Chioniphobia

Words

Nikolai St. North was a man who expressed his happiness in grand, sweeping gestures. He never just smiled- his face would light up, his eyes would brighten, he'd throw his arms open as if preparing to give a bear hug. He was larger than life, a literal legend, and not given to quietness.

So when Mrs. Claus made her way down to the workshop, Jack expected North to give a great, joyous shout, or sweep his wife up in his arms and spin her around. He did not expect Mr. Claus to stand there, dumbstruck, mouth slightly open, but no words forthcoming.

Natasha smiled gently up at her husband as she approached him, lifting her hand to cradle his rosy cheek.

"Hello, Nicky," she whispered.

The spell was broken. North let out a belly laugh and plucked up his wife as easily as if she were a feather, eyes full of wonder as he danced her around and around, the bustling yetis clearing a space for the couple even as they gathered around to see the returned Mrs. Claus.

When her husband had finally let her feet touch the ground again, and she'd managed to greet the yetis and elves, Natasha made her way over to Jack. The young winter spirit was impressed to see that even the elves got out of her path, as opposed to remaining stumbling blocks as they did for North.

"So how do you know Nicky?" Natasha asked pleasantly, withholding a giggle as her husband planted a kiss on her cheek before going back to work.

"Uh, well, Ni-North and I go back a ways, actually. Even before I became a Guardian, we'd run into each other now and then. Now that I am a Guardian, though, I see him a lot more."

"You two get along?"

"We're pretty good pals, I think. He can be a bit...uh..."

"Overbearing?"

"Sometimes."

"I understand," Natasha sympathized. "I am glad you two are friendly. You're getting along with the others as well, yes?"

"Yeah, yeah. Bunny and I didn't get off to the best start, but we're cool now. Sandy's always been pretty chill, and Tooth was never icy towards me."

Natasha raised an eyebrow. "Do you know Grim, by any chance?"

"Yeah, what gave it away?"

"You seem to share her love of terrible puns."

"Ouch, that's cold."

Natasha swept her long red braid over her shoulder and laughed, green eyes sparkling. "I wish we could've met earlier. I wonder why Grim never introduced us."

"Oh, I only met Grim a few weeks ago. How long have you known her?"

"We've been friends for decades, dear. I think we've known each other for...oh, about a hundred years now?"

"Did you ever see her wings?"

Natasha blinked, startled. "How do you know about her wings?"

"She told me."

Mrs. Claus frowned, absently winding a stray lock of hair around her finger. Jack noted that the white streaks in her strikingly red hair were highly reminiscent of a candy cane.

"You've only known her a few weeks, you said?" Natasha confirmed, puzzled.

Jack nodded. "Why? Is that important?"

She shrugged, tucking the stray lock behind her ear. "As far as I know, she's only ever told two other people about her wings, and one of them is me."

"And the other is Sandy?"

"Oh. Well, I suppose, but he wasn't really who I was thinking of. He was there when it happened, after all- I wasn't, and neither was Gabby."

Jack threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. "Gabby? Who the heck is Gabby?! How many more friends are you guys hiding from me?!"

"Calm down, dear. Here, have a cup of cocoa," she offered, plucking a mug off of a passing tray. The disgruntled yeti carrying said tray looked as if he might take issue with this, but Mrs. Claus held up a finger and the yeti trundled away, grumbling.

Jack took the mug, cautiously wrapping his fingers around it as he blew some of the steam curling from the liquid inside. "Sorry, Mrs. Claus. I just...I don't like it when there's a bunch of stuff going on that I don't know about, you know? For years all I knew about myself was my name and the fact no one could see me. I'm trying to stay in the loop now, but..." He took a sip of cocoa. "It's hard. Especially when you guys have been around for so long. No offense- you look great for somebody over a hundred."

Natasha laughed again, putting hand to her heart as she graciously accepted the compliment with a little curtsy. "Oh, I'm well over two hundred now, my dear. What about you? Have you hit the big one-oh-oh yet?"

He grinned. "Yeah, three times over."

"Goodness! I never would have guessed it. Wait..." she squinted, appraising him. "That would make you older than me. That can't be right."

Jack bowed. "I'm still young at heart, thankyouverymuch."

"Yes, I can see that," Natasha remarked warmly, giving him a motherly pat on the head. "I'm surprised we haven't crossed paths before, in any case- you're a winter spirit, yes? I'd have thought Nicky would have at least mentioned you to me."

"I did only get my first real believer a few years ago, but...you sure North never mentioned Jack Frost?"

Natasha's hands flew to her mouth. "The Jack Frost?"

"Ooh, I get a the! Very nice."

"Very naughty," she countered. "You hold the record for longest consecutive run of being on the naughty list, you know."

Jack chuckled. "It's become a little harder to keep up my reputation now that I'm a Guardian and all, but my record's holding strong."

"Well that won't do- only good girls and boys get to try my famous gingerbread!" she warned him.

"Wait, what?! North! You never told me there was gingerbread on the line, here!" Jack protested.

North shrugged jovially, then returned to working on whatever thingamabob he was constructing. Mock-outraged, Jack turned back to his conversation partner.

"Can you believe this?! All these years, and he was holding out on me!"

"Honestly, I'm not surprised. Nicky probably wanted to eat all of it himself. So be good now- my husband needs to try for a healthier diet," she stated, the last part a touch louder than the rest of her sentence.

North pretended not to hear as Jack doubled over laughing.