AN:
A song from album Let Go by Avril Lavigne.
I'm With You:
Hakase stepped out of his portal made of shadow element into darkness of a room he swore was his own. Quickly closing up the opening he traveled noting him self he had to stop doing MiM's errands. Sighing while reminding him he couldn't cut off what was left of his family despite who he was. Knowing the dark influence that twisted him those centuries ago had lost its touch. Leaving him hopeful after this second visit that soon he would have his old brother back.
To only put that all aside when negated sleep started to catch up with Hakase when he started to yawn. Noticing the painted mural upon all four walls and large window told him he was in wrong room. Would had him mentally noting not to make this mistake again If someone didn't start to stir on bed mumbling a phrase that turned on all the lights.
"Morning sleeping head." Hakase addressed Ero.
Before Ero asked him what he was doing in his room or why he was standing in middle of his room staring at him and Jack. An ornate glass bottle with cork pressed into it's opening was placed beside Ero by one of Hakase's shadowy tentacles. Ero could find freshly gathered black sand within the glass container.
"This a bribe?" Ero asked through his yawning.
"A gift." Hakase did air quotes.
"From your visit with Nightmare King." Ero sat up.
"Just having a quiet meeting with family." Hakase shrugged.
"At this time of the morning?" Ero mumbled inching the back of his head.
Hakase ended up walking toward Ero's bed using a charm along the way to turn the lights off. Had him pulling the essences or spark of the light toward embedded jewel in a clasp located within his inner lobe of his ear. Forming a spiraling formation that spun in a counter clockwise motion. Being sucked into a small piece of jewelry that would store this energy for future use.
"Please be ready for what's coming tomorrow." Hakase looked upon them.
Leaving the room was hard for him with news he was going to have done delivery when morning rolled around. Since he had news about Pitch's lost humanity returning and Fearlings twisted hold dissipating. Where a long awaited position of Guardian that would redefine Nightmare King's Reputation. Would be delivered in the morning whenever Hakase could get some proper sleep.
Who would use a force-sleeping spell on Ero if he didn't nodded off willingly giving him peace of mind. Using a normal means to exit the room through a doorway with no magic portal this time around. Making sure to not slam the door while he left knowing he would cause unwanted problem. Just didn't expect to find Tekla outside that very room he was stepping out of in her night wears.
"Had fun visiting Pitch?" She asked with her arms behind her back.
"If I say yes..." He hesitated. "...You not were running to North."
"Only if I need to if your Pitch in disguise." She stepped forward.
"Don't worry," Hakase places one his arms in front of her. "I'm very real."
She took the chance to poke at him making sure he was real Spirit of Halloween and not a sand clone. When her manicured nails painted to match her night wear dug into the sleeve covered limb. Picked up the skin that lay under neither the fabric between her pointer and thumb fingers, and pitched. Not caring how hard how hard she clamped the gathering of flesh s she stared at him. Not getting one reaction from him when she stared in to complete darkness that made up his eyes.
"Are you done flirting with her?" Lorre asked from an opened doorway.
"Give us a minute." Hakase waved at him.
"You have five." Lorre sighed.
"Make 20." Tekla narrowed her done up eyelids.
"15 and no later." Lorre leans on the door's frame.
He then rolled his eyes at the comment at the both of them knowing the stand off between those two would go on. So He stepped back into the room asking Hakase to come join him in bed instead of wasting his time. While telling Tekla an excepting mother shouldn't be stressing her self over littlest matter. Ended with him softly slamming a door that had two he's told to cut out the antics standing they're staring. This had Tekla giving her version evil eye that didn't left up after Hakase opened portal to her shared bedroom. She would walk through flipping her hair at him giving him good night. Closed up behind her retreating toward a plush size bed filled with linens and bedding made of silk. Only able to shed her slippers after sitting on her side mumbling in her native tongue.
Stopped when heavily built hair covered in good amount of white hair snaked around her waist, and pulled her into solid mass of muscle. Told her that speaking Russian in such livid state was arousing for him. Had to be extinguished by eternal young thing with fiery red hair he come to love. She would end up agreeing to do since she a few issues that needed to be worked out this moment.
"My Sweet Candy Cane..." North sweetly mumbled her nickname.
She in turn she sheds her robe to make undressing her easy for her half-asleep husband to handle her. Running her fingers through his think white bread that tickled her face when her face was drawn to his. Giggling noises she made only brought a smile to North's own face when kiss was shared. To place one of his hands to her stomach wanting hear the heart beat that was to be his child.
"Boy or girl?" North whispered.
"Girl...we have enough boys." Tekla thought Jack and Ero were truly enough.
"Name?" North asked knew Tekla had one picked out.
Aleksandrina Sveta was only to words Tekla came up with before North pressed her into the mattress. Commenting how he liked the name of their unborn already needing to reward her properly. Slowly lifting up her nightdress's skirt knowing it would end up bunching around her thighs.
"Like I know." Ero answered Jack rather annoyed the same question was being asked.
He ended up sitting back down on his desk chair dropping whatever book he been reading unable to answer Jack. Knowing he didn't know why he or Jack weren't allowed anywhere near the Globe Room after breakfast was severed. Until they could be told about what was going on by someone coming to get them after this private meeting. Entertaining them selves was only thing they could do in any of the rooms with North's Workshop. One Ero choice to hang out in had to be the vast library with bored Jack tagging along. Taking up a table some where in the back of the library as a workstation with books and papers scattered all over. When some kind of work started with Ero reading what elves pulled from selves for him as Jack sat around. Not once helping Ero out when he started to take notes and bookmark pages of books weren't put up.
"Don't you have a magical way of spying or one of your crystal beasts?" Jacked asked needing something to do.
"I do, but last time I checked..." Ero reminds him. "Magic was I taught wasn't used for sneaking on our fellow Guardians."
"Party-pooper." Jack groaned.
Jack ended up sitting up side down on the chair opposite of Ero's own staring at what he was doing and mess on the table. Not wanting to understand what Ero was doing before tot the center of the table where a few items laid. A wooden box covered in carvings on outside filled corked jars and dried plants sat there in middle of the mess. One that caught the attention of the winter spirit was Snow Flake charm that usual carried on Ero's felt loop. He would reach out to from his seat making this loud screeching sound as he leaned forward.
"Jack!" Ero covered his ears.
He then noticed that Jack was reaching for one of his Environmental Charms in the form of Snowflake. He forgotten to wear lately after coming to adapt to natural coldness that Jack seems to produce after two become close. Down went the Tome he been reading while he removed from his seat pulling something from his pocket. Making his way toward other side of the table where Jack now sat right side up trying to work up courage.
"I heard North gave you something after giving his speech about you center and well..." Ero fumbled with what he wanted to say, "So ...HERE!"
He ended up holding out in Jack's line of vision one of his hands that held a nesting doll that portrayed affectionate Jack. Going on about how during his private lessons with North between learning magic and other crafts. This was created from scraps of wood and paint by using his hands with no magical means. Would be meant to go with the first nesting doll that North had originally given to Jack during his Center speech.
"Shows you have a friendly layer unlike what humans say about you." Ero tried to make eye contact with Jack.
Jack corrected the way he sat so he could reach out to take Ero by his wrist and pull him in his direction. Not caring that Ero wasn't in agreeable mood to end up in his lap when Jack sat right side up. Ended with Ero straddling Jack thighs with him close enough so Jack could attach Snow Flame Charm. To one of Ero's belt loops securely revealing that in his own Jack like when Ero wore the magic trinket.
"You been talking to my mom?" Ero asked Jack if he knew about Charm's other magical properties.
"No, more like Tekla and North filled me in on this;" Jack looked to what now hang on Ero's belt loop. "Links you to what ever guardian you choice as...your significant other."
"Remind me to thank them afterward." Ero wrapped his arms around Jack's neck.
This had Jack in teasing matter about Ero needing to thank the Good Witch of Childhood being Edwyna. Before going on how he learned from Tekla that the charm he wanted Ero to wear had bonding capabilities. Leaving Ero to laugh at the use of his mother old title he never gotten use to hearing. Only inflated Jack's already growing ego that had him creeping his hands around Ero's lower waist. That stopped when he connected them both on small of Ero's lower back. Allowed him to get a better grip of the body he had drawn on top of him before leaning forward enough.
Getting the hint by the way Jack's hands were traveling all over his body to get him closer Ero ended up moving. Using his knees to crawl more upward to the point his clothed crotch brushed against noticeable bulge. Hidden within Jack's own clothed area that had Ero choking on his own air. When he breathed in enough before Jack's his lips assented on his own in hungry matter. Swallowing his whole mouth so he could stick his own tongue in between Ero's lips.
"Tilt head to side." Tekla's voice startled both of them.
Jack's hold on Ero didn't loosen up even when he did a complete 180 in his arms repositioning him body. Having him end up with his back against Jack's hoodie clad chest so that both could stare at Tekla. Who stood there a few feet away from Ero's workstation dressed in her dominatrix inspired outfit. Her red hair tightly braided and hanging over one of her lace covered shoulders. Her eyes just stared at the boys' activities with slight smirk appearing on her immoral youthful face.
"I interrupt something?" She asked interested in what was about to happen.
Jack went on alert with familiar fear that Tekla before them had been tainted by Pitch or some other dark force. That would had Jack reaching for his staff while Ero got ready to cast high level spell of defensive, or offensive use. If wasn't for stray moonbeams spilling through panels of skylights that lay in the library's ceiling. Acted as a natural spotlight that bathed the couple in a glow of soft light that only made Ero blush.
"MiM approving of you two," Tekla though that was touching scene. "Remind me of wedding day me and North shared...once..."
She sadly sighed at the memory before remembering why she came here in the first place after volunteering to go fetch the boys. Had her telling both Ero and Jack to postpone their make out session for what was waiting for them. Insisting they follow her to section of the WorkShop the two of them hadn't been allowed in.
"Anything that has to do with announcement Hakase made this morning at breakfast?" Jack asked still on the defensive.
"Yes and involves Ero." Tekla answered in this assuring voice.
This had Jack tightly the hold he hand on Ero's hand at they worked out of the library out of a deep fear or worry. Ero returned the hand squeeze with one of his own since both walked side by side with Jack shouldering his staff. A medium to large size massager bag made of leather with capital G embodied on out flap that belonged to Ero. Hung off the carved part of Jack's shouldered staff was being carried.
"You create new charm, yet?" Tekla asked Ero.
"Still working out the bugs after gathering all the materials thanks to Hakase." Ero spoke of the wooden box he capped and had placed in his message bag.
"Meaning you'll be ready to create item soon?" Tekla asked.
"When next New Moon shows up." Ero needed MiM's presence to finish the process.
Jack stayed out of the conversation since he was trying to figure out why Ero was needed and Hakase's announcement. He did much pay attention to what the older man had to say about news from MiM. Only details he could recall from the joint meal they all had that morning was North's angry. Way North pounded his fists into the table knocked most of dish and silver ware on to the ground. Everyone else was knocked over and spilled over their contains they held. Ero and Jack for the first time that day in North's presence and escape with Lorre for safety of Ero's room. Tekla frozen at the mention of Pitch coming back to the Work Shop pouring out on pitcher of milk. North had a one-sided staring contest with Hakase that lasted for rest of the morning. Leaving the Yetis walking on broken dishware to pick up the mess in dining room. Making sure to not once disturb the two men standing firmly in their seats or woman paralyzed in her own.
"Then I'll inform North." Tekla whispered.
Ero ended up staring at Jack for some type of answer on why Tekla was acting stranger then she usually would. Before they walked out of the latest hallway that led into main area where Yetis could be could make toys. Working together Ero using his Snowflake charm to channel Jack's Wintery powers to manipulate the water's moisture. Creating a slight sow flurries in the shape of butterflies that would fly around Tekla. Doing small Ariel displays around her head before bursting like firework forming a pattern of her favorite flower.
This brought tears to Tekla's eyes to the point she stopped walking completely and turned around to face Ero and Jack. Unfolding her arms so she could hug the both of them at the same time thanking them in her native tongue. Going on about how in the short time they come to be here in her and North's home since Pitch's defeat. She had come to call them her own and wasn't ready for what was coming.
"You two most know how important you've are to North and me." Tekla couldn't hold back her tears.
Her hold on them tighten when Jack ended up asking her if something was going to happen to them or even Ero. Moment between three of them stayed only lasted for minute or two ifs weren't for near by Yeti grumbling for them to hurry. Tekla ended up telling that Yeti off like her self-allowing Jack and Ero to go to lift with out her. Knowing the two would wait for her while she was got done with back talking a creature twice her height and her strength.
"Teach me that move sometimes. " Jack couldn't believe a simple spell got Tekla to open up.
"As long as you done get bored within next five second when I actually show you." Ero opens the lift door for Jack.
"You can keep me entertained." Jack stepped in pulling Ero with him.
Ero ended up leaning on the far part of the lift with Jack making sure he rested on the railing with out metal bar digging in his back. Allowing Jack to embrace him once more so they could get back to the kiss that Tekla interrupted.
"Whatever happens to you," Jack breathed cold puffs of air out Ero. "I am going to be right there with you."
"Thanks since your known troublemaker." Ero rests he heads on Jack shoulder smiling.
Jack made his feelings known to Ero during their first sexual encounter together that he wasn't lonely any more. Having Ero enter his life was the most pleasing moment other when he found a child to believe in him. Only got him told that Ero had always believed in him like he like right now.
When the Guardian Stone was presented before certain assumable guardians and the rays of the MiM's beams. Chosen Guardian was displayed in blue light shocked everyone since he currently the one that been defeated. Leaving answers to be found in the person was relying the message that MiM wasn't making a mistake. Putting Hakase in the tightest spot he ever been in his then the time Fearlings offered him their power for an exchange. Didn't mean he took the challenge to explain that some how Pitch wasn't the threat he use to be. Defending Pitch's new found point of view and that Fearlings touch has long since left Pitch's being. Among everything else that showed Pitch had changed for the good was granted a position among the guardians.
"He's to use his nightmares to scare children to certain point under a probationary period with I or Mr. ManSnoozie supervising him," Hakase relies MiM's message. "Until he's deem worthy to be ranked one of us..."
Hakase got a face full of angry Pooka by the name of Bunnymund still not taking the news of what was being revealed. Dullahan would have been ready to verbally against him if his head wasn't knocked of by buzzing Toothiana. She couldn't stay in one place long enough after hearing what the others had just been told. Around the room form fellow guardian to fellow guardian she flew asking if what had been told to them was true. Ended up getting so worked uo she ended up not watching where she was flying and ended up. Knocking into Hakase s hard his head went flying off and land in the lap of one person this whole meeting was about.
"Nothing changes." Pitch looked upon the had on hip lap.
He could still remember before the Fearlings took him and twisted him up with their on notions of redemption against Golden Age. Hakase's head had a habit of never staying long enough on his neck or in place like now. On Pitch's lap the head could he found expressing each one his brother's feelings about Bunnymund's objections. Would he asked for by Lorre wanting his husband head back unable to take hand gestures from headless corpse for so long. Over the head would be handed by Pitch with amused smile on his face.
"Your smile is way better then his description," Lorre liked Pitch's grin. "Remind to ask Hakase about letting you come live with us back in Romania?"
"I'm right here." Hakase reminds Lorre he was holding his head.
"Well?" Lorre asked knowing he listened.
"Let's get THIS sorted out first." Hakase meant what was going on.
Lorre agreed with him by excusing them selves from his side before stepping on to empty chair was next to Pitch's own. Up into the air Lorre would hold Hakase's head casting an amplification charm on his husband's voice. Making sure to cut off his own hearing when Hakase yelled out toward the crowded Globe Room with yell. Telling all that despite the tragedies of a past that destroyed a whole era of time lost to them. That needed to be forgive and forgotten since the person who wiped out many existence of most species and wiped out worlds. A few guardians were going to need time to accept this face whole others quickly came to terms.
"Now if we're done auguring," Hakase looked to Lorre. "I would like my body back now."
Out a shadow tentacle would appear from near by shadow taking Hakase's head from Lorre's hands careful matter. Taking the head to a headless body that been furiously hand gesturing with Bunnymund. Both making strong points about Pitch being or not being a Guardian like them. That soon allowed Hakase to tell the Pooka off when head and body were united as one. Away from Bunnymund he would stepped toward now standing Pitch needing to thank him.
Didn't go off like he wanted since North stepped in with his arms wide open scooping the brothers up. Pitch in one arm and Hakase in other being tightly squeezed by proud North saying Manny knew best. Giving a signal to waiting Yetis to walk into the Globe Room with filled serving trays. Insisting they celebrate this moment while younger guardians ended up joining the rest of them.
"Sorry we take so long." Tekla couldn't stop sniffling.
"My Sweet Candy Cane..." North drops Pitch and Hakase to tend to his wiping bride.
Jack and Ero denied making her cry knowing she was like this due something that involved Ero. Would be revealed by Lorre taking Ero's bag from end of Jack's staff to remove the wooden box. Who opened the box to look over the contains while a Yeti handed him papers with Ero's hand writing.
"Your results will be given to you day before Christmas." Lorre instructed Ero, "Until then enjoy keep working hard."
He ended walked passed the two of them needing to get the ceremony ready fro what Ero had gathered. For a meeting with last great wizard and a survivor of the lost city of Atlantis by name of Ombric Shalazar. Who would look over what Ero had gathered beside MiM and Edwyna acting as fellow judges.
"Do I want to know what that was about?" Jack asked revealing what this was all about with Ero.
"Long story." Ero mumbled worried.
"Have you meant me?" Jack smirked gesturing to him self.
Ero ended up needing to sit Jack down explaining during Colonial America his mother was homeopathic healer. Caring only sick children who were bedridden because illness using herbs and natural methods to cure them. This gained attention of negative kind among the townspeople and children's parents. Led to her being labeled a witch and her innocent life taken from her due to fear. Stripping her of any chance of becoming a true mother since she was pregnant at the time.
Her second chance at life was granted to her by MiM and Ombric after both her watched her depressing tale from afar. Under Ombric's wing she gave birth within nine months to white haired boy she come to name Ero. For first 100 years of her and her son's life they were taken and taught all forms of magic by Ombric. She caught on quickly with out much trouble and left him moving back to home state with Ero. Spending her last 250 years establishing her self with Guardian community as Spirit or Guardian of Old World Magic (human soon forgot about).
"Just my mother..." Ero looked at his hands, "In a cruel twisted kept me sheltered and growth stunned to keep me safe."
To only be silenced by Jack pulling him into a kiss to shut him up long enough Ero would forgot about the topic.