It was with mental acuity that Jack woke up.
The low simmer of the fireplace came into view, kept low enough to keep it aflame but not strong enough to overheat him. Yawning, he sits up and the blanket on him fell to his hip. Jack looks around; he was alone.
Yet this time it didn't bring anxiety to the forefront of his mind when he didn't immediately see Pitch.
After they had gotten back to the North Pole, they separated for quick baths, a change of clothes, and met back in the sitting room for milk and cookies. It was a nice way to end the night, with everyone there, talking, laughing; even Bunny and Pitched seemed amicable enough that they could speak to one another without it breaking into a fight.
So can you blame Jack when he, like a child, falls asleep leaning against Pitch's side after an exciting day that ended with sweets?
Jack stretches out, hearing pops in his joints before he gets off the couch. He was stilled dressed in the utterly ridiculous ugly Christmas sweater North had leant to him while his outfit was washed, paired by some loose shorts magicked by Pitch so they can fit without falling to the floor. He grabs his staff on the way out, leaned innocently on the wall.
Jack nods to passing yetis, giving a quick good morning before twisting through them. He hadn't seen Pitch around on his walk, and if anyone would know where he is without Jack needing to fly through the whole workshop, it would be North. And North is only ever in a couple of places here: the globe, or his personal workshop.
However, and just as well, Jack has a pretty good idea about where Pitch might be hiding. His room; a possibility, though he doubts Pitch would retire to his room and leave Jack alone on the couch. He just had this feeling. The library; also plausible, however it didn't seem like Pitch had a penchant for scanning through through more history books which paint him as the villain after last time. The sitting room; of course, he wasn't there now. And finally, the patio.
Jack frosts over passing banisters and toys, pretending like he didn't hear some of the yetis grumble. He could already see Pitch's body through the floor-to-ceiling windows on the double doors, leaning against the rail and looking oddly pensive. The moon was unabashedly out in plain sight and it gave Jack a sense of foreboding; a heavy blanket of tension upon his shoulders.
"Pitch?" Jack called, startling Pitch out of his thoughts. He turns to Jack, surprised.
"Jack," Pitch says, his surprise leaking out. "What are you doing out here?" He asks, taking a look at his outfit, momentarily forgetting that Jack's element was snow. Jack walks out barefooted onto the snowy patio.
"You weren't there when I woke up." And wow, did that sound needy? "So I was wondering where you went." Not that much better. "What're you doing out here?" He asks, careful not to peek at the moon as the uneasy feeling settles in his stomach about seeing it in the sky, with Pitch in plain sight of it, no less. Pitch does, however, look back. Not specifically at the moon, but at the wild expense of snow. But the moon must've been in his line of sight, somehow, even though his face is not tilted up at the moon and it just filled Jack with even more dread.
Does he talk to you?
"I was just.. thinking." Pitch finishes, looking at him and giving a light smile though Jack could see the worry in his gaze.
"'Bout what?" Because Jack was nosy and he couldn't shake off this damn feeling. Pitch looks away this time, going to lean back onto the railing with his hands clasped together in thought, eyes downward to the gorge. Jack steps up next to him, giving a side-glance to the moon.
Can you hear him?
"About what I'm going to do, after." After this settles and Pitch will eventually need to do something. He couldn't just stay around North's workshop and be a freeloader, now could he? Well, he means, not anymore, not since he's woken up and he finally understands what he's doing and has a conscience. Jack wouldn't really mind that though, not sure if North would… Anyway.
Are you really thinking about going back?
Jack's didn't have much trust in his gut instinct, typically, but what else could Pitch be thinking about? The army life is probably all he's known, and yet…
"Why don't you come inside? We can make some breakfast." Deflect; brilliant idea. Pitch doesn't seem like he wants to talk about it and Jack would rather not even think about the possibility. Pitch seems to hesitate, as if weighing the benefits of ignoring this for another day or being a grown-up and facing up to it.
"Yes, that sounds perfect." Pitch says at last, standing up straighter to turn his back on the moon and Jack could've leapt for joy. Except he didn't, but he did privately gloat, giving the moon a look over his shoulder that may or may not have been triumphant as he follows Pitch inside.
Don't go back.
Don't leave me.