.:22:.
Jack and Sophie had settled down onto a couch together by the time North arrived with the coffee. Sophie was leaned against Jack's side comfortably, their hands entwined and resting on his knee. North gave them a knowing smile as he set the tray on a table and dragged it over in front of the two teenagers.
"Good, you got him to smile. He looked so miserable, it was making me sad." North said with gentle humor. Jack looked a little guilty.
"You just sat in here moping the whole time?" Sophie asked in disbelief. She couldn't resist the coffee, however, and snaked her hands free to lean forward and grab the closest mug.
"Not the whole time, that would have been boring…" Jack mused quietly as he curiously took the mug North had clearly set there for him.
The coffee was piping hot, though North didn't seem to mind as he sipped at it and lounged comfortably on a couch. Sophie blew gently on hers and Jack chuckled in amusement. He stopped her and leaned over to blow softly on her coffee, leaving the top frozen. It quickly melted, and the coffee was considerably cooler.
"What would I do without you?" Sophie asked playfully.
She started sipping gingerly at the coffee and watched as Jack sniffed at his own mug and seemed to approve. Sophie almost spilled her cup when Jack tipped the steaming hot mug back and took a few long drinks. He held the last mouthful for a moment, then started crunching on it as it had turned to ice in his mouth. Sophie stared over at him as North's booming laughter filled the room.
"What?" He asked with mock ignorance. Sophie shook her head in bewilderment.
"I'm sorry to drag you here so early, Sophie. I just could not stand watching Jack sulk anymore." North said honestly.
"Hey! It's not like I was dragging myself around and whining." Jack said defensively.
"Yes, but you were very quiet. It was… unsettling. I was worried to leave you alone." North chuckled at the slightly offended look on Jack's face.
"Is that why Phil keeps checking on me?" Jack asked curiously. He gestured towards the door and North turned in his chair to see a yeti lean in from the hallway to glare into the room. He pointed at Jack a little threateningly and Sophie snickered into his shoulder.
"Uh, no. That is just Phil." North smiled a little as he watched the yeti keeping tabs on Jack.
"Phil! Jack Frost is family now! Hah! Be nice to your brother!" North howled in laughter and smacked his knee as the yeti cried out in shocked indignation.
Jack kneeled warily on the windowsill as he helped Sophie inside her bedroom. She turned to face him, biting her lip as he lingered there. He worried his staff between his fingers and stared at the floor, trying to decide whether he should stay or not.
"Come inside." Sophie said gently, pleading with her eyes as he slowly looked up at her.
He thought about it, then sighed heavily and slid inside the room. She knew it would hurt for him to be around Jamie now that he couldn't see Jack anymore, but she was hoping that seeing that Jamie was happy might make him feel better.
"Just for a little while, then we can go anywhere you want." Sophie assured him.
He shuffled forward like a dejected child and leaned against her, kissing her cheek as she folded her arms around him comfortingly. She snuggled into his chest until he relaxed and returned the gesture, then she kissed him lightly and turned towards her door when she heard footsteps in the hall.
"You up, Soph?" Jamie's voice drifted through the door.
"Yea! I'm up!" Sophie called back.
"Breakfast's almost ready and mom's super excited, come downstairs." He replied, then didn't wait for her to answer before thundering back down the stairs.
Sophie turned to smile reassuringly at Jack. He didn't look thrilled, but he returned the smile half-heartedly and let her slide from his arms.
"Turn around, I need to put pajamas on." Sophie said quietly.
"Why?" Jack looked a little confused, but smiled in amusement at her plan.
"Cuz I'm not ready for you to see me naked, dork. Turn around." Sophie grinned wickedly as Jack's cheeks were tinged pink in shocked embarrassment.
"Wow. Not that, I meant why do you need pajamas…" Jack muttered darkly as he turned on his heel and nearly smacked into the wall in his haste to avoid her gaze.
"I need pajamas because it'll look weird if I walk downstairs first thing Christmas morning fully dressed. Jamie can't back up my story now, so my mom would just assume I'd been out doing horrible teenager things all night." Sophie said smoothly as she pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a tank top.
She tapped Jack's shoulder to let him know it was safe to look, and he turned cautiously to look at her. Smiling teasingly, Sophie held her arms out as if showing off a fancy outfit.
"Do I look like I just woke up?" She asked enthusiastically.
Jack smirked and moved forward, dropping his staff on the floor so both hands were free. Sophie's hair was being restrained in a ponytail, and he reached up and slid the elastic band from her hair and let it fall loose around her shoulders. She held still as he worked, running his fingers through her hair and fluffing it a bit. Once he was mostly satisfied, he brought an arm up and she cringed uncomfortably as he rubbed the sleeve of his hoodie on her hair, mussing it up and causing it to stick up awkwardly in some places. He grinned proudly and nodded his approval.
"Perfect. You look exactly like you just flopped out of bed." He said cheerfully. Sophie clapped her hands together and bounced toward her door.
"Cool, thanks!" She murmured excitedly before yanking her door open and nearly throwing herself out into the hallway.
Jack followed her downstairs slowly, wandering through the house and taking a moment to admire the Christmas decorations Sophie and Jamie had put up. He paused to peer into the kitchen where the small family was gathered together, loading waffles onto plates. Sophie smiled over at him, then quickly turned back to her mother as she started herding her children toward the livingroom. Jack smiled a little as fond memories resurfaced. It had been a long time since he spent Christmas with the Bennett family. Every year it was pretty much the same. They made breakfast, usually together, then ate in the livingroom while simultaneously opening presents and watching a Christmas themed movie. Back when their father was still alive, the family used to spend all day together. They'd drifted apart in more recent years, though Sophie's mother seemed to hold tightly to their morning tradition.
Jack leaned against the wall with his hands in his hoodie's pocket as the family shuffled into the livingroom together and settled in on the couch. Jamie turned on the TV and found a Christmas cartoon, grinning happily at the screen until their mother snatched the remote from him and tuned it to the Hallmark channel. Both Sophie and Jamie groaned in defeat, and Jack chuckled to himself.
He settled himself down on the floor, allowing the family their time together as he watched the cheesy movie. Trying to ignore the feeling of being excluded, Jack focused on the TV as the minutes ticked by. Every so often, Sophie glanced worriedly toward him, and seemed to be trying to hurry things along with her family. She passed out stockings, then when they were finished with those she began sorting through the presents stacked beneath the tree and dispensing them. The sound of shredding paper filled the room, and Jack tuned it out as he tried to watch the movie.
"Uh, what a lovely… picture of your room." Jamie said slowly and with slight amused confusion.
Jack looked up curiously, then climbed to his feet and wandered over to look at the item in Jamie's hands. Jack immediately recognized it as the picture of him and Tooth that Sophie had taken a while back. Though he could clearly see himself, Tooth, and Baby Tooth in the frame, he realized with a heavy sense of loss that Jamie saw only Sophie's empty room. Sophie appeared to be frozen in surprise, unsure of how to react for a few long moments. She seemed to regain her composure, and exchanged saddened glances with Jack.
"I thought it was very… artistic. You don't like it?" She looked sadly at Jamie and the young man quickly denied disliking it.
"It's great, Soph. You're getting really good with that camera." He leaned over and gave her an awkward, one-armed hug.
"He's right, Sophie, some of these are really impressive!" Her mother added in wonder, holding up the framed pictures she'd just unwrapped.
"I mean this one almost looks like the water was freezing right as you took the picture! It's incredible! I don't even know how you got some of these shots, it must have taken a long time for the frost to get just right…" The woman trailed off in awe as she stared at the pictures her daughter had given her.
Jack smiled happily, brushing his fingers through Sophie's expertly mussed hair affectionately. It felt good to have someone appreciate his work as art. He retreated to the back of the room, waiting patiently as the small family finished up their traditional Christmas morning. Sophie helped her mother shove wrapping paper in a garbage bag as Jamie straightened up the room and took the plates to the kitchen.
"Well, I promised this girl I'd go to a Christmas lunch with her." Jamie said a little sheepishly. His mother smiled slyly at him and gave him a hug.
"Try to be good. Are you two alright with fending for yourselves for dinner? I'm headed to a Christmas party this evening and I'll be home late. If you need fed I can leave you some money." Their mother asked worriedly as she eyed her children.
"Nah, I'll be fine, mom. Don't worry." Jamie said, raising his hands reassuringly.
"I've got a few places I can go to mooch food tonight." Sophie chimed in happily.
A/n: Sorry, the part with North got cut short. I didn't like where it was trying to go.