Gotta love interruptions.
Smoothing over relations with the Guardians is difficult. If not impossible.
(-)
If I apologized
it wouldn't make it all unhappen
wouldn't make the darkness go away
If I apologized
it wouldn't mean I was forgiven
wouldn't mean you wanted me to stay
If I Apologized- Josephine Cronholm (Mirror Mask)
Aster had decided before he went to sleep that they would eat breakfast, spend the rest of the morning in bed, work in the afternoon, quickly eat dinner, then go back to bed until they were tired enough to sleep. He knew he needed to run that schedule by Jack, but given his enthusiasm, Aster doubted the boy would raise any objections.
He was quite irritated, then, when his internal alarms started going off early in the morning. Someone was in the Warren. And given how they hadn't used a tunnel to get in, Aster was betting a magical entrance. But few things could bypass his wards like that.
Jack was still asleep, but, given his abandonment issues, Aster wasn't going to leave him to wake up alone after his first night of intimacy with the rabbit. He nudged the boy awake.
"What's happening?" Jack murmured sleepily.
"Someone's in the Warren. I need to go check on it, but I didn't want you waking up alone and wondering where I'd gone. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Having taken care of that, Aster rose and climbed from the nest. And his ears stuck straight up, because he'd been so focused on Jack that he'd lost track of the interloper. But they were outside his front door. A heavy knock sounded, and Aster caught a familiar scent as he moved to answer it.
"The Pole had better be on fire," Aster said the second he opened his door to reveal the yeti on the other side.
The yeti said some things in Yettish that Aster couldn't understand. He understood very little of the beings' strange language, mostly "yes" and "no" because they were easily accompanied with nods or shakes of the head.
"Oh, hi, Phil," came Snowflake's voice behind him. Aster turned to see the boy fully dressed, carrying his staff as though nothing had happened. The rabbit really hoped Jack didn't want to play it that way. He seemed okay last night, but perhaps he wouldn't want to discuss it with others.
Phil looked at the boy, eyebrows drawn together, and said something in Yettish.
Whatever he said made Jack beam like the sun on snow. "Why, yes, I am covered in Bunny's scent. I'm his, after all." Jack eyed Aster, who was impressed with the boy's understanding of the yeti, while also bursting with pride at how Jack handled that. "He's mine too, but I don't have the same, ahem, customs that he does."
Aster snorted at the same time the yeti did. Frostbite couldn't drench Aster in cum the way the rabbit could cover him. The yeti obviously had a sense of that too.
"What are you here for, Phil?"
The yeti said a lot of things while Jack listened carefully, his face growing darker the more he heard.
"Fine. Tell him we'll be there in a few minutes. And tell him that things are not okay." The last bit was said with a kind of dark anger that Aster might worry was Pitch if he hadn't seen the Bond destroyed with his own eyes.
Jack exchanged nods with the yeti before closing the door. The temperature dropped as Jack shook with fury. "Just because he talked to me about you does not mean that I've forgotten being locked up and roasted. Who does he think he is to summon me back there right away?"
"That's what that was about?" Aster would be concerned about the power surge, but Frostbite had plenty of reasons to be very angry, and Aster also thought that the cessation of these outbursts the last week or so was due to the Bond taking hold, and Pitch taking more power than he could return.
"They want to talk about what happened. Want to make sure I'm okay." A layer of heavy frost covered the kitchen as Jack stomped a foot. "How dare they!"
Whoa, couldn't let this get out of control. "Hey, don't lump Tooth in with them. She stole your staff and snowflake when North and Sandy hid them and watched me to be sure I wouldn't get them. Although don't mention that; I like North thinking I'm wily enough to steal if from under his nose. We couldn't have broken the Bond without her. She gave me Pitch's tooth to exchange for his cooperation."
"She did?" Jack's voice was hopeful, and Aster realized he was glad that not all the Guardians besides Aster had betrayed him. The Warren managed to melt the frost.
"Yeah, and your fairy was watching over you in the kitchen. By the by, did you know your fairy is the only male?"
Jack's eyes widened. "Really? But Tooth always called it a 'she'."
"That was their way of making him feel accepted. But they're using male pronouns now, and they even gave him a name."
"What's his name?" Jack was excited, and the temperature returned to normal, as Aster hoped it would if he could distract the boy with something positive.
Aster grinned. "Jackson."
Frostbite squealed in a highly unmanly fashion and did a backflip to land crouching on the kitchen table. "After me? Whooo!"
"You definitely left your mark with Jackson, and the whole Tooth Palace is in love with you. Although Tooth just has a mother's love for you." Aster felt obliged to add that last bit, because while tiny fairies getting twitterpated over the boy didn't threaten him, someone like Tooth would. It paid to remind himself that she was not a competitor. She loved to show affection for Jack, and Aster would have to bear it without losing his cool.
Jack was smiling now, though it dimmed a bit as he said, "Let's go then. At least I have that to look forward to."
Before opening the front door, Jack propped his staff against the wall behind it. It was a telling gesture. Last time he'd taken it to the Pole, it had been stolen from him. The boy didn't trust North. It was also a sign of how much he did trust Aster. While he could use his magic without his staff now, it wasn't with enough precision for it to be useful in a fight. He was making himself vulnerable because he could trust that Aster would have his back and protect him if something happened.
Aster followed the boy outside, and they headed through a tunnel that would connect to the Pole. After a few minutes, they were emerging in the meeting room at North's workshop. The others were already there. The table had been remade recently, since it was shaped like the tile floor the Guardians used to communicate with Manny. All the tile floors in each of their domains had been remade to include Jack. His symbol was between North's and Aster's, so at the new pentagonal table, their seats were waiting accordingly.
So, it was a pointed statement when Jack took his chair away from his side and brought it to Aster's side, sitting closer to Tooth. He fitted their chairs up next to each other and wound his arm around Aster when he sat down. Aster's more primal self was ecstatic. He didn't even mind Jackson coming to land on the boy, getting carefully stroked.
There was a long silence after that, then North began the meeting. "We were wanting to talk about Pitch, and what happened when Bunny went to break Bond."
"I already gave you the basics, North," Aster said, paw running up and down Frostbite's arm reassuringly. The boy had tensed the moment the big man opened his mouth.
"Could you tell Sandy and I, Bunny? Please?" Toothiana was entreating, and Aster knew she wanted him to smooth things over between the Guardians. Hell of a job to give him. But Aster could play nice, mostly. He wouldn't expect anything out of Snowflake, though. The boy had been wronged, and it was a wound that ran deep.
"Look, I got Jack's staff and went to the Tooth Palace. I was rounding up Jackson, who knew where the statue was, and Tooth found me. She mentioned she had Pitch's tooth still, and I asked her to give it to me. She has an actual heart, a big one, in fact, so she gave it to me."
The fairy was beaming at him, but there was a shade of amusement to her smile. North was frowning at Aster. "Funny. Tooth said she stole staff and snowflake and gave both and tooth to you freely."
Aster smiled. "Wasn't sure how much to tell them, Tooth. Didn't want to get you in trouble with the big man."
Toothiana giggled at that. "Thank you, Bunny. Your chivalry is appreciated, if not needed."
"Right then. We got to the statue, and Pitch was just sitting on the ground, waiting for us. We talked about the Bond, and, by the way, him having Jack's beautiful blue eyes is even creepier than Jack having his cold metallic ones."
Jack drew himself even closer to the rabbit. "You try having his personality take yours over, then we can talk creepy."
It was the first thing Jack had said, and the big man and little man both perked their heads up. Sandy had, of course, been silent, but his face said it all. He couldn't look at Jack for long before moving his gaze elsewhere, and an expression of sorrow shaped the sand of his face. The little man obviously felt guilty as hell.
But remembering how Sandy had looked at Jack when he discovered Pitch's power inside the boy, and the expression on his face when Jack had summoned the Nightmare, Aster felt a little more sympathy for him. After all, he'd stopped existing for a few moments. Sandy had been gone over a day. Of course the idea of Pitch getting another chance to make Nightmares and attack them terrified him. Especially if Jack was his potential weapon.
"Yeah, well, we'll discuss that in a minute, Snowflake. Pitch kept trying to get him to give me the staff, and I refused until he swore to the Moon to keep to our bargain. He used the staff to break the statue, gave it back, and I gave him his tooth." Aster decided the part where he'd almost incurred Manny's Wrath wasn't worth mentioning.
But Jackson let out a few squeaks, and Toothiana frowned. "What else happened with Pitch, Bunny?"
Aster glared at the little fairy. "I'm glad you intervened, but I'm never trusting you with a secret, you nit."
"Hey, don't blame him," Jack said. "What is he talking about, Bunny? You nearly got obliterated by Manny?"
There was a collective inhale in the two other men. Toothiana already heard the message, and Aster looked at Jack. "You understand Yettish and Fairy?"
Jack nodded. "Don't change the subject. What happened?"
Aster sighed. "It's fairly standard to stipulate that both parties of a deal leave without harm. Pitch got me angry enough to nearly attack him. Jackson nearly broke my eardrum to stop me. Again, thank you."
The little fairy squeaked. Toothiana still looked shocked. "You're not known for being well-tempered, Bunny, but…what could he possibly say that would make you forget yourself like that?"
The rabbit felt hot shame remembering it. Didn't matter that his arm was around the boy as Snowflake was clinging to him like moss to a stone, or that last night he'd been sucking Aster's cock and begging for Aster's touch. Pitch knew his greatest fears and the insecurities that went along with them. So, he'd known just what to say to make Aster unsure of himself, self-conscious about how very different he was from his intended Mate.
"I don't think that's anything we need to know for this meeting." Jack came to his rescue. Then he said in a voice that was barely audible, "Although I would like to hear it later, if you'd be okay with that."
Aster just squeezed Frostbite's hip. It was a little terrifying to consider telling Jack, but, intellectually, he was aware that Jack would almost certainly tell him that his fears were unfounded.
The bell at Sandy's side of the table rang. They all looked to him as he began signing. [I would like to apologize to Jack. I know it's not enough to be forgiven, but I am sorry. In my fear of the black sand, I allowed myself to treat you like a dangerous enemy instead of an afflicted friend.] Sandy hesitated for a moment before he began signing again. [I confess, the black sand makes me irrational. I can still remember it crawling over me and into me. Though I don't remember it, obviously, I know that for more than a day I didn't exist.]
Jack's grip on Aster slackened. "I…I know that the Nightmares and Nightmare Sand hold a special threat and terror to you, Sandy. I'm not saying that everything is fine between us, but I understand you had your reasons."
"I am sorry as well, Jack. I could not ignore the possible threat Pitch posed." North looked contrite, but it was a pitiful excuse.
Aster felt Jack grow rigid beside him as the temperature in the room dropped drastically. Frostbite stood up so suddenly he almost knocked his chair over. He put both hands on the table and leaned to glare at North. "Possible threat?! You locked me up next to an oven. I nearly died! And don't give me bullshit about weakening me so I couldn't escape. You didn't even ask me to stay in one place where you could keep an eye on me. You didn't try to figure out what was actually wrong with me!"
A storm was blowing in the meeting room, and everyone but Aster looked scared. "I trusted you, North. I felt safe here. Do you understand what that means to me? After lonely years of trying to break in to see you, finally being welcomed in was like a dream. Now I can't stand to be here. I feel sick. I want to go home."
His Snowflake was crying as the winds raged, tears freezing into icy drops that clattered to the table. Aster couldn't help but notice that North was crying too. But that wasn't Aster's concern. Jack was.
The rabbit stood up and gently slid his arms around the small spirit. He was pleased to see the winds start to calm at once. "C'mon, Snowflake. If you want to go home, we'll go home." The winds died, but it was still cold enough that everyone but him and the kid were shivering. "That's right, calm down. You know you're safe with me." Aster nuzzled the boy's neck.
Jack turned and wrapped his arms around the rabbit. "Always. I love you, Aster."
It was loud enough for the other three to hear, and there was a collective intake of breath. Clearly, even if they had known the two had feelings for each other, and even if the signs of their changed relationship were in glaring neon lights, it wasn't real until they heard those words.
"I love you too, Snowflake. Let's leave." He steered the boy to an open spot on the floor. Then he looked back. "Tooth, we'll have to have you over for tea sometime soon." The fairy nodded, still looking concerned.
A couple of taps and they were sliding down the tunnels, back to the Warren. Aster would need to calm the boy down and comfort him. He knew he was well-equipped to do both. He could be whatever Jack needed.
Just close your eyes,
the sun is going down
You'll be alright,
no one can hurt you now
Come morning light,
you and I'll be safe and sound
Safe and Sound- Taylor Swift
(-)
So, I hope you don't feel too bad for North. Aster warned him. Granted, once North realized the extent of Aster's feelings, he went to make Jack aware. Not subtle to just tell Jack everything, but North isn't a subtle guy. And Jack listened but didn't say a word to North.
Also, I have Chapters 18, 19, and 20 all going, only finished in parts, so after I post 17, updates will likely slow down a lot. My muse has been so generous until now, and she's cutting back.
Let me know how you liked this, if you so choose! Hope you enjoyed this.