New Update
Added more scenes, corrected the grammatical errors (Although there might still be some, feel free to point it out) and fixed some of the descriptions and sentences.
Oh my gosh guys thanks for all your reviews, I never put effort into this story because I thought a few of you might read it and now I am proved wrong. So thanks a lot to those who reviewed and read this.
The sequel is called "Winter Haven" if you haven't read it yet it's already up, but if your not interested, it's okay :D enjoy reading!
Bunny held an egg against the sunlight, tilting it from angle to angle. He picked up his paint brush and placed a mixing palette on his lap, smearing the brush with different combinations of color he could think of, creating different kinds of patterns, vivid colors and marvelous collision of tinge, glitter and highlights.
He wanted it to be perfect, he wanted this year's Easter to be perfect, he didn't want last year's Easter to happen again, he didn't want to be walked through like his body was made of gas, and worst of all, he didn't want to turn back into a fluffy little Bunny.
It's not like he hated it, everyone actually thought he was cute but he didn't like cute, neither did he want to be small again for he felt very vulnerable and cute.
He grabbed hold of another stray egg running around the warren and smeared paint all over it, loading them in huge baskets lined up towards the entrance.
Eater was tomorrow, and he is ready for his usual egg. He picked up one of his eggs that lay in the wooden baskets and ran a paw over its glassy painted surface, "Perfect," his lips twisted into a smile. But something still worried him for the past few months, he didn't worry about Pitch Black coming back, he worried about a certain white haired spirit messing with his egg hunts and making another blizzard 68.
Since last year's Easter Bunny couldn't stop himself from thinking about the possibilities of what might ruin it again. He couldn't reassure himself a perfect Easter with that winter spirit running around the world casting more snow with his staff.
Bunny didn't like snow, it made his feet feel numb and whenever he dug a tunnel, snow would always end up inside his warren. He certainly did not enjoy getting hit by a snowball like all the other children love; it would always make his face nauseous.
And most of all he really hated blizzards, he couldn't hardly see anything out of it and it made his whole body ache. He didn't see the benefit of blizzards, all they do was destroy property, freeze people and kill life, and he couldn't understand why Jack still kept it up all these years.
True he knew the young winter spirit was just playing, but he was going over board. And he didn't want Jack playing on Easter Sunday; surely he wouldn't get a perfect Easter with that thing running loose.
Jack has been a guardian for a year, but he couldn't say he fully trusted him yet. He was reckless and careless; he would just add more trouble to the egg hunts.
He started hopping back and fourth appraised a plan to prevent the teen from causing anymore trouble. Maybe I could get him to stay in the warren for the day. He thought but relented once he tried to imagine what the warren would look like when he came back.
He decided to pay North a last minute visit. Jack seemed to listen to North's commands better than he did with the other guardians. Bunny tapped his foot and hoped in the hole that has been formed beneath him.
Sunlit dew glistened as beautifully as diamonds on silk, golden rays of the sunlight littered the sky. The bare trees were beginning to develop leafy green leaves and the thick blanket of snow was beginning to melt away.
In the middle of the forest stood Jamie with his best friend Jack hovering over him.
"Are you ready Jamie?" Jack asked.
"Yes! I'm always ready," Jamie said happily.
"Okay then" Jack swirled his staff above his young friend surrounding them both his cold blizzard wind that acted as a tornado that hoisted Jamie high into the air.
Jamie yelped once he looked back down on the ground and found out how high he was, but his fear quickly got replaced by joy once the wind flung him in different directions, it felt so good to finally know what flying was like.
Before he knew it Jamie found himself above his backyard. The wind momentarily stopped blowing and Jamie landed directly on his wooden sled that sat by the tree. "Is this how you travel everyday Jack?" Jamie asked enthusiastically while giggling, "It's so fun!"
"Of course it is, Jack Frost doesn't know boring," said Jack, making a trail of frost that led to the sidewalk, "Now are you ready to have another best snow day ever?"
"Sledding is no fun without you Jack." Jamie grabbed a hold of the sides of his snowboard.
Jack stood behind him gently giving him a push, and then, he was off, sliding on the trail of frost.
It was like a roller coaster ride except it was on the sidewalk; Jamie didn't bother to look at the bystanders who were starring at him. The best parts of the roller coaster were present on the sled ride, but it was the best thing he could ever wish for because he was riding with his best friend guiding him around.
Jack learned how to make another course he figured out how to make after the sleigh ride with North, "I hope you like the loop dee loops" he mimicked North's accent only to make Jamie laugh even harder than he already was.
They spun a couple of times in the air, Jack lingering behind him melting away the snow by summoning the winds, he didn't want anyone to see any abnormal phenomenon like trails of snow still visible on April.
The sun was setting and Jack had to take Jamie home whether he liked it or not.
"Can't you stay? We can play in my room," Jamie said the moment Jack tried to leap out the window.
"Sorry kiddo, I don't think it would be a good idea, I'll just come back tomorrow" Jack assured.
"Tomorrow morning." Jamie compromised.
"Okay, tomorrow morning," Jack repeated.
"Promise?"
"Promise," slowly Jack climbed out the window waving the boy good bye.
"By the way, happy Easter Jack!" Jamie greeted.
Oh right it was Easter tomorrow Jack reminded himself "Happy Easter to you too!"
He landed at the porch and stared at the darkening sky, but what too him by surprise was the hole that formed beneath him practically sucking him in.
A hole formed in front of North's desk and a pair of ears poked out followed by the 6 foot tall rabbit himself.
"Why Bunny, what are you doing here?" North asked in complete surprise, "Isn't Easter tomorrow?"
"Yes I know it's tomorrow, that's why I don't want that walking icicle to be on the loose, mate," Bunny's ears twitched in irritation.
"Jack? I'm sure he won't do anything this year" North said nonchalantly.
"But we gotta make sure mate, I don't want last year's Easter to happen again, I mean what if frostbite makes another blizzard?"
"There is no sign of Blizzard these past days" North inquired, "the snow is beginning to thaw."
"But we got to make sure North, Who knows what he might do? I mean he could swing his staff and disaster will happen, can't he stay with ya just for the day?" Bunny pleaded.
North faltered before nodding, "Maybe" he didn't approve the idea of trapping Jack in the pole for a day. He trusted him, but the problem is Bunny didn't.
"Come on North, I ain't got much time, I still have over a million eggs to paint." Bunny thumped his foot impatiently, crossing his arms.
"Okay fine," North agreed, but just this once. "Why are rabbits always so nervous?" he thought.
"Good, I'll get him," Bunny tapped a foot and a large tunnel appeared leading to Burgess.
Minutes after the winter spirit climbed out of it, "Seriously?" he stood dusting the dirt particles that littered all over him after sliding through a very long tunnel. "First I get stuffed in a sack, then I plunge 10,000 feet down a rabbit hole, mind telling me what's gonna be next?" Jack said angrily picking up his staff from where he had left it. "What are you doing here cottontail? Easter is tomorrow."
"Exactly, it is tomorrow, that's why I want you out of the way mate," Bunny said sternly and business like.
"I won't make any blizzard tomorrow, I started clearing the snow this morning," Jack raised his right hand in promise but Bunny refused to believe in him, Jack would tend to think everything is a joke and lie his way out of things sometimes.
And they would let him, but this time it was important, it was a year after the horrible Easter the children had experienced, he couldn't afford any distractions.
"I don't think so mate," Bunny shook his head, "I won't guarantee Easter's gonna be perfect with you running around."
"Well, where else am I supposed to go?" Jack asked a little hurt from the fact that Bunny didn't trust him.
"You are staying with me," North retorted.
"You don't trust me either," Jack moaned, he always thought of North as a fatherly figure to him.
"It's not that we don't trust you, it's just that…we want to make sure…"North explained.
"Crikey! I gotta go," Bunny tapped his foot and created another rabbit hole, "Frostbite, don't even try to mess with me." then the hole disappeared
"I won't" Jack muttered, the hurt visible in his blue eyes.
"Cookies?" North offered anything that would cheer him up.
"No thanks" Jack sighed, "I just…" why can't you trust me? He wanted to say but he relented. Staying in a room with a man whom he can't even earn trust from was starting to bother him. He felt like a fool, he trusted North and he thought North trusted him too, out of all the guardians, he respected North, but after today, the way he looked at North would never be the same again. "Can I head out?"
"Sure, Easter is still tomorrow," North opened the window for him and the winter spirit wordlessly flew out. North watched him disappear into the clouds. Judging from the tone of his voice, he knew the winter spirit was deeply upset. He hated Bunny's idea, but the Pooka was right, Jack could be very unpredictable sometimes. But still the idea of Jack being mad at him made his heart ache, the winter spirit was like a gif, like the son he never had and he brightens everything up with his joy and mischief.
Jack lightly landed on Jamie's window sill to find the child curled up in his bed fast asleep, the only thing that soothed his shattering cold heart.
He perched himself on his dresser watching the rise and fall of the child's chest. He shifted lightly on his perch, making the slightest amount of sound and found out that the child was still awake; Jamie jolted upright, "BOO!"
Jack smirked, his young believer trying to scare him made him feel a lot better. "It's gonna take more than that to scare me."
The child groaned and snapped his fingers "I could have gotten you with a ski mask, or maybe I should dress up like a ghost. But what happened Jack? Don't you normally visit before I go to bed?"
"I had some important things to do" Jack frowned.
"What's wrong?" Jamie asked noticing the sadness in his friend's tone.
"Isn't it past your bed time?" The spirit tried to change the topic but Jamie persisted until Jack grown tired of arguing. "It's just…it's the guardians," he began, "They…don't trust me, and I'm not allowed outside tomorrow cause Bunny wanted to be reassured that there wouldn't be any blizzards tomorrow. Sorry but looks like I have to cancel our plans on going sledding."
"What?" Jamie blinked in confusion, "Why wouldn't they trust you? Your like the coolest guy I ever known and the best big brother ever, you could always help Bunny hide the eggs right?"
"Apparently, Bunny doesn't trust me to do it, he didn't want this year's Easter to mess up and the only way to be sure is to keep me away." Jack gripped his staff tightly.
"But, why? Pitch ruined last year's Easter, not you" Jamie pointed out.
"I partly did, but I don't think you were even born, but have you ever heard of Blizzard 68 on Easter Sunday? I caused that, I was playing and I accidentally made a blizzard, ever since that time Bunny didn't trust me."
"But it doesn't mean you'll do it again," Jamie cut in, "I trust you Jack," he chirped.
"Glad to know, not go to bed now," Jack commanded.
At least someone trusted him he said to himself.
"I can stay here all day," Jack paced back and fourth in the room North assigned him to stay in, he didn't mind if he stayed in the North pole for a couple of hours, he's been trying to break in there for years.
What he couldn't stand was the rules, he recalled the instructions North told him to follow.
No snowing indoors
No messing with yetis
No leaving the room he is assigned to
That was the worst rule of all, he couldn't leave his room to have some fun, all he could do was sit and ponder all day long.
He sat on the edge of the cold welcoming bed and brought his knees up to his chest.
Why doesn't any guardian trust you? The question suddenly entered his mind without permission.
Guardians help each other, they rely on each other when they need help, but why didn't they rely on him for once?
He couldn't help it, the questions kept coming one by one no matter how much he wanted it to stop, and the silence was making it worse.
The silence didn't give him anything else to muse, the silence reminded him of his past life, where no one believed in him, he had no one to talk to, it was always silent.
He shook his head violently, trying to get rid of the disturbing thoughts.
But the more he did the worst it got.
Maybe he would end up in the same room on Christmas eve, because North didn't trust him either and he just might cause a blizzard on Christmas eve.
He spent the first few years of his existence clinging to the windows of families, watching them celebrate their Christmas Eve together. All he could do was watch them, occasionally he would smile, watching the children open their presents, watching a family sit by the fireplace together, it made him yearn for a family of his own to spend Christmas with, but it was most likely never going to happen. Harsh reality struck him, he was alone, no one could hear or see him, no one cares about him. He spent the other few years blasting ice at the plants and ferns, covering the ground with snow as a form of releasing his anger contained within his heart and to his surprise the children were enjoying the frost and cold, building snowmen and having snowball fights, which is why Jack started delivering snow days to the whole world, to spread joy to children everywhere. But one day he ventured far off into the forests of Burgess and found people, huddling close to a fire that will never light up. He tried to help them, but his hand just slid past them. Helpless, he watched them freeze, Teeth chattering uncontrollably, slowly in the forty foot snow until their death.
That was when he realized how tragic winter could be, and it was all his doings.
He killed life because of the frigid unforgiving cold.
Children loved snow days but he never thought of the adults?
The other spirits called him winter, the season that kills most people. Others thought of him as a murderer, merciless with a heart as cold as his frost. It made him curl up in a snow bank and cry. He knew it wasn't true, he cared about everyone, he didn't like to see anyone die, he tried to help them but he just can't! Then it dawned on him everyone hated him even the guardians.
He began to piece it together, the only reason the guardians accepted him into their guild was because they needed the help of his power, now he was just a disturbance.
He was on the naughty list every year because what he was doing was far off worst than what Pitch was doing.
His shoulders began to shake, he was a terrible person, no wonder he was ignored for 300 years. He deserved it after causing so much mischief that was more of a crime.
But that was what he thought.
"You are not one of them," Pitch's voice rung in his head, "they will never accept you." The voice continued to echo his head and Jack actually believed every word he said.
"Put more red in it!" North enthused looking at the yeti's finished product, "Stop slacking!" he commanded Phil who was snoring loudly on the comfy chair by the fireplace.
It's been hours since he left Jack alone in the room, he finally decided to go check on him, expecting to see the room frozen with blankets of snow and the floor turned into a sheet of ice.
But what he saw was different from what he was expecting, opposite of him was Jack sitting on the edge of his bed, his back turned on him, huddling his knees to his chest, slightly shivering. It made his heart sink.
Perhaps he had left the boy for too long, perhaps he gotten lonely, "Jack," he cooed only to receive the most heart wrenching answer, 'everyone hates me" he turned to face North's puzzled expression, "Am I a horrible person? That's why I wasn't believed in for the past 300 years"
"No, it is not," North tried to lay a hand on his shoulder but Jack squirmed away from his touch, "YOU DON'T TRUST ME!" he spat without thinking, "you always believe that I'll mess everything up" the room temperature dropped 10 degrees expressing Jack's emotions, the wind howled and lashed wildly, surrounding the winter spirit as a form of protection.
North felt awful seeing the young joyous winter spirit in a depressed state, he never seen him this sad before, neither did he think he would be upset if Bunny didn't trust him, he thought he would have fun in the pole, he enjoyed Jack around because of his enthusiasm. Now he felt so guilty for agreeing with Bunny about this.
He pulled Jack into an embrace rubbing slow circles on his back, "Jack…" he stopped as he felt something slide past his arm, he looked down at the immortal teen to see tears escaping his tightly shut eyes, freezing midway down his face and turning into beads of ice, like diamonds.
Family Jack liked the sound of that, he couldn't remember any member of his family except for his sister, and he didn't know what it was like to have a family anymore.
But still, nothing changes the fact of what Pitch said wasn't true, he couldn't be sure, "Well what if something like the last Easter happens again?" he slurred.
North wasn't given the chance to say anything as Jack continued, "You'll send me away again." His voice cracked into a whisper, "I'll be alone again."
His fragile trust was shattered after Bunnymund had sent him away. His stomach felt like an empty pit when he was in Antarctica, he didn't want to feel that way ever again.
Which is one of the reasons why he didn't want to grow open to the guardians; because it would be easier and less painful if it really did happen again.
North made awkward attempts to make the young winter spirit feel better, at least it was working because the room temperature heated up a little, but he knew the feeling of emptiness will never disappear, Jack has grown so used to being alone, he didn't even need a family to look after him; he is capable of looking after himself.
But it's never too late to try and earn back his trust. "Jack….I trust you, and I will never send you away no matter what you do, I just hope you'll trust me as well"
He felt the boy's grip tighten on his coat, whether Jack declines their trust or not, Bunny owes him a big apology. The crystal tears slid into the floor, shattering against the hard wooden surface, Jack's breaths grew hitched as the tears poured continuously. North pulled him into a tighter embrace, stroking his white locks gently. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" he kept repeating, and North didn't even know what he was sorry about. Keeping his arm around his shoulder, he comforted the sprite until he calmed a little, the tears ceased. Sighing, he pulled away from the embrace He glanced at the winter spirit who was now dazed on his own spot of the bed and had sunken in deep thought.
"Jack..." North decided to share his own personal secret he had kept from the others, "I too have longed for a family for years," he said softly.
Jack stared up at him with wide eyes.
"I love children" he continued, "and I always desire for children of my own." he sat back down on the edge of the bed, "but it is too late for children at this time." He chuckled and clasped his large hands on Jack's shoulders, "Jack, you don't just bring joy to children, you bring joy to us as well, and I want to offer you a proper home, here at the pole, you'll finally have a place to call home, and you would never be alone."
"What? No, I can't" Jack rejected his offer, "I'll just get in the way of things."
"Ahh, don't worry about that yetis can manage!" North suddenly boomed, "Besides, you can't just live beside lake all the time," his voice suddenly got softer, "that is what I can offer, in apology for leaving you in solitude for 300 years, and to show you that I trust you…son," the last word trailed into a whisper.
Jack swore he heard the word son and he just wanted nothing more but to fly off and do a bunch of aerial back flips but he restrained himself.
He'd never been called a son before, it felt good, and the word echoed in his thoughts over and over, beginning to feel a little familiar, perhaps his long forgotten father always called him that and it felt really good.
"O-okay, as-as long as i-it's okay w-w-ith you" he stammered.
"Good!" North stood up and walked to the door, "and always remember that we ARE your family." He said with a smile, "Now make yourself at home, your new home." He smiled warmly and slowly pulled the door shut.
When he left, Jack really did his back flips and nearly knocked himself out the window. He was happy now, a little overjoyed, he didn't expect this whole thing to happen, all he was expecting was dealing with his intense emotions. Now he finally proved that Pitch is wrong. A warm sensation sprouted from his heart, filling his entire body with warmth. He didn't go well with the heat, it would suffocate him, but this kind of heat felt good. He sat back, allowing the warmth to fill his entire body.
Scars never heal, but they do fade when given time. North had a strong feeling that Jack's scars would fade soon enough and he would finally forget the feeling or harsh unforgiving solitude, because now, he had a family, who would always look after him.
Bunny still owed him an apology, whether he liked it or not.
It was true, after this day, the way he looked at North was never the same again.
The first time I was writing this, I was in a big rush to finish due to loads of school work, but I just had to type it down so I won't forget anything I have to write down.
Sorry for the alternation of P.O.V it's a bad habit I can't get rid of XD
I nearly knocked the TV out of the window when "Brave" won in the golden globe awards for best animated film; I mean…I just expected the guardians to win, WHY! WHY! WHY! WHY! VOTERS! No offense to those who liked Brave, but why not Wreck It Ralph?