Jack cocked an eyebrow and decided to stay for a while as he entered the storyteller's house through an opened window.
The wasted man grunted as he sat down on one of the chairs in the living room. He lazily snatched the remote from the coffee table and opened the T.V. He flipped through the channels boringly, trying to find a good show to watch. Jack sat on his usual seat on the couch and watches the man, in his mid-thirties, do his thing.
Creaking floorboards echoed around the place and the winter spirit turned around, seeing Teddy rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Dad?" Sleep still evident in her tired voice. But the man paid no attention into answering his daughter's call.
Teddy, now fully awake, trudges her way in front of the television and shot a glare at her father. "Get out of the way!" Her drunken father exclaimed, trying to shoo his daughter away from the T.V. He was watching a good show, about a man who had stolen the bank money but only burned it so he could get away from the authorities.
"No." Teddy sternly declined. Jack–still being unnoticed by his friend– looked horrified. Saying that he was shocked was an understatement. He never heard the girl speak like that before, much less expects that she can actually talk like that.
"Listen you impudent little brat, either you get out of the way or I'll slap your face." The man threatened, levelling the intensity of his daughter's glare. "No you listen to me. Why do you have to drink all the time? Why can't we just act like a normal family? Why don't you let Mum go and move on?" She threw her father questions, rhetorical ones that made Arthur irritated.
The show only became a background noise, as they won't break from their staring contest. If looks could kill, they would be brutally murdered by now. He unpredictably turned off the T.V. The living room soon engulfed by darkness, the only light coming from their opened window. Moonbeams hit each other's face, showing one's similarities.
Teddy got her hair colour from her father and his demeanour. If her father isn't drunk right now, you could see the calmness ridden on his face, like what Teddy always plastered on hers. That's why Jack easily felt comfortable around her because she was calm. Calmness soothed the immortal teen.
Teddy's father suddenly stood up, making Jack did the same as well. He quietly brought out his staff and prepares to let out frost from his powerful stick if the man decided to lay a finger on Teddy. The boy didn't know why he was suddenly being overprotective but he does not have the time to muse about it right now.
"I love your mother! I don't want to move on and I'm going drink as much as I like!" Her father declared, seemed to act like a selfish child. "No! You're ruining all of this! If Mum is here, do you think she would allow you to continue with your behaviour?" And the question was out. She never noticed that she had spoken it out loud, the trigger. Teddy covered her gaping mouth, not entirely believing that the question easily slipped from her mouth.
Arthur seethed and brought out his hand. Before Jack could freeze it in mid-air, the man already struck a blow on Teddy's face. The impact made her knees wobbled and she collided on the cold hard ground with a thud. Teddy cupped her throbbing reddish cheek, trying to force back her stubborn tears.
Arthur stepped forward and grabbed a handful of the girl's hair, bringing her upwards. "Listen to me you ungrateful puny bitch, I'm the one who's feeding you, giving you shelter and keeping you alive. How dare you oppose me?! I hate it when you bring your mother in our conversation. Shut your trap and go back to bed or do you want another broken arm?"
"Our conversation is all about my mother and your wife! She's the one driving you into this! If you just follow my advice and move on, you're not hurting your daughter right now!" And that's it; Arthur badly wanted to snap her one good arm. Before he could touch her, his arm feel like it's made out of lead and when he looked at it, it was frozen solid, glimmering under the moonlight that's making its way inside the living room.
Seeing her escape, she yanked her hair away, falling on the ground once more. Teddy sacrificed a few strands of hair to get away. "Stay behind me!" Someone shouted and she looked up, seeing bright blue eyes stare back at her with worry. Teddy scrambled up, making her way behind Jack's back.
The winter spirit froze Arthur's legs, all the way up to his knees. Of course, Arthur didn't know that it was all Jack's doing as he tried to break free from the ice's cold hard grip. The white-haired hellion froze his other arm and grabbed Teddy's good elbow and he dragged her upstairs.
The Guardian of Fun locked the bedroom door and Teddy sighed in relief. "I won't let you escape brat!" Someone bellowed from downstairs. Jack felt a shiver down his spine even though he's the spirit of winter. "Thank y–" "No time for that!" He suddenly cut the thanking girl, "Change and do it quickly! Grab a coat and a pair of shoes!" Frost ordered and Teddy suddenly panicked whilst making her way to her closet.
The blue-eyed spirit turned around, giving some privacy to the human girl. He has some decency not to peak at a lady who is currently changing. Jack could hear shuffles behind his back and a few grunts from downstairs. "Done!" The green-eyed girl called and the winter spirit turned around and stared in awe.
He once again thought she was downright cute. Teddy was wearing a new white collar shirt underneath a round neck navy blue sweater sewn with a white star pattern partnered with jeans and a black belt strapped around her waist. The girl still acquired her bed hair but the 17-year-old boy decided not to point it, knowing that it will just get ruined once they took flight.
They could hear angry and heavy footsteps making their way upstairs and Teddy hastily put on a black coat with matching black pumps. She miserably suppressed a yelp when Jack's arm got under her knees and placed on her back, as she was carried bridal style by the immortal teen.
"Hold my staff and if you drop it, I'll kill you." He threatened playfully and they exit through the window. Teddy looked back to see her bedroom doorknob broken and her father's disheveled figure, screaming at the top of his lungs in pure frustration that she had got away.
The winter spirit saw the little scene as well and chuckled merrily. Teddy's grip around his staff tightened as he sped up. They landed on top of a closed building and both teenagers sighed in utter relief. "Thank you so much Jack." Teddy breathed out and tackled the spirit in a crushing hug. Jack winced at first, not used with the affectionate gesture but hugged her back nonetheless. It felt so relieving, her hug.
The pounding of his heart suddenly halt into a stop and return to its normal beating. The speeding beating started when Arthur threatened and struck a blow on Teddy's face. The prankster now starts to loathe the man but he tried to ignore it. Jack wouldn't loathe a man without any particular reason and he does not have one. His heart sped up once more when he felt the malice of Arthur wanting to break his own daughter's arm.
"I don't need any saving. I don't want to be another damsel in distress." She air-quoted the last three words when she broke the hug. Jack suddenly frowned. Teddy confusingly noticed something flicker in his eyes. Disappointment, maybe? Disappointed that she did not want his help?
"I'm sorry." She apologized quickly and hung her head in shame. Maybe her father was right. Maybe she really was an ungrateful puny bitch. "No, no, no. It's fine." Jack reassured and let out a smile. Fake. It was one of Teddy's special abilities. She can easily read someone's emotions and she read Jack's like an open book. She read that Jack was disappointed that she does not need his help. She read that Jack doesn't like being rejected.
The pecan-headed girl let out a distressed sigh and tried to smile for the snowy white haired boy. "I appreciated your help, really," She insisted and emphasized the last word, "I just don't want you to get caught up with my problems. I don't want to be a burden." Teddy let out a small smile but Jack did not smiled back.
"I don't care." The boy whispered but the 16-year-old did not hear what he lowly said. "Huh?" Was the girl's mere reply. "I don't care that I would get caught up with your problems. You're not a damsel in distress. A damsel in distress would not oppose her own father but you did so you're not one. Actually you're more of a brave warrior." It was deep what Jack said and Teddy tackled him in a hug once more. The bringer of fun gladly returned it, without hesitation this time.
"Now," He broke the hug, beaming at her, "Let's go!" "To where?" She asked curiously. Teddy does not want to go back to her house but she knew that Jack wouldn't drag her back there. "It'll be a surprise." Was the only thing the boy replied when he gently took her hand and they suddenly hoisted up into the air. "Wind," Jack called out, "Take us home!" And the wind gladly did so.
Dear reader, whether anonymous or not,
(inserted gasps here) I updated earlier than usual!
I really like this chapter although it's not one of my best because it explained how Teddy is so brave to start an argument with her father. And I sprinkled this chapter with a little bit of angst. For the first time, I wrote an abusive scene that ended well. This is a mild one but there are a lot of harsh ones to come so beware.
The chapter's end is not what I exactly planned out but this is a whole lot better. I was supposed to write Teddy being so terrified that she clung dearly around Jack but where's the fun in that right? And I have another reason why I altered the ending but it's a secret.
And you're all wondering what happened to her mother but everything will be answered in the future.
You're all probably wondering why I updated earlier. It's because of my insomnia. I can't sleep and then I decided to grab my laptop and the next thing I knew I writing this chapter 12:50 in a Wednesday early morning. I guess you thank my insomnia for an early update.
Okay I have a funny story to tell. I was tumblring and looking at various artists who draw RotG fan art. I came across a really good artist and I was scrolling down, looking at her work, when I came across a HiJack sex scene, my eyeballs almost fell out their sockets, not because of the scene, but because my dad is sitting right next to me!
I was chatting with him and he suddenly stopped talking when I stopped scrolling and landed on that image. Not wanting to be accused for being a "13-year-old who's looking at inappropriate images" I scrolled down again, trying to ease the tension and a whole lot of awkwardness. I learned my lesson and moved a great distance from my dad when he stood up to reach his coffee mug.
Now we all have that incidents right? Okay I'm babbling again, I should stop doing this. I need to sleep so goodbye fellas!
"Read and–Hahahahaha! Review." All of the Guardians said while trying to stifle their laughter because of my klutzy incident.
Your ever careless author, Star.
P.S. This story is rated T for a reason.
