Too much, too soon.
Jack landed with his usual flair as he burst through the window of North's office and added a little spin when he saw he had an audience of one.
"Bravo!" yelled North and gave a loud clap. Jack swung his staff round and rested it on his shoulder. "Sorry I'm late. I am late right?" he asked.
"Yes, yes but as guest of honour we can overlook." Said North with a wink. Jack tended to be late for most things. While it annoyed Bunnymund, North understood. Jack would wear a watch, doubtful if he could. Not like he could ask anyone for the time either. He could look at a clock but at heart Jack was a child and children didn't tend to watch the time when they were caught up in the excitement of things.
Jack shrugged, "So a celebration huh?"
North nodded again. "You have taken oath, it is official and now it is time to officially celebrate!" He placed a large hand across Jack's shoulders and guided him out the office and down the hall. Jack smiled, when North celebrated he tended to have the yetis whip up mountains of food. He had worked up quite an appetite and he smiled at the thought of mince pies, puddings and ice-cream. He rolled his eyes at the probability of Tooth forcing carrots and other vegetables down him as well.
"Its time for everyone to meet the new Guardian!" Exclaimed as they came closer to their destination.
"Everyone?" asked Jack pausing.
"Yes. It is time for everyone to meet you and show respect." Said North.
Jack shook his head slightly. He didn't know why but he seemed to think that it would have been just him and North, Bunny, Tooth and Sandman and an assortment of yetis and elves. "Define everyone."
"Spirits Jack, from Fall to Cupid, iz everyone!"
"I don't know…" said Jack, not sure how to put his uneasiness into words.
"We like you, they will like you." Said North firmly and pulled open the large oak doors. Jack was just about to reply that North only knew of him from being a record naughty-list holder, Tooth had never met him and Bunnymund had preferred their very long distance acquaintance beforehand but he didn't get a chance to point any of that before he was pushed into the great hall.
The first thing that struck Jack was the colour, the sheer amount of colour. From the red, orange and brown of fall to the lime green and sunny yellow of Summer, dozens and dozens of spirits were there. All heads turned towards him and the loud music dimmed and when he had first stepped in there had been jovial shouts and laughter and now there was quite murmuring. Jack's eyes glanced around and he could see Tooth fluttering around and Bunnymund chatting to Cupid. Sandman waved him over and Jack was grateful for some kind of diversion away from all the attention directed at him.
As he walked away, gaze averted, North called out, "He has arrived! Jack Frost, our newest Guardian has arrived! Let the celebrations BEGIN!" Jack was surprised to hear loud applause as the other Spirits and Elements clapped for him and his lips slowly formed a small grin. He waved at Sandman and took the offered goblet of eggnog. He decided to make his way to Tooth and say hello. He was still a little nervous from being in a large crowd and the crowd was a mixture of big and small, short and tall, dark and vibrant colours. He knew some of the spirits here and hardly on any good terms. Still, it was a celebration and they were here, it could mean something, a new start after a 300 year lonely and troublesome run.
As he made his way through the crowd, its when Jack first noticed it. Side-ways glances, the wide berth he was given as he approached people. He eyed the long table filled high with food but now his stomach was clenching and he felt he might be sick. The music sounded hollow now as the odd snide comment reached his ears and some were looking at him and purposefully turning around. He felt a stinging in his eyes and Jack clenched his teeth, He refused, REFUSED to let people that were annoyed by his mere existence get the better of him. He saw Fall look at him and look him up and down and he clearly saw the older sprite mouth the words, "Pathetic."
He barely made it to Tooth who was all hugs and glee. "Jack! I'm so glad to see you!" she cried and picking up on his sullen face she asked, "are you alright?"
Jack shrugged one shoulder, "Hardly anyone here likes me."
Tooth put a hand on his shoulder, "They don't know you like we know you Jack, with time, they will."
"They had three hundred years to get to know me, I doubt they'll start now." Said Jack turning and spotting a pair of large ears in the crowd, he said, "I'm going to say hello to Bunny."
Tooth nodded, "Give it a chance Jack."
He turned and as he made his way through the crowd, he decided to try, if anything, for Tooth's sake. He turned to a Spirit, not sure of his name. He was tall and thin with pale skin and wide green eyes, a wide smile and wild orange hair. He could be April Fools if he wasn't mistaken. "Hi." Said Jack, unsure how to proceed and stuck out his hand, "How are you?."
The man looked slightly startled and Jack felt more than saw about a dozen eyes rest on the exchange. The man opened his mouth to say something when a large woman next to him spoke, she was an array of colour and fairly large, unlike Tooth, her mish-mash of colours were more muddled than exotic. "I'm Blossom and this is my sister Bloom," she pointed to a thing woman next to her, dark skin and black eyes that matched her black hair and her dress seemed to be made of petals. Jack took a gulp, she was pretty. "Of course we know all about you", carried on Blossom but said it in a way that Jack knew was about to cause trouble, "I'm sure you're nice and all but nice hardly seems to be the right criteria for being a guardian. Still at least now you will be busy doing whatever little jobs North can scrounge up for you and you wont have so much time for all your little messes." She said it in such a high-pitched voice, very shrill and fake, trying to make each stab her words had pretend to be a tickle.
Jack had a momentary flashback of Pitch's words, "You're Jack Frost, you make a mess of everything you touch."
A lump caught in his throat and he looked around at the other spirits, waiting for someone to interrupt or stand up for him. In the corner of his eye he saw Cupid and Bunnymund turn in his direction, trying to see where everyone's focus was.
"Sorry," tried Jack, "I'm just a kid and-"
He was cut off by a shrill laugh by Blossom, he could see some of the spirits nudging eachother and some turning away, not wanting to be a part of what was happening.
"A kid?" she chortled, "Yes well maybe in three hundred years you would have learnt something."
"I didn't have anyone to show me." Said Jack quietly, hoping they would pick up on the fact from his statement that NONE of them had even tried.
"Well", tutted someone to his right, "That's what happens when you're a little troublemaker."
"Yet here you are, at North's home. Have you even had a visit from him before?"
"He cant even do Winter properly." Piped up Spring, "instead of just bringing snow, he sits at windowsills and decorates the windows. Enjoy finger-painting do we?"
There were a few chuckles.
"Now, now," said someone, "The boy will do a good job now that someone is in charge of him."
Jack sort of knew they weren't intentionally being mean, they were being adults. Condescending, hypocritical adults!
North looked over and his eyes widened as he saw the group around Jack and his stance, and the look on his face. He had seen that look before, when they had put him in a sack, threw him through a portal, told him he was a Guardian and started up their musical piece. He had moved maybe two feet and yelled out to Bunnymund, pointing in Jack's direction.
All four Guardians looked as Jack lost control. He gave a yell, swinging his staff and a cold blast of ice showered everyone. His face contorted in anger and pain began hitting the bottom of his staff on the ground, sending shock waves of freezing cold throughout the hall. First there were yelps and shouts of surprise from the other Spirits and then a few stepped forward aggressively, yelling, Jack began icing anyone who approached them, freezing them in place.
"Where do you get off?!" he yelled. "I had no one to show me what to do and you complain when I make a mess!"
"See!" yelled Blossom, "trouble, just trouble!"
Yeti's were opening windows and doors and ushering the party-goers out. The music had stopped and chaos was reigning.
"Jack!" yelled North, "calm down!"
Jack turned to him, eyes shining with unshed, angry tears. "I knew I couldn't do this! I knew it! None of you care!" he yelled the last part to the crowd, "so why should I care what you think anyway!"
He was losing control of his element and it was actually hurting him, the way he was forcing it out of his body in bursts. He iced Fall's feet as he rushed towards him and turned when he heard another loud set of running steps, he paused though when he was it was Cupid. Though the man had never gone out of his way to be there for him, he had never ignored him either. The pause was enough for a Spirit behind Jack to push him and the Winter Spirit stumbled a couple of feet before falling to his knees. He was about to get up and begin really letting go when he felt two furry strong arms wrap around him. "Get away you lot!" the Pooka cried angrily, "Get outta here!"
Jack wasn't done, his anger at the unfairness of it all overflowing. He kicked and squirmed and yelled as Bunnymund dragged him quickly out of the hall and down the corridor. He saw Sandman following but just didn't care what he looked like. Jack wasn't sure where Bunnymund had taken him but he felt a soft, thick carpet on his back. He continued to wrestle with Bunnyund and shock ran through him as he realized neither of his clenched fists had his staff.
"My staff!" he yelled.
"Tooth has it," grunted Bunnymund, "calm yourself and then we'll talk."
Jack continued to wrestle with Bunnymund for a few more minutes but the warrior had him pinned and didn't use too much force to subdue him, he waited till the boy would tire himself out. Soon Jack's breathing turned softer and his body went limp and he lay there, still pinned. Bunnmund waited a few moments and turned his head when they heard heavy footsteps and then North appeared. He bent low to meet Jack's eyes but he closed them and turned away, waiting for the yelling to start.
"Jack, are you alright?" he asked.
Jack turned to him in surprise, "aren't you angry with me?" he asked, afraid of the answer.
North shook his head. "I'm sorry Jack, iz my fault. I was so happy you were joining us I wanted everyone to feel happy knowing you."
Bunnymund lifted himself off the boy and massaged his muscles, the kid had been a toughie. "Why didn't you call us mate?"
Jack shook his head and now he did start crying, "I don't know. Things just happened so fast," he said quickly wiping away the tears. "Jack I'm so sorry." Said Tooth reaching out to give him a hug. Jack shied away from her outstretched hands, "I'm not ready." He said in a way of an apology.
North kneeled next to him and pushed him into Tooth's embrace. "No Jack, you are ready. You are not ready for strangers or people who don't understand you but this, you are ready for." He also reached forward and gave him a hug.
Jack buried himself into the warm bodies and held himself there, quiet and still as if the slightest movement might scare them off. They held on till he was the first to move away. Bunnymund cleared his throat, "Jack. You probably count us with the people who ignored you and thought you were a bother. You're a good kid. Cant do anything about the past now but we do care and from now on, we'll show it."
Jack nodded and clasped the Pooka's paw in his and gave it a firm shake. Golden trails of dust circled them and Sandy formed images of all the Guardians laughing and standing by Jack.
"Thanks Sandman." Said Jack, "you were always around, so really thankyou."
"Speak to us, so we know when you're not alright," said Toothiana.
"I cant promise that," said Jack honestly, "some habits are hard to break."
They nodded in understanding. "Iz alright Jack, we are here anyway." Said North. He got up with a load groan and then grinned. "Yetis are very busy unfreezing guests and cleaning. Let us go to the kitchen and have hot chocolate yes?"
"Sounds good." Said Jack grinning.
Sandman motioned and made a heart and arrow symbol. "Thanks mate," said Bunnymund. "Kid, Cupids outside, he wanted to check you were ok. He punched the guy out who pushed you."
Jack's eyes widened at the image of the large, well-built man with his white toga flying through the air and karate-punching someone. "Cool."
"Do you want him to join us?" asked Tooth.
Jack nodded. Someone had stood up for him besides the Guardians, even if he had been just a little too late.
The rest of the evening was spent in the kitchen, eating snacks and chatting and laughing over various stories. Soon Jack's eyes got tired and North showed him his way to the guestroom. As he lay in the bed, comfortable and content, he felt himself begin to cry again. After a few minutes of sniffling and quiet sobbing, the door opened and light flooded the dark room.
"Jack?" asked North sitting on the bed.
"I don't know why I'm crying," whispered Jack, "I feel happy."
"Cry Jack, I am here, iz alright." Said North, holding the boy. As the boy cried, he whispered promises that he intended to keep be it to his dying breath. His home would always be open to him, he would always care. That he was sorry.
Sandy soon floated in silently and with a nod from North, gave a small sprinkle of golden dust over the boy's white head that was nestled against North's chest. Jack sighed contentedly and relaxed.
Tooth followed soon after with Bunnymund and arranged his pillows so he would be comfortable while Bunnymund placed his staff on the bed next to his sleeping body.
Jack slept well that night, their Winter child.
End.
Yay I did it! Hope you liked it. Was so nice to see reviews and I really thankyou for them. I love the suggestions and will definitely continue. Please let me know if this is what you were looking for.
Wildkitkat
:3