Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Beloi, Russia 1812

The winds howled across the tiny town, people huddled in their cabins as snow pounded outside with the undeniable fury of the winter spirit who sneered at the mortals below. The biting winds and intense cold forced many who had been out to suddenly scramble for shelter, but his anger and swiftness in bringing the storm had caught them off guard. Men, women and children alike littered the streets; their frozen corpses slowly begin buried by his snow. Oh a few had escaped, but only a few. Many had frozen at doorsteps, having slid on his ice and unable to muster the strength to push themselves inside. Once he’d all but buried the town he let the snow subside and as the clouds parted he sneered up at the moon.

“Is this enough to gain your attention you silent cur?” His eyes glared with hatred, but there was no answer to his question. There had never been any answers to any of the questions he’d put to the moon. No matter how much he’d begged, pleaded, cried... nothing seemed to work. No one saw him and the moon stayed silent. His despair had turned into a burning hatred now, as he turned his back from the moon he noticed a movement nearby in the shadows. Curious, he landed on the snow, not leaving even a footprint as he walked towards the shadow he swore he’d seen movement from. There didn’t seem to be anything there, he frowned a little. Had he seen perhaps an animal or something? No, not an animal as there were no footprints of anything in the snow here. He turned at the sudden feeling that someone was watching him, he took a step back, pointing his staff at the tall figure he saw before him. The figure was imposing, thin, black from head to toe really, except the skin of the male before him was grey toned and the eyes were a brilliant gold. Slicked back hair was as black as the robes and pants that the figure wore.

“Who are you?”

“An admirer of your work. I can see you’re a new spirit still if you don’t know me.” Came the silky answer. Jack didn’t fully relax, but he shifted his staff up a little so it wasn’t so menacingly pointed at the man before him.

“I’m sure you’ve heard of me, however, if you’ve been around long enough to hear the frightened whispers of children in the night.”

“Wait... are you claiming to be... the Boogeyman?” Jack tilted his head to one side, his eyes narrowing a little as if he couldn’t believe it.

“They call me that, yes. My name is Pitch.” Jack frowned, leaning on his staff now; apparently the other didn’t mean him any harm or they already would have struck.

“So... you like my work?”

“Oh yes, you have such potential... I have never felt such fear as what you have inspired here.” Jack blinked, he had... inspired fear?

“You do my boy. What is your name?”

“Jack... Jack Frost.” A small smile played across Pitch’s dark features.

“Tell me, would you like humans to believe in you?” Jack’s eyes widened slowly. How had he known?

“I know too well what it’s like. What it feels like to be alone. To not be believed in, to long for... a family.” Jack felt himself slowly relaxing hair by hair. Pitch... understood?

“We can create a wonderful world. A world where everyone believes in us, where children are frightened of the dangers of the world!” Jack almost dropped his staff, a small smile played on his lips now.

“That’s what I’m talking about. I’m in!” Pitch held out a hand to Jack, the boy stepped forward without hesitation and placed his hand in the other’s without hesitation and the two were pulled into the shadows.

Jack floated through the dark place that was obviously Pitch’s lair. He wasn’t sure he was going to like it down here, but he supposed he could get used to it since he really didn’t have a place of his own. He glanced around, there were cages hanging from the ceiling and a golden globe that was in the middle of the room. Near the back was a throne made from stone that sat on top of a set of five steps and was the highest thing in the room. Arches that seemed to lead to nowhere in particular where everywhere above him, just below the cages. The cavern was humungous as far as places went and he estimated that there was at least a few hundred feet between the bottom of the lowest cage and the top of the highest archway that acted as a walkway as well. Jack couldn’t help but marvel at the place, despite that there was very little light around the place and shadows were everywhere.

“Some place you’ve got here Pitch.” Jack said as he swooped through the air towards the globe, it sparkled with lights.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a globe, haven’t you ever seen one before Frost?” Jack frowned at the use of his last name, but shrugged it aside. Maybe Pitch was raised in a formal family or something where those who had just met didn’t use first names. He’d seen families like those in the hundred years he’d been around.

“Well yeah... but not like this one.”

“Those lights show believers in the Guardians. Our enemies.”

“Guardians?” Pitch moved over to join the young frost spirit.

“They claim to protect children, but all they have done is kept them from fearing what they should, like the dark or the dangers of the forest like wild animals.” Jack shifted to perch himself on the top of his staff.

“So... bringing fear is your thing eh? And you think I can help?” Jack asked.

“I have no doubt you can. Trust me when I say that this will change the world, it will take a while, but soon there won’t be a single child who doesn’t know our names...” Jack grinned at the sound of Pitch’s low chuckle. He liked the sound of that.

Chapter Text

North Pole

-200 years later-

“What? The globe?” North frowned, the broken ice model that was on the floor was forgotten and he withdrew one of his sabers from where it was stabbed into a block of ice as he followed the yeti out of his personal workshop, which doubled as an office, and moved onto the circular walkway towards the giant globe that sparkled with lights as it rotated. Lights that were starting to flicker.

“Shoo with your pointy heads, why are you always under boot?” The jolly man said as elves scrambled to get out of his way, their bells jingling. Two yetis were already at the control panel.

“What is this? Did you check the axis? Is rotation balanced?” The yeti closest to him garbled an answer that meant they didn’t know what was wrong. They watched as the lights began to slowly flicker out and black sand began to swarm over the flickering lights, papers swirling as if in a vortex wind. Moving in the same direction as the lights that sputtered out before the sand suddenly covered the entire globe, blocking out the entire thing before bursting out and something like a shadow seemed to skitter across the area behind them; frightening the elves and blowing more papers about. Then the sand seemed to form a figure that he was familiar with followed by a cackle as the “shadow” slid around the globe before disappearing.

“Can it be?” The man asked, his eyes narrowing slightly before looking down to address the one of the elves behind him.

“Dingle, make preparations.” He said to one of five elves behind him before turning back to the control station to reach for the switch that would activate the signal to the other Guardians.

“We’re going to have company.” He said as he twisted the lever and pushed the button down. As soon as he had the lights on the globe sparkled with color that shone up and out of the hole in the center of the large workshop, the colors of the Northern Lights shimmered more green than any other color as they spread up and out in six different directions, the strands shimmering across the world in an unearthly light that could only be seen by those who needed to see it.

In a mountain range in India, high above the clouds...

“18 central incisors. Moscow, sector 9. 22 incisors, 18 premolars. Uh-oh heavy rain advisory. Des Moines we’ve got a cuspid at 23 Maple. Head out!” A miniature tooth fairy flew up to Tooth who hovered in the middle of a buzzing hive of fairies. The tiny fairies were her workers and looked like small versions of herself except that she had one yellow feather on her crest and they had noses that resembled the beaks of a hummingbird as well as being only slightly larger than most species of hummingbird.

“Wait! It’s her first tooth! Have you ever seen a more adorable lateral incisor in all your life? Look how she flossed!” One fairy came up to her, chirping and she gasped, glancing northward to see the green Northern lights and took off, with a small batch of fairies following her.

My fellow Guardians it is our job to watch over the children of the world and keep them safe.

The stream of dream sand that curled around the head of a boy who dreamed of playing soccer lead out of his window to the hovering sand cloud where a short man as golden as the sand was weaving dreams for children to dream into the night.

To bring them wonder, hope and dreams and so I have called us all here for one reason and one reason only. The children are in danger.

Dancing about, the little man noticed the green lights and pulled on a pair of goggles before transforming the sand island he was on into an airplane and zooming off towards the north.

An enemy we have kept at bay for centuries has decided to strike back. We alone can stop him.

Leaping over three Easter eggs that were playing in the tunnel, a streak of grey blue fur, the Easter Bunny raced through his tunnels. Having been alerted by his stone sentinels that the signal had been given and he was racing towards the North Pole. He came out of a hole in the north, snow parting for the hole as two ears appeared followed shortly by the whole six feet of rabbit.

“Oh it’s freezing!” The Pooka complained as the wind blew straight through his fur and he quickly hopped towards North’s Workshop complaining loudly.

“Oh, I can’t feel my feet! I can’t feel my feet!” It was just that cold for the furry Guardian.

“Cookies? Eggnog anyone?” North asked as Bunny stood next to a hearth, warming his feet.

“This better be good North.” The Pooka retorted as the Sandman flew into the shop and North ignored the comment.

“Sandy, thank you for coming.” Symbols appeared above the smaller Guardian’s head.

“I know, I know, but I obviously wouldn’t have called you all here unless it was serious.” He said as the two moved to join Bunny and Tooth closer to the fire. Tooth, who was hovering next to the globe, quietly hushed her chattering fairies as she turned to North who was speaking.

“The Boogeyman was here. At the pole!”

“Pitch? Pitch Black? Here?” Tooth gasped, shocked at the news.

“Yes. There was black sand covering the globe.”

“What ... What do you mean black sand?” Bunny asked, stammering a little as he let go of the foot he’d been rubbing to help bring back feeling into it. He hopped closer to North who was making gestures to go with the story. Bunny brought out an egg to work on as he listened a moment before glancing up.

“And then... a shadow!”

“Hold on, hold on I thought you said you saw Pitch.”

“Well, uh, not exactly.” North admitted, rubbing the back of his head. He hadn’t said outright that he’d seen Pitch.

“ ‘Not exactly.’ Can you believe this guy?” Bunny asked, looking to Sandy who was standing nearby. Sandy just shrugged his shoulders, a question mark appearing above his head.

“Yeah. You said it Sandy.”

“Look he is up to something very bad.” North said, three of Tooth’s fairies coming over to him as he said as much.

“I feel it,” He glanced down to his stomach, taking hold of it as he went on. “in my belly.” The fairies zoomed a little closer to look at said belly.

“Hang on, hang on. You meant to say you summoned me here three days before Easter because of your belly?” Bunny asked, shaking his brush at North, irritated that the other Guardian didn’t have proof and had bothered summoning him and the others here on what was essentially, in the Pooka’s mind, nothing more than a hunch.

“Mate, if I did this to you three days before Christmas...”

“Please, Bunny, Easter is not Christmas.” North said, taking the egg from Bunny who laughed scornfully at his statement.

“Here we go.” Bunny said irritably, they’d had this argument more times than he cared to count.

“North, I don’t have time for this. I still have two million eggs to finish up.” He said, trying to get the egg back.

“No matter how much you paint is still egg.” North said as he held it up. Neither noticing the moon that was coming into view of the skylight. Sandy, pulling his cup of eggnog away from an elf trying to drink out of his cup, however, did notice. He dropped the cup, trying to get Bunny and North’s attention.

“Look, mate, I’m dealing with perishables. Right? You have all year to prepare.” Bunny said, snatching the egg back.

“Why are rabbits always so nervous?” North asked, brushing past Bunny and nearly making him drop the egg.

“Why are you always such a blowhard?” Bunny shot back. Neither noticing Sandy who was trying everything to get their attention, a whistle appearing over his head followed by a flag but that didn’t work. Tooth, chattering instructions to her fairies flew between the two.

“Tooth! Can’t you see we are trying to argue?” North asked while Bunny went back to painting the egg he held.

“Sorry! Not all of us get to work one night a year.” She said, mockingly holding up her hands as if it were such a big deal.

“Am I right Sandy?” She asked the silent Guardian who tried to get her attention, pointing past her with a gold arrow, but she pulled back in shock.

“Sandiego! Sector 2.” She went back to instructing her fairies.

“Come on mate, Pitch went out with the Dark Ages. We made sure of that.” Bunny went on.

“I know it was him. We have serious situation.” North replied. Sandy, getting fed up, landed next to the elf who was trying to lick eggnog out of the empty cup he’d dropped.

“Well I’ve got a serious situation with some eggs.” Bunny said, the sound of a bell drawing their attention as Sandy had hoisted the elf in one hand and shook him vigorously to get their attention. After he was sure he had their undivided attention he dropped the elf and pointed to the image of a crescent moon over his head then pointed towards the full moon. North turned from Bunny to look up, a smile coming to his face.

“Ah! Man in Moon!” North boomed happily before shifting to look over at the smaller Guardian.

“Sandy, why didn’t you say something?” He turned back, missing the furious look on the golden Guardian’s face as sand came out his ears as he huffed.

“Been a long time old friend! What is big news?” North shifted as the moon’s light began to glow brighter and each of the Guardians watched the beams fall over the “G” on the floor and there a shadow figure of Pitch presented itself in the light.

“It is Pitch.” Bunny said, conceding that he had been too quick to pass off North’s intuition. North patted his belly then looked back up at the moon.

“Manny, what must we do?” The light intensified and the “G” tile lowered into the ground and slowly slid back, revealing a small stone pillar that held an icy blue crystal on it.

“Uh, guys, you know what this means right?” Tooth asked.

“He’s choosing a new Guardian.” North said with wonder.

“What? Why?” Bunny asked.

“Must be big deal. Manny thinks we need help.” North replied.

“Since when do we need help?” Bunny asked, looking hopefully at the others, hoping that one of them would back him up.

“I wonder who it’s going to be!” Tooth said excitedly. A four leaf clover appeared over Sandy’s head.

“Maybe the leprechaun?”

“Please not the Groundhog, please not the Groundhog.” Bunny chanted, as the moon’s light sparkled into the crystal and a figure began to form before the eyes of the Guardian.

“Jack Frost.” North said, a little surprised at the choice. The tiny fairies squealed with delight, one even fainted.

“Uh, I take it back. The Groundhog’s fine.” Bunny said as he looked up at the moon. Tooth was admiring the tiny image like a lovesick teenager for a moment before she pulled herself together.

“Well, as long as he protects the children, right?”

“Jack Frost? He doesn’t care about children!” Bunny protested.

“All he does is freeze pipes and mess with my egg hunts! He’s an irresponsible, selfish-”

“Guardian.” North said thoughtfully, cutting Bunny off.

“Jack Frost is many things, but he is not a Guardian.” Before they could begin arguing about Jack Frost, the crystal disappeared back beneath the tile, but the light of the moon did not fade as it usually did. North frowned a little as he saw this.

“Manny, what more have you to say?” The others stared at the light as again shadows fell in the circle. The image of Jack appeared again, this time with the shadow of Pitch looming over him, hands extended like claws both above and below the frost spirit. Tooth gasped.

“Pitch has Jack?!”

“This is bad news indeed... May make things harder.” North said as he studied the images.

“What are we supposed to do about that?” Bunny asked, he wasn’t thrilled with the thought, but he figured it explained a lot about the mischievous spirit who had dogged him so often and messed with Easter across the states. The moon’s glow faded though, offering no solution.

“Bunny, your tunnels go everywhere. Find him and bring him here. Take snow globe, to let yetis know where you find him then return there with yetis.” Bunny nodded thoughtfully at North, he thumped the ground twice, a hole appearing and he dropped into it. Bunny thought his holes were the fastest way to travel, and for him that was true. He soon found the winter spirit, it was a lot faster than he was expecting really. He’d watched him walk along telephone lines in Burgess and he’d gone back through one of North’s portals, despite hating the things, to alert North and a pair of yetis followed him back.

“Follow me, we’ll corner him. Let me do the talkin’.” The yetis warbled their agreement and the Pooka shot up to a roof, leaping past the winter spirit to get his attention.

“Whoa!” The rabbit grinned, he’d gotten his attention alright. He led the boy on a chase through a few streets to an alleyway. As the boy held his staff at the ready for any threat as he looked to see what it was he’d been chasing, Bunny leaned up against a building, half in the shadows half out.

“Hello, mate. Been a long time, blizzard of ‘68 wasn’t it?” He asked, fiddling with a boomerang; Jack swung around but when Bunny took a step forward into the light he relaxed and leaned on his staff.

“Bunny. You still aren’t mad about that, are you?” The cocky grin on the pale teen’s face only made him irritated more about the incident that had happened almost 300 years ago.

“Yes.” He looked down at the boomerang in his paws.

“But this is about somethin’ else.” He admitted, not letting his temper get the better of him; he was here for a reason, and that reason didn’t include beating the snot out of the cocky winter spirit before him.

“Fellas.” He said, and Jack straightened.

“What the?” He didn’t have more time than to shout as he was picked up by the hood of his hoodie.

“Hey! Put me down! What the-!” The yeti shoved him into the sack, his muffled cries ignored as the sack was pulled shut. One of the yeti pulled out a snow globe, tossing it to create the portal back to the pole before turning and garbling an offer for Bunny to go first. The Pooka laughed derisively at the offer.

“Me? Not on your Nelly. See you back at the Pole.” He said, creating a hole before dropping into it. A red daisy flowering where the hole used to be. The yeti tossed the sack with Jack in it into the portal then and followed inside.

Chapter Text

The sack landed with a thump, the two yetis right behind it.

“He’s here!” North said, hushing Tooth and her fairies as Jack pushed the sack open to peer outside.

“Quiet. Hey! There he is! Jack Frost!” North boomed as Jack peered out of the sack up at him.

“Wow, you’ve got to be kidding me.” Jack felt a shiver go through him. Pitch had warned him about the Guardians and he knew each of their names and what they were capable of thanks to his partner. Pushing away his fear, he pushed himself out of the sack only to find himself lifted out by the yetis.

“Hey, hey put me down.” He said with a calm he didn’t actually feel. They did just that, he tried to act as nonchalant as possible.

“Hope the yetis treated you well.”

“Oh, yeah, I love being shoved in a sack and tossed through a magic portal.” He said sarcastically as he kicked his staff back into his hand.

“Oh, good. That was my idea.” North said happily, obviously missing the sarcasm. How thick was this guy? Jack wondered, sizing up his enemies though they didn’t seem about to attack. So why was he here then?

“You know Bunny, obviously.” North said.

“Obviously.” Jack repeated, his eyes settling on the Pooka who was leaning against a nearby pillar.

“And the Tooth Fairy.” Tooth swooped down towards Jack before North could go on.

“Hello Jack, I’ve heard a lot about you and your teeth!”

“My- my what?” Jack stammered.

“Open up! Are they really as white as they say?” Before he could protest she’d shoved her fingers into his mouth.

“Yes!” She gasped, turning to her fairies.

“Oh, they really do sparkle like freshly fallen snow!” She exclaimed, making Jack wonder if she was mental for a moment as her fairies “aww’d” over this fact.

“Girls! Pull yourselfs together, let’s not disgrace the uniform.” She said much like a military leader all of the sudden and flew back to where she’d been moments earlier, her fairies following.

“And Sandman.” North continued as if Tooth hadn’t interjected.

“Sandy?” He asked, nudging the Guardian beside him who was asleep on his feet.

“Sandy? Wake up!”

“Hey, ho, anyone want to tell me why I’m here?” Jack asked, keeping his distance from them even as he glanced from the Tooth Fairy to the other Guardians. They’d been nothing but friendly, well except for Bunny but then again he wasn’t exactly on good terms with the Pooka anyway since his first blizzard... and while that had been an accident it had rubbed the rabbit the wrong way and Jack hadn’t managed to get the Pooka to accept his apology no matter what he’d said or tried. He glanced to Sandy, watching several images pop up above the little man’s hands as he waved them about; obviously trying to talk to Jack but he hadn’t the slightest clue what the other was trying to say.

“Uh, that’s not really helping, but thanks little man.” The symbols had flashed too quickly for him to follow and hadn’t made too much sense to him, though he figured the snowflake he’d caught at first might have meant him... the rest didn’t make any sense at all. He turned away from the group, swinging his staff to freeze an elf who was bringing a plate of cookies as he spoke.

“I must’ve done something really bad to get you four together.” He swung around suddenly, a slight smirk on his face as it occurred to him to ask suddenly.

“Am I on the naughty list?” Was that what this was about?

“Ha! On naughty list? You hold record.” North replied, pointing for emphasis before going on.

“No matter now, we are wiping clean the slate.” He said, brushing his fingers against the tattoo on his arm that said “naughty” on it.

“How come?” Jack asked, rather surprised at this as he watched the Guardians closely.

“How come? I tell you how come, because now you are Guardian!” Jack wasn’t sure what surprised him more, North’s sudden announcement or the music that instantly flared up loudly along with banners with “G” on them that hung from the rafters, yetis put on a performance with flaming sticks and Jack had to duck away from a couple of fairies who had tried to put some sort of colorful snowflake necklace around his head. He’d ducked as the yetis behind him had skillfully wielded the sticks that were on fire at both ends. Was the jolly Guardian trying to MELT him?!

“This the best part!” North proclaimed as he marched in time with the music happily laughing. Jack backed up as far as he could as the yetis continued to advance with their fiery sticks as the music continued. Jack was sure if they got too much closer he was going to put that fire out himself. The elves seemed to march about in odd patterns as they played various instruments and two scurried up to him with a pair of shoes, one elf pointed at his feet meaningfully then at the blue elf-like shoes with a “G” on them. Jack just glared at him in return. There was no way he was putting those on! North cleared his throat, getting Jack’s attention, a yeti had brought him a large book which he opened and flipped through its pages, but Jack was fed up with this. He raised his staff, slamming it down and releasing a cold blast that put out the fires, frost spread out from beneath it along the floor and several elves were sent skidding across the floor as if they were on ice. The music abruptly stopped, everyone was looking at him in surprise.

“What makes you think I want to be a Guardian?” He asked, narrowing his eyes a little. North just laughed, glancing at the others who didn’t seem to share his amusement before his laughter died and he was looking at Jack again.

“Of course you do. Music!” He said and the music began again.

“No music!” Jack said firmly and it died again.

“This is all very flattering, but  you don’t want me.” Jack replied, twirling his staff. As if he expected they might attack him or something, but they didn’t even seem to take a step forward let alone look like they were ready for a fight. Still, he kept himself on edge just in case.

“You’re all hard work and deadlines, and I’m snowballs and fun times.” He said, leaning a little on his staff suddenly. His expression serious as he spoke the next words.

“I’m not a Guardian.” He never would be, he didn’t really want to be either from what Pitch had told him, though he was really surprised they’d bothered to offer.

“Yeah. That’s exactly what I said.” Bunny spoke up.

“Jack,” Tooth said as she flew over to him to look him in the eye as she hovered before him, he leaned away from her, not wanting a repeat of earlier.

“I don’t think you understand what it is we do. Each of those lights is a child.” She said, her attention on the globe behind him, causing him to turn to look at it. He didn’t notice that North had also closed the distance, picking up where Tooth left off.

“A child who believes, and good or bad, naughty or nice, we protect them.” Jack let out an “ack” sound and North added.

“Tooth, fingers out of mouth.” Tooth seemed a little ashamed at being caught as she withdrew her fingers.

“Oh, sorry, they’re beautiful.” Tooth said as she moved away from him.

“Enough wishy washy, Pitch is out there doing who knows what!”

“You mean the Boogeyman?” Jack asked.

“Yes! When he threatens us, he threatens them as well!” North said, motioning to the globe. Jack rolled his eyes suddenly as he moved away from them.

“And you’ve been doing such a good job all of these years?” The Guardians exchanged puzzled looks. He turned, a smile on his features that sent uneasy feelings into the four who were watching him.

“Look, what you do is fine and all but it’s not for me. You should pick someone else.”

“Pick? You think we pick? No, you were chosen! By Man in Moon.” North said and Jack jolted suddenly, staring up at the moon in disbelief.

“Man in Moon... he talks to you?” He couldn’t keep the disbelief from his tone.

“You see? You cannot say no, is destiny.” Jack ran a hand through his hair then laughed, bitterly.

“After 300 years this is his answer?” He stared up at the moon, the others surprised by the hatred that suddenly flared in his eyes.

“Well you’re too late! I’m not going to just become a Guardian just because you say so after all this time! I’m not some puppet!” He glanced over at the others, the hatred vanished, replaced by a neutral look.

“No offense.” Bunny stared in shock, his jaw dropping a moment before he sputtered.

“How... how is that not offensive?!” Before he could say more though, Jack was twirling his staff.

“Look, as much as an honor you might think this all is... I don’t belong here. I’m not one of you. I’m different.”

“Jack-” Tooth began but he turned sharply, cutting her off.

“No! I’m through with the moon. I don’t care what he has to say. He didn’t care enough to talk to me when I tried talking to him and now all of the sudden I’m supposed to just be at his beck and call? Forget it! Maybe you four are content with that, but I’m not! I’m going to make something of my life and it’s going to be my choice! I’m out of here.” He took off into the air and zoomed out the skylight that let in the moonlight.

“Great... so what do we do now?” Bunny asked. He had been against Jack joining them from the start, but he wasn’t too put off that Jack had rejected them, but even so they were all apprehensive. Pitch was up to something and they had to protect Jack from him before it was too late, unaware that it already was.

“What?!?” Tooth asked when a fairy chattered something at her. Tooth stared at the others.

“My palace is under attack!” She said before zooming off with her fairies to go defend her home. North led the other three to the sleigh to travel to the palace. Bunny hated the ride immensely, but North hadn’t really given him a choice. Bunny’s claws had left streaks where he’d tried to hang on fruitlessly in the sleigh through the whole outrageous ride. It was only made worse when North sent them flying through a portal. The scene that greeted them shocked the trio, Nightmares ran through the skies, chasing down little tooth fairies and gobbling them up. North handed the reins to Sandy.

“Take over!” He brandished his swords as Sandy directed the sleigh towards the palace in the mountain and North cut down any of the Nightmares that came close. He freed a few of the fairies only to have them be captured again by another Nightmare. Sandy directed the sleigh into the palace and North struck down another Nightmare, several golden canisters clattering to the floor of the sleigh.

“They’re stealing the teeth!” Bunny exclaimed. Sandy landed the sleigh on the largest platform he could see.

“Tooth are you alright!” North called as he saw Tooth darting about.

“They... took my fairies... and the teeth.” She said, fluttering over to where they were before settling down sadly.

“Everything is gone... everything.”

Jack had left to return to Burgess as the Guardians raced to try and help Tooth defend her home. He had little doubt that when Pitch finally began to put his plan into motion that the Guardians would do as Pitch had said they would. They’d all race to the Tooth’s Palace to try and defend the little fairies and the teeth from Pitch’s Nightmares. He twirled his staff as he balanced himself along the fence that enclosed the front yard of the Bennett house. How he’d envied the boy who lived inside, how he’d had a family when Jack had nothing... no one had seen him or bothered to speak to him even if they could. The other spirits had all but ignored him, well... all but one... A soft smile graced his lips. Wouldn’t the so-called-Guardians freak if they’d ever discovered that Jack had thrown his lot in with him of all spirits on this planet? Well, they would find out soon enough. Pitch Black, the dreaded Boogeyman, the King of Nightmares... wasn’t what everyone thought of him. Oh he didn’t enjoy the things Pitch did, but he understood it, in fact he had even helped the Boogeyman with a few and that was the only reason why he had believers. He wasn’t exactly feared, but he wasn’t well liked either. No one liked the cold, Pitch had said as much and Jack knew from experience that it was true. Humans hated being too cold or too hot and with winter came his cold; what was comfortable to him was far from that to any human so why would anyone ever enjoy his season? He sat down on the fence, peering up at the stars as they began to softly twinkle in the sky. The moon cast its soft light like always, but Jack just scowled at the moon. He hated the moon with a passion. What sort of being would give someone like him life and then just up and abandon him? It wasn’t fair! It wasn’t right! Pitch had known that and had said as much. Pitch understood him and thinking of the shade made a soft smile tug at the boy’s lips. He felt a little startled though when the thought of those golden amber eyes made something else stir in him; a feeling he hadn’t felt before. He pushed it aside, he admired Pitch, that was all. The other had suffered thousands of years of isolation with nothing but his Fearlings and Nightmares as company. Creatures that didn’t really speak, but only did as he willed. Jack had been lonely for 300 years, but how much more lonely had Pitch been? He shook his head a little, his gaze hardening with anger as it fell on the moon once more. Rage boiling just beneath the surface.

“You understand nothing! About me... about Pitch... we’re outcasts because of YOU! How DARE you try and manipulate me after all you’ve put me through! After all you took from me!” The teen raged, his anger overflowing and he spent a good half hour venting his hatred and anger at the moon, who was - as always - silent through the tirade. Jack couldn’t care less what the Moon thought. What the Moon had decided. This was Jack’s life, his choice and no stuck up, self-important, silent being was going to tell him what he was going to do with the immortality he’d been cursed with!

Chapter Text

“Why aren’t they going out? I thought you said they would!” Jack said, perching on the top of his stick as he scowled at the iron wrought globe that was an inverted copy of North’s globe of belief in its own way. Pitch scowled, he was wondering the same thing when a Nightmare landed near them and nickered softly. Pitch’s eyes narrowed as he ground out.

“THEY’RE collecting the teeth?” Jack frowned a little.

“What?”

“The Guardians... they’re helping that accursed fairy... well, no matter...” The evil smile that grew on the shade’s face made Jack’s heart thump a little harder. What was going on with him? He shoved it aside, feeling a bit of joy at the malevolent smile on the other’s face. He held up one hand, Nightmare sand swirling over his palm to form a small figure of the Sandman.

“Soon, all their pathetic scrambling will be for naught... and you, Jack... I think you can help me with this... oh this will be so much fun.” Jack’s eyes brightened at the prospect and he wondered what it was his partner had thought up for the two of them. Pitch had told Jack to stay as far away from the Guardians as he could and Jack had done so; it wasn’t hard really, he’d avoided them, well until that night that he’d been tossed into a sack. He had even taken to avoiding Sandy, the one Guardian he had felt had any chance of understanding him. Sandy had tried to be there for him, had been the only one to tolerate the frost spirit but that didn’t mean that Jack was suddenly going to become a Guardian like him. No way. Jack wasn’t going anywhere near them again if he could help it. It was the day before Easter though, Jack had covered all of Burgess in snow, but even so Bunnymund hadn’t shown up to harass him about it as he’d hoped. The Guardian of Hope was nowhere in sight, much to Jack’s dismay, but that didn’t matter really because Jack was just supposed to be a distraction; Pitch’s true target was Sandy. He’d explained the plan to Jack, about how he was going to get Sandy to join them by adding the Guardian to his Nightmare sand. Jack’s role was simple.. keep the Guardians busy chasing him. Not a hard thing and when the darkness of night crept over Burgess, Jack was ready. Twirling his staff as the Guardians appeared, Jack couldn’t help but grin a little as Tooth zipped towards him. With a short laugh, he darted into the night; he ignored the Nightmares as they moved along the night and a few of them darted between him and the Guardians when one of them got too close to Jack; causing whoever it was to either destroy the Nightmare or to rear back... either way, it gave Jack time to put a little distance between him and his pursuers who were forever shouting at him to stop. He only laughed as none of them seemed to notice that they were short a member. Pitch’s Nightmares had cut Sandy off from the others and drawn the golden Guardian into battle while the others chased Jack all around the town. He laughed at their efforts to catch him, sometimes allowing himself to purposely come close to them only to pull away at the last minute to evade grasping fingers - or paws in the case of Bunny. Jack landed on a roof, glancing around; he’d lost sight of Bunny, but Tooth and North were right behind him. Where was that oversized rab- His thoughts were cut off as he yelped, tumbling into a tunnel and into the furry paws of said rabbit.

“Gotcha!” Bunny leapt out of the hole, holding onto Jack who struggled.

“Let me go kangaroo!”

“Not on your life mate!” As much as he struggled though, the Pooka’s grip didn’t lesson in the slightest.

“I would be grateful if you let my partner go.” The cool voice made Bunny jolt and Jack grin even as North and Tooth caught up to them. Bunny spun around, not letting go. The Pooka’s grip actually only became tighter even as the emerald eyes narrowed at Pitch.

“Pitch... what have you done to him?” There was almost disbelief in the whispered words from the rabbit.

“Done? Oh no my dear Bunnymund... perhaps the better question is what did you do? All of you?” The three froze and suddenly in that moment panic seemed to set in as they began to understand. They had done just what Pitch had said. Nothing. None of them had done a thing to help Jack, to even try and befriend him or... Bunny had pushed Jack away, thinking him just another trickster spirit after what had happened in ‘68... How many times had he chased the winter spirit off since then to make sure that Easter didn’t happen again? How many times had North seen Jack and yet had said nothing to him? Not even a simple greeting when he’d gone on his rounds? How many years had Tooth neglected to even try to connect to the outside world until last night, her fairies ignoring the white-haired boy as they went about their jobs... as extensions of herself... it was like she herself had been snubbing the boy since her fairies had first shown her the winter spirit those some 200 years ago... Jack sent ice along Bunny’s arms and was finally able to break free. He soared easily over to Pitch’s side, the other grinning like a child who had gotten away with stealing a cookie from the cookie jar despite being caught.

“Jack?” It was North who had spoken. As if he couldn’t believe that the winter spirit, the boy he had heard who had made children laugh and caused many snowball fights, would so readily side with the very spirit who wanted to destroy everything the Guardians stood for. It was a single word and yet it held so many questions. Jack only smiled a little, much to the horror and disbelief of the others.

“You were too late.” It was all Jack said, his smile seemed so innocent and child-like, but there was no mistaking the malice and hatred that shone in the brilliant blue eyes. Pitch’s laughter was like a shockwave of needles to the Guardians, a knife twisted in a wound. In the time it took to blink, the shadows of the night enveloped both Jack and Pitch and the two were gone before the three Guardians could blink. It would be only as the night wore on and they recovered from their shock that it became apparent what had happened and the loss of their friend and fellow Guardian was an even deeper blow to the three. It was midnight when the three stood before the globe of belief, the workshop had been silent all of that evening as they had paid their respects to their fallen comrade. The three watching the lights winking out quickly.

“They’re going out so fast...” Tooth said quietly, the globe that had been so bright now seemed to only grow dimmer and dimmer with each passing moment.

“It’s fear... he tipped balance.” North muttered.

“Hey now... buck up. Easter is tomorrow and I’m gonna need your help. Let’s pull out all the stops and get those little lights flickering again. What do ya say mates?” Bunny asked, the two turned to him, he smiled as he saw hope flickering in the eyes of his fellow Guardians. It wasn’t something that came easy to him; his center had always been something he’d been at odds with due to his past. How easy it should have been for him to fall into despair but at the same time when he had considered that he had realized his center was Hope. Not because of his past, but in spite of it. He was the embodiment of Hope in that he was the last of his kind, the only Hope that the race of Pookas had for continuing on to exist. It hurt, rather fiercely at times, for Bunny to remember that he was alone.... that he would never again hear, see or smell what was unique to Pookas beyond himself. He couldn’t simply forgive Pitch for slaughtering his kin and the rest of his kind, but some how he’d managed to hang on and become the avatar of hope. Seeing his center in the eyes of his friends, his fellow Guardians, did much to sustain him and give him hope in return. Hope that they could turn this around some how and beat back Pitch as they had during the Dark Ages; that they would manage to get Jack to see reason.

“You are right, Bunny. As much as it pains me, old friend, this time Easter is ... more important than Christmas.” The shock on the Pooka’s face made Tooth giggle softly.

“Everyone to the sleigh!”

“Oh no mate.” Bunny said, recovering from the shock to jump in front of North as the jolly Guardian had moved to head to where the sleigh was kept.

“My Warren, my rules. Buckle up.” North’s eyes went wide as a huge hole encompassed the three Guardians, two yetis and a wayward elf, sending them dropping in an instant. North yelled the whole way through the tunnel, Tooth managed to fly through the tunnels with ease and Bunny raced through the tunnel with joy. Landing in front of his fellow Guardians with a smile, Tooth laughing as she came out though she was a little dizzy.

“Ha ha... Buckle up. Is very funny.” North said as he recovered from the wild ride and sat up. Bunny chuckled, knowing that North realized this was payback for making him ride in the sleigh. Those were the very words that North had tossed at Bunny and so Bunny had repaid him in kind.

“Come on now, we’ve got some eggs to decorate!” The group followed Bunny deeper into the Warren. They marveled at how eggs seemed to be “born” from tulips, then were colored by more flowers, dyed into a mix of colors by a river that was forever mixing various colors.

“That’s a little strange...” North said, picking up one egg that had been dyed by the river, its little legs kicking as if it were still walking.

“No mate, that’s adorable.” Bunny replied, cuddling eggs that had various patterns and were already ready to head to the surface. The dyed eggs walked themselves to various vines, sliding down them and into the coils at the ends to etch various designs into their still wet dye. When all of them were finally ready for the surface, North stood with Bunny before the many tunnels that would lead all over the world. Tooth hovered on the other side of Bunny, watching as the millions of eggs marched towards the tunnels. The three Guardians watching with joy and hope; hope that wasn’t going to last much longer.

They came without warning, pouring from the very tunnels that the eggs were heading for. Their whinnies were terrible echoes in the Warren even as the Guardians fought hard, trying to save the eggs, but try as they might... It was all for naught. Not a single egg made it into the tunnels. Jack was just resting in a tree when he heard the dispondant voices. He blinked, something about this didn’t sit right with him. The children... He sat up, watching. They looked... so terribly sad. He felt his heart twist, it did so even more as he watched Bunny moved from his hiding place to try and assure one of the children that there were eggs. Even holding up an egg that wasn’t anything quite as good as he had remembered seeing from past Easters. The child he was talking to simply walked through him and the shattered look on Bunny’s face made his gut twist uncomfortably even as he thought that the Pooka deserved to know what it felt like... to have no one see him, to be walked through as if he wasn’t even there... Jack should have felt happy about it. This was what he’d wanted wasn’t it? Now he wasn’t so sure... Bunny seemed to go from shock of being walked through to suddenly folding in on himself, quite literally. Jack wanted to say something, anything to give the other comfort... but he couldn’t. What was he thinking?! Had Bunny offered him any comfort when he had pleaded with the Pooka for just a few minutes of his time? Just to talk and nothing more? To just maybe listen to him... but no. Bunnymund had scoffed at him, saying he was too busy; that Jack should just go off and mind his own business and spread snow where he was supposed to rather than hanging about Burgess like... “like some love-sick puppy who can’t take a hint!” The biting words made Jack wince. It had stung... oh boy had it ever... but he didn’t hate Bunny... he should hate the rabbit and the other Guardians but... He couldn’t. Jack couldn’t find it in his heart to hate them, he certainly had never even disliked Sandy who had at least made some attempt to pay attention to him no matter how busy he was. Sandy... Jack sighed inwardly. He wouldn’t ever see the Guardian again, Pitch had absorbed him completely and though the other Guardians hadn’t seen it they knew what had happened. He watched as Tooth tried to comfort the distraught Pooka who sat in the grass, clutching the basket of eggs to him, ears plastered against his head; he looked so... vulnerable. Unable to bear the scene before him, Jack fled from the group before they could realize he was even there.

He stood before the globe in Pitch’s lair. Chewing on his bottom lip as he watched the lights flicker out even faster than before. Pitch had paid a little visit to the North Pole to inform the workers that there would be no need for them. Did he really want this? A few pitiful lights were still lit, most of them were black and silver, indicating that they believed in Pitch or himself.

“Jack.” The sound of the silky voice sent a shiver through him, but it wasn’t a shiver of fear. He turned. Pitch gave him a soft smile, something that Jack rarely saw and it sent Jack’s heart hammering suddenly. Jack’s eyes widened a little as he realized how close Pitch was to him. He swallowed, barely able to comprehend his feelings, let alone when he was so close that there was barely any space between the two of them. Jack couldn’t think, he swore all of his attention was suddenly on the golden eyes before him; Pitch nearly chuckled. Oh how innocent the boy was, he didn’t even realize just how open he was. There was no doubt in his mind that the boy saw him not just as a partner in taking over the world. The way the frost spirit was looking at him now made it obvious and he had to admit, if only to himself, that he was drawn to the boy. Not just because he was a powerful ally, but the boy’s innocence and fun-loving nature, mixed with mischief, had caught his attention. He was so close now that it was just so easy to... so he did. He shifted just the barest to capture the icy lips with his own, as he expected the boy’s lips were like the ice he commanded; would be just as cold too if Pitch were human but because he wasn’t, it was only mildly cold and Pitch felt a shiver run through him that had nothing to do with the cold and everything to do with the boy he was kissing. It was a chaste kiss, nothing more and was infinitely soft. It lasted only a moment before Pitch drew back and vanished back into the shadows, leaving Jack gasping for breath and staring at the place where the Nightmare King had been just moments before. Jack licked his lips tentatively, he could still feel it... the heat... oh moon... He had only dreamed of... was he dreaming? Pitch couldn’t have just... could he? Jack slowly sank where he was. For a moment he felt dizzy and wonderful all at the same time.

“Pitch...” Jack found himself saying suddenly. Something had woken in him and he wasn’t about to let the other just run off.

“Pitch! Get back here!” Jack called, running through the lair now; his staff forgotten in the main room where it had fallen when he had slumped to the floor but now he flew about in search of the Boogeyman. He burst into the small room that Pitch used as a study, it had a fireplace, a single cushioned chair and a wooden desk and chair with ink and quill waiting. Pitch was standing in front of the fire, hands clasped behind his back. Jack almost grinned as he zipped around to Pitch before the other could react, grabbing the other’s head before smashing his lips against the other’s before Pitch could do more than register the fact that Jack was hovering in front of him. Pitch nearly lost his balance, along with his composure as he felt a searing heat surge through him; countering the cold that was the winter spirit.

There was no denying it, feelings that he hadn’t felt in many centuries seemed to come rushing back all of the sudden. His hands twitched, he wanted so much more than this. A simple kiss wasn’t going to satisfy the desires that suddenly were aflame in him. He wanted to run his fingers through the snow white hair, to skim his fingers over every inch of the porcelain like skin; to hear his name on the lips of this boy who was like a light in his darkness, small but ever persistent. Neither was sure when it happened, but soon Jack was murmuring soft sounds of approval as Pitch’s fingers combed through the snowy locks. The boy was touch starved and that had been why he’d hesitated, Pitch hadn’t known touch like he craved for centuries, but that didn’t mean he’d forgotten what he was missing while this boy... this beautiful boy had no idea of the things that were running through the shade’s mind and he’d no doubt that Jack wouldn’t have any idea on how to... Oh moon... Pitch pressed closer to Jack, for that brief moment imagining that he could give into the urges that were surging through him before he forced himself to pull back. Jack’s pale skin was now a soft pink, he was even more cute that way.

“Ah... I...” Jack fumbled. Pitch just smiled a little; he lifted a hand to lightly stroke the boy’s cheek. Jack closed his eyes then, leaning into the affectionate touch like a cat.

“I think this is the beginning of something more than just a partnership.” Pitch murmured and couldn’t help the smile when he saw Jack’s blush deepen. Yes, this was more than simply the partnership that he had offered the boy in the beginning. He wanted this boy, not just by his side but to wake up to him in the evenings before going out to spread nightmares to others; he didn’t admit it to even himself yet, but he needed Jack in his life.

Chapter Text

Everything seemed to be changing rapidly. Jack felt confused as he sat in the room that Pitch had let him choose as his own. It was as dark as the rest of the lair, but its walls were decorated with frost patterns and a thin layer of snow covered the floor. There was nothing in the room save a bed, the satin sheets were an icy blue while the duvet on it was a navy blue. Pitch had allowed him these changes provided that Jack didn’t turn the entire lair into a winter wonderland. Jack had made the room thoroughly his own and had decorated some of the lair walls with frost but Pitch hadn’t protested too much when Jack had promised it was the only change he wanted in the rest of the lair to proclaim their partnership to any and all who would walk the halls and serve as a reminder of the deal that the two of them had made. Jack rose from the bed and moved from the room to wander the halls. He felt bad about what he’d seen happen to the Guardians. He hadn’t known that he would feel this way, he’d always thought he’d feel happy if those self-absorbed, self-important spirits would finally understand what it was he’d felt for the last 300 years. He had wanted this so badly, but now that he had it... he began to wonder if this was truly what he had wanted all along. Oh he’d wanted someone to share things with and Pitch had given him that. The Boogeyman had shared the night with him, every night, sharing the wonders of the world and his own powers. How he commanded the shadows, controlled the Nightmares that came from his corrupting the dreamsand that Sandy produced for children. Jack had watched him work numerous times and while it had turned his stomach to hear whimpers from some of the children, he had never stopped Pitch. He knew too well that fear was necessary as Pitch had shown him what happened to those who had no fear... or actually it was too little of it. Time and again Jack had seen humans take risks that had eventually lead to their deaths and some of them had been rather gruesome. From smashing into rocks to being burnt alive... Jack shuddered a little. Fear was needed to keep children safe from the dangers of the world, dangers that seemed to be around just every corner so fear was a vital thing. Something that humans needed so that they wouldn’t needlessly, thoughtlessly put themselves into danger that would likely mean the end of them. Children would be no less prone to do such foolish things than adults if there was no fear. Jack didn’t want children to be hurt and so he had not interfered with Pitch’s work, but he couldn’t help feel that he should also be protecting them from said fears as well and a couple of times he had actually stopped Pitch before he’d even begun. He’d never said anything, but then again the Boogeyman seemed able to read him and knew when it was too much for Jack. He’d always nodded and the two of them had returned back to the lair without so much as a single word between the two of them. The longer things had gone on the less and less Jack had restrained Pitch from his work but he still could only handle so much before he wanted to tear apart the very Nightmares that Pitch had created.

As he wandered the halls, lightly fingering the frost patterns on the walls around him, he began to wonder if he had truly made the right choice. He had accepted Pitch’s offer because he had been lonely. Jack had been on his own for about a 100 years, until Pitch. The Boogeyman appeared as if Jack had summoned him.

“I was wondering something.” Jack said after a moment and Pitch turned to him, those golden eyes made a shiver of pure delight zing through him, as if they were connected to pleasure nerves that were plucked like strings every time those eyes met his. Pitch said nothing, waiting to see what Jack would say.

“Is it possible to see Sandy? I mean you did say that he would join us... but what did you do exactly?”

“Sanderson is made of the same sand he produces, in a way. He is simply now among the rest of the sand I control.” Jack’s eyes slowly widened as he took this in.

“So then... is he... alive?” He didn’t want to think that Pitch would take to outright killing the Guardians.

“Was he ever to begin with? He was a star, Jack. A creature that could hardly be defined as alive by any means you are used to.”

“He was alive!” Jack burst out, his eyes going even more wide as he realized not only what he had said, but what it really meant. If Sandy really was... than that meant Pitch had... he backed up from the other. Pitch didn’t seem to consider what he had done as killing, and really, if Sandy was now apart of the sand he controlled... had what he done really be classified as killing? The black sand wasn’t exactly “living” in and unto itself as far as Jack was aware... but he’d seen Pitch bully a few wayward Nightmares before so... maybe the sand really was alive... or was it Pitch that had given them characteristics of life? It was so hard to figure out the truth and before he could blink, Pitch was gone again. Jack had no idea why Pitch had even returned to the lair, nor did he care to think on it at that moment. He hadn’t realized he’d continued walking and yet he now stood in the throne room, gazing at the globe whose lights were black or silver now, save for a single one... Wait... how was that one still gold? He moved over to the light and stared at what seemed like an impossibility but as he stared his eyes went wide. He knew that light... he knew who it was.

“Jamie...” He whispered softly and before he could think about it he flew out of the lair and went straight to Burgess. When he arrived at the home he found it dark, as he expected, but what he didn’t expect was to see that Jamie was up. The boy was crouching at the edge of his bed, his stuffed Bunny before him as he stared intently at it. Jack was careful to keep his powers in check so that he didn’t frost the window as he peered inside, it was open just a crack and Jack watched through that crack, curious as to why the boy wasn’t asleep like all the other children were at this time.

“... I’ve believed in you for a long time okay? Like my whole life in fact. So, you kind of owe me.” Jamie said, picking up the stuffed rabbit before sitting up. Holding it as if it could hear him. Jack could barely believe what he was hearing. Even after all that had happened, this one boy... Jamie, the boy he had watched for so many years, who had defied his friends not believing... still believed after the rest of the kids in the world had given up. No fairies to gather teeth and no eggs on Easter and Jamie still refused to stop believing in the Guardians... the very beings he was sure this boy had never even seen in person. Why did he still believe? Jack listened to the boy as he talked to the stuff rabbit, something was stirring inside of him that he didn’t quite understand and it wasn’t just his feelings for this boy in particular, nothing of the jealousy he felt towards the boy who seemed to have everything that Jack had always longed for... family and friends. So Pitch wasn’t family, but could he really call the other a friend? Well... Pitch had been there for him at every turn and the whole kiss thing was new... Jack had no illusions as to whether or not Pitch cared. In his own way, the shade cared for him; he’d a couple hundred years’ worth of proof of that. He had been gentle towards Jack... thoughtful in his own way... in ways that no one would possibly consider would be defined as “gentle” or “thoughtful” but hadn’t Pitch always listened to him? Been there to comfort him when he’d been feeling lonely? When he’d felt particularly distressed at his lack of being able to get the children to believe so that they would see him? Even with the believers he had now... their belief wasn’t strong or pure enough to allow them to actually see him. It was more like they believed in the concept of him rather than him as an actual being. It was absolutely frustrating.

He’d ranted and raved time and time again about the injustice of it all. He’d tried everything under the sun... and moon, to get a child to pay attention. Some of his methods had borderlined being evil itself at times... It had been one of those times that had caught Pitch’s attention. Strange, Pitch had never tried to use his sand against Jack; had never summoned one of his Fearlings to possess him though Jack knew that he could. The shade had shared his past transgressions over the years and how he had been misguided at first, had been driven and possessed by the shadows rather than commanding them as he did now. He’d been a puppet to them but that hold had been broken while he was here on Earth and he was more the man, Kozmotis, now than he had ever been during the thousands of years he’d been alive ... and alone. More than once Pitch had simply thanked him for his company, even when Jack had done nothing but sit next to him while the shade had been staring into a fire. That was neither here nor now though and Jack’s focus was on the boy in front of him who continued on unaware of Jack’s presence.

“You don’t have to do much, just a little sign. So that I know.. anything... anything at all.” The last part seemed more of a whisper than the rest of his words had been. Anything? Was this child’s belief so strong that anything would do? Maybe it was that close to being broken... Perhaps that was it. He could see the hope shining in those eyes despite the darkness. The moon passing enough light into the room for Jack to be able to see. Of course the stuffed rabbit offered no comfort as the boy waited. Slowly the seconds seemed to tick by as the boy stared, waiting to see if anything would happen... to see if maybe...

“I knew it.” He murmured after a while, Jack’s eyes went wide as he realized that the flame of this boy’s hope was going out. That he was finally giving into the same lack of belief that had swallowed all of the other children of the world. He couldn’t do this. Jack couldn’t just sit there and watch this boy lose all hope, even as the rabbit fell from the boy’s hands and onto the floor, Jack opened the window and stepped inside. He didn’t know what he really intended to do, but an idea began to form in his mind and he wondered if it would work. He touched the window pane with a single finger, letting his frost spread across the glass with a soft crackle. He glanced over at the boy, who had glanced over towards the window. Jack didn’t hesitate then to draw an egg, quickly etching the simplistic designs he’d once seen this boy draw onto the picture of an Easter egg. The boy’s eyes widened at the sight as he gasped and looked at the stuffed rabbit on the floor.

“He’s real.” The boy said with rekindled belief as Jack’s frost spread to a second pane of glass and Jack worked to draw a bunny into the frost with one finger. It wasn’t exactly the greatest drawing, but it would work for what he planned. A smile graced his face as he finished the rabbit, he closed his eyes then and dug deep into himself, holding his hands out to the drawing of the rabbit and summoning his power to pull the frost rabbit into being and off of the glass. It wasn’t something he did often because it was difficult to maintain, but he wanted to do this for this boy. He wasn’t sure why he was doing this for the Guardians, but something inside him had simply whispered to him you can’t let the belief of this boy die... When he opened his eyes he couldn’t stop the full smile as the rabbit pulled itself from the window and raced about the room.

“Whoa...” Jamie said as he saw the rabbit come to life, fleshing out into a frost version of a real rabbit that raced about the air in his room. He laughed at the creature and tried to catch it, not hearing Jack’s laughter which joined his own, but as soon as his fingers brushed against the cold creature it burst and snow began to fall gently down onto him and his bed.

“Snow?” Jamie asked, confusion flitting across his features as he stood on his bed, the snow falling down. The Easter Bunny couldn’t possibly have anything to do with snow so then ... the memory came to his mind quickly enough, he heard his mom’s voice echoing.

“Jamie, hat! You don’t want Jack Frost nipping at your nose!” Hadn’t she said it was just an expression? He knelt on his bed in thought. What if... what if she was wrong? What if.... a single snowflake landed on his nose and suddenly he seemed certain.

“Jack Frost.” His eyes widened with the certainty that seemed to begin to grow within him.

“Did you just say...?” A soft voice came from behind him, causing him to straighten, holding himself up on his knees.

“Jack Frost?” He asked, daring to hope that the voice he had thought he’d heard would come again. He wasn’t disappointed. Jack gasped, his eyes widening as he took a step back.

“He said it again... He said...” He stepped forward, hardly daring to believe that maybe...

“You said...” Could this boy perhaps be a true believer? Dare he hope? Jamie turned around slowly, when his eyes finally alighted on the teen before him his expression was one of surprise.

“Jack Frost...” Before him, a boy who couldn’t be too much older than Jamie himself was, standing at the end of  his bed with snow white hair, brilliant blue eyes and was dressed in a pair of tan breeches and a blue hoodie decorated with frost. He was right! Jack Frost wasn’t just an expression... he was real!

“That’s right!” The winter spirit said, taking a step back as if he didn’t believe any of this was happening and seemed to be talking to himself as he continued.

“B-but that’s me! Jack Frost! That’s my name! You said my name...” Excitement played in the brilliant blue eyes before Jack stepped towards Jamie again, his eyes shifting with hope and yet almost disbelief that this was real... This couldn’t be real, could it? Jack had to be dreaming... right? There was no way this boy... unless... His smile faded as he considered what this meant. Had the boy... ?

“Wait... can you hear me?” The boy nodded a little, urging Jack to ask the next question that made his heart squeeze with the hope he’d always kept so close...

“Can... can you see me?” Jamie nodded, his open mouth suddenly turning up into a smile. He was really here! Jack Frost! He really existed! Jamie could barely contain his excitement at seeing the winter spirit. Especially when the spirit’s features suddenly were filled with a joyful excitement that Jamie had never seen before, but didn’t doubt was real.

“He... he sees me! He sees me!” The way he’d said it made the boy wonder why - if only briefly - that Jack seemed so excited even as the winter spirit did a backflip and landed on his desk. He couldn’t help but laugh at the sound of the other’s excited laugh.

“You just made it snow!” He said, remembering the snow that had caused him to begin to believe in the winter spirit before him.

“I know.” Jack said with a smile.

“IN my room!” Jack seemed to share the excitement that Jamie was feeling just then.

“You’re real?!” He said, almost as if he still couldn’t believe it and yet here he was having this conversation with THE Jack Frost! Jack leapt off the desk to stand at the foot of the bed again.

“Yeah! I mean, who do you think brings you all the blizzards and the snow days?” Jack asked excitement seeming to glow in his eyes as he spoke.

“And you remember when you went flying on that sled the other day?” How could he forget? That had been the wildest ride of Jamie’s life! It had been the most fun he’d remembered having too, even if it had been dangerous he’d loved every minute of it!

“That was you?” He asked, suddenly excited.

“That was me!” Jack replied, gesturing to himself as he seemed to step back.

“Cool!” Jamie yelled, no wonder he hadn’t hit any cars or anything! Jack had been directing his path the whole time! That was beyond cool!

“I know right?!”

“But what about the others, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy? I mean-” Jack cut in.

“Real! Real!” He exclaimed as he scooped up the stuffed rabbit and held it out towards Jamie.

“Every one of us is real!”

“I knew it!” Jamie bounced on his bed.

“Jamie! Who are you talking to?” Came the familiar voice of his mom and uncertainty crossed the boy’s face suddenly. What would his mother think?

“Um...” Jack just smirked and jerked his head towards the door as if to say “go on, tell her.”

“Jack Frost?” Uncertainty colored his voice, would she believe him?

“Okay.” Came the reply, there was laughter in it and Jamie realized she likely didn’t believe him, but she wasn’t mad either. Jamie began laughing and Jack joined him. Boy would he have a story for his friends! The sudden sound of thunder silenced their laughter and Jamie glanced towards the window as Jack turned towards it. Moving towards the window that the wind had suddenly seemed to blow open, a crack of lightening could be seen along with sounds that Jamie had never heard before and what sounded like a voice. Jack stiffened as he stood next to the window, he knew who that voice belonged to.

Chapter Text

He was right, he saw the sleigh as it seemed to all but fall from the sky as the reindeer seemed to lose the ability to fly. Jack winced at the sparks the sleigh sent up from the pavement and North’s yelling at the reindeer who broke away the reins from his grip, the jolt of the sleigh stopping sent the Guardian falling back even as Tooth stood up. Jack watched as the Guardian tried to stand up again while speaking to his fellow Guardian, he heard Jamie run from the room quietly and he knew the boy was going out to meet them. Jack grimaced. This wasn’t going to go well... but he wasn’t about to abandon the boy either. The Guardians weren’t the fables Jamie likely believed them to be and he intended to protect the boy from them if the need arose. He wasn’t sure why he’d always been drawn to Jamie, but he would do whatever needed doing. What that entailed... Jack had no idea. He picked up his staff from where he’d set it against the wall near the window when he’d used both hands to create the frost on the boy’s window. He’d barely noticed he’d left it there really since he’d been so focused on Jamie and keeping the boy’s belief alive. Why had he done that? Shouldn’t he hate the Guardians? Well... maybe he should, but he didn’t. With an inward sigh, he slipped from the window the same time that Jamie was emerging from the house.

“The Last Light...” North murmured as the boy ran up to them.

“It is you...  I mean it is you! I knew it wasn’t a dream!” Jamie glanced towards Jack who had landed not too far from North and Tooth, who had emerged from the sleigh, the two seemed confused to see him. Tooth glanced around, as if expecting to see Pitch... but the Boogeyman was no where in sight.

“He sees you...” North said suddenly, his eyes widening as he realized that the boy did in fact see Jack. Did the jolly Guardian dare hope that this meant Jack would join them? That the fun-loving spirit could be persuaded to fight off Pitch instead of working with him? Jamie was oblivious to the looks that his new friend was getting from the other two Guardians. Jack couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips, pride shining from his eyes but it didn’t last long.

“Wait... where’s Bunny?” He asked, the other Guardian couldn’t simply be... could he? Jack was afraid of the answer, but he needed to know if Bunny was still alive. There was a bit of a sad look from the two then and Jack felt his heart squeeze. No... not Bunny... He couldn’t be... The two seemed to part as North spoke.

“Losing Easter took its toll on all of us... Bunny most of all.” So then... Bunny wasn’t... but then where was he? The answer came when a tiny blue gray rabbit hopped into sight; perching on the side of the sleigh.

“Oh no....” Jack hadn’t meant to say it aloud, but it had slipped out. Bunny was nothing more than a defenseless rabbit now, his unique markings still visible against his fur though.

“THAT’S the Easter Bunny?” Jamie asked with something of disbelief as he laughed; Bunny hopped down onto one of the wings, looking and acting like a normal rabbit would even though he was the furthest thing from one. Bunny stood up as Jamie went over to him.

“NOW somebody sees me. Where were you an hour ago mate?” The green eyes seemed to accuse the boy, making Jack frown a little but he couldn’t really begrudge Bunny for it. Jamie stared at Bunny a moment, voicing the instant question that came to mind as he glanced at the others.

“What happened to him? He used to be huge and cool... and now he’s... cute.” He said, gesturing with his arms. On the last word he began to scratch one of Bunny’s cheeks. The Pooka’s eyes rolled up in pleasure.

“Oh that’s good...” One foot thumped a little before he came to his senses and pawed the boy’s hand away before turning to Jack.

“Did you tell him to say that?” He didn’t give Jack a chance to answer.

“That’s it.” He hopped off the wing and kicked Jack’s leg harshly, though to Jack it wasn’t anywhere near painful.

“Let’s go, right now. Me and you.” He hopped up and down, his feet shuffling as he prepared to fight the winter spirit. It was Jack’s fault they were like this, well... okay no.. it wasn’t all his fault, but that wasn’t about to stop Bunny.

“No.” Jamie said, moving to stand next to Bunny, kneeling down to talk to the rabbit much as he’d seen his mother do with his sister.

“Actually he told me you were real.... just when I started to think that maybe you weren’t.” The boy’s words stunned Bunny and his green eyes went wide.

“He made you believe.... in me?” He almost couldn’t believe it. Why would Jack do such a thing? Didn’t he hate Bunny for how the Pooka had treated him? Jamie nodded, confirming it. Bunny turned to Jack, a soft smile touching his features as hope suddenly shone in his eyes. Maybe Jack wasn’t as hopeless after all... maybe... maybe they all hadn’t completely botched the job after all and maybe... just maybe, Jack would join them as a Guardian after all. There was a soft, answering smile on Jack’s face at the hope he saw in the other’s eyes and he knew suddenly that he couldn’t do this. Jack had wanted the Guardians to understand him, to see that they had been wrong to ignore him, but he hadn’t wanted things to go this far... he had to talk to Pitch and get the other to understand. Bunny spun around, yelling in startlement; seconds later everyone else heard the thunder that Bunny had and they looked up as Pitch approached, soaring down from the black sand cloud that carried him. He landed on the street, his eyes darting from the boy, who the Guardians were surrounding, to Jack.

“Jack? What are you doing here?” Jack’s hands tightened on his staff.

“Pitch. You have to stop this.”

“Now why would I do that when we are so close to winning? Just one more boy, Jack.” North pulled the boy closer to him.

“He’s just one boy. Can’t you be happy with that? What harm could he do to you?”

“Jack... I thought we’d been over this. We can’t allow one child to believe. So long as one still believes, there could be others.” Jack didn’t move and Pitch frowned. Why was Jack doing this now of all times?

“They’re in no shape to fight you Pitch. Can’t you just leave them be?”

“Have a change of heart have you Jack? Have you forgotten all those years that they left you alone? Forgotten? How they never once sought you out?” Jack flinched and the other Guardians looked at one another uneasily. They had been unfair to Jack, they had been under orders to not get too close to the frost spirit until the right time, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t have at least talked to him now and then... Each of them realized they had done the teen wrong.

“I won’t let you hurt Jamie.”

“Oh I don’t intend to hurt the boy, so long as he stops believing. It’s that simple.” A cruel smile graced his lips and Jack’s heart beat faster. How was it he could feel so strongly the want to protect the boy and at the same time his heart raced a mile a minute upon seeing the shade... the same one he had kissed not so long ago. What was the matter with him?! This was so confusing... he shoved aside his confusion. He would figure this out later. Jamie needed him, he was the only one who could protect the boy from Pitch now and everyone, but the boy who stood surrounded by the Guardians, knew it.

“Stand aside Jack.”

“No.” Jack pointed his staff at Pitch. Even as he felt like his heart was being torn apart, he knew that this was the right thing to do.

“So be it...” Jack swore he saw pain flicker in the golden eyes that gaze down at him, but Jack didn’t move. He didn’t want to do this... but Pitch wasn’t giving him a choice in the matter. Nightmares emerged from the shadows and Jack froze them, calling to the Guardians behind him.

“Get Jamie out of here!” The three did just that, the four of them running through the streets. Jack flew about, dodging Nightmares but freezing any of those who tried to get past him to the fleeing figures. Pitch soared at him, summoning his scythe and slashing at Jack who blocked it with his staff.

“We could have been beautiful together... Jack.” Pitch said, betrayal and hurt in his eyes.

“We still can... all you have to do is leave the boy alone.”

“You know I can’t do that Jack. You know why.”

“So be it then...” Pain flickered in his eyes and the two knew that they had hurt each other because of this boy. Pitch shot sand at Jack, sending him flying through the air and crashing against a building into an alleyway several blocks away. Jack fell onto the garbage can and to the pavement below. He groaned.

“Jack!” It was Jamie’s voice, Jack glanced up. He’d hoped that they would have gotten the boy further away from his fight with Pitch.

“He’s... he’s stronger...” Jack whispered, knowing why... and that he’d... he’d help the Boogeyman reach this level of strength.

“I can’t beat him.” The Guardians exchanged a knowing look with Jack who was getting to his feet. Pitch’s laughter rang out as shadows of Nightmares moved towards the group, followed by said Nightmares who snorted as he laughed.

“I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to see you all like this...” A Nightmare that Pitch was riding appeared with the others.

“You look awful.” Pitch said with a cruel smile, his eyes on the weak Guardians; he didn’t look at Jack. The boy had betrayed his trust, had done more than that; he couldn’t risk the Guardians learning of his weakness so he avoided looking at the boy.

“Jack... I’m scared.” Jamie said, his brown eyes wide as the shadows of the Nightmares and Pitch grew towards the group, causing them all to backup. Jack turned, one hand on the boy as he crouched down. Suddenly he felt deja vu... He didn’t know anything about his past, but he felt like he knew those words.

“It’s going to be okay.” He said, meeting those trusting eyes. He wouldn’t let anything happen to him, he wasn’t sure why he was drawn to protecting this boy; he just knew that he was and he was so sure that this was the right thing to do.

“We’re going to have a little fun... instead.” As he said as much the words came out slower as he spoke. He felt that he’d said this all before, his eyes brightening suddenly with realization. He might not know who he was, but he knew his heart... his center.

“That’s it! That’s my center!” Jamie gave him a funny look. What did Jack mean? Jack slowly stood as Pitch locked eyes with the young boy.

“Tell me Jamie, do you believe in the Boogey-” He was cut short when a snowball slammed into his face. Jamie laughed, then looked guilty; the other Guardians laughed too. Jamie looked to Jack who grinned, tossing a second snowball in one hand. He glanced behind him.

“Come on, let’s go get your friends.” Jamie nodded and they grabbed a makeshift sled while Pitch was brushing off the snow from his face still. Jack shot past the Nightmares who didn’t bother trying to attack him as he made an icy path that the others slid on. Their shouts of joy echoing into the night and they were soon joined by Jamie’s friends whose wonder and joy echoed into the night before Jack halted the joy ride, his eyes widening in disbelief and an inkling of fear he hadn’t felt before when he realized Pitch stood on his mount before them with an endless supply of Nightmare sand. He had never feared Pitch until now... the fight that stood before them seemed so hopeless all of the sudden and Jack began to feel doubt well into his heart. How had things come to this? Why was Pitch so adamant about this? Why couldn’t he let bygones be bygones? Jack felt his throat close as Pitch called to the group.

“You think a few children can help you? Against this?” He gestured behind him. Jack shuddered and realized that he might have to bargain for the lives of those behind him. The Guardians were too weak to protect the children, even as Bunny tried to reassure them that they would protect the children, Jack knew the truth. Suddenly Jack realized that he was the only one who stood a chance and even then... Pitch might not want to hurt Jack, but the others... Jack took a step forward. He was going to defend Jamie even if it meant-

“But who will protect you?” The Boogeyman was sneering, Jack opened his mouth to speak, to offer himself as some sort of compensation, but before he could utter a single syllable Jamie spoke up as he stepped up before Jack.

“I will.” Jack’s eyes widened and the others seemed just as surprised as the children they had assured that they would protect moved from behind them in a bid to protect the weakened Guardians. Jack stared up at Pitch in a mix of fear and defiance. Jack looked down at Jamie and his friends, but the kids didn’t back down and he looked back up at Pitch, fear still in his eyes but it was fear for his new friends instead of fear of Pitch.

“Still think there’s no such thing as the Boogeyman?” Pitch asked as he stared intently at Jamie. His Nightmares roared, charging towards the group. Jamie stared back defiantly with a shake of his head even as he spoke.

“I do believe in you. I’m just not afraid of you!” The words were bold, fearless, more so than what his friends likely felt just then as the Nightmares surged forward; as they nearly crashed down on the group Jamie closed his eyes and held out one hand. Fear was clearly etched into the eyes of everyone around him, but as soon as the sand touched his hand it turned golden and flowed harmlessly about them. Jack’s eyes went wide even as a smile suddenly crossed his face.

“Whoa ho!” Jamie said in delighted surprise and the other children expressed their amazement as the golden sand twirled around the group and even formed a few small golden animals. The children whooped in joy as the release of the dreams seemed to empower the Guardians, North stood up straight, laughing as his strength was returned.

“Whoo! Yeah Tooth Fairy!” One of them shouted as Tooth’s wings began to beat again and she zipped back into the air. Bunny shook himself impatiently, closing his eyes.

“Oh yeah... come on.” He said, hoping that he would regain his normal self again.

“Oh crickey.” He said when more Nightmares came crashing down even as North pulled out snowglobes to summon yetis to help. Tooth used her wings to attack the Nightmares, Jack froze many of them, but several had gotten around the group to attack the still small Bunnymund and the little rabbit dashed towards a nearby car.

“I’m just a bunny!” He cried as a Nightmare reached beneath the car and snagged his tail, but when he pulled Bunnymund from beneath it the Pooka was back to normal and he smirked.

“Good day mate.” He kicked, forcing the horse to release him and launching himself into the air as he released his boomerangs, landing as they whirled back to him after cutting into the two Nightmares before him. He slapped the pavement three times with one foot, summoning his stone sentinels to help while the children marveled at the yetis and the stone eggs.

“Let’s get ‘em!” Cupcake yelled and the other children yelled, emboldened and suddenly fearless by what Jamie had done and the re-energized Guardians.

“No! Get them! Do your jobs!” Pitch yelled even as he kept his distance from the group. He realized very quickly that the tide had suddenly turned and not in his favor. He growled in frustration as the Guardians took down Nightmares and even the children were turning all of his Nightmares back into gold sand. How could they?! They were children... children! They shouldn’t be able to defeat his Nightmares and yet... they were doing so as if the beasts were nothing and Pitch could feel his power beginning to wane... With each group of Nightmares he lost he felt more and more of his power seep out of him, as if he was a battery that was slowly having its power sucked out every time one of his minions fell. He also knew that if too many of them fell not only would he lose his power but the Sandman would be likely to break from his influential grip. The Guardian had become a part of his Nightmare sand, but if these kids kept turning his sand back into dreamsand that wouldn’t be true too much longer.

Chapter Text

Pitch soon finds himself fighting off the Guardians themselves, even beating back Jack’s attacks as they take out Nightmare after Nightmare. North’s sabers cut through the Nightmare that Pitch was directing to get away from them only to tumble to the ground and onto the street where he’s met by North, Bunny, Tooth and finally Jack who kicks him; Jack twirls his staff, aiming it at the man who held his heart and did not know it. Who had wounded him more deeply than the Guardians who stood behind him.

“It’s over Pitch. There’s no place to hide.” Jack immediately regretted those words when Pitch laughed and disappeared into a shadow, the group looked up and around as several shadows danced along the nearby buildings. Any one of them could be Pitch, but Pitch rose up from Jack’s own shadow and swung his scythe. Bunny, seeing the movement too late, shouted out a warning.

“Jack look out!” Jack spun around in time to see the scythe coming down for him and then pain... oh moon did it hurt and everyone froze. No one seemed to have expected it to connect. Pitch looked like he’d been the one stabbed as the scythe simple dissolved. His golden eyes wide and vulnerable as Jack staggered back into Bunny who caught him.

“Jack!” Tooth cried.

“Jack, mate... Speak ta me!” Bunny begged, Jack felt the pain lancing through him, but oddly it didn’t last long. His eyes glazing over as something wet and warm seemed to seep into his hoodie and run down his stomach. What had happened? Was this a dream? None of it seemed real as he swore he saw Sandy who floated over to him... but Sandy was... in Pitch’s sand wasn’t he? Pitch... where was he? Where were the Nightmares? He thought he heard voices speaking to him, but his head felt so light and the last thing he remembered was seeing his first believer stare at him in disbelief and anguish. Why was Jamie looking at him like that?

“Oh moon... no...” The Pooka groaned, he looked at the others.

“Stay with ‘em... I’ll... I’ll see ta Jack.” With a couple taps of one foot he was gone down a tunnel with the injured winter spirit; he hadn’t missed the quiet “Is he going to be okay?” that had come from a certain boy who had been the reason they were all still here. Bunny held Jack close to him, he didn’t think he’d ever hopped so fast on just two legs in his entire life. There was no better place than the Warren though as Bunny had all sorts of medical supplies left over from his experiments in earlier days. He only paused when he reached his bedroom in the Warren, placing Jack in the nest before gathering all the things he’d need and cutting away the hoodie Jack wore. He grimaced at the wound that greeted him but didn’t balk, even though his sensitive nose twitched as much in disgust at the smell of what he was using to help the boy mend as in sympathy. He’d been annoyed when Jack had sent a blizzard during one Easter, but that didn’t meant he’d ever wished the teen any harm. Oh Jack had been right annoying sometimes, but that didn’t mean... oh moon. Bunny realized he’d come to see Jack as an annoying younger brother and that was why, he thought as he finished wrapping the bandages that were soon quickly coated in blood, that he was worried over him now. He had no doubts that the others were doing their best to look after the children and reassure them, but in truth none of them were certain what would happen to Jack. None of them had ever been impaled by the black sand that Pitch had taken to using. Not to say that all of their battles with Pitch had been bloodless for them... just that there was no telling what would happen. Jack had been with Pitch for so long... that the boy hadn’t been controlled by a Fearling or turned into one at this point was a strange blessing. One that Bunny wasn’t sure he understood. Why hadn’t Pitch made Jack one of his own? He’d seen and smelled the change in the Boogeyman as soon as he’d realized what he’d done... but the question remained... why? Why did Pitch seem to care so much for Jack? Maybe Pitch wasn’t the real gentle caring type, but he’d seemed like impaling the winter spirit had turned his stomach as much as it had been a shock to the rest of them. Pitch had killed in the past, but not since crashing to Earth. Bunny only knew this from the stories that Sandy had shared with him and the other Guardians years before... though the spring spirit was sure that Sandy had not shared everything he knew about Pitch with them he had certainly shared enough of the past that they all knew what Pitch had done... and who Pitch had once been.

Was it possible that the man who had been forced to become Pitch Black was resurfacing after all this time? If so... was Jack responsible? Bunny shoved the thoughts from his mind as he settled next to Jack to watch over him. Jack wasn’t likely to wake any time soon as his body mended, but in case he needed something... Bunny wasn’t going to leave his side. Jack woke on and off during the days that it took for his body to mend itself. Jack never said a word, just staring at Bunny more often than not like the Pooka had grown another head or something. Bunny was just as silent as his patient, though he made sure Jack wasn’t in any pain, changed the bandages as often was was needed and was more gentle than anyone might expect the Pooka to be. It wasn’t until Jack was well enough that he spoke, the wound that had been so bad was only a faded scar and likely would fade completely soon enough.

“What happened to Pitch?” Bunny blinked at the question. After all that... after what had happened Jack wanted to know about PITCH of all people?

“I donno mate. He just kinda vanished after he hit ya. I don’t think he was expectin’ that.” Bunny said after a moment, his voice gentle.

“None of us were. Just what’s between you an’ him anyway? I ain’t never seen him look the way he did when he hit you. I ... I don’t think he meant ta.”

“What’s it to you? Why do you suddenly care after so long?” Bunny looked like he’d been slapped and he took a step back from the anger that seemed to radiate from the winter spirit.

“Jack... mate... I know I done yer wrong in the past... but... I ain’t heartless.” Jack’s temper cooled, but he still seemed skeptical.

“Really now? Could have fooled me.” Bunny felt the anger rise in him.

“Yeah? Well I ain’t the one who impaled you now am I?” He regretted the words as soon as he said them when he saw the pain that flashed in Jack’s eyes. He hadn’t meant... He didn’t mean...

“Yeah... you’re right about that... you just ignored me for dang near 300 years... Just left me to discover myself... you were as bad as the moon. You’ve been holding a grudge against me for an ACCIDENT for about a 100 years now! Don’t tell me you’ve suddenly changed your mind! Cause I sure as heck didn’t buy that you have with that welcome you gave me before North decided I’d suddenly roll over and join you guys.” Bunny flinched when Jack shoved a finger in his face, floating in front of him.

“YOU are just one reason I don’t want to be a Guardian! You just can’t let it go can you Cottontail?”

“I...” Bunny began, but Jack wasn’t listening. He spun about, snatching up his staff that had been placed near the nest that Bunny had lay Jack in.

“Don’t even try it. You never listened when I tried to apologize. Give me one good reason why I should bother listening to you now?” Jack snarled as he spun about. Bunny’s ears flattened against his head and he seemed to shrink back from Jack’s anger like he thought that Jack was going to freeze him or something. Gone was the confident warrior and here was... well, Jack didn’t know or care.

“I owe you for patching me up rabbit. I don’t owe you for anything else.” Bunny felt his heart sink as he watched Jack fly out of his den and leave the Warren behind. Crickey but Jack had a temper on him... Bunnymund never would have expected it had he not seen it so many times in the last week. They’d wronged him, but did that mean that Jack seriously wouldn’t be a Guardian just because of him? Bunny covered his eyes with his paws. He’d royally screwed up. The others were gonna hate him for this... Well, okay, no they wouldn’t because it wasn’t in their nature, but still...

Chapter Text

Bunny stood before the fireplace where he’d brought Jack when he’d first had the yetis sack-nap the winter spirit. His head was down, his ears plastered against his head, his eyes on his large feet as he crouched down, trying to look as small as possible as he mumbled through what had just happened to the three others who stood before him. He winced when he thought North would be the first to speak, to chide him about losing his temper but even worse was the fact that the Guardian of Wonder said nothing at all.

“If it’s all the same.... maybe I should give up being a Guardian if it means-”

“No.” North said, cutting him off. Bunny winced slightly.

“Bunny, you can’t do that!” Tooth gasped, seeming rather alarmed that the Pooka would ever come to such a conclusion.

“But... we can’t just leave the little guy on his own...” Bunny mumbled.

“No, we cannot. Is not fault Bunny, that he is angry with us. We all have done him wrong.” North’s hand on his shoulder only made the Pooka feel just a tiny bit better.

“Where did ya think he went?” He asked after a moment.

“Is hard to say... we look, yeah?” Bunny nodded and soon the four of them were scattering in different directions, yet again to find the winter spirit. Why was it they seemed to be always chasing Jack down? Bunny shoved the thought away as he sprinted along the forests of Burgess, thinking to start at the pond that Jack always seemed to frequent. It was the place he’d been “born” at after all, but the Pooka barely felt the sting of disappointment when he didn’t find him. Tooth searched some of the warmer places, though she didn’t expect the winter spirit to have gone to any of them while North searched the coldest places and Sandy took the remaining direction that the others hadn’t as he wasn’t affected by any of the temperatures. Jack hadn’t gone to any of the places that any of them would have suspected though, instead, he had returned to Pitch’s lair; a place that none of the other Guardians knew how to get to currently. He didn’t want to talk to them, he felt at home in the darkness as it was because hadn’t he spent so much time here? As he floated down to where the globe was, bright as ever with the lights of belief, Jack couldn’t help but smile because he knew now that some of those lights did shine for him. He felt bad that none of them shone for Pitch. He lightly touched the cool metal as if it were something that would break beneath his touch, his frost lightly spiraling around the lights and adding a certain beauty to the globe before his hand went back to his side. He took a deep breath, he needed this so badly; he was home. He closed his eyes, soaking in the feeling of the darkness around him even though the shadows were mostly still now. Where was Pitch?

“Pitch?” Jack ventured, realizing that Pitch might be hiding. After what Bunny had told him... Pitch hadn’t wanted to hurt him, what could that mean? Didn’t the Boogeyman want to bring cold and darkness to the world? Well, he supposed the answer to that was obvious, but ... did he still want Jack by his side?

“PITCH?!?! Come on now... don’t leave me here....” He trailed off, he didn’t want to be alone and he didn’t want to voice the word either.

“Jack?” Jack spun around, Pitch was sitting on the throne. He looked so tired. Jack didn’t hesitate to float over to him, the other looked pale; as if he’d had the color had leached out of him or something. Pitch flinched, but Jack didn’t back down or even hesitate. He wrapped his arms around Pitch, burying his head against the dark robes; he didn’t care that Pitch had hit him... didn’t care about what had happened days ago. He just wanted.... Well, he wasn’t sure exactly what it was he wanted, but he knew he didn’t want to be alone. Pitch seemed to hesitate, but after a moment his arms wrapped around Jack and held him close. Pitch closed his eyes, he had missed this... had worried for Jack. He’d wanted to tend to the winter spirit himself, but ... That rabbit had gotten to him first. While Pitch had no love for the Pooka, he couldn’t be mad that Bunnymund had been the one to mend Jack and make him whole again. He didn’t understand why Jack was here though, didn’t Jack hate him like the other Guardians? Wasn’t he one of them?

“Jack. What are you doing here?” Pitch asked, not moving.

“I had to see you.” It was muffled, but he heard the response clearly. The simple answer left him speechless. Why had Jack come back? He hadn’t meant to hurt him, ever, but it had been his scythe that had torn this boy.... and yet here was, curled up against Pitch like a child seeking comfort from a parent.

“Jack... I...” He began, trying to apologize for what had happened. Jack pulled away just enough to cut him off by pressing his lips to Pitch’s. The shade shivered in delight, holding the chaste kiss for a moment before his tongue slipped through his lips to slide along the cool lips. Jack’s mouth opened, enticing Pitch who thrust his tongue into that cool mouth, a soft moan rose between their lips but neither would be sure later who had given voice to it as their tongues mingled a moment before Jack became pliant. A shudder went through Pitch, he wanted so much more, but he couldn’t be sure that Jack was ready for that... or ever would be any time soon so he pulled back. Jack stared at him, a questioning look in his brilliant blue eyes... oh how innocent he was!

“Jack.... if only you knew...” He watched as the confusion cleared from the boy’s eyes and a smirk flitted over his features, but it wasn’t his usual one that Pitch was used to seeing. There was a knowing gleam in the boy’s eyes that spoke of anything but innocence.

“I think I do Pitch...” Pitch felt a shiver of anticipation run through him, if he was reading this right then...

“Shall we take this to your room or mine?” Jack’s smirk deepened as he saw those golden eyes darken with want and intent. Jack was innocent sure, because he’d never done anything like this, but that didn’t mean he didn’t know about it. He wasn’t THAT innocent.... and right now, he wanted Pitch in a way that he couldn’t put to words. He burned with the desire to have the shade touch him where no one had before... like no one had before. Shadows whisked the two of them away from the room and Jack laughed in pure delight when he was deposited on the cool, dark sheets of Pitch’s bed.

The laughter didn’t last long as Pitch pinned him down and claimed his mouth in a heated kiss, his hand snaking up beneath the hoodie to slide over the cool skin; Jack shivered, groaning in his throat as Pitch’s fingers skimmed along his chest to tease one nipple and then the other as he plunged his tongue into Jack’s mouth. Jack arched a little beneath him as heat surged through him... oh moon he wanted this, the desire for it hit him harder and faster than he thought possible... He wanted this touch and so much more. Jack’s hands gripped the black robes before him and they melted away through his fingers, leaving Jack’s hands to shift and wander over the warm flesh beneath. Pitch shivered, pulling back only long enough to yank Jack’s hoodie off before dipping down to claim one of the nipples with his mouth as his fingers ghosted over the other. Jack’s breath stuttered.

“Pitch...” He said breathlessly as a new sensation of pleasure assaulted him. Gods... this felt better than anything he could have ever imagined... or had tried to imagine before now. Jack’s breath came out in pants as Pitch trailed his tongue along Jack’s chest to tease his other nipple, Jack shivered as one of Pitch’s hands skimmed down his torso and along his belly, stopping just above his pants. Jack squirmed impatiently and with anticipation. Pitch shifted back again, his eyes gleaming like candles as he took Jack in. The winter spirit’s skin was flush with pleasure and desire, making his normally pale skin take on a soft pinkish hue that made him seem a little more human, the bulge in the tan pants was evidence enough of his desire. Pitch smiled and Jack squirmed beneath the gaze wondering what Pitch could possibly be thinking.

“Oh Jack... You look so delicious this way...” The man purred, sending a delightful shiver up Jack’s spine which was followed by a new jolt of pleasure as Pitch palmed his hardness through his pants. Jack arched into the hand, whimpering; his cheeks flushed pink as he realized what he’d just done. Pitch chuckled and shifted to slip the pants from Jack, freeing the hard member, causing Jack to flush a deeper shade before crying out in pleasure as Pitch’s fingers wrapped around his length, slowly stroking every inch of him.

“P-Pitch...” Jack groaned, laying limp beneath the other spirit whose other hand seemed to be everywhere else at once, stroking his flesh and driving Jack crazy; soon Jack was a writhing puddle of nerves beneath Pitch, whimpering and pleading with the other spirit though for what exactly he didn’t know. He wanted... something and he wanted it badly... so much so that he barely noticed the shadows that had creeped over the bed as Pitch shifted so that he sat comfortably between Jack’s legs, his fingers sliding over Jack’s balls before sliding along the warm flesh just beyond. Jack whimpered, the shadows slid into him, stretching him and Jack wondered for a moment what Pitch was up to as he felt a single finger slide into him. He had no idea what the other meant to do only to cry out, suddenly seeing stars, as the finger inside him curled over a knob of flesh. Jack sucked in a breath as he slowly recovered.

“P-Pitch... d-do that again...” He pleaded with the other spirit, stuttering a bit; he wanted to feel that pleasure again.

“Do what? This?” Pitch asked teasingly before he slid his finger over the little spot again and Jack cried out in response.

“YES!” His voice harsh from the pleasure that shot through him, he pushed against Pitch’s hand and Pitch grinned as the winter spirit restlessly squirmed as he teased the spot with his finger... then two... Jack whimpered each time the fingers ghosted over that spot, sending chills of delighted pleasure through Pitch. He had long wanted Jack like this, flushed with pleasure and begging him.... begging for him...

“More please.... don’t stop...” Jack begged, he never wanted this to end. Oh gods... he’d do anything if it meant staying in this room and having Pitch make him feel like this. A shudder of pleasure went through Pitch at Jack’s begging. Gods how it was music to his ears and he felt his own length grow harder as he obliged. A third finger slid into Jack and he felt a slight burning sensation that eased after a moment, but was nothing in face of the pleasure that Pitch was causing him; he barely even noticed it as Pitch began to thrust the fingers in and out, barely registered that Pitch had shifted out of his pants, but cried out in a mix of pleasure and pain when he felt Pitch thrust into him suddenly and unexpectedly. Pitch hadn’t been able to resist the temptation anymore, Jack was so pliant beneath him, so accepting of everything he offered.... The older spirit sat still, allowing Jack to adjust a moment before slowly sliding back and the pain faded into intense pleasure. Jack wrapped his legs around Pitch, thrusting against the other spirit to push him deeper, groaning at the pleasure that it caused.

“Yes... Just like that Jack...” Pitch hissed in pleasure as he felt white hot pleasure shot through him from the feel of the winter spirit’s muscles clenching him tightly. So cold and warm all at once... he could definitely get used to this. To having the winter spirit beneath him, so pliant, so submissive and willing... He felt pleasure shudder through him at the thought of making this sort of a thing a common occurrence and from the feel of the spirit beneath him. Gods but Jack was beautiful and now... He shifted the angle of his thrusts a little, shivering as Jack cried out as he hit his prostate; he began furiously pounding into that spot, Jack’s cries of pleasure egging him on. Pitch shuddered, crying out harshly as he released his warm seed into the winter spirit; Jack’s own cry of pleasure mingling with his as his icy-warm release shot over their chests. Pitch’s shadows took care of that quickly enough even as Pitch continued to thrust through Jack’s release and his own before collapsing against the winter spirit; panting. He’d never known that it would be like this, that he could desire someone like he desired Jack.

“Oh gods... Pitch...” Jack said breathlessly once he was able. Pitch smiled as he lay next to the other spirit who snuggled against him, his skin slightly warmer than normal from their activity. Pitch lightly threaded one hand through the winter spirit’s hair; delighting in how Jack pressed against his touch. No matter what the Guardians may think, Jack was his now. Per the laws of spirits, Jack had submitted to him of his own free will.

“You realize now you will never again have to worry about the Guardians.” Jack shifted a little to raise an eyebrow at Pitch who smiled down at him, eyes gleaming possessively.

“You belong to me now, in every sense of the word.” Jack couldn’t suppress a shudder as Pitch lightly stroked his cheek with one hand. He flushed, realizing that Pitch was right. Pitch pressed one hand over Jack’s shoulder and Jack felt something pushing against his skin and enter, though it wasn’t painful. When Pitch moved his hand there was a tiny black swirl along Jack’s skin where Pitch’s hand had been.

“What’s that?”

“A bit of my power, so I can always find you. Can always know where you are and how you are.” Jack’s flush deepened a little.

“C-can I do the same?” Pitch nodded and Jack placed his hand on Pitch’s shoulder, he focused his power into his palm and into Pitch’s skin. When he moved his hand a tiny blue shaded snowflake stood out on the grey toned skin. He blinked as he realized that he felt not only Pitch’s magic mingling with his own, but he could almost hear the other’s heartbeat and he felt... He flushed as he realized he felt Pitch’s desire for him. How was it that anyone could feel so strongly for him? He was awed and at the same time felt that he didn’t deserve this, that he...

“Jack.” Jack’s gaze shifted back to Pitch and felt the certainty that surged in his life partner.

“Don’t ever doubt your worth. You are so precious... Those Guardians were fools to ever ignore you. I’m only sorry I didn’t notice you sooner.” Jack smiled a little, happiness and joy filling his heart and spreading through every inch of him. He could live with this, live without being a Guardian.

“I’m not a Guardian, Pitch. I never will be. I belong here. With you.” Pitch smiled, lightly touching his forehead to the winter spirit’s; unable to do anything but marvel how this boy had so easily accepted him and his feelings, hadn’t questioned him or them and had come back to him even when he had made a critical mistake in battle... had fought against the boy with all his worth. Jack had fought fiercely against him to protect the young boy, Jamie... Well, he figured that there must be something special about that boy. He considered that if he tried to take over the world again he would leave that boy alone; Jamie and his descendants would forever be safe from him... The rest of the world, however, he could be content with. That was for later, after he’d recovered a little and he was certain that Jack would happily help him gather his strength again.

Chapter Text

A year had come and gone since Pitch had been beaten. The Guardians had been looking for Jack, but he’d managed to keep under the radar; though that hadn’t been too awfully hard when he kept his visits to Jamie under the cover of darkness and spent his days with Pitch who didn’t really leave his lair until the sun went down. Jack wondered why that was and when he’d ventured to ask Pitch had explained that it was because there were fewer shadows for his Nightmares to hide in during the day. People were less likely to be afraid in the daylight so he’d stopped trying to scare them during the day centuries ago. It made sense to Jack and he knew that Pitch, like himself, wanted to be believed in but he wasn’t so sure that Pitch should take it as far as he had before.

“Do you really need to repeat what you did a year ago?” Jack asked, lazily draped over the throne while Pitch was standing before the globe which shined bright with the lights of those who believed in the Guardians.

“I almost succeeded did I not? If it hadn’t been for that boy and you....” He trailed off, not about to start up an argument with the winter spirit again. They’d been over this hundreds of times already.

“Yeah, yeah, but my point still stands. Can’t you be happy with a handful? I mean, you don’t have to be just the element of fear.” Pitch frowned thoughtfully and turned to Jack.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that you don’t have to have children fear you.”

“Jack, there’s a reason I’m called the Boogeyman.”

“Yeah, it’s what you do but it’s not all there is.”

“Explain.”

“See, when a human conquers fear they gain courage. So... technically your center isn’t fear, it’s courage.” Pitch frowned a little at the mention of a center. He wasn’t a Guardian.

“Just like mine is fun. It’s just who we are. You can easily help children conquer the fears you instill and help them learn courage to face the scary things of the world when they get older.” Pitch’s expression became thoughtful. He hadn’t actually considered what he did in that light before. Yes, he scared children but children grew up into adults who stopped being afraid of the little things he offered; though he did give adults fear every now and then it was never as pure as the fear of a child. He wasn’t about to admit it openly, but Jack had made a very good point. Something he hadn’t really taken any time to reflect on as he’d always seen his minions as a sort of curse placed on him; after all, he hadn’t always been the agent of fear, it was because of them that he was... He shook the thoughts of the past away. He was no longer that man, even if he did have control of himself and was no longer a mere puppet for the Fearlings. No, they served him now and he reckoned that he could indeed use them for his own purposes just as they had once used him. Fear kept them fed and happy, so he would provide it, but he began to realize he could do so under his own terms now. Jack would probably be more than willing to help as well. How could he have been blessed with such a partner? It was something he had asked himself since that fateful day that Jack had willingly bonded with him, becoming Pitch’s for all eternity just as Pitch now belonged to Jack; he hadn’t said it, but he knew Jack understood this without being told. Nothing could separate the two of them.

It was just ill luck then that Bunny had gotten smart on him and was waiting for him with Jamie who was looking at him with concern when he flew through the window.

“Oi, no you don’t frostbite!” Bunny lept to block his escape through the window when Jack tried to make good his escape and Jamie tackled him to the ground.

“Please don’t go Jack! Please!” Jack sighed and gave up, how could he say no to his first believer?

“What is this? An intervention?” He asked, trying to make light of it but his smile died when he saw the concern on Jamie’s face.

“I’m worried about you. I really am.” Jamie said as he climbed off his best friend. Jack sighed.

“Look, there’s no reason for you to be. I’m FINE, seriously. Although I should have guessed you’d figure things out Cottontail.”

“Look mate, we’re sorry about the past, but we can’t change it and Manny said-”

“I don’t care what he said.” Jack said as he brushed invisible dirt from him, scowling a little at the Pooka.

“Did I, or did I not, make it clear I wanted nothing more to do with you? Okay, yes, Pitch went overboard and I HELPED you guys out.”

“You can’t trust him mate! You donno what he’s like!” Bunny protested and flinched back when he saw the dark look on Jack’s face, Jamie took a step back; he’d never seen Jack like this... then again, he’d never spoken about his suspicions about the winter spirit’s preference of only visiting him at nights and never showing up during the day since Easter...

“I don’t know what he’s like.” Jack said quietly, the tone made Bunny want to run and hide, but he stood his ground.

“You’re an egotistical idiot rabbit. You have a nose. Don’t tell me it’s broken after all these years.” Bunny’s ears drooped... yeah, he knew what it meant... he’d noticed but he didn’t want to tell THAT to Jack’s first believer. The boy looked between the two in confusion, what were they talking about? What did Bunny’s nose have to do with anything?

“He’s just using you mate. That monster wiped-”

“How DARE you!” Jack cut him off, he was absolutely furious now. Jamie stumbled back and scrambled for his stuffed rabbit on his bed; he was thoroughly scared now. Bunny stood up a little straighter, he prefered confrontation with Jack and his eyes burned with an age-old hatred for the Boogeyman.

“He slaughtered my kin! I’m the last of me kind! Of course I DARE! YOU are sleepin’ with the enemy!”

“He’s not MY enemy! He’s yours!” Jamie’s eyes went wide as he stared at the two arguing spirits. What did Jack mean? Hadn't he fought with the Guardians against Pitch? How could the Boogeyman NOT be Jack's enemy?

“I don’t have to take this. I made my choice rabbit and I am NOT changing my mind!”

“Wait, Jack!” Bunny’s temper cooled as he suddenly realized everything had gone wrong from the moment he’d opened his mouth. Crickey but he’d told the others he wasn’t the right one for this job!

“No! Just leave us alone!” Jack shot through Sophie’s room, thankfully the little girl was sleeping over at a friend’s and Jack was able to easily push open the window and fly out.

“JACK!” Bunny cried as he gave chase. Jack led him on quite the merry one through the streets of Burgess, it was only when Jack had swerved around a building’s corner and dove for the nearest shadows, calling out to his love, that the Pooka lost him.

Jack tumbled into the shade’s awaiting arms, the other catching him as he tried to slow his momentum with only mild success. Pitch said nothing as Jack fumed in his arms, crying out his anger as he told his love what had happened. He merely listened as Jack raged at the Pooka and his feelings of betrayal that Jamie had been in on the whole thing and how the boy didn’t seem to trust him.

“I trust you.” Pitch said, it was the first thing he said once Jack had seemed to calm down. Jack smiled a little. He knew he could trust Pitch. The one spirit who had always been there for him and had shared everything with him; including a past that the Guardians seemed either oblivious of or simply they had given up on the man Pitch had once been due to the transgressions of the Fearlings. Pitch hadn't lied to him or ever deceived him for any reason. Sure, Pitch had made a mistake and had wounded him in battle, but Jack knew how much the shade regretted that moment; how he'd never meant for that to ever happen and how his anger had gotten the best of him then. Jack had worked to prove from that one evening that he'd come back on that he did not blame Pitch for what happened, that it was - to him - an accident and would never be anything more. The Fearlings weren’t in control now and they got their nightly dose of fear with Jack’s help. Jack had taken to going with Pitch once out of curiosity. It had made him cringe at first, but when he’d seen Tooth’s fairies and the fairies had seen him, he’d not hesitated to freeze them solid to keep them from reporting back to their mother. Jack had even had short skirmishes with Sandy’s dream sand on occasion though the golden Guardian was never able to get close to him, Jack had made sure of that. It would be a while before Pitch was back to full strength again; Jack didn’t mind. He relished the delight he felt from the shade when he helped stop the little fairies from running to the Guardians. Jack had told Pitch he wasn’t a Guardian. That he never would be and he upheld his word.

Pitch would never again actually try to take over the world, if only because he knew it would cause the one being he loved above himself pain; something he was loathed to do. The years would pass and Jamie’s pleas as a child fell on deaf ears; only when Jack began explaining when Jamie was old enough to understand did the boy fall silent on the matter of Jack being with Pitch and the two enjoyed each other’s company like brothers. Jack was very sad when Jamie finally passed, as humans did when age ravished their bodies, and had mourned the loss for years before finally able to recover and spread snow like he had before; it would have taken longer to recover without Pitch at his side constantly to ease the loss and remind him that he was not alone, that he would never again be alone. Soothing away his pain and, when he desperately needed to forget, the shade helped him forget the boy if only for a little while. None of the Guardians would ever truly understand why Jack had chosen to stay with Pitch instead of taking their offer to be a Guardian. They would always swear that he acted like one, protecting the children as they did, but any mention of it would only make the winter spirit scowl at them. As the years would progress, the Guardians found themselves fighting Pitch less and less, and could only think that Jack was responsible for that some how. Still, none of them ever confronted the spirit about it after several unsuccessful attempts by each of the Guardians to get Jack to reconsider being a Guardian. Tooth had even showed him his memories, but the damage had been done by then, a rift created between him and the Guardians and the kind act hadn’t changed Jack’s mind. There became a saying among the humans, one that rumor supposedly said that one Jamie Bennett was said to have spread throughout his life, though few fully understand where the words came from or even the meaning behind them: What, after all, goes together better than cold and dark?

Chapter Text

A year had come and gone since Pitch had been beaten. The Guardians had been looking for Jack, but he’d managed to keep under the radar; though that hadn’t been too awfully hard when he kept his visits to Jamie under the cover of darkness and spent his days with Pitch who didn’t really leave his lair until the sun went down. Jack wondered why that was and when he’d ventured to ask Pitch had explained that it was because there were fewer shadows for his Nightmares to hide in during the day. People were less likely to be afraid in the daylight so he’d stopped trying to scare them during the day centuries ago. It made sense to Jack and he knew that Pitch, like himself, wanted to be believed in but he wasn’t so sure that Pitch should take it as far as he had before.

“Do you really need to repeat what you did a year ago?” Jack asked, lazily draped over the throne while Pitch was standing before the globe which shined bright with the lights of those who believed in the Guardians.

“I almost succeeded did I not? If it hadn’t been for that boy and you....” He trailed off, not about to start up an argument with the winter spirit again. They’d been over this hundreds of times already.

“Yeah, yeah, but my point still stands. Can’t you be happy with a handful? I mean, you don’t have to be just the element of fear.” Pitch frowned thoughtfully and turned to Jack.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that you don’t have to have children fear you.”

“Jack, there’s a reason I’m called the Boogeyman.”

“Yeah, it’s what you do but it’s not all there is.”

“Explain.”

“See, when a human conquers fear they gain courage. So... technically your center isn’t fear, it’s courage.” Pitch frowned a little at the mention of a center. He wasn’t a Guardian.

“Just like mine is fun. It’s just who we are. You can easily help children conquer the fears you instill and help them learn courage to face the scary things of the world when they get older.” Pitch’s expression became thoughtful. He hadn’t actually considered what he did in that light before. Yes, he scared children but children grew up into adults who stopped being afraid of the little things he offered; though he did give adults fear every now and then it was never as pure as the fear of a child. He wasn’t about to admit it openly, but Jack had made a very good point. Something he hadn’t really taken any time to reflect on as he’d always seen his minions as a sort of curse placed on him; after all, he hadn’t always been the agent of fear, it was because of them that he was... He shook the thoughts of the past away. He was no longer that man, even if he did have control of himself and was no longer a mere puppet for the Fearlings. No, they served him now and he reckoned that he could indeed use them for his own purposes just as they had once used him. Fear kept them fed and happy, so he would provide it, but he began to realize he could do so under his own terms now. Jack would probably be more than willing to help as well. How could he have been blessed with such a partner? It was something he had asked himself since that fateful day that Jack had willingly bonded with him, becoming Pitch’s for all eternity just as Pitch now belonged to Jack; he hadn’t said it, but he knew Jack understood this without being told. Nothing could separate the two of them.

It was just ill luck then that Bunny had gotten smart on him and was waiting for him with Jamie who was looking at him with concern when he flew through the window.

“Oi, no you don’t frostbite!” Bunny lept to block his escape through the window when Jack tried to make good his escape and Jamie tackled him to the ground.

“Please don’t go Jack! Please!” Jack sighed and gave up, how could he say no to his first believer?

“What is this? An intervention?” He asked, trying to make light of it but his smile died when he saw the concern on Jamie’s face.

“I’m worried about you. I really am.” Jamie said as he climbed off his best friend. Jack sighed.

“Look, there’s no reason for you to be. I’m FINE, seriously. Although I should have guessed you’d figure things out Cottontail.”

“Look mate, we’re sorry about the past, but we can’t change it. We can only try and make it up ta ya.” Jack frowned a little, but Bunny seemed sincere.

“I don’t see how. You ignored me for 300 years of my life and that one incident where I made a mistake you’ve been holding it against me.” Bunny sighed.

“I don’t hold it against ya. Yes I’m still mad it happened, but I’ve forgiven ya.” Jack’s skeptical look made the Pooka sigh again.

“I can’t undo what I’ve said and I know I wronged ya mate... but at least give me - us ... a chance to try and make this up to you.” Jack wasn’t sure he could trust the Guardians, but hadn’t he fought along side them to protect the children? Sure he’d fled that night and hadn’t seen any of the Guardians since then; mostly because he spent so much time in places he knew they wouldn’t find him. He knew what it was like to be judged too quickly, hadn’t Bunny done just that with the blizzard of ‘68? Why was the Pooka still mad about that anyway? It wasn’t like he’d set out to ruin Easter. Maybe he’d been quick to judge the Guardians... after all, being a Guardian didn’t seem to be all that he’d assumed it had. He’d thought that all the Guardians did was bribe children; he knew better now... it was so much more than that. Yes they did give children gifts, but that was just because it was part of how they protected the children - and themselves - by keeping belief in them to be as strong as it needed to be. Would he ever have as many believers as North or Bunny some day? The possibility was very appealing, after 300 years of not being believed in, being alone and unseen... Well, maybe he shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth... as the saying went.

“Fine.” For the first time since the overgrown rabbit had appeared, he smiled at Jack and his own center shone in those emerald eyes. Maybe things hadn’t been quite so bungled yet; if Jack was willing to give them a chance, then maybe... just maybe... he’d join them after all. He wasn’t an idiot though, he knew that it would take time before Jack trusted him, trusted any of them.

“I have one condition though.” Jack said after a moment.

“Name it.”

“If I leave, for any reason... you don’t try and stop me.”

“Don’t see why we’d want to mate.”

“I can think of at least one and it begins with a “p” Cottontail.” Bunny stiffened, he got the idea what Jack was saying; he looked about to protest before sighing.

“We’ll need to talk to the others about that... I... I at least will speak for myself... It’s your choice mate and my nose don’t lie. Can’t say I’m happy about it, but if it comes to that... I won’t stop you from leaving with him.”

“Thanks.” Jack smiled a little, he was being truly sincere and that nearly broke Bunny’s heart there because he was truly worried that Jack had made the biggest mistake of his immortal life in giving himself to Pitch as he had. Jack was still a child in a great many ways, despite being over 300; there was a lot that the young spirit needed to know about. The two stayed the evening to play with the Bennett children until it was their bedtime; much to the delight of both of the children. Jack had always felt a connection with Jamie, even before the boy could see him; the why of that he had never really puzzled out.

When the two were fast asleep, Jack followed Bunny down one of his tunnels to the pole where the other Guardians were waiting. He wasn’t sure how they had known he’d follow Bunny so that they could be there, but he didn’t bother asking either. North beamed at him, as welcoming as he’d been the first time, Sandy smiled a little in silent welcome and Tooth was giving orders to a few fairies though when she realized he was there she turned to smile at him a little.

“So.... what’s this about?” Jack asked, wondering if they thought the same as Bunny did.

“We wanted to talk about you joining us Jack.” Tooth said before North could, Jack nearly rolled his eyes; this again... hadn’t he made it clear he wasn’t one of them?

“Jack, we know we do wrong by you... but you have heart of Guardian... Maybe better than any of us.” North said, looking guilty and sad all at once. Feeling a little uncomfortable at the genuine emotion, Jack shifted his gaze from him only to realize that the others seemed to mirror North’s sentiment. There was such sincerity that he felt a little guilty for having just taken off like he had; for avoiding them for a full year on purpose and not really giving them a chance to redeem themselves. After all, wasn’t that what he’d wanted from them? A chance to prove that he wasn’t just some mischief maker who was out just to ruin everything for his own amusement?

“We’re all sorry about the past Jack, we didn’t mean to ignore you...” Tooth ventured, Jack nearly sighed, why did the fairy have to have such big, expressive eyes? He felt even more guilty as her magenta eyes pleaded for him to at least give her a chance.

“I donno about joining you, but I will at least give you a chance.” Jack said, shifting his gaze from one Guardian to the other; they seemed relieved and grateful... even Bunny, which was a real shocker. Maybe he’d been too hasty with his judgement of the Pooka... just as Bunny had been with him. Well, he wasn’t too sure about being a Guardian if it meant going against Pitch, but maybe he could at least be friends with them...

5 years later....

Who would have thought it? This scene was definitely familiar; the Guardians were standing before him at North’s but at least this time the yetis weren’t juggling fire and the elves weren’t playing some ridiculous music. They were, however, ringed around the place as North stood with the large book in his hands; the Guardians had been true to their word about making things up with Jack and after five years of seeing what it really meant to be a Guardian... well, he was ready to join them. Pitch was his family now, and like all family there were... complications, but he was working things out. The Guardians had been uneasy about his relationship with the shade, but they’d been supportive of him nonetheless. They were his friends, they’d proven to be more than he could have ever wished for in the 300 years he’d been alone. That was just one reason why he stood here today, ready to make it official and to take the oath. His mind snapped to the present as North began speaking.

“Do you, Jack Frost, vow to watch over the children of the world? To guard them with your life, their hopes, their wishes, and their dreams? For they are all that we have, all that we are and all that we will ever be.”

“I will.” Jack couldn’t help the smile, as he spoke the words he felt that he had truly found a second home with the Guardians and he felt as if his heart would burst with happiness.

“Then, congratulations Jack Frost for you are now, and forevermore a Guardian.” Jack grinned, Sandy held up a cup of eggnog in silent toast to their new member; Jack chuckled a little when Tooth’s fairies made a little heart.

“Keep it together girls.” She admonished gently, one fainted and Jack felt a little embarrassed for the fairy. Bunny was grinning at him and North embraced him with an exclamation in Russian, kissing him on both cheeks in an old custom of welcome. Jack was a little dazed by the contact, but happy nonetheless. He still was trying to get used to all the physical contact he received from everyone, Pitch included. The other laughed a little as he steadied Jack who just grinned up at him.

“Let feast begin!” The next few hours would be some of the best yet that Jack would remember for a long time. He was a Guardian. He had a home again, a family, friends that cared about him and believers. He couldn’t be more happy.