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Jack’s eyes fluttered open as soft knocking could be heard coming from his bedroom door. He let out a little groan as he curled up tighter in his bed, pulling the covers tighter around him as he tried to go back to sleep.
That clearly wasn’t going to happen if the persistent knocking at his door at anything to say about it. Jack let out another groan as he buried his face in his pillows, trying to block out the sound with his blankets as he squeezed his eyes shut.
“Five more minutes,” Jack begged as he pressed his face into his pillows and his blankets, trying to chase after the warmth of sleep that was slowly leaving him.
“Jack, come on, get up,” A motherly voice from the other side of his door called out to him, clearly belonging to Tooth. “We can’t start without you so you need to get up,” She called to him before a few chirps from her fairies followed her voice clearly trying to help get him up.
“Start what?” Jack asked, his voice groggy with sleep as he tried to find the strength to push himself up from his bed.
“You’ll see,” Tooth said back, and Jack could clearly hear the smile in her voice. “Now hurry up and get dressed or I’ll send Bunny and Sandy up to get you,” She called with a laugh causing Jack to sit up in his bed as fast he could.
“I’m up, I’m up!” Jack yelled to her as he heard the flutter of her wings and her soft laugh as she headed back down the hall towards the stairs.
Jack let out a little sigh of relief as he heard her leave before letting himself fall back against the bed with a huff. He felt the pillow hit his head as he let his eyes slide shut as he felt like he had dodged a little bit of a bullet. He loved Bunny and Sandy, they were a part of his family, but he knew how they could get when trying to get him out of bed. He was still finding glitter and dream sand around his room from the last time they had been sent to wake him up.
He laid there for a few more moments before pushing himself up once more and throwing his feet over the side of his bed. The icy floor didn’t faze him as he stood up and stretched his arms, lifting them over his head while he let a yawn leave him.
Jack rubbed at his eyes before fully standing up from his bed and heading over to his dresser to grab one of his many blue sweaters to pull over the simple t-shirt that he had worn to bed the night before. He headed towards the door leaving his soft pajama pants on since he knew he could change them after breakfast.
Something caught Jack’s eyes before he opened the door, causing him to stop and turn his head. He looked towards his large circular window and blinked at what he saw.
It was still dark outside, meaning that it was still somewhat too early to be out of bed.
For a few moments, Jack stood there blinking his mouth slightly open in awe and in shock that his mother figure had woken him up so early. Jack let out a sigh and opened his door, figuring that there had to be a good reason that they were all awake so early.
For a moment panic washed over the youngest Guardian as the thought of Pitch having returned filled his mind, but he quickly pushed that idea away as he remembered how happy Tooth had sounded when she had woken him up. He knew she wouldn’t have so cheerful if the King of Nightmares had returned and she would have flown into his room in a panic since they all knew Pitch if ever did return would come after Jack.
Jack let out a sigh of relief before he opened the door and headed outside into the hallway to head to the lower level of the living quarters where he knew his family would be waiting for him.
He quickened his steps as he neared the stairs, his sleepy mind starting to clear as he headed down the oak steps that led to his family. With every step, he took he could hear his family laughing and talking as they wanted for him this made a smile spread to his face as he reached the bottom step and turned the corner to see them sitting in the living room.
Jack blinked in confusion as he looked around the living room that was decorated from floor to ceiling in Christmas decorations. A large heavily decorated Christmas tree sat in the corner next to the fireplace and there were red and green wrapped presents next to all of them. Sat in the middle of the floor on the carpet where Jack usually sat or laid was an even larger pile of presents, but these were wrapped not in green or red but in his favorite color blue.
It was then Jack felt like slapping himself in the face as the memories of what today was finally came to him.
It was Christmas, but not just any Christmas; it was his first Christmas was the Guardians with his family.
Jack moved forward towards his family who hadn’t noticed his arrival yet, his feet tapping against the icy floor as he moved. As the youngest Guardian had expected, it was Bunny who was the first to hear him. Jack gave the bringer of hope a little wave as he turned his head to look at the youngest, causing Bunny to smile.
“Look who finally got up,” Bunny commented with a laugh causing the other Guardians to look over at Jack who rolled his eyes at his older brother’s words.
“Hey, give me a break,” Jack pouted causing the others to laugh a little as North stood up to give Jack a hug just like he had done every morning since Jack had started living with him. “I wasn’t expecting to be up this early,” He explained before sticking out his tongue at the Pooka who simply laughed at the immortal fourteen-year-old’s childish behavior.
“Good morning, Jack,” North said as he hugged Jack tightly which caused the youngest to be picked up though he was used to this part of North’s hugs. "And Merry Christmas," He boomed his accent becoming even thicker with his excitement making Jack laugh as he hugged North back.
"Merry Christmas to you too, North," Jack said happily enjoying the warmth of the bear hug he was receiving from the jolly Guardian. "How were you rounds last night?" He asked as he was placed down next to the largest pile of presents. He was slightly shocked to see himself standing next to the pile having not noticed North carrying him.
"It was good, lots of wonder and believe in the air," North nodded as he sat back down next to Tooth who gave him a playful look. "We will talk about that later," He promised as he looked back at the youngest member of their strange family. "For now we open gifts," He said with a smile happiness shining bright in his crystal blue eyes.
Jack smiled in agreement but before he could move he felt something fly into his hair causing him to laugh and smile even more. He reached up and carefully rubbed the soft feathered head of Baby Tooth who had been waiting for Jack to come closer.
"Merry Christmas to you, Baby Tooth," Jack commented as he heard the small squeaks come from his best friend as she curled up even tighter into his hair refusing to move since she wanted to stay with him.
"Hurry up and sit down, Frostbite," Bunny ordered with a playful smirk making Jack laugh and hold up his hands as he sat down next to the pile of presents.
"Okay, okay," Jack laughed as he crossed his legs smiling at them all with a bright happiness that had come back to him since he joyed the Guardians all those months ago.
It took longer than he'd like to admit to figure out that the gifts were for him but as he had learned on his birthday a few months back that the others felt like they needed to make up for everything they had done. Jack had tried to tell them that he had forgiven them a long time ago but they weren't having any of it so Jack tried to get used to the fact that whenever there was a celebration such as this he was going to get a lot of gifts.
"All right let's get started!" Tooth called out as the sound of boxes moving and paper ripping filled the room. Soon laughter and voices filled with Joy followed after as they all opened their presents well all except for Jack.
Jack didn't touch his presents for a few minutes as he watched his family with a soft caring smile on his face he tried to replace another cold lonely memory with the warm and loved filled one before him.
He watched them for a minute or so before he felt something rubbing against his arm making him look down to see one of Sandy's dream sand Stingrays rubbing against his side waiting for Jack to pet it which Jack happily did with a laugh.
"Thanks, Sandy," Jack said as he looked at the oldest Guardian who held up his glass of eggnog towards the winter child.
Jack watched as Sandy sent out a line of dream sand towards the boxes of presents before wrapping it around one and placing it in Jack's lap.
"Open this one up first?" Jack asked with another laugh and watched as Sandy nodded his head eagerly very clearly telling Jack that the present he had given him was from him. "All right so this one first," He confirmed before starting to unwrap the gift that had been given to him which let Sandy get back to opening his own.
More chatter filled the room as more gifts were open and as they thanked one another with talk and hugs the Yetis took pictures with smiles of their own fully intending to capture every family moment that the Guardians had with one another.
From hot chocolate and freshly baked Christmas cookies that they all had for breakfast even Tooth; to the snowball fight, Jack had everyone have, to finally them all falling asleep in front of the fireplace curled up in warm blankets staying close to one another.