AN:
A song from album Black & Blue by Backstreet Boys.
More Than That:
North presented both Ero and Jack with an early Christmas gift during a small break he gave him self in between toy were crafting. The items were two Faberge Eggs that were colored and designed around the boys. Just one of them was bigger then the other when that stood side by side while their appearances was slightly alike. Both were topped with glass lens of different thickness while four other lens found on the sides of the Eggs. Everything else from coloring too smallest patterns were completely different when looked over by both boys.
"Enjoy!" Were the words that North left with Jack and Ero.
Jack blankly stared at his trying to figure out what to do with his when Ero grazed his fingers over his own. He lifted into the air so he could mess around the delicate piece had him intrigue before looking to one that Jack had. He got permission to touch before drawing the second egg toward his own looking for over. When his fingers brushed one of the embedded gems on Jack's egg the top half popped open revealing hollow inside. That Ero would saw marched his egg he placed into the hollow space perfectly making the eggs. Quickly closed up showing the all the lens lined up and had Ero turning the light in the room off using snuffing light spell. Before forming a small sphere of light that he placed under the eggs to get answer he knew happen.
"I thought so." Ero watched what took place.
Out of the lens were pictures of Ero and Jack interacting form first time their meant to when they were decorating tree. Each one was life like snapshots of memories both were coming to treasure in their own way. Left had Ero setting the combined eggs on the stand that North provided for them when he started shed tears. Not once was he able to stop them form flowing of these droplets when he retreated into his seat touched some how.
Jack forgetting for those few seconds of his chilly touch had always left Ero in aroused state of being. Ended up putting his staff aside so he could leave his own seat and made his way toward Ero needing to sooth his tears. When he got close enough to each out toward him with his own fingertips Ero's tears started to freeze. Turning each droplet into frozen water crystals that hit the floor under their feet before words were exchanged. Both expressing how their company had filled the lonely void they carried over their 300-year-old lives. Neither one didn't want that to stop after coming to get to use to other.
"Smile he does." Tekla ended up turning the light back on pointing out that Ero was smiling through his tears, "I miss something?"
She walked into the room carrying her child who held yet another egg that matched the set that North gave Ero and Jack. Telling them both after they leave the Workshop to move in with one another like planned. Sharing about how they were going to be missed by a few of the Yetis and elves along side her daughter.
"That's still way off." Jack ended up sitting in Ero's lap.
"Time still fly by." Tekla put on her best pout expression.
Aleksandrina ended up rattling her egg while giggling wanting the egg to display the pretty pictures. Like the one on the table before them was doing through usage of from a light source under neither. Leaving Ero to ask if North ever placed any pictures within his daughter's egg like he done with him. Tekla ended up explaining the egg was left black for important moment in girl's life. Would end up being placed into the egg as she grew and mature into a woman like her mother.
"By way she was shaking that egg." Jack watched Aleksandrina jangle her egg, "isn't going to last long."
Tekla agreed in her own way removing the egg from her child's hands telling her a Faberge Egg was priceless object. Off to a waiting Yeti the Faberge Egg was placed in exchanged for reindeer stuffed animal. Aleksandrina grabbed with her small fingers giggling at the blinking red nose and leather harness. Being told her father crafted this with all the other toys that lined her crib.
"Remember baby reindeer with red nose?" Tekla asked dangling her child's toy.
"..." Both Ero and Jack stared at her knowing by the tone in her voice something was up.
"He's back!" Tekla allowed her daughter to have the toy.
"...And?" Ero knew there was a catch.
"He wants to see you." Tekla had a Yeti hand her a Snow Globe.
She would whisper the Workshop's stable inches away from the glass surface that had the snow flurrying. Showing image of large hooved mammals in eight separate stalls doing all kinds of motions. That ended up being tossed before Tekla so a portal to the location would open quickly. After instructing the Yetis to put the all eggs back to rooms of their respective owners to a Yeti. Tekla adjusted her hold on her daughter getting up from the seat she had taken calling to the boys.
Jack and Ero followed by her still iffy about what they were doing going through before worries were put to rest. When both were tackled to the ground by familiar fawn who now was started to mature into young adult. Small bumps on his head were noticeable to the changing of his fur coloring and started to thicken in places. Other then all those treats he still carried a innocence he had from birth that Ero's with his sorcery abilities. The red nose Rudolph had in place of usual black one Reindeer had to take in Jack.
"Edwyna dropped him off yesterday." Tekla watched the interaction, "She leave something for you."
"They are?" Ero asked knowing his mother and gifts.
Tekla could only shrug about what Edwyna personally left in her son's room without wanting to visit with him. Turning down an offer Tekla made for her to come to Annul Christmas Exchange party on night of Christmas. Using an excuse she already had plans of her those days and wouldn't have a minute to spare to 'drop by'. Not wanting to listen to what Tekla or even North to say her appearance for her son's sake.
"Don't be pickled stuff she sent you last time." Jack was never one for bottled vegetables.
"Weren't meant for your consummation." Ero remembered.
"I wouldn't have found the brownies." Jack still could taste those fudge squares.
"You left one for me while eating the rest." Ero rolled his eyes.
Rudolph ended the fight between the two of them by making this loud noise that had eyes back on him altered form. He could get back to be smothered by hands gliding through his downy soft fur in slow pace he welcomed. Nuzzling against those fingertips for better feel of flesh covered fingertips. Moving ever so slowly toward opened laps of two people he looked to as potential friends. Not watching his own wobbly legs that barely connected with one of the boy's legs. Knocking them fully onto the ground since they were kneeling down with stretched out arms to pet the fawn. Sending the fawn over onto the one of their laps with his legs spread making a squeal after landing.
Made both laughs at the little one's actions of trying to get near the both of them through allowing being petted. Had a complaining Yeti walk his way over to them reaching out while he bent down. Taking hold of Rudolph with firm grip lifting the fawn in to the air turning a few degrees to place him on hooved feet. Waving his finger before Rudolph's eyes instructing him stop forcing attention from people. All the Yeti got was a blank stare from Rudolph wanting to return to Jack and Ero.
"Stubborn like yak." Tekla couldn't help but laugh.
Got her stared at by it Yeti that trying to break Rudolph of his needy habit of human connects or looking for attention. Who would have said something if Tekla were leering expression didn't freeze him in place. Her daughter didn't seem one bit effected by staring contested that started to take place. Since she started to fall asleep within her mother's arms hugging her reindeer stuffed animal.
Leaving Jack and Ero to use this time to leave the stable area making sure to say their good byes to Rudolph while the stepped out. How they left was using a Snowglobe tuckered away in pocket of Jack's hoode. Had Ero speaking the location they wanted to go before Snowglobe was tossed forward forming a portal. They would step through hand in hand appearing in Ero's bedroom. Giving them the chance to relax after tense atmosphere Tekla pulled them into. Not caring to answer her voice through a now clasping magical doorway to stable of the Workshop.
"Want to check the package out?" Jack pointed out what laid on Ero's bed.
"Promise me your wouldn't eat contains this time around..." Ero pulled Jack along.
This got him a laugh out of Jack telling him he shouldn't leave food out in open like he done with everything else. On to Ero has his boyfriend pushed bed Jack so the package would slide over to his covered side. Jack picked up the box covered in brown paper addressed to Ero he would hand over to person standing before him. Ero not wasting a minute spins the box between his hands making layers of sting and paper disappear. Leaving behind a medium size wooden crate that Ero would take hold of allowing his curiosity to take over.
Gliding his fingertips of his left hand over the rim toward a latch that kept the boxed closed he would pop. Slowly opening the lid not really caring for what would jump out at him or some type of planted trick. Since what he found had him joining Jack on his own bed showing what laid within this something his mother sent him. What their eyes lay upon was oddly colored pears and corked saki bottle. While a note on the inner lid would go on to instruct them how to use the fruit and drink.
"She didn't..." Ero mumbled.
"Do I want to know?" Jack asked hearing Ero's mumble.
"No! NO! NO!" Ero slammed the lid of box closed, "I'm killing her and Pooka when I see either one of them."
Jack was slightly taken back by the way Ero was talking knowing his mood was soured by what laid in the box. Had him reaching around Ero to secure the latch that came with the box advising they handle gift later. Suggesting they do something more pleasurable to pass the time before he had to leave. Bringing up Ero could tag along with Jack to meet his human friends while he brought winter season around.
Smile that crept on Ero's face was only answer Jack needed when the box was laid on near by nightstand. Sinking slowly into the soft mattress and hand-sewn quilt that made up the bed he slept on. Becoming roused each second cold puffs of air from Jack's own lips were breathed in and out. Shuttering when ice cold fingers started to make their way toward first few button of his sweater. Would have gone further if something-oval shape hadn't knocking into back of Jack's head.
"What the...?" Jack asked looking around.
Laying on it's side was a Faberge Egg meant for Ero beside Jack's own as if they were meant to be in a nest. Ero ended up touched by the sight of how eggs were nestled next to each other beside them. Using a relocation spell on jewel embedded ovals to plan them so where gets crushed. To only be pulled back into a tongue-wrestling kiss that had him once more pinned under Jack's form. Only being allowed to use a familiar trick that always left Jack asking if he could ever learn. To only to be told to stick with what he knew best before pulling down toward to Ero's level.
"Shows she cares about future you well have with Jack." Tekla heard Ero describe his gift.
"How she got Bunnymund to part with the fruit." Ero got sarcastic. "That's the problem?"
Tekla ended up setting a piece of chocolate cream pie with fork into before Ero as form of comfort for him. She then kissed his forehead reminding him despite Edwyna's distanced form of love toward her only son. Her dropping this 'gift' of creation off after he made his relationship with Jack public the celebration party. Meant she cared deeply toward him as the mother who birthed and raised in him in this world.
"Having trouble she had of losing you." Tekla shrugged, "I am!"
She stuck one of her pulp red lips out trying to make her best pout face to get Ero to at least crack a smile for her. Not that it worked when he gave a half smile while staring from her face to the chocolate delight in front of him.
"Isn't dinner in a few minutes?" He asked knowing shared mealtime was starting soon.
"You need pick me up." She shoved plate toward Ero.
"I rather have an apple." Ero was still not touching the pie slice.
Before either one to could say something to the other about who or why not the pie should be eaten. Carved wooden part of a staff Ero knew too well slid across the table and hooked around the plate, and relocated dishware. To a winter spirit not wanting free dessert to go to waste. Tekla and Ero looking toward Jack like he done something wrong when reached for the fork.
"We're sharing." Ero ended up changing seat to be near Jack.
"Fork you need." Tekla slide the silverware toward him.
Grin that spread across Jack's face in thought of sharing with Ero had him shoving the plate toward him as he put his staff aside. Asking if Ero was ever going to explain what so special about the fruit and alcoholic drink.