poor boy, lost &. alone, the wind is your only friend. his howls are your lullaby, his icy touch a loving embrace, the twinkle of stars behind the rustling canopy the glint of a smile, a whispered chuckle into your ear. you take solace in it. but doesn't it get lonely? little boy? do you not wish for a mother's arms / a beating heart / warm hands ? do you not wish for a father's smile / a deep laugh / proud &. callused hands ? do you not wish for a sister ? a brother ? a lover ? a friend ? do you not wish to have someone, to no longer be so so so alone ?
of course you do. but it is a mere wish &. your existence is far from a miracle.
things had changed. for three hundred years, her entire UNIVERSE had been jack frost. it seemed inconceivable that there would ever come a time when she didn’t long to be by his side. and yet… here they were.
gaining a form with hands and feet and eyes once again was so breathtakingly exciting, she had wanted to go. to wander and experience earth firsthand. jack was strong enough without her, he didn’t need her anymore and she had trusted that working with the guardians would give him the family he had so longed for. and whenever she asked him if he would be alright without her, his response was “yes.”
on her own, time passed quickly. linear thought and dates and times and memories themselves were blurred into excitement at her new life. new life, new freedom, new FRIENDS!! she almost lost herself at times in the joy of it all. in the beginning, she always came back to jack frost. checking in, asking about how he’s been, how life as a guardian is treating him. and he always says he’s fine. not to worry. so she doesn’t.
it’s here, in this small town, playing with a group of kids that lovingly called her their imaginary friend, she spotted him. not for the first time, she feels a flicker of worry in her chest. how long has it been now since they saw each other? surely, it can’t be more than… a few years. there’s a strange expression on his face, and she breaks away from the game of tag to run to his side. as if no time has passed at all.
“ isn’t it a beautiful day? i could stay out here for hours! “
she throws her arms around his shoulders and hugs him tightly, and for a second, she feels that center she had been attuned to for so long thrumming in his chest.
“ how ARE you, jack? “
He nearly FLINCHES when she brings him into an embrace, god. Such a simple gesture of affection shook him to his very core. How pathetic was that ? Oh, but, he lets her do it anyway. He allows a hand to half - heartedly give her head a pat, he doesn’t pull away. He doesn’t run. Not PHYSICALLY, anyway. Oh, but he wanted to. He couldn’t allow himself to get USED TO this again. Couldn’t let hope make him its toy.
A weak smile plays on pale lips &. he allows a strained chuckle to slip through them, glancing up at the sky. Holly had a point. Despite the snow &. chilly weather, the sun was still glimmering in the sky. Reflected off of the white ground ? Even Jack would admit that it was a sight to behold.
“ Eh, I’ve seen better. I’ll give it a 6 / 10 at best. Though . . . It is nice. ” For a brief moment, the gentle curvature of his lips seems normal, it wasn’t FORCED, it seemed like it really belonged on his face. Oh, but that only lasts for a short while, that little happy flame is snuffed out almost immediately. There it was, that million dollar question.
HOW ARE YOU ?
For most, it was just small talk, but for him it was a little different. Every moment he hesitated was another chance for the truth to slip out between clenched teeth. He didn’t WANT to lie, but what other choice did he have? Talk about what’s really been bothering him ?Preposterous.
Here it was, he’d rehearsed this a million times, just follow through. Don’t BOTCH THIS UP. Not like he does with everything else. “ Oh, well, I’m - ” &. then he stops. Why did he stop ? It was only for a few seconds, a little LONGER than an intake of breath, it couldn’t be noticeable, god he hoped it wasn’t noticeable. In a panic, the words tumble from his mouth &. he can almost feel the word LIAR being engraved into his skin. “ I’m fine, like always, “ he says, the chirp in his voice all too fake. “ How are you? “
Jack watches the children frolic &. play, bursting through hills of snow, piled high on roadsides &. driveways, soft mountains of white crumbling under small bodies bouncing off of figurative walls. Of course, they had every reason to be EXCITED. Why? Well, it was a snow day, of course ! ! ! Was there anything a child could want more than 20 inches of snow on a cold winter’s morning ? On a Monday, too !
A small smile flickers across tired features, &. he lets out a heavy sigh. Hands reach out idly to grab his - oh. That’s right. Not his anymore, it - no, that’s not right - she had taken off . . . how long ago ? It wasn’t LONG, he couldn’t have forgotten already. His memory wasn’t that poor. Then again, the last DECADE had seemed blurred, perhaps the information just BLED INTO the background noise of years drifting past. He would never know.
Digits grasp weakly at empty air &. he purses his lips before withdrawing his hand. 300 years. &. now he was left alone. Guess old habits die hard. Fingers comb through his locks before dropping limply to his side. Something told him that frigid grip around his heart wasn’t NORMAL, it was familiar, but unwanted.
In the distance, the loving voices of two parents ring out across the suburbs, calling their children away from the cold. The spirit watches them go longingly. How DESPERATELY did he want a family like that ? But he turns away. Only desperate fools daydreamed about the things they couldn’t HAVE, only they gave themselves false hope.
‘ Maybe if I get to Canada before nightfall, I can avoid the Wendigos this ti - ‘ &. suddenly his train of thought is derailed&. he can feel some strain of PANIC building / throbbing /screaming in his chest. What kind of cruel mistress was FATE that he run into her of all people in a small town in Vermont? Out of everywhere in the world . . . what were the chances ?
“ Holly, ” his voice is but a WHISPER, a few snowflakes drifting on his shaking breath. Should he flee ? He was good at that, wasn’t he ?RUNNING AWAY from his problems. &. yet, he was frozen in place. How ironic.
