[Closed] I'm not dead, I'm just floating

[2cool4guardian]

Who: Jack Frost and his hypocrisy his traumatized cr (Hiccup, Hiro, Korra, Rei, Athena)
When: IC 3/17 (aka backdated to three days after the raid)
Where: Their apartments, the shrines
What: After coming back from the death, Jack wants to check on his friends
Rating/Warning: Lots of angst, talk about death, mentions of gory details

[For three hundred years, Jack didn't know who he was or where he came from... but death had always definitely been an option. He had many other theories too, of course, but being dead fit the pattern - spirits had to come from somewhere, right? So when he finally found out the truth, it wasn't shocking. He was delighted to get his story, and even if being dead became a touchy subject later, it was because of its nature more than how it affected Jack.

This time, things aren't as easy.

Death shouldn't be a fear for him. Something to think about when it comes to his past, sure. Worry about belief and disappearing, that too. But facing physical pain with such horror? That shouldn't be a thing for Jack - he may've been hit multiple of times and it hurt, but it's only magic that can truly damage him. So facing that fan and being caught in its blades... there are no words to describe how horrible it was.

That's what he's thinking about when he wakes up in the park. Is this death? Is it Ceres messing with him? Has worldhopping changed his nature? Jack lays there on the grass, frustrated, angry, feeling powerless, and most importantly... scared.

The way to fight fear is fun, and what makes Jack snap out of it is the sound of bright laughter coming from the children running toward him. They're so happy to see him! They missed him, they have been so worried! Jack is buried under hugs and tears and, underwhelming as it is, he'll take this over angsty thoughts everyday.

He can think about his death later. Here he has people to worry about. As long as he is still an eternal spirit, he can go on, coping with pain as it comes. He coped for three centuries after all.

The kids aren't told the truth, but Jack stays with them until his body is less sore and his powers are fully back (what's with that anyway?). Then he sends them home with promises of more fun tomorrow - he has things to do.

A Guardian cares about children, sure, but he also cares about his friends.]



((ooc: I'll add top levels for each character! As I said in plurk, please don't feel pressured to tag right now. I'm just setting up things for organization, you can tag when your own threads are done.))

Comments

for Athena

[2cool4guardian]

[So everyone is fine. Well, as fine as they can be considering the circumstances, but at least... they are here. Time will do the rest.

What comes next? The colony has gotten quite better in a couple of days, so that means nobody else got in trouble, right?

A quick check on the communicator shows him how wrong he is. And so Athena gets a quick text.]

ceres sucks big time yep
where are you?
let's complain about ceres together

[psycholawgy]

i'm at work if you want to visit me
at the hospital

[2cool4guardian]

[He doesn't bother answer, he just flies there, showing up at the window with a bad of popsicles and a small, kinda sad smile on his face. After all the stories he's heard today, he doesn't know what to expect anymore.]

Order for Nurse Athena?

[psycholawgy]

[ she has her own room, and she opens the window straight away when she sees jack. the room doesn't look like a doctor's room at all. in fact, it's more reminiscent of a living room because of the stacks of books, as well as some shelves, and of course, comfy couches. ]

That's Doctor Athena to you, [ she says as she gestures for jack to come in. ]

[2cool4guardian]

[It's a nice room, and Jack is thankful for the lack of usual doctor equipment. After what happened, the mere idea of tools like those near his body can get on his nerves. He goes in as soon as he sees that gesture, arching an eyebrow at Athena.]

Oh, I'm sorry, doc. I don't need an appointment, do I? [He approaches Athena with steady hovering, not much of an energetic flier today, and offers her a popsicle.] I saw your long text thingy. What happened?

[psycholawgy]

[ popsicle! yes!!! open it and immediately chomps on it.

then she sits down on her swivel chair. jack can relax on one of the couches. ]

Not much. [ obviously a lie, because he necklace turns red and shows an angry face. ] What happened with you?

[2cool4guardian]

[Jack starts chomping on a popsicle too as he lands on the back of the couch, perching there like a bird and raising an eyebrow at her necklace. What the...]

So you ranted on the network over "not much"? [Yeah, not buying it.] We... we entered the Ceres building, tried to find the missing spirit. It didn't go well. [To say the least.]

[psycholawgy]

[ necklace turns yellow! with a :O face too. ]

You what?! What happened?!

[2cool4guardian]

How come I have to tell my story first?

[HE'S WORRIED TOO OK. Also that necklace is really distracting.]

Got in, got ki-- [...] kicked, failed the mission. That's what happened.

[psycholawgy]

[ she looks at him, eyebrows crossed. ]

Ki... Kicked.

Did you die...?

[2cool4guardian]

[He doesn't look at her when he answers.]

...second time is the charm, huh.

[psycholawgy]

[ she immediately gets up from her seat and gives him a hug. who cares about frostbite? certainly not athena. ]

[2cool4guardian]

[He definitely doesn't see that coming. Jack tenses and is still for a short moment before he finally returns the hug, loose at first but getting kinda clingy after.]

...please tell me you didn't die too.

[psycholawgy]

[ the hug is tight, but she pulls away after some warmth and cold has been shared before she responds. ]

We didn't. But we got tortured in ViViD.

[2cool4guardian]

[It was a nice, comforting moment that quickly goes away when Jack hears what happened to Athena.]

They what--! [His popsicle falls to the floor and that's the room temperature definitely dropping with his anger.] How-- why-- what were you guys doing there anyway?

[psycholawgy]

[ um!!! it's getting colder, gosh... she starts rubbing her forearms with her palms, not letting it look like she's bothered by it so much for jack's sake. ]

We kidnapped an employee and interrogated him... we didn't even get much out of him.

[2cool4guardian]

You gotta be kidding me! They mess with us every other week but the minute you get in their way you get tortured?

[Sorry, Athena, he's a bit distracted at the moment. He'll take care of that weather when he's done ranting. Sorry about the frost on the couch, too.

He runs his fingers through his hair, mumbling under his breath, wanting to go back to Ceres but remembering what Hiccup said stops him. He looks up at Athena, frowns and... pokes her with the tip of his staff.]

Don't try that again! They're dangerous and won't stop until you-- [Get killed. Someone is sounding pretty old right now.]

[psycholawgy]

We needed answers!

[ as much as she wanted to exclaim that, her voice wavers around due to the cold. not to mention that she's started to speak slower than normal. ]

I'm— I'm going to do what I can to help as many people here, and that includes getting answers for them.

[2cool4guardian]

Answers aren't worth your life!

[Unlike her, he has no problem snapping, a sudden and strong wind slamming the window shut. That's what makes Jack realize his little mood-weather problem and so he puts the staff down, also lowering his eyes as he concentrates on calming down and returning the room temperature to normal.]

...you have to help yourself, too. [The word of the day is: hypocrisy.]

[psycholawgy]

Hey, look at me.

[ all athena can offer is a smile, despite how scared she is right now. ]

I'm fine.

[2cool4guardian]

[He does look up, and he can't help a little smile of his own, even if he kinda disapproves of her getting those ideas again. So he reaches out and pinches her nose. Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...]

No more danger for you.

[psycholawgy]

[ IT WAS NIPPING, NOT PINCHING? gosh... ]

K- Kind of hard for that in this place!

[ cold... ]

[2cool4guardian]

[TOMATO, TOMATOE... He knows she's right about that, but still - gotta be stubborn and defend his point!]

You're safely helping here, Doctor Athena. Healing the broken?

[psycholawgy]

I don't have a license to be a real doctor, so I'm just a therapist.

[ she gestures to the comfy couches, as if presenting them. ]

Ta-dah!

[2cool4guardian]

[He laughs at that - he likes it playful people, and Athena is always ready for the antics.]

Nice. I'll take you over Freud any day. He didn't like my snowballs. Are hugs part of the treatment?