's mind for him. Balcony it was.
He did a backflip on the way down just for the heck of it and thoroughly enjoyed Phil's eyeroll.
Phil grunted at him once he'd landed, waving his arms and gesturing Jack inside as he spoke.
Jack wasn't sure, but he thought he caught enough words to get the gist of what Phil was saying – that he was welcome here now, just don't cause too much mischief because they're on a schedule here remember?
Jack just grinned, refusing to think about what might happen if he did disrupt that schedule just now. Probably get kicked out of the Pole, and he wasn't sure for how long that would last. He was probably on borrowed time as it was.
Better enjoy it while it lasted.
"So, where are the others at? North wanted to talk to me when I woke up..." Jack said, turning as he walked to take in as much of the Pole as he could. He had a feeling he could go exploring in here for a decade and still not see everything.
Phil started talking again, making sure he had Jack's attention and going slower this time, obviously trying to make himself understood.
"You...think I should go...eat something first?" Jack guessed, and Phil beamed through the copious fur, so Jack guessed he got it right.
He hesitated as Phil urged him to follow. He hardly ever had to eat, since he was, far as he could tell, mostly dead...but the smells coming from the kitchen that the impatient Phil dragged him to like a balloon smelled so much better than anything he could make...fire wasn't his friend, and while he could provide for himself, it didn't mean he could get his hands on the sort of supplies the yeti had.
Phil pushed him – though more gently than usual, almost fondly – towards a smallish table out of the way of the bustle of the kitchen when it looked like Jack would just stand in the doorway and stare.
The kitchen was just as busy as the main workshop, maybe even busier if it were possible. Jack was actually kind of glad to be off to the side, out of the way where even he couldn't mess anything up.
Phil started to walk off before he paused and turned back to Jack. Another series of charades accompanied yeti as he asked Jack what sounded like a question.
He repeated it, patiently enough, a second time before the figurative light bulb went off for Jack. "Uh, yeah, I can eat hot things, I usually just cool them down a little," he said, and Phil nodded before bustling off.
The yeti was back in a few minutes with soup and sandwiches, and Jack laughed. "And here I thought all North ate was cookies," he said, and Phil launched into what sounded like an oft repeated rant.
Jack watched, enjoying the show as he ate. If he wasn't half dead, he'd probably eat himself sick, he was eating so fast, and Phil paused his rant long enough to tell him to slow down. At least, Jack was pretty sure that was what he said.
It was hard to slow down, though. It'd been a long time since he'd eaten anything, and he'd never had anything as good as this soup, but he tried. It was a little odd...he could half taste it, knew it probably was stronger flavored than what he could taste, but it was still better than the few times he'd snitched something or bothered trying to cook.
Despite that the meal was gone in minutes, and he collected the plates, about to go wash them when they were snitched from his hands by an indignant yeti. They relented enough to pat his head with apparently amused appreciation when he looked utterly shocked and confused before bustling off with the dirty dishes.
He rocked back on his heels, suddenly at a loss. North had wanted to talk to him after he woke up, but he had no clue where in this labyrinth of a building North could be.
Jack glanced up at Phil, giving the yeti puppy eyes without meaning too, shifting from foot to foot nervously. Part of him still expected the yeti to hustle him to the door or nearest window any second now, and he wasn't quite sure if he wanted to keep pushing his luck and get to stay for a bit longer, or try and get it over with before he got used to it.
"So..." he said finally, "think you can show me where North is now? He said he wanted to talk to me when I woke up...probably to tell me to keep away from the workshop," he added in an undertone, shaking his head quickly to dispel the thought.
They were friends now, right? Friends were allowed to visit...okay maybe not to get into the areas with all the sensitive stuff but...
Who was he kidding? He was Jack Frost, he made a mess of everything. North wasn't going to be foolish enough to let him anywhere near where they made the toys, or anything else.
A strong, furry hand patted his shoulder, knocking Jack off his feet. He was floating and upright before Phil noticed what had happened, and Jack matched his smile, sure it was meant as reassurance.
At the moment, he'd take what he could get, no matter how fleeting it was.
Phil nodded once, sharply, as if satisfied with whatever he saw, before gesturing for Jack to follow him.
Jack suspected, about five minutes later, that either North had made the Pole into a labyrinth or Phil was deliberately leading him in circles.
He was about to point that out to Phil and find out what was going on when the yeti stormed forward, grunting and waving his arms, dispersing a crowd of yeti and elves. The baby teeth that had been hovering above their heads sought refuge in Jack's hoodie, already knowing he was wrapped around their tiny fingers.
Jack giggled softly as their feathers tickled him, squirming down into the slightly chill depths of his hoodie and hitting skin, still trying for a straight face when Phil glanced back at him, raising a bushy eyebrow. He groaned and made a flapping motion at Jack, and it took a couple of seconds to realize it was meant for the baby teeth.
The few who could still see Phil chirped indignantly, looking up at Jack with huge, pleading eyes. Already weak to them, Jack stroked tiny heads with a featherlight touch, and they snuggled victoriously into his hoodie.
Phil's complaining grumbles sounded amused, but he turned away to knock at the door. "You can't stay long," Jack whispered to the Baby Teeth as Phil opened the door a crack, calling in yeti to the occupants. "I'm too cold, you'll catch a chill or worse," he said to the disappointed eyes and wibbling pouts.
The Baby Teeth accepted that, if a little grudgingly, settling in to enjoy their time before they had to leave.
Phil turned to gesture Jack into the room and Jack flew past him in a rush, a "Thanks Phil see ya later," coming out as one word as he burst into the room, plastering a huge grin across his face.
"Hey North you said you wanted to talk later and I'm all rested now so what'd you want to talk about?" he called, all in one breath.
Conceal, don't let them know how you really feel, not yet. You've already shown them too much. You can't let them know how broken you really are, not yet, not so soon, the mantra ran through Jack's head as he hovered over North's head.
A/N: Guess who totally forgot what today was until an hour later than she posts to Tumblr? Whoops. It's still Monday, so it still counts, even if it is late, right? :)