Chapter Text
From within the tooth palace, deep among the hanging alabaster towers embroidered with gold and laced with mosaic tiles, one tower had a room, one door that hides one winter spirit.
He stood before the mirror, his reflection staring back at somber blue eyes, blue eyes that trails over his form, a pristine white suit around his figure, fitting perfectly. The fabric delicately decorated with frost by the ends of his sleeves and frost circling, running up to his pants, it glistened under the sunlight that came in through the gaps, highling the sprite in the sun’s morning glory. A tie around his neck, it was in the same colors of feathers of the tiny fairies flitting across the palace, lithe purple fingertips grasped at the cloth, digging the digits into its silky texture as he adjusted the tie once, twice, thrice, so on and so forth.
His throat tightened, fingers still digging at his tie, his sleeves, his pants, his undershirt— lungs struggling to take in air that hasn't been needed for years, yet at this moment there’s nothing else he wants more than to just breathe.
Something fills up his lungs but it’s not the air he needs, it continues to fill until it overflows to his throat, his hands tremble as it clutches against his chest, his heart beats from under his palm. It’s rhythm erratic, a storm brewing just underneath the suit, waiting to burst from and tear at his core, leaving nothing but torn pieces to be forgotten about. Frost melts, rolling down his pale cheeks and staining the suit with splotches and for a moment, he thinks about the guilt of ruining such a wonderful piece with his melted frost, an embodiment of the dread sinking its teeth into the bone of his limbs and gnawing at the marrow, immobilizing him, forcing him to look at the one who brought him here in first place, to this tremendous moment where nothing will be the same once after it passes.
Gazing back to those same somber blue eyes, taking in the shivering figure in the mirror, his mind brings him back to the moments leading up to where he was now.
He remembered the day he had asked Tooth on a date, how the fairy queen swooned over his perfectly white teeth as he gave her a charming smile to sweeten the deal. Jack had grown fond of the other guardians, even Bunny himself, despite the bickering the two would get into and overtime the way they bickered became something familiar and enjoyable for the sprite but that’s not the point, Bunny wasn’t the one who’s important here, Tooth was. She has always been so fond of Jack, even at the beginning, whether it be due to his sparkling teeth or something else, he wasn’t sure.
She accepted it, the two decided to spend a day at her palace, they chatted over chamomile tea that tooth prepared specially for them. It was the first time he had drank it and he still prepares chamomile tea on days he could, he remembers the mild sweetness on his tongue while the fairy let out a light giggle at his jokes about a certain overgrown Bunny, how the warm liquid went down his throat as the words gracefully tumbled from his lips and sent flattering comments towards his companion, remembers how at some point Tooth had placed her slim fingers over his purple-tipped ones and how he stopped mid sip to process the action. As silly as it was, the sprite had forgotten it was a date in the first place, he was comfortable as is spending time with a friend even if it wasn’t supposed to be so, the atmosphere felt like a normal day playing in the snow with the burgess children, not a date.
Still, he lets dainty fingers lay over his, continuing the conversation, ignoring thorns prickling below the skin that come in contact with her touch and it was easy enough to do, as long as he focused on the soothing liquid that lingers on his tongue with its light flavour, the healing properties of chamomile tea eased any long dead nerves that jittered underneath.
He shouldn’t have ignored it.
He remembered the day when they announced their relations to one another to the rest of the guardians, they were supportive of course, how could they not? They would never deny the happiness their friends sought after and found within each other, it would be simply cruel to do so. As Jack calls the fairy his girlfriend, a lump in his throat formed and choking out the syllables for the word had ended in a sputter and stutter, that the others simply took as shyness from the usually confident sprite. The more the evening went on, the longer he had to actively acknowledge Tooth as his beloved, it dulled his smile in ways he couldn’t understand, the reasons just barely in his reach. Sitting next to her, their shoulders brushing, he had to stop himself from moving away when she inched closer.
Usually, he never minded the touches he’d received from the guardians, he lucuxiated in those touches in reality, hugs, pats on the back, headpats, even platonic kisses on the cheek given by Tooth and Sandy he indulged in. He should have leaned in closer— he couldn’t, freezing on the spot and letting the fairy lay her head against his shoulder. His gaze wandered to where her head laid on him, she seemed so peaceful, or at least that’s what he thought so anyways, he hoped she felt at ease in his presence, they were together, touches like these were supposed to be right and yet…
It all felt so wrong.
So deeply wrong, the sprite wanted to push her away, keep her at a distance, not because he detested her but the turmoil in his core only worsened every time he attempted to initiate anything sort of affection towards her that wasn't strictly platonic or familial. One was supposed to desire closeness to their other half, right? That's what Jack thought was supposed to be, only he couldn’t go through with kissing his own girlfriend, even the mere thought of it made his skin itch and want to run away as far as possible, which couldn’t be normal in any way. At the time, he simply thought that he didn’t like physical contact that way, some folks were like that and perhaps he was too, touch still seemed so foreign and so overwhelming even with the time that has passed since pitch black’s last appearance.
He was thankful that Tooth was understanding of this when he brought it up to her afterwards, she even revealed that she would have preferred touch to be kept at a minimum or surprisingly, be completely absent. Since they were both fine with this arrangement, they never attempted any further intimacy. Content to simply be around each other, whether through conversations or just around each other’s presence, neither of them longed for more than where they are right now, which wasn’t much different than before they made it official together.
He should have broken it off.
It lingered, that sense of wrongness clung to his back, a parasite draining away at his sanity, raking down his spine and forcing him down to kneel and scramble at the grounds of his scattered mind. Each moment, each smile, each look they had for one another never fit right, he tried, the man in the moon knows how much he tried to correct that wrongness that haunted him and his relationship with Tooth. It haunted him even when he acknowledged their status as a couple in his mind, it wasn’t supposed to be like that, right? He didn’t understand and he doubted anyone else could understand, onlookers thought of them to be the perfect pair, that it was only a matter of time before the two got together, there had been songs of praises and overwhelming support when the news of their relationship spread throughout the spirit community.
The glimpses they saw couldn’t be nothing more than just wistful thinking, they appeared as the perfect couple when behind the scenes they barely acted or even felt like a couple. The sprite knows of tales of romance, has heard of first hand accounts from North gushing about his wife, Mrs. Clause, his eyes twinkled with affection and love, his smile soft and tender, his words laced with adoration and all of it, every single bit of it, was for his wife and his wife alone. Compared to Jack? His eyes never twinkled with affection, his smile for her was the same he always gave to all his friends and his words? It had fondness, not the adoration you’d expect, it wasn’t as if he doesn’t adore each and every one of his friends, that’s just the thing, he adored Tooth the same as he did for North or Sandy.
Though his adoration for Bunny might be deeper than he had for the others, it was besides the point. The point was, there was nothing special about the fairy that made her all that different from a close friend he already had, their label as lovers was nothing more than just that, a label.
A label that stuck like bitter and burnt charcoal on his tongue, sending thorns to encase his rattling dead nerves, clawing at his skin and leaving marks he can’t ignore, teeth just barely touching his neck, threatening to dig itself into the flesh and leave him without breath, truly turning him into a frozen corpse. He pushed it all down, searching for sanctuary amongst the thick fog settled in his psyche, stumbling and tumbling as he tries to think, think of what to do and how to fix this, to salvage the sad excuse of a relationship he had with Tooth, to get rid of the nauseating pit in his stomach everytime he thought too hard of their relationship, what did one do in a situation such as this?
What did Jack do?
He… doesn’t know, wasn’t sure what went through his mind at the time, the thoughts running through his frazzled head as he took her hand in his ( it was wrong ) and the words, ungraciously tumbled off dull lips ( it still felt wrong ) with the smile he tried so hard to make and convince himself that this was the answer, the answer he was looking for. It’ll fix his relationship and make it right, like how it should have been since the beginning, shaky blue eyes met her lavender eyes, the uncertainty and hesitation swirling in the color of her irises— it wasn’t right, her eyes shouldn’t be scared as it was. He kept smiling, hoping that maybe he could ease the turmoil on her facial features, wanting to see and feel her joy, his center radiate from her. She should be smiling, squealing with joy as she always did when he flashed her with his sparkling teeth in a playful grin.
He only received a tentative curl of her lips, a slow nod and hesitant yes. He slipped the ring into her finger, it fit her perfectly, it belongs where it was, not like jack, who was a splotchy stain on the picture-perfect moment for a perfect couple.
He shouldn’t have asked.
Shouldn’t have asked her on that date, shouldn’t have asked her to keep her distance but stay, shouldn’t have asked her to be his fiance and soon enough, become his wife.
He should of told her that he just wanted to spend time with her, he should of broken things off with her when he couldn’t even call her his girlfriend, she should of told her that this wasn’t right and that things should have ended here. Instead he had bind them together in a false promise of love and now, as he stood in front of the mirror, taking in his suit, the thought of how the man in the reflection would have looked like the perfect groom for Tooth came to mind, if it wasn’t his own reflection staring back at him. He choked it down, shoving those thoughts back into the corners of his mind, running a hand through white hair. Taking in a shaky breath, he adjusted his tie for the final time and smoothen out any wrinkles left from his unsteady hands, it wouldn’t do any good to look like a mess on Tooth’s wedding day- their wedding day, he hastily corrected himself.
He hears a knock behind him, startling the sprite and causing his hands to only form more wrinkles onto his suit, biting the inside of his cheek he quickly smoothens the fabric down and calls out “ As long as it’s not the bride, feel free to come in! “ Deliberately keeping his tone light despite the tightness in his throat, whether or not his charade was seen through, the burly man in a thick red coat came in and simply gave Jack a proud smile. He strode towards the sprite, wrapping Jack’s thin frame with strong, sturdy arms, patting his back with one hand as his jolly laughter chimed through the room. Letting go of him and took in his appearance, the pure white suit with glistening frost decorated at the sleeves and leggings reflected off the larger man’s baby blue eyes, the curl of his lips softened with each passing second and gaze tenderly filled with pride for the sprite who has gone a long way to get to where he was now.
A large hand brushed away stray white strands, neatly tucking it behind his ear and showcasing the snowy freckles that adorned his cheeks with bright blue curious eyes usually filled with endless joy, eyes that oddly seem dull for such a wondrous occasion. The man spoke with a soothing voice, lowering his volume so as to not frighten Jack in what seems to be a vulnerable moment for him “ What seems to be the problem? “ accent ever so thick, as thick as the tension in his lungs threatening to burst the closer the ceremony is set to begin. He still attempted to take in a shallow breath before speaking, only the words didn’t seem to dislodge itself from his throat, leaving him gaping at the old man looking down at him with such tender care and worry, the syllables cracked and flumbled on his tongue, he eventually resigned to staring down at the floor, his barren feet came to view— he never liked wearing shoes, no wedding or any other special occasion was going to make him wear them. The texture of the floor was a grounding sensation, both literally and figuratively.
North took in his resigned demeanour, his brows curled down and pinched together, lips steeled to a thin line as he said in a gentle but stern voice “ My boy, you are not thinking to leave Tooth at the altar, are you? “ The man cherished both Jack and Tooth dearly, they were his family but he would not let the sprite to hurt the fairy’s heart in such a cruel way. The words caught his attention, Jack snapping his neck at an alarming speed and exclaimed with clear panic and fear “ No! Never! I’d never hurt her like that, she’s… “ trailing off, he momentarily considered to call her the love of his life yet the words still felt heavy and wrong , deciding it was unfit, instead he chose to say “ …Important to me, just like how important you are to me North, or like sandy or Bunny- “ Especially Bunny his mind added, he pushed it to the side, his hands gripping the tie around his neck, close to ripping it off, he wanted to breath, it was too suffocating in this suit, in this room, in his moment-
He shakily let out a breathe, threading his hand through white locks of hair, the sprite isn’t sure when he had closed his eyes and reopened them again to be met with worry dripping off North’s features, the man looked at him as if he was fragile and something to be coddled, it was too much at times admittedly but he never made it a big deal to the big guy. Curling his lips to something that resembled a smile, he took North’s large and calloused hand in his much smaller and colder ones, squeezing it lightly and keeping a steady gaze with those wonder-filled blue eyes, he spoke with a shaky resolve “ I’m not going to abandon her, i swear. It’s just- it’s a big step to take y’know? Give a dead guy a break, i never thought i’d be getting- “ he choked the next word out, no matter how he says it, the word never fits right “-a girlfriend as a spirit, let alone marrying her. " The more he spoke, the more the features upon the bigger man softened, becoming reassuring in return and he placed a hand on Jack’s shoulder, causing the sprite to stop whatever he was about to say next and look up at North curiously.
North smiled down at him, letting the moment linger before he pulled jack into a warm embrace, the smaller body in his arms were ever so cold though it never bothered him nor the other guardians, well maybe it bothered Bunny a tiny bit and even so, the guardians never want to let jack feel alone and unseen again, so they withstand any cold if it meant reaching him. Soon the man felt slender arms wrap around his torso, hands gripping against his red coat. “ Da, I understand. Marriage is no light matter, it is promise, an oath and duty to be there for one another. “ North thought of his dear wife, reminiscing over the day he became her husband and she became his wife, it lit up his smile “ Even i was nervous as you are now Jack, but the moment you lay eyes on Tooth walking down the aisle, it will be worth it. “
Jack could only weakly hold onto those words, tried hard and true to believe that everything leading up to this moment will be worth it, through all the turmoil caused by the blizzard brewing underneath his pale skin and traces of regret forming into frosty droplets on his face, forcing the curl of his lips into a smile that could only mimic the smile that’s to be what everything the Jack frost, the guardian of joy and bringer of winter is known for. The suit is suffocating him more than ever, he can feel the eyes on him from the crowd of spirits attending to witness the union of two beloved guardians of the spirit world, their gaze crushed him and he tries to reach for air that seems so far and so close, just underneath his purple fingertips. The venue was huge, naturally, it was an important event and more so when it pertained to the guardians themselves, with the amount of guests visiting the open space was essential and when the sprite took in his surroundings fully, it appeared to be so endless and vast, his eyes couldn’t find a direction amongst the decorations that adorned the place, he never felt so trapped before.
It baffled him, all this space and all these people had him feeling trapped and lonely, he wanted to run, to fly away as far as the wind can take him and hide in the furthest corner to be found in the world, to hide from all these piercing gazes with anticipation, filled with expectation, that he couldn’t quite pinpoint what those were exactly but he knew, he felt it deeply, as deep as into the very marrow of his frozen bones. He could barely distinguish the figures from one another, it was a collective mess of fancy suits and dresses for the occasion, not being able to even properly look at anyone’s faces within the audience, he couldn’t. not when he knew that deep down, he had disappointed each and every person within the room, that everyone was looking at him as if they knew what he had done.
He doesn’t know what he had done, the sprite can’t make heads or tails of the storm underneath his skin nipping away at his sanity, at his desperate and fragile illusion that this was going to be all worth it in the end. Jack decides to ignore to sea of faces in front of him, instead he tried to count the seconds in his head, to count the little time he had left before he takes the plunge and never return, because he can’t, North had said it himself, this was a promise, an oath and duty in one that cannot be taken lightly, he had led himself to this moment, no one was to blame for the consequences aside from himself, he asked Tooth on that date and caused the chain of events leading up to this. It will be his fault that he was going to disappoint everyone if he backed out now.
He trapped himself.
He could vague hear the voice of North in the background, the words were muffled and frankly he couldn’t care less about it, he couldn’t focus too much on the words and what it meant but the man’s voice was a nice constant that Jack’s mind could grasp at, droning out to that steady noise, it did little to calm his chilled nerves but it was better than nothing, he’s take anything to nullify the conflicting emotions beneath as he stared at what will be his future, a future he was terrified to take. The seconds felt longer than the years he had to spend alone wandering aimlessly with no home to return to nor any to find, the floor beneath him starts to ice over, small cracks barely audible enough for the audience to hear from the altar, not even jack noticed the ice spreading beneath him and it would’ve continued it’s spread had it not been for a familiar and soft paw that held his shoulder, bringing him back to reality and anchoring him down.
Oh Bunny.
In a mere instant, the blizzard underneath his skin had dissipated and been replaced with a gentle breeze, the warmth from Bunny’s paw was all he needed to ease all worries away, it was natural for it to be warm, Bunny is the herald of spring and connected to all life on earth, against Jack’s eternal winter, Bunny’s everlasting spring is never too far away. The sprite savoured the warmth, little as it was and it didn’t matter to jack, that small patch he had taken as his own safe haven from the situation he led himself into, from the worries and fears of a future he wasn’t sure if he wanted in the first place. He stopped counting long ago, instead focusing on the furry hand on his shoulder and as he turned his head— oh by the stars, those rich green eyes… bright beacons filled with hope, the hope of children of the world, the hope of all life on earth, the hope of every spirit and creature of the spirit world, the hope of the guardians, the hope of the man in the moon, Bunny’s hope.
Bunny lets out an affectionate huff, giving him a smile he has grown so fond and familiar with over the years as a guardian, a smile filled with associated memories they’ve shared together the moment they both made the decision to make amends on their relations with one another and leading to the two to become closer far more than anyone had anticipated. The competitiveness and banter were still there of course, that will never change, there has been more care underneath all the jabs and witty remarks is all, they banter with the intention of not to hurt the other. The races through the tunnels leading to Bunny’s warren always filled with laughter and glee and fond looks only meant for each other, how the sprite could spend the rest of his days soaking in Bunny’s warmth. He understands why Bunny is so popular, there’s just so many things that the pooka could offer that he can’t even count on both his hands.
The paw squeezed his shoulders, its owner continued to smile at Jack despite the hint of worry dripping from his lips “ You alright there, frostbite? “ he whispered, Jack shivered from the sound ( Strange how a being that embodies winter could shiver, he suppose only Bunny could melt away the biting cold, leaving him bare and vulnerable to the warmth he offers ) he tried to give the pooka a reassuring smile but alas, he was seen through his flimsy facade. Bunny tilted his head “ Keep a cool head and she’ll be apples, mate. “ and he nodded, taking those words into his cold palms and keeping it close to where his slow, beating heart lay underneath a bony cage. All it only took one look, a couple soft spoken words, a familiar smile and the sprite could feel the hope that things will be alright in the future, before he could move forward, he reminisced about the past. The moments he had with Bunny
He remembered the day they decided to make amends, it was right after a monthly meeting with the guardians that he was approached by the pooka, ever since Pitch black’s defeat there had been a significant changes in routine for all of them, including the monthly meetings that Jack had actually suggested at first and North was all the more happy to implement immediately, the sprite suggested it as he was not sure if he was supposed to keep in touch with the others and deep down he knew he wanted to keep seeing them frequently, not when the world needed saving or anything, just quality time spent with the group. His place within it was a puzzle he still tried to solve, he was accepted by them and there’s no doubt about it, he liked to tell himself that much anyways. Being the newest member, needed time to adjust to the others and to process that for once, he wasn’t alone.
For once, it wasn’t him reaching out to other people and he realized that, quite literally, when Bunny halted him by grabbing the end of his staff on his way to fly out through a nearby window, dragging the sprite back abruptly. Stumbling mid-air and clumsily regaining his composure, he looked at the overgrown rabbit for answers “ What was that for? I didn't frost your tail during the meeting, did I? “ keeping his voice light while he twirled his staff around his nimble fingers, placing the end of it firmly to the ground and sitting on top of the crook, high enough to look down on Bunny with a crooked smile. Swinging his legs gently, his head at a tilt as he spoke “ As much as I love to mess with you Cottontail, I don't think I've done anything to warrant such manhandling from an oversized rabbit. “ and truly he didn’t, he had been well behaved for the most part since being introduced to the guardians, he made sure to not disrupt any of their work and kept to himself, so it was curious thing for Jack to be confronted by Bunny like this.
“ Aye, Mate it’s nothing of that sort. Just wanted to have a little chat. “ at that Jack raised a brow, it wasn’t a secret that the pooka wasn’t one to stay and chat with the other guardians, using his time to hole himself up at his warren and work on preparing for his holiday, for him to willingly interact with someone after a meeting, especially Jack of all people, you can’t blame the sprite for feeling tense at the moment. Icy blue eyes followed Bunny’s movements, the way his hands were clasped and fidgeted together, the way his pink little nose twitched for reasons lost on Jack, the way his eyes seemed to look anywhere else except the sprite himself. He was just about to speak when Bunny took a deep breath, setting rich green eyes on his own icy blue that ironically sent shivers down his spine, the pooka’s gaze was steady and had a flicker of determination, then the words that rolled off his lips left Jack with clear surprise, mouth slightly agape and eyes round and wide.
“ I’m sorry, for everything and for what happened last Easter, I was being a bloody wanker. “
It had been almost a year, Easter was just around the corner and Jack knew full well that Bunny was going all out with his preparations this year, he had mentioned about having big plans a couple of times during monthly meetings. The sprite knew what he was referring to, when Bunny had casted him out during that dreadful Easter day, his words had been the nail in the coffin and to this day he could still feel the burning mark it left on his pale skin. How it lingers in every meeting as Jack recounts his progress on his own duties, a creeping sensation on his spine waiting for… what? To be a disappointment to the guardians? To be casted out again for a second time? It was silly, he knew. The other guardians already knew of the full story behind his disappearance that day and had all forgiven him, if not already for essentially saving all of them from a second dark age.
He tried to speak, the man in the moon knows he did, struggling to form the right syllables and construct a sentence that wasn’t nonsense, wanting to so badly push away the pooka’s apology and brush it off as if those words didn’t still burn and char his skin. Bunny lifted a paw up, seeming to know what Jack wanted to say before he could even form it in his mind, so he kept his mouth shut and let him talk, it seemed to please to pooka as he received a gentle smile in return ( and that definitely did not send his heart racing- in a good way. ) clearing his throat and looked at the sprite straight up from where he sat on top of a shepherd's hook “ I know we haven’t been on the best of terms… which is exactly why i wanna invite you over to the warren to help with easter preparations, start a new beginning y’know? It’s all what Easter is ‘bout. “ he placed his paws on his hips, waiting for Jack’s answer, who was currently scrambling to get his jaw off the floor because Bunny just invited him to his warren? sputtering for a good few seconds, Jack tried to smile through his disbelief “ You…invited me? To your warren? “ It didn't work, he was clear as glass.
“ Bloody oath! “ the pooka exclaimed, seemingly not taking his disbelief personally— at least he’s self aware enough to know why, jack thought to himself and let out a nervous chuckle, looking Bunny up and down, trying to see if it actually was him or some elaborate prank being done on him by the yetis or something like that “ O-Oh! “ he said lamely, almost wanting to slam himself to the nearest wall for sounding so uncool “ I mean… Jeez, i don’t know what to say bun bun- are you sure you want me in your warren? Not scared that I'll freeze your ‘googies’ or one of the rivers? “ wrapping his arms around his knee, Jack hid part of his face behind his arm as he tried to make sense of the whole situation, not that it was nonsensical inherently, it just a hard concept to grasp that Bunny himself would apologize and invite him to the warren all at once, the sprite was convinced it would taken at least a decade or two to mend their relations with one another, not a few months at least.
Bunny rolled his eyes at that, a smirk replacing that gentle smile and he huffed “ The warren can handle any trick you dish out, Frost. A larrikin flitting around ain’t a big deal, ‘sides… “ the sprite could see the shift clearly in those green eyes, it was something warm, something vulnerable and something else he couldn’t exactly pinpoint down. He kept a steady gaze on Jack for a moment, the sprite slowly raised his head to reveal more of his face from where he was hiding behind his arm and tentatively smiled “ …Gotta hand it to ya, you were more helpful than not last Easter. Don’t think i hadn’t noticed your lil snowflake, wouldn’t mind having a couple of those around and… “ The pooka took a few steps closer towards him, it would be a lie if Jack said that the encouraging look sent his way hadn’t blocked his airway, making him falter “ …those snowflakes are a beauty, as an artist myself i appreciate good work when i see it. “ and that he thought, had absolutely almost made Jack lose his balance.
“ So, quit being a drongo and give the warren a visit Jackie. “
Eventually he fell into a yearly routine of helping Bunny with Easter preparations, sometimes the other guardians would join and lend a helping hand to the two which they both appreciated, it was still mainly Bunny and Jack who did most of the work. He’s not sure when he began to do it, overtime as he visited the warren more frequently, the sprite had pick up the habit of doing chores around Bunny’s little cottage, as he would be too engrossed in his holiday’s preparation to bother with house chores and to Jack’s displeasure; his own health, sacrificing breaks in between that could of been spent replacing his energy through sleeping or eating. The first few times that Jack had taken notice of this bad habit, he scolded the pooka and told him to lighten up a little, to which he received a scoff— rude much?
At first he tried to gently remind Bunny to take a break and wind down at his cottage during his visits, sometimes asking Bunny to accompany him to make some lunch and it worked, half of the time, the other half had Jack floating towards his cottage with a bit of fit and muttering to himself as he made lunch for both himself and Bunny, that he’d bring over later and hope that the pooka would give even half a mind to acknowledge it, let alone take it for himself. Sometimes he made chamomile tea and bring it over to where Bunny sat, playfully asking to have a tea party with him and the googies, it always made him chuckle when Jack asked that, taking a cup for himself with a roll of his eyes, sipping the light drink and humming in contentment. Bunny enjoyed the flavour, just like he did, so the sprite continued to brew tea whenever he was over.
It never really worked, the pooka continued to work himself to the bone, neglecting both his health and home that bothered Jack to no end. From all his visits, he had been in Bunny’s cottage more than Bunny himself, he had taken a liking to the quaint design, it was still clearly a burrow of course but it had certain touches done and made apparent that it was a home. Jack appreciated the furniture the most, he can tell it was made by hand and done quite well, leaving him impressed, as he knew how to carve himself and had made some of his own wooden furniture inside his little home by the tree of sorrows. The decoration was simple and minimal, with the very much obvious Easter theme around that the sprite found endlessly adorable, he’d tease Bunny about it later, right now he felt sad that the cozy cottage was left to drown in dust and forgotten about.
So he got to work, picking up the house chores that Bunny couldn’t bother to deal with, going with the kitchen first as he was going to prepare lunch anyways. Bringing in a bucket of warm, mild soapy water that was carried by the hook of Jack's staff, he floated towards the kitchen area and placed the bucket on the floor near where the counters were. He flitted around the cottage to look for a rag to use, grumbling to himself as he thought about how he had enough of Bunny neglecting his cottage, so he’s just taking matters into his hands, nothing more and nothing less… and he eventually finally found a rag to dip into the bucket, lifting it and twisting it to squeeze all the excess water, he began to wipe the countertops with the cloth. He hummed a tune as he worked away, slowly but surely getting all the built up dust, dirt and who knows what that’s been on Bunny’s counters.
The tune was one he heard by chance over the years he spent travelling across the globe alone, during when he watched the mortals go on about their daily lives, he often found himself picking up habits from the people he watched over. Including the little tunes they hummed as they went through similar chores, letting the soft sound fill in the silence as he scrubbed against the surface, really getting into the rhythm of it, so engrossed in his task that he didn’t notice the familiar click of the front door behind me, only being pulled out of his reverie when he heard a voice “ Aye, you in here mate? Better not be messin’ with my— Jackie?…. “ It called his name, it was as if it belonged there, upon the tongue of an oversized rabbit he knew all too well, light laughter trailed after him as he turned around to face Bunny, confusion and endearment seemed to be etched into his features. Making the edges of his lips curl up, batting his eyes at him innocently, mischief just hidden underneath frosty white lashes.
“ Aw, finally decided to join me, bun bun? “ He leaned back on the counter behind him, hands held on gently to the edge, craning his neck to the side and giving a casual look over of the pooka, who Jack noted should definitely get cleaned up as well, he can feel all those knots from here. “ You know you should really pick up the slack and do some spring cleaning in here, have you seen all the dust and grime and whatever else building up? Didn’t take you to be so messy. “ tone teasing, it ruffled the messy fur of the pooka, his grin only widened “ Oi! I ain’t messy, just-… just got busy is all! You know how… Easter preparations… “ Bunny trailed off, realization dawned on him as he finally took a look at the state of his cottage, he was silent for a moment, awkwardly shuffled around the area and glanced at the kitchen sink that had piling dishes filling the space.
“ Crikey… “ he said, Jack looked at him expectantly, raising a hand that held the rag, shaking it as he did at the pooka, a satisfied smirk settled upon his pale lips. “ So, you got two options. " The sprite raised a finger from the hand holding the rag up “ One is to head back and keep painting your googies… “ raising a second finger “ Or you can stay here and lend a pair of paws to help me out, get your cottage back in shape, then we can hang out at the living room afterwards. “ he kept his eyes on Bunny, watching the contemplation wash over his features, vibrant green landed on icy blue, looking in those eyes, Jack feels a tinge of warmth seeping into his dead cold nervous system, faintly flicking a light within his veins and he welcomed it. Just like how he welcomed the way Bunny’s paw had wrapped around the wrist of his raised hand.
Bunny’s other paw took the rag from his hand, far too soon did both his paws retreat and left Jack yearning for that short moment of warmth, he could feel part of him wanting to reach for the pooka and dig his purple tip fingers into his fur, combing it through his hands, feeling the softness just below his frosted touch. How the sprite could spend hours just holding onto that sturdy build, his fur hid a well built body, is it weird to be thinking about your best friend’s body like that? He wasn’t quite sure but he’s just admiring his friend’s features is all! Yeah, that’s all there is to it, anybody would love to press their face into his chest, have his slender arms wrapped around that fuzzy neck, to get him closer and closer until their breaths mingled and he could feel his eternal warmth melt away the cold that buried all the feelings he kept inside for years, decades, centuries even.
Jack would’ve went on for an eternity if he hadn’t been taken out of his reverie by the pooka himself, snapping his fingers in front of him with an utterly confused expression that had the faintest hint of worry, he made no comment on it as he shook away his thoughts and looked at Bunny with a sheepish smile. “ Sorry about that Cottontail, where were we?… “ he drew out his words, faking a thoughtful expression, then smirking and started to float, zipping pass Bunny and blew his icy breath teasingly behind his neck that pulled a disgruntled honk from the pooka, light laughter trailed after him and stationed himself to where the sink is, glancing back “ I’ll get to work on this monster of a dish pile while you work on the scrubbing the counters squeaky clean, then once you’re done you sit by the dining table and wait for me to finish lunch- and no going back to work! I’ll freeze your legs if I have to, roo! “
After every Easter, the two had developed a game of some sort, neither of them cared to figure out who started it first ( though it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if it was Jack, games were always his thing ) and it didn’t matter anyways. As what mattered to the sprite more was to make sure that Bunny wouldn’t catch him first, the goal was simple, make it to the warren and avoid Bunny, sounds easy enough right? Well, Jack supposes that there is a reason why Bunny said to never race a rabbit. So far he hadn’t exactly won yet, the pooka always somehow managed to find him before he could barely make it halfway through the tunnels and sure, it might be due to the fact it was Bunny’s tunnels that he was so easily found, Jack wouldn’t let it stop him from trying his damn best every year. So he made it a habit to take mental notes and familiarize himself more with the tunnel system every time he dropped by for a visit, he made sure to slow down instead of zipping through like he normally would.
The months leading up to Easter he mentally mapped out the best routes that led to the warren quicker, he strategized ways he could shake Bunny off his trail, how to use the tunnels to his advantage— can you see how much effort he put into this little game of theirs? It became something he looked forward to everyday and the thrill and excitement only continued to grow with each passing year. It was things like this that made him soft, the internal blizzard eased into a gentle snowfall, he had a special little thing with each guardian, ice sculpting with North, building structures with Sandy out of dream sand, flower arrangement with Tooth and of course the tunnel race with Bunny and out of all of that, Jack looks forward to races with Bunny the most. He could not truly explain it himself, why this game of theirs beckons him so, that leaves him feeling alive and his heart pounding, in a good way of course.
Right now the sprite was back burgess, hovering around and watching eager children sprinting out of their homes, some still in their jammies and a head full of bed hair, with parents fruitlessly calling out for them as their words were drowned by squeals of joy. It was the morning of easter, the googies were all hidden by now and Jack even found a couple but left them untouched for the children to find, instead he brought cool gentle breezes and a hint of snow as an extra gift for them, Bunny let him do this every year as long as it didn’t disturbed his holiday and as much as a trickster he was, he knows when a joke isn’t funny anymore. The most mischief he does is send a couple stronger gusts of wind to send little kids tumbling over one another into fits of giggles and making found eggs disappear and hidden somewhere else, making the children confused and needing to find them again, all harmless fun.
Speaking of being a trickster, he never liked the weird perception many spirits had of him, Jack couldn’t deny his playful and carefree nature except when many start to twist it to the extreme, making him out to be a malicious trickster who played mean tricks for his own amusement and being a general nuisance to those around him. The sprite didn’t like to admit it, never thought he had to face it at all but ever since he gained more believers and becoming a guardian, he feels the cold gnaw at his dead skin every time he realizes that people can perceive him now and it meant that he was finally something to acknowledge rather than to ignore. He doesn't let it bother him on most days, it’s only when he’s alone for way too long that he starts to wonder, who is Jack Frost in the eyes of others? Before he could ruminate on it further, he heard a noise behind him and Jack smirked.
He conjured up a snowball in front of him, playing the fool while he whistled out a soothing tune and watched the children lit up with joy, he could feel their joy wash over his body, feel it rush through his center and how it rejuvenated his spirit, the corners of his smirk curled into a grin. In one quick motion he turned around and smacked the snowball right into Bunny’s face, zipping by him and entering the rabbithole, laughter chimed through the tunnels. He had heard the honk the pooka made, a grumble and shout of his name from behind him. It only made his grin wider, adrenaline pumping through cold veins and he urged the wind to give him a boost, she sent him flying through the tunnel system and his laughter trailed after him, flitting his way to a route he knew would be a shortcut. The sprite could hear a loud thumping somewhere from the system, he knows it's Bunny.
It made him more eager to make it to the warren before the pooka could, he was almost halfway there, he diverted from the route he took and flew backwards away from the warren and zipping through rows upon rows of tunnels, part of jack hoped it would shook the Bunny off his tail for a bit. The sprite took a turn and began to fly back into the direction of the warren, the thumping was softer and farther, he laughed breathlessly. He kept going and soon enough he was past halfway through, a new record after all his previous attempts. He asked the wind for another boost, to which she happily complied and he let out a cheer, not caring if the pooka heard it. Jack couldn’t believe it, he might just actually make it this year, he hasn’t heard the thumping in a while. Taking another shortcut, he thought about how fun it is with Bunny, it felt so freeing and thrilling and every other word he can’t think about right now, he was way too caught up in his own joy that he didn’t notice the incoming thumping from his right.
whoops?
His back met the mossy and grassy floor of the tunnel, letting out a groan yet kept his grin, a comfortable weight on top of him, it radiated such sweet spring warmth and he savoured it, indulging in the strange and soothing contrast it had against his freezing body. A fuzzy texture underneath his touch, it was soft fur and of course it could only belong to nobody else but Bunny himself, which made the entire experience better in the sprite’s opinion, his chest heaved as he took in air, he could feel Bunny breathing on top of him mixed with his chuckles he failed to contain, something in Jack swelled with pure joy and pride in himself for being the reason why the pooka was in such a state. Eventually he felt movement above him and it took every ounce of his self control to not reach out and grab Bunny’s fluffy chest, drag him back down and keep him close as possible. The pooka hovered above him, a relaxed expression resting upon his features along with a tender smile.
A smile directed at Jack, eyes on him with adoration within those green pools, he stared for a long time, Jack was unsure for how long and it doesn’t matter, all he knew that deep down, he hoped the moment didn’t end. The sprite wanted to spend days drowning in those eyes that saw him like a shining shooting star flying across a lovely blue night, saw him like the finest treasure to be found within the depths of the ocean, saw him like the break of dawn bringing in a new day, saw him like he was eternal and left an everlasting mark.
He wanted those eyes on him, for as long as he could have them, to soak up each and every second and memorize the feeling it brought him. Moments were fleeting, cruelly so, he couldn’t stay here, it had passed so long ago and he was already being taken away from the warmth and safety he desperately craved, from the same eye that provided it and was now staring at him with worry.
Shaking his head, he tried to give the pooka a comforting smile, it worked somewhat and that paw left his shoulder. Jack wanted to grab it back and press against his chilly cheek, to keep a hold on that warmth even if he knew it was time to let it go, how stubborn. Here he was, back at the altar and every sensation came crashing down on him in one tidal wave, breaking the damn that withheld all his emotions until now. North’s booming voice behind him, the chiming symphony of little fairies around him, the frost cascading down his flesh and onto the floor, the audience’s looming gaze upon him, Bunny’s gentle presence beside him.
Then the large doors revealed the bride.
Jack’s bride.
His bride.
Why did that only send piercing cold ice through the gaps of his ribcage, aiming for his lungs and heart?
He tried searching for the wave of relief to enter his cold system as Tooth appeared in her beautiful wedding gown, causing the audience to be in awe of the fairy’s beauty. She truly was a beauty, that Jack clearly can see and is more than willing to admit, it’s just that beauty was never meant to be his. He took in her delicate features, the soft lipstick staining her lips, blush highlighting her round cheeks and eyeshadow making her lavender eyes look brighter than ever before. Jack gave her a smile and in return, she gave a tentative curl of her lips. It was odd, he mentally noted, that Jack had expected to see the fairy to be glowing with joy on the day of her wedding; he couldn’t think about it too much as she began to fly down the aisle towards him
North’s words came to mind, a mantra he had been repeating to himself since he got to the front of the venue, he hears the chimes of singing little fairies around him and the crowd watches the fairy queen’s flutter closer ever so slowly, savoring the moment or stalling time, he has no answer as of now. Her gaze remained on the bouquet in her hand, a peculiar collection of flowers. He did flower arrangement with her in their freetime, it was their thing after all and the sprite willed himself to not frown, deciphering the message with each flutter of her wings towards him. Even the audience muttered amongst one another regarding the odd bouquet, though not for the message it conveyed, Jack was sure the message was lost on most of them.
Peeling his eyes away from the bouquet, he was met with the sight of her expression and how somber it truly looked, it didn’t suit her at all, the sprite didn’t want his friend to look like this on her wedding day and guilt began to gnaw at his throat. It continues to cling on even after North’s attempts of comfort, Bunny’s presence and his own utter failure to calm the storm, even just by standing idly, Jack had ruined her most important day. It didn’t sit right with him at all, he was supposed to be her groom and he had ruined what was supposed to be the perfect day, some groom he was. All he wanted was her to be happy, to make his relationship work with her and fill that hollowness he feels whenever he was reminded that the two were an item.
Time was slipping through his fingers like the dream sand his fellow guardian harnessed to bring sweet dreams to the children of the world but like all dreams, there was an end and Jack was at the end of his time.
Here she was, the tooth fairy herself, queen of the sisters of flight and fellow guardian of memories, she fluttered to a stop before him, her dainty feet touched the freezing floor and it shook her out of the haze in her eyes, giving jack a worried look and that made the guilt dig in deeper into his throat, choking him from muttering a word to the fairy. Attempting to curl the corners of his pale lips, it only resulted in deepening the frown on hers. The symphony halts and the audience’s gaze settles on Tooth, anticipation in the air as North lets the moments trinkle by before he proudly proclaims the words nearly everybody within the spirit community have been buzzing about since the beginning of their relationship. Jack yearns to grasp that buzzing excitement under his skin, instead of the crawling dread.
The sprite felt compelled to turn his back to look at those soothing green eyes instead of the somber lavender in front of him, he also felt compelled to ask Tooth what was wrong and if he could do anything within his power to bring a smile back on his dear friend’s face, one to match North’s as he recited practiced words to officiate their union as one— alright, perhaps anything except for that. He would be happy to do anything she would ask as long as it wasn’t letting the wedding continue, the longer the seconds were drawn out, he gets to inspect the fairy’s face much more clearly and at such close distance, he could make out the smudges around her round eyes. Setting off alarm bells in his mind he realized.
That Tooth had been crying.
She was crying, on her wedding day of all things. Jack’s eyes widened, his shoulders dropping as the realization fully hit him and before he could attempt to ask, he was interrupted by North letting the bride take the stage to say her vows and with the impending I do by the end of it. He could see the hesitation flicker in her eyes, the way she tensed and gripped the bouquet tighter in her dainty hands, how she looked at him helplessly and in return he felt helpless, for both himself and for Tooth. She gnawed on her bottom lip, North and the audience waited with bated breath, the sprite wasn’t sure if he hated the inevitable being delayed or prolonged, all he knew was that the moment the fairy spoke her vows and said.
’’ I do. ‘’
He stood there in torturous silence, he could feel every single pair of eyes on him, it singed against his cold skin, a kind of warmth that hurt. How the fairy looked at him with hopelessness, North with fatherly pride, the audience with towering expectations and anticipation and yet above all else, he felt the reassuring presence of Bunny nearby. He wasn’t sure how the pooka did it, Jack could always feel the tension and worries chipped away into nothing when Bunny was around, he could never properly explain it. The pooka’s presence seems to enveloped him, like one big and warm blanket over his shoulders, keeping him safe from the shadows reaching for him from the dark corners of his mind.
Jack focused on that soothing sensation, gripped onto that piece of safety tighter until his turns impossibly whiter against his pale skin. Sucking in a breath, a shiver wracked his body and he steadied his gaze onto the fairy in front of him, attempting to force the words out of his mouth, something coherent, sincere and from his very heart because that’s everything and more that his friend deserved. He felt his core torn at the very idea that she’ll never receive the kind of love that she deserved. As matter what North said, how many times Bunny reassured him, how many times Sandy gave him a look that said more than anything the star could ever say and how many times he tried to make this relationship just work.
He had to face the truth, the one he has been running from for years, from both his time as human and as an elemental spirit, now that he stood at the very altar he always knew he’d eventually stood on, he couldn’t run away now. No more saving it for another day or burying it deep below layers of snow inside his mind. Jack had to be honest with himself.
He loved Tooth but he never loved her.
He loved her as a fellow guardian, loved her as a cherished friend who he could chattered over tea and arrange the flowers with, loved her as somebody part of his odd found family and someone who fit in like a sister to him, her smile as bright as his mortal sister, mary, once smiled when he was human, finding endless comfort that he found family again in her. It caused more anguish for the sprite now that he admitted to himself how much he cared for the fairy like a sister he could count on, that he would be damning her to a loveless relationship and marriage for the rest of their eternity together. He wanted to scream.
To scream and run and hide, he knew it was cowardly of him if he did do so but could you blame him? Jack was terrified. He couldn’t run now, so he did what he did best.
He smiled, showing off his perfectly white teeth and charming the mini fairies and the audience before him, hiding behind faux confidence he had depended on for years to not show weakness. Jack was much more insecure that he liked to let others knew, but continued on with clumsy words tumbling off his pale lips, he could barely remember what he said and he knew his vows ended far quicker than Tooth’s did, he was glad the audience didn’t mind his lackluster performance, he suppose they were too distracted by the fact they were witnessing a guardian wedding in the first place.
“ I do. ‘’
He said, his voice trembled slightly. It didn’t matter as he still charmed his way into the audience’s heart, they cooed at his seemingly shy demeanor in contrast to the fairy’s calm one. Further cementing in their minds that the two were perfect for one another, he didn’t bother to think about it further as now he has to realize that now they’ve said their vows, they would have to share a kiss to seal the union for eternity. He tensed, the frost beneath his feet started to spread and he swore he could he quiet honk from behind him, he wore a small small despite the ice keeping him stuck in place. North gave him a proud look, any other times he would have been glad to be on the receiving end, it now only left a sour taste in his mouth. The burly man announced that they may now share a kiss, they could feel the intensifying gazes on them, attempting to inch closer to Tooth and found he could not.
Instead he stared into those lavender eyes, almost pleading, begging her to help him. Help him and make sure he doesn’t screw this up, he wouldn’t want that as much as he didn’t want to be her groom, maybe if he chose differently he would have been a best man at her wedding instead. It was too late now, he knew—he knew that he couldn’t go through with this kiss, he’d tried and could never kiss Tooth before this, now he’s expected to? Panic built up in his chest, filling lungs like freezing water, suffocating him. The harder he tried to push back against the wave, it only crashed back into him in stronger tides, pushing him down further and further. He was vaguely aware of the overwhelming silence in the room, the audience watching his every moment, the sprite briefly wondered if they could see the way he took shallow breaths, fingers twitching due to the desperation to move or the way the floor beneath frosted over.
The fairy tensed, glancing to the ground and her face further fell into dismay, barely visible but so clear to Jack once she looked up again to share his gaze, something flickered in those pools of lavender. He couldn’t decipher it at the time, as Tooth raised her hand and the audience let out a soft gasp, the sprite flinched, expecting her to be reaching out to cup his cheek, only to find it wasn’t the case. Instead she had gingerly reached into the crown of her head, plucking out a single feather, the colors matched his tie perfectly, with the feather in hand she gently pressed it against her lips, her eyes fluttering to a close as she did. Slowly, she retracted it from her lips and opened her eyes to welcome his gaze once more, expression becoming unreadable to Jack, she then reached out to him with the feather, confusion settled into his features.
For it be washed away soon after, once the feather reached his own pale lips, understanding caved in on him and he swore that frozen tears did not brim his eyes. He carefully placed his fingers on top of the fairy’s own dainty ones, pressing the feather closer and pulling it away slowly, they held the feather together— as husband and wife. The audience cried out in joy, taken in by such a seemingly romantic gesture with messages remaining undeciphered except for the two at the altar. The two stood unmoved by the uproar before them, questions filled Jack’s mind and left him with starving curiosity, for what the fairy’s intentions truly were. Her eyes searched in his, she was looking for an answer that Jack wasn’t sure he had and if he could give it to her. Gripping onto the feather like a lifeline.
The rest of the event went by in a muddy blur, overlapping voices and unclear faces came and went, all of which gave their congratulations for the two guardians, the sprite tried to smile through it all. As the entire party began in full swing, he never let go of the feather and Tooth never attempted to take it away from him, the guests seemed to be enamored by this as they cooed in their indistinguishable voices at him each time their gaze lands on the fragile hope that perhaps, there was still a way to fix this, that it wasn’t too late and he could figure something out with the fairy after this is all over, then they can go back to the way things were and forget any of this ever happened, letting the sands of time eventually bury it and leave it forgotten.
Soon the night shimmered down and guests had to retreat to their rooms, sleeping away the joy and excitement of the event they witnessed and the husband and wife went off to their own, the flight was a silent one, not uncomfortably so but still kept the sprite on edge, debating with himself to ask the questions in the thick air, if he should and if he could. Glancing over to the fairy, her face remained the same as it was, beautiful but oh so sorrowful, sinking beneath her eyes like quicksand and weighing down on the corners of her lips, did he do that? He turned away, it was too much for sore eyes like his. The guilt continued to cling into the bones of his limbs, dragging them with him as if his body was nothing more of a burden he’d rather leave behind, it was a familiar feeling for the sprite. The man in the moon shone his light upon them, for years Jack never knew what it meant, still have yet found the meaning behind Manny’s elusive nature.
How he wished to understand it now as it caresses his pale skin and before he knew it, they had made it to their room, everyone knows what happens after nightfall from a wedding and he dreaded this part, part of him hopes it’ll be nothing more than sharing the bed. They entered, still haven’t uttered a single word to one another, Tooth sat on the bed first and Jack followed, sitting beside her, with nothing but the sounds of their sighs and breaths filling the silence. Suddenly, the sprite shifted closer and closer until his cold hands touched her shoulders, the fairy snapped her gaze over to his with clear confusion, he gently nudged and guided her further into the bed, Tooth’s slender back laid upon the silky sheets with iridescent wings framing her figure, round lavender eyes staring back at him. The sprite hovered over her, unmoving aside from the shaky breaths he took.
His heart ached with each beat.
Nerves frostbitten and rattling underneath his skin.
Lungs suffocated from beneath his ribcage.
Tears froze from the brim of his eyes.
Tiny droplets of frost trickling down his cheek like snow.
It dusted the fairy’s own and it shimmered with the faint moonlight seeping through the curtain gaps of the master bedroom, Jack let out a hiccup and a tremble wracked throughout his body, barely keeping him above Tooth from the sheer pressure of it, his frostbitten fingers dug into the sheets. He tried to keep it in, to keep himself together for the entirety of it all, even if barely so and now, he couldn’t keep it together for a second longer, so he sobbed. Letting the tears fall and decorate her shimmering cheeks in more of his sorrow, chest heaving with the burden of his regrets and frustrations of the wasted years he spent trapping both him and Tooth into a relationship that was never meant to be, years wasted that could of been spent fostering different kind of relationship that suited them both much better, years wasted that Tooth could of spent looking for the one who would of held her hand for the rest of their eternity together instead of Jack.
He opened his eyes ( though he wasn’t sure when he had closed them before ) when dainty hands cradled his cold cheeks, forcing him to face the fairy herself and finally see the tears brimming in her own eyes. Letting out a choked sound, he fell on top of her and sobbed, the fairy’s arms embraced the shivering sprite. She guided them up and they both sat on the silky sheets, the sounds of his cries echoed in the room and as the night fell into a deeper slumber, his cries simmered down along with it until he eventually fell in a dreamless slumber himself where Jack felt those same dainty hands rub soothing circles on his bed and he could vaguely remember the frozen droplets on the crown of his head, he didn’t have a chance to check those lavender eyes for the tears he knew he’d find as he vision went dark.