It seems that life is jeering at me: the last time I wrote I didn't want to end up publishing on Tuesday, and here I am, on Tuesday. Honestly, since my friend has asked me to delay the updates so many times, I think it's better for you to check my tumblr if I'm late (I always publish a note about this), or simply have patience. However, you can be sure that I'll never give up with this translation, nor with writing the story. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter.
WE DON'T HAVE TO BE ALONE – CHAPTER 7
Hobbling with difficulty in the undergrowth Pitch walked hurriedly towards the portal, rushing into it without any hesitation, but making sure, just before entering, to evoke new tentacles of darkness and wrap Jack in them: he had no idea about what effect that magic passage could do to a traveller, and he had no intention of risking, especially considering his lover's miserable condition.
Bowing his head to shield himself from the intense gusts he ran as fast as he could, trying not be disoriented by the crazy swirl of colours which surrounded him, nor by the wind's very spicy scent, and he wasn't surprised when he found himself in a large hall of wood and stone, heated by a huge fireplace and adorned with Christmas decorations: he had imagined at the outset that Toothiana would have brought him to North's Palace.
Focusing on the thought of his partner in agony, in order not to be overwhelmed neither by the forced visit, nor by the fear the boy might fall into a panic because of it, he looked quickly around to find the corridor which led to Santa Claus' personal workshop, but before he could spot it a deep, booming voice exclaimed: «Pitch! To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you? It's been a long time since you visited my Palace! What are you carrying in your arms? You know I don't want your nasty beasts in my house!».
Turning abruptly towards his cheerful interlocutor the Boogeyman shouted: «This is not one of my Nightmares, fool, it's Jack, and he's injured! I need to medicate him, and I need to do it now!».
The master of the house startled at that revelation, clearly disoriented, but, as soon as the man recalled the coils of shadow to show his bundle, he nodded vigorously and urged him: «Come on, let's get him to the infirmary! Follow me!».
Pitch followed him without questioning, being careful not to overly toss his lover in order to spare him additional and unnecessary pain, and, realizing he was going into a wing normally unused, he sped up his pace, fearing he could take a wrong turn and lose precious time.
After a minute which, albeit fast, seemed to last for hours, the two came to a blind hallway, at the end of which there was a small and featureless door; opening it with a slap Northern hastened to move away from the access, to let his guests in, then he carefully closed it, to prevent the draughts of cold air, which sometimes blew in the corridors, penetrate and disrupt the wounded.
Hindered by the low lintel the Boogeyman had had to bow in order to pass it, advancing cautiously so that Jack's ankles couldn't hit the jamb and dragging his own feet on the floor to avoid stumbling in his robe; only few yards far from there he dared to raise his head and, although it was definitely unusual for him entering an unfamiliar place without first examine it and explore it, he went on, and he reacted in such an unexpected way he astonished even himself.
Normally, in fact, he would have allowed himself at least few seconds to gaze at the scenery, as he had done when he had found Toothiana's bedroom: it would have been entirely sensible, for him, fathoming the room with his eyes, lingering on the walls and the ceiling covered with spruce wood and the impressive stone fireplace on his right, but, in this moment, the only thing he could notice was the little cast iron cauldron next to it, already full of water, but still cold; it would have been a usual move, for him, staying enchanted in front of the shelves filled with dozens and dozens of small jars and feeling the irrepressible impulse to reach them and open them all, but, in this moment, the only thing he gave weight to was the thin layer of powder which covered those necessary to him; it would have been more than understandable, for him, getting lost in the engravings of the huge table's legs, that stood in the centre of the room, moving the irises along the curved lines which it was adorned with and letting himself be captured by the floral ornaments, but, in this moment, the only thing he could pay attention to was that the plan was too smooth and hard to properly accommodate a patient.
«What should this table represent to me? A doctor's? Do not expect me to lay Jack on it: he's worn out enough, I need blankets to keep him comfortable! And what about those jars of healing herbs all covered in dust? You should take care of your pathetic infirmary and replace all the ingredients regularly, not let them rot! How will I manage to help Jack if the leaves will be too dry? And put the cauldron on the fire, I need hot water, not ice lollies!» he snapped, angry and anxious at the same time.
«Actually, using ice to prevent the formation of a bump or something worse wouldn't be a bad idea» exclaimed the fairy, suddenly disappearing from view.
Before Pitch could complain, however, she continued: «Anyway, calm down: North couldn't know that we would have arrive, nor that we would have needed the infirmary, and it'll take only few seconds to prepare everything! Here's the covers, let me settle them on the table, then I'm going to get some clean cloths and bandages. Do not worry about the healing herbs, North regularly checks them and we replaced the useless ones less than a week ago: the powder must be sawdust, am I wrong, North? The last time I came here the table hasn't been carved yet».
«You got it! I finished sculpting yesterday and, well, you know I'm not very good at housework: I cleaned the table and the floor, but I didn't noticed the dusty shelves» answered North, placing the pot on the fire and seizing a mortar.
Trying not to do pay too much attention to their silly chatter the Boogeyman hastened to lay his lover on the plane, now made soft by the wool blankets skilfully draped by Toothiana, then he piled them beneath his head to form a sort of pillow and he made sure it stood still, firmly blocked by the fluffy folds of the fabric.
When she handed a white cloth to him he didn't thank her and sharply grabbed it, quickly shaking it in the air to open it and starting to gently rub it on the boy's cheeks to clean the blood, but, to his utmost disappointment, he noticed that this had already become dense and, rather than adhere to the cotton's texture, it smeared on the skin, making impossible to figure out if the epidermis was cut or just dirty.
«Damn it, the blood is already half coagulated: I need a bit of water to remove it! Hand me a scoopful of it, cold or hot may be!» he snapped.
Without hesitation the fairy jumped up, flying fast as a hummingbird to the hearth and grabbing a bowl along the way, then she dipped it into the cauldron and turned back, deftly avoiding Santa Claus' portly figure who was messing about jars and pestle and landing next to the table; after retrieving the pile of gauzes, which she had hastily abandoned next to Frost's thigh, she rummaged for for a while, choosing two very fluffy and thick cloths, then she soaked them with water and carefully squeezed them, passing the first to the man and keeping the second for herself.
They worked hard side by side, bent on the wounded and accompanied by the mortar's rasping sound, the first trying to staunch the left cheekbone, the second the right one, the hair almost intertwined to the feathers in order to have the best possible view, and Pitch nearly burst into a hysterical laughter in seeing his trembling hand next to the fairy's firm one: what a great irony was that he, the King of Nightmares, shuddered with fear, while the Guardian, which he had so often tormented and regarded as a frivolous and pathetic victim, was able to stay calm. It was terribly wrong that hands so big and strong were fallen prey of tremors, unable to control the spasmodic contractions of the panic which had gripped them, incapable to give comfort and cures, but, although he was trying with all his might, the Boogeyman couldn't appease the chills: he had felt an unspeakable terror when he had known his sweet little snowflake had fallen, he had almost died when they had found him lying in the undergrowth, and now, after all that time spent waiting for a response which had never come, he was starting to be overwhelmed by anxiety.
Fingers thin as roses stems intertwined with their, brighting in their flesh pink against the grey skin which they fondly started to cuddle, and a soft voice whispered: «Look, Pitch: there are no cuts, except for the one on the forehead, nor broken bones. The situation is far less serious than we thought».
Not reassured at all by that awareness Pitch withdrew his hand and countered: «It's a serious cut: it's deep, open, and located on a very delicate point of the skull».
«Jack's head is as hard as a rock, he'll be fine soon» intervened North; then, going around the table to reach them and handing them two bowls, he added: «Here I infused sagebrush and rustyback, to create a disinfectant; here, instead, I mashed leaves and flowers of hypericum along with red oil, to help healing».
Throwing away the dirty rag he had used the Boogeyman grabbed a new one, plunged it in the first solution and gently rubbed it on the wound, passing several times to make sure to remove all the dirt and the moss which had spoilt it and lightly dabbing the flesh to cover it completely with disinfectant, but while he was working he heard the master of the house asking: «How did he get hurt?».
«He fell off the stairs» answered the man.
«Off the stairs? How could he injure himself like this? It seems he took a pretty hard blow!» commented North, incredulous.
«Indeed, he fell off the stairs, not down the stairs: he fell off from the flight to the ground» replied Pitch, frowning in order to concentrate better.
«But, since he fell from the flight, why didn't he use his staff to call the wind and glide towards the ground?» insisted Santa Claus.
Irritated by the questions quick and, as if on purpose, well focused, the Boogeyman lied: «He didn't use the staff because he didn't have it with him».
«And why didn't he have the staff with him? Where had he left it?» asked again the other.
«He had left it to me, because he didn't need it» said the man with his teeth clenched.
«What do you mean with "he didn't nee..."».
«I don't know!» boomed Pitch.
Both the Guardians jumped back in fright, clearly amazed by his angry reaction, but the Boogeyman wasn't relieved by this: he felt himself trapped in that stuffy little room, so small, so low, so crammed with objects of any kind and no way out, except for the access door, and he clearly perceived his mind yielding and breaking up because of that situation. He couldn't stand staying in there, he would have never wanted to bring there Jack and he was sure the boy would have never wanted to get in there, too frightened by the idea that others might find the ongoing pregnancy, but he couldn't have done otherwise and he had adapted himself; at that point, however, he was certain he had endured far too much, and had no intention to let anybody push him on a barrel with curious, pressing questions: he had promised his little snowflake that he would have protected him, and so he was going to do.
«I don't know and I don't care» he continued, trying to be as trenchant as possible; «The only thing I care about is doing everything possible to make sure that Jack is fine and will recover, and if, in order to do it, it will be necessary to choke you I will not hesitate for a single moment! Your series of silly questions is useless and slanted, and I'm not going to tolerate it: it's distracting me, and this is the last thing I need right now».
Despite the harsh rebuke North didn't counter, nor gave sign he had got offended, and, after nodding, he turned away to retrieve a small spoon and clean bandages; once he had placed the objects on the table and realizing that he couldn't participate in the medication he suggested: «While you medicate the cut I could check out the rest: you said that Jack fell off from the stairs to the ground, he surely got other wounds».
«No!» cried the man, his voice almost cracked by panic at the thought that, while checking, the other couldn't notice Jack's belly.
«Pitch, are you okay?» asked Santa Claus, perplexed; «I am just trying to give a hand and speed the medication, we cannot all work on that cut, why don't you want me to check elsewhere?».
Become suddenly aware of the serious mistake he had done Pitch tergiversated: «No, you don't need to check: I've already looked at him before we came here and he's fine. Don't waste time elsewhere, I need you here: put one hand under Jack's nape and lift it gently, so I'll manage to bandage his head».
Convinced by the justification botched at the last the master of the house did what he had been asked, gently slipping his right hand under the boy's nape to lift it up and softly pushing the left on the top of his head, to prevent him from reclining it; the Boogeyman, instead, took a tablespoon full of hypericum's mixture and smeared it on the wound and, then, after allowing Toothiana to cover it with two thin gauze, he started to bandage it, using up his strength sparingly in order to make sure that this wasn't neither too tight nor too loose.
In that network of fingers, wrists and medicaments, which intertwined to each other to they point they almost got stuck, something moved and a faint groan emerged, reaching with difficulty the presents' ears.
«Jack!» exclaimed the three improvised nurses in unison.
«Ah... don't shout... my head...» muttered Frost in a faint voice.
«Forgive us, Jack» intervened the fairy; «We didn't mean to disturb you: we were just greatly worried about you. Don't strain yourself, okay? We don't want you to feel sick again. Stay relaxed and keep your eyes closed: we've almost finished your medication, then we'll let you rest».
Refraining himself from blowing all up to take his love in his arms, cuddle him and ask him how he felt, the man hastened to conclude his work, carefully wrapping the bandage around his forehead and securing it with a metal hook, then he made him lay again and, bending over him, he asked: «Can you hear me, Jack? Can you see me? How do you feel?».
The boy blinked few times, uttering a faint cry, then he answered: «Yes, now I can see you. Where are we? I don't remember this place».
«We are in North's infirmary» explained Pitch, stroking his cheek to reassure him; «When we found you you were unconscious and your face was completely covered in blood: we had no time to retrieve everything we needed to take care of you, so we came here. If you need anything, just ask, okay, Jack? Everything for you. And don't worry, we'll go away soon: I know that, at the beginning of winter, you suffer from the heat».
The boy, who had widened his eyes and started to gasp when he had realized where he was, seemed almost not to hear the reasons of this unexpected transfer and was about to open his mouth, but at the last sentence he nodded vigorously, catching immediately the truth behind the lie and showing to be ready to use it in order to get away as soon as possible.
Maybe realizing Jack's anxiety, or maybe just by chance, Toothiana came up to them and said: «Now I and North will leave alone for a while, okay? We have to wash cloths, clean the bowls and do other things. If you need help just call us: we will not be far away».
After cuffing the patient about the cheek the woman picked up all the cloths and bowls they had used, precariously stacked them and then walked away, calling North to ask for some information; this, in turn, immediately lent a hand, relieving her load and answering every question, then, waving his hand, he led her into the hall, closing the door carefully and disappearing from view.
«Did they go away? I can't hear well wrapped in these blankets, and turning my head to the right hurt» asked the boy.
«Yes, sweetie, they went away: you can relax now. Is turning your head in this way which hurts you? So don't strain yourself, let me move».
After settling better the blankets under his nape the Boogeyman walked around the table, so as to be at his partner's left side and spare him the pain to turn his head on the hurting area, then he began to stroke his hair and commented: «You're so stubborn, Jack: if only you had allowed me to accompany you I would have supported you, and you would have never slipped on the steps».
«I didn't slip» admitted Frost with a guilty look; «I was flying, but my staff betrayed me: as I was following the flight of stairs it suddenly lit up, it summoned a current which made me crash into the steps and then everything went black».
Upset by that statement the man replied: «Were you flying? Are you crazy? You've been complaining so much about your staff playing up and you didn't find anything better to do but using it? I thought it was pretty clear that the child is interfering with your powers: you should have never tried to employ them!».
Pushing his hands on his mouth to hold back a scream the boy gasped, clearly struck by a sudden realization, then, with tears in his eyes, he exclaimed: «The child! Oh, Pitch, damn it, the child! I fainted before falling, I don't know how I landed, or if I bumped against something, what if I took a blow to the stomach? What if they got hurt? What if they died? What should I do now? Damn it!».
«Jack, Jack, do not panic, stop: do not panic, my sweetie, you're wounded and you're only risking to harm yourself more. Breathe slow, baby, slow, as I'm doing: do you feel my heart? It's calm, and even yours should be: breathe slow» intervened with a sweet tone Pitch, bringing the other's palm to his heart to make him feel his beat.
Initially Jack stirred, clinging so desperately to his rescuer's garment he threatened to tear it up and sink into the flesh below, but soon he was persuaded and, reassured by his serene gaze and his pampering, he calmed down, relaxing the contracted muscles and half closing the eyes.
Pleased with the positive reaction the Boogeyman rewarded him with delicate kisses on his fingers and wrist, then he went down to massage his chest and help him regulate his breath, and he took the opportunity to reflect: why had the boy seemed so worried about the child? Since he had discovered he was pregnant he had been upset by the awareness of having another being growing inside himself and, although he had never explicitly said he wanted to kill the creature, he had clearly disclosed he wanted to get rid of them: why, then, had he showed so much concern for their fate? Maybe he had begun to develop a maternal instinct towards them? Maybe he had started to care about them? Maybe he had never really wanted to hurt them? The man couldn't give a definite answer to those questions, but one thing he was certain about: if Frost was afraid he had the duty to reassure him in the best way possible, even without fully understanding the reasons of his distress. Checking costed nothing and, moreover, it was better making sure everything was alright: if the boy had suffered an internal injury or he was carrying in his belly a child now dead he would have not been able to survive for long.
«Good boy, you've been very good at returning calm: do you feel better now? Don't be anxious about the child: I just need to lift up your hoodie to check if there's something wrong. May I? Will you allow me?» asked Pitch, using all the kindness which belonged to him to talk about that delicate topic.
Jack hugged tightly his own chest, glancing at the door and whispering hesitantly: «And what if in the meantime someone come in?».
Addressing him a smile the Boogeyman patted his head and assured him: «No, Jack, don't worry: I haven't seen Yetis in this Palace's wing, nor Elves, and I think North and Toothiana will take a while to get back here. However, if they return earlier than expected, we will certainly have no difficulties hearing them: among his heavy footsteps, her wing's flutter and their constant chatter we would realize they're arriving many hours beforehand».
The boy laughed at the joke, finally revealing, albeit only for few seconds, the cheerful and playful soul which had always characterized him, then he moved his hands beside his own face, to expose his chest, and he whispered: «Okay, Pitch: I trust you. You can check my belly, but I want to see it, too».
«Of course, sweetie: cling to me» immediately indulged him the man.
Passing the right arm around his partner's shoulders he helped him to straighten his back, making sure to sit him up slowly, in order not to cause him dizziness, then he grabbed his hoodie's hem, lifting it together with the shirt and rolling it almost to the collarbones.
Observing his abdomen he heaved a sigh of relief: the small protuberance which interrupted it was still present, but it hadn't swollen up, nor moved, and the skin perfectly candid didn't show bruises or scratches.
«How is it?» demanded Frost, trying to tilt his head in order to see better; «Is it all right? It seems to me that it's the same as before».
Pitch dared to close the cupped hand on his belly, moving It slowly to stroke it, then he answered: «Yes, Jack, it's exactly the same as before, intact and as white as snow. Does it hurt you, by any chance? Do you feel twinges if I press a little?».
The boy curled his feet when he felt the touch, letting out a small groan of disappointment, then thought for a while and replied: «No, no pain: it's just a bit annoying, but it's always been like this, since it appeared».
«So it means that everything is alright: the child is fine, you don't have to worry» concluded the Boogeyman.
Eager to reward him for his calm and, at the same time, brave demeanor, he pulled down the hood with his nose and reached the little special spot under his ear, but, as soon as he placed a soft kiss on it, he clearly felt his muscles contracting under his lips and start to tremble.
Puzzled he raised his head and what he saw froze the blood in his veins: the door was wide open and on the threshold had appeared Bunnymund, his legs bent and his ears lowered in order not to hit the lintel and a look of pure astonishment on his muzzle.
They all stood still for several seconds, staring at each other, clearly too surprised to react, then the Pooka asked: «Ehm, did I...?».
Before he could complete the question, however, Jack let out a sobbing whine, scraping the blankets and trying to move away as far as possible from the new visitor; taken aback by that gesture and overwhelmed by the waves of fear emanating from his mind the man perceived him slipping away from his arms, and he felt a pang in his heart when he heard him tumbling sprawled on the floor: he had to do something to calm him and block him, or the panic would have induced him to harm himself again.
Using a soft and gentle voice he tried to tranquilise him with sweet words, urging him to sit there with him to talk and decide what to do together and hugging him to prevent him from escaping, but the boy had lost his reason: kicking and scratching he did everything to reject him, and, not succeeding in, he shouted: «I trusted you, I trusted you! You said nobody would have come in and I trusted you! You have betrayed me from the beginning, you brought me here on purpose, you wanted everyone to know! I hate you! Leave me, leave me!».
Ignoring the insults Pitch tightened his grip, forcing him to his knees and trying to block his head, fearing he could accidentally head butt the cupboard or the table's leg, but in doing so he passed his hand in front of his face, and Frost didn't hesitate to bite it.
Taken by surprise the Boogeyman cried out in pain, feeling those sharp, little teeth sinking ruthlessly into the sensitive junction between wrist and palm and the joint warping and creaking as it was being crushed, and he instinctively stretched his forearm to escape their reach. The boy, however, didn't loosen his grip, remaining firmly attached to the limb and allowing himself to be throw forward, and only when he fell to the ground he opened his mouth, leaving his victim and taking advantage of the momentum to slip away.
Ignoring the pangs caused by the bite the man lunged after him, moving above him to seize him with his body, but Jack preceded him, elbowing him on the sternum and giving him a kick dangerously close to the groin; grunting the offended collapsed on himself, allowing the other to gain ground, but, as soon as she saw him firmly dragging himself toward the flames he panicked and grabbed him by the ankle.
«Jack, no, stop, do not go towards the fire! I know you want to escape through the chimney, but you can't! You're weak, you're wounded, you don't even have your staff, you would never be able to go beyond the flames, and even if you managed to you'd die from suffocation! Please, think, Jack, listen to me!» he exhorted him, trying desperately to make him come to his senses.
In this chaos of kicks, strokes, scratches, hugs, insults and pleas he heard rushed footsteps and, turning towards the entrance, he saw the Big Four as a whole, piled on each other and intent to stare at them with their eyes wide opened.
Put through the mill Pitch decided to set his pride aside and, albeit with his eyes lowered, he cried: «Sandman, help me! Jack doesn't listen to me, you have to make him fall asleep or he'll harm himself!».
Hearing the call Sandman didn't hesitate a moment and, moving his hands, he summoned a globe of golden sand, which he promptly threw towards the designated victim; in his confused shaking, however, the boy managed to dodge it, being struck only glancingly and simply becoming drowsy, but not unconscious; taking advantage of his weariness the Boogeyman caught up with him and took him in his arms, immediately checking his face to make sure he didn't got hurt, then he left home to the Bringer of Dreams, allowing him to put his hands on his bandaged forehead and definitely plunge him into a deep sleep.
Heaving a sobbing sigh of relief the man let himself go, his chest shaken by the gasps of fear and fatigue, and he began to gently rock Frost, hiding his face against his neck in a childish attempt to stay close to him; before he could put himself together, however, Bunnymund demanded: «May I ask why Jack went mad like that!?».
Gritting his teeth in anger Pitch turned sharply and yelled: «It's all your fault! Learn how to knock, idiot, you're nothing but a beast!».
Offended the Pooka retorted: «Said the King of the Fairies, huh? My paws are too soft, they are not suitable to knock, and anyway I don't understand why I should have done it! Jack is my friend, I don't need to ask for a permission to see him».
«I've never heard in my life an excuse more pathetic than this! "My paws are too soft"... next time use the head to knock, that's pretty hard to beat on the wood, and also empty enough to resonate!».
«Never as hard as yours!» snapped the Easter Bunny, slamming the foot on the ground; «Anyway, you have not answered my question: why Jack fell into a panic when he saw me? What happened? I just caught him with his shirt lifted up, but obviously it's not the first time I see him bare-chested: his reaction makes no sense!».
Growling the Boogeyman leaned over mate, sheltering him from prying eyes and starting to drag him on the floor, but he heard Toothiana explaining: «The problem was not his chest, Bunnymund, but...».
«Not more words!» he yelled, feeling his head throbbing with pain for the strength he had shouted with; he waited few seconds, in order to let the uncomfortable sensation fade, then he narrowed his eyes and continued: «Not more words, fairy: open your mouth again and I swear that I'll slip into it my shadows to suffocate you».
Not intimidated at all by the violent threat the fairy replied: «You'll solve nothing by threatening, Pitch, even if you killed all of us you'd not eliminate the main problem! You cannot hide the truth forever, sooner or later it would come to light, and that time has already arrived: talk to us, Pitch, let us help you».
«I don't need your pathetic help! I've always been alone, I never asked for a hand to anyone and I'm not going to do it now! Jack was fine as long as he was with me and he started to get anxious only when he saw you: if you hadn't got there none of this would have happened. He would have never wanted to come here, so now get out of my way: I'll bring him home» snapped the man, picking his love up in his arms and standing up.
«No» exclaimed the fairy, flying towards him to stop him; «Pitch, don't do anything crazy! Jack is not in the condition to go back to your lair: he's injured, exhausted, upset, he has been suffering for weeks, you can't hope he will recover only by sleeping. He needs medicines and treatments, how are you going to help him if he feels sick again? Think about him, I beg you: what he's asking for it's not what he needs. I know the idea of revealing his conditions upsets him, but you must not indulge his fears to keep him quiet: sooner or later he would have to pay the consequences».
Pitch turned abruptly toward his interlocutor, ready to yell venomous words at her and even to push her aside by force in order to get away, but her pleading and genuinely concerned look made him hesitate, and he was enough for him to lower his irises to understand that what she had said, albeit painful to admit, was true. His sweet snowflake was completely worn out, his skin pale and drawn, his eyes red and sunken, his breath panting and his muscles constantly shaken by tremors: it broke his heart just looking at him. Probably, if he had brought him in his lair, he would have been able to tide him over for few weeks, maybe even for few months, spoiling him with cuddles and attentions, making him sleep most of the time and picking up some healing herbs from the forest above, to prepare the strictly necessary medicines, but, although he adored taking care of him, he knew perfectly well that this was not a workable plan: Jack would have withered each day a little more, consumed by immobility and by the creature growing in his belly, and he could have done nothing to avoid it. He couldn't assist him and look for information about how to free him from the child at the same time, not alone, and not without having access to well-stocked libraries: he needed someone who could take a turn at his bedside and who could make ancient tomes available to him, and the Guardians were the only ones who corresponded to this description. Obviously Toothiana would have been more than enough to achieve this task, and in fact, at first, the man had turned only and exclusively to her, but now the others had seen too much to be kept in the dark about the situation: with his conniption Frost had blown up everything, drawing the attention on himself even before verifying if, indeed, they had been discovered, and the Boogeyman had neither the time, nor the energy to stifle their spontaneous curiosity and keep them out of it.
Trying not to show the immense pain he felt he tried to take a neutral expression, and, gently caressing his lover, he whispered: «Jack needs to rest in a comfortable and quiet place: our quarrel upset him, even if he didn't wake up, and I don't want this to happen again».
«Sure» immediately contented him the fairy; «You can bring him in your room: I and North had gone there precisely to prepare it for you to rest. Follow me: I'll show you the way».
Hugging better his little bundle in his arms Pitch followed the thoughtful interlocutor, keeping his eyes on her tails to avoid the presents', and he didn't raise his head, not even when he passed them; without talking he heeled her along the maze of corridors, not complaining about the length of the path, nor ever asking how far their destination was, and when he finally saw her entering a door he did the same, coming into a warm room. It took him only few seconds to recognize the bedroom where, months ago, he had been hosted during his convalescence, but he didn't even glance at it: he had other things to do at the moment than digging up past recollection and get lost in bittersweet memories, and he was too psychologically worn out to deal with other emotions.
Advancing on tiptoe he reached the bed, rested Jack there and, after settling him in a comfortable position, he took off his robe and draped it on his body like a blanket; he could have simply used the sheets, of course, but these would have surely got dirty with the soil and the moss still stuck in blue hoodie's folds, and, above all, they would have had a smell as nice as insignificant: in this moment the boy desperately needed to be reassured in every way, and the man, well aware of the remarkable calming effect that his scent had on the other, was willing to take advantage of every ace up his sleeves in order to see him turn serene again.
While he lingered to comb with his fingers the silvery strands perpetually ruffled a little hand rested on his shoulder, squeezing it gently, and a gentle voice whispered: «Come, Pitch: let's talk in another room. Don't worry about Jack: Phil will be here to watch over him, while another Yeti will bring some ice, in order not to let the wound swell up and run to us in case of need».
Only partially reassured by the presence of the two hairy giants Pitch felt the strong temptation to leave one of his servants to guard Frost, but in the end he refrained himself: Voluptas would have been perfect to accomplish that task, but it was far too massive for that room, while any other small Nightmare would have just ended up to mess up everything.
Being content with the two Yeti he stood up, deftly recreated his robe and nodded, as if to show he was ready, then he followed the Guardians in the hallway, paying attention to the path in order to remember it; just when he was about to blurt out and halt the small group to make it turn and choose a more accessible place, however, North stopped, fumbled for few seconds with a decorated door's lock and then opened it, inviting everybody to enter.
Too agitated and worried to able to notice the stained glass windows, the carved columns, the inlaid table and any detail in this beautiful and bright living room, the Boogeyman sped up his pace, reaching a chair, but he didn't sit and began, instead, to impatiently stamp his foot.
After he had carefully closed the door and sat at the head of the table North asked: «Well, now that Jack is safe and we are all quiet, may I know what's going on? I got a fright when I saw you two fight in front of the fireplace!».
«Jack is expecting a child» sharply answered the man, looking elsewhere.
As he expected the audience reacted with astonished exclamations, expressions of disbelief and puzzled comments, and he didn't intervene, allowing each one to express themselves without interrupting or countering; when the chatter faded, however, he stated: «Although it may seem absurd I told you the truth: Jack is expecting a child».
«But it makes no sense, Jack cannot conceive, he's a male!» snapped Bunnymund.
«No, really, you don't say?» scoffed Pitch; «In all these months I haven't realize he was a male!».
Hearing him teasing him the Pooka threateningly pricked up his ears, but Santa Claus stopped him and pointed out: «Pitch, Bunnymund's observation is sensible: Jack is a male, he cannot conceive. How can he expect a baby?».
Rolling his eyes the Boogeyman explained: «He told me he had a dream about it, but very confused and rambling, to the point that I can't even be sure if it really played a role in this matter, so, basically, I don't know how he could get pregnant».
«Probably solely and exclusively because of you» commented the Easter Bunny.
«Oh, yes, sure, I always wanted to play with Jack's body to the point to deform it and then gain a screaming, little child to deal with, really, I don't know how I managed to refrain myself until now, considering how much I craved to find myself in this situation!» cried the man, gesticulating to give more emphasis to his speech.
«I doubt you like the baby's part, but you surely like to play with Jack's body: If only you had kept it in your pants you would have never found yourself in this situation!» replied Bunnymund.
A red veil fell over Pitch's eyes and a piercing buzz filled his ears, impeding him both to see and to hear the presents' reactions: he would have never expected such an affront from the Guardian. Blinded by anger to the point he was barely able to move he whispered: «Don't you dare...».
«But I dare, look at the conditions you have reduced him to! Since he joined you Jack has always suffered!» stubbornly countered the Pooka.
«Don't you dare!» boomed the Boogeyman, slamming a fist on the table with such energy he cracked it and spread dark tentacles and black sand all over it; «I know better than you his miserable conditions! Do you think I enjoy it? That I see Jack as an extravagant pet? That I consider him a toy in my hands, to be used as long as I feel like and left forgotten in a corner for the rest of the time? You're pathetic! Pathetic and envious! Being alone eats you, am I wrong? The company of your ridiculous eggs is not enough to fill your warren with joy, right? You're missing a mate, you're missing someone to take care of and taking care of you, you suffer when, in the evening, you go to sleep and you curl up on yourself in order to try to fill the emptiness inside you, it is not so? Is it not so!? You have nothing of this, nothing, and you'll never have, but I, that I finally won, I am not going to throw it away! I would do anything for Jack, I would sell my soul, I would cede my powers, I would give my life just in order to make him feel good, and if I knew that my presence hurts him I would not hesitate a moment to disappear forever from his sight!».
«Pitch, try to...» started Toothiana with a gentle tone.
«"Try to" what?» shouted the man, now definitely out of himself; «"Try not to pay attention to the stupid things we're saying", perhaps? You are pathetic, and I will not tolerate this conversation a second longer!».
Too angry even to think he turned, letting the magic sand flow freely along his limbs in sinuous tentacles, then he hurled it against the door, unhinging him and immediately leaping into the hallway to return to his love.
As soon as Pitch came out of the dining room Toothiana, who had gave up stopping him, turned towards Bunnymund, and the other Guardians did the same; feeling under scrutiny the bunny blurted out: «Do not look at me that way, I just expressed aloud what we all think».
«Speak for yourself!» retorted North, while Sandman shook his head sadly.
Taken aback the Pooka lowered his ear, but then he insisted: «Well, it doesn't matter whether you think it or not, because it's the truth anyway! If only he had hold himself back nothing would have happened».
«But you cannot absolutely know this!» exclaimed the fairy.
«For that matter you can't, too!» remarked the Easter Bunny.
«It's true, I cannot be certain, but I have an idea about it» replied the woman; she waited few seconds, to make sure he had the attention of all the presents, then she continued: «I talked with Pitch for long, and enough with Jack, and I think I understood what really happened. I'm fairly sure that the dream is the key, and I'm absolutely certain that Jack is lying about it: he said hastily that he had confused visions and that he remembers little or nothing about them, but he didn't manage to look at me in the eyes as he talked, and, behind his aggressive attitude, he seemed really upset. This conception cannot be happened by chance: you need considerable powers and abilities to make a male abdomen suitable to grow a child, and I see no reason to strive so much if not to achieve a goal. Whoever intervened to prepare Jack wanted him to get pregnant and wants the child to be born and even if Pitch had made a vow of eternal chastity he would have not managed to spare him this destiny».
«Are you insinuating that someone else is involved? But who could be? And then, at this point, the child would be his, right?» asked Santa Claus.
«No, no, I'm sure that Pitch is the father» stated Toothiana.
She allowed herself a moment to think back to what the man had told her about the intercourse they had had in early October and to rework some of the thoughts she had elaborated in the meantime, but eventually she shook her head and said: «I will not explain now what makes me think this: some details are private and I'm not going to disclose them, while others are the result of some reasonings I did, but I'd rather make sure of few supposition before talking about them. Now, I need to act alone, so, no offence, but I don't want you to stand in my way: decide by yourself if you want to wait here, move to another room or even leave the Palace, the important thing is that you don't show up and stay away from Jack's room, understood? Especially you, Bunnymund! Sandy, from you I'd need a different favour: may you follow Pitch? I'll make him go into my realm to retrieve Jack's staff, and I fear that I will need your help when he comes back».
Ignoring Bunnymund's snorts and complaints she looked at the two other Guardians, waiting for an answer, and when she saw them nodding she concluded: «Well, thank you. Have a little patience: soon we will solve this situation. Now I'll go into Jack's room: I'll see you later».
Without further ado she soared, flying over the table and reaching the unhinged door, then, after glancing at the deep cracks and dents which Pitch had imprinted in the wood, she preened her feathers and rushed; she travelled fast through Palace's maze of corridors, deftly dodging the furniture and the walking Yetis, therefore, found the room she'd been looking for, she landed silently and went inside.
As expected the two hairy giants she had left to guard the wounded were gone and the only creatures present were the boy, lying on the bed and still asleep, and Pitch, sitting at his side, intent to observe him and hold a rag full of ice on his forehead, his body completely enveloped by dark tentacles in eternal motion.
Advancing cautiously beside him she entered his field of view, then she stared into his eyes, which had become almost completely black, and called: «Pitch?».
«What do you want from me?» he flatly asked.
Toothiana took a deep breath, then, trying to be as gentle as she could, she said: «You're completely wrapped in shadows and black sand, Pitch, and from your robe's edges are starting to rise creatures that I've never seen before: I'm sure that you don't want to hurt Jack, but if you don't control yourself it'll happen soon».
Struck by that revelation the Boogeyman jumped back, withdrawing his hand and holding his arms close to the torso to hold back the magic sand, then, staring at his love, he whispered: «Don't be silly, I would never hurt him».
«Pitch, I'm not doubting your will, but your self-control» insisted the fairy; «You're full of rage right now, and you're well aware of it, so why should you risk? I fully understand the reasons of your anger and find more than normal that you cannot calm down in few seconds: you need time to calm down and process everything. Why don't you go out for a while? Look at Jack, he's already beginning to stir in his sleep, if you stayed here overthinking soon he'd have nightmares, and you don't want this to happen, right? What about going in my realm to retrieve his staff? It's a journey neither long, nor short, ideal for you to relax without getting too far away from him, and then you'd kill two birds with one stone: you'd vent and bring back to him something he needs».
«But I don't want to leave him alone» countered the man, his eyes already full of concern.
«But he won't be alone, Pitch» promptly reassured him the woman; «I'll be here to take care of him: I promise you that I'll do anything necessary to make him feel good. Don't worry, the others are gone away and I'll not let anyone in, and, if it makes you feel more comfortable, you can leave here Voluptas: I've seen that she's very thoughtful, I'm sure she will help me. Do not fear, Pitch: Jack is sleeping, he won't even notice your absence and, when he awakes, he'll be happy to see you brought back his staff».
Pitch hesitated for a moment, clearly frightened by the idea of abandoning the other without warning him and when he was in need, but in the end he stood up and, after hastily summoning Voluptas, he strided toward the door, murmuring: «I'll be back in no time».
«Take all the time you need, Pitch» replied Toothiana.
Keeping her ears open she followed Boogeyman's movements, listening to his light footsteps reaching the end of the corridor, then to the neighs, emitted by the Pureblood he would have surely ridden, echoing in the main hall, and when she heard no more sounds she dejectedly sighed and got ready to awaken Frost.
I received two fanarts for this chapter, you can find them both on my tumblr and on AO3!
As always feel free to leave me a comment, if you want to: I appreciate them a lot. Well, well, I already translated chapter 9 and I'm about to start chapter 10, so what about publishing on Friday, and this time for real? Yes. Yes, I'll publish it on Friday. My friend told me she will end the chapter in time, and I hope she'll manage to. See you soon, and have a nice evening. Or afternoon. Or morning. Or whatever.