"Jack?" Jamie's voice brought the Guardian back from his suffocating thoughts.
"Wha—? Oh, yeah. Sorry." Jack cleared his throat and attempted the most casual voice he could muster. "I had a family, yeah. I loved them a lot. I took care of them every day. I didn't even go to school." He said the last with a grin.
"That must have been great." Jamie noticed Jack's tense expression a few seconds before, but decided he'd save his questions for a more appropriate time.
"Yeah, it was." He smiled. "I spent all day with my sister and we'd just play in the town. It really was so much fun."
"Did you cause as much trouble back then as you did when I was a kid?" Jamie chuckled, remembering the Sledding Catastrophe years ago.
"Haha. Not as much, since I didn't have an entire element under my control." Jack held a wistful expression. "But it was just as fun. Maybe I even enjoyed messing with you guys more."
Jamie gave a small smile. "I never properly thanked you for those snow days, did I?"
"Don't worry about it." Jack grinned back. "Seeing you happy is enough of a reward."
There were a few moments of content silence as they continued to eat, the atmosphere swirling with a nostalgic air. Jamie held a smile, remembering each winter day he enjoyed as a kid. How the afternoons filled with laughter and juvenile mayhem. He would trade anything to go back and enjoy childhood again.
Jamie stopped eating, biting his lip and placing his silverware on the table. "Jack, I… I had somuch fun when I was younger…"
Jack looked at Jamie, silently listening as his serious tone caused him to worry.
"And I'm so happy that you're back. And I'm sorry I was angry when I first saw you again. Because I'm genuinely thrilled that you came back. I was just confused and… frustrated? I guess. I didn't think you'd ever come back, and then you did at the most random time… And really, I guess any time was better than never. Um…but…" The brunette swallowed. "I won't forgive you for leaving me."
Jack hung his head but didn't interject as Jamie continued.
"You left me, and I just fell apart." His words were shaking and slow. He made sure he'd be able to verbalize what he felt. So that maybe Jack could understand. "Nothing seemed magical anymore… I…I couldn't enjoy even the smallest bits of happiness I observed around me, because I was afraid of that joy leaving me as soon as I got a taste of it. …I was in a dark place, Jack. I was hurting, a-and it just got worse the older I got. I hated the constant pain, but didn't trust myself enough to manage the wounds alone. …And even now I'm… nowhere close to being okay."
Jack's entire body just slumped. He'd lost all airs and guilt flowed through his movements. He ran a hand over his face. How could he ever make things right again? No apology was enough to show how sorry he was. "I… I know, Jamie. I was such an idiot for listening to North."
"Yeah, you kinda were." Jamie agreed bluntly. He shrugged his shoulders and coughed to clear his breaking voice. "But, I mean, I guess you didn't know it'd affect me so much—"
"No, that's just it, Jamie," Jack interrupted. "I knew it was hurting you. On the globe, I saw the light representing your belief flicker. You were the only kid still believing in the Guardian's when Pitch had the world controlled by fear. You were so strong. Every time I saw your faith in us dim or momentarily disappear, I felt so terrible. I knew you only doubted us because you'd been betrayed. I saw it; I knew you were feeling so hurt and confused. But I didn't even try to disobey orders. I'm such an idiot and I know I don't deserve your trust for a long time…" Jack looked up at the brunette with a pleading expression. "But I... I think I would just die if I knew you hated me."
The brunette let out a sigh. "I don't hate you, Jack. I really don't. I just..." He gnawed at his bottom lip. "I'm scared that you might leave me again."
Jack shook his head multiple times. He shifted his position, facing Jamie properly. "Jamie Bennett," He looked straight into his brown eyes. "I swear to you, on the life of the Guardians, that I will never, ever, ever leave you again. Ever. Every day of your life, I'll be with you, helping you through everything. Pinky promise." He extended the smallest of his right fingers and Jamie couldn't help but smile at the gesture. He linked his own pinky with Jack's and gave a nod.
"Thank you." The tension in Jamie's shoulders had released. Looking back, Jamie would come to realize that he could pinpoint the exact moment he began falling for the Guardian. But at seventeen years of age, he excused the warm feeling Jack's smile caused as nothing more than a strong sense of relief.
"Your hand is freezing!" Jamie commented and covered Jack's fingers with his own.
"And yours are so warm." He laughed, savoring the heat on his icy hands. Jack glanced at the table, noticing their empty plates. "Hey," He looked up at Jamie from under his snow-white fringe. "D'you wanna see your room now?"
"My room?"
"Yeah!" Jack stood and Jamie followed. "If you're gonna stay here forever, you gotta have a place to sleep, right?"
"I guess." Jamie laughed as Jack became enthusiastic again.
"C'mon! Follow me!" The guardian took off, out of the dining room, his feet barely touching the ground. Jamie dashed after him, up a flight of icy stairs, down a long hallway adorned with iced suits of armor. They passed seven doors until Jack finally came to a sudden halt in front of a double door.
"Here we are." Jack clutched the ice knob and pulled open one of the doors. Inside held more ice, the walls and floors were glowing in the candlelight. After all the beautiful objects he'd seen made of ice, Jamie was surprised to see a fabric comforter on the king sized ice bed frame. Luscious blue curtains hung from the ceiling, surrounding the bed. There was a large dark blue carpet underneath it, giving the room a certain warm appearance. Jamie's exclamation was caught in his throat when he looked to the adjoining wall. An image was carved into the ice of him as a child. He recognized the scene as the day he went speeding through the town on his rogue sled. He smiled when he saw the carving of Jack Frost, hovering above the icey image of kid Jamie. There were intricate swirls and shades of blue and white completing the carved scene.
"This is amazing." Jamie finally said, staring at the tapestry. "Everything is. Oh my god. Jack, this is seriously my room?"
"Made it for you." Jack explained with a smile on his face. "I've wanted you to visit ever since I made the Palace."
"Well, I love it." Jamie turned back to the Guardian and noticed the content stare Jack had aimed at him. "Now I am definitely never leaving."
"Good. I won't let you, anyway." Jack laughed. His feet had touched the ground and he took a few steps forward. He looked up at the wall art and then back to Jamie. "You've grown so much!" Jack exclaimed, putting a hand on Jamie's brunet head. "We're the same height now, yeah?"
"I think I'm a little taller." Jamie chuckled, measuring where Jack's height matched his.
"No way." The Guardian laughed and hovered back into the air so he was a good three inches taller than the brunette.
"Hey, no fair!" Jamie laughed, placing his hand on Jack's white hair and pushing him back to the ground. Jamie suspected that they really were about the same height because Jack's blue eyes could gaze directly into Jamie's brown ones. Which they did. For about ten whole seconds. Neither boy moved, just looked at each other and smiled. Jamie was just glad he could see him. After all those years that moment felt surreal. Was he really looking straight at the illusive Guardian he'd been searching for? Were said Guardian's arms really finding their way around Jamie's waist? Were their foreheads actually touching? Were Jamie's eyes closing? Was he really shivering as the spirit's chilled breath hit his face? Did he really feel Jack's lips inching closer to him? …Was he really content with not stopping him?
A sudden jolt washed over the Guardian before their lips could meet, and Jamie blinked his eyes open. The brunette felt confusing disappointment as Jack moved his head away from Jamie's. The teenager noticed a serious expression now present on his face. The Guardian was staring in the direction of the door.
"Someone's here." Jack removed his hands from Jamie's sides and grabbed the wooden staff. White frost immediately covered the surface where he held it with determination. The Guardian took off running out of the room. Jamie hurried after him all the way to the main foyer. Jack stood there, in battle position, pointing the staff in the direction of the main entrance. There was a second of tense silence until a voice called from behind them.
"Over here, mate." The two recognized the voice immediately and Jack sent shards of ice toward it. There was a yelp followed by the six-foot figure of a rabbit jumping to avoid the ice.
"Oi!" Bunnymund exclaimed. He patted frost off his bluish fur. The whiskers on his face twitched as he frowned at the winter spirit. "What was that for?!"
"I'm not going with you!" Jack shouted at Bunny.
"Jesus..." The Australian shook his head, rolling his eyes. "No need to become violent! Besides, you have to come with me. You're in a heap of trouble, you know."
"I haven't done anything wrong." Jack stood up straight.
"Yes, you did!" He took a defiant step forward. "You disobeyed North's direct orders. Not only that, but you've been hiding from us! A whole week, we've been looking! And you've spent the whole time with that kid. Not that we were able to go near him, since we actually follow orders. But I finally decided to go look for you, since you've already ruined the plan." Bunnymund pointed a boomerang at his fellow Guardian. "You've had Tooth worried sick. And North's—"
"Wait." Jamie spoke up, caught on something the rabbit had said. "A week?"
Jack's shoulders immediately tensed. He didn't look Jamie in the eye.
"You've been gone a week?" the brunette repeated, stepping into the Guardian's line of sight. "But you've only been with me for a day—less!" Jamie knew he was hiding something. "Jack." The brunette's tone warned. "What does he mean 'a week'?"
The Guardian finally glanced at Jamie and was about to say something, but closed his mouth again.
"Have you been following me for a whole week?!" Jamie figured. "All that time and you don't even think to show yourself!"
"Jamie, yes, okay, I'm sorry I just-"
"Just what?! You think it would be fun?! Not letting me see you?! Even when I was screaming at the top of my lungs for you? Really smart move, dude. That's a great way to earn my trust, you know." Jamie spat. "You're a complete asshole, you know that?!"
Bunnymund gave a low chuckle. He mumbled. "Grew up with some spirit, this one."
"Shut it, Cottontail!" Jamie shot at the rabbit. "You're in just as much trouble as he is."
His composure fell when he became the object of the brunette's rage. "T-The bloody hell did I do?!"
"You left me for seven years too, y'know!" Jamie shouted. "All you Guardians! You said you'd protect me, but all you do is give me one night of magic and then you leave forever! How can I be happy with any of you?" Jamie fought angry tears. "Why didn't you show yourself?!" He directed the question at Jack.
The Guardian fumbled with his response. "I-I just... I wanted to see how you were doing without us."
"Oh, I was just peachy." Jamie's hands formed fists. He thought of the weeks past events. There was definitely more screaming and fits. Jamie's stomach dropped almost immediately when he began thinking of what he'd done as a result. "You... you were there the whole time?" His voice was low.
Jack seemed to know what he was talking about and his expression became dark. "… I'm sorry." Jack didn't want to offer a straight answer.
"Even when I..." He couldn't finish. Jamie anxiously began tugging at his sleeve, rubbing his stinging left wrist. Bunnymund noticed the action and his ears fell. The rabbit felt like shrinking away from such a serious conversation.
Jack's voice was weak. "...I… I couldn't bear to watch."
Jamie covered his eyes and took several deep breaths. "…And you didn't try to stop me?" His voice broke and was barely audible. He wanted to disappear. He felt such fury and disappointment. The more Jamie thought about it, the more he regretted ever meeting Jack. If he'd never met him, he wouldn't have been left by him. He wouldn't have felt as lost as he was for seven years; he would be happier. All the brunette's problems couldn't be traced back to the spirit in front of him… So why didn't he hate Jack?
Jamie let his hand fall from his face. There was heavy silence as he inhaled and exhaled slowly, attempting to wrap his brain around the reasons why Jack did it. Jamie then looked up at him with such a hurt and confused expression that Jack wanted to do nothing but hold and comfort the brunette. To explain everything. He wanted Jamie to understand why Jack kept doing such terrible things to him, but couldn't offer an explanation that wouldn't result in hatred. But even describing all of his doubts and regrets might not rid that sad look from the teenager's face. As the seconds inched by, Jack could do nothing but stand there in shame.
The brunette just shook his head, letting his gaze fall to the floor as he turned around. He simply walked away from the two silent Guardians helplessly standing in the foyer.
"N-no, Jamie," Jack found his voice too late as Jamie just ignored him, heading up the staircase and eventually out of sight.
Jack felt a hand on his shoulder and looked to see Bunnymund shake his head, a sympathetic look on his features.
"Best not go after him…" The rabbit seemed to know what Jack was thinking. "Give him some time alone, yeah?"
Jack knew his fellow Guardian was right, but that didn't stop him from staring in the direction Jamie had gone with a longing expression.
"C'mon." Bunny's voice was still respectfully low as he removed his hand and took a few steps back. "North wants to see you, remember?"
story's not even close to being finished oops.
but yeah enjoy chapter 5, readers. ilysm.
(no but im thinking of changing the name bc this is just a working title? idk guys am i like allowed to do that)