Author's Note: Hello everyone and welcome back to "The Winter Child!" =D Good news...today is my birthday! *Tosses confetti* I honestly don't feel any older, but I can't believe how fast the year's gone by. QwQ I also didn't grow any taller...*sighs* I'm still as short as can be. =')
Again, a bit of a late update since my family and I were busy celebrating. XD I'll try not to be late when it comes to updating again. X) Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this new chapter! (This is also another one of my favorites, haha XD).
~ XII ~
Little White Lies
He broke something important
And so he lied to hide it
That one fib became two
And the lies only grew
His guilt tugged at him
Like a firm tether
Pulling tighter and tighter
Until he could hold the truth no longer
...
"Aw, you're in for it, Baby Tooth!"
The little fairy chirped back a taunt, and though Jack couldn't understand her, he felt even more determined to catch her. The young snow sprite chased after Baby Tooth, his little feet padding against the wooden floor as he dashed after her. The two were currently in the middle of a heated game of tag. Tag was one of Jack's favorite games, as it was one that he and North didn't play often now. The ex-Cossack had been rather busy lately, but Jack wasn't the least upset with him. He understood that North's job of inventing required a lot of time, but he did wish that North had more time to play like before.
Tooth had stopped by about an hour earlier to help North sift through his work. More letters and orders piled in every day, and North was having trouble keeping up. He felt overwhelmed, and Tooth, being a master at the art of organization, happily dropped by his house to assist him. She was accompanied by Baby Tooth, who wanted to see Jack since she hadn't spent time with the boy for a while. She and the mini fairies had their fair share of work too, and Baby Tooth wanted to see Jack again.
The winter child and mini fairy shared a charming if not peculiar bond. Ever since the day Jack bequeathed the fairy with her name, Baby Tooth was attached to Jack. She followed him everywhere whenever they were together, and the two never stayed apart for long. They theorized and conspired about their village and its villagers. They dabbled and played with stuffed animals and toys. They had miraculous adventures together, both imaginary and in reality. They could talk for hours—even though they didn't speak the same tongue, Jack and Baby Tooth still found ways to communicate. Jack considered Baby Tooth his best friend; she was fun to be around. He enjoyed her visits just as much as Baby Tooth enjoyed his.
Another thing that Jack admired about Baby Tooth was her excellence in the game of tag. This wasn't much of a surprise to him; she was a fairy after all. She zipped and zoomed away from Jack, shooting through the air like a bullet. Every time the young snow sprite was close to catching her, Baby Tooth would dash away. Jack was determined to catch her, so he pushed himself to go as fast as he could. He climbed over furniture and raced around the couch in pursuit of the yellow-feathered fairy in front of him.
Now, running in the house was something that North labeled as a no-no. It was dangerous, and he had told Jack that he could end up hurting himself or breaking something. None of this replayed in Jack's mind, however. He was focused on catching Baby Tooth and didn't give a thought to accidentally injuring himself or something else in the house.
Jack circled the couch, still pursuing Baby Tooth, who had slowed down to taunt him. Jack smirked and he leaped after her, but Baby Tooth zipped out of the way at the last moment. Time slowed as Jack suddenly found himself tumbling toward a side table. Upon it stood a glass vase that appeared to flash in alarm. Jack's eyes widened, and he crashed against the table. The stand wobbled, and the vase fell, crashing to the ground with a sickening SMASH!
Dazed, Jack groaned and he lifted himself up. His body was sore, but nothing was broken or bruised. Baby Tooth squeaked in panic and flitted to the boy, asking if he was alright in a series of chirps and chitters.
"Y-Yeah…I'm okay," said Jack. He stood up, turned around, and gasped. "Uh oh…"
The glass vase was utterly shattered. The glass shards were scattered against the ground, glittering in the afternoon sunlight like shed tears. Jack gulped; North always told him to be careful around that vase…It was a priceless item, one that couldn't be replaced. Baby Tooth chirped in alarm and Jack fiddled with the end of his shirt.
"O-Oh, oh no! What are we gonna do?!" Jack babbled. "North's gonna be so mad!"
Baby Tooth chirped a reply which vaguely sounded like, "I don't know!"
The vase crashing to the ground had made quite a ruckus. So from the study, North called, "Jack? Is everything alright in there?"
Jack's heartbeat quickened, and he quickly replied, "Um, yeah! Everything's, uh, everything's fine!"
"Okay…" North sounded suspicious, but he didn't probe any further. He and Tooth returned to their original conversation. Jack looked at the damage once again, and his mind raced to come up with a solution. Baby Tooth tapped his shoulder and pointed toward the study. Jack immediately knew what she was suggesting.
"Tell North what happened? No!" Jack refused. Baby Tooth tilted her head. "If we tell him what happened, he'll get angry."
Jack didn't want North to be upset with him, and it seemed as if telling him would bring that very result. Tooth was also present, and she perhaps wouldn't be too happy that Baby Totoh had participated in the game that broke that very vase. With all these thoughts flickering through his mind, Jack decided that telling North was an option that they absolutely, positively, definitely would not take.
Jack poked his thumb into his mouth, a troubled expression on his face. Then what were they to do? The four-year-old boy stared at the broken glass pieces before him. Suddenly, an idea came to mind.
"We can fix it," Jack prompted, turning to Baby Tooth. "I could…freeze it together with frost!"
Baby Tooth frowned, and she shook her head, pointing at the sunlight. Jack's shoulders sagged.
"Oh, you're right…It'll melt after a while. And I dunno how to make my ice perma…permama…permenananent."
The young snow sprite's eyes lit up again. "But glue doesn't melt. We can use that instead!"
Baby Tooth smiled, nodding in agreement. She told Jack to wait there as she went into the study to fetch a bottle of glue. Shortly after she left, the little fairy returned, holding a half-full glue bottle.
"You weren't seen?" asked Jack. Baby Tooth nodded. "Good. Now let's get to work."
The winter child and mini fairy worked together to reassemble the broken vase. It took a while, considering that the glass pieces were sharp. They could scratch skin if one wasn't careful enough. Jack and Baby Tooth gingerly picked up the pieces, and Jack glued them back together. After a couple of minutes, the vase was fixed…sort of.
Though the glue had done the job of keeping the pieces together, that vase didn't look as magnificent as it once was. The glue stuck out of the cracks, giving the vase a sloppy appearance. Jack cringed.
"It'll have to do," he said. "Maybe North won't notice…?"
Baby Tooth stared at him.
"He's definitely gonna notice it," Jack conceded with a sigh. The winter child picked up the completed vase and climbed onto the couch. He placed it on the table and angled it so the glue wasn't entirely perceptible. At that moment, North and Tooth came out of the study, laughing about something Jack and Baby Tooth didn't know. The two quickly stepped down from the table, plastering innocent smiles on their faces.
"Toothy, that is hilarious!" North bellowed, his laugh rumbling in his chest. "Who knew how entertaining dentistry could be."
Tooth smiled. "Well, we do get customers from all over the Tsardom!" she chirped. The Tooth Fairy turned to Jack and Baby Tooth. "Hello, Jack! Sorry, but Baby Tooth and I need to get going. We're starting early on teeth collecting today."
Baby Tooth chirped, and she turned to Jack, silently promising she wouldn't say a word about the vase. Jack nodded, and he waved as Baby Tooth joined Tooth's side. North thanked Tooth for helping him, and the Tooth Fairy and Baby Tooth were out the door. Jack and North watched as they left.
North shut the front door and turned to Jack. "What did you and Baby Tooth do while we were in the study?"
"Um…" Jack glanced at the vase, which North was standing an uncomfortably close distance to it too. If he turned his head just the slightest, he'd see the glue that had been used to patch it together. To ensure that the ex-Cossack didn't see it, Jack pulled North toward the study.
"We, uh, we played hide and seek!" Jack said. "And we pretended we were pirates!"
"Pirates, hm?" North mused. He was curious about Jack's odd behavior, but he followed the young snow sprite as he dragged him into the study. He had work to attend to there anyway.
Jack nodded. "Uh-huh. And we even found buried treasure."
North smiled and he ruffled Jack's hair. "It sounds like you two had fun. Tell you what, I will finish up in here, and then we can get started on supper."
"Okay," said Jack. He watched as North walked to the other side of the room, looking for a certain book. The winter child sat down in the little play area North had set up for him, letting out a breath of relief.
Yet guilt loomed over him like a gloomy thundercloud.
…
For the rest of the day, North and Jack spent time together in the study. North was busy working, and Jack entertained himself by playing with his toys. Eventually, the two had dinner, and North told Jack it was time to get ready for bed. The winter child was feeling tired after the events of the day, and he was looking forward to getting some rest. He had been feeling guilty all day, and he hoped that he could forget about the broken vase and everything relating to it as he slept.
Jack was bathed, and North laid out his pajamas for him on his bed. The ex-Cossack went downstairs to complete something in the study, and he told Jack to come downstairs once he was changed. Jack pulled on his pajamas and picked up Wawa from his bed. The winter child yawned, rubbing his eyes as he walked down the stairs.
"North? I'm ready for bed now," Jack called. He reached the bottom of the stairs, his heart leaping to his throat when he spotted North holding the broken vase. Jack wanted to run back upstairs and hide, but North had already seen him. He looked at the boy with a frown.
"Jack…do you know anything about this?" North asked, holding out the glued vase. Jack gulped, and he fingered Wawa's fur, silently debating whether he should admit to North or not.
If I tell him the truth, he'll be mad at me…
But he already looks mad…
I don't want him to be any more upset with me, though.
"Um…I…" Jack hesitated. "I…didn't know it was broken, North."
North raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"
Jack nodded. "Mhm."
North slowly placed the vase down and walked up to Jack. His form was tall and intimidating. Jack hoped that he wasn't trembling.
North kneeled down in front of Jack, his blue eyes locked with Jack's. "Jack, tell me truth. What really happened?"
Jack gripped Wawa tightly. He shouldn't lie. He really, really shouldn't…But he did.
And it was perhaps the worst fib he ever told.
"I-I didn't break it…B-Baby Tooth did," said Jack.
North blinked, surprised. "Baby Tooth?"
"Uh-huh." Jack gulped. "She was…flying too fast and then she knocked it over."
North stared at Jack for a moment, but that short few seconds seemed like hours to the winter child. He knew that North didn't believe him, but the ex-Cossack didn't question him any further. Jack was in his pajamas, and it was time for him to go to bed. North took him upstairs, tucked the boy in, and the two said goodnight. North then left the room.
Jack hugged Wawa close and rolled over.
He hardly slept that night.
…
During the next two days, Jack's guilt hung over him. He tried not to look at the broken vase or North, but he knew that the ex-Cossack knew something was wrong. Jack felt weighed down by the guilt that he felt. And the shame only grew as time wore on.
Jack tried to distract himself by playing with his toys, but he couldn't play pretend or tinker with his trains without his conscience invading his thoughts.
I should've told him the truth…
I shouldn't have lied…
But at least he isn't mad at me…
Is he?
Jack sighed, and he put down his toy train engines. He knew what he did was wrong…He had blamed Baby Tooth! What kind of a friend did that? Well, at least he wasn't in trouble. But was sacrificing a friendship over a mistake that he made truly worth it?
Jack's ears twitched, and he turned toward the bedroom door. He could hear talking coming from downstairs. North and…Jack squinted as he concentrated. The winter child stiffened when he heard the fluttering of wings.
Oh no.
Jack got to his feet and ran downstairs, finding North and Tooth talking. Baby Tooth was fluttering next to the Tooth Fairy. Her head hung low. Jack's heart sank when he realized what was going on.
When North finished speaking, Tooth turned to Baby Tooth. "Baby Tooth, I can't believe you broke North's vase and didn't say anything about it! I'm very disappointed in you."
Baby Tooth winced and chirped a reply. Tooth held up her hand.
"I don't want excuses! If you can't be truthful about this, how am I supposed to trust you with collecting teeth?"
Baby Tooth twittered sadly. Tooth sighed and shook her head.
"I'm sorry, Baby Tooth. But until you you've regained my trust again, you won't be working on the field anymore."
Baby Tooth's wings skipped a beat, and Jack sucked in a breath. N-No…She didn't…I-I didn't…No!
"Tooth, you don't need to do this," North said, condoling.
Tooth shook her head. "I want all my fairies to be honest and trusting. To carry out what we do, we need to be able to rely on each other. Right now, I can't rely on Baby Tooth, and she needs to learn how to be honest."
Jack took a step forward. He needed to confess. He needed to say something. But he was so scared…North would be very upset with him.
The young snow sprite looked at Baby Tooth, whose gaze was glued to the ground. Her bi-colored eyes sparkled with tears as Tooth scolded her.
Jack shook his head. That was it. He wasn't going to let his best friend suffer because of his lies.
"W-Wait!"
North, Tooth, and Baby Tooth turned around. Jack stepped down the stairs.
"Jack? Do you need something, moy mal'chik?" asked North.
"No…I-I mean, yes. I…I have something to say," Jack stuttered. Tooth, North, and Baby Tooth stared at him. Jack shifted on his feet.
"I…" Jack's voice wobbled. His heart beat against his chest. This was it. He had to tell them.
"I…It was…"
Jack trembled, and he balled his fists. Tears stung at the corners of his eyes. North was going to be mad at him. Tooth was going to be upset with him. Baby Tooth might not want to be his friend anymore.
But he had to tell them the truth. He needed to.
"Jack?" said North. "What is—
"It was me!" Jack cried. His breathing hitched. "I…I broke the vase!"
Jack burst into tears. He sobbed heavily, waiting for North or Tooth to shout or yell at him. For Baby Tooth to declare they were no longer friends. Instead, Jack felt himself being picked up by warm, strong arms. The winter child buried his head into North's chest, tears streaming down his cheeks. North wove a loving hand through Jack's hair. This made the child cry even harder.
"I knew you did it," said North softly. "But I wanted you to admit for yourself."
Jack hiccuped and shook his head. "I-I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry!"
North hushed Jack and he rubbed his back as he cried. Once the winter child had calmed down, North said, "I believe you have something to say to Tooth and Baby Tooth."
Jack sniffed, and he turned to the two fairies fluttering before him. "I…I'm sorry," he said. Jack looked at Baby Tooth. "E-Especially to you, Baby Tooth. I shouldn't have blamed you. And I'm really, really sorry."
Baby Tooth rubbed her arm and looked down.
"Are…Are we still friends?" Jack asked wairly. Baby Tooth looked up. After a moment of thought, she nodded, a small smile crawling onto her face. Jack smiled lightly, glad that their friendship was still intact.
"And I forgive you too, Jack," said Tooth. "I'm happy that you were honest about this."
Me too… thought Jack. Soon, Tooth and Baby Tooth had to head back to work. Tooth allowed Baby Tooth to continue working on the field, and the little fairy was more than glad. Jack and North waved as they left. North shut the door; Jack was still in his arms.
The winter child hesitated for a moment before saying, "N-North…?"
"Yes, my boy?"
"Do…do you…" Jack felt his tears return. "Do you hate me?"
North looked down at Jack. "I don't hate you," he said. "I am not happy with what you did, but I don't hate you. You made mistake, moy mal'chik. Everyone does. But I know that you learned from this, and you won't repeat it."
Jack nodded, and he leaned against North, letting out a small breath. "I…I would've told the truth sooner…But I was scared that you'd be mad at me."
"I would have been upset, but not for long," said North. "This was an accident after all."
Jack winced. "Um…about that…Baby Tooth and I were actually playing tag when I broke the vase…"
North frowned disapprovingly.
"I-I'm sorry!" Jack quickly apologized. North sighed and ran a hand through the boy's hair.
"I forgive you, Jack," he said. "But I hope that you learned your lesson.
"I did," Jack said. He wrapped his arms around North and closed his eyes. "I promise I won't do something like this ever again."
North held Jack close and hugged him back. "I know that you won't," he said softly.
Author's Note: This chapter was really fun to write. X) Don't lie to yer parents, kiddos. XD
And sadly, that's all I have to say. QwQ I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you in the next one! ^u^
Until the next chapter!
~BeyondTheMoon1203
