Summer of Frost
Chapter 10: The Gift of Friendship
Jamie had yanked out his latest loose tooth that day. He was holding it like a trophy, grinning through gaps in his teeth. The first tooth he lost had mostly grown back, and a second one was half in along with a third. Jamie had been suffering so much with the pain the fourth tooth had given him that Jack had actually used snow to numb the gum while Jamie ripped it out. The other kids had turned away as he did this, but Jamie looked relieved the second he got the tooth out.
"Now maybe I can actually eat now..." He murmured, staring at the tooth.
"Was it that bad?" Jack asked.
"You said your teeth were in that box." Jamie said. "Does that mean you lost teeth too? Were you a child like me?"
"I was." Jack stated. "With a sister, and a family..." He trailed off.
"Do you remember losing teeth?"
"A little."
"Will it get worse?"
"I do remember chewing on leather to get my molars out." Jack stated.
"Leather?" Jamie made a disgusted face.
"Well, that's what we had when I was your age. Leather and fur. That's what we wore."
"You're ancient."
Jack laughed. "I'm around three hundred years old."
"You're really ancient..."
"Old Fart, right?"
Jamie laughed.
With a grin, Jack messed up the boy's hair, making Jamie smile toothlessly again. "Guess the Tooth Fairy is coming tonight, huh?"
Jamie nodded. "Guess so. Guess that means you know each other?"
Jack felt his cheeks grow cold for a moment. "Yes. We're friends."
A knowing smile crossed Jamie's face. Jack felt himself go pale when he realized what Jamie was referencing.
"You like her, don't you?!" Jamie cried.
"N-No, Jamie, I-"
"Jack and the Tooth Fairy, sittin' in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"
"JAMIE!" Jack couldn't bring himself to laugh for once in a lifetime. He knew the boy was just kidding, but he couldn't help but feel almost... upset.
"Oh... Sorry, Jack..." Jamie bit his lip nervously. "I... guess I'll go home now..." He stood up and took his leave.
Jack didn't stop him, his head bowing into his chest.
...
Tooth found Jack seated on Jamie's roof that night.
"Oh!" She cried in surprise. "I didn't expect... or maybe I did..."
"Tooth." Jack held up a hand, quieting her. He sighed heavily.
"What's got you down?" Tooth asked, hovering over to him.
"Jamie...thinks I hate him."
"Why?"
"He made a joke, and I took it a little offensively..."
"Did you try talking to him?"
Jack nodded. "He's upset too."
Tooth nodded and flew through Jamie's window. The boy was already fast asleep, a few tears staining his cheeks. There was a large wet spot on his pillow that still hadn't dried yet. With a sigh, Tooth slid her hand under the boy's pillow and pulled out the tooth, replacing it with a coin. Running her fingers across the tooth, she flew back outside to where Jack waited. Her eyebrows were raised in amusement.
"Frost, Jack?" She held up the tooth.
"Oh. Yeah. The tooth was bugging him so I numbed his gum so he could pull it out." Jack said sheepishly, running a hand through his hair.
Tooth smirked. "All right." She said. Then she sighed. "Jamie's not doing so well. It looks like he cried himself to sleep."
Guilt crossed Jack's face at that moment.
"What was he joking about, Jack?"
Jack shook his head, his cheeks turning slightly blue.
Tooth nodded. "Okay. Should I leave you here, or are you going to come back with me?"
Jack shrugged.
"You're going to sit here all night, aren't you?"
"If I can, yes." Jack stated.
Tooth made a face, telling Jack that she wasn't happy about that.
"What?" Jack asked.
"You know very well what." Tooth stated.
"I want to apologize to Jamie. I want him to know I don't hate him..."
"And I understand that. But sitting here sulking isn't going to solve anything, Jack."
"Then what can I do?"
Tooth smiled. "Come back with me for a bit, okay Jack?"
Jack sighed but nodded, standing up. "Okay."
"You can talk to Jamie later."
"I know."
"And he'll never hate you. You know that?"
"I know."
Tooth smiled warmly and gently touched his cheek. His blue eyes darted to her face for a moment, his cheeks flushing that pale blue colour before his eyes darted away. Tooth removed her hand and flew into the sky. The whoosh of wind through clothing told her that Jack was following close behind.
As they flew into the winter night, Tooth mused over the fact that she'd never heard Jack so quiet in her life. It was both disturbing and sad. It made her want to pull him close and hug him until he could smile again...
"Jack?" Tooth piped up.
"Hm?"
She was surprised he'd responded. She hadn't exactly had a reply ready in case he had responded.
Jack flew up beside her, his blue eyes still filled with sadness from the events that had just occurred. Tooth decided that he needed a happier thought.
"Are you coming to North's New Year's party this year?" She asked.
"North already invited me, so yes, I'm going."
Tooth grinned. "That's great!"
Jack smiled back, his eyes glittering slightly.
"There's my Jack." Tooth said, her smile growing from delighted to gentle. "You look best when you smile."
Jack's cheeks turned blue again and he looked away quickly. Tooth giggled.
"I'm guessing you've gone to the party every year?" Jack said, his voice surprisingly steady.
Tooth nodded. "Every year since I first met North and was invited. He does something different every year. I don't even know how he comes up with these things..."
"With what?"
"Last year, the theme for the party was 'colours'," she did the air quotes. "The thing is, he comes up with a theme, and leaves the rest up to interpretation. Like, when he says the theme is 'spring' you can wear something floral, or green, or-"
"Cover yourself in mud?"
Tooth burst out laughing. "Oh Jack!"
"What? That's what happens when the snow melts!"
Tooth laughed so hard she nearly fell from the sky. Jack had to catch her and hold her up so she didn't fall. He started laughing too, barely able to hold the fairy up. He flew down towards the ground and set her down where she rolled in the snow, shrieking with uncontrollable laughter.
"What's so funny?!" Jack cried, laughing himself.
"I-I-I-" She burst out laughing again, tears running down her face. The mere sight of it drove Jack over the edge. He laughed harder and fell to the ground, rolling around beside Tooth who was still chortling.
They laughed until their stomachs hurt and they could no longer breathe. They laughed until the tears ran down their faces and they could laugh no more. The two of them lay in the snow, gasping for breath and letting out the occasional chuckle.
"A-All I could think about was you walking into the party covered in mud!" Tooth laughed. "Because you would totally do that!"
"Yeah," Jack agreed, grinning. "I would."
Tooth giggled again and hovered over Jack who was still lying down in the snow. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"I can't believe I'm laughing while Jamie is hurting like that..." He said softly.
"Oh Jack," Tooth half groaned, realizing that the winter spirit had once again, sunk back into a depression.
"What kind of a friend am I?"
"Jack, all friends fight from time to time... it's a fact of life." Tooth stated. "Besides, you'll be able to see him tomorrow and apologize, right?"
Jack nodded slowly. "I know..."
"So, smile for me, okay Jack?"
Jack merely weakly twisted the corner of his mouth upwards.
"That's not a smile!" She scolded. "Don't make me make you smile!"
"How are you going to make me?" Jack asked, his brows furrowing.
Tooth huffed. "Like this." She whipped over to him and immediately stuck her fingers in his mouth and forced him to smile.
"Ow! Tooth, okay!" Jack cried, shaking his head. He rubbed his mouth in annoyance.
"Jack, I like it when you smile." Tooth said, landing on the snow beside Jack, her wings folding into her back. "Seeing you sad makes me feel sad too..."
Jack sat up slowly, watching her bow her head into her chest. With a sigh, Jack reached out and softly stroked the feathers on top of her head. She flinched slightly, looking up at him with wide eyes.
"W-What?" She stuttered. "W-What's that for?"
"I'm sorry." Jack said, standing up. "I just can't smile right now, Tooth."
Tooth watched him mournfully as he turned and flew off into the winter night, heading to who knows where.
"Jack..." Tooth whispered, watching his shadow disappear. "Please smile again..."
...
Jack was waiting outside Jamie's window when the boy woke again that morning. He headed off to school, waiting for the bus with a glum looking face. Jack didn't want to approach him when he was around a group of people, because he knew that talking to someone invisible made people look silly. He didn't want to embarrass Jamie.
Jack never got a moment to talk to Jamie. He stayed inside after getting home, and he did exactly the same thing the next day. Jack began to lose hope, and as he did so, the snow in Burgess began to slowly melt. Jack couldn't muster up the energy to create more snow to give the town the white Christmas it always had.
Sighing, Jack sat at the top of the tree by the sledding hill he'd met Jamie at on that snow day that felt so long ago. It had been about a week ago now, and Christmas was fast approaching. In fact, it was in a few days. As far as Jack knew, the Christmas Holidays would be starting soon, giving Jamie all the free time in the world.
Judging by the fact that he didn't come out of his house at all over the next few days proved that to Jack. The holidays had begun, and there was no sign of Jamie.
...
Jack was forced from Burgess by unnatural heat around Christmas day. Though it pained him to leave, he knew he had to. There was nothing there for him if Jamie wouldn't talk to him...
He was on North's doorstep before he even realized where he'd gone. Sighing, Jack stepped into the house and headed for the workshop. North would listen... Even though there was only about a week left until Christmas, North would listen. Jack was sure of it.
He pushed his way into the shop, glancing around at the busy yetis. There was an air of stress, yet at the same time an air of excitement as they worked. North was practically bouncing around the room with his clipboard, still writing down things for his New Year's party. Jack approached him slowly.
"Hey, North."
North looked up with a grin. "Jack Frost! I was just thinking about you!"
Jack frowned. "You were? Why?"
"I was thinking about this year's theme for the New Year's party! I figured that since it's the first time in several hundred years since we had a new Guardian, I'd base it off you!"
"Oh... North, that's not-"
"So what do you think? Make it winter themed? Lots of snow and ice?"
"North-"
"It'll be like a welcoming party!"
"Hey..."
"And this is your first New Year's party with us too! Everyone will love you! I know they will!"
"NORTH!"
North stopped talking, staring at Jack with wide eyes.
"I'm honoured, I really am, but I don't think-"
"Why?" North asked, as if he already knew what Jack was going to say.
"A party based off of me? North that's not..." Jack shook his head.
"We've never had a winter themed New Year's yet." North stated. "Why not let it happen this year?"
"Why don't we just have a Guardian themed New Year's?" Jack asked. "All five of us could put our two cents in and make something nice."
North blinked in surprise, his mouth open slightly.
"Like say, Sandy could sprinkle dream sand all over things to make it sparkle, Bunnymund could hide eggs and we could have an egg hunt, and you could decorate the place with Christmas stuff." Jack stated. "Why just focus on winter?"
North continued to blink, the shock apparent on his face.
"Uh, North?" Jack raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay?"
"Why didn't I think of that?!" North cried, slapping a hand to his forehead. "All these years I thought I was doing great! But no, Jack, you know your parties!" He ripped a page off his clipboard, crumpled it up and stuffed it in his pocket. He began scribbling more stuff down. "Sit, sit... Tell me all of your ideas! What would you do for this party?"
"I..." Jack frowned.
"Scratch that, how would you make a simple New Year's party fun?"
"I'd probably flood the ballroom and turn it into a skating rink." Jack stated, half sarcastically.
"BRILLIANT!" North roared, scribbling it down furiously.
Jack was taken aback. Was North really that passionate about his New Year's parties?
North hummed merrily as he continued to write things down. "Would you be up to making it snow inside?"
"Uh, sure?" Jack blinked a few times, completely confused.
"I can ask Sandy to sprinkle gold sparkles down from the ceiling..."
"That would either knock everyone out, or make my snow redundant." Jack stated.
North was silent for a moment. Then he scribbled another thing out. He looked up at Jack expectantly.
"I just won't make it snow inside." Jack stated. "Sandy can rain golden sand onto the floor all night if he wants to."
"Or he can look after the fireworks display!" North cried, having a moment of brilliance.
"That works too..."
"And Tooth. What could she do?"
"Uh, I dunno."
"I'll ask her." North stated, scribbling something down. "Now Bunnymund..."
"Egg party favours. Egg fights. Egg hunts." Jack fired off dully.
"I'll ask Bunny as well..." North scribbled something else down. "Now for me..." He smiled, his eyes glinting. Jack could only hope that whatever North was writing down was group friendly and didn't involve mistletoe.
While North scribbled, Jack tried to remember what he'd come here for in the first place. He gave up after a few seconds, figuring that if it was important, he would've remembered it easier. Then again, North and his shouting was completely and utterly distracting.
"Uh, I'm going to head out again, okay?" Jack said nervously, standing up again.
"So soon?" North looked kind of sad. "I was hoping you could give me some more suggestions..."
"I'll let you come up with the rest." Jack stated. "See you later, North." He left the workshop and violently shook his head. Holy crow, he almost hated every moment of that. Jack had never been interrogated like that before in his life.
Jack took to the air and flew south, heading back home to Burgess. He was halfway there when he remembered the reason he had gone to North in the first place.
"Oh no... Jamie..." Jack groaned, slapping a hand to his forehead. There was no sense in going back now. Besides, North was too focused on his New Year's party to pay much attention to the winter spirit's problems.
Jack swooped down to land on Jamie's roof. He hung upside down, trying to see through the window. After a few minutes, it became apparent that Jamie wasn't there. Sighing, Jack stood back up again and flew away on the wind. He'd check the hill first and then, well... He'd figure that out later.
As Jack approached the hill, his eyes narrowed at the sight of two figures. One looked suspiciously like...
"Tooth?" Jack flew towards the figures, recognizing Jamie after he got closer. Jamie turned and saw him, his eyes meeting Jack's for a moment before he turned back to Tooth.
Jack landed heavily and looked between Jamie and Tooth.
"I was looking for you." Tooth stated. "Where have you been?"
"North held me hostage for a little while." Jack stated. He then turned his attention to Jamie. "Hey, Jamie." He knelt down to meet him at eye level. "I'm sorry if I upset you. I didn't mean it, really. I don't hate you."
Jamie bowed his head and sniffed. "I'm sorry too..." He stated. "I made you feel bad."
Jack smiled. "Don't worry about it, kiddo." He messed up the boy's hair.
Jamie grinned up at him. "But all the snow melted. Can you bring it back?"
"Consider it done." Jack laughed.
Jamie's grin widened. "WOO HOO!" He cheered.
Jack laughed and high fived him. "All right, I'll get right to work. Expect snow as early as tomorrow, as late as the day after tomorrow."
"Awesome!" Jamie cried. "I can't wait!"
Jack laughed and flew into the air, disappearing from view.
Tooth, left alone with Jamie looked down at the boy. "Well, that solves that." She said with a smile. "Now, if you don't mind me asking, what was it that you teased him about?"
"Oh nothing too bad." Jamie said with a grin. "He said he knew you, so I asked if he liked you!"
Tooth flushed bright red. "Did you now? And what did he say to that?"
Jamie laughed. "He turned blue and I sang the tree song!"
"And what's that?" Tooth asked, completely baffled.
Jamie grinned mischievously, the expression so close to Jack's that for a moment, Tooth was slightly unnerved. Then he turned and skipped away, suddenly belting out:
"Jack and the Tooth Fairy, sittin' in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"
Tooth's face went tomato red. She didn't even know how to react to that. Jamie did. He turned and saw her red face and immediately burst out laughing. Annoyed, Tooth grabbed a handful of what remained of the snow and shoved it in the kids face. It didn't stop him from laughing. He just threw a small, half melted snowball right back.
And meanwhile, Tooth smiled to herself, dodging snowballs that were thrown in her direction. Jamie was a good kid. She could see why Jack spent so much time around him.
"I have to get back to work now, Jamie!" Tooth called, dodging another snowball. "I'll see you later!"
"Okay!" Jamie cried. "See you later, Tooth Fairy!"
Tooth waved and whizzed off into the sky, disappearing before Jamie could get another shot in.