Story Title: The Joy of Parenthood

Author: Mathais

Rating: T

Fandom: Rise of the Guardians

Warnings: Slash, mentions of underage drinking

Pairings: Jack/Jamie

Summary: Jack makes an ice dragon. It learns how to talk. Jamie doesn't know how to deal.

Disclaimer: I don't own the elements/characters of Rise of the Guardians.

Notes: Unbetaed flashfic from yarrayora's post here: yarrayora. tumblr post /75576410976 /what-if-jack-is-making-his-own-little-helpers. Post itself at the bottom; I honestly don't know where this came from but seriously, no regrets.

OoOoO

"Jack. Jack, Jack, JACK!"

Jack stopped humming and drew his attention away from messing around with the frost on the trees in Burgess. He was having a wicked time with the icicles, getting them to drip in ways such that they ended up looking like a kaleidoscope when you looked from the right spot. He was hoping to get an awesome lensing effect around midday. On the other hand, Jamie sounded really, really panicked. Not fearful, because if he was scared then Jack would be there bury the problem in a glacier, but still worried.

"Hey Jamie, what's up? I thought you had class in, y'know, New York!"

A flash of guilt crossed Jamie's face—ooh, Jack was definitely having an influence there if good-boy Jamie was skipping class—before it melted back to worry. "Well, I needed to go out and you know how Sheila—"

"—Danny—" Jack interrupted.

"—focus, Jack!" Jamie snapped, and Jack straightened. If Jamie wouldn't be baited into that age-old argument, something was definitely wrong.

"What happened?" Jack asked, this time serious.

"Well, Sheila likes flying around with me, y'know?"

Jack couldn't help it; he leered at Jamie. "You're a wonderful rider!"

Jamie thwaped him, but Jack was gratified to see the red streak cross his face. "Anyway, we were above the clouds when Sheila started talking to me!"

"Wait, what?"

"She called me Papa and asked if I was having fun. You didn't tell me that your creations could talk!"

Jack frowned. "They shouldn't. None of the others do. What'd you do with her?"

"She's resting on the lake right now," Jamie said, eyes wild. "Jack, I don't know what to do with a talking dragon!"

"First off, you can start breathing. Jamie. Jamie, look at me!" Jack grabbed Jamie and locked eyes with him. His pupils were blown wide and his breath was coming in harsh pants. There was no way that was good. "Breathe with me Jamie, breathe."

Slowly, slowly, Jamie's breaths evened out. Without even meaning to, their faces grew closer until their foreheads touched and Jamie's warmth was bleeding into him. Jack didn't know how long they stood there, breaths syncing, until Jamie closed his eyes and fell into Jack's arms.

"Sorry," he murmured.

"No problem. You all right now?"

Jamie took in a deep breath and released it against Jack's neck, head nestled into his chest like it belonged (and would always belong if Jack had his way). "Yeah, I'm good."

"Now, let's go see Danny—"

"—she prefers Shelia," Jamie retorted and straightened.

Jack grinned. "All right then, let's go see Shelia."

OoOoO

"Oh shit, you weren't joking."

"I nearly have a panic attack and you think I'm joking?"

"You grew up with me. Commitment to a prank comes with the package!"

"...I can concede that. But still—"

"Mama!" Sheila trilled and launched herself at him.

Jack winced as what felt like a ton of ice landed on his chest and knocked him flat. An icy tongue rolled out and began licking him, leaving cold trails of water on his cheeks. Oh yeah, this was definitely Sheila and she was definitely talking.

Jack remembered what had birthed Sheila not too long ago. Now that he had duties beyond being a winter spirit, Jack decided to make some helpers. Little sprites and faeries spun from ice, some birds and mammals when he felt more confident. Nothing too special, nothing more than pre-programmed bits of magic that took on the appearance of life but weren't strictly. Most sentient beings already helped someone else, and Jack had more than enough fun with his human followers anyway. They were just bits and pieces associated with winter to speed things along.

(Except snowmen. Jack just didn't do snowmen. He and Frosty got into a slugfest last time they met until North staged a yeti intervention that left lines clearly drawn. Jack still wanted to rip that stupid carrot off his face and shove it—)

Anyway, one night he'd gotten ambitious. Jamie'd turned eighteen and smuggled some of his mother's alcohol. The rest of the night was filled with the sweet haze of ice wine and the harsh burn of whiskey and floaty giggles and pleasant warmth. There'd probably been a dare somewhere along the way because Jack had taught Jamie so well and his not-so-little light could be a filthy opportunist when the occasion arose. When Jack woke up the next day, head pounding like whoa, Jamie was snuggled in his arms and a motherfucking ice dragon was curled around them both, winged cupping them in an embrace.

Jamie had fallen in love with it (Jack called it him, but Jamie insisted it was a her) and named it Sheila and, well, Jack couldn't help but give in. Jamie had taken to riding dragon-back like he'd been born for it, and some of Jack's happiest moments were in the skies with Jamie and Sheila, surrounded by the wind and laughing in the night sky.

But, well, he'd never expected this.

"Sheila, Sheila!" Jack laughed because, seriously, what could he do? "Let me up!"

"Okay, Mama!" And finally, Jack could breathe again, lack of actual need for oxygen notwithstanding. The ice dragon instead pounced on Jamie instead, who went down with a slightly hysterical shriek.

And, hey, wait. "Why am I 'Mama'?"

"Mama is Mama." Sheila gave a draconic shrug and went back to curling around Jack's hapless boyfriend.

"Well, 'Mama', what are we going to do now?"

Jack winced.

OoOoO

"She is beautiful, Jack!" North laughed.

"Of course she is!"

"Why have you hidden her away from us so long?"

"Ask Jamie."

"Hey, don't put this on me! You just didn't want to get into trouble for making something so conspicuous!"

"Anyway, what do you think? Do you know what happened?"

"Hm, is interesting case." North cycled through a series of lenses on a giant magnifying glass. Sheila, on the other hand, was distracted by a bowl of ice cream one of the yetis produced. Considering she was slightly translucent, it was extremely weird to see that ice cream pass through his dragon. "So you say nothing like this has happened with your other creations?"

"Nope. They run just like they're supposed to."

"Yes, yes, I see that. Your magic is all throughout her, except for... Aha!" North grinned. "Jamie, come over here."

Jamie looked up from where Phil was pampering him with hot cocoa and they were discussing Jamie's latest short story. "Uh, sure."

North swung his magnifying glass over to him and made an excited noise. "Ah, yes, was what I thought!"

"Wait, you know what happened?" Jack demanded.

"Yes, yes. Doesn't happen so much anymore, but used to, long time ago. When magic mixes with magic, fun things happen!"

"Magic?" Jamie questioned. "I have magic?"

North scoffed. "Everything has magic. Is not so obvious, yes, but all living things have magic. Less flashy than it used to be, but not less powerful. And Sheila, you beautiful dragon," North reached down and scratched at her neck, her purrs filling the air, "is product of your magics mixing. Is how she's alive!"

Jack and Jamie shared a bewildered glance.

North's face schooled into sternness. "Now, boys, it is important responsibility to take care of new life. You must raise her properly!"

By the time they flew away from the North Pole, both of them were still numb from shock.

"Oh shit, Jack, did we have a kid together?"

"Looks like."

"I probably shouldn't be swearing right now, huh?"

"Definitely, no."

"Papa, Mama, you're so funny!"

OoOoO

"You realize this means you knocked me up that night."

"Shut it, Jack."

OoOoO

"No, Sheila, don't eat that!"

"But it tastes funny and a little sweet!"

"...Jack, why does my toothpaste taste sweet?"

"Ehehehehe..."

OoOoO

"Aaaaaaaaaaaah!"

"Wheeeee!"

"—pull up pull up pull up pull up—"

"That was fun, Papa!"

"You all right, Jamie?"

"Yeah, once my heart goes back to normal. Hey, sweetie? Can you warn me next time?"

"Sorry, Papa."

OoOoO

"Holy fuckballs, Bennett, you knocked up Jack!"

"Cupcake!"

OoOoO

"No, no, that's not a toy Sheila! Please don't eat that!"

"Aww, but it tastes good, Mama!"

"That's my staff, I need that!"

"Here's some frostpine, Sheila."

"Thanks Papa!"

"Oh thank Manny, Jamie."

"No problem!"

OoOoO

"Did you know she could shrink like that?"

"No, no I didn't. She's really cute like this though."

"Yeah, she really is."

"Y'know, you could hide her in your bag now."

"Is this a subtle way of saying I should spend more time with our daughter?"

"Maybe at night, yeah. She can fit in your dorm now."

"...all right."

OoOoO

"Uh, mom, yeah... Want to meet your granddaughter? Mom? MOM? JACK, HELP ME!"

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MOM, JAMIE?"

"SHE FAINTED! JACK, HELP!"

"WHAT DID YOU TELL HER?"

"Um, y'know Sheila...?"

"Your ice dragon?"

"She's kind of my kid. OH GOD, NOT YOU TOO SOPHIE! IS THIS GENETIC?"

OoOoO

"You realize you're getting married now, young man."

"Wait, what? I don't think I can even file a marriage license when one of our legal identities has been deceased for 300 years..."

"It's still an option."

"Mom."

"...you already did it, didn't you? JAMIE BENNETT, YOU DIDN'T INVITE YOUR OWN MOTHER TO YOUR WEDDING?"

"Oops. Uh, hey, Sheila! Come in!"

"Grandma!"

"Oh, hi sweetie! How are you?"

"I'm fine, Grandma! Jack taught me how to fire an ice breath today!"

"Aw, that's adorable. Just not in the house, dear. Jamie Bennett, you're not off the hook yet."

"Nuts."

OoOoO

"Hey, Sheila, can you just aim your breath that way?"

"Like this, Mama?"

"Yes, just like that. And on my count, three, two, one—"

"—aaah! Jack Frost, I'll get you for that!"

"Hahaha, that's what you get, snowman! C'mon Sheila, fly away with me!"

"That was fun, Mama! What else are we going to do?"

"Well, the Bunny has this thing going on—"

OoOoO

"That's cheating, Jack!"

"Yeah, you have an ice dragon!"

"Mama, I think this cheating too."

"Aw, you too, Sheila?"

"Yeah, Sheila, come to our side!"

"Whee!"

"Hey, Sheila? What are you doing with those snowballs—oof!"

"Yay, Sheila's with us now!"

"C'mon kids, let's go!"

OoOoO

Jamie gave Sheila a kiss to her snout as he settled in for the night. She, now small enough to fit in his palm, curled up on her special pillow bed on top of the dresser and purred. "Good night, Sheila," he whispered.

"Mmmm, night, Papa, Mama" she said drowsily.

Exhausted, Jamie dropped into bed. Jack immediately reached over and pulled him tight against his body, comforter over both their bodies.

"Long day, huh?" Jack whispered into Jamie's neck, cold breath tickling the exposed skin and sending goosebumps up his spine.

"The longest," he groaned. "Sheila kept pestering me, and I have that deadline coming up."

"Don't lie, she's an inspiration for you."

"Yeah, yeah she is."

They laid there for a few more moments, just soaking in each other. Jamie felt his exhaustion bleed out as everything that made Jack, Jack surrounded him.

"Jack? I love you."

"I love you too, Jamie."

"Even though I goaded you into making a living dragon?"

Jack smirked into his neck. "I made you take responsibility, didn't I?"

"...yeah, yeah. No regrets. Good night, Jack."

"Night, Jamie."

OoOoO

Post:

WHAT IF

Jack is making his own little helpers, idk what yet. They started small but then he decided to make an ICE DRAGON. And then he let Jamie named the dragon and they both ended up naming her Sheila.

The ice dragon seemed to be different from the other helpers, until one day Sheila learned how to talk and called Jamie 'Papa'

Basically Jack and Jamie have an ice dragon as a daughter.