In which
Winter Meets the Gang
"Jack, I'm not so sure about this." Winter hangs back from the welcoming door to North's workshop.
"Nonsense." Jack waves off her objections. "You knew this had to come some day." He looks delighted at her discomfort.
"But- Jack-" Winter struggles as he hooks her waist with the hook of his staff. "Jack!" She shrieks as he drags her forward. "Jack, no!" her sneakers scrabble against the icy ground, unable to get any traction, probably due to the fact that Jack is freezing the ground under her feet. Winter simultaneously tries to pull back from him and melt the ground under her, but she was never as strong as him and he manages to pull her inside and shut the door behind them.
"No- stop-" Winter is struggling quietly now, painfully aware of the people on the other side of the door. Jack gives her a huge, wicked grin before pulling open the door and unhooking her. Winter stands there under the gazes of four beings like a deer under headlights.
"Presenting, my partner, Winnnnteerrr!" Jack adopts the persona of an announcer, using his staff as a pretend microphone. Tooth, is, of course, the first to dart forward.
"Hi, I'm Tooth. Open please?" Winter, taken aback by the overwhelming personality of Tooth, steps back and keeps her mouth firmly closed.
"Tooth," Jack says repremendingly.
"Sorry," Tooth looks embarrassed, pressing her legs together and looking down. "I just wanted to make sure she's been flossing!" She looks pleadingly at Jack. Rolling his eyes, Jack introduces the group.
"You've met North and Bunny, of course." Winter gives a little wave to the pair.
"And here's Sandy!" Sandy shakes hands with Winter, creating a little hat out of shimmering sand to take off to her. The girl can't help but smile. Over his head, the small man produces an image of Jack's staff, then a question mark.
"Oh-" says Winter, correctly interpreting the question "- I don't need one. I've tried using one, but I prefer my hands and feet." She taps the toe of her purple shoes on the floor, and frost curls out from the point of contact.
"Oooh, pretty!" Tooth zips over to study the already fading pattern. Winter smiles at the mini fairies that fly around her face, studying her.
"Your teeth are just as white as Jack's!" Tooth squeals. The fairies flutter in front of her face, studying the inside of her mouth. A faint blush tints the girl's fair face as she closes her mouth and shoos off the fairies. They disperse, only to fly over to Jack, who receives them more favorably, glowing under the attention. One remains behind, fluttering by Winter's neck. She giggles, jerking away from the delicate feathers.
"Oh, stop, I'm terribly ticklish." Jack immediately turns his attention to his friend, jumping in front of her.
"Ticklish, you say?" He says, studying his staff nonchalantly. "How... interesting."
"No-" Winter steps away from the cold boy, holding her hands up to fend the spirit off. "Don't you dare, Jack-"
"Dare what? I'm afraid I don't understand, dear friend." Jack tilts his head, feigning innocence.
"Oh, you-" Winter continues moving away from him, stopping only when she bumps into Tooth. Turning, she apologizes awkwardly. The moment her attention shifts, even if it's only for a second, Jack seizes the opportunity, darting forward with fingers outstretched. As his staff clatters to the ground, his fingers worm their way into Winter's side.
"Jack!" The pair falls over, unbalanced by the weight of Jack. Winter shrieks with involuntary laughter, protesting as best she could "Stop- stop it-Jack!" She shouts between giggles. "Get off me!" Jack is laughing too, right up until Tooth drags him off of Winter. His toes wiggle, managing to tickle her still, until Winter pulls herself upright. She approaches the boy with fingers outstretched menacingly, as he tugs and attempts to extricate himself from the tight grip of the fluttering female behind him.
Winter retaliates, tickling Jack until he begs for mercy, while North chuckles and Sandy silently cheers her on. Jack clambers up, kicking his staff up to his hand, still chuckling.
"Why did you take her side?" He accuses his fellow guardians, but can't keep the smile off his face.
So, Winter's first meeting with the guardians was concluded with hot chocolate by the fire, although the wintery pair cooled their coco and sat back from the fire.
"So, Winter," Asks Tooth, who is settled down on the hearth, her beautifully feathered legs tucked under her, "Where's your favorite place, in the world I mean, that you've visited so far?"
"I like bringing snow to the ski slopes, especially in Colorado, because the mountains there are so beautiful. Everyone gets so excited! It's gratifying to see your work appreciated."
"I like Quebec. They have a whole festival about winter!" Jack interjects.
"One would think I would be the one who liked that." Winter responds thoughtfully. Everyone chortles. Just then, a fairy zips over to Winter, landing on the finger offered. Winter giggles as she holds the beautifully feathered creature up to her eyes, to better study the small thing. The tooth fairy chirrups under the attention, bashfully hiding her face under a wing. Admiring the way the firelight glints of the rainbow of feathers, Winter answers Tooth's inquiry about Christmas.
"Jack and I would love to come!" Winter replies, breaking her stare at the miniscule fairy to smile at the shimmering fairy.
After hot (or cold) chocolate, the group said goodbye.
"We're seeing you for Christmas, no?" confirms North after a tight hug.
"Of course," agrees Jack.
The gang disperses, with Winter and Jack soaring away over the tundra.
Sorry it's late... I was all done when I realized that I had only written half a chapter .
