AN:
This time around I chose the song from album Aquarium by Aqua.
My Oh My:
Early mornings within North's workshop was a quiet atmosphere since no one was awake at that hour of the day. Leaving a fully alert Ero dressed and fully aware of his surroundings to be found in the Globe room looking at globe. Millions of lights showed him of all those children whose very beliefs supported the existed of the guardians. That he kept close to his immortal heart due to years of mother's advice about how special. A heart of a child ever was in times of crisis like what happen with Pitch.
"Shows they're not all brats." Ero whispered looking over those lights.
Had him seeking some where to sit not caring the open view the balcony area of the room gave of multi floors. Once he found a chair next to table that was used for MiM knows what so he could lay down a book to read. Carefully he open this book since it was from North's private library and was quite old. He was studying up on form of elemental magic that revolved around usage of frozen water. Beside the book he laid the snowflake charm he had hook to belt loop of his pants. He hadn't put it back in the small, cedar wood, box that came with him and was apart of a set. This set was magical crafted charms his mother gifted him before he came to live with North. Each one had special ability that Ero could wear on his person when around main Guardians.
Like the snowflake one that kept Ero from needing to wear warmer clothing in freezing environment like North's Workshop. Had many other individual abilities he was studying about through the book. Making him thankful he had this quiet time like back at in him town of Salem Village, Massachusetts. Since he was thoroughly reading passages written in a language he was taught to understand. Making him turn to empty notepad of paper and pen he had stacked at the end of the table. Up from his seat he went reaching over for the items that ended up being frozen over.
"Morning to you too Mr. Frost." Ero looked up to see Jack perched on top of his staff just floating they're staring down at Ero.
"It's Jack and please tell me your not studying at this hour?" He couldn't believe Ero was doing.
Terms book worm or dork would have come from Jack's lips if Ero tapping frozen over chuck that was his notepad of paper and pen. That had ice dissolving in to chilled air leaving the items unaffected ice melting. So Ero could take hold of what he needed to start taking notes on ice based Magic. Just when he returned to sit back down and look over marked pages of the book. To only find it missing from the spot he had placed it and in the hands of table's new occupant.
In the form of Jack sitting on table's edge turning the pages carelessly trying to read what he called gibberish. His staff carelessly held in one of his arms while he kicked his feet back and fourth. To only be told by Ero the dilate was Latin base and was centuries old language not many spoke. Who ended up joining Jack on the table making sure he fasten the Snow Flake charm to one of his belt loops.
"Have I missed something?" A woman's voice asks about what the boys were up to, "Because if any one is hungry...I make delicious food."
Her state of dress was sheer, silk fabric that made up her thin strap nightdress and robe over it in heelless slippers. A worn ribbon kept her long hair in a side ponytail that lay on her right shoulder. Who took the whistling Jack gave when his eyes traveled from book he snatched to her body. Had her introducing her self to Jack with a bow as Tekla St. North or Miss. Santa Claus. Cleavage view she gave Jack would have him looking her way if wasn't for Ero getting in his line of sight.
"If you want to stare return my book." Ero pointed to item that lay in Jack's hands.
"Give me a minute." Jack tried to look over him at approaching woman.
Before the book could be handed over or Ero could return to his studying that book ended up being taken by Tekla. Who told both boys she didn't like attention being turned away from her youngful body. Telling Ero to enjoy his stay here by enjoying Jack's company and companionship in form of friendship. Since he wasn't at home any more being grilled by his mother about any thing that was magical related. Jack was to stop hindering Ero's learning process and possibly learn something from him. Pointing out both boys were the same age and from same time period in American history with bit of a difference.
"Now who is hungry?" She asked changing the subject before either one could start something.
Both boys would have answered her if Jack's comment about her needing children of her own to boss around. Wasn't quite to him self when Ero had ended up covering his mouth wit his own hand saying they would meet her in kitchen. This got him a verbal warning of being they're in 30 minutes or she sends a Yeti after them. Had her returning the book to Ero and walking off peering to the Globe of Belief with sad eyes. Before leaving the room completely right when Ero had to pull his hand away from Jack's mouth; due to Jack biting one his fingers.
"You want to be frosted?" Jack tighten his gripped his staff.
"Beats your angry over her wrath." Ero looked over his bitten fingers.
He ended up laughing while telling Jack that he was to never mention topic of children around Tekla do to her past. He wouldn't get into since it involved the tragic story of how she becomes a guardian due to North. Stripped her of any chance of baring a child for North because of state her body was found in. This some how bummed out Jack when Ero couldn't speak about any more.
"By chance...can you even eat solid food being that you own an astral form and not a Corporeal one?" Ero poked Jack expecting his hand to go through him.
Jack ended up confused and humored at the same time since he ended up laughing at Ero openly wondering about his eating habits, and if he was ghost. Had him waving his staff swiftly so he could end up knocking Ero on his head to shut him up. Stopped Ero from poking Jack long enough for him to remove him self from the table's edge. Telling Ero if he wanted to figure out if he could eat actual food was to tag along and witness it. If he wanted he would show him how to actually used ice magic with out reading about it.
"If it gets you to stop bothering me." Ero was in agreeable mood.
"We'll see about that." Jack wasn't promising anything.
This had Ero wishing North allowed him to spread his Sanctuary spell to completely envelop his Workshop. Protecting everyone and guests on the inside from any form of magical conflict anyone else could use. Knowing that Jack might pull something on him like what Jack pulled first time their met. Had him looking for another charm that lay beside the snowflake on same belt loop of his pants. When he hand felt the outline of a transparent crystal in shape of a crescent moon he calmed down. Before he was on his feet and asking Jack where this kitchen was located.
Shrug came form Jack told Ero a Yeti was coming for them if they didn't figure out where they needed to go. Resulted in Ero about to use an assistance spell if wasn't Jack stopping him and nodding his head. What came stumbling in to the Globe Room still effected by Sandman's Dreamsand. Were North's elves with their eyes half-opened/half-shut trying not to fall over each other. Idea that came to Jack's head had Ero asking one of the little guys instead of what Jack had in mind. Nod he got from one of them when words kitchen and Tekla were heard the elves went nuts.
"Tells you North isn't the only one that enjoys her looks." Jack watched the elves' jingle their bells.
"...Or she's that good of cook." Ero walked off the elves.
Jack ended up soon following him not before flipping the curled part of his staff on the ground under the elves' feet. Forming a path of frost that grew in length encasing the elves' feet pair by pair in place. Leaving only that hadn't entered the Globe Room to be their guide as others struggled to get free. Not like licking their frozen feet helped since it would ended up sticking in place.
"Shouldn't you free them?" Ero thought what Jack did was kind of cruel.
"Relax they always found a way out it." Jack slightly knocked Ero in his shoulder.
He even told him to not worry and let loose his tendencies if he was ever going to hang out with Jack like Tekla wanted. Didn't stop Ero from discharging a marbled shaped burst of flame toward elves' feet. He dropped onto the ground when he had put his hands behind his back forming small sphere. Knowing it could roll around by it self with out him conducting it movements on where to go. Since it bounced off frozen chucks of whatever elf had his feet iced to the floor. Once free the elves ended up chasing the marbled wanting to mess with the item thinking it was a toy. Upon picking it up with the nimble their fingers would start to burn up within seconds.
Leaving them to play the item among them selves like a form of hot potato that had the marble being held for a 5 seconds. Before it finally fell to the ground and circled around terrified elves twice. With no other Elvin feet to defrost like it wanted it would ended up turning around and rolled out the door. Instead of being followed by an elf or two it was left to journey alone to find Ero. Through North's workshop it would roll out lucky there was no feet to step on it or work to hold up.
Many empty workbenches that would be filled in hours the marbled passed each floor going downward. Test area were elf experiment with already made toys to see if they were safe or workable. Was rolled through by the marble looking for any feet it needed to free before moving on. To other parts of the Workshop that contained multi rooms some being guest quarters. It bounded a few times when it bumped in a few stairs in up ward motion before coming across it location.
"What we have here?" Polished nails plucked the marble up.
Up to gloss covered and cherry red lips of apron clad Tekla the marble was lifted and blew on. Once fiery touch it held was put out looking behind a red, transparent piece of smooth glass she liked. Placed in the pocket of her apron before turning to ask if Jack pulled any pranks that were frost related. Grin appeared on Winter Spirit's face while he bites into gingerbread man told her everything.
"You enjoying those gingerbread man?" Ero asked Jack about what was cooling off.
"Want one?" Jack was willing to pass him one.
Walking up to Jack taking the half-eaten cookie from his saying something sweets not always being a filling meal. Since she replaced it with waffle filled with cut up fruit she made her self after changing out of her night wear. For more comfortable clothing like she was wearing now under her a ruffle filled apron in pink coloring. Allowed to her to enter a vast kitchen built to feed the hundreds of workers hided away in the Workshop, and start to bake.
"How it tastes?" She couldn't wait for Jack to finish chewing.
"Shouldn't you allow him to breath first before stuffing his mouth." Ero eyes the scene.
"Coming from boy with ckya for mother." Tekla said a certain word in her native tongue.
"She's not that bad." Ero understood what Tekla was saying.
Eye roll was only thing he got from her before he was handed a plastic spatula and pointed toward filled counter. A few half-bitten gingerbread men beside others that hadn't been touched laid on large trey. Waiting to be coated in home made frosting that lay in multi bowls beside the trey. Person being in charge was Ero since Jack couldn't stop chewing off the heads of unfrosted gingerbread man.
Speaking of Jack, he was currently trying to finish a mouth full of waffle that had been forced into his mouth. Not like he was going to cover the kitchen out in a form of retaliation against Tekla. Since food she pushed into his mouth tasted naturally sweet unlike the cookies he had been chewing on.
"You like?" Tekla now faced Jack.
Nod she got made her offers him another one when he swallowed the last of the first one she gave him. This had her setting up a plate of few of these waffles with silver ware opposite of Ero. She made sure to put the boys on identical barstool chairs in single spot on the large counter. Making sure that Jack's staff was out of the way and both boys were distracted to set a rule down. No way were they allowed to fling food or frosting at each other knowing it would start a food fight. That ended with her turning her finely toned back to them so she could start baking.
"Don't even think about it." Ero knew Jack was going to do.
Not like he had to look up to see Jack was ready to using his fork as a catapult ready to toss whole waffle at him. He ended up dabbing just enough green frosting on tip of Jack's nose using one of his pointer fingers. Before stealing the waffle off the fork that Jack had ready to use against him, and started nibbling on it.
"Remind me to ask Miss. North for the recipe." Ero winked at Jack.
The blush that crept across Jack's face from the way Ero had acted toward him only first of his symptoms. Followed by his breaking off eye contact with Ero to hide his crimson colored cheeks. He ended up dropping his fork on to almost empty plate that had a pool of Maple syrupy splashing sticky liquid everywhere. Stuttering of words when Jack tried to answer Ero had him sounding like he was choking. Slight trembling would have started it moist rag wasn't pressed to his cold cheek. Person dragging the moist rag across his face was concerned Tekla asking Jack if he had a food allergy.
He tried to say no while pulling away from her as a warm, fuzzy, feeling started to form at the pit of his stomach. Leaving him unable to fully pronounce first syllable of word no while his wildly failed his arms around. Instead of pushing away her hands that was wiping away his syrup-covered face he ended up hitting his plate. Knocking it over releasing a large burst of frost that sent it flying into the air toward Ero's face. Where it landed with gooey splat completely covering the front of Ero's face catching him off guard and state of shock.
"You all right?" Tekla asked Ero watching him drop what been in his hands onto the counter.
"...Ine..." Was the only word Ero could make out.
Jack would have started snickering about what he did to Ero was on purpose since this was pure accident. Leaving him to seat and watch what was going to happen with Ero prying the plate from his face in slow matter. What was left behind was something that Tekla couldn't just wipe off with her rag.
"I can't see." Ero eyes were glued shut by the Syrup.
It was trying to open up his eyes that were the problem since he couldn't after having the sealed shut. Leaving Tekla to walk over to toward him telling him to calm down while she used her rag. She removed as much of the syrup from Ero's face as she could with out getting on her own hands. Leaving her to discarded one rag and so she could get a few more to wipe away his face off. When that wasn't getting her anywhere she ended up putting her biggest one atop Ero's head. Instructing to go back to his room and wash everything off while needing to change his clothes.
"Bring clean hooded sweater for Jack." Tekla would see Ero off.
She ended up turning her attention back to Jack saying he did nothing wrong while picking up the dish and silver ware. Making sure to sink everything while awaiting a verbal answer from Jack. Never came leaving her to take one the gingerbread man that Ero had frosted, and place it in front of Jack.
"He did nice job, yes?" She asked Jack about how Ero frosted the cookie.
Gingerbread man were decorated in colored frosting missing its gum drop buttons, and other candy accessories. That Jack would be allowed to use when Tekla pulled at one of his hands and placed a few gumdrops in his palms. Asking if he could finish this one before Yetis came in to start helping her. She could have something used to show what she wanted cookies to look like. Despite what the Yetis ended up doing since their attempts usual got crushed under Tekla's high heel.
Unlike now that had her allowing Jack to snack on a few while declining from emotionally state of mind he was in. She ended up propping her self on to the table sliding a bowl filled with all colors of liquorish toward him. Wanting him to try one of them showing this friendly side to young spirit that she wasn't known for having. This was the scene that greeted a few Yetis when they entered the kitchen area. Taken back in dramatic matter at how North's wife was interacting with Jack.
"Work Time!" Tekla looked toward the Yetis.
Expression of fear that each Yeti showed when Tekla said those words made Jack silently sympatric toward them since Tekla's personality did a complete 180 from kind motherly one she had toward him and Ero.