Author's Note: Hello everyone and welcome back to "The Winter Child!" =D Today's chapter is a short one, so I'm spontaneously posting another to go along with it. ^u^ With that I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and I'll see you in a few seconds for the next one! =D
~ LXIX ~
Sweet Seventeen
Seventeen
An age where one is neither child or adult
Seventeen
The age where changes slowly became permanent
Seventeen
An age of maturity
Seventeen
An age of change
Seventeen
The age where Jack hoped
That life would continue to be
Right as rain
...
It was Jack's seventeenth birthday, and the snow sprite couldn't have felt any older.
It was a funny thing to hear from someone who was still so young, but Jack still remembered his first birthday. The memories were hazy, but through his baby teeth, he was able to view the precious moments he shared with the Guardians on his first birthday.
The games they had played in the living room.
Accidentally freezing Aster's hand.
The snowball fight they had together outside.
And the moment when North stood up for him, first calling him his son.
Through his baby teeth, he viewed other childhood memories. Playing with his friends and Baby Tooth. Visiting the Guardians, searching for inspiration for his future career. Proudly proclaiming he wanted to become a Guardian. The many adventures he shared with Katherine and the other children of Santoff Claussen. His first experiences with Fearlings, Nightmares, and Pitch.
There were so many, so many precious golden memories that warmed Jack as he went through his day. The Guardians completely cleared their schedules and spent time with him the entire day. The children had stopped by and given him gifts. They played so many games, shared so many memories, laughs, and smiles. And at the end of the day, they reenacted the snowball fight that they had had with Jack so long ago. This time, his aim was even more immaculate. When evening had fallen, everyone was on the ground, laughing and smiling.
They headed inside and warmed themselves up. They ate a dinner of all of Jack's favorite foods before bringing out the cake. Jack smiled softly as the Guardians sang for him.
Jack had grown since North had first found him in the woods. He was no longer a lost, little boy but a teen on the brink of manhood who found friends and a family in the Guardians. He had wonderful friends, lived in a wondrous village…Jack didn't know what else he could possibly ask for.
As everyone sang the last few lines of the birthday song, Jack watched as the candlelight danced, wondering what he should wish for. He didn't have anything specific he wanted, and nor could he come up with anything he wanted differently. So much had changed in the past few years, but he knew the Guardians' love for him never would. He was so thankful for everyone around him, and he didn't want anything to change in that moment.
But…
Jack didn't know what he was going to do with his life, nor did he know if he would truly leave Santoff Claussen. But Jack wanted to do something significant in his life. Something that could bring good change. And he wanted the Guardians to be there when he did so.
Jack blew out the candles and made his wish. The Guardians cheered. It was officially the seventeenth year of his life.
And Jack wasn't going to waste it.
