Cooling Down

I loved the idea of someone holding Jack and realising how cold he was. Then I came up with this idea and… it snowballed into minor insanity. Okay, serious insanity and minor (I hope) OOCness.

This also isn't quite my specialty, since I'm better at dialogue and this is sort of a competition between them – I kept remembering the 'collect the teeth' scene while writing this. But I figured I might as well tried something less talk-y, more do-y.

Disclaimer: Sorry. Don't own Rise of the Guardians. I'm just making the characters do weird things.

"Abandon Sleigh!" North shouted. "Abandon Sleigh!"

"Are you kidding? How high are we?" Bunnymund shouted over the roar of the crashing sleigh.

"Barely a foot up!" Jack answered. "We're gonna crash!"

"Okay! Jump!" Tooth shouted, leaping off the sleigh.

Sandy followed her with hesitation. Bunnymund jumped off, curling into a brace position and rolling against the ground. Jack was next, grabbing hold of his staff and leaping. North released the reins and followed the other Guardians off the side.

North tumbled around onto the hot sand and managed to sit up. "Is everyone okay?" The Russian man asked.

"I'm fine." Tooth said, getting unsteadily to her feet. She glanced around at her Mini-Fairies. They chirped happily, showing that they were fine.

"Crikey, mate." Bunnymund stumbled to his feet. "Could you have landed that any worse? And I'm fine."

"I'm okay." Jack winced, using his staff to steady himself. "How about you, Sandy?"

Sandy gave him a thumbs up.

North looked over to where the sleigh had last been seen. The bearded man sighed violently. "It will take long time to reach sleigh. Remind me to get very mad at the mechanic yetis."

"In all fairness, North," Jack said with a grimace. "You did drag the sleigh out before they were finished working on it. That might have had something to do with the equipment malfunction."

"Bah!" North said dismissively. "It was your idea to go see children once or twice to see how they are."

"First off, you really do need that experience. And you can't blame that on me." Jack jerked a thumb to where the sleigh had last been seen heading.

"Where are we, anyway?" Tooth winced, looking around. She looked at the bare area, the harsh ground and the steaming sky. "Are we in the desert?"

"You're kidding, right?" Jack groaned. "The desert?"

"I hate the desert." Bunnymund groaned.

"Why?" Tooth looked around. "Okay, it's not my favourite place to see, but it's pretty nice anyway. It's no worse than anywhere else, really. Well, anywhere else without kids."

"You're not covered in fur, mate." Bunnymund pointed out.

"Really? You're complaining about heat?" Jack gave him a look. "I'm the ice spirit."

"Do not be so gloomy." North said as the hot sun shone down. "It is only temporary."

"Yeah." Jack muttered, already beginning to feel the heat. He wiped sweat off his forehead.

Apparently, yes, he still had the ability to sweat.

"Come. Let us go get the sleigh." North instructed, setting off.

Tooth glanced at Bunny. "Can you make a tunnel?"

"Sorry, Tooth, but no can do." Bunnymund shook his head. "The sand falls down and floods the tunnels. You can't move through it and it just makes a huge mess to have to clean up later."

"Great." Jack muttered.

"I do not see you coming." North called from up ahead.

"Alright already." Tooth called, fluttering up to him.

Sandy glanced at Jack and Bunnymund, shrugged, and then flew off after him.

Bunnymund groaned and began to bound off after them.

Jack started to walk, wincing with the heat.

"Hurry up, Jack!" Tooth called. "The faster we can get to the sleigh, the faster we can get out of here."

Jack gave a weak smile, trying to support himself with his staff.

"Come on, mate." Bunnymund hopped over. "Can't you go any faster?"

"I don't like the heat…" Jack mumbled, his knees buckling under him. He grabbed hold of his staff as he sunk to his knees.

Bunnymund hesitated. "You alright, mate?"

"M'fine. Just a bit hot…" Jack muttered.

Then he slumped to the ground, eyes closing.

"Oh man." Bunnymund groaned.

With a sigh, he reached down and picked the immortal teen up. Jack mumbled something incomprehensible but didn't struggle. He was out for the count.

Bunnymund bounced back over to the waiting Guardians, holding Jack.

Sandy's eyes widened, looking at the boy. He glanced up at Bunnymund.

"I think he's okay." Bunnymund answered the question. "But I also don't think the heat'll be too good for him. I'm not loving it either, for that matter. Hey, can someone grab his staff? I can't carry it and him."

"Oh, sure thing." Tooth reached for the staff, but her Mini-Fairies got there first. They chittered at her, causing Tooth to smile despite the worry still apparent on her face.

"Come. The faster we get to sleigh, the better, especially for Jack." North set off again.

Tooth and Sandy followed. Bunny began to move after them, wincing from the heat.

"You had to drop unconscious, didn't you?" Bunnymund said to the unconscious teen. Strangely, Jack didn't reply.

Bunnymund adjusted him in his arms. And then paused as he realised something.

Jack was cold. Which, in hindsight, really shouldn't have been that surprising.

But the fact remained, his body-temperature was so low, he was actually cooling Bunny down.

Bunnymund smirked slightly, holding the teen just a little closer. Hey, the desert was steaming hot.

He hopped forwards with the rest of them, trying to keep his balance without dropping Jack.

"Oh, Bunny." Tooth spun around mid-air as she began up a sand dune. "Do you need a hand with him? You're stumbling-"

"Nah, it's fine, I got him."

"O…kay?" Tooth said slowly, raising an eyebrow. She'd expected the Pooka to hand Jack over at the first opportunity.

Bunnymund kept walking forwards. "How much further, mate?" He called out to North.

"The sleigh went fair way! I cannot see where." Santa called back.

Sandy glanced around. A picture of a sleigh, and an arrow pointing in the opposite direction, appeared over his head.

"How do we know we're going in the right direction, then?" Tooth asked, putting it into words.

"I swear mate, if you say you know it in your belly…" Bunnymund warned, adjusting the white-haired Guardian in his arms.

"No, no. I know we go this way because sleigh was travelling this way. Besides, I can see tracks over there." North pointed.

"Well, alright…" Bunny said cautiously. Again he adjusted the boy, trying to move the cold a little.

"Bunny, are you sure you don't want me to carry him?" Tooth asked. "You keep moving him…"

"I told you, I'm fine, Tooth. Thanks but."

"But you really look like you're having trouble-" Tooth flew over, reaching for the boy.

Suspicion furrowed her brow as she gently touched Jack's forehead to check how he was. "Since when have you been this willing to help Jack?"

"Uh…"

"Bunnymund!" Tooth admonished, realising exactly why Bunnymund was holding him so close. "Jack is our friend. He is not an ice-pack!"

"Actually, the kid works pretty well as one."

"Bunny!" Tooth yanked the white haired teen off from the Easter Bunny's hold.

Bunnymund shrugged as Tooth glowered. Behind her, the Mini-Fairies fluttered, giving him an exact same expression, still holding Jack's staff.

"That's horrible! Jack's our friend, and I can't believe you-" Tooth began.

Then she stopped, frowning thoughtfully as she realised that Bunnymund was right. Jack really was cold (okay, no surprises there) and the desert was hot.

She looked down at the white-haired Guardian, and then held him a little tighter, adjusting him into a position to get maximum coldness.

"Hey!" Bunnymund protested.

"What? Do you think I'm going to just drop him and leave him behind?" Tooth countered, holding him a little tighter.

Her Mini-Fairies all gave her identical looks. Tooth saw them.

"Oh shut up."

"People, please." North cut in. "Jack is our friend, and is clearly having trouble with the heat. As such, maybe you could be more understanding?" North suggested.

Tooth blushed. "You're right, North."

"I know I am right-" North began, taking Jack from Tooth. He stopped for a moment. "But maybe you have point."

Bunnymund hopped forwards and yanked the boy back. "I had him first!"

"Okay, now this is just childish-" Tooth began, then swooped down in the middle of her sentence. She grabbed Jack up from Bunnymund and began to rise above the others.

A whip of golden sand shot up, catching her ankle. Tooth was yanked unceremoniously to the ground. She automatically released Jack, who was caught by a magic carpet made of sand.

Sandy caught Jack, shaking his head. And then he paused, looking down at the boy.

He really was extremely light. Of course, a heavier-build wouldn't be able to be carried by the wind. But he was also just as cold as the others were implying…

Bunnymund hopped forwards, grabbing the boy. Sandy dropped him as Bunnymund smirked, continuing forwards towards the last known location of the sleigh.

North reached forwards, and with an agile movement, caught Bunnymund's ear.

"Ow! Watch it!"

North easily flipped the Pooka over, jumping up and catching Jack. The white haired boy mumbled something in North's arms as the Russian began to jog forwards.

Tooth swooped underneath North. She yanked Jack down from North's arms and then carried him up.

The Mini-Fairies glanced at each other. After a few moments of discussion in their language, they decided that as much as they loved Tooth, they'd leave her to her own devices this time round.

This was reaffirmed when Bunnymund bounded into the air, catching Jack. He dropped the boy on his back so that he was practically giving the boy a piggy-back – not that he'd ever say it like that – and started hopping quickly.

Sandman swooped down on a cloud of sad, grabbing the white-haired teen from behind. Jack flopped in Sandy's arms as they soared into the air.

Tooth knocked a foot into Sandy's back. Sandy stumbled, releasing his grip.

Tooth swooped to catch the falling boy, but North grabbed him first. "Haha!" North began to run, slinging Jack over his shoulder.

Bunnymund bounded into the air, grabbing Jack off from North. Jack was lightly tossed into the air, landing securely in the Pooka's grip.

"It's a good thing Jack's unconscious for this." One of the Mini-Fairies commented lightly as they continued carrying his staff towards the sleigh. Her sisters agreed.

A whip of sand curled around Jack's ankle, yanking him into the air. Sandy flew forwards and caught the cool boy, holding him easily. Sandy smirked, sticking his tongue out as his cloud of dream-sand began to move faster.

He bumped into North. How North had gotten there was anyone's guess, but North was in front of Sandy.

"Ha!" North yanked Jack. He held his arm to the side so that Sandy couldn't get it.

Tooth took that as an invitation to try and grab the white-haired boy from North. North looked genuinely surprised when he realised Jack was no longer in his arms, and that Tooth was streaking off.

Bunnymund shot forwards, leaping into the air. Tooth shot up higher than Bunnymund could jump, smirking down. "I've got him!" She said teasingly.

A boomerang knocked her in the small of the back. It was expertly thrown so as to not cause any actual damage, but just enough shock to make her drop several metres. Bunnymund leaped up, catching both the boomerang and Jack in mid-air.

Jack's refreshing coldness was like an energy boost, especially in this heat. He bounded forwards as fast as he could hop, easily scaling a sand dune.

Unfortunately not all the sand was regular sand. Bunny tumbled backwards as Sandy smirked, waving a hand gently. Sandman caught Jack mid-air.

North reached up, catching the frost spirit's ankle. With an easy movement, Santa kidnapped the teen and slung him over his shoulder.

North raced forwards as fast as he could, laughing.

Bunnymund bounced forwards, grabbing the teen. Before he'd even gotten another step Tooth had shot down and grabbed him, cradling him gently in an attempt to cool down.

A part of her mind commented that it would probably be a lot cooler to just go straight to the sleigh without the battle. She ignored it.

Soaring up higher, she froze. "Oh, there's the sleigh!" Tooth shouted, pointing to the downed mode of transportation. The reindeer were neighing and pawing at the ground. They probably liked the heat even less than the Guardians.

"Aha! Good, good! I told you it was this way!" North said, clapping his hands. Then he grabbed Jack off Tooth and started to run.

"Hey!" Tooth protested, swooping towards him.

"You snooze, you lose!" The Russian cackled.

Sandy bounded forwards and swooped Jack out of North's arms, shooting towards the sleigh.

Tooth managed to outstrip him, catching Jack on the way as she landed.

Her Mini-Fairies flew next to her, still holding Jack's staff.

The Tooth Fairy began to arrange Jack so that he was comfortably lying against her, in a way she was certain not only didn't hurt the unconscious Guardian but also spread cold around her own body.

Bunnymund and Sandman were the next in. "Blimey, mate, it's about time we reached the sleigh." Bunny hopped in as North got into the 'driver's seat'. "It's bloody boiling here."

In a quick movement he'd leaned behind the seat and yanked Jack forwards, careful not to hurt him. "Can we go, North?" He asked like nothing happened.

"We are going, we are going." North snapped the reins.

The reindeer all jumped up, moving unsteadily from the damaged sleigh and the heat.

With one hand, North reached back and gripped Jack's wrist. Yanking him forwards, Jack was suddenly leaning against North as they began to fly.

Sandy silently snuck forwards, reaching for Jack. With a quick movement he pulled the unconscious white-haired boy next to him.

Bunny made a grab for Jack which Sandy dodged.

Sandman didn't notice Tooth sneaking up until he registered the comforting coldness had disappeared.

Tooth gently raised one of Jack's arms and draped it around her neck. Jack mumbled something as far below them the spray of the ocean began.

Bunnymund reached forwards and yanked Jack over. Jack jerked, collapsing next to him.

Sandy waved as he grabbed Jack by the shoulder. Showing surprising strength, Sandy easily dragged Jack next to him.

The Guardians were barely noticing that the temperature was dropping as they got away from the desert. North hadn't even gotten out his portal from the bottom of the sleigh. The fact was, it was a competition, and they were having fun.

North reached next to Sandy and yanked Jack over, giving the reins a knock while he was at it.

Jack was unceremoniously placed next to North as the Russian man wrapped an arm around him.

The Mini-Fairies began to giggle. They were the only ones noticing Jack's blue eyes beginning to flutter with the dropping temperature.

Bunnymund reached forwards and dragged Jack over next to him. The white-haired teen was next to him for a few seconds before Tooth caught him by the shoulders and pulled him to the side.

North grabbed Jack's wrist from the back seat and yanked him over, all without moving from the front of his sleigh. It was an impressive display of skill.

Jack's eyes flashed open fully. No-one noticed.

"Mine!" Tooth protested, shooting forwards and grabbing the now-conscious boy. She pulled him into the seat just behind North.

The Mini-Fairies giggled and after a second, moved forwards. They nudged the staff into Jack's hand.

No-one else noticed Jack's fingers tighten.

The yetis all looked up and started gabbling in Yetish when they saw the sleigh. It was moving clumsily, with the reindeer trying to go off in all directions.

The sleigh shuddered to the ground. If the yetis were surprised at the broken sleigh, they were stunned to see the white-haired teen driving it.

One of the yetis ran up, babbling in their language and gesturing to the state of the sleigh.

"Whoa, whoa, chill." Jack grinned, easily leaping off. The Mini-Fairies followed him. "The state is North's fault, not mine."

"Gahste?" The yeti raised an eyebrow.

At least Jack was reasonably sure it raised an eyebrow behind that hair.

"He's the one that crashed it." Jack tried to explain. Around him the Mini-Fairies nodded, backing up the story. "I just drove it back because – well…"

"Gsfrmmastaf! Lekt ungae mmmfrreh!" A yeti yelled.

The rest of the yetis rushed around. Jack and the mini-fairies followed to see the yetis unloading the four Guardians, all of which were shivering and covered in frost.

One of the yetis grabbed Jack and poked him in the chest. "Mffrt!" Jack mentally translated that to 'explain'.

Jack folded his arms. "They were too hot. I cooled them down." He said flatly.

The yeti gabbled something.

"I have no idea what you just said, but that's what really happened."

The other Guardians had blankets wrapped around them by now and hot chocolate handed to them.

"Wh-what happened?" Tooth stuttered, looking for her Mini-Fairies. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw them all alright.

They chattered something at her that to Jack seemed half berating, half amused. Tooth blushed, looking down.

"What happened?" Bunnymund growled, looking at the frost covering his fur.

"You were too hot, remember?" Jack gave him a look. "When we crashed in the desert? I decided to help you with that problem."

The Mini-Fairies chittered agreement. The rest of the Guardians all froze, blushing.

Okay. So. Jack woke up.

"Isn't that right?" Jack said with a smile.

"Yes-"

"Yep!"

"Uh, absolutely."

Sandy quickly nodded agreement.

"See?" Jack smirked at the still suspicious yeti. The yeti frowned but seemed to accept it.

The Mini-Fairies swooped towards Tooth. Tooth smiled and reached up one hand gently. The fairies nuzzled against her. Apparently, Tooth had been forgiven for her silliness.

Jack leaned against his staff and smirked. "I'm gonna go, kay? Snow-days to bring, blizzards to start, fun to spread, etcetera etcetera."

"Yes. That is fine." North said quickly, shivering from the frost over him.

"Great." Jack said. "Oh, and by the way? I'm not an icepack, thank you very much."

Then, with a grin and a cheeky wave, Jack jumped back into the air, shooting towards the exit.

A yeti glanced at the other Guardians in confusion. "Grtmmf mmphff mreghu?"

North sighed, pulling the blanket around him. "Do not ask."

Well, on the plus side, at least now they were officially cooled down.

Well. I don't think my OOCness went too bad… at times… let me know if you agree/disagree. Or just if you liked it. Reviews!