Child's Play 14
Of all the sights of all the millions of worlds Sandy would never forget this one and silently cursed himself for not having a camera on hand. It should be a new rule, especially while Jack was a toddler; every Guardian should be equipped with a camera or camcorder just for these unexpected moments. What had caught him so off guard? Well a shirtless Pitch chasing after a completely nude and mud covered Jack was what. The boy was running along a stream, jumping in puddles while Pitch tried to catch him and obviously give him a bath, but the boy was wily and slipped between the man's hands every time he thought he had a hold of him.
Sandy tried to stay unseen and cover his laughter but of all the people he knew Pitch was able to spot him the fastest and the dark spirit didn't even have to look.
"Sanderson, stop laughing at me and give me a hand," Pitch snapped as he tried and failed to grab Jack again. "Jackson, get your little rump back here before I dunk you in the water."
Jack just laughed as he jumped into another mud puddle, spraying mud everywhere and covering the older male in the wet squishy muck.
Sandy rolled around in the sky, laughing at his frustrated friend. In all honesty Pitch looked as if he needed a bath more than Jack. The shade was covered in mud, his raven black hair almost brown now and his pale flesh cover in splotches and handprints of the icky stuff. It was obvious Pitch couldn't take much more and was on the verge of calling his Nightmares in as back up but it was so funny Sandy couldn't contain himself. He had never seen Pitch so flustered, not even on the battle field when they were enemies. Deciding to give the taller man a hand, the dreamweaver landed in front of Jack and shook a finger at the little boy. He expected Jack to stop and pay attention as he would as a teen not plow into him with a crushing embrace and knock him in the mud as well.
"Sandy!" Jack squealed, hugging him tight around the middle.
The Sandman blinked in surprise, his arms full of naked toddler and squishy mud.
It was Pitch's turn to burst into laughter. "Yes! There is justice in this world!" the shade chortled as he rushed up to the two. "I see you got my message. Where's North?"
Coming, Sandy signed as he hugged Jack back. Dare I ask?
Pitch shook his head as he picked up Jack. "Better if you don't. Now Jackson, you're having a bath. No more fusing."
"But I don't like the water!" Jack whined.
Nonetheless Pitch hefted the child's slight weight up onto one hip as he turned back to the river. "Granted but you're in luck, now that you've thoroughly soiled my clothing save my cloak, I have to have a bath, too. So you're not going in alone."
"Promise?"
"Have I ever broken my word?"
The boy crossed his arms. "Baby Tooth."
Pitch rolled his eyes. "Yes, well not this time."
Jack's head tilted in thought. Those words sounded awfully familiar.
"Besides, Sandy needs a bath too but since he's made of sand he can't join us. Perhaps you should splash him." A teasing grin adorn Pitch's face as he walked into the stream. It was much deeper than he first expected, coming just below his hip before he was even a quarter of the way in. He slowly sat down in it, holding Jack around the waist to prove he wasn't going to let him go. He knew Jack's fear of water, understood it even. He had been there the day Jack died and the day he was reborn. And while Jack would never regret saving his sister he still had the odd nightmare of drowning. Those were nightmares Pitch never had to create, the boy's own memory provided them and sometimes even twisted them. After over fifty years since regaining the teen Jack now knew how to swim - as long as someone was with him - but that fear still remained. "Are you alright?" he asked the child.
There was fear still in the child's eyes but Jack gave a tiny nod.
"Now I want you to stand still, I'm going to let you go, alright?"
"No! Don't let go," Jack objected, his tiny hands clinging to Pitch.
"You'll be alright, I'm not leaving you. See?" He let Jack go and raised his hands for Jack to see. "See, I'm right here. If you think you'll fall you just grab me, okay?"
"Okay." Slowly Jack let him go as well and stood perfectly still.
Pitch smiled. "See, nothing to be afraid of. Now let's see if we can get some of this mud off, huh?"
Washing Jack was like washing Seraphina when she was little, well not quite as easy. Sera would have splashed around and had fun in the water not look like a frightened deer. The child was as still as a statue. Pitch wiped the mud from Jack's chest and belly, both mostly submerged under water which helped wash it away. He brushed his hands over Jack's cheeks to get the mud there and then cupped his hands in the water to rinse the mud from the boy's hair. It didn't all come out but Jack's hair was more white than brown after a few times, sadly Jack was getting fidgety by then. So Pitch splashed him.
Jack's mouth fell open in shock and Pitch mimicked him. "Was that scary?"
It looked as if the boy might cry but then he splashed Pitch back, getting him right in the face. He giggled as Pitch wiped the water from his face. The splash war got the mud in both their hair to run out and Jack was all out laughing at his grandfather's antics. Sandy giggled from the shore, unable to believe what he was witnessing. Pitch Black, the King of Nightmares and Guardian of Courage was acting just like the small child he was caring for. He forgot about the mud clinging to him as he laughed at the two.
Pitch smirked at his counterpart. "Let's get Sandy," he said to Jack in a conspirator whisper.
"YAY!" Jack yelled before turning and creating a big splash, managing to wet the Sandman.
Sandy's eyes widened and he created a sand umbrella to protect himself as he floated back. It didn't help that Pitch created a larger splash, no doubt using his magic to create a small wave. Sandy felt a little soggy by the time he got to a safe distance. Pitch was roaring in laughter and hugging Jack too him.
"On second thought, never grow up, Jack. This is the most fun I've had in ages," Pitch laughed as a portal opened feet from Sandy and the other Guardians trudged in. Pitch grin grew even more and he pointed to the rest of their little family. "Get them!"
Jack began splashing with all his might even though North, Bunny and Tooth were not close enough for him to get but with Pitch's help be managed to get Bunny who had been storming toward them. North and Tooth smartly followed Sandy's and stayed out of range.
"What? Huh...stop that!" Bunny snapped, shaking the water out of his fur. "What the hell are you two doing?"
"Bath time!" Jack chirped.
"Well stop splashing, you gumbies. You stole him to give him a bath?" Bunny questioned, more confused than angry now. He sat on his hunches and gave a full body shake, managing to splash the others where Jack couldn't.
"Bunny!" Tooth yelled as North cursed.
"Not my fault, blame the show ponies," the Pooka retorted.
"What do you mean 'stole him'? I found him lost in the forest. If anything you lost him, rabbit," Pitch said as he steadied Jack.
The Pooka's ears perked. "I did not. He went missing. Who else would have taken him?"
"So you automatically assume I took him?" Pitch snapped and quickly hushed Jack when he gave a scared whimper. "It's alright, Snowflake. I'm not mad."
Bunny's ears fell. "I...sorry. I shouldn't have rushed to conclusions."
Tooth placed a hand on Bunny's shoulder as North brushed past them. "Why didn't you tell us?" he asked as he shrugged off his heavy coat and opened it up for Pitch to place Jack in as the dark hair man carried the child out of the water. Jack was now all sparkly clean and glistening white. He giggled as he was wrapped up in the fur coat.
Sandy rolled his eyes and Pitch laughed as he scooped up his cloak from the ground. "I see you still don't listen to Sandy as you should. We need to work out a new communication system," Pitch said as he pulled the cloak on over his soaked trousers. He didn't bother with his shoes and just carried them. "Apparently Jack and Lunaroff were having a little discussion. I think we need to be having one with the old man as well."
North cuddled Jack to him but looked utterly confused as he stared down at his son. The child only cuddled deeper into the fur coat and gave a sleepy yawn. "I'm hungry," he murmured before closing his eyes and taking a little nap.
"Alright, my little one, let's go home," North said gentle. He shot Pitch a curious look but deep in his belly he was certain he wasn't about to enjoy their conversation with Manny.